# verses

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Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three.


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He was doubly honored above the Three and became their commander, even though he was not included among them.


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And he struck down an Egyptian who was seven and a half feet tall. Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver's rod in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear.


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These were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the warriors who helped him in battle;


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they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right-handed or left-handed; they were kinsmen of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin):


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Ahiezer their chief and Joash the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah, Jehu the Anathothite,


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and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the Thirty, who was a leader of the Thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite,


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Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the desert. They were brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear. Their faces were the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles in the mountains.


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These Gadites were army commanders; the least was a match for a hundred, and the greatest for a thousand.


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It was they who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks, and they put to flight everyone living in the valleys, to the east and to the west.


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David went out to meet them and said to them, "If you have come to me in peace, to help me, I am ready to have you unite with me. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free from violence, may the God of our fathers see it and judge you."


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Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said: "We are yours, O David! We are with you, O son of Jesse! Success, success to you, and success to those who help you, for your God will help you." So David received them and made them leaders of his raiding bands.


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Some of the men of Manasseh defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (He and his men did not help the Philistines because, after consultation, their rulers sent him away. They said, "It will cost us our heads if he deserts to his master Saul.")


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When David went to Ziklag, these were the men of Manasseh who defected to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai, leaders of units of a thousand in Manasseh.


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They helped David against raiding bands, for all of them were brave warriors, and they were commanders in his army.


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These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul's kingdom over to him, as the LORD had said:


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men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do-- chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;


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men of Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty--,;


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and from east of the Jordan, men of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, armed with every type of weapon--,.


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All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks. They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of the Israelites were also of one mind to make David king.


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The men spent three days there with David, eating and drinking, for their families had supplied provisions for them.


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Also, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. There were plentiful supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisin cakes, wine, oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.


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He then said to the whole assembly of Israel, "If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the LORD our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our brothers throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and pasturelands, to come and join us.


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So David assembled all the Israelites, from the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim.


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David and all the Israelites with him went to Baalah of Judah (Kiriath Jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the LORD, who is enthroned between the cherubim--the ark that is called by the Name.


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David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, cymbals and trumpets.


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When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled.


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The LORD'S anger burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.


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He did not take the ark to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.


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The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months, and the LORD blessed his household and everything he had.


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Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, stonemasons and carpenters to build a palace for him.


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And David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom had been highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel.


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When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them.


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so David inquired of God: "Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" The LORD answered him, "Go, I will hand them over to you."


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So David and his men went up to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, "As waters break out, God has broken out against my enemies by my hand." So that place was called Baal Perazim.


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so David inquired of God again, and God answered him, "Do not go straight up, but circle around them and attack them in front of the balsam trees.


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As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army."


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So David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army, all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.


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After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it.


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Then David said, "No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD chose them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before him forever."


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David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD to the place he had prepared for it.


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Then David summoned Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab the Levites.


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He said to them, "You are the heads of the Levitical families; you and your fellow Levites are to consecrate yourselves and bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it.


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It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the LORD our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way."


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So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel.


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And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the LORD.


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David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers to sing joyful songs, accompanied by musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.


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So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his brothers, Asaph son of Berekiah; and from their brothers the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah;


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and with them their brothers next in rank: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel, the gatekeepers.


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Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were to play the lyres according to alamoth,


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and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were to play the harps, directing according to sheminith.


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Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it.


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Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer the priests were to blow trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also to be doorkeepers for the ark.


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So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-Edom, with rejoicing.


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Because God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD, seven bulls and seven rams were sacrificed.


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Now David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and as were the singers, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod.


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So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouts, with the sounding of rams' horns and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps.


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As the ark of the covenant of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.


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They brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before God.


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After David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD.


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Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each Israelite man and woman.


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He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel:


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Asaph was the chief, Zechariah second, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They were to play the lyres and harps, Asaph was to sound the cymbals,


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and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.


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ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name. Bring an offering and come before him; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.


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Then the trees of the forest will sing, they will sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth.


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Cry out, "Save us, O God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, that we may glory in your praise."


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Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Then all the people said "Amen" and "Praise the LORD."


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David left Asaph and his associates before the ark of the covenant of the LORD to minister there regularly, according to each day's requirements.


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He also left Obed-Edom and his sixty-eight associates to minister with them. Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun, and also Hosah, were gatekeepers.


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David left Zadok the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the LORD at the high place in Gibeon


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to present burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offering regularly, morning and evening, in accordance with everything written in the Law of the LORD, which he had given Israel.


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With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the LORD, "for his love endures forever."


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Heman and Jeduthun were responsible for the sounding of the trumpets and cymbals and for the playing of the other instruments for sacred song. The sons of Jeduthun were stationed at the gate.


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After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, "Here I am, living in a palace of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under a tent."


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"Go and tell my servant David, 'This is what the LORD says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in.


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I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt to this day. I have moved from one tent site to another, from one dwelling place to another.


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Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their leaders whom I commanded to shepherd my people, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?" '


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"Now then, tell my servant David, 'This is what the LORD Almighty says: I took you from the pasture and from following the flock, to be ruler over my people Israel.


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I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men of the earth.


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and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies. "'I declare to you that the LORD will build a house for you:


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When your days are over and you go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom.


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I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor.


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Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: "Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?


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And as if this were not enough in your sight, O God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men, O LORD God.


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O LORD. For the sake of your servant and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made known all these great promises.


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And who is like your people Israel--the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem a people for himself, and to make a name for yourself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt?


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"And now, LORD, let the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house be established forever. Do as you promised,


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so that it will be established and that your name will be great forever. Then men will say, 'The LORD Almighty, the God over Israel, is Israel's God!' And the house of your servant David will be established before you.


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"You, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. So your servant has found courage to pray to you.


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Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, O LORD, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever."


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In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Gath and its surrounding villages from the control of the Philistines.


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Moreover, David fought Hadadezer king of Zobah, as far as Hamath, when he went to establish his control along the Euphrates River.


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He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to him and brought tribute. The LORD gave David victory everywhere he went.


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From Tebah and Cun, towns that belonged to Hadadezer, David took a great quantity of bronze, which Solomon used to make the bronze Sea, the pillars and various bronze articles.


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he sent his son Hadoram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Hadoram brought all kinds of articles of gold and silver and bronze.


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King David dedicated these articles to the LORD, as he had done with the silver and gold he had taken from all these nations: Edom and Moab, the Ammonites and the Philistines, and Amalek.


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He put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The LORD gave David victory everywhere he went.


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Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; and David's sons were chief officials at the king's side.


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David thought, "I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me." So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father. When David's men came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites to express sympathy to him,


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the Ammonite nobles said to Hanun, "Do you think David is honoring your father by sending men to you to express sympathy? Haven't his men come to you to explore and spy out the country and overthrow it?"


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So Hanun seized David's men, shaved them, cut off their garments in the middle at the buttocks, and sent them away.


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When someone came and told David about the men, he sent messengers to meet them, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, "Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back."


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When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench in David's nostrils, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim, Aram Maacah and Zobah.


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They hired thirty-two thousand chariots and charioteers, as well as the king of Maacah with his troops, who came and camped near Medeba, while the Ammonites were mustered from their towns and moved out for battle.


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The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance to their city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.


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He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai his brother, and they were deployed against the Ammonites.


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Joab said, "If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to rescue me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will rescue you.


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When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans were fleeing, they too fled before his brother Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab went back to Jerusalem.


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After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they sent messengers and had Arameans brought from beyond the River, with Shophach the commander of Hadadezer's army leading them.


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When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan; he advanced against them and formed his battle lines opposite them. David formed his lines to meet the Arameans in battle, and they fought against him.


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But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers. He also killed Shophach the commander of their army.


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When the vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. So the Arameans were not willing to help the Ammonites anymore.


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In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, Joab led out the armed forces. He laid waste the land of the Ammonites and went to Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and left it in ruins.


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David took the crown from the head of their king--its weight was found to be a talent of gold, and it was set with precious stones--and it was placed on David's head. He took a great quantity of plunder from the city


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and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labor with saws and with iron picks and axes. David did this to all the Ammonite towns. Then David and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.


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In the course of time, war broke out with the Philistines, at Gezer. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, one of the descendants of the Rephaites, and the Philistines were subjugated.


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In another battle with the Philistines, Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver's rod.


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So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, "Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are."


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But Joab replied, "May the LORD multiply his troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all my lord's subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?"


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The king's word, however, overruled Joab; so Joab left and went throughout Israel and then came back to Jerusalem.


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Joab reported the number of the fighting men to David: In all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand men who could handle a sword, including four hundred and seventy thousand in Judah.


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But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, because the king's command was repulsive to him.


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Then David said to God, "I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing."


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three years of famine, three months of being swept away before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the LORD--days of plague in the land, with the angel of the LORD ravaging every part of Israel.' Now then, decide how I should answer the one who sent me."


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David said to Gad, "I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men."


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And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing so, the LORD saw it and was grieved because of the calamity and said to the angel who was destroying the people, "Enough! Withdraw your hand." The angel of the LORD was then standing at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.


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David looked up and saw the angel of the LORD standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand extended over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown.


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David said to God, "Was it not I who ordered the fighting men to be counted? I am the one who has sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? O LORD my God, let your hand fall upon me and my family, but do not let this plague remain on your people."


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Then the angel of the LORD ordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.


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While Araunah was threshing wheat, he turned and saw the angel; his four sons who were with him hid themselves.


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Then David approached, and when Araunah looked and saw him, he left the threshing floor and bowed down before David with his face to the ground.


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David said to him, "Let me have the site of your threshing floor so I can build an altar to the LORD, that the plague on the people may be stopped. Sell it to me at the full price."


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Araunah said to David, "Take it! Let my lord the king do whatever pleases him. Look, I will give the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering. I will give all this."


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But King David replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing."


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David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on the LORD, and the LORD answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.


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At that time, when David saw that the LORD had answered him on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, he offered sacrifices there.


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The tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses had made in the desert, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time on the high place at Gibeon.


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But David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.


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Then David said, "The house of the LORD God is to be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel."


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So David gave orders to assemble the aliens living in Israel, and from among them he appointed stonecutters to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God.


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He provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings, and more bronze than could be weighed.


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He also provided more cedar logs than could be counted, for the Sidonians and Tyrians had brought large numbers of them to David.


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David said, "My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the LORD should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it." So David made extensive preparations before his death.


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Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel.


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David said to Solomon: "My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God.


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But this word of the LORD came to me: 'You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.


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But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign.


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He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.'


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"Now, my son, the LORD be with you, and may you have success and build the house of the LORD your God, as he said you would.


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May the LORD give you discretion and understanding when he puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the LORD your God.


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Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the LORD gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.


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"I have taken great pains to provide for the temple of the LORD a hundred thousand talents of gold, a million talents of silver, quantities of bronze and iron too great to be weighed, and wood and stone. And you may add to them.


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You have many workmen: stonecutters, masons and carpenters, as well as men skilled in every kind of work


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in gold and silver, bronze and iron--craftsmen beyond number. Now begin the work, and the LORD be with you."


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He said to them, "Is not the LORD your God with you? And has he not granted you rest on every side? For he has handed the inhabitants of the land over to me, and the land is subject to the LORD and to his people.


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Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the LORD."


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The Levites thirty years old or more were counted, and the total number of men was thirty-eight thousand.


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David said, "Of these, twenty-four thousand are to supervise the work of the temple of the LORD and six thousand are to be officials and judges.


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Four thousand are to be gatekeepers and four thousand are to praise the LORD with the musical instruments I have provided for that purpose."


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David divided the Levites into groups corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.


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The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel and Haran--three in all. These were the heads of the families of Ladan.


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Jahath was the first and Ziza the second, but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons; so they were counted as one family with one assignment.


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The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart, he and his descendants forever, to consecrate the most holy things, to offer sacrifices before the LORD, to minister before him and to pronounce blessings in his name forever.


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The descendants of Eliezer: Rehabiah was the first. Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very numerous.


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The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third and Jekameam the fourth.


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Eleazar died without having sons: he had only daughters. Their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them.


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These were the descendants of Levi by their families--the heads of families as they were registered under their names and counted individually, that is, the workers twenty years old or more who served in the temple of the LORD.


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For David had said, "Since the LORD, the God of Israel, has granted rest to his people and has come to dwell in Jerusalem forever,


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According to the last instructions of David, the Levites were counted from those twenty years old or more.


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The duty of the Levites was to help Aaron's descendants in the service of the temple of the LORD: to be in charge of the courtyards, the side rooms, the purification of all sacred things and the performance of other duties at the house of God.


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They were in charge of the bread set out on the table, the flour for the grain offerings, the unleavened wafers, the baking and the mixing, and all measurements of quantity and size.


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They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD. They were to do the same in the evening


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and whenever burnt offerings were presented to the LORD on Sabbaths and at New Moon festivals and at appointed feasts. They were to serve before the LORD regularly in the proper number and in the way prescribed for them.


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And so the Levites carried out their responsibilities for the Tent of Meeting, for the Holy Place and, under their brothers the descendants of Aaron, for the service of the temple of the LORD.


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These were the divisions of the sons of Aaron: The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.


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But Nadab and Abihu died before their father did, and they had no sons; so Eleazar and Ithamar served as the priests.


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With the help of Zadok a descendant of Eleazar and Ahimelech a descendant of Ithamar, David separated them into divisions for their appointed order of ministering.


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A larger number of leaders were found among Eleazar's descendants than among Ithamar's, and they were divided accordingly: sixteen heads of families from Eleazar's descendants and eight heads of families from Ithamar's descendants.


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They divided them impartially by drawing lots, for there were officials of the sanctuary and officials of God among the descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar.


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The scribe Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded their names in the presence of the king and of the officials: Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar and the heads of families of the priests and of the Levites--one family being taken from Eleazar and then one from Ithamar.


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This was their appointed order of ministering when they entered the temple of the LORD, according to the regulations prescribed for them by their forefather Aaron, as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded him.


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As for the rest of the descendants of Levi: from the sons of Amram: Shubael; from the sons of Shubael: Jehdeiah.


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And the sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder and Jerimoth. These were the Levites, according to their families.


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They also cast lots, just as their brothers the descendants of Aaron did, in the presence of King David and of Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of families of the priests and of the Levites. The families of the oldest brother were treated the same as those of the youngest.


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David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals. Here is the list of the men who performed this service:


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From the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah and Asarelah. The sons of Asaph were under the supervision of Asaph, who prophesied under the king's supervision.


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As for Jeduthun, from his sons: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah and Mattithiah, six in all, under the supervision of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied, using the harp in thanking and praising the LORD.


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As for Heman, from his sons: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael and Jerimoth; Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-Ezer; Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir and Mahazioth.


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All these were sons of Heman the king's seer. They were given him through the promises of God to exalt him. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.


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All these men were under the supervision of their fathers for the music of the temple of the LORD, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry at the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the supervision of the king.


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The first lot, which was for Asaph, fell to Joseph, his sons and relatives, the second to Gedaliah, he and his relatives and sons,


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The divisions of the gatekeepers: From the Korahites: Meshelemiah son of Kore, one of the sons of Asaph.


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Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,


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Obed-Edom also had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sacar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth,


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His son Shemaiah also had sons, who were leaders in their father's family because they were very capable men.


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The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed and Elzabad; his relatives Elihu and Semakiah were also able men.


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All these were descendants of Obed-Edom; they and their sons and their relatives were capable men with the strength to do the work--descendants of Obed-Edom, in all.


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Hosah the Merarite had sons: Shimri the first (although he was not the firstborn, his father had appointed him the first),


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Hilkiah the second, Tabaliah the third and Zechariah the fourth. The sons and relatives of Hosah were in all.


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These divisions of the gatekeepers, through their chief men, had duties for ministering in the temple of the LORD, just as their relatives had.


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The lot for the East Gate fell to Shelemiah. Then lots were cast for his son Zechariah, a wise counselor, and the lot for the North Gate fell to him.


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The lots for the West Gate and the Shalleketh Gate on the upper road fell to Shuppim and Hosah. Guard was alongside of guard:


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There were six Levites a day on the east, four a day on the north, four a day on the south and two at a time at the storehouse.


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Their fellow Levites were in charge of the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries for the dedicated things.


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The descendants of Ladan, who were Gershonites through Ladan and who were heads of families belonging to Ladan the Gershonite, were Jehieli,


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the sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother Joel. They were in charge of the treasuries of the temple of the LORD.


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His relatives through Eliezer: Rehabiah his son, Jeshaiah his son, Joram his son, Zicri his son and Shelomith his son.


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Shelomith and his relatives were in charge of all the treasuries for the things dedicated by King David, by the heads of families who were the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and by the other army commanders.


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And everything dedicated by Samuel the seer and by Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner and Joab son of Zeruiah, and all the other dedicated things were in the care of Shelomith and his relatives.


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From the Izharites: Kenaniah and his sons were assigned duties away from the temple, as officials and judges over Israel.


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From the Hebronites: Hashabiah and his relatives--seventeen hundred able men--were responsible in Israel west of the Jordan for all the work of the LORD and for the king's service.


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As for the Hebronites, Jeriah was their chief according to the genealogical records of their families. In the fortieth year of David's reign a search was made in the records, and capable men among the Hebronites were found at Jazer in Gilead.


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Jeriah had twenty-seven hundred relatives, who were able men and heads of families, and King David put them in charge of the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh for every matter pertaining to God and for the affairs of the king.


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This is the list of the Israelites--heads of families, commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and their officers, who served the king in all that concerned the army divisions that were on duty month by month throughout the year. Each division consisted of, men.


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In charge of the first division, for the first month, was Jashobeam son of Zabdiel. There were, men in his division.


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In charge of the division for the second month was Dodai the Ahohite; Mikloth was the leader of his division. There were, men in his division.


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The third army commander, for the third month, was Benaiah son of Jehoiada the priest. He was chief and there were, men in his division.


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This was the Benaiah who was a mighty man among the Thirty and was over the Thirty. His son Ammizabad was in charge of his division.


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The fourth, for the fourth month, was Asahel the brother of Joab; his son Zebadiah was his successor. There were, men in his division.


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The fifth, for the fifth month, was the commander Shamhuth the Izrahite. There were, men in his division.


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The sixth, for the sixth month, was Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite. There were, men in his division.


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The seventh, for the seventh month, was Helez the Pelonite, an Ephraimite. There were, men in his division.


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The eighth, for the eighth month, was Sibbecai the Hushathite, a Zerahite. There were, men in his division.


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The ninth, for the ninth month, was Abiezer the Anathothite, a Benjamite. There were, men in his division.


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The tenth, for the tenth month, was Maharai the Netophathite, a Zerahite. There were, men in his division.


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The eleventh, for the eleventh month, was Benaiah the Pirathonite, an Ephraimite. There were, men in his division.


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The twelfth, for the twelfth month, was Heldai the Netophathite, from the family of Othniel. There were, men in his division.


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The officers over the tribes of Israel: over the Reubenites: Eliezer son of Zicri; over the Simeonites: Shephatiah son of Maacah;


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over the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead: Iddo son of Zechariah; over Benjamin: Jaasiel son of Abner;


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David did not take the number of the men twenty years old or less, because the LORD had promised to make Israel as numerous as the stars in the sky.


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Joab son of Zeruiah began to count the men but did not finish. Wrath came on Israel on account of this numbering, and the number was not entered in the book of the annals of King David.


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Azmaveth son of Adiel was in charge of the royal storehouses. Jonathan son of Uzziah was in charge of the storehouses in the outlying districts, in the towns, the villages and the watchtowers.


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Shimei the Ramathite was in charge of the vineyards. Zabdi the Shiphmite was in charge of the produce of the vineyards for the wine vats.


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Baal-Hanan the Gederite was in charge of the olive and sycamore-fig trees in the western foothills. Joash was in charge of the supplies of olive oil.


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Shitrai the Sharonite was in charge of the herds grazing in Sharon. Shaphat son of Adlai was in charge of the herds in the valleys.


