
DAVID'S LAST YEARS{/}

{1}1{/}

{I}1_{/}King David was 
already a very old man 
who could no longer keep 
warm even in very thick 
clothing. {I}2_{/}So his 
servants said to him, 
"They should get for my 
lord king a virgin girl 
to attend the king and 
nurse him. She could 
sleep with you, my lord 
king, and make you feel 
warm." {I}3_{/}And so 
they looked for a 
beautiful girl throughout 
the territory of Israel. 
They found Abishag the 
Shunamite, a very 
beautiful girl and 
brought her to the king. 
{I}4_{/}She attended to 
him, but the king had no 
intimate relations with 
her.
{I}5_{/}Now Adonijah, son 
of Haggith, had in mind 
that he would be king and 
so he provided himself 
with a chariot and 
horsemen, and fifty men 
to run before him. 
{I}6_{/}His father had 
never interfered by 
questioning his conduct, 
"Why have you done this 
or that?" He was a very 
handsome man born of 
Haggith after Absalom. 
{I}7_{/}Adonijah 
conferred with Joab, son 
of Zuriah, and with 
Abiathar, the priest. 
These two sided with him; 
{I}8_{/}but Zadok, the 
priest, and Benaiah, son 
of Jehoiada; Nathan, the 
prophet; Shimei, Rei and 
David's warriors did not 
join Adonijah.
{I}9_{/}Adonijah 
sacrificed sheep, oxen, 
and fattened calves at 
the Slipping Stone, 
beside Engrogel, and 
invited his brothers, the 
king's sons, and all the 
royal officials of Judah 
to join him; {I}10_{/}but 
not Nathan the prophet or 
Benaiah, or the warriors, 
or his brother Solomon.
{I}11_{/}Then Nathan 
spoke to Bathsheba, 
mother of Solomon, "Have 
you heard that Adonijah, 
son of Haggith, acts as a 
king, unknown to David 
our lord? {I}12_{/}Let me 
then give you advice that 
could save both your life 
and Solomon your son. 
{I}13_{/}Go, see King 
David immediately and 
tell him this, 'Did you 
not, my lord king, swear 
to your handmaid that 
Solomon, my son, would 
reign after you and sit 
on your throne? Why then 
does Adonijah act as 
king?' {I}14_{/}Then, 
while you are still 
speaking with the king, I 
will come in and confirm 
what you say."

{I}15_{/}So Bathsheba 
went to the king, right 
into his room. (Now the 
king was very old, and 
Abishag the Shunamite was 
attending to him.) 
{I}16_{/}Bathsheba bowed 
in homage to the king who 
asked her, "What do you 
want?" {I}17_{/}She 
answered him, "My lord, 
you swore to your 
handmaid by Yahweh your 
God that Solomon, my son, 
would reign after you and 
sit on your throne. 
{I}18_{/}But now, 
Adonijah acts as king 
without your knowing it, 
my lord king. {I}19_{/}He 
has sacrificed oxen, 
fattened calves and 
plenty of sheep, inviting 
all the king's sons, 
Abiathar the priest, and 
Joab, commander of the 
army; but he did not 
invite Solomon your 
servant. {I}20_{/}And 
now, my lord king, all 
Israel is waiting for 
your decision as to who 
shall reign as your 
successor. {I}21_{/}If 
this is not known when my 
lord the king passes 
away, I and my son 
Solomon will be numbered 
among the criminals."
{I}22_{/}While she was 
still speaking with the 
king, Nathan the prophet 
arrived {I}23_{/}and was 
announced to the king, 
"Here is Nathan the 
prophet." When Nathan 
came in before the king, 
he bowed before him with 
his face to the ground, 
{I}24_{/}and said, "My 
lord king, have you 
decided that Adonijah 
shall reign after you and 
sit on your throne? 
{I}25_{/}For indeed, 
today he has gone down to 
sacrifice oxen, fattened 
calves and plenty of 
sheep. He has invited all 
the king's sons, Joab, 
the commander of the 
army, and Abiathar the 
priest. They are now 
eating and drinking with 
him and proclaiming, 
'Long live King 
Adonijah!' {I}26_{/}But 
he has not invited me, 
your servant, Zadok the 
priest, Benaiah the son 
of Jehoiada, nor your 
servant Solomon. 
{I}27_{/}Has my lord king 
decided this without 
having told us, your 
servants, who is to sit 
on your throne after 
you?"
DAVID MAKES SOLOMON 
KING{/}

{I}28_{/}King David then 
answered, "Call Bathsheba 
to me." So she came to 
the king. As she stood 
before him, {I}29_{/}the 
king swore an oath and 
said, "As Yahweh lives, 
he who has delivered me 
from all adversity, 
{I}30_{/}so will I 
fulfill today the oath I 
swore to you by Yahweh, 
the God of Israel, when I 
said: "Solomon, your son, 
shall reign after me; he 
shall sit on my throne in 
my place." {I}31_{/}Then 
Bathsheba bowed with her 
face to the ground and 
paid homage to the king 
as she said, "May my lord 
King David live forever!"
{I}32_{/}King David then 
said, "Call Zadok the 
priest, Nathan the 
prophet, and Benaiah the 
son of Jehoiada." So they 
came to the king 
{I}33_{/}who said to 
them, "Take with you the 
servants of your lord and 
make my son Solomon ride 
on my own mule. Then 
bring him down to Gihon 
{I}34_{/}and let Zadok 
the priest and Nathan the 
prophet anoint him there 
as king of Israel. Once 
this is done, sound the 
horn and proclaim, 'Long 
live King Solomon!' 
{I}35_{/}Then he shall 
sit on my throne in your 
presence. From now on he 
will be king in my place 
for I have made him ruler 
of Israel and Judah."
{I}36_{/}Benaiah, son of 
Jehoiada, answered the 
king, "Amen! May Yahweh, 
the God of my lord king, 
confirm this. {I}37_{/}As 
Yahweh has been with my 
lord king, may he also be 
with Solomon and make his 
reign even greater than 
that of my lord King 
David's."
{I}38_{/}So Zadok the 
priest, Nathan the 
prophet, Benaiah the son 
of Jehoiada, together 
with the Cherethites and 
the Pelethites, went down 
and made Solomon ride on 
King David's mule to 
Gihon. {I}39_{/}There 
Zadok the priest took the 
horn of oil that was in 
the Holy Tent and 
anointed Solomon. 
{I}40_{/}They then 
sounded the horn and all 
the people shouted, "Long 
live King Solomon!" They 
all went up after him 
playing on pipes; and 
their shouts were so 
great that the noise 
seemed to rent the earth.
{I}41_{/}Adonijah and all 
his guests heard this as 
they finished feasting. 
On hearing the sound of 
the horn, Joab asked, 
"What is all this 
commotion in the city?" 
{I}42_{/}While he was 
still speaking, Jonathan, 
the son of Abiathar the 
priest, arrived and 
Adonijah asked, "Come in, 
for you are a worthy man 
and bring good news." 
{I}43_{/}Jonathan 
answered Adonijah, "Not 
at all, for our lord King 
David has made Solomon 
king. {I}44_{/}The king 
sent him with Zadok the 
priest, Nathan the 
prophet, Benaiah the son 
of Jehoiada, and the 
Cherethites and Plethites 
who made him ride on the 
king's mule.
{I}45_{/}Then Zadok the 
priest and Nathan the 
prophet anointed him king 
at Gihon. As they 
returned, all the city 
cheered; this is the 
noise that you have 
heard. {I}46_{/}Solomon 
already sits on the royal 
throne {I}47_{/}and the 
king's servants came to 
congratulate our lord 
King David, saying: 'May 
your God make the name of 
Solomon more famous than 
yours and his reign 
greater than yours.' At 
this, the king bowed in 
worship on his bed and 
said, {I}48_{/}"Blessed 
be Yahweh, the God of 
Israel, who has granted 
one of my offspring to 
sit on my throne this day 
when I can still see it."
{I}49_{/}All the guests 
of Adonijah trembled and 
left, each going his own 
way. {I}50_{/}In his fear 
of Solomon, Adonijah went 
and held onto the horns 
of the altar. 
{I}51_{/}This was 
reported to Solomon, 
"Adonijah is so afraid of 
King Solomon that he has 
held onto the horns of 
the altar, and he says, 
'Let King Solomon swear 
to me today that he will 
not slay me with the 
sword'." 
{I}52_{/}Solomon replied, 
"If he proves to be a 
worthy man, not a hair of 
his head shall perish. 
But if he acts like a 
wicked man, he shall 
die." {I}53_{/}So King 
Solomon sent for him and 
they brought him down 
from the altar. He came 
before King Solomon and 
paid him homage; after 
that, Solomon sent him 
home.
DAVID'S TESTAMENT{/}