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Obil the Ishmaelite was in charge of the camels. Jehdeiah the Meronothite was in charge of the donkeys.


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Jaziz the Hagrite was in charge of the flocks. All these were the officials in charge of King David's property.


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Jonathan, David's uncle, was a counselor, a man of insight and a scribe. Jehiel son of Hacmoni took care of the king's sons.


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Ahithophel was succeeded by Jehoiada son of Benaiah and by Abiathar. Joab was the commander of the royal army.


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David summoned all the officials of Israel to assemble at Jerusalem: the officers over the tribes, the commanders of the divisions in the service of the king, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of all the property and livestock belonging to the king and his sons, together with the palace officials, the mighty men and all the brave warriors.


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King David rose to his feet and said: "Listen to me, my brothers and my people. I had it in my heart to build a house as a place of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, for the footstool of our God, and I made plans to build it.


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But God said to me, 'You are not to build a house for my Name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood.'


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"Yet the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me from my whole family to be king over Israel forever. He chose Judah as leader, and from the house of Judah he chose my family, and from my father's sons he was pleased to make me king over all Israel.


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Of all my sons--and the LORD has given me many--he has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.


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He said to me: 'Solomon your son is the one who will build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.


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I will establish his kingdom forever if he is unswerving in carrying out my commands and laws, as is being done at this time.'


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"So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God: Be careful to follow all the commands of the LORD your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever.


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"And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.


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Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a temple as a sanctuary. Be strong and do the work."


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Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple, its buildings, its storerooms, its upper parts, its inner rooms and the place of atonement.


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He gave him the plans of all that the Spirit had put in his mind for the courts of the temple of the LORD and all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the temple of God and for the treasuries for the dedicated things.


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He gave him instructions for the divisions of the priests and Levites, and for all the work of serving in the temple of the LORD, as well as for all the articles to be used in its service.


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He designated the weight of gold for all the gold articles to be used in various kinds of service, and the weight of silver for all the silver articles to be used in various kinds of service:


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the weight of gold for the gold lampstands and their lamps, with the weight for each lampstand and its lamps; and the weight of silver for each silver lampstand and its lamps, according to the use of each lampstand;


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the weight of gold for each table for consecrated bread; the weight of silver for the silver tables;


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the weight of pure gold for the forks, sprinkling bowls and pitchers; the weight of gold for each gold dish; the weight of silver for each silver dish;


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and the weight of the refined gold for the altar of incense. He also gave him the plan for the chariot, that is, the cherubim of gold that spread their wings and shelter the ark of the covenant of the LORD.


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"All this," David said, "I have in writing from the hand of the LORD upon me, and he gave me understanding in all the details of the plan."


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David also said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.


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The divisions of the priests and Levites are ready for all the work on the temple of God, and every willing man skilled in any craft will help you in all the work. The officials and all the people will obey your every command."


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Then King David said to the whole assembly: "My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for the LORD God.


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With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God--gold for the gold work, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, and all kinds of fine stone and marble--all of these in large quantities.


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Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple:


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three thousand talents of gold (gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings,


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for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now, who is willing to consecrate himself today to the LORD?"


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Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king's work gave willingly.


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They gave toward the work on the temple of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze and a hundred thousand talents of iron.


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Any who had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the temple of the LORD in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite.


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The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD. David the king also rejoiced greatly.


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David praised the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, "Praise be to you, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.


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Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.


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Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.


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"But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.


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We are aliens and strangers in your sight, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope.


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O LORD our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you.


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I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you.


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O LORD, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep this desire in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you.


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And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, requirements and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided."


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Then David said to the whole assembly, "Praise the LORD your God." So they all praised the LORD, the God of their fathers; they bowed low and fell prostrate before the LORD and the king.


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The next day they made sacrifices to the LORD and presented burnt offerings to him: a thousand bulls, a thousand rams and a thousand male lambs, together with their drink offerings, and other sacrifices in abundance for all Israel.


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They ate and drank with great joy in the presence of the LORD that day. Then they acknowledged Solomon son of David as king a second time, anointing him before the LORD to be ruler and Zadok to be priest.


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So Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king in place of his father David. He prospered and all Israel obeyed him.


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All the officers and mighty men, as well as all of King David's sons, pledged their submission to King Solomon.


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The LORD highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him royal splendor such as no king over Israel ever had before.


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He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth and honor. His son Solomon succeeded him as king.


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As for the events of King David's reign, from beginning to end, they are written in the records of Samuel the seer, the records of Nathan the prophet and the records of Gad the seer,


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together with the details of his reign and power, and the circumstances that surrounded him and Israel and the kingdoms of all the other lands.


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Solomon son of David established himself firmly over his kingdom, for the LORD his God was with him and made him exceedingly great.


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Then Solomon spoke to all Israel--to the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, to the judges and to all the leaders in Israel, the heads of families--


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and Solomon and the whole assembly went to the high place at Gibeon, for God's Tent of Meeting was there, which Moses the LORD'S servant had made in the desert.


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Now David had brought up the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to the place he had prepared for it, because he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.


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But the bronze altar that Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made was in Gibeon in front of the tabernacle of the LORD; so Solomon and the assembly inquired of him there.


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Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the LORD in the Tent of Meeting and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.


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Solomon answered God, "You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place.


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Now, LORD God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth.


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Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?"


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God said to Solomon, "Since this is your heart's desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king,


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therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have."


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Then Solomon went to Jerusalem from the high place at Gibeon, from before the Tent of Meeting. And he reigned over Israel.


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The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills.


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He conscripted seventy thousand men as carriers and eighty thousand as stonecutters in the hills and thirty-six hundred as foremen over them.


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Solomon sent this message to Hiram king of Tyre: "Send me cedar logs as you did for my father David when you sent him cedar to build a palace to live in.


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Now I am about to build a temple for the Name of the LORD my God and to dedicate it to him for burning fragrant incense before him, for setting out the consecrated bread regularly, and for making burnt offerings every morning and evening and on Sabbaths and New Moons and at the appointed feasts of the LORD our God. This is a lasting ordinance for Israel.


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But who is able to build a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him? Who then am I to build a temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices before him?


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"Send me, therefore, a man skilled to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, and in purple, crimson and blue yarn, and experienced in the art of engraving, to work in Judah and Jerusalem with my skilled craftsmen, whom my father David provided.


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"Send me also cedar, pine and algum logs from Lebanon, for I know that your men are skilled in cutting timber there. My men will work with yours


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I will give your servants, the woodsmen who cut the timber, twenty thousand cors of ground wheat, twenty thousand cors of barley, twenty thousand baths of wine and twenty thousand baths of olive oil."


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Hiram king of Tyre replied by letter to Solomon: "Because the LORD loves his people, he has made you their king."


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And Hiram added: "Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth! He has given King David a wise son, endowed with intelligence and discernment, who will build a temple for the LORD and a palace for himself.


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whose mother was from Dan and whose father was from Tyre. He is trained to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, stone and wood, and with purple and blue and crimson yarn and fine linen. He is experienced in all kinds of engraving and can execute any design given to him. He will work with your craftsmen and with those of my lord, David your father.


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and we will cut all the logs from Lebanon that you need and will float them in rafts by sea down to Joppa. You can then take them up to Jerusalem."


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Solomon took a census of all the aliens who were in Israel, after the census his father David had taken; and they were found to be,.


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He assigned, of them to be carriers and, to be stonecutters in the hills, with, foremen over them to keep the people working.


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Then Solomon began to build the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David. It was on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, the place provided by David.


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The foundation Solomon laid for building the temple of God was sixty cubits long and twenty cubits wide (using the cubit of the old standard).


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The portico at the front of the temple was twenty cubits long across the width of the building and twenty cubits high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold.


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He paneled the main hall with pine and covered it with fine gold and decorated it with palm tree and chain designs.


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He overlaid the ceiling beams, doorframes, walls and doors of the temple with gold, and he carved cherubim on the walls.


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He built the Most Holy Place, its length corresponding to the width of the temple--twenty cubits long and twenty cubits wide. He overlaid the inside with six hundred talents of fine gold.


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The total wingspan of the cherubim was twenty cubits. One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long and touched the temple wall, while its other wing, also five cubits long, touched the wing of the other cherub.


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Similarly one wing of the second cherub was five cubits long and touched the other temple wall, and its other wing, also five cubits long, touched the wing of the first cherub.


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In the front of the temple he made two pillars, which together were thirty-five cubits long, each with a capital on top measuring five cubits.


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He made interwoven chains and put them on top of the pillars. He also made a hundred pomegranates and attached them to the chains.


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He erected the pillars in the front of the temple, one to the south and one to the north. The one to the south he named Jakin and the one to the north Boaz.


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Below the rim, figures of bulls encircled it--ten to a cubit. The bulls were cast in two rows in one piece with the Sea.


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It was a handbreadth in thickness, and its rim was like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held three thousand baths.


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He then made ten basins for washing and placed five on the south side and five on the north. In them the things to be used for the burnt offerings were rinsed, but the Sea was to be used by the priests for washing.


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He made ten gold lampstands according to the specifications for them and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north.


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He made ten tables and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north. He also made a hundred gold sprinkling bowls.


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He made the courtyard of the priests, and the large court and the doors for the court, and overlaid the doors with bronze.


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He also made the pots and shovels and sprinkling bowls. So Huram finished the work he had undertaken for King Solomon in the temple of God:


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the pots, shovels, meat forks and all related articles. All the objects that Huram-Abi made for King Solomon for the temple of the LORD were of polished bronze.


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All these things that Solomon made amounted to so much that the weight of the bronze was not determined.


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Solomon also made all the furnishings that were in God's temple: the golden altar; the tables on which was the bread of the Presence;


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the lampstands of pure gold with their lamps, to burn in front of the inner sanctuary as prescribed;


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the pure gold wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes and censers; and the gold doors of the temple: the inner doors to the Most Holy Place and the doors of the main hall.


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When all the work Solomon had done for the temple of the LORD was finished, he brought in the things his father David had dedicated--the silver and gold and all the furnishings--and he placed them in the treasuries of God's temple.


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Then Solomon summoned to Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark of the LORD'S covenant from Zion, the City of David.


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And all the men of Israel came together to the king at the time of the festival in the seventh month.


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and they brought up the ark and the Tent of Meeting and all the sacred furnishings in it. The priests, who were Levites, carried them up;


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The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and covered the ark and its carrying poles.


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These poles were so long that their ends, extending from the ark, could be seen from in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are still there today.


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There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.


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The priests then withdrew from the Holy Place. All the priests who were there had consecrated themselves, regardless of their divisions.


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All the Levites who were musicians--Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives--stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by priests sounding trumpets.


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The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: "He is good; his love endures forever." Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud,


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and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God.


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Then he said: "Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who with his hands has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to my father David. For he said,


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'Since the day I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built for my Name to be there, nor have I chosen anyone to be the leader over my people Israel.


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But now I have chosen Jerusalem for my Name to be there, and I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.'


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"The LORD has kept the promise he made. I have succeeded David my father and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the LORD promised, and I have built the temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.


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There I have placed the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD that he made with the people of Israel."


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Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands.


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Now he had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide and three cubits high, and had placed it in the center of the outer court. He stood on the platform and then knelt down before the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven.


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He said: "O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth--you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way.


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"Now LORD, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises you made to him when you said, 'You shall never fail to have a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons are careful in all they do to walk before me according to my law, as you have done.'


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"But will God really dwell on earth with men? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!


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Yet give attention to your servant's prayer and his plea for mercy, O LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence.


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May your eyes be open toward this temple day and night, this place of which you said you would put your Name there. May you hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place.


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Hear the supplications of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive.


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then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, repaying the guilty by bringing down on his own head what he has done. Declare the innocent not guilty and so establish his innocence.


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"When your people Israel have been defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you and when they turn back and confess your name, praying and making supplication before you in this temple,


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then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to them and their fathers.


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"When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when enemies besiege them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come,


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and when a prayer or plea is made by any of your people Israel--each one aware of his afflictions and pains, and spreading out his hands toward this temple--


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then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive, and deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of men),


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so that they will fear you and walk in your ways all the time they live in the land you gave our fathers.


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"As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm--when he comes and prays toward this temple,


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"When your people go to war against their enemies, wherever you send them, and when they pray to you toward this city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name,


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"When they sin against you--for there is no one who does not sin--and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to a land far away or near;


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and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity and say, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong and acted wickedly';


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and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity where they were taken, and pray toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and toward the temple I have built for your Name;


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then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you.


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"Now arise, O LORD God, and come to your resting place, you and the ark of your might. May your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, may your saints rejoice in your goodness.


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O LORD God, do not reject your anointed one. Remember the great love promised to David your servant."


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When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.


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When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, "He is good; his love endures forever."


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And King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand head of cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats. So the king and all the people dedicated the temple of God.


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The priests took their positions, as did the Levites with the LORD'S musical instruments, which King David had made for praising the LORD and which were used when he gave thanks, saying, "His love endures forever." Opposite the Levites, the priests blew their trumpets, and all the Israelites were standing.


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Solomon consecrated the middle part of the courtyard in front of the temple of the LORD, and there he offered burnt offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings, because the bronze altar he had made could not hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings and the fat portions.


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So Solomon observed the festival at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him--a vast assembly, people from Lebo Hamath to the Wadi of Egypt.


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On the eighth day they held an assembly, for they had celebrated the dedication of the altar for seven days and the festival for seven days more.


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On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people to their homes, joyful and glad in heart for the good things the LORD had done for David and Solomon and for his people Israel.


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When Solomon had finished the temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the LORD and in his own palace,


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the LORD appeared to him at night and said: "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices.


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"When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people,


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if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.


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I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.


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"As for you, if you walk before me as David your father did, and do all I command, and observe my decrees and laws,


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I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father when I said, 'You shall never fail to have a man to rule over Israel.'


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"But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them,


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then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples.


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And though this temple is now so imposing, all who pass by will be appalled and say, 'Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?'


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People will answer, 'Because they have forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them--that is why he brought all this disaster on them.'"


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He rebuilt Upper Beth Horon and Lower Beth Horon as fortified cities, with walls and with gates and bars,


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as well as Baalath and all his store cities, and all the cities for his chariots and for his horses--whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory he ruled.


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All the people left from the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites (these peoples were not Israelites),


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that is, their descendants remaining in the land, whom the Israelites had not destroyed--these Solomon conscripted for his slave labor force, as it is to this day.


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But Solomon did not make slaves of the Israelites for his work; they were his fighting men, commanders of his captains, and commanders of his chariots and charioteers.


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Solomon brought Pharaoh's daughter up from the City of David to the palace he had built for her, for he said, "My wife must not live in the palace of David king of Israel, because the places the ark of the LORD has entered are holy."


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On the altar of the LORD that he had built in front of the portico, Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings to the LORD,


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according to the daily requirement for offerings commanded by Moses for Sabbaths, New Moons and the three annual feasts--the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles.


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In keeping with the ordinance of his father David, he appointed the divisions of the priests for their duties, and the Levites to lead the praise and to assist the priests according to each day's requirement. He also appointed the gatekeepers by divisions for the various gates, because this was what David the man of God had ordered.


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They did not deviate from the king's commands to the priests or to the Levites in any matter, including that of the treasuries.


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All Solomon's work was carried out, from the day the foundation of the temple of the LORD was laid until its completion. So the temple of the LORD was finished.


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And Hiram sent him ships commanded by his own officers, men who knew the sea. These, with Solomon's men, sailed to Ophir and brought back four hundred and fifty talents of gold, which they delivered to King Solomon.


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When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving with a very great caravan--with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones--she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind.


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the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, the cupbearers in their robes and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed.


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But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard.


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Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the LORD your God. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them forever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness."


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Then she gave the king talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. There had never been such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.


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(The men of Hiram and the men of Solomon brought gold from Ophir; they also brought algumwood and precious stones.


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The king used the algumwood to make steps for the temple of the LORD and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. Nothing like them had ever been seen in Judah.)


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King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for; he gave her more than she had brought to him. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.


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not including the revenues brought in by merchants and traders. Also all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land brought gold and silver to Solomon.


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King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred bekas of hammered gold went into each shield.


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He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three hundred bekas of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.


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The throne had six steps, and a footstool of gold was attached to it. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them.


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All King Solomon's goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon's day.


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The king had a fleet of trading ships manned by Hiram's men. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.


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All the kings of the earth sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.


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Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift--articles of silver and gold, and robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules.


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Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.


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He ruled over all the kings from the River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt.


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As for the other events of Solomon's reign, from beginning to end, are they not written in the records of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat?


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When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this (he was in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), he returned from Egypt.


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They replied, "If you will be kind to these people and please them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants."


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The young men who had grown up with him replied, "Tell the people who have said to you, 'Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter'--tell them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist.


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So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from God, to fulfill the word the LORD had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.


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When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king: "What share do we have in David, what part in Jesse's son? To your tents, O Israel! Look after your own house, O David!" So all the Israelites went home.


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King Rehoboam sent out Adoniram, who was in charge of forced labor, but the Israelites stoned him to death. King Rehoboam, however, managed to get into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem.


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When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered the house of Judah and Benjamin--a hundred and eighty thousand fighting men--to make war against Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam.


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'This is what the LORD says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.'" So they obeyed the words of the LORD and turned back from marching against Jeroboam.


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He strengthened their defenses and put commanders in them, with supplies of food, olive oil and wine.


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He put shields and spears in all the cities, and made them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his.


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The Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property, and came to Judah and Jerusalem because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the LORD.


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Those from every tribe of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the LORD, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to the LORD, the God of their fathers.


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They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon three years, walking in the ways of David and Solomon during this time.


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Rehoboam married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David's son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse's son Eliab.


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Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than any of his other wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.


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Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah to be the chief prince among his brothers, in order to make him king.


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He acted wisely, dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and took many wives for them.


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After Rehoboam's position as king was established and he had become strong, he and all Israel with him abandoned the law of the LORD.


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Because they had been unfaithful to the LORD, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem in the fifth year of King Rehoboam.


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With twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen and the innumerable troops of Libyans, Sukkites and Cushites that came with him from Egypt,


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Then the prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and to the leaders of Judah who had assembled in Jerusalem for fear of Shishak, and he said to them, "This is what the LORD says, 'You have abandoned me; therefore, I now abandon you to Shishak.'"


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When the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, this word of the LORD came to Shemaiah: "Since they have humbled themselves, I will not destroy them but will soon give them deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak.


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They will, however, become subject to him, so that they may learn the difference between serving me and serving the kings of other lands."


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When Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem, he carried off the treasures of the temple of the LORD and the treasures of the royal palace. He took everything, including the gold shields Solomon had made.


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Whenever the king went to the LORD'S temple, the guards went with him, bearing the shields, and afterward they returned them to the guardroom.


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Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the LORD'S anger turned from him, and he was not totally destroyed. Indeed, there was some good in Judah.


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King Rehoboam established himself firmly in Jerusalem and continued as king. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel in which to put his Name. His mother's name was Naamah; she was an Ammonite.


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As for the events of Rehoboam's reign, from beginning to end, are they not written in the records of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer that deal with genealogies? There was continual warfare between Rehoboam and Jeroboam.


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Rehoboam rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. And Abijah his son succeeded him as king.


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and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother's name was Maacah, a daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.


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Abijah went into battle with a force of four hundred thousand able fighting men, and Jeroboam drew up a battle line against him with eight hundred thousand able troops.


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Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, "Jeroboam and all Israel, listen to me!


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Don't you know that the LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt?


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Some worthless scoundrels gathered around him and opposed Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young and indecisive and not strong enough to resist them.


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"And now you plan to resist the kingdom of the LORD, which is in the hands of David's descendants. You are indeed a vast army and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods.


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But didn't you drive out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and make priests of your own as the peoples of other lands do? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams may become a priest of what are not gods.


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"As for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him. The priests who serve the LORD are sons of Aaron, and the Levites assist them.


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Every morning and evening they present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the LORD. They set out the bread on the ceremonially clean table and light the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. We are observing the requirements of the LORD our God. But you have forsaken him.


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God is with us; he is our leader. His priests with their trumpets will sound the battle cry against you. Men of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers, for you will not succeed."


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Now Jeroboam had sent troops around to the rear, so that while he was in front of Judah the ambush was behind them.


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Judah turned and saw that they were being attacked at both front and rear. Then they cried out to the LORD. The priests blew their trumpets


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and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. At the sound of their battle cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.


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Abijah and his men inflicted heavy losses on them, so that there were five hundred thousand casualties among Israel's able men.


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The men of Israel were subdued on that occasion, and the men of Judah were victorious because they relied on the LORD, the God of their fathers.


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Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took from him the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah and Ephron, with their surrounding villages.


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But Abijah grew in strength. He married fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.


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The other events of Abijah's reign, what he did and what he said, are written in the annotations of the prophet Iddo.


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And Abijah rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. Asa his son succeeded him as king, and in his days the country was at peace for ten years.


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He removed the foreign altars and the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles.


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He removed the high places and incense altars in every town in Judah, and the kingdom was at peace under him.


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He built up the fortified cities of Judah, since the land was at peace. No one was at war with him during those years, for the LORD gave him rest.


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"Let us build up these towns," he said to Judah, "and put walls around them, with towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours, because we have sought the LORD our God; we sought him and he has given us rest on every side." So they built and prospered.


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Asa had an army of three hundred thousand men from Judah, equipped with large shields and with spears, and two hundred and eighty thousand from Benjamin, armed with small shields and with bows. All these were brave fighting men.


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Zerah the Cushite marched out against them with a vast army and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah.


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Asa went out to meet him, and they took up battle positions in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.


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Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, "LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. O LORD, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you."


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and Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar. Such a great number of Cushites fell that they could not recover; they were crushed before the LORD and his forces. The men of Judah carried off a large amount of plunder.


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They destroyed all the villages around Gerar, for the terror of the LORD had fallen upon them. They plundered all these villages, since there was much booty there.


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They also attacked the camps of the herdsmen and carried off droves of sheep and goats and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.


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He went out to meet Asa and said to him, "Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.


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But in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them.


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In those days it was not safe to travel about, for all the inhabitants of the lands were in great turmoil.


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One nation was being crushed by another and one city by another, because God was troubling them with every kind of distress.


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When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of Oded the prophet, he took courage. He removed the detestable idols from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the towns he had captured in the hills of Ephraim. He repaired the altar of the LORD that was in front of the portico of the LORD'S temple.


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Then he assembled all Judah and Benjamin and the people from Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon who had settled among them, for large numbers had come over to him from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.


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At that time they sacrificed to the LORD seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep and goats from the plunder they had brought back.


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They entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul.


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All who would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, were to be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman.


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All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God eagerly, and he was found by them. So the LORD gave them rest on every side.


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King Asa also deposed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive Asherah pole. Asa cut the pole down, broke it up and burned it in the Kidron Valley.


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Although he did not remove the high places from Israel, Asa's heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life.


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He brought into the temple of God the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.


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In the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.


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Asa then took the silver and gold out of the treasuries of the LORD'S temple and of his own palace and sent it to Ben-Hadad king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus.


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"Let there be a treaty between me and you," he said, "as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will withdraw from me."


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Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. They conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim and all the store cities of Naphtali.


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Then King Asa brought all the men of Judah, and they carried away from Ramah the stones and timber Baasha had been using. With them he built up Geba and Mizpah.


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At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: "Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand.


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Were not the Cushites and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen? Yet when you relied on the LORD, he delivered them into your hand.


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For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war."


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Asa was angry with the seer because of this; he was so enraged that he put him in prison. At the same time Asa brutally oppressed some of the people.


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The events of Asa's reign, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.


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In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the LORD, but only from the physicians.


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They buried him in the tomb that he had cut out for himself in the City of David. They laid him on a bier covered with spices and various blended perfumes, and they made a huge fire in his honor.


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He stationed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah and put garrisons in Judah and in the towns of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.


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The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because in his early years he walked in the ways his father David had followed. He did not consult the Baals


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The LORD established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honor.


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His heart was devoted to the ways of the LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.


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In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah to teach in the towns of Judah.


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With them were certain Levites--Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tob-Adonijah--and the priests Elishama and Jehoram.


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They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the LORD; they went around to all the towns of Judah and taught the people.


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The fear of the LORD fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not make war with Jehoshaphat.


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Some Philistines brought Jehoshaphat gifts and silver as tribute, and the Arabs brought him flocks: seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred goats.


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Their enrollment by families was as follows: From Judah, commanders of units of,: Adnah the commander, with, fighting men;


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These were the men who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.


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Some years later he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle for him and the people with him and urged him to attack Ramoth Gilead.


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Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, "Will you go with me against Ramoth Gilead?" Jehoshaphat replied, "I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will join you in the war."


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So the king of Israel brought together the prophets--four hundred men--and asked them, "Shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?" "Go," they answered, "for God will give it into the king's hand."


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Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance to the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them.


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Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns, and he declared, "This is what the LORD says: 'With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.'"


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When he arrived, the king asked him, "Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?" "Attack and be victorious," he answered, "for they will be given into your hand."


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Micaiah continued, "Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the host of heaven standing on his right and on his left.


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And the LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab king of Israel into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?' "One suggested this, and another that.


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Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.' "'By what means?' the LORD asked.


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"'I will go and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,' he said. "'You will succeed in enticing him,' said the LORD. 'Go and do it.'


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"So now the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours. The LORD has decreed disaster for you."


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The king of Israel then ordered, "Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon the ruler of the city and to Joash the king's son,


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Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, "Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel."


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When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, "This is 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,


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But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the sections of his armor. The king told the chariot driver, "Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I've been wounded."


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All day long the battle raged, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. Then at sunset he died.


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Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is upon you.


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There is, however, some good in you, for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and have set your heart on seeking God."


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Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and turned them back to the LORD, the God of their fathers.


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He told them, "Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for man but for the LORD, who is with you whenever you give a verdict.


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Now let the fear of the LORD be upon you. Judge carefully, for with the LORD our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery."


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In Jerusalem also, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites, priests and heads of Israelite families to administer the law of the LORD and to settle disputes. And they lived in Jerusalem.


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In every case that comes before you from your fellow countrymen who live in the cities--whether bloodshed or other concerns of the law, commands, decrees or ordinances--you are to warn them not to sin against the LORD; otherwise his wrath will come on you and your brothers. Do this, and you will not sin.


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"Amariah the chief priest will be over you in any matter concerning the LORD, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the tribe of Judah, will be over you in any matter concerning the king, and the Levites will serve as officials before you. Act with courage, and may the LORD be with those who do well."


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Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Sea. It is already in Hazazon Tamar" (that is, En Gedi).


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The people of Judah came together to seek help from the LORD; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.


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Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the LORD in the front of the new courtyard


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and said: "O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you.


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O our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?


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'If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.'


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"But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them.


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See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance.


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O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you."


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Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.


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He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's.


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Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel.


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You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.'"


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Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD.


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Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with very loud voice.


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Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful."


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After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever."


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As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.


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The men of Ammon and Moab rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.


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When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped.


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So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value--more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it.


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On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, where they praised the LORD. This is why it is called the Valley of Beracah to this day.


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Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the LORD had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies.


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The fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard how the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.


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So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother's name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.


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He walked in the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD.


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The high places, however, were not removed, and the people still had not set their hearts on the God of their fathers.


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The other events of Jehoshaphat's reign, from beginning to end, are written in the annals of Jehu son of Hanani, which are recorded in the book of the kings of Israel.


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Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, who was guilty of wickedness.


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Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, "Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the LORD will destroy what you have made." The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade.


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Then Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the City of David. And Jehoram his son succeeded him as king.


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Jehoram's brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat, were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael and Shephatiah. All these were sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.


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Their father had given them many gifts of silver and gold and articles of value, as well as fortified cities in Judah, but he had given the kingdom to Jehoram because he was his firstborn son.


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When Jehoram established himself firmly over his father's kingdom, he put all his brothers to the sword along with some of the princes of Israel.


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Nevertheless, because of the covenant the LORD had made with David, the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David. He had promised to maintain a lamp for him and his descendants forever.


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So Jehoram went there with his officers and all his chariots. The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, but he rose up and broke through by night.


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To this day Edom has been in rebellion against Judah. Libnah revolted at the same time, because Jehoram had forsaken the LORD, the God of his fathers.


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He had also built high places on the hills of Judah and had caused the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves and had led Judah astray.


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Jehoram received a letter from Elijah the prophet, which said: "This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: 'You have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or of Asa king of Judah.


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But you have walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and you have led Judah and the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, just as the house of Ahab did. You have also murdered your own brothers, members of your father's house, men who were better than you.


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So now the LORD is about to strike your people, your sons, your wives and everything that is yours, with a heavy blow.


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You yourself will be very ill with a lingering disease of the bowels, until the disease causes your bowels to come out.'"


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The LORD aroused against Jehoram the hostility of the Philistines and of the Arabs who lived near the Cushites.


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They attacked Judah, invaded it and carried off all the goods found in the king's palace, together with his sons and wives. Not a son was left to him except Ahaziah, the youngest.


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In the course of time, at the end of the second year, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great pain. His people made no fire in his honor, as they had for his fathers.


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Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He passed away, to no one's regret, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.


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The people of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, Jehoram's youngest son, king in his place, since the raiders, who came with the Arabs into the camp, had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign.


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Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother's name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri.


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He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as the house of Ahab had done, for after his father's death they became his advisers, to his undoing.


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He also followed their counsel when he went with Joram son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth Gilead. The Arameans wounded Joram;


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so he returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds they had inflicted on him at Ramoth in his battle with Hazael king of Aram. Then Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to Jezreel to see Joram son of Ahab because he had been wounded.


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Through Ahaziah's visit to Joram, God brought about Ahaziah's downfall. When Ahaziah arrived, he went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab.


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While Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he found the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah's relatives, who had been attending Ahaziah, and he killed them.


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He then went in search of Ahaziah, and his men captured him while he was hiding in Samaria. He was brought to Jehu and put to death. They buried him, for they said, "He was a son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart." So there was no one in the house of Ahaziah powerful enough to retain the kingdom.


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When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family of the house of Judah.


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But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes who were about to be murdered and put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Because Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of the priest Jehoiada, was Ahaziah's sister, she hid the child from Athaliah so she could not kill him.


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In the seventh year Jehoiada showed his strength. He made a covenant with the commanders of units of a hundred: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zicri.


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They went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites and the heads of Israelite families from all the towns. When they came to Jerusalem,


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the whole assembly made a covenant with the king at the temple of God. Jehoiada said to them, "The king's son shall reign, as the LORD promised concerning the descendants of David.


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Now this is what you are to do: A third of you priests and Levites who are going on duty on the Sabbath are to keep watch at the doors,


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a third of you at the royal palace and a third at the Foundation Gate, and all the other men are to be in the courtyards of the temple of the LORD.


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No one is to enter the temple of the LORD except the priests and Levites on duty; they may enter because they are consecrated, but all the other men are to guard what the LORD has assigned to them.


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The Levites are to station themselves around the king, each man with his weapons in his hand. Anyone who enters the temple must be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes."


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The Levites and all the men of Judah did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one took his men--those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty--for Jehoiada the priest had not released any of the divisions.


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Then he gave the commanders of units of a hundred the spears and the large and small shields that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of God.


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He stationed all the men, each with his weapon in his hand, around the king--near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.


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Jehoiada and his sons brought out the king's son and put the crown on him; they presented him with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him and shouted, "Long live the king!"


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When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and cheering the king, she went to them at the temple of the LORD.


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She looked, and there was the king, standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and singers with musical instruments were leading the praises. Then Athaliah tore her robes and shouted, "Treason! Treason!"


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Jehoiada the priest sent out the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops, and said to them: "Bring her out between the ranks and put to the sword anyone who follows her." For the priest had said, "Do not put her to death at the temple of the LORD."


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So they seized her as she reached the entrance of the Horse Gate on the palace grounds, and there they put her to death.


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All the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.


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Then Jehoiada placed the oversight of the temple of the LORD in the hands of the priests, who were Levites, to whom David had made assignments in the temple, to present the burnt offerings of the LORD as written in the Law of Moses, with rejoicing and singing, as David had ordered.


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He also stationed doorkeepers at the gates of the LORD'S temple so that no one who was in any way unclean might enter.


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He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people and all the people of the land and brought the king down from the temple of the LORD. They went into the palace through the Upper Gate and seated the king on the royal throne,


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and all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quiet, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword.


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Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother's name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba.


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He called together the priests and Levites and said to them, "Go to the towns of Judah and collect the money due annually from all Israel, to repair the temple of your God. Do it now." But the Levites did not act at once.


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Therefore the king summoned Jehoiada the chief priest and said to him, "Why haven't you required the Levites to bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax imposed by Moses the servant of the LORD and by the assembly of Israel for the Tent of the Testimony?"


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Now the sons of that wicked woman Athaliah had broken into the temple of God and had used even its sacred objects for the Baals.


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A proclamation was then issued in Judah and Jerusalem that they should bring to the LORD the tax that Moses the servant of God had required of Israel in the desert.


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All the officials and all the people brought their contributions gladly, dropping them into the chest until it was full.


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Whenever the chest was brought in by the Levites to the king's officials and they saw that there was a large amount of money, the royal secretary and the officer of the chief priest would come and empty the chest and carry it back to its place. They did this regularly and collected a great amount of money.


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The king and Jehoiada gave it to the men who carried out the work required for the temple of the LORD. They hired masons and carpenters to restore the LORD'S temple, and also workers in iron and bronze to repair the temple.


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The men in charge of the work were diligent, and the repairs progressed under them. They rebuilt the temple of God according to its original design and reinforced it.


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When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money to the king and Jehoiada, and with it were made articles for the LORD'S temple: articles for the service and for the burnt offerings, and also dishes and other objects of gold and silver. As long as Jehoiada lived, burnt offerings were presented continually in the temple of the LORD.


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He was buried with the kings in the City of David, because of the good he had done in Israel for God and his temple.


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After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them.


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They abandoned the temple of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and worshiped Asherah poles and idols. Because of their guilt, God's anger came upon Judah and Jerusalem.


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Although the LORD sent prophets to the people to bring them back to him, and though they testified against them, they would not listen.


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Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, "This is what God says: 'Why do you disobey the LORD'S commands? You will not prosper. Because you have forsaken the LORD, he has forsaken you.'"


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But they plotted against him, and by order of the king they stoned him to death in the courtyard of the LORD'S temple.


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King Joash did not remember the kindness Zechariah's father Jehoiada had shown him but killed his son, who said as he lay dying, "May the LORD see this and call you to account."


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At the turn of the year, the army of Aram marched against Joash; it invaded Judah and Jerusalem and killed all the leaders of the people. They sent all the plunder to their king in Damascus.


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Although the Aramean army had come with only a few men, the LORD delivered into their hands a much larger army. Because Judah had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers, judgment was executed on Joash.


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When the Arameans withdrew, they left Joash severely wounded. His officials conspired against him for murdering the son of Jehoiada the priest, and they killed him in his bed. So he died and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.


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Those who conspired against him were Zabad, son of Shimeath an Ammonite woman, and Jehozabad, son of Shimrith a Moabite woman.


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The account of his sons, the many prophecies about him, and the record of the restoration of the temple of God are written in the annotations on the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son succeeded him as king.


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Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Jehoaddin; she was from Jerusalem.


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After the kingdom was firmly in his control, he executed the officials who had murdered his father the king.


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Yet he did not put their sons to death, but acted in accordance with what is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses, where the LORD commanded: "Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sins."


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Amaziah called the people of Judah together and assigned them according to their families to commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds for all Judah and Benjamin. He then mustered those twenty years old or more and found that there were three hundred thousand men ready for military service, able to handle the spear and shield.


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But a man of God came to him and said, "O king, these troops from Israel must not march with you, for the LORD is not with Israel--not with any of the people of Ephraim.


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Even if you go and fight courageously in battle, God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has the power to help or to overthrow."


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Amaziah asked the man of God, "But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops?" The man of God replied, "The LORD can give you much more than that."


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So Amaziah dismissed the troops who had come to him from Ephraim and sent them home. They were furious with Judah and left for home in a great rage.


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Amaziah then marshaled his strength and led his army to the Valley of Salt, where he killed ten thousand men of Seir.


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The army of Judah also captured ten thousand men alive, took them to the top of a cliff and threw them down so that all were dashed to pieces.


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Meanwhile the troops that Amaziah had sent back and had not allowed to take part in the war raided Judean towns from Samaria to Beth Horon. They killed three thousand people and carried off great quantities of plunder.


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When Amaziah returned from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought back the gods of the people of Seir. He set them up as his own gods, bowed down to them and burned sacrifices to them.


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The anger of the LORD burned against Amaziah, and he sent a prophet to him, who said, "Why do you consult this people's gods, which could not save their own people from your hand?"


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While he was still speaking, the king said to him, "Have we appointed you an adviser to the king? Stop! Why be struck down?" So the prophet stopped but said, "I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel."


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After Amaziah king of Judah consulted his advisers, he sent this challenge to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel: "Come, meet me face to face."


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You say to yourself that you have defeated Edom, and now you are arrogant and proud. But stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?"


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Amaziah, however, would not listen, for God so worked that he might hand them over to Jehoash, because they sought the gods of Edom.


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So Jehoash king of Israel attacked. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth Shemesh in Judah.


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Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh. Then Jehoash brought him to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate--a section about six hundred feet long.


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He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of God that had been in the care of Obed-Edom, together with the palace treasures and the hostages, and returned to Samaria.


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As for the other events of Amaziah's reign, from beginning to end, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?


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From the time that Amaziah turned away from following the LORD, they conspired against him in Jerusalem and he fled to Lachish, but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there.


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


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Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother's name was Jecoliah; she was from Jerusalem.


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He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success.


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He went to war against the Philistines and broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh and Ashdod. He then rebuilt towns near Ashdod and elsewhere among the Philistines.


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God helped him against the Philistines and against the Arabs who lived in Gur Baal and against the Meunites.


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The Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread as far as the border of Egypt, because he had become very powerful.


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Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate and at the angle of the wall, and he fortified them.


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He also built towers in the desert and dug many cisterns, because he had much livestock in the foothills and in the plain. He had people working his fields and vineyards in the hills and in the fertile lands, for he loved the soil.


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Uzziah had a well-trained army, ready to go out by divisions according to their numbers as mustered by Jeiel the secretary and Maaseiah the officer under the direction of Hananiah, one of the royal officials.


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Under their command was an army of, men trained for war, a powerful force to support the king against his enemies.


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In Jerusalem he made machines designed by skillful men for use on the towers and on the corner defenses to shoot arrows and hurl large stones. His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful.


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But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.


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They confronted him and said, "It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the LORD God."


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Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the LORD'S temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead.


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When Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him, they saw that he had leprosy on his forehead, so they hurried him out. Indeed, he himself was eager to leave, because the LORD had afflicted him.


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King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in a separate house --leprous, and excluded from the temple of the LORD. Jotham his son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.


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The other events of Uzziah's reign, from beginning to end, are recorded by the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz.


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Uzziah rested with his fathers and was buried near them in a field for burial that belonged to the kings, for people said, "He had leprosy." And Jotham his son succeeded him as king.


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Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother's name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok.


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He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Uzziah had done, but unlike him he did not enter the temple of the LORD. The people, however, continued their corrupt practices.


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Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the temple of the LORD and did extensive work on the wall at the hill of Ophel.


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Jotham made war on the king of the Ammonites and conquered them. That year the Ammonites paid him a hundred talents of silver, ten thousand cors of wheat and ten thousand cors of barley. The Ammonites brought him the same amount also in the second and third years.


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The other events in Jotham's reign, including all his wars and the other things he did, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.