{1}2{/}

{I}1_{/}When David was 
about to die, he gave his 
son Solomon this 
instruction, {I}2_{/}"I 
am about to go the way of 
all creatures. Be strong 
and show yourself a man. 
{I}3_{/}Keep the 
commandments of Yahweh 
your God and walk in his 
ways. Keep his statutes, 
his commands, his 
ordinances and 
declarations written in 
the law of Moses, that 
you may succeed in 
whatever you do and 
wherever you go. 
{I}4_{/}If you do so, 
Yahweh will fulfill the 
promise he made to me: 
'If your sons take care 
to walk before me 
faithfully with their 
whole heart and their 
whole soul, you shall 
always have one of your 
descendants on the throne 
of Israel.'
{I}5_{/}Now you know what 
Joab, the son of Zeruiah 
did to me - how he dealt 
with the two commanders 
of Israel's armies, Abner 
the son of Ner, and Amasa 
the son of Jether. These 
two he murdered, 
avenging, in time of 
peace, blood which had 
been shed in time of war. 
He has thus stained with 
innocent blood the belt I 
wear and the sandals on 
my feet. {I}6_{/}Act 
wisely, therefore, his 
blood must be shed before 
he dies of old age. 
{I}7_{/}As to the sons of 
Barzillai, the Gileadite, 
deal kindly with them and 
let them be among those 
who eat at your table, 
for they themselves 
treated me with similar 
kindness when I fled from 
your brother Absalom.
{I}8_{/}With you also is 
Shimei, son of Gera, the 
Benjaminite from Bahurim 
who cursed me terribly, 
the day I fled to 
Mahanaim. When he came 
down to meet me at the 
Jordan, I swore to him by 
Yahweh, 'I will not put 
you to death with the 
sword.' {I}9_{/}Now 
therefore, you, being a 
wise man, shall not hold 
him guiltless. You will 
know what to do with him: 
his blood must be shed 
before he dies of old 
age." 
{I}10_{/}Then David 
rested with his fathers 
and was buried in the 
city of David. 
{I}11_{/}David reigned 
over Israel for forty 
years: seven years in 
Hebron and thirty-three 
years in Jerusalem. 
{I}12_{/}So Solomon sat 
on the throne of David 
his father and his reign 
was firmly established. 
SOLOMON AFFIRMS HIS 
POWER{/}

{I}13_{/}Then Adonijah, 
son of Haggith, came to 
Bathsheba, mother of 
Solomon, who asked him, 
"Do you come in peace?" 
He answered, "In peace," 
{I}14_{/}and added, "I 
have something to tell 
you." She said, "Speak" 
{I}15_{/}and Adonijah 
said, "You know that the 
kingdom was mine and that 
all Israel fully expected 
me to reign. But the 
kingdom has slipped from 
my hands and become my 
brother's for it was 
given him by Yahweh. 
{I}16_{/}Now I have one 
thing to ask of you and I 
beg you not to refuse 
me." She said, "Speak," 
{I}17_{/}and he 
continued, "Please ask 
King Solomon to give me 
Abishag the Shunammite 
for my wife. I know that 
he cannot refuse you." 
{I}18_{/}Bathsheba 
answered, "Very well, I 
shall speak to the king 
on your behalf."
{I}19_{/}So Bathsheba 
went to King Solomon to 
speak to him on behalf of 
Adonijah. The king met 
her and bowed to her. 
Then he sat on his throne 
and had a seat brought 
for the king's mother who 
sat on his right.
{I}20_{/}She said, "I 
have one small request to 
make of you. Do not 
refuse me." And the king 
answered her, "Make your 
request, my mother, for I 
will not refuse you." 
{I}21_{/}She then said, 
"Let Abishag the 
Shunammite be given to 
Adonijah your brother as 
his wife." {I}22_{/}King 
Solomon answered his 
mother, "And why do you 
not ask for the kingdom 
to be given to him! For 
he is my elder brother, 
and Abiathar the priest 
and Joab the son of 
Zeruiah are on his side."
{I}23_{/}Then King 
Solomon swore this oath, 
"Yahweh do so to me and 
more if this request does 
not cause Adonijah his 
life! {I}24_{/}Now, 
therefore, as Yahweh 
lives, he who has 
established me and placed 
me on the throne of David 
my father, and who has 
established a kingly line 
as he promised, Adonijah 
shall be put to death 
this day." {I}25_{/}So 
King Solomon sent 
Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, 
who killed him.
{I}26_{/}Then the king 
said to Abiathar the 
priest, "Go to your 
estate at Anathoth. You 
deserve death but I will 
not put you to death, 
because you carried the 
ark of God before my 
father David and shared 
in all his trials." 
{I}27_{/}So Solomon 
removed Abiathar as 
priest of Yahweh, and 
fulfilled the word spoken 
by Yahweh in Shiloh 
concerning the 
descendants of Eli.
{I}28_{/}This news 
reached Joab, who had 
supported Adonijah but 
not Absalom. He fled to 
the tent of Yahweh and 
held onto the horns of 
the altar. {I}29_{/}When 
it was reported to King 
Solomon that Joab had 
fled to the tent of 
Yahweh and was beside the 
altar, the king sent 
Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, 
with this command, "Go, 
strike him down!"
{I}30_{/}So Benaiah went 
to the tent of Yahweh and 
said to Joab, "The king 
commands: 'Come 
forward.'" But he 
replied, "No, I will die 
here."
So Benaiah went back to 
the king with this 
report, "This is what 
Joab answered." 
{I}31_{/}The king then 
replied. "Do as he has 
said. Strike him down and 
have him buried. With 
this, the guilt for the 
blood which Joab shed 
will be lifted from me 
and from my father's 
family. {I}32_{/}Yahweh 
will repay him for the 
blood he shed because, 
without my father David's 
knowledge, he attacked 
and slew with the sword 
two men more righteous 
and better than himself, 
Abner son of Ner, 
commander of the 
Israelite army, and Amasa 
son of Jether, commander 
of Judah's army.
{I}33_{/}"Their blood 
shall be avenged on Joab 
and his descendants 
forever; but David and 
his descendants, his 
family and throne shall 
enjoy peace from Yahweh 
forever."
{I}34_{/}Then Benaiah, 
son of Jehoiada, went up, 
struck Joab down and 
killed him. He was buried 
in his own house in the 
desert. {I}35_{/}The king 
put Benaiah, son of 
Jehoiada, over the army 
in place of Joab; and 
Zadok the priest, in 
place of Abiathar.
{I}36_{/}Then the king 
sent for Shimei and told 
him, "Build yourself a 
house in Jerusalem and 
stay there, and do not 
leave the place to go 
anywhere. {I}37_{/}On the 
day you leave and cross 
the brook Kidron, you 
shall surely die and you 
shall be responsible for 
your own death." 
{I}38_{/}Shimei answered 
the king, "What you say 
is good. Your servant 
will do as my lord the 
king has commanded." So 
Shimei stayed in 
Jerusalem for many days.
{I}39_{/}Three years 
later, two of Shimei's 
slaves ran away to 
Achish, son of Maacha, 
king of Gath. When it was 
reported to Shimei that 
his slaves were in Gath, 
{I}40_{/}he saddled an 
ass and went to Achish in 
Gath in search of his 
slaves. {I}41_{/}When 
Solomon was informed that 
Shimei had left Jerusalem 
for Gath and returned, 
{I}42_{/}the king sent 
for Shimei and said to 
him, "Did I not make you 
swear by Yahweh and 
warned you severely that, 
on the day you left to go 
anywhere you would surely 
die? And you answered me: 
'What you say is good; I 
shall obey!' {I}43_{/}Why 
then did you not keep 
your oath to Yahweh and 
obey the command I gave 
you?" {I}44_{/}The king 
told Shimei, "Remember 
the evil you did to David 
my father. Now Yahweh 
will repay you for what 
you did. {I}45_{/}But 
King Solomon shall be 
blessed, and the throne 
of David shall stand firm 
before Yahweh forever." 
{I}46_{/}Then the king 
commanded Benaiah, son of 
Jehoiada, who went out 
and struck Shimei and 
killed him.
In this manner, Solomon 
firmly established his 
reign.
{1}3{/}