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Jotham rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. And Ahaz his son succeeded him as king.


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Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD.


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He burned sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom and sacrificed his sons in the fire, following the detestable ways of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.


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Therefore the LORD his God handed him over to the king of Aram. The Arameans defeated him and took many of his people as prisoners and brought them to Damascus. He was also given into the hands of the king of Israel, who inflicted heavy casualties on him.


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In one day Pekah son of Remaliah killed a hundred and twenty thousand soldiers in Judah--because Judah had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers.


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Zicri, an Ephraimite warrior, killed Maaseiah the king's son, Azrikam the officer in charge of the palace, and Elkanah, second to the king.


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The Israelites took captive from their kinsmen two hundred thousand wives, sons and daughters. They also took a great deal of plunder, which they carried back to Samaria.


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But a prophet of the LORD named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army when it returned to Samaria. He said to them, "Because the LORD, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches to heaven.


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And now you intend to make the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem your slaves. But aren't you also guilty of sins against the LORD your God?


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Now listen to me! Send back your fellow countrymen you have taken as prisoners, for the LORD'S fierce anger rests on you."


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Then some of the leaders in Ephraim--Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berekiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai--confronted those who were arriving from the war.


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"You must not bring those prisoners here," they said, "or we will be guilty before the LORD. Do you intend to add to our sin and guilt? For our guilt is already great, and his fierce anger rests on Israel."


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So the soldiers gave up the prisoners and plunder in the presence of the officials and all the assembly.


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The men designated by name took the prisoners, and from the plunder they clothed all who were naked. They provided them with clothes and sandals, food and drink, and healing balm. All those who were weak they put on donkeys. So they took them back to their fellow countrymen at Jericho, the City of Palms, and returned to Samaria.


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while the Philistines had raided towns in the foothills and in the Negev of Judah. They captured and occupied Beth Shemesh, Aijalon and Gederoth, as well as Soco, Timnah and Gimzo, with their surrounding villages.


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The LORD had humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had promoted wickedness in Judah and had been most unfaithful to the LORD.


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Ahaz took some of the things from the temple of the LORD and from the royal palace and from the princes and presented them to the king of Assyria, but that did not help him.


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He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought, "Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me." But they were his downfall and the downfall of all Israel.


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Ahaz gathered together the furnishings from the temple of God and took them away. He shut the doors of the LORD'S temple and set up altars at every street corner in Jerusalem.


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In every town in Judah he built high places to burn sacrifices to other gods and provoked the LORD, the God of his fathers, to anger.


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The other events of his reign and all his ways, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.


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Ahaz rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of Jerusalem, but he was not placed in the tombs of the kings of Israel. And Hezekiah his son succeeded him as king.


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Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah.


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In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the temple of the LORD and repaired them.


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and said: "Listen to me, Levites! Consecrate yourselves now and consecrate the temple of the LORD, the God of your fathers. Remove all defilement from the sanctuary.


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Our fathers were unfaithful; they did evil in the eyes of the LORD our God and forsook him. They turned their faces away from the LORD'S dwelling place and turned their backs on him.


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They also shut the doors of the portico and put out the lamps. They did not burn incense or present any burnt offerings at the sanctuary to the God of Israel.


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Therefore, the anger of the LORD has fallen on Judah and Jerusalem; he has made them an object of dread and horror and scorn, as you can see with your own eyes.


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This is why our fathers have fallen by the sword and why our sons and daughters and our wives are in captivity.


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Now I intend to make a covenant with the LORD, the God of Israel, so that his fierce anger will turn away from us.


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My sons, do not be negligent now, for the LORD has chosen you to stand before him and serve him, to minister before him and to burn incense."


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Then these Levites set to work: from the Kohathites, Mahath son of Amasai and Joel son of Azariah; from the Merarites, Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of Jehallelel; from the Gershonites, Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah;


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from the descendants of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeiel; from the descendants of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah;


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from the descendants of Heman, Jehiel and Shimei; from the descendants of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel.


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When they had assembled their brothers and consecrated themselves, they went in to purify the temple of the LORD, as the king had ordered, following the word of the LORD.


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The priests went into the sanctuary of the LORD to purify it. They brought out to the courtyard of the LORD'S temple everything unclean that they found in the temple of the LORD. The Levites took it and carried it out to the Kidron Valley.


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They began the consecration on the first day of the first month, and by the eighth day of the month they reached the portico of the LORD. For eight more days they consecrated the temple of the LORD itself, finishing on the sixteenth day of the first month.


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Then they went in to King Hezekiah and reported: "We have purified the entire temple of the LORD, the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the table for setting out the consecrated bread, with all its articles.


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We have prepared and consecrated all the articles that King Ahaz removed in his unfaithfulness while he was king. They are now in front of the LORD'S altar."


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Early the next morning King Hezekiah gathered the city officials together and went up to the temple of the LORD.


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They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven male lambs and seven male goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary and for Judah. The king commanded the priests, the descendants of Aaron, to offer these on the altar of the LORD.


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So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests took the blood and sprinkled it on the altar; next they slaughtered the rams and sprinkled their blood on the altar; then they slaughtered the lambs and sprinkled their blood on the altar.


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The goats for the sin offering were brought before the king and the assembly, and they laid their hands on them.


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The priests then slaughtered the goats and presented their blood on the altar for a sin offering to atone for all Israel, because the king had ordered the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel.


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He stationed the Levites in the temple of the LORD with cymbals, harps and lyres in the way prescribed by David and Gad the king's seer and Nathan the prophet; this was commanded by the LORD through his prophets.


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Hezekiah gave the order to sacrifice the burnt offering on the altar. As the offering began, singing to the LORD began also, accompanied by trumpets and the instruments of David king of Israel.


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The whole assembly bowed in worship, while the singers sang and the trumpeters played. All this continued until the sacrifice of the burnt offering was completed.


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King Hezekiah and his officials ordered the Levites to praise the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness and bowed their heads and worshiped.


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Then Hezekiah said, "You have now dedicated yourselves to the LORD. Come and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the temple of the LORD." So the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all whose hearts were willing brought burnt offerings.


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The number of burnt offerings the assembly brought was seventy bulls, a hundred rams and two hundred male lambs--all of them for burnt offerings to the LORD.


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The animals consecrated as sacrifices amounted to six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep and goats.


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The priests, however, were too few to skin all the burnt offerings; so their kinsmen the Levites helped them until the task was finished and until other priests had been consecrated, for the Levites had been more conscientious in consecrating themselves than the priests had been.


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There were burnt offerings in abundance, together with the fat of the fellowship offerings and the drink offerings that accompanied the burnt offerings. So the service of the temple of the LORD was reestablished.


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Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it was done so quickly.


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Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, inviting them to come to the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel.


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The king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem decided to celebrate the Passover in the second month.


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They had not been able to celebrate it at the regular time because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not assembled in Jerusalem.


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They decided to send a proclamation throughout Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, calling the people to come to Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel. It had not been celebrated in large numbers according to what was written.


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At the king's command, couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and from his officials, which read: "People of Israel, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to you who are left, who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria.


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Do not be like your fathers and brothers, who were unfaithful to the LORD, the God of their fathers, so that he made them an object of horror, as you see.


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Do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers were; submit to the LORD. Come to the sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever. Serve the LORD your God, so that his fierce anger will turn away from you.


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If you return to the LORD, then your brothers and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will come back to this land, for the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him."


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The couriers went from town to town in Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun, but the people scorned and ridiculed them.


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Also in Judah the hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind to carry out what the king and his officials had ordered, following the word of the LORD.


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A very large crowd of people assembled in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month.


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They removed the altars in Jerusalem and cleared away the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley.


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They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the temple of the LORD.


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Then they took up their regular positions as prescribed in the Law of Moses the man of God. The priests sprinkled the blood handed to them by the Levites.


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Since many in the crowd had not consecrated themselves, the Levites had to kill the Passover lambs for all those who were not ceremonially clean and could not consecrate their lambs to the LORD.


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Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, "May the LORD, who is good, pardon everyone


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who sets his heart on seeking God--the LORD, the God of his fathers--even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary."


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The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great rejoicing, while the Levites and priests sang to the LORD every day, accompanied by the LORD'S instruments of praise.


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Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites, who showed good understanding of the service of the LORD. For the seven days they ate their assigned portion and offered fellowship offerings and praised the LORD, the God of their fathers.


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The whole assembly then agreed to celebrate the festival seven more days; so for another seven days they celebrated joyfully.


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Hezekiah king of Judah provided a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep and goats for the assembly, and the officials provided them with a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep and goats. A great number of priests consecrated themselves.


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The entire assembly of Judah rejoiced, along with the priests and Levites and all who had assembled from Israel, including the aliens who had come from Israel and those who lived in Judah.


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There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem.


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The priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place.


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When all this had ended, the Israelites who were there went out to the towns of Judah, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. They destroyed the high places and the altars throughout Judah and Benjamin and in Ephraim and Manasseh. After they had destroyed all of them, the Israelites returned to their own towns and to their own property.


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Hezekiah assigned the priests and Levites to divisions--each of them according to their duties as priests or Levites--to offer burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, to minister, to give thanks and to sing praises at the gates of the LORD'S dwelling.


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The king contributed from his own possessions for the morning and evening burnt offerings and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths, New Moons and appointed feasts as written in the Law of the LORD.


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He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion due the priests and Levites so they could devote themselves to the Law of the LORD.


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As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits of their grain, new wine, oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything.


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The men of Israel and Judah who lived in the towns of Judah also brought a tithe of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things dedicated to the LORD their God, and they piled them in heaps.


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When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the LORD and blessed his people Israel.


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and Azariah the chief priest, from the family of Zadok, answered, "Since the people began to bring their contributions to the temple of the LORD, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare, because the LORD has blessed his people, and this great amount is left over."


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Then they faithfully brought in the contributions, tithes and dedicated gifts. Conaniah, a Levite, was in charge of these things, and his brother Shimei was next in rank.


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Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismakiah, Mahath and Benaiah were supervisors under Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by appointment of King Hezekiah and Azariah the official in charge of the temple of God.


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Kore son of Imnah the Levite, keeper of the East Gate, was in charge of the freewill offerings given to God, distributing the contributions made to the LORD and also the consecrated gifts.


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Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah and Shecaniah assisted him faithfully in the towns of the priests, distributing to their fellow priests according to their divisions, old and young alike.


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In addition, they distributed to the males three years old or more whose names were in the genealogical records--all who would enter the temple of the LORD to perform the daily duties of their various tasks, according to their responsibilities and their divisions.


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And they distributed to the priests enrolled by their families in the genealogical records and likewise to the Levites twenty years old or more, according to their responsibilities and their divisions.


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They included all the little ones, the wives, and the sons and daughters of the whole community listed in these genealogical records. For they were faithful in consecrating themselves.


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As for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who lived on the farm lands around their towns or in any other towns, men were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among them and to all who were recorded in the genealogies of the Levites.


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This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God.


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In everything that he undertook in the service of God's temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.


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After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself.


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he consulted with his officials and military staff about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city, and they helped him.


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A large force of men assembled, and they blocked all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?" they said.


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Then he worked hard repairing all the broken sections of the wall and building towers on it. He built another wall outside that one and reinforced the supporting terraces of the City of David. He also made large numbers of weapons and shields.


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He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words:


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"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.


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With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.


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Later, when Sennacherib king of Assyria and all his forces were laying siege to Lachish, he sent his officers to Jerusalem with this message for Hezekiah king of Judah and for all the people of Judah who were there:


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"This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: On what are you basing your confidence, that you remain in Jerusalem under siege?


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When Hezekiah says, 'The LORD our God will save us from the hand of the king of Assyria,' he is misleading you, to let you die of hunger and thirst.


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Did not Hezekiah himself remove this god's high places and altars, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, 'You must worship before one altar and burn sacrifices on it'?


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"Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the other lands? Were the gods of those nations ever able to deliver their land from my hand?


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Who of all the gods of these nations that my fathers destroyed has been able to save his people from me? How then can your god deliver you from my hand?


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Now do not let Hezekiah deceive you and mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my fathers. How much less will your god deliver you from my hand!"


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The king also wrote letters insulting the LORD, the God of Israel, and saying this against him: "Just as the gods of the peoples of the other lands did not rescue their people from my hand, so the god of Hezekiah will not rescue his people from my hand."


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Then they called out in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to terrify them and make them afraid in order to capture the city.


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They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as they did about the gods of the other peoples of the world--the work of men's hands.


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And the LORD sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the leaders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons cut him down with the sword.


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So the LORD saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others. He took care of them on every side.


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Many brought offerings to Jerusalem for the LORD and valuable gifts for Hezekiah king of Judah. From then on he was highly regarded by all the nations.


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In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. He prayed to the LORD, who answered him and gave him a miraculous sign.


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But Hezekiah's heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the LORD'S wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem.


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Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the LORD'S wrath did not come upon them during the days of Hezekiah.


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Hezekiah had very great riches and honor, and he made treasuries for his silver and gold and for his precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuables.


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He also made buildings to store the harvest of grain, new wine and oil; and he made stalls for various kinds of cattle, and pens for the flocks.


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He built villages and acquired great numbers of flocks and herds, for God had given him very great riches.


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It was Hezekiah who blocked the upper outlet of the Gihon spring and channeled the water down to the west side of the City of David. He succeeded in everything he undertook.


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But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart.


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The other events of Hezekiah's reign and his acts of devotion are written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.


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Hezekiah rested with his fathers and was buried on the hill where the tombs of David's descendants are. All Judah and the people of Jerusalem honored him when he died. And Manasseh his son succeeded him as king.


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He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them.


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He built altars in the temple of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, "My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever."


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He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced sorcery, divination and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, provoking him to anger.


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He took the carved image he had made and put it in God's temple, of which God had said to David and to his son Solomon, "In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name forever.


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I will not again make the feet of the Israelites leave the land I assigned to your forefathers, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them concerning all the laws, decrees and ordinances given through Moses."


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But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites.


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So the LORD brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon.


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In his distress he sought the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.


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And when he prayed to him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.


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Afterward he rebuilt the outer wall of the City of David, west of the Gihon spring in the valley, as far as the entrance of the Fish Gate and encircling the hill of Ophel; he also made it much higher. He stationed military commanders in all the fortified cities in Judah.


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He got rid of the foreign gods and removed the image from the temple of the LORD, as well as all the altars he had built on the temple hill and in Jerusalem; and he threw them out of the city.


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Then he restored the altar of the LORD and sacrificed fellowship offerings and thank offerings on it, and told Judah to serve the LORD, the God of Israel.


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The other events of Manasseh's reign, including his prayer to his God and the words the seers spoke to him in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, are written in the annals of the kings of Israel.


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His prayer and how God was moved by his entreaty, as well as all his sins and unfaithfulness, and the sites where he built high places and set up Asherah poles and idols before he humbled himself--all are written in the records of the seers.


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Manasseh rested with his fathers and was buried in his palace. And Amon his son succeeded him as king.


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He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done. Amon worshiped and offered sacrifices to all the idols Manasseh had made.


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But unlike his father Manasseh, he did not humble himself before the LORD; Amon increased his guilt.


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He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.


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In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David. In his twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles, carved idols and cast images.


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Under his direction the altars of the Baals were torn down; he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them, and smashed the Asherah poles, the idols and the images. These he broke to pieces and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.


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he tore down the altars and the Asherah poles and crushed the idols to powder and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.


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In the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign, to purify the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city, with Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the temple of the LORD his God.


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They went to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the temple of God, which the Levites who were the doorkeepers had collected from the people of Manasseh, Ephraim and the entire remnant of Israel and from all the people of Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.


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Then they entrusted it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the LORD'S temple. These men paid the workers who repaired and restored the temple.


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They also gave money to the carpenters and builders to purchase dressed stone, and timber for joists and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin.


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The men did the work faithfully. Over them to direct them were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites descended from Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, descended from Kohath. The Levites--all who were skilled in playing musical instruments--


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had charge of the laborers and supervised all the workers from job to job. Some of the Levites were secretaries, scribes and doorkeepers.


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While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD that had been given through Moses.


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Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the LORD." He gave it to Shaphan.


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Then Shaphan took the book to the king and reported to him: "Your officials are doing everything that has been committed to them.


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They have paid out the money that was in the temple of the LORD and have entrusted it to the supervisors and workers."


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He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king's attendant:


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"Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD'S anger that is poured out on us because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book."


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Hilkiah and those the king had sent with him went to speak to the prophetess Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District.


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'This is what the LORD says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people--all the curses written in the book that has been read in the presence of the king of Judah.


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Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and provoked me to anger by all that their hands have made, my anger will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched.'


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Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the LORD.


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Now I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place and on those who live here.'" So they took her answer back to the king.


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He went up to the temple of the LORD with the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, the priests and the Levites--all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the LORD.


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The king stood by his pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD--to follow the LORD and keep his commands, regulations and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book.


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Then he had everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin pledge themselves to it; the people of Jerusalem did this in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.


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Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the territory belonging to the Israelites, and he had all who were present in Israel serve the LORD their God. As long as he lived, they did not fail to follow the LORD, the God of their fathers.


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Josiah celebrated the Passover to the LORD in Jerusalem, and the Passover lamb was slaughtered on the fourteenth day of the first month.


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He said to the Levites, who instructed all Israel and who had been consecrated to the LORD: "Put the sacred ark in the temple that Solomon son of David king of Israel built. It is not to be carried about on your shoulders. Now serve the LORD your God and his people Israel.


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Prepare yourselves by families in your divisions, according to the directions written by David king of Israel and by his son Solomon.


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"Stand in the holy place with a group of Levites for each subdivision of the families of your fellow countrymen, the lay people.


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Slaughter the Passover lambs, consecrate yourselves and prepare the lambs for your fellow countrymen, doing what the LORD commanded through Moses."


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Josiah provided for all the lay people who were there a total of thirty thousand sheep and goats for the Passover offerings, and also three thousand cattle--all from the king's own possessions.


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His officials also contributed voluntarily to the people and the priests and Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah and Jehiel, the administrators of God's temple, gave the priests twenty-six hundred Passover offerings and three hundred cattle.


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Also Conaniah along with Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brothers, and Hashabiah, Jeiel and Jozabad, the leaders of the Levites, provided five thousand Passover offerings and five hundred head of cattle for the Levites.


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The service was arranged and the priests stood in their places with the Levites in their divisions as the king had ordered.


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The Passover lambs were slaughtered, and the priests sprinkled the blood handed to them, while the Levites skinned the animals.


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They set aside the burnt offerings to give them to the subdivisions of the families of the people to offer to the LORD, as is written in the Book of Moses. They did the same with the cattle.


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They roasted the Passover animals over the fire as prescribed, and boiled the holy offerings in pots, caldrons and pans and served them quickly to all the people.


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After this, they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were sacrificing the burnt offerings and the fat portions until nightfall. So the Levites made preparations for themselves and for the Aaronic priests.


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The musicians, the descendants of Asaph, were in the places prescribed by David, Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun the king's seer. The gatekeepers at each gate did not need to leave their posts, because their fellow Levites made the preparations for them.


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So at that time the entire service of the LORD was carried out for the celebration of the Passover and the offering of burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD, as King Josiah had ordered.


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The Israelites who were present celebrated the Passover at that time and observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days.


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The Passover had not been observed like this in Israel since the days of the prophet Samuel; and none of the kings of Israel had ever celebrated such a Passover as did Josiah, with the priests, the Levites and all Judah and Israel who were there with the people of Jerusalem.


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After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah marched out to meet him in battle.


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But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, "What quarrel is there between you and me, O king of Judah? It is not you I am attacking at this time, but the house with which I am at war. God has told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or he will destroy you."


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Josiah, however, would not turn away from him, but disguised himself to engage him in battle. He would not listen to what Neco had said at God's command but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo.


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So they took him out of his chariot, put him in the other chariot he had and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried in the tombs of his fathers, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him.