{I}1_{/}Solomon entered 
into a marriage alliance 
with Pharaoh, king of 
Egypt. He took Pharaoh's 
daughter and brought her 
to the city of David 
until he had finished 
building his own palace, 
Yahweh's House and the 
wall around Jerusalem. 
{I}2_{/}Meantime, the 
people were sacrificing 
at the high places 
because the house for the 
Name of Yahweh had not 
yet been built.
{I}3_{/}This is why 
Solomon also sacrificed 
and burnt incense at the 
high place, although he 
loved Yahweh and followed 
the commands of David his 
father.
SOLOMON'S DREAM{/}

{I}4_{/}The king used to 
sacrifice at Gibeon, the 
great high place; on the 
altar there he had 
offered a thousand burnt 
offerings. {I}5_{/}It was 
in Gibeon, during the 
night, that Yahweh 
appeared to Solomon in a 
dream and said, "Ask what 
you want me to give you."
{I}6_{/}Solomon answered, 
"You have shown your 
servant David my father a 
great and steadfast love 
because he served you 
faithfully and was 
righteous and sincere 
towards you. You have 
given him proof of your 
steadfast love in making 
a son of his sit on his 
throne this day. 
{I}7_{/}And now, O Yahweh 
my God, you have made 
your servant king in 
place of David my father, 
although I am but a young 
boy who does not know how 
to undertake anything. 
{I}8_{/}Meantime, your 
servant is in the midst 
of your people whom you 
have chosen - a people so 
great that they can 
neither be numbered nor 
counted. 
{I}9_{/}Give me, 
therefore, an 
understanding mind in 
governing your people 
that I may discern 
between good and evil. 
For who is able to govern 
this multitude of people 
of yours?"
{I}10_{/}Yahweh was 
pleased that Solomon had 
made this request. 
{I}11_{/}And he told him, 
"Because you have 
requested this rather 
than long life or wealth 
or even vengeance on your 
enemies; indeed, because 
you have asked for 
yourself understanding to 
discern what is right, 
{I}12_{/}I shall grant 
you your request. I now 
give you a wise and 
discerning mind such as 
no one has had before you 
nor anyone after you 
shall ever have. 
{I}13_{/}"I will also 
give you what you have 
not asked for, both 
wealth and fame; and no 
king shall be your equal 
during your lifetime. 
{I}14_{/}Moreover, if you 
will walk in my ways, 
keeping my statutes and 
commands, as your father 
David did, I shall give 
you long life."
{I}15_{/}Solomon awoke 
and knew that this was a 
dream. So he went to 
Jerusalem and, standing 
before the ark of the 
covenant of Yahweh, he 
offered up burnt 
offerings and peace 
offerings, and gave a 
feast for all his 
servants.
THE JUDGMENT OF 
SOLOMON{/}

{I}16_{/}Then two harlots 
came to the king and 
stood before him. 
{I}17_{/}One of the two 
women said, "Oh, my lord, 
this woman and I live in 
the same house, and I 
gave birth to a child 
while she was there with 
me. {I}18_{/}Three days 
after my child was born, 
this woman also gave 
birth. We were alone, and 
there was no one in the 
house but the two of us. 
{I}19_{/}Then this 
woman's son died during 
the night because she lay 
on him. {I}20_{/}So 
during the night, she got 
up, took my son from my 
side while I slept, laid 
it beside her and her 
dead son beside me. 
{I}21_{/}When I got up in 
the morning to nurse my 
child, I saw it was dead. 
But when I looked at it 
closely in the morning, I 
saw that it was not my 
child."
{I}22_{/}The other woman 
said, "No, the living 
child is mine; the dead 
child is yours." To this, 
the first replied, "Not 
so, the dead child is 
yours; the living child 
is mine." And they 
quarreled this way in the 
king's presence.
{I}23_{/}Then the king 
said, "One says: 'This is 
my son who is alive; your 
son is dead'; the other 
says: 'That is not so, 
your son is dead; my son 
is the live one'." 
{I}24_{/}And the king 
said, "Bring me a sword." 
When they brought the 
king a sword, {I}25_{/}he 
gave this order, "Divide 
the child in two and give 
half to one, half to the 
other." {I}26_{/}Then the 
woman whose son was alive 
said to the king out of 
pity for her son, "Oh, my 
lord, give her the living 
child but spare its 
life." The other woman, 
however, said, "It shall 
be neither mine nor 
yours. Divide it!"
{I}27_{/}Then the king 
spoke, "Give the living 
child to the first woman 
and spare its life. She 
is its mother." 
{I}28_{/}When all Israel 
heard of the judgment 
which the king had given, 
they revered at him, 
seeing that God's wisdom 
was in him to render 
justice.
SOLOMON'S GRANDEUR{/}