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Jeremiah composed laments for Josiah, and to this day all the men and women singers commemorate Josiah in the laments. These became a tradition in Israel and are written in the Laments.


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The other events of Josiah's reign and his acts of devotion, according to what is written in the Law of the LORD--


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And the people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah and made him king in Jerusalem in place of his father.


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The king of Egypt dethroned him in Jerusalem and imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.


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The king of Egypt made Eliakim, a brother of Jehoahaz, king over Judah and Jerusalem and changed Eliakim's name to Jehoiakim. But Neco took Eliakim's brother Jehoahaz and carried him off to Egypt.


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Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD his God.


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Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked him and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.


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Nebuchadnezzar also took to Babylon articles from the temple of the LORD and put them in his temple there.


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The other events of Jehoiakim's reign, the detestable things he did and all that was found against him, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. And Jehoiachin his son succeeded him as king.


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Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months and ten days. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD.


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In the spring, King Nebuchadnezzar sent for him and brought him to Babylon, together with articles of value from the temple of the LORD, and he made Jehoiachin's uncle, Zedekiah, king over Judah and Jerusalem.


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He did evil in the eyes of the LORD his God and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke the word of the LORD.


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He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him take an oath in God's name. He became stiff-necked and hardened his heart and would not turn to the LORD, the God of Israel.


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Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful, following all the detestable practices of the nations and defiling the temple of the LORD, which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.


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The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place.


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But they mocked God's messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the LORD was aroused against his people and there was no remedy.


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He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians, who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and spared neither young man nor young woman, old man or aged. God handed all of them over to Nebuchadnezzar.


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He carried to Babylon all the articles from the temple of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the LORD'S temple and the treasures of the king and his officials.


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They set fire to God's temple and broke down the wall of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed everything of value there.


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He carried into exile to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came to power.


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The land enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah.


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In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing:


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"This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: "'The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Anyone of his people among you--may the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.'"


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"This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: "'The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.


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Anyone of his people among you--may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem.


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And the people of any place where survivors may now be living are to provide him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.'"


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Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites--everyone whose heart God had moved--prepared to go up and build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.


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All their neighbors assisted them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts, in addition to all the freewill offerings.


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Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his god.


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Cyrus king of Persia had them brought by Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.


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In all, there were, articles of gold and of silver. Sheshbazzar brought all these along when the exiles came up from Babylon to Jerusalem.


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Now these are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive to Babylon (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town,


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in company with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah): The list of the men of the people of Israel:


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The following came up from the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon and Immer, but they could not show that their families were descended from Israel:


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And from among the priests: The descendants of Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai (a man who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name).


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These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.


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The governor ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there was a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim.


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When they arrived at the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave freewill offerings toward the rebuilding of the house of God on its site.


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According to their ability they gave to the treasury for this work, drachmas of gold,, minas of silver and priestly garments.


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The priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers and the temple servants settled in their own towns, along with some of the other people, and the rest of the Israelites settled in their towns.


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When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, the people assembled as one man in Jerusalem.


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Then Jeshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses the man of God.


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Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the LORD, both the morning and evening sacrifices.


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Then in accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles with the required number of burnt offerings prescribed for each day.


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After that, they presented the regular burnt offerings, the New Moon sacrifices and the sacrifices for all the appointed sacred feasts of the LORD, as well as those brought as freewill offerings to the LORD.


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On the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD, though the foundation of the LORD'S temple had not yet been laid.


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Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters, and gave food and drink and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring cedar logs by sea from Lebanon to Joppa, as authorized by Cyrus king of Persia.


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In the second month of the second year after their arrival at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak and the rest of their brothers (the priests and the Levites and all who had returned from the captivity to Jerusalem) began the work, appointing Levites twenty years of age and older to supervise the building of the house of the LORD.


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Jeshua and his sons and brothers and Kadmiel and his sons (descendants of Hodaviah) and the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers--all Levites--joined together in supervising those working on the house of God.


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When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the LORD, as prescribed by David king of Israel.


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With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD: "He is good; his love to Israel endures forever." And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.


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But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy.


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No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.


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When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel,


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they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, "Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here."


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But Zerubbabel, Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, "You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us."


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Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.


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They hired counselors to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.


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At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, they lodged an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.


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And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic script and in the Aramaic language.


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Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows:


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Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary, together with the rest of their associates--the judges and officials over the men from Tripolis, Persia, Erech and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa,


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and the other people whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the city of Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates.


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(This is a copy of the letter they sent him.) To King Artaxerxes, From your servants, the men of Trans-Euphrates:


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The king should know that the Jews who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations.


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Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and the royal revenues will suffer.


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Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king,


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so that a search may be made in the archives of your predecessors. In these records you will find that this city is a rebellious city, troublesome to kings and provinces, a place of rebellion from ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed.


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We inform the king that if this city is built and its walls are restored, you will be left with nothing in Trans-Euphrates.


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The king sent this reply: To Rehum the commanding officer, Shimshai the secretary and the rest of their associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates: Greetings.


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I issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this city has a long history of revolt against kings and has been a place of rebellion and sedition.


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Jerusalem has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of Trans-Euphrates, and taxes, tribute and duty were paid to them.


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Now issue an order to these men to stop work, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order.


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Be careful not to neglect this matter. Why let this threat grow, to the detriment of the royal interests?


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As soon as the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the secretary and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop.


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Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.


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Now Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the prophet, a descendant of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them.


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Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak set to work to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, helping them.


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At that time Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates went to them and asked, "Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and restore this structure?"


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But the eye of their God was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and his written reply be received.


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This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates, the officials of Trans-Euphrates, sent to King Darius.


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The king should know that we went to the district of Judah, to the temple of the great God. The people are building it with large stones and placing the timbers in the walls. The work is being carried on with diligence and is making rapid progress under their direction.


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We questioned the elders and asked them, "Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and restore this structure?"


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We also asked them their names, so that we could write down the names of their leaders for your information.


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This is the answer they gave us: "We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, one that a great king of Israel built and finished.


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But because our fathers angered the God of heaven, he handed them over to Nebuchadnezzar the Chaldean, king of Babylon, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.


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"However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this house of God.


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He even removed from the temple of Babylon the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to the temple in Babylon. "Then King Cyrus gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor,


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and he told him, 'Take these articles and go and deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem. And rebuild the house of God on its site.'


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So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem. From that day to the present it has been under construction but is not yet finished."


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Now if it pleases the king, let a search be made in the royal archives of Babylon to see if King Cyrus did in fact issue a decree to rebuild this house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us his decision in this matter.


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King Darius then issued an order, and they searched in the archives stored in the treasury at Babylon.


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A scroll was found in the citadel of Ecbatana in the province of Media, and this was written on it: Memorandum:


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In the first year of King Cyrus, the king issued a decree concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem: Let the temple be rebuilt as a place to present sacrifices, and let its foundations be laid. It is to be ninety feet high and ninety feet wide,


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with three courses of large stones and one of timbers. The costs are to be paid by the royal treasury.


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Also, the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, are to be returned to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; they are to be deposited in the house of God.


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Now then, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and you, their fellow officials of that province, stay away from there.


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Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God. Let the governor of the Jews and the Jewish elders rebuild this house of God on its site.


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Moreover, I hereby decree what you are to do for these elders of the Jews in the construction of this house of God: The expenses of these men are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury, from the revenues of Trans-Euphrates, so that the work will not stop.


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Whatever is needed--young bulls, rams, male lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem--must be given them daily without fail,


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so that they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven and pray for the well-being of the king and his sons.


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Furthermore, I decree that if anyone changes this edict, a beam is to be pulled from his house and he is to be lifted up and impaled on it. And for this crime his house is to be made a pile of rubble.


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May God, who has caused his Name to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to change this decree or to destroy this temple in Jerusalem. I Darius have decreed it. Let it be carried out with diligence.


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Then, because of the decree King Darius had sent, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates carried it out with diligence.


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So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia.


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The temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.


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Then the people of Israel--the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles--celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy.


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For the dedication of this house of God they offered a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred male lambs and, as a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, one for each of the tribes of Israel.


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And they installed the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their groups for the service of God at Jerusalem, according to what is written in the Book of Moses.


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The priests and Levites had purified themselves and were all ceremonially clean. The Levites slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their brothers the priests and for themselves.


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So the Israelites who had returned from the exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves from the unclean practices of their Gentile neighbors in order to seek the LORD, the God of Israel.


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For seven days they celebrated with joy the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because the LORD had filled them with joy by changing the attitude of the king of Assyria, so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.


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After these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,


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this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him.


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Some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers and temple servants, also came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.


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He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him.


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For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.


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This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest and teacher, a man learned in matters concerning the commands and decrees of the LORD for Israel:


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Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law of the God of heaven: Greetings.


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Now I decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including priests and Levites, who wish to go to Jerusalem with you, may go.


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You are sent by the king and his seven advisers to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God, which is in your hand.


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Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his advisers have freely given to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,


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together with all the silver and gold you may obtain from the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests for the temple of their God in Jerusalem.


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With this money be sure to buy bulls, rams and male lambs, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and sacrifice them on the altar of the temple of your God in Jerusalem.


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You and your brother Jews may then do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, in accordance with the will of your God.


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Deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles entrusted to you for worship in the temple of your God.


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And anything else needed for the temple of your God that you may have occasion to supply, you may provide from the royal treasury.


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Now I, King Artaxerxes, order all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates to provide with diligence whatever Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law of the God of heaven, may ask of you--


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up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of olive oil, and salt without limit.


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Whatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and of his sons?


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You are also to know that you have no authority to impose taxes, tribute or duty on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants or other workers at this house of God.


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And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates--all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach any who do not know them.


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Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.


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Praise be to the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put it into the king's heart to bring honor to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem in this way


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and who has extended his good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king's powerful officials. Because the hand of the LORD my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.


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These are the family heads and those registered with them who came up with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:


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of the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom; of the descendants of Ithamar, Daniel; of the descendants of David, Hattush


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of the descendants of Shecaniah; of the descendants of Parosh, Zechariah, and with him were registered men;


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of the descendants of Adonikam, the last ones, whose names were Eliphelet, Jeuel and Shemaiah, and with them men;


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I assembled them at the canal that flows toward Ahava, and we camped there three days. When I checked among the people and the priests, I found no Levites there.


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So I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of learning,


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and I sent them to Iddo, the leader in Casiphia. I told them what to say to Iddo and his kinsmen, the temple servants in Casiphia, so that they might bring attendants to us for the house of our God.


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Because the gracious hand of our God was on us, they brought us Sherebiah, a capable man, from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah's sons and brothers, men;


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and Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and nephews, men.


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They also brought of the temple servants--a body that David and the officials had established to assist the Levites. All were registered by name.


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There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.


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I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, "The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him."


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Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, together with Sherebiah, Hashabiah and ten of their brothers,


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and I weighed out to them the offering of silver and gold and the articles that the king, his advisers, his officials and all Israel present there had donated for the house of our God.


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I said to them, "You as well as these articles are consecrated to the LORD. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the LORD, the God of your fathers.


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Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the house of the LORD in Jerusalem before the leading priests and the Levites and the family heads of Israel."


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Then the priests and Levites received the silver and gold and sacred articles that had been weighed out to be taken to the house of our God in Jerusalem.


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On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way.


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On the fourth day, in the house of our God, we weighed out the silver and gold and the sacred articles into the hands of Meremoth son of Uriah, the priest. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him, and so were the Levites Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui.


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Then the exiles who had returned from captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven male lambs and, as a sin offering, twelve male goats. All this was a burnt offering to the LORD.


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They also delivered the king's orders to the royal satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, who then gave assistance to the people and to the house of God.


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After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, "The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites.


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They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness."


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When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled.


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Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice.


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Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the LORD my God


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and prayed: "O my God, I am too ashamed and disgraced to lift up my face to you, my God, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.


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From the days of our forefathers until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.


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"But now, for a brief moment, the LORD our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage.


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Though we are slaves, our God has not deserted us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.


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you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: 'The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other.


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Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.'


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"What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins have deserved and have given us a remnant like this.


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Shall we again break your commands and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor?


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O LORD, God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence."


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While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites--men, women and children--gathered around him. They too wept bitterly.


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Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, said to Ezra, "We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel.


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Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law.


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So Ezra rose up and put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel under oath to do what had been suggested. And they took the oath.


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Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he was there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.


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A proclamation was then issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all the exiles to assemble in Jerusalem.


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Anyone who failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, in accordance with the decision of the officials and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.


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Within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. And on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people were sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by the occasion and because of the rain.


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Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, "You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel's guilt.


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Now make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives."


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But there are many people here and it is the rainy season; so we cannot stand outside. Besides, this matter cannot be taken care of in a day or two, because we have sinned greatly in this thing.


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Let our officials act for the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at a set time, along with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from us."


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Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, opposed this.


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So the exiles did as was proposed. Ezra the priest selected men who were family heads, one from each family division, and all of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to investigate the cases,


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and by the first day of the first month they finished dealing with all the men who had married foreign women.


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Among the descendants of the priests, the following had married foreign women: From the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah.


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(They all gave their hands in pledge to put away their wives, and for their guilt they each presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.)


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And among the other Israelites: From the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah and Benaiah.


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From the descendants of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui and Manasseh.


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From the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh and Shimei.


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The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah: In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa,


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Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.


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They said to me, "Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire."


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When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.


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Then I said: "O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands,


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let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father's house, have committed against you.


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We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.


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"Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,


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but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.'


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"They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand.


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O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man." I was cupbearer to the king.


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In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before;


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so the king asked me, "Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart." I was very much afraid,


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but I said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?"


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and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it."


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Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, "How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?" It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.


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I also said to him, "If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah?


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And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king's forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?" And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.


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So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king's letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.


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When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.


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I set out during the night with a few men. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.


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By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire.


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Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King's Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through;


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so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate.


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The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.


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Then I said to them, "You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace."


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I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me. They replied, "Let us start rebuilding." So they began this good work.


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But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. "What is this you are doing?" they asked. "Are you rebelling against the king?"


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I answered them by saying, "The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it."


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Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of Hananel.


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The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in place.


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Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired the next section. Next to him Meshullam son of Berekiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs, and next to him Zadok son of Baana also made repairs.


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The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.


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The Jeshanah Gate was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in place.


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Next to them, repairs were made by men from Gibeon and Mizpah--Melatiah of Gibeon and Jadon of Meronoth--places under the authority of the governor of Trans-Euphrates.


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Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.


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Adjoining this, Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house, and Hattush son of Hashabneiah made repairs next to him.


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Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens.


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Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters.


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The Valley Gate was repaired by Hanun and the residents of Zanoah. They rebuilt it and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. They also repaired five hundred yards of the wall as far as the Dung Gate.


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The Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Recab, ruler of the district of Beth Hakkerem. He rebuilt it and put its doors and bolts and bars in place.


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The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallun son of Col-Hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah. He rebuilt it, roofing it over and putting its doors and bolts and bars in place. He also repaired the wall of the Pool of Siloam, by the King's Garden, as far as the steps going down from the City of David.


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Beyond him, Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of a half-district of Beth Zur, made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Heroes.


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Next to him, the repairs were made by the Levites under Rehum son of Bani. Beside him, Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, carried out repairs for his district.


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Next to him, the repairs were made by their countrymen under Binnui son of Henadad, ruler of the other half-district of Keilah.


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Next to him, Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section, from a point facing the ascent to the armory as far as the angle.


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Next to him, Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the angle to the entrance of the house of Eliashib the high priest.


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Next to him, Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired another section, from the entrance of Eliashib's house to the end of it.


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Beyond them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house; and next to them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house.


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Next to him, Binnui son of Henadad repaired another section, from Azariah's house to the angle and the corner,


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and Palal son of Uzai worked opposite the angle and the tower projecting from the upper palace near the court of the guard. Next to him, Pedaiah son of Parosh


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and the temple servants living on the hill of Ophel made repairs up to a point opposite the Water Gate toward the east and the projecting tower.


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Next to them, the men of Tekoa repaired another section, from the great projecting tower to the wall of Ophel.


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Next to them, Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house. Next to him, Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, the guard at the East Gate, made repairs.


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Next to him, Hananiah son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. Next to them, Meshullam son of Berekiah made repairs opposite his living quarters.


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Next to him, Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and the merchants, opposite the Inspection Gate, and as far as the room above the corner;


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When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews,


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and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, "What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble--burned as they are?"


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Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, "What they are building--if even a fox climbed up on it, he would break down their wall of stones!"


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Hear us, O our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity.


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Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.


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So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.


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But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the men of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry.


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Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, "The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall."


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Also our enemies said, "Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work."


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Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, "Wherever you turn, they will attack us."


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Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows.


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After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes."


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When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his own work.


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From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah


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who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other,


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and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.


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Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall.


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So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out.


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At that time I also said to the people, "Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and workmen by day."


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Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.


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Some were saying, "We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain."


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Others were saying, "We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine."


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Still others were saying, "We have had to borrow money to pay the king's tax on our fields and vineyards.


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Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our countrymen and though our sons are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others."


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I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, "You are exacting usury from your own countrymen!" So I called together a large meeting to deal with them


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and said: "As far as possible, we have bought back our Jewish brothers who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your brothers, only for them to be sold back to us!" They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.


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So I continued, "What you are doing is not right. Shouldn't you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies?


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I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let the exacting of usury stop!


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Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the usury you are charging them--the hundredth part of the money, grain, new wine and oil."


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"We will give it back," they said. "And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say." Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised.


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I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, "In this way may God shake out of his house and possessions every man who does not keep this promise. So may such a man be shaken out and emptied!" At this the whole assembly said, "Amen," and praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised.


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Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year--twelve years--neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor.


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But the earlier governors--those preceding me--placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that.


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Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we did not acquire any land.


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Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations.


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Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.


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When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it--though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates--


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Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono." But they were scheming to harm me;


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so I sent messengers to them with this reply: "I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?"


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Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter


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in which was written: "It is reported among the nations--and Geshem says it is true--that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king


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and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: 'There is a king in Judah!' Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us confer together."


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I sent him this reply: "Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head."


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They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed." But I prayed,"Now strengthen my hands."


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One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, "Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you--by night they are coming to kill you."


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But I said, "Should a man like me run away? Or should one like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!"


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I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.


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He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.


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Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who have been trying to intimidate me.


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When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.


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Also, in those days the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and replies from Tobiah kept coming to them.


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For many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was son-in-law to Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah.


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Moreover, they kept reporting to me his good deeds and then telling him what I said. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.


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After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levites were appointed.


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I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most men do.


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I said to them, "The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses."


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Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt.


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So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families. I found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return. This is what I found written there:


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These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town,


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in company with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum and Baanah): The list of the men of Israel:


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And from among the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai (a man who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name).


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The governor, therefore, ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there should be a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim.


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Some of the heads of the families contributed to the work. The governor gave to the treasury, drachmas of gold, bowls and garments for priests.


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Some of the heads of the families gave to the treasury for the work, drachmas of gold and, minas of silver.


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The total given by the rest of the people was, drachmas of gold,, minas of silver and garments for priests.


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The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers and the temple servants, along with certain of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns. When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,


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all the people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel.


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So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand.


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He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.


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Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.


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Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up.


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Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.


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The Levites--Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah--instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there.


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They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.


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Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, "This day is sacred to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.


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Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."


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Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.


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On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the scribe to give attention to the words of the Law.


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They found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in booths during the feast of the seventh month


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and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: "Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make booths"--as it is written.


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So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves booths on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate and the one by the Gate of Ephraim.


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The whole company that had returned from exile built booths and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great.


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Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly.


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On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and having dust on their heads.


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Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the wickedness of their fathers.


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They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the LORD their God.


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Standing on the stairs were the Levites--Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kenani--who called with loud voices to the LORD their God.


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And the Levites--Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah--said: "Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting." "Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.


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You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.


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"You are the LORD God, who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and named him Abraham.


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You found his heart faithful to you, and you made a covenant with him to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites and Girgashites. You have kept your promise because you are righteous.


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You sent miraculous signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all his officials and all the people of his land, for you knew how arrogantly the Egyptians treated them. You made a name for yourself, which remains to this day.


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You divided the sea before them, so that they passed through it on dry ground, but you hurled their pursuers into the depths, like a stone into mighty waters.


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By day you led them with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire to give them light on the way they were to take.


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"You came down on Mount Sinai; you spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and laws that are just and right, and decrees and commands that are good.


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You made known to them your holy Sabbath and gave them commands, decrees and laws through your servant Moses.


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In their hunger you gave them bread from heaven and in their thirst you brought them water from the rock; you told them to go in and take possession of the land you had sworn with uplifted hand to give them.


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They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them,


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even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, 'This is your god, who brought you up out of Egypt,' or when they committed awful blasphemies.


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"Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. By day the pillar of cloud did not cease to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take.


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You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst.


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For forty years you sustained them in the desert; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen.


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"You gave them kingdoms and nations, allotting to them even the remotest frontiers. They took over the country of Sihon king of Heshbon and the country of Og king of Bashan.


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You made their sons as numerous as the stars in the sky, and you brought them into the land that you told their fathers to enter and possess.


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Their sons went in and took possession of the land. You subdued before them the Canaanites, who lived in the land; you handed the Canaanites over to them, along with their kings and the peoples of the land, to deal with them as they pleased.


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They captured fortified cities and fertile land; they took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. They ate to the full and were well-nourished; they reveled in your great goodness.


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"But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; they put your law behind their backs. They killed your prophets, who had admonished them in order to turn them back to you; they committed awful blasphemies.


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So you handed them over to their enemies, who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the hand of their enemies.


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"But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight. Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time.


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"You warned them to return to your law, but they became arrogant and disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, by which a man will live if he obeys them. Stubbornly they turned their backs on you, became stiff-necked and refused to listen.


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For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you admonished them through your prophets. Yet they paid no attention, so you handed them over to the neighboring peoples.


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But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.


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"Now therefore, O our God, the great, mighty and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love, do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes--the hardship that has come upon us, upon our kings and leaders, upon our priests and prophets, upon our fathers and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today.


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Our kings, our leaders, our priests and our fathers did not follow your law; they did not pay attention to your commands or the warnings you gave them.


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Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them, they did not serve you or turn from their evil ways.


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"But see, we are slaves today, slaves in the land you gave our forefathers so they could eat its fruit and the other good things it produces.


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Because of our sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings you have placed over us. They rule over our bodies and our cattle as they please. We are in great distress.


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"In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it."


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"The rest of the people--priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, temple servants and all who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand--


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all these now join their brothers the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the LORD our Lord.


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"We promise not to give our daughters in marriage to the peoples around us or take their daughters for our sons.


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"When the neighboring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will forgo working the land and will cancel all debts.


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"We assume the responsibility for carrying out the commands to give a third of a shekel each year for the service of the house of our God:


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for the bread set out on the table; for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings; for the offerings on the Sabbaths, New Moon festivals and appointed feasts; for the holy offerings; for sin offerings to make atonement for Israel; and for all the duties of the house of our God.


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"We--the priests, the Levites and the people--have cast lots to determine when each of our families is to bring to the house of our God at set times each year a contribution of wood to burn on the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the Law.


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"We also assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the LORD each year the firstfruits of our crops and of every fruit tree.


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"As it is also written in the Law, we will bring the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, of our herds and of our flocks to the house of our God, to the priests ministering there.


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"Moreover, we will bring to the storerooms of the house of our God, to the priests, the first of our ground meal, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees and of our new wine and oil. And we will bring a tithe of our crops to the Levites, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all the towns where we work.


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A priest descended from Aaron is to accompany the Levites when they receive the tithes, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of the tithes up to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury.


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The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and oil to the storerooms where the articles for the sanctuary are kept and where the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the singers stay. "We will not neglect the house of our God."


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Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns.


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These are the provincial leaders who settled in Jerusalem (now some Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants and descendants of Solomon's servants lived in the towns of Judah, each on his own property in the various towns,


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while other people from both Judah and Benjamin lived in Jerusalem): From the descendants of Judah: Athaiah son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, a descendant of Perez;


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and Maaseiah son of Baruch, the son of Col-Hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, a descendant of Shelah.


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From the descendants of Benjamin: Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah,


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Joel son of Zicri was their chief officer, and Judah son of Hassenuah was over the Second District of the city.


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Seraiah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, supervisor in the house of God,


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and their associates, who carried on work for the temple-- men; Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah,


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and his associates, who were heads of families-- men; Amashsai son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer,


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From the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni;


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Shabbethai and Jozabad, two of the heads of the Levites, who had charge of the outside work of the house of God;


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Mattaniah son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the director who led in thanksgiving and prayer; Bakbukiah, second among his associates; and Abda son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.


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The rest of the Israelites, with the priests and Levites, were in all the towns of Judah, each on his ancestral property.


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The chief officer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica. Uzzi was one of Asaph's descendants, who were the singers responsible for the service of the house of God.


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Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, one of the descendants of Zerah son of Judah, was the king's agent in all affairs relating to the people.


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As for the villages with their fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath Arba and its surrounding settlements, in Dibon and its settlements, in Jekabzeel and its villages,


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Zanoah, Adullam and their villages, in Lachish and its fields, and in Azekah and its settlements. So they were living all the way from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom.


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These were the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,


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Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah and Jedaiah. These were the leaders of the priests and their associates in the days of Jeshua.


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The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and also Mattaniah, who, together with his associates, was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving.


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In the days of Joiakim, these were the heads of the priestly families: of Seraiah's family, Meraiah; of Jeremiah's, Hananiah;


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The family heads of the Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua, as well as those of the priests, were recorded in the reign of Darius the Persian.


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The family heads among the descendants of Levi up to the time of Johanan son of Eliashib were recorded in the book of the annals.


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And the leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their associates, who stood opposite them to give praise and thanksgiving, one section responding to the other, as prescribed by David the man of God.


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Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms at the gates.


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They served in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest and scribe.


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At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres.


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The singers also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem--from the villages of the Netophathites,


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from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem.


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When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people, the gates and the wall.


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I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate.


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as well as some priests with trumpets, and also Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph,


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and his associates--Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani--with musical instruments prescribed by David the man of God. Ezra the scribe led the procession.


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At the Fountain Gate they continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the house of David to the Water Gate on the east.


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The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of the wall, together with half the people--past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall,


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over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. At the Gate of the Guard they stopped.


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The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials,


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as well as the priests--Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets--


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and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah.


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And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.


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At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes. From the fields around the towns they were to bring into the storerooms the portions required by the Law for the priests and the Levites, for Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites.


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They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did also the singers and gatekeepers, according to the commands of David and his son Solomon.


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For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.


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So in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the singers and gatekeepers. They also set aside the portion for the other Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.


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On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God,


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because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.)


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Before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was closely associated with Tobiah,


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and he had provided him with a large room formerly used to store the grain offerings and incense and temple articles, and also the tithes of grain, new wine and oil prescribed for the Levites, singers and gatekeepers, as well as the contributions for the priests.


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But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission


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and came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God.


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I gave orders to purify the rooms, and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.


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I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the Levites and singers responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields.


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So I rebuked the officials and asked them, "Why is the house of God neglected?" Then I called them together and stationed them at their posts.


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I put Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a Levite named Pedaiah in charge of the storerooms and made Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, their assistant, because these men were considered trustworthy. They were made responsible for distributing the supplies to their brothers.


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Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services.


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In those days I saw men in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day.


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Men from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath to the people of Judah.


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I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this wicked thing you are doing--desecrating the Sabbath day?


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Didn't your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity upon us and upon this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath."


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When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day.


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But I warned them and said, "Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will lay hands on you." From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath.


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Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this also, O my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.


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Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, and did not know how to speak the language of Judah.


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I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath in God's name and said: "You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves.


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Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women.


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Must we hear now that you too are doing all this terrible wickedness and are being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women?"


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One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. And I drove him away from me.


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Remember them, O my God, because they defiled the priestly office and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.


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So I purified the priests and the Levites of everything foreign, and assigned them duties, each to his own task.


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I also made provision for contributions of wood at designated times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me with favor, O my God.


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This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over provinces stretching from India to Cush:


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and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present.


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For a full days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty.


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When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king's palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest, who were in the citadel of Susa.


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The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones.


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Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king's liberality.


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By the king's command each guest was allowed to drink in his own way, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished.


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On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him--Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Carcas--


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to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at.


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But when the attendants delivered the king's command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.


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Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times


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and were closest to the king--Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.


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"According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?" he asked. "She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her."


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Then Memucan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, "Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes.


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For the queen's conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, 'King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.'


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This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen's conduct will respond to all the king's nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord.


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"Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she.


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Then when the king's edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest."


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He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, proclaiming in each people's tongue that every man should be ruler over his own household.


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Later when the anger of King Xerxes had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her.


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Then the king's personal attendants proposed, "Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king.


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Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful girls into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them.


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Then let the girl who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti." This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it.


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Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish,


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who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin king of Judah.


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Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This girl, who was also known as Esther, was lovely in form and features, and Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.


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When the king's order and edict had been proclaimed, many girls were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king's palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem.


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The girl pleased him and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven maids selected from the king's palace and moved her and her maids into the best place in the harem.


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Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so.


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Every day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.


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Before a girl's turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics.


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And this is how she would go to the king: Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the harem to the king's palace.


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In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to the care of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and summoned her by name.


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When the turn came for Esther (the girl Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her.


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She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.


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Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.


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And the king gave a great banquet, Esther's banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.


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But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai's instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.


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During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's officers who guarded the doorway, became angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.


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But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai.


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And when the report was investigated and found to be true, the two officials were hanged on a gallows. All this was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king.


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After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles.


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All the royal officials at the king's gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.


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Then the royal officials at the king's gate asked Mordecai, "Why do you disobey the king's command?"


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Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply. Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai's behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.


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Yet having learned who Mordecai's people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai's people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.


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In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, they cast the pur (that is, the lot) in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.


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Then Haman said to King Xerxes, "There is a certain people dispersed and scattered among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom whose customs are different from those of all other people and who do not obey the king's laws; it is not in the king's best interest to tolerate them.


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If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will put ten thousand talents of silver into the royal treasury for the men who carry out this business."


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So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.


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Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language of each people all Haman's orders to the king's satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed with his own ring.


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Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews--young and old, women and little children--on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.


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A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day.


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Spurred on by the king's command, the couriers went out, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was bewildered.


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When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly.


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But he went only as far as the king's gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it.


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In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.


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When Esther's maids and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.


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Then Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why.


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Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews.


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He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to urge her to go into the king's presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.


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"All the king's officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that he be put to death. The only exception to this is for the king to extend the gold scepter to him and spare his life. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king."


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he sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape.


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For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"


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"Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."


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On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king's hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance.


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When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.


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Then the king asked, "What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you."


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"If it pleases the king," replied Esther, "let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him."


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"Bring Haman at once," the king said, "so that we may do what Esther asks." So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared.


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As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, "Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted."


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If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king's question."


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Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king's gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai.


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Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home. Calling together his friends and Zeresh, his wife,


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Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials.


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"And that's not all," Haman added. "I'm the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow.


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But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king's gate."


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His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, "Have a gallows built, seventy-five feet high, and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai hanged on it. Then go with the king to the dinner and be happy." This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the gallows built.


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That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him.


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It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.


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"What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?" the king asked. "Nothing has been done for him," his attendants answered.


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The king said, "Who is in the court?" Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows he had erected for him.


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When Haman entered, the king asked him, "What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?" Now Haman thought to himself, "Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?"


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have them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head.


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Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king's most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, 'This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!'"


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"Go at once," the king commanded Haman. "Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king's gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended."


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So Haman got the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, "This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!"


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Afterward Mordecai returned to the king's gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief,


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and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, "Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him--you will surely come to ruin!"


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While they were still talking with him, the king's eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet Esther had prepared.


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and as they were drinking wine on that second day, the king again asked, "Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted."


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Then Queen Esther answered, "If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me my life--this is my petition. And spare my people--this is my request.


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For I and my people have been sold for destruction and slaughter and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king."


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Esther said, "The adversary and enemy is this vile Haman." Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen.


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The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.


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Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, "Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?" As soon as the word left the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face.


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Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, "A gallows seventy-five feet high stands by Haman's house. He had it made for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king." The king said, "Hang him on it!"


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That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her.


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The king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman's estate.


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Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews.


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"If it pleases the king," she said, "and if he regards me with favor and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king's provinces.


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For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?"


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King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, "Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have hanged him on the gallows.


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Now write another decree in the king's name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king's signet ring--for no document written in the king's name and sealed with his ring can be revoked."


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At once the royal secretaries were summoned--on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai's orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the provinces stretching from India to Cush. These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language.


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Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king's signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king.


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The king's edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate any armed force of any nationality or province that might attack them and their women and children; and to plunder the property of their enemies.


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The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar.


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A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.


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The couriers, riding the royal horses, raced out, spurred on by the king's command. And the edict was also issued in the citadel of Susa.


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Mordecai left the king's presence wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration.


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In every province and in every city, wherever the edict of the king went, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.


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On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the edict commanded by the king was to be carried out. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over those who hated them.


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The Jews assembled in their cities in all the provinces of King Xerxes to attack those seeking their destruction. No one could stand against them, because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them.


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And all the nobles of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and the king's administrators helped the Jews, because fear of Mordecai had seized them.


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Mordecai was prominent in the palace; his reputation spread throughout the provinces, and he became more and more powerful.


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The Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did what they pleased to those who hated them.


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he ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not lay their hands on the plunder.


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The king said to Queen Esther, "The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman in the citadel of Susa. What have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? It will also be granted."


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"If it pleases the king," Esther answered, "give the Jews in Susa permission to carry out this day's edict tomorrow also, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged on gallows."


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So the king commanded that this be done. An edict was issued in Susa, and they hanged the ten sons of Haman.


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The Jews in Susa came together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they put to death in Susa three hundred men, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.


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Meanwhile, the remainder of the Jews who were in the king's provinces also assembled to protect themselves and get relief from their enemies. They killed seventy-five thousand of them but did not lay their hands on the plunder.


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This happened on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.


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The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth, and then on the fifteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.


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That is why rural Jews--those living in villages--observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar as a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other.


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Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far,


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as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor.


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So the Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun, doing what Mordecai had written to them.


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For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction.


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But when the plot came to the king's attention, he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.


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(Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur.) Because of everything written in this letter and because of what they had seen and what had happened to them,


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the Jews took it upon themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year, in the way prescribed and at the time appointed.


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These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never cease to be celebrated by the Jews, nor should the memory of them die out among their descendants.


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So Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim.


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And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews in the provinces of the kingdom of Xerxes--words of goodwill and assurance--


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to establish these days of Purim at their designated times, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had decreed for them, and as they had established for themselves and their descendants in regard to their times of fasting and lamentation.


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And all his acts of power and might, together with a full account of the greatness of Mordecai to which the king had raised him, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Media and Persia?


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Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.


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In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.


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and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.


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His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.


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When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." This was Job's regular custom.


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The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."


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Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."


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"Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.


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The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.


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One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house,


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and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"


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While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"


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While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"


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While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house,


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when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"


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and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."


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On another day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him.


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And the LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."


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Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason."


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But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face."


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So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.


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He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.


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When Job's three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him.


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When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads.


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Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.


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May darkness and deep shadow claim it once more; may a cloud settle over it; may blackness overwhelm its light.


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That night--may thick darkness seize it; may it not be included among the days of the year nor be entered in any of the months.


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May its morning stars become dark; may it wait for daylight in vain and not see the first rays of dawn,


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Or why was I not hidden in the ground like a stillborn child, like an infant who never saw the light of day?


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It stopped, but I could not tell what it was. A form stood before my eyes, and I heard a hushed voice:


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how much more those who live in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who are crushed more readily than a moth!


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The hungry consume his harvest, taking it even from among thorns, and the thirsty pant after his wealth.


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For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field, and the wild animals will be at peace with you.


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You will know that your tent is secure; you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing.


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The arrows of the Almighty are in me, my spirit drinks in their poison; God's terrors are marshaled against me.


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Then I would still have this consolation--my joy in unrelenting pain--that I had not denied the words of the Holy One.


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"A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends, even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.


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"Therefore I will not keep silent; I will speak out in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.


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If I have sinned, what have I done to you, O watcher of men? Why have you made me your target? Have I become a burden to you?


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Why do you not pardon my offenses and forgive my sins? For I will soon lie down in the dust; you will search for me, but I will be no more."


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if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your rightful place.


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Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.


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When a land falls into the hands of the wicked, he blindfolds its judges. If it is not he, then who is it?


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"I loathe my very life; therefore I will give free rein to my complaint and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.


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Does it please you to oppress me, to spurn the work of your hands, while you smile on the schemes of the wicked?


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If I am guilty--woe to me! Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head, for I am full of shame and drowned in my affliction.


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You bring new witnesses against me and increase your anger toward me; your forces come against me wave upon wave.


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and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.


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They are higher than the heavens--what can you do? They are deeper than the depths of the grave--what can you know?


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But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and escape will elude them; their hope will become a dying gasp."


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"I have become a laughingstock to my friends, though I called upon God and he answered--a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!


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The tents of marauders are undisturbed, and those who provoke God are secure--those who carry their god in their hands.


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He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason; he sends them wandering through a trackless waste.


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You fasten my feet in shackles; you keep close watch on all my paths by putting marks on the soles of my feet.


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Man's days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.


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"At least there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail.


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so man lies down and does not rise; till the heavens are no more, men will not awake or be roused from their sleep.


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"If only you would hide me in the grave and conceal me till your anger has passed! If only you would set me a time and then remember me!


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If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come.


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He will no longer be rich and his wealth will not endure, nor will his possessions spread over the land.


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He will not escape the darkness; a flame will wither his shoots, and the breath of God's mouth will carry him away.


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For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of those who love bribes.


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I also could speak like you, if you were in my place; I could make fine speeches against you and shake my head at you.


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God assails me and tears me in his anger and gnashes his teeth at me; my opponent fastens on me his piercing eyes.


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All was well with me, but he shattered me; he seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has made me his target;


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You who tear yourself to pieces in your anger, is the earth to be abandoned for your sake? Or must the rocks be moved from their place?


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you should fear the sword yourselves; for wrath will bring punishment by the sword, and then you will know that there is judgment."


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In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him; the full force of misery will come upon him.


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When he has filled his belly, God will vent his burning anger against him and rain down his blows upon him.


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total darkness lies in wait for his treasures. A fire unfanned will consume him and devour what is left in his tent.


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"Yet how often is the lamp of the wicked snuffed out? How often does calamity come upon them, the fate God allots in his anger?


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It is said,'God stores up a man's punishment for his sons.' Let him repay the man himself, so that he will know it!


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The soil in the valley is sweet to him; all men follow after him, and a countless throng goes before him.


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What pleasure would it give the Almighty if you were righteous? What would he gain if your ways were blameless?


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You demanded security from your brothers for no reason; you stripped men of their clothing, leaving them naked.


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Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things, so I stand aloof from the counsel of the wicked.


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He will deliver even one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands."


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There an upright man could present his case before him, and I would be delivered forever from my judge.


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When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.


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I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.


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"Why does the Almighty not set times for judgment? Why must those who know him look in vain for such days?


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Like wild donkeys in the desert, the poor go about their labor of foraging food; the wasteland provides food for their children.


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The groans of the dying rise from the city, and the souls of the wounded cry out for help. But God charges no one with wrongdoing.


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When daylight is gone, the murderer rises up and kills the poor and needy; in the night he steals forth like a thief.


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The eye of the adulterer watches for dusk; he thinks, 'No eye will see me,' and he keeps his face concealed.


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In the dark, men break into houses, but by day they shut themselves in; they want nothing to do with the light.