{1}4{/}

{I}1_{/}King Solomon was 
king over all Israel 
{I}2_{/}and had the 
following for his high 
officials: Azariah, son 
of Zadok, was the priest; 
{I}3_{/}Elihoreph and 
Ahijah, sons of Shisha, 
were secretaries; 
Jehoshaphat, son of 
Ahilud, was recorder; 
{I}4_{/}Benaiah, son of 
Jehoiada, was general of 
the army; Zadok and 
Abiathar were priests; 
{I}5_{/}Azariah, son of 
Nathan, was head of the 
officers; Zabud, son of 
Nathan, was priest and 
the king's personal 
adviser; {I}6_{/}Abishar 
was in charge of the 
palace; and Adoniram, son 
of Abda was in charge of 
forced labor.
{I}7_{/}Solomon had 
twelve governors over all 
Israel who provided food 
for the king and his 
household; each one of 
them making provisions 
for one month during the 
year. {I}8_{/}These were 
their names: Benhur, in 
the hill country of 
Ephraim; 
{I}9_{/}Bendeker, in 
Makaz; Shaalbim, Beth-
shemesh, and Elonbeth-
hanan; {I}10_{/}Benhesed, 
in Arubboth (to him 
belonged Socoh and all 
the land of Hepher); 
{I}11_{/}Ben-abinadab, in 
all of Naphath-dor (he 
had Taphath, daughter of 
Solomon, for his wife); 
{I}12_{/}Baana, son of 
Ahilud, in Taanach; 
Megiddo and all of Beth-
shean beside Zarethan 
below Jezreel, and from 
Beth-shean to 
Abelmeholah, as far as 
Jokmeam and beyond; 
{I}13_{/}Ben-geber, in 
Ramoth-gilead (he had the 
villages of Jair, son of 
Manasseh, which are in 
Gilead, as also the 
region of Argob in 
Bashan, sixty big towns, 
walled and barred with 
brazen bars); 
{I}14_{/}Ahinadab, son of 
Iddo, in Mahanaim; 
{I}15_{/}Ahimaaz, in 
Naphtali (he had taken 
Basemath, daughter of 
Solomon, for his wife); 
{I}16_{/}Baana, son of 
Hushai, in Asher and 
Bealoth; 
{I}17_{/}Jehoshaphat, son 
of Paruah, in Issachar; 
{I}18_{/}Shimei, son of 
Ela, in Benjamin; 
{I}19_{/}Geber, son of 
Uri, in the land of 
Gilead, the country of 
Sihon king of the 
Amorites and of Og king 
of Bashan. And there was 
also an attendant in the 
land of Judah.
{I}20_{/}Judah and Israel 
were as numerous as the 
sand on the seashore, 
eating and drinking, and 
making merry. 
{I}21_{/}Solomon ruled 
over all the kingdoms 
from the Euphrates to the 
land of the Philistines 
and on to the frontiers 
of Egypt. All these paid 
tribute and served 
Solomon during his 
lifetime. 
{I}22_{/}Solomon's 
provision for one day was 
thirty cors of fine 
flour, sixty cors of 
meal, {I}23_{/}ten fat 
oxen, twenty pasture-fed 
cattle, a hundred sheep, 
besides harts, gazelles, 
roebucks, and fattened 
fowl. {I}24_{/}He ruled 
over all the region west 
of the Euphrates, from 
Tipshah to Gaza and over 
all its kings, and he had 
peace on all frontiers. 
{I}25_{/}Judah and Israel 
lived in security, from 
Dan to Beersheba, and 
everyone was safe under 
his vine and under his 
fig tree, for as long as 
Solomon lived.
{I}26_{/}Solomon had 
forty thousand stalls of 
horses for his chariots 
and twelve thousand 
horsemen.
{I}27_{/}All these 
governors supplied 
provisions for King 
Solomon and for all his 
guests at table, each one 
providing during his 
assigned month and seeing 
that nothing was lacking. 
{I}28_{/}They also 
brought barley and straw 
for the horses and swift 
studs wherever the king 
stayed, each one doing 
this during his appointed 
month.
{I}29_{/}God gave Solomon 
great wisdom and 
understanding, and 
knowledge as vast as the 
sand on the shore, 
{I}30_{/}so that his 
wisdom surpassed that of 
all the people of the 
east and of the 
Egyptians. {I}31_{/}He 
was wiser than any man; 
wiser than Ethan, the 
Ezrahite, and Heman, 
Calcot and Darda, sons of 
Mahol; and his fame 
spread among all the 
surrounding nations. 
{I}32_{/}He composed 
three thousand proverbs 
and knew a thousand and 
five songs. {I}33_{/}He 
took his examples from 
all the trees, from the 
cedar in Lebanon to the 
hyssop that grows out of 
the wall; he spoke also 
of the beasts and birds, 
and reptiles and fish.
{I}34_{/}People from all 
nations came to hear the 
wisdom of Solomon; all 
the kings of the earth 
who had heard of his 
wisdom sent messengers to 
listen to him.
{1}5{/}

{I}1_{/}Now, Hiram King 
of Tyre sent his servants 
to Solomon when he heard 
that he had been anointed 
king in place of his 
father. For David had 
always been Hiram's 
friend. {I}2_{/}Solomon 
then sent this message to 
Hiram, {I}3_{/}"You know 
that David my father 
could not build a temple 
for Yahweh his God 
because his enemies were 
at war with him until the 
time when Yahweh gave him 
victory over them. 
{I}4_{/}But now Yahweh my 
God has given me peace on 
all sides and there is no 
enemy or calamity that 
afflicts us. {I}5_{/}And 
so I intend to build a 
temple for Yahweh my God 
as Yahweh told David my 
father, 'Your son, whom I 
will set upon your 
throne, shall build the 
House for my Name. 
{I}6_{/}Now, therefore, 
give orders to have 
cedars of Lebanon cut for 
me. My servants will join 
yours and I will pay your 
servants the wages you 
set, for you know that 
none of us can cut timber 
like the Sidonians."
{I}7_{/}When Hiram heard 
the answer of Solomon, he 
was exceedingly glad and 
said, "Blessed be Yahweh 
this day who has given 
David a wise son to rule 
over this great people." 
{I}8_{/}Then Hiram sent a 
messenger to Solomon with 
these words, "I have 
heard the message you 
sent me and I am ready to 
do whatever you want 
concerning the cedar and 
cypress timber. 
{I}9_{/}My servants shall 
have it sent down to the 
sea from Lebanon. I will 
make it into rafts and 
deliver them by sea to 
the place you choose. I 
will have the rafts 
broken up there and you 
can take the timber away. 
You, for your part, will 
provide food for my 
household." {I}10_{/}So 
Hiram supplied Solomon 
with all the cedar and 
cypress timber that he 
wanted, {I}11_{/}while 
Solomon gave Hiram every 
year twenty thousand cors 
of wheat as food for his 
household, and twenty 
thousand cors of pure 
oil. {I}12_{/}Yahweh gave 
wisdom to Solomon as he 
had promised him, and 
there was peace between 
Hiram and Solomon who 
bound themselves by a 
treaty.
{I}13_{/}King Solomon 
conscripted thirty 
thousand men from all 
Israel for forced labor. 
{I}14_{/}He sent them to 
Lebanon in relays of ten 
thousand a month, so that 
they would be in Lebanon 
for a month and at home 
for two months. Adoniram 
was in charge of the 
draft of laborers. 
{I}15_{/}Solomon had 
seventy thousand carriers 
and eighty thousand stone 
cutters in the hill 
country, {I}16_{/}in 
addition to three 
thousand three hundred 
overseers in charge of 
the people engaged in the 
work. {I}17_{/}By order 
of the king, they 
quarried large and 
expensive stones to give 
the temple a foundation 
of hewn stones. 
{I}18_{/}Solomon's 
builders and Hiram's 
builders, along with the 
Gebalites did the hewing 
and prepared both timber 
and stone to build the 
temple.
SOLOMON BUILDS THE 
TEMPLE{/}

{1}6{/}

{I}1_{/}In the four 
hundred and eightieth 
year after the Israelites 
left the land of Egypt, 
in the fourth year of 
Solomon's reign over 
Israel, in the month of 
Ziv, which is the second 
month, Solomon began to 
build the temple of 
Yahweh. {I}2_{/}The House 
which King Solomon built 
for Yahweh was sixty 
cubits long, twenty wide, 
and thirty high. 
{I}3_{/}The vestibule 
fronting the Sanctuary 
was twenty cubits long 
from side to side, the 
width of the temple, and 
ten cubits deep in front 
of the House. {I}4_{/}He 
made windows with 
recessed frames for the 
House.
{I}5_{/}Solomon had a 
structure built adjoining 
the walls all around the 
House and enclosing both 
Sanctuary and Inner 
Sanctuary. He also made 
lateral rooms all around. 
{I}6_{/}The lowest story 
was five cubits wide; the 
middle, six cubits wide; 
and the third, seven 
cubits wide. Around the 
exterior of the temple, 
he made offsets on the 
wall so that the 
supporting beams need not 
be inserted into walls of 
the temple.
{I}7_{/}The House was 
built with stones 
prepared at the quarry so 
that no hammer, or axe, 
or any iron implement was 
heard in the temple 
during the construction.
{I}8_{/}The entrance to 
the lowest story was on 
the right side of the 
House. A staircase led up 
to the middle story; and 
from the middle story, to 
the third. {I}9_{/}So, 
Solomon built the House 
and finished it, making 
the ceiling of the House 
from cedar beams and 
planks. {I}10_{/}Each 
story of the structure 
which he built 
surrounding the House was 
five cubits high joined 
to the House with cedar 
timber.
{I}11_{/}The word of 
Yahweh was directed to 
Solomon, {I}12_{/}"If you 
observe my statutes, obey 
my ordinances, keep all 
my commands and follow 
them, I will fulfill 
everything I said to 
David your father 
regarding this House. 
{I}13_{/}There I will be 
in the midst of the 
Israelites and not 
forsake my people 
Israel."
{I}14_{/}So, Solomon 
built the House and 
finished it. {I}15_{/}He 
covered the interior 
walls of the temple with 
cedar boards; so that in 
the interior from the 
floor of the House to the 
rafters of the ceiling 
only wood could be seen. 
The floor also was 
covered with cypress 
boards. {I}16_{/}Solomon 
covered twenty cubits of 
the rear of the House 
with cedar boards from 
floor to rafter to serve 
as an inner sanctuary - 
the Most Holy Place. 
{I}17_{/}The front of the 
house, that is the 
Sanctuary, was forty 
cubits long. {I}18_{/}In 
all the interior of the 
House, the cedar was 
carved in the form of 
gourds and open flowers; 
all was of cedar and no 
stone was to be seen.
{I}19_{/}The inner 
sanctuary in the 
innermost part of the 
building had been 
destined to house the ark 
of the covenant of 
Yahweh. {I}20_{/}It was 
twenty cubits long, 
twenty cubits wide, and 
twenty cubits high, 
overlaid with pure gold. 
He also made an altar of 
cedar. {I}21_{/}Solomon 
overlaid the interior of 
the House with pure gold. 
He closed the inner 
sanctuary with golden 
chains and overlaid it 
with gold. 
{I}22_{/}Solomon overlaid 
the entire House with 
gold. He also overlaid 
with gold the whole altar 
in the inner sanctuary.
{I}23_{/}In the inner 
sanctuary, Solomon made 
two cherubim of olive 
wood, each ten cubits 
high. {I}24_{/}The length 
of the wings of each 
cherub was five cubits 
each, hence, ten cubits 
from tip to tip. 
{I}25_{/}Both cherubim 
had the same measurement 
and the same form, 
{I}26_{/}both being ten 
cubits high. 
{I}27_{/}When the 
cherubim were put in the 
innermost part of the 
House their wings were so 
spread out that a wing of 
one touched one wall, 
while a wing of the other 
touched the other wall. 
Their other wings touched 
each other at the center 
of the House. 
{I}28_{/}The cherubim 
were also overlaid with 
gold.
{I}29_{/}Solomon had all 
the surrounding walls of 
the House carved with 
figures of cherubim, palm 
trees and open flowers 
both in the interior and 
exterior rooms. 
{I}30_{/}He also had the 
floor of the House, in 
both the interior and 
exterior rooms, overlaid 
with gold.
{I}31_{/}Solomon had 
doors made of olive wood 
for the entrance to the 
inner sanctuary of which 
the lintel and doorposts 
formed the fifth part. 
{I}32_{/}He covered the 
two olive wood doors with 
carvings of cherubim, 
palm trees and open 
flowers. He then overlaid 
them with gold and spread 
gold on the cherubim and 
the palm trees.
{I}33_{/}He did the same 
for the olive wood 
doorposts at the entrance 
to the sanctuary, which 
formed the fourth part of 
the door. {I}34_{/}Both 
the right and left side 
of the door had two 
folding panels of cypress 
wood. {I}35_{/}He had 
cherubim, palm trees and 
open flowers carved on 
them and overlaid the 
carvings with gold evenly 
applied.
{I}36_{/}As for the 
interior court, Solomon 
had it built with three 
courses of hewn stone and 
one course of cedar 
beams.
{I}37_{/}In the month of 
Ziv of the fourth year, 
the foundation of 
Yahweh's House was laid. 
{I}38_{/}In the month of 
Bul, the eighth month of 
the eleventh year, the 
House was finished, 
complete and according to 
all specifications. It 
took Solomon seven years 
to build it.
THE PALACE AND THE 
TEMPLE{/}