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"Yet they are foam on the surface of the water; their portion of the land is cursed, so that no one goes to the vineyards.


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The womb forgets them, the worm feasts on them; evil men are no longer remembered but are broken like a tree.


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But God drags away the mighty by his power; though they become established, they have no assurance of life.


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For a little while they are exalted, and then they are gone; they are brought low and gathered up like all others; they are cut off like heads of grain.


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And these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! Who then can understand the thunder of his power?"


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"As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made me taste bitterness of soul,


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I will maintain my righteousness and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live.


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Man puts an end to the darkness; he searches the farthest recesses for ore in the blackest darkness.


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Far from where people dwell he cuts a shaft, in places forgotten by the foot of man; far from men he dangles and sways.


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I chose the way for them and sat as their chief; I dwelt as a king among his troops; I was like one who comforts mourners.


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"But now they mock me, men younger than I, whose fathers I would have disdained to put with my sheep dogs.


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On my right the tribe attacks; they lay snares for my feet, they build their siege ramps against me.


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if my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has been led by my eyes, or if my hands have been defiled,


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because I so feared the crowd and so dreaded the contempt of the clans that I kept silent and would not go outside


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("Oh, that I had someone to hear me! I sign now my defense--let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser put his indictment in writing.


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But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God.


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He was also angry with the three friends, because they had found no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him.


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So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said: "I am young in years, and you are old; that is why I was fearful, not daring to tell you what I know.


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I gave you my full attention. But not one of you has proved Job wrong; none of you has answered his arguments.


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"Yet if there is an angel on his side as a mediator, one out of a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him,


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to be gracious to him and say, 'Spare him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom for him'--


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He prays to God and finds favor with him, he sees God's face and shouts for joy; he is restored by God to his righteous state.


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Then he comes to men and says, 'I sinned, and perverted what was right, but I did not get what I deserved.


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Although I am right, I am considered a liar; although I am guiltless, his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.'


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"So listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do evil, from the Almighty to do wrong.


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who shows no partiality to princes and does not favor the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?


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They die in an instant, in the middle of the night; the people are shaken and they pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand.


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But if he remains silent, who can condemn him? If he hides his face, who can see him? Yet he is over man and nation alike,


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Should God then reward you on your terms, when you refuse to repent? You must decide, not I; so tell me what you know.


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To his sin he adds rebellion; scornfully he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God."


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who teaches more to us than to the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the air?'


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How much less, then, will he listen when you say that you do not see him, that your case is before him and you must wait for him,


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If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.


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"He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food.


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But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have taken hold of you.


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After that comes the sound of his roar; he thunders with his majestic voice. When his voice resounds, he holds nothing back.


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At his direction they swirl around over the face of the whole earth to do whatever he commands them.


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The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress.


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What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed, or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth?


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"The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully, but they cannot compare with the pinions and feathers of the stork.


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At the blast of the trumpet he snorts, 'Aha!' He catches the scent of battle from afar, the shout of commanders and the battle cry.


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When the river rages, he is not alarmed; he is secure, though the Jordan should surge against his mouth.


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You asked,'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.


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After the LORD had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.


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So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has."


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So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the LORD told them; and the LORD accepted Job's prayer.


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After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before.


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All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the LORD had brought upon him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.


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The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys.


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Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.


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After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.


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Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.


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He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.


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The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One.


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I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father.


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Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.


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A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom. O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!


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Arise, O LORD! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.


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For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David. Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.


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How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Selah


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For the director of music. For flutes. A psalm of David. Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing.


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In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.


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But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple.


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Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit.


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Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against you.


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But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.


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For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith. A psalm of David. O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.


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I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.


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A shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning Cush, a Benjamite. O LORD my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me,


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then let my enemy pursue and overtake me; let him trample my life to the ground and make me sleep in the dust. Selah


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Arise, O LORD, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake, my God; decree justice.


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let the LORD judge the peoples. Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High.


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O righteous God, who searches minds and hearts, bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure.


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I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.


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For the director of music. According to gittith. A psalm of David. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.


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From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.


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When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,


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For the director of music. To the tune of"The Death of the Son." A psalm of David. I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.


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You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.


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Endless ruin has overtaken the enemy, you have uprooted their cities; even the memory of them has perished.


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that I may declare your praises in the gates of the Daughter of Zion and there rejoice in your salvation.


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The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.


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The LORD is known by his justice; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands. Higgaion. Selah


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His ways are always prosperous; he is haughty and your laws are far from him; he sneers at all his enemies.


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He lies in wait near the villages; from ambush he murders the innocent, watching in secret for his victims.


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He lies in wait like a lion in cover; he lies in wait to catch the helpless; he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.


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But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.


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Break the arm of the wicked and evil man; call him to account for his wickedness that would not be found out.


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defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.


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For the director of music. Of David. In the LORD I take refuge. How then can you say to me: "Flee like a bird to your mountain.


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For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.


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The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne. He observes the sons of men; his eyes examine them.


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For the director of music. According to sheminith. A psalm of David. Help, LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men.


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"Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise," says the LORD. "I will protect them from those who malign them."


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And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.


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For the director of music. A psalm of David. How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?


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How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?


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For the director of music. Of David. The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.


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The LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.


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All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.


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Will evildoers never learn--those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on the LORD?


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Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!


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and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman,


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who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.


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The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips.


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You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.


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A prayer of David. Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea; listen to my cry. Give ear to my prayer--it does not rise from deceitful lips.


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Though you probe my heart and examine me at night, though you test me, you will find nothing; I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.


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Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.


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O LORD, by your hand save me from such men, from men of this world whose reward is in this life. You still the hunger of those you cherish; their sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for their children.


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And I--in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.


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For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. He sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, O LORD, my strength.


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The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.


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In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.


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The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook; they trembled because he was angry.


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The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of breath from your nostrils.


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The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.


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The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.


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As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.


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You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great.


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You have delivered me from the attacks of the people; you have made me the head of nations; people I did not know are subject to me.


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He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.


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For the director of music. A psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.


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Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,


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which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.


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It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.


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The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.


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The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.


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The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.


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They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.


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Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.


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May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.


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For the director of music. A psalm of David. May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.


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We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests.


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Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand.


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For the director of music. A psalm of David. O LORD, the king rejoices in your strength. How great is his joy in the victories you give!


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At the time of your appearing you will make them like a fiery furnace. In his wrath the LORD will swallow them up, and his fire will consume them.


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For the director of music. To the tune of"The Doe of the Morning." A psalm of David. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?


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I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me.


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My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.


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Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet.


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You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!


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For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.


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From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.


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The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him--may your hearts live forever!


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All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,


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All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him--those who cannot keep themselves alive.


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Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.


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You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.


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Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.


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Of David. A psalm. The earth is the LORD'S, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;


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He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false.


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Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.


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Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.


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No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.


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Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.


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Of David. Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.


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Of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation--whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid?


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When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.


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Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.


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One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.


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For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.


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Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.


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Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior.


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Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence.


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Of David. To you I call, O LORD my Rock; do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who have gone down to the pit.


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Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil, who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts.


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Repay them for their deeds and for their evil work; repay them for what their hands have done and bring back upon them what they deserve.


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Since they show no regard for the works of the LORD and what his hands have done, he will tear them down and never build them up again.


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The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.


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The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.


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The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"


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A psalm. A song. For the dedication of the temple. Of David. I will exalt you, O LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me.


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For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.


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O LORD, when you favored me, you made my mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed.


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"What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness?


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For the director of music. A psalm of David. In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.


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Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief.


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My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak.


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Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors; I am a dread to my friends--those who see me on the street flee from me.


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For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side; they conspire against me and plot to take my life.


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Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I have cried out to you; but let the wicked be put to shame and lie silent in the grave.


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Let their lying lips be silenced, for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous.


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How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.


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In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues.


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In my alarm I said, "I am cut off from your sight!" Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help.


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For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Selah


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Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"--and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah


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Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him.


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You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah


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Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.


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Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he left. I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.


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Of David. Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me.


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May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plot my ruin be turned back in dismay.


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may ruin overtake them by surprise--may the net they hid entangle them, may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.


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My whole being will exclaim, "Who is like you, O LORD? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them."


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Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers returned to me unanswered,


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I went about mourning as though for my friend or brother. I bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother.


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But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; attackers gathered against me when I was unaware. They slandered me without ceasing.


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O Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my life from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.


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Let not those gloat over me who are my enemies without cause; let not those who hate me without reason maliciously wink the eye.


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They do not speak peaceably, but devise false accusations against those who live quietly in the land.


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May all who gloat over my distress be put to shame and confusion; may all who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and disgrace.


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May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, "The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant."


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For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes.


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Even on his bed he plots evil; he commits himself to a sinful course and does not reject what is wrong.


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Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O LORD, you preserve both man and beast.


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How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.


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He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.


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Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.


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The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.


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But the wicked will perish: The LORD'S enemies will be like the beauty of the fields, they will vanish--vanish like smoke.


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I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.


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For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;


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Wait for the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.


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The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.


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A psalm of David. A petition. O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.


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Those who seek my life set their traps, those who would harm me talk of my ruin; all day long they plot deception.


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For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David. I said, "I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence."


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You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath. Selah


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Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.


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You rebuke and discipline men for their sin; you consume their wealth like a moth--each man is but a breath. Selah


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"Hear my prayer, O LORD, listen to my cry for help; be not deaf to my weeping. For I dwell with you as an alien, a stranger, as all my fathers were.


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For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.


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He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.


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He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.


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Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.


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Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.


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Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.


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I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.


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For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me.


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May all who seek to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.


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But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, "The LORD be exalted!"


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Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; O my God, do not delay.


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For the director of music. A psalm of David. Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble.


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The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes.


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Whenever one comes to see me, he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander; then he goes out and spreads it abroad.


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For the director of music. A maskil of the Sons of Korah. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.


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These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.


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Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and


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my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon--from Mount Mizar.


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I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?"


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Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.


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Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; rescue me from deceitful and wicked men.


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You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?


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Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.


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Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God.


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For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil. We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago.


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With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our fathers; you crushed the peoples and made our fathers flourish.


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It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them.


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For the director of music. To the tune of"Lilies." Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil. A wedding song. My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.


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You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever.


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In your majesty ride forth victoriously in behalf of truth, humility and righteousness; let your right hand display awesome deeds.


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Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king's enemies; let the nations fall beneath your feet.


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Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.


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You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.


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All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from palaces adorned with ivory the music of the strings makes you glad.


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Daughters of kings are among your honored women; at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir.


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In embroidered garments she is led to the king; her virgin companions follow her and are brought to you.


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I will perpetuate your memory through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.


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For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth. A song. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.


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Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,


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There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.


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He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.


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"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."


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For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.


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The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted.


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A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain.


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It is beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth. Like the utmost heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King.


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As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD Almighty, in the city of our God: God makes her secure forever. Selah


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Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness.


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For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world,


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For all can see that wise men die; the foolish and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others.


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Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves.


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This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. Selah


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Like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death will feed on them. The upright will rule over them in the morning; their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions.


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A psalm of Asaph. The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.


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But to the wicked, God says: "What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips?


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These things you have done and I kept silent; you thought I was altogether like you. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face.


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He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God."


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For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.


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Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.


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Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.


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The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.


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Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar.


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For the director of music. A maskil of David. When Doeg the Edomite had gone to Saul and told him: "David has gone to the house of Ahimelech." Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man? Why do you boast all day long, you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?


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Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah


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"Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!"


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But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever.


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I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.


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For the director of music. According to mahalath. A maskil of David. The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good.


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God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.


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Everyone has turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.


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Will the evildoers never learn--those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on God?


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There they were, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to dread. God scattered the bones of those who attacked you; you put them to shame, for God despised them.


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Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!


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For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David. When the Ziphites had gone to Saul and said, "Is not David hiding among us?" Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me by your might.


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For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David. Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea;


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at the voice of the enemy, at the stares of the wicked; for they bring down suffering upon me and revile me in their anger.


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If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him.


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Let death take my enemies by surprise; let them go down alive to the grave, for evil finds lodging among them.


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God, who is enthroned forever, will hear them and afflict them--Selah men who never change their ways and have no fear of God.


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His speech is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords.


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But you, O God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of corruption; bloodthirsty and deceitful men will not live out half their days. But as for me, I trust in you.


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For the director of music. To the tune of"A Dove on Distant Oaks." Of David. A miktam. When the Philistines had seized him in Gath. Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me; all day long they press their attack.


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For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.


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For the director of music. To the tune of"Do Not Destroy." Of David. A miktam. When he had fled from Saul into the cave. Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.


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He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me; Selah God sends his love and his faithfulness.


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I am in the midst of lions; I lie among ravenous beasts--men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.


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They spread a net for my feet--I was bowed down in distress. They dug a pit in my path--but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah


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For the director of music. To the tune of"Do Not Destroy." Of David. A miktam. Do you rulers indeed speak justly? Do you judge uprightly among men?


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Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns--whether they be green or dry--the wicked will be swept away.


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The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, when they bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.


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Then men will say, "Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth."


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For the director of music. To the tune of"Do Not Destroy." Of David. A miktam. When Saul had sent men to watch David's house in order to kill him. Deliver me from my enemies, O God; protect me from those who rise up against me.


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See how they lie in wait for me! Fierce men conspire against me for no offense or sin of mine, O LORD.


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O LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish all the nations; show no mercy to wicked traitors. Selah


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See what they spew from their mouths--they spew out swords from their lips, and they say, "Who can hear us?"


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But do not kill them, O Lord our shield, or my people will forget. In your might make them wander about, and bring them down.


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For the sins of their mouths, for the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride. For the curses and lies they utter,


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consume them in wrath, consume them till they are no more. Then it will be known to the ends of the earth that God rules over Jacob. Selah


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But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.


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For the director of music. To the tune of"The Lily of the Covenant." A miktam of David. For teaching. When he fought Aram Naharaim and Aram Zobah, and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. You have rejected us, O God, and burst forth upon us; you have been angry--now restore us!


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God has spoken from his sanctuary: "In triumph I will parcel out Shechem and measure off the Valley of Succoth.


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For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Of David. Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.


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From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.


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For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David. My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.


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How long will you assault a man? Would all of you throw him down--this leaning wall, this tottering fence?


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They fully intend to topple him from his lofty place; they take delight in lies. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse. Selah


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Lowborn men are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie; if weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath.


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Do not trust in extortion or take pride in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them.


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A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah. O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.


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But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by God's name will praise him, while the mouths of liars will be silenced.


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For the director of music. A psalm of David. Hear me, O God, as I voice my complaint; protect my life from the threat of the enemy.


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They encourage each other in evil plans, they talk about hiding their snares; they say, "Who will see them?"


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They plot injustice and say, "We have devised a perfect plan!" Surely the mind and heart of man are cunning.


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He will turn their own tongues against them and bring them to ruin; all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.


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Let the righteous rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in him; let all the upright in heart praise him!


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For the director of music. A psalm of David. A song. Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion; to you our vows will be fulfilled.


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Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple.


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You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness, O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas,


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Those living far away fear your wonders; where morning dawns and evening fades you call forth songs of joy.


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You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it.


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The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing.


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Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you.


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He turned the sea into dry land, they passed through the waters on foot--come, let us rejoice in him.


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He rules forever by his power, his eyes watch the nations--let not the rebellious rise up against him. Selah


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You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.


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For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song. May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, Selah


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May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth. Selah


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For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song. May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him.


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As smoke is blown away by the wind, may you blow them away; as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God.


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Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds--his name is the LORD--and rejoice before him.


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God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.


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the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.


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Even while you sleep among the campfires, the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver, its feathers with shining gold."


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Why gaze in envy, O rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign, where the LORD himself will dwell forever?


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The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands; the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.


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When you ascended on high, you led captives in your train; you received gifts from men, even from the rebellious--that you, O LORD God, might dwell there.


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that you may plunge your feet in the blood of your foes, while the tongues of your dogs have their share."


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There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them, there the great throng of Judah's princes, and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.


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Rebuke the beast among the reeds, the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations. Humbled, may it bring bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war.


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You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!


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For the director of music. To the tune of"Lilies." Of David. Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.


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I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me.


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Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not steal.


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May those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me, O Lord, the LORD Almighty; may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me, O God of Israel.


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But I pray to you, O LORD, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation.


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Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink; deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters.


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Do not let the floodwaters engulf me or the depths swallow me up or the pit close its mouth over me.


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Scorn has broken my heart and has left me helpless; I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found none.


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for God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah. Then people will settle there and possess it;


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For the director of music. Of David. A petition. Hasten, O God, to save me; O LORD, come quickly to help me.


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May those who seek my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.


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But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, "Let God be exalted!"


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Yet I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay.


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Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.


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From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother's womb. I will ever praise you.


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My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure.


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I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign LORD; I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone.


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Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.


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Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, you who have done great things. Who, O God, is like you?


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Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up.


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I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.


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My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion.


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He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; he will crush the oppressor.


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The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores will bring tribute to him; the kings of Sheba and Seba will present him gifts.


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Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long.


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Let grain abound throughout the land; on the tops of the hills may it sway. Let its fruit flourish like Lebanon; let it thrive like the grass of the field.


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May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. All nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed.


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Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.


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But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.


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A maskil of Asaph. Why have you rejected us forever, O God? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?


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Remember the people you purchased of old, the tribe of your inheritance, whom you redeemed--Mount Zion, where you dwelt.


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Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins, all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary.


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They said in their hearts, "We will crush them completely!" They burned every place where God was worshiped in the land.


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Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!


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Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts; do not forget the lives of your afflicted people forever.


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For the director of music. To the tune of"Do Not Destroy." A psalm of Asaph. A song. We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds.


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In the hand of the LORD is a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices; he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very dregs.


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For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph. A song. In Judah God is known; his name is great in Israel.


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Make vows to the LORD your God and fulfill them; let all the neighboring lands bring gifts to the One to be feared.


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For the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm. I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me.


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When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands and my soul refused to be comforted.


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Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked.


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Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen.


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We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.


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He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children,


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so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children.


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They would not be like their forefathers--a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him.


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When he struck the rock, water gushed out, and streams flowed abundantly. But can he also give us food? Can he supply meat for his people?"


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When the LORD heard them, he was very angry; his fire broke out against Jacob, and his wrath rose against Israel,


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God's anger rose against them; he put to death the sturdiest among them, cutting down the young men of Israel.


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Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath.


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He unleashed against them his hot anger, his wrath, indignation and hostility--a band of destroying angels.


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He prepared a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death but gave them over to the plague.


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He drove out nations before them and allotted their lands to them as an inheritance; he settled the tribes of Israel in their homes.


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from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance.


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A psalm of Asaph. O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble.


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They have given the dead bodies of your servants as food to the birds of the air, the flesh of your saints to the beasts of the earth.


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Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the kingdoms that do not call on your name;


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Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need.


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Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name's sake.


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Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Before our eyes, make known among the nations that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants.


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May the groans of the prisoners come before you; by the strength of your arm preserve those condemned to die.


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Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.


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For the director of music. To the tune of"The Lilies of the Covenant." Of Asaph. A psalm. Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock; you who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth


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For the director of music. According to gittith. Of Asaph. Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob!


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He established it as a statute for Joseph when he went out against Egypt, where we heard a language we did not understand.


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In your distress you called and I rescued you, I answered you out of a thundercloud; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah


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"They know nothing, they understand nothing. They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.


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Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD--that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.


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For the director of music. According to gittith. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty!


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My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.


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Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young--a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.


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As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.


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Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.


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For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.


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For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. You showed favor to your land, O LORD; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.


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I will listen to what God the LORD will say; he promises peace to his people, his saints--but let them not return to folly.


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All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O Lord; they will bring glory to your name.


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Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.


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The arrogant are attacking me, O God; a band of ruthless men seeks my life--men without regard for you.


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But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.


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Turn to me and have mercy on me; grant your strength to your servant and save the son of your maidservant.


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Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.


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"I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me--Philistia too, and Tyre, along with Cush--and will say, 'This one was born in Zion.'"