{1}7{/}

{I}1_{/}Solomon took 
thirteen years to build 
his own palace. 
{I}2_{/}He built the 
House of the Forest of 
Lebanon which measured 
one hundred cubits long, 
fifty cubits wide, and 
thirty cubits high. It 
was built on three rows 
of cedar pillars with 
cedar beams on the 
pillars. {I}3_{/}It had a 
cedar ceiling above the 
beams that were on the 
forty-five pillars, 
fifteen in each row. 
{I}4_{/}There were three 
window frames at either 
end, each window 
corresponding to another 
opposite it. {I}5_{/}All 
the doorways and windows 
had square frames and 
each window corresponded 
to the one opposite it.
{I}6_{/}The Hall of 
Pillars measured fifty 
cubits long and thirty 
cubits wide. It had a 
porch in front with 
pillars and a canopy over 
them. {I}7_{/}The Hall of 
the Throne where Solomon 
was to pronounce 
judgment, that is, the 
Hall of Judgment, was 
finished with cedar from 
floor to rafters.
{I}8_{/}His own house, 
where he was to live, and 
which was in the other 
court behind the hall, 
was built in like manner. 
Solomon also made a house 
similar to this for 
Pharaoh's daughter whom 
he had taken in marriage.
{I}9_{/}All these were 
made of costly stones, 
hewn according to 
measure, sawn on their 
inner and outer faces 
even from the foundation 
to the coping, and from 
the court of Yahweh's 
House to the big court.
{I}10_{/}The foundation 
was of huge, costly 
stones of eighty and ten 
cubits. {I}11_{/}Above 
were costly stones, hewn 
according to measure, and 
cedar wood. {I}12_{/}The 
great court was 
surrounded by a wall of 
hewn stones and a course 
of cedar beams, like the 
interior court of 
Yahweh's House and its 
vestibule.
{I}13_{/}King Solomon 
sent for and brought from 
Tyre, Hiram, {I}14_{/}who 
was the son of a widow of 
Naphtali's tribe. His 
father was from Tyre and 
an artisan in bronze-
work, and he himself was 
very knowledgeable and 
skilled in all kinds of 
bronze-work. Hiram came 
and did all the work that 
Solomon asked of him.
{I}15_{/}He cast two 
brazen pillars, both of 
which measured eighteen 
cubits high and had a 
circumference of twelve 
cubits. Both were hollow 
and measured four fingers 
in thickness. {I}16_{/}He 
also made two capitals of 
molten bronze to set on 
the tops of the pillars, 
both measuring five 
cubits high. {I}17_{/}He 
also made two pieces of 
network with a chainlike 
mesh for each of the 
capitals on top of the 
pillars. 
{I}18_{/}Likewise, he 
made pomegranates 
arranged in two rows 
encircling each piece of 
network to cover each 
capital on top of the 
pillars. {I}19_{/}The 
capitals on top of the 
pillars in the vestibule 
had a lotus design 
measuring four cubits. 
{I}20_{/}They were on the 
two pillars above the 
nodes and beside the 
network, encircled by two 
hundred pomegranates 
arranged in two rows.
{I}21_{/}Hiram set up the 
pillars at the vestibule 
of the temple; one to the 
right called Yakin, and 
one to the left called 
Boaz. {I}22_{/}In this 
way the work on the 
pillars was completed.
{I}23_{/}Hiram then cast 
the great round bowl 
called the "Sea," 
measuring ten cubits from 
one brim to the opposite; 
it was five cubits high 
and had a circumference 
of thirty cubits. 
{I}24_{/}Under its brim, 
it was encircled with 
gourds, ten for each 
cubit, arranged in two 
rows and cast along with 
the Sea. {I}25_{/}This 
rested on twelve oxen, 
three facing north, three 
facing west, three facing 
south, and three facing 
east, with their haunches 
towards the center. 
{I}26_{/}It was a 
handbreadth in thickness, 
its brim resembling a cup 
or a lily flower, and had 
a capacity of two 
thousand baths.
{I}27_{/}Hiram also made 
ten brazen stands, each 
measuring four cubits 
long, four cubits wide 
and three cubits high; 
{I}28_{/}and this was how 
the stands were 
constructed: they had 
framed panels {I}29_{/}on 
which were lions, oxen 
and cherubim. On the 
frames above and below 
the lions and oxen were 
wreaths in relief. 
{I}30_{/}Each stand had 
four brazen wheels and 
axles; its four feet had 
shoulderings under the 
basin. {I}31_{/}Its mouth 
measured one and a half 
cubits from where the 
shoulderings met the top; 
its mouth was round like 
a rest for a vessel; and 
on the mouth there were 
engravings, too. The 
crosspieces, however, 
were rectangular, not 
round. {I}32_{/}The four 
wheels were below the 
panels; their axles being 
one piece with the 
stands. Each wheel was a 
cubit and a half high. 
{I}33_{/}The wheels were 
made like chariot wheels; 
their axles, rims, spokes 
and hubs were all of cast 
metal.
The four legs of each 
stand had cast braces 
supporting a basin and 
had wreaths on each side. 
{I}34_{/}These four 
braces, extending to the 
corners of each stand, 
were of one piece with 
the stand.
{I}35_{/}On top of the 
stand was a round band 
half a cubit high, with 
supports and panels which 
were of one piece with 
the stand. This was 
topped by a crown one 
cubit high within which 
was a rounded opening, 
the way a pedestal is 
made, a cubit and a half 
deep. Its opening had 
carvings and its panels 
were square and not 
round. {I}36_{/}On the 
surface of its supports, 
as also on its panels, 
and wherever there was 
space, were carvings of 
cherubim, lions and palm 
trees, with wreaths all 
around. {I}37_{/}This was 
how the ten stands were 
made - all of them with 
the same cast, same 
measurement, and same 
form.
{I}38_{/}Hiram also made 
ten brazen basins, each 
holding forty baths and 
measuring four cubits. 
There was a basin for 
each of the ten stands. 
{I}39_{/}He placed five 
of the stands on the 
south side of the House, 
and five on the north 
side. The Sea he placed 
at the southeast corner 
of the temple.
{I}40_{/}Hiram also made 
the bowls, shovels and 
basins, and thereby 
finished all the work 
that he had undertaken 
for King Solomon on 
Yahweh's House. 
{I}41_{/}Hence, two 
pillars, two bowls on the 
capitals at the top of 
the pillars, 
{I}42_{/}four hundred 
pomegranates for two 
networks, two rows of 
pomegranates for each 
network to cover the two 
bowls of the capitals at 
the top of the pillars, 
{I}43_{/}ten stands, ten 
basins on the stands, 
{I}44_{/}the Sea, and 
twelve oxen underneath 
the Sea.
{I}45_{/}Now the bowls, 
shovels and basins - all 
these vessels which Hiram 
made in Yahweh's House 
for King Solomon - were 
of burnished bronze. 
{I}46_{/}The king had 
them cast in the plain of 
Jordan, in the clay 
ground between Succoth 
and Zarethan. 
{I}47_{/}Solomon left all 
the vessels unweighed 
since there were so many 
of them. And so the 
weight of the bronze was 
not known.
{I}48_{/}So Solomon made 
all the vessels that were 
in Yahweh's House: the 
golden altar, the golden 
table for the bread of 
Presence, {I}49_{/}the 
lampstands of pure gold, 
five on the right side 
and five on the left in 
front of the inner 
sanctuary; the flowers, 
lamps and tongs of gold; 
{I}50_{/}the cups, 
snuffers, basins, dishes 
for incense, and firepans 
of pure gold; and the 
golden hinges for both 
the doors of the 
innermost part of the 
House, the Most Holy 
Place, and the doors of 
the Sanctuary of the 
House.
{I}51_{/}When all the 
work that King Solomon 
did on Yahweh's House was 
completed, he brought in 
the things which David 
his father had dedicated 
- the silver, the gold, 
and the vessels - and 
stored them in the 
treasures of Yahweh's 
House.
{1}8{/}

{I}1_{/}Then Solomon 
assembled before him in 
Jerusalem the elders of 
Israel and all the heads 
of the tribes, as well as 
the leaders of the 
ancestral houses of the 
Israelites, to bring up 
the ark of the covenant 
of Yahweh from the city 
of David, which is Zion.
THE ARK ASSEMBLED NEAR 
KING SOLOMON{/}

{I}2_{/}All the 
Israelites assembled near 
King Solomon in the month 
of Ethanim, the seventh 
month. {I}3_{/}When all 
the elders of Israel 
arrived, the priests 
carried the ark of Yahweh 
{I}4_{/}and brought it up 
together with the Tent of 
Meeting and all the holy 
vessels that were in the 
tent. After the priests 
and Levites had brought 
them up, {I}5_{/}King 
Solomon with the entire 
congregation of Israel 
that had assembled before 
him and were with him 
before the Ark, 
sacrificed so many sheep 
and oxen that they could 
neither be counted nor 
numbered. {I}6_{/}Then 
the priests laid the ark 
of the covenant of Yahweh 
in its place in the inner 
sanctuary of the House - 
the Most Holy Place - 
underneath the wings of 
the cherubim. {I}7_{/}The 
cherubim had their wings 
spread out over the place 
of the ark, providing a 
covering above the ark 
and its poles. 
{I}8_{/}The poles were so 
long that their ends were 
seen from the Holy Place 
in front of the inner 
sanctuary but not from 
the outside; and they 
remain there to this day. 
{I}9_{/}There was nothing 
in the ark except the two 
tables of stone which 
Moses placed there at 
Horeb, where Yahweh made 
a covenant with the 
Israelites when they came 
out of the land of Egypt. 
{I}10_{/}And when the 
priests came out of the 
Holy Place, such a cloud 
filled Yahweh's House 
{I}11_{/}that the priests 
could not continue to 
minister. Indeed, the 
glory of Yahweh filled 
his House.
{I}12_{/}Then Solomon 
said, "Yahweh has said 
that he would dwell in 
thick darkness. 
{I}13_{/}So the House I 
have built you will be 
your House, a place for 
you to dwell in forever."
{I}14_{/}The king turned 
and blessed the entire 
assembly of Israel, as 
they stood, 
{I}15_{/}saying, "Blessed 
be Yahweh, the God of 
Israel, who has fulfilled 
by his hand what he 
promised personally to 
David my father when he 
said, {I}16_{/}'Since the 
day I brought my people 
Israel out of Egypt, I 
chose no city in all the 
tribes of Israel in which 
to build a resting place 
for my Name, but now I 
have chosen Jerusalem for 
my Name to be there, as I 
chose David to be the 
king of my people 
Israel.' {I}17_{/}Now 
David my father wanted to 
build a House for the 
Name of Yahweh, the God 
of Israel; {I}18_{/}but 
Yahweh told David my 
father, 'You meant well 
to build a House for my 
Name. 
{I}19_{/}Nevertheless, 
not you but your son who 
shall be born to you 
shall build this House 
for my Name'."
{I}20_{/}Yahweh has 
fulfilled his promise, 
for I have succeeded 
David my father and am 
sitting on the throne of 
Israel; and, as Yahweh 
promised, I have built 
this House for the Name 
of Yahweh, the God of 
Israel. {I}21_{/}There I 
have provided a place for 
the ark with the covenant 
which Yahweh made with 
our fathers when he 
brought them out of the 
land of Egypt."
SOLOMON'S PRAYER{/}