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Indeed, of Zion it will be said, "This one and that one were born in her, and the Most High himself will establish her."


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A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth. A maskil of Heman the Ezrahite. O LORD, the God who saves me, day and night I cry out before you.


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I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more, who are cut off from your care.


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You have taken from me my closest friends and have made me repulsive to them. I am confined and cannot escape;


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From my youth I have been afflicted and close to death; I have suffered your terrors and am in despair.


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A maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the LORD'S great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.


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I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.


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For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings?


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In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him.


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Once you spoke in a vision, to your faithful people you said: "I have bestowed strength on a warrior; I have exalted a young man from among the people.


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Remember, Lord, how your servant has been mocked, how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations,


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the taunts with which your enemies have mocked, O LORD, with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one.


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A prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.


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Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.


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For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.


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The length of our days is seventy years--or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.


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Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.


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May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us--yes, establish the work of our hands.


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He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.


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"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.


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He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.


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A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day. It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High,


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that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed.


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The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.


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The seas have lifted up, O LORD, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.


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Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea--the LORD on high is mighty.


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He will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness; the LORD our God will destroy them.


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for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice,


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For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways."


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Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns." The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.


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let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy;


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they will sing before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth.


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Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.


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A psalm. Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.


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He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.


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let them sing before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.


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The LORD reigns, let the nations tremble; he sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake.


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The King is mighty, he loves justice--you have established equity; in Jacob you have done what is just and right.


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Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel was among those who called on his name; they called on the LORD and he answered them.


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O LORD our God, you answered them; you were to Israel a forgiving God, though you punished their misdeeds.


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Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.


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Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.


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For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.


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I will be careful to lead a blameless life--when will you come to me? I will walk in my house with blameless heart.


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I will set before my eyes no vile thing. The deeds of faithless men I hate; they will not cling to me.


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Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, him will I put to silence; whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, him will I not endure.


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My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he whose walk is blameless will minister to me.


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No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence.


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Every morning I will put to silence all the wicked in the land; I will cut off every evildoer from the city of the LORD.


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A prayer of an afflicted man. When he is faint and pours out his lament before the LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry for help come to you.


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Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly.


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You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come.


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So I said: "Do not take me away, O my God, in the midst of my days; your years go on through all generations.


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They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded.


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The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you."


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But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD'S love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children--


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Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.


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and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind.


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they flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place you assigned for them.


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He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate--bringing forth food from the earth:


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There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number--living things both large and small.


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When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.


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When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust.


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But may sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more. Praise the LORD, O my soul. Praise the LORD.


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that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation and join your inheritance in giving praise.


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When our fathers were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles; they did not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.


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So he said he would destroy them--had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him to keep his wrath from destroying them.


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They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood.


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Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.


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Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, "Amen!" Praise the LORD.


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Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.


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They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away.


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A song. A psalm of David. My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul.


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for wicked and deceitful men have opened their mouths against me; they have spoken against me with lying tongues.


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May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD; may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.


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May their sins always remain before the LORD, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.


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For he never thought of doing a kindness, but hounded to death the poor and the needy and the brokenhearted.


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He loved to pronounce a curse--may it come on him; he found no pleasure in blessing--may it be far from him.


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But you, O Sovereign LORD, deal well with me for your name's sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me.


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They may curse, but you will bless; when they attack they will be put to shame, but your servant will rejoice.


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Of David. A psalm. The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."


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Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy majesty, from the womb of the dawn you will receive the dew of your youth.


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The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."


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Praise the LORD. I will extol the LORD with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly.


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He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever--holy and awesome is his name.


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The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.


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He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor, his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor.


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The wicked man will see and be vexed, he will gnash his teeth and waste away; the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.


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they have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but they cannot walk; nor can they utter a sound with their throats.


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The LORD remembers us and will bless us: He will bless the house of Israel, he will bless the house of Aaron,


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The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.


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O LORD, truly I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant; you have freed me from my chains.


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They swarmed around me like bees, but they died out as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off.


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Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: "The LORD'S right hand has done mighty things!


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The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.


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May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause; but I will meditate on your precepts.


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A song of ascents. Of David. I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."


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That is where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, to praise the name of the LORD according to the statute given to Israel.


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As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he shows us his mercy.


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We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler's snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped.


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A song of ascents. Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.


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The scepter of the wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous, for then the righteous might use their hands to do evil.


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Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them."


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He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.


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A song of ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.


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In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat--for he grants sleep to those he loves.


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Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.


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Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.


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May the LORD bless you from Zion all the days of your life; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem,


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May those who pass by not say, "The blessing of the LORD be upon you; we bless you in the name of the LORD."


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My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.


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O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.


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A song of ascents. Of David. My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.


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But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.


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The LORD swore an oath to David, a sure oath that he will not revoke: "One of your own descendants I will place on your throne--


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if your sons keep my covenant and the statutes I teach them, then their sons will sit on your throne for ever and ever."


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It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes.


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It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.


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A song of ascents. Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who minister by night in the house of the LORD.


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The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths.


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He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.


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for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"


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May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy.


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Remember, O LORD, what the Edomites did on the day Jerusalem fell. "Tear it down," they cried, "tear it down to its foundations!"


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O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, happy is he who repays you for what you have done to us--


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I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.


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Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me.


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The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever--do not abandon the works of your hands.


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even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.


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I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.


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My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,


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your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.


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For the director of music. A psalm of David. Rescue me, O LORD, from evil men; protect me from men of violence,


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Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; protect me from men of violence who plan to trip my feet.


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Proud men have hidden a snare for me; they have spread out the cords of their net and have set traps for me along my path. Selah


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do not grant the wicked their desires, O LORD; do not let their plans succeed, or they will become proud. Selah


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May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.


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Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies.


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Let a righteous man strike me--it is a kindness; let him rebuke me--it is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it. Yet my prayer is ever against the deeds of evildoers;


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their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs, and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.


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They will say,"As one plows and breaks up the earth, so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of the grave."


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A maskil of David. When he was in the cave. A prayer. I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy.


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When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me.


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Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me.


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Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.


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A psalm of David. O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.


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The enemy pursues me, he crushes me to the ground; he makes me dwell in darkness like those long dead.


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I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.


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Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit.


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Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.


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He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.


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Reach down your hand from on high; deliver me and rescue me from the mighty waters, from the hands of foreigners


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Deliver me and rescue me from the hands of foreigners whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hands are deceitful.


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Then our sons in their youth will be like well-nurtured plants, and our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace.


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Our barns will be filled with every kind of provision. Our sheep will increase by thousands, by tens of thousands in our fields;


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our oxen will draw heavy loads. There will be no breaching of walls, no going into captivity, no cry of distress in our streets.


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A psalm of praise. Of David. I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.


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They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.


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Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.


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My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.


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the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them--the LORD, who remains faithful forever.


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the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.


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The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.


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Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.


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He has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his saints, of Israel, the people close to his heart. Praise the LORD.


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to carry out the sentence written against them. This is the glory of all his saints. Praise the LORD.


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If they say, "Come along with us; let's lie in wait for someone's blood, let's waylay some harmless soul;


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"How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?


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If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.


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when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you.


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Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.


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Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow"--when you now have it with you.


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he taught me and said, "Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live.


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The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.


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A loving doe, a graceful deer--may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love.


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My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge for another,


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then do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor's hands: Go and humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor!


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Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.


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When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.


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For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life,


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till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.


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I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,


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when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.


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Then I was the craftsman at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence,


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Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.


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The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother.


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He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.


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The righteousness of the blameless makes a straight way for them, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.


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Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.


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He who puts up security for another will surely suffer, but whoever refuses to strike hands in pledge is safe.


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He who brings trouble on his family will inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise.


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A wife of noble character is her husband's crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.


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From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.


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From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things, but the unfaithful have a craving for violence.


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A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children, but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous.


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Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest.


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He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.


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The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings them trouble.


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A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son, and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.


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He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.


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He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.


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An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city, and disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.


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From the fruit of his mouth a man's stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.


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A poor man is shunned by all his relatives--how much more do his friends avoid him! Though he pursues them with pleading, they are nowhere to be found.


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Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke a discerning man, and he will gain knowledge.


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Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if he does it for a wayward woman.


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When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom; when a wise man is instructed, he gets knowledge.


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He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich--both come to poverty.


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Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men.


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Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.


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for he is the kind of man who is always thinking about the cost. "Eat and drink," he says to you, but his heart is not with you.


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Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?


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"They hit me," you will say, "but I'm not hurt! They beat me, but I don't feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?"


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If you say, "But we knew nothing about this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?


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Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.


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for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity.


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remove the wicked from the king's presence, and his throne will be established through righteousness.


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it is better for him to say to you, "Come up here," than for him to humiliate you before a nobleman. What you have seen with your eyes


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Like the coolness of snow at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the spirit of his masters.


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Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar poured on soda, is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.


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Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel.


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Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father, and do not go to your brother's house when disaster strikes you--better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.


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Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding him like grain with a pestle, you will not remove his folly from him.


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When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers, but a man of understanding and knowledge maintains order.


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He who increases his wealth by exorbitant interest amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.


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He who leads the upright along an evil path will fall into his own trap, but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.


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When the righteous triumph, there is great elation; but when the wicked rise to power, men go into hiding.


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He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.


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He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.


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When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding; but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.


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A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.


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Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know!


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Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.


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Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.


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those whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth, the needy from among mankind.


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"The leech has two daughters. 'Give! Give!' they cry. "There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, 'Enough!':


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the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, 'Enough!'


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"The eye that mocks a father, that scorns obedience to a mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures.


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the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden.


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"This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, 'I've done nothing wrong.'


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"If you have played the fool and exalted yourself, or if you have planned evil, clap your hand over your mouth!


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For as churning the milk produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife."


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She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.


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The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course.


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All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.


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All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.


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What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.


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Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.


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There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow.


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I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men!


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I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.


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I thought to myself, "Look, I have grown and increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge."


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Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.


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I thought in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good." But that also proved to be meaningless.


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I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly--my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.


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I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me.


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I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem as well--the delights of the heart of man.


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I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.


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Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.


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Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly. What more can the king's successor do than what has already been done?


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The wise man has eyes in his head, while the fool walks in the darkness; but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both.


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Then I thought in my heart, "The fate of the fool will overtake me also. What then do I gain by being wise?" I said in my heart, "This too is meaningless."


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For the wise man, like the fool, will not be long remembered; in days to come both will be forgotten. Like the fool, the wise man too must die!


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So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.


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I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.


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And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless.


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For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune.


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All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.


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A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God,


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To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.


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He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.


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I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.


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Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account.


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And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment--wickedness was there, in the place of justice--wickedness was there.


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I thought in my heart, "God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed."


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Man's fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless.


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Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?"


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So I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?


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Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed--and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors--and they have no comforter.


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And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive.


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But better than both is he who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.


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And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.


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There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. "For whom am I toiling," he asked, "and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?" This too is meaningless--a miserable business!


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If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!


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Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.


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The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom.


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There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.


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Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.


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Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.


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When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.


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Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, "My vow was a mistake." Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?


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If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still.


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Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.


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As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?


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The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep.


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Naked a man comes from his mother's womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand.


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This too is a grievous evil: As a man comes, so he departs, and what does he gain, since he toils for the wind?


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Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him--for this is his lot.


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Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work--this is a gift of God.


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God gives a man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.


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A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.


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even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?


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What advantage has a wise man over a fool? What does a poor man gain by knowing how to conduct himself before others?


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Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.


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Whatever exists has already been named, and what man is has been known; no man can contend with one who is stronger than he.


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For who knows what is good for a man in life, during the few and meaningless days he passes through like a shadow? Who can tell him what will happen under the sun after he is gone?


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It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart.


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The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.


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Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: that wisdom preserves the life of its possessor.


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When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future.


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In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: a righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness.


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It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. The man who fears God will avoid all extremes.


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So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly.


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I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare.


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"Look," says the Teacher, "this is what I have discovered: "Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things--


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while I was still searching but not finding--I found one upright man among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all.


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Who is like the wise man? Who knows the explanation of things? Wisdom brightens a man's face and changes its hard appearance.


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Do not be in a hurry to leave the king's presence. Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases.


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Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure.


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For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a man's misery weighs heavily upon him.


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No man has power over the wind to contain it; so no one has power over the day of his death. As no one is discharged in time of war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it.


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All this I saw, as I applied my mind to everything done under the sun. There is a time when a man lords it over others to his own hurt.


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Then too, I saw the wicked buried--those who used to come and go from the holy place and receive praise in the city where they did this. This too is meaningless.


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When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong.


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Although a wicked man commits a hundred crimes and still lives a long time, I know that it will go better with God-fearing men, who are reverent before God.


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Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.


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There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: righteous men who get what the wicked deserve, and wicked men who get what the righteous deserve. This too, I say, is meaningless.


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So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun.


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When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe man's labor on earth--his eyes not seeing sleep day or night--


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then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it.


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So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God's hands, but no man knows whether love or hate awaits him.


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All share a common destiny--the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As it is with the good man, so with the sinner; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them.


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This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of men, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead.


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For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten.


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Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun.


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Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do.


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Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun--all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.


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Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.


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I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.


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Moreover, no man knows when his hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so men are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them.


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There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siegeworks against it.


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Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man.


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So I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." But the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.


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If a ruler's anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great errors to rest.


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and the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming--who can tell him what will happen after him?


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Blessed are you, O land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time--for strength and not for drunkenness.


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Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird of the air may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say.


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If clouds are full of water, they pour rain upon the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there will it lie.


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As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.


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Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.


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However many years a man may live, let him enjoy them all. But let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything to come is meaningless.


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Be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.


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So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless.


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Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them"--


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before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain;


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when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, when the grinders cease because they are few, and those looking through the windows grow dim;


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when the doors to the street are closed and the sound of grinding fades; when men rise up at the sound of birds, but all their songs grow faint;


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when men are afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets; when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags himself along and desire no longer is stirred. Then man goes to his eternal home and mourners go about the streets.


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Remember him--before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, or the wheel broken at the well,


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Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs.


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The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails--given by one Shepherd.


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Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.


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Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.


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For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.


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Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the maidens love you!


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Take me away with you--let us hurry! Let the king bring me into his chambers. We rejoice and delight in you; we will praise your love more than wine. How right they are to adore you!


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Dark am I, yet lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, dark like the tents of Kedar, like the tent curtains of Solomon.


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Do not stare at me because I am dark, because I am darkened by the sun. My mother's sons were angry with me and made me take care of the vineyards; my own vineyard I have neglected.


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Tell me, you whom I love, where you graze your flock and where you rest your sheep at midday. Why should I be like a veiled woman beside the flocks of your friends?


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If you do not know, most beautiful of women, follow the tracks of the sheep and graze your young goats by the tents of the shepherds.


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Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my lover among the young men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste.


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Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.


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My lover is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look! There he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice.


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Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.


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The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me."


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My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.


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Until the day breaks and the shadows flee, turn, my lover, and be like a gazelle or like a young stag on the rugged hills.


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All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves; I looked for him but did not find him.


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I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares; I will search for the one my heart loves. So I looked for him but did not find him.


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The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. "Have you seen the one my heart loves?"


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Scarcely had I passed them when I found the one my heart loves. I held him and would not let him go till I had brought him to my mother's house, to the room of the one who conceived me.


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Who is this coming up from the desert like a column of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and incense made from all the spices of the merchant?


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all of them wearing the sword, all experienced in battle, each with his sword at his side, prepared for the terrors of the night.


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Its posts he made of silver, its base of gold. Its seat was upholstered with purple, its interior lovingly inlaid by the daughters of Jerusalem.


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Come out, you daughters of Zion, and look at King Solomon wearing the crown, the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, the day his heart rejoiced.


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How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes behind your veil are doves. Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from Mount Gilead.


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Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn, coming up from the washing. Each has its twin; not one of them is alone.


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Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon; your mouth is lovely. Your temples behind your veil are like the halves of a pomegranate.


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Your neck is like the tower of David, built with elegance; on it hang a thousand shields, all of them shields of warriors.


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Until the day breaks and the shadows flee, I will go to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of incense.


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Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, come with me from Lebanon. Descend from the crest of Amana, from the top of Senir, the summit of Hermon, from the lions' dens and the mountain haunts of the leopards.


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You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride; you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace.


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How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much more pleasing is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume than any spice!


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Your lips drop sweetness as the honeycomb, my bride; milk and honey are under your tongue. The fragrance of your garments is like that of Lebanon.


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nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with every kind of incense tree, with myrrh and aloes and all the finest spices.


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Awake, north wind, and come, south wind! Blow on my garden, that its fragrance may spread abroad. Let my lover come into his garden and taste its choice fruits.


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I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice. I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey; I have drunk my wine and my milk. Eat, O friends, and drink; drink your fill, O lovers.


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I slept but my heart was awake. Listen! My lover is knocking: "Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one. My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night."


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I arose to open for my lover, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with flowing myrrh, on the handles of the lock.


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I opened for my lover, but my lover had left; he was gone. My heart sank at his departure. I looked for him but did not find him. I called him but he did not answer.


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The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. They beat me, they bruised me; they took away my cloak, those watchmen of the walls!


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O daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you--if you find my lover, what will you tell him? Tell him I am faint with love.


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How is your beloved better than others, most beautiful of women? How is your beloved better than others, that you charge us so?


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His arms are rods of gold set with chrysolite. His body is like polished ivory decorated with sapphires.


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His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as its cedars.


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His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely. This is my lover, this my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.


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Where has your lover gone, most beautiful of women? Which way did your lover turn, that we may look for him with you?


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My lover has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to browse in the gardens and to gather lilies.


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Turn your eyes from me; they overwhelm me. Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from Gilead.


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Your teeth are like a flock of sheep coming up from the washing. Each has its twin, not one of them is alone.


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but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, the only daughter of her mother, the favorite of the one who bore her. The maidens saw her and called her blessed; the queens and concubines praised her.


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Who is this that appears like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, majestic as the stars in procession?


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I went down to the grove of nut trees to look at the new growth in the valley, to see if the vines had budded or the pomegranates were in bloom.


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Come back, come back, O Shulammite; come back, come back, that we may gaze on you! Why would you gaze on the Shulammite as on the dance of Mahanaim?


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How beautiful your sandaled feet, O prince's daughter! Your graceful legs are like jewels, the work of a craftsman's hands.


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Your navel is a rounded goblet that never lacks blended wine. Your waist is a mound of wheat encircled by lilies.


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Your neck is like an ivory tower. Your eyes are the pools of Heshbon by the gate of Bath Rabbim. Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon looking toward Damascus.


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Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel. Your hair is like royal tapestry; the king is held captive by its tresses.


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I said, "I will climb the palm tree; I will take hold of its fruit." May your breasts be like the clusters of the vine, the fragrance of your breath like apples,


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and your mouth like the best wine. May the wine go straight to my lover, flowing gently over lips and teeth.


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Let us go early to the vineyards to see if the vines have budded, if their blossoms have opened, and if the pomegranates are in bloom--there I will give you my love.


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The mandrakes send out their fragrance, and at our door is every delicacy, both new and old, that I have stored up for you, my lover.


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If only you were to me like a brother, who was nursed at my mother's breasts! Then, if I found you outside, I would kiss you, and no one would despise me.


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I would lead you and bring you to my mother's house--she who has taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates.


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Who is this coming up from the desert leaning on her lover? Under the apple tree I roused you; there your mother conceived you, there she who was in labor gave you birth.


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Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.


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Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.


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We have a young sister, and her breasts are not yet grown. What shall we do for our sister for the day she is spoken for?


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If she is a wall, we will build towers of silver on her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar.


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I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. Thus I have become in his eyes like one bringing contentment.


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Solomon had a vineyard in Baal Hamon; he let out his vineyard to tenants. Each was to bring for its fruit a thousand shekels of silver.


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But my own vineyard is mine to give; the thousand shekels are for you, O Solomon, and two hundred are for those who tend its fruit.


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The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.