{I}22_{/}Then Solomon 
stood before the altar of 
Yahweh in the presence of 
all the assembly of 
Israel. He raised his 
hands towards heaven 
{I}23_{/}and said, "O 
Yahweh, God of Israel, 
there is no God like you 
either in heaven or on 
earth! You keep your 
covenant and show loving- 
kindness to your servants 
who walk before you 
wholeheartedly. 
{I}24_{/}You have 
foretold this day to your 
servant David, my father, 
and this day you have 
fulfilled your promise. 
{I}25_{/}Now, O Yahweh, 
God of Israel, keep this 
other promise you made to 
David when you said, 'You 
shall always have someone 
from your family on the 
throne of Israel, 
provided that your sons 
are careful to serve me 
as you have done.' 
{I}26_{/}Now, therefore, 
O God of Israel, confirm 
the promise you have 
given to David my father.
{I}27_{/}But will God 
really live among men on 
earth? If neither heavens 
nor the highest heavens 
can contain you, how much 
less can this House which 
I have built! 
{I}28_{/}Yet, listen to 
the prayer and 
supplication of your 
servant, O Yahweh my God; 
hearken to the cries and 
pleas which your servant 
directs to you this day. 
{I}29_{/}Watch over this 
House of which you have 
said, 'My name shall rest 
there.' Hear the prayer 
of your servant in this 
place.
{I}30_{/}Listen to the 
supplication of your 
servant and your people 
Israel when they pray in 
this direction; listen 
from your dwelling place 
in Heaven and, on 
listening, forgive.
{I}31_{/}When people 
charged with a crime 
against their neighbor 
come and take their oath 
before your altar in this 
temple, {I}32_{/}then 
hear from Heaven and do 
justice. Condemn the 
guilty and let his 
evildoing fall upon him, 
but vindicate the 
righteous and reward him 
according to his 
righteousness.
{I}33_{/}When your people 
Israel are defeated by 
the enemy for having 
sinned against you, and 
when they turn back to 
you and acknowledge their 
sins, praying and making 
supplications to you in 
this House; {I}34_{/}then 
listen from heaven and 
forgive your people 
Israel. Bring them back 
to the land which you 
gave to their fathers.
{I}35_{/}When the heavens 
are shut and no rain 
falls because they have 
sinned against you, and 
they pray in this place, 
acknowledging and 
repenting of their sin 
because you have 
afflicted them, 
{I}36_{/}then listen from 
Heaven and forgive your 
servants, your people 
Israel, and teach them 
the way to live; and send 
rain on your land which 
you have given to your 
people as an inheritance.
{I}37_{/}If there is 
famine in the land, or 
pestilence such as blight 
or mildew, locust or 
caterpillar; if their 
enemy attacks them in any 
of their cities; if they 
suffer from any plague or 
sickness; 
{I}38_{/}whatever be the 
prayer or supplication of 
anyone showing repentance 
and raising his hands in 
the direction of this 
House, {I}39_{/}then 
listen from Heaven, your 
dwelling place, and 
forgive. Do to each, 
whose heart you know, 
according to his conduct 
(for you alone know the 
hearts of all) 
{I}40_{/}so that they may 
fear you as long as they 
live in the land which 
you gave our fathers. 
{I}41_{/}Likewise, when a 
foreigner who is not from 
your people Israel, comes 
from a far country 
because of your Name 
{I}42_{/}(for they shall 
hear of your great Name, 
your mighty hand and 
outstretched arm), and 
prays in this House, 
{I}43_{/}listen from the 
heavens, your dwelling 
place, and do for the 
foreigner whatever he 
asks of you, so that all 
the peoples of the earth 
may know your Name and 
fear you, as do your 
people Israel, and may 
know that your name rests 
on this House which I 
have built.
{I}44_{/}If your people 
go to war wherever you 
send them, and they pray 
to Yahweh in the 
direction of the city 
which you have chosen and 
the House which I have 
built for your Name, 
{I}45_{/}then from Heaven 
listen to their prayers 
and supplications and 
defend their cause. 
{I}46_{/}If they sin 
against you (and there is 
no one who does not sin), 
and, in your anger, you 
deliver them to an enemy 
who takes them captive 
into enemy territory, 
whether near or far off; 
{I}47_{/}and if, in the 
land where they have been 
carried captive, they 
sincerely repent and 
plead with you and say, 
'We have sinned and have 
acted wrongly and 
wickedly'; {I}48_{/}if 
they do repent with 
sincerity while in the 
land of their captors and 
pray to you, turning 
towards the land which 
you gave to their 
fathers, the city which 
you have chosen, and the 
House which I have built 
for your Name; 
{I}49_{/}then listen from 
heaven, your dwelling 
place, their prayer and 
supplication and defend 
their cause. 
{I}50_{/}Forgive your 
people who have sinned 
against you; forgive all 
their offenses, and make 
their captors have 
compassion on them. 
{I}51_{/}(For they are 
your people - your 
heritage which you 
brought out of Egypt from 
the heart of the iron 
furnace).
{I}52_{/}Open your eyes 
to the pleadings of your 
servant and to those of 
your people Israel, and 
listen to them whenever 
they call on you. 
{I}53_{/}For you took 
them from among all the 
peoples of the earth to 
be your heritage, as you 
declared through Moses 
your servant when you 
brought our fathers out 
of Egypt, O Yahweh God."
{I}54_{/}When Solomon 
finished offering all 
this prayer and entreaty 
to Yahweh, he rose from 
before the altar of 
Yahweh where he had knelt 
with hands raised towards 
heaven and, 
{I}55_{/}standing, 
blessed all the assembly 
of Israel with a loud 
voice, {I}56_{/}"Blessed 
be Yahweh who has given 
rest to his people Israel 
as he promised; for not 
one of his promises, 
given to Moses his 
servant, has been broken. 
{I}57_{/}May Yahweh our 
God be with us as he was 
with our fathers. May he 
not leave or forsake us; 
{I}58_{/}may he incline 
our hearts towards him 
and make us walk in all 
his ways keeping his 
commands, his statutes 
and regulations which he 
commanded our fathers. 
{I}59_{/}Let my prayer to 
Yahweh be with our God 
day and night. May he 
defend my cause and the 
cause of his people 
Israel in their daily 
life; {I}60_{/}in this 
way all the peoples of 
the earth may know that 
Yahweh is God and there 
is no other. {I}61_{/}As 
for you, let your heart 
be wholly true to Yahweh 
our God, following his 
laws and keeping his 
commands as at this 
time."
{I}62_{/}Then the king 
and all the Israelites 
with him offered 
sacrifices before Yahweh. 
{I}63_{/}Solomon offered 
twenty-two thousand oxen 
and a hundred and twenty 
thousand sheep as peace 
offerings to Yahweh. So 
the king and all the 
Israelites dedicated 
Yahweh's House. 
{I}64_{/}That same day, 
the king consecrated the 
middle of the court in 
front of Yah-weh's House, 
for it was there that he 
offered the burnt 
offerings, the cereal 
offerings and the fat of 
the peace offerings since 
the bronze altar that was 
before Yahweh was too 
small to receive the 
burnt offering, the 
cereal offering and the 
fat of the peace 
offerings.
{I}65_{/}So at this time 
Solomon, together with a 
large assembly of 
Israelites that gathered 
from the entrance of 
Hamath to the Brook of 
Egypt, celebrated the 
festival before Yahweh 
for seven days. 
{I}66_{/}On the eighth 
day, Solomon dismissed 
the people.
After bidding farewell to 
the king, they went home 
rejoicing and happy 
because of all the 
kindness that Yahweh had 
shown to his servant 
David and to his people 
Israel.
SOLOMON'S ACTIVITIES{/}

{1}9{/}

{I}1_{/}After Solomon had 
finished building 
Yahweh's House, the royal 
palace, and everything he 
wanted to build, 
{I}2_{/}Yahweh appeared 
to him a second time, as 
he had appeared to him at 
Gibeon. {I}3_{/}Yahweh 
said to him, "I have 
heard the prayer and 
supplication you made 
before me. I have 
consecrated this House 
you have built, that my 
Name may be there 
forever. My eyes and my 
heart will be there 
forever. {I}4_{/}As for 
you, if you will live in 
my presence, the way your 
father David did, with 
sincerity and 
uprightness, doing all 
that I have commanded you 
and keeping my decrees 
and laws, {I}5_{/}I will 
affirm your kingship in 
Israel forever, as I 
promised your father 
David when I said, 'You 
shall always have someone 
from your family on the 
throne of Israel.'
{I}6_{/}But if you or 
your children refuse to 
follow me, and disobey my 
commands and laws which I 
have set before you; if 
they serve and worship 
other gods, {I}7_{/}then 
I will cut off Israel 
from the land which I 
have given them and I 
will remove from my sight 
this House I have 
consecrated for my Name. 
Israel will become a 
proverb and a byword 
among all peoples. 
{I}8_{/}This House will 
be reduced to a heap of 
stones and everyone 
passing by will be 
astonished and jeer: 'Why 
has Yahweh done such a 
thing to this land and to 
this House?' {I}9_{/}Then 
people will answer: 
'Because they abandoned 
Yahweh their God who 
brought their fathers out 
of the land of Egypt, and 
they followed other gods, 
worshiping and serving 
them. That is why Yahweh 
has brought all this evil 
on them'."
{I}10_{/}During these 
twenty years, in which 
Solomon had built the two 
houses - Yahweh's House 
and the royal house - 
{I}11_{/}Hiram king of 
Tyre had supplied Solomon 
with as much cedar, 
cypress, timber and gold 
as he wanted. Then King 
Solomon gave Hiram twenty 
cities in the land of 
Galilee. {I}12_{/}But 
when Hiram left Tyre to 
visit the cities which 
Solomon had given him, he 
was displeased 
{I}13_{/}and said, "What 
kind of cities have you 
given me, my brother?" 
And that is why, to this 
day, they are called the 
land of Cabul. 
{I}14_{/}Hiram, however, 
had sent the king one 
hundred and twenty 
talents of gold.
{I}15_{/}This is the 
account of the forced 
labor imposed by King 
Solomon for the building 
of Yahweh's House and his 
own palace, the Millo as 
well as the wall of 
Jerusalem; the cities of 
Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer. 
{I}16_{/}(Pharaoh king of 
Egypt had captured and 
burned Gezer, putting to 
death the Canaanites who 
dwelt there. Then he had 
given the city as dowry 
to his daughter, 
Solomon's wife.) 
{I}17_{/}So Solomon 
rebuilt Gezer, Lower 
Beth-horon, 
{I}18_{/}Baalath and 
Tamar in the desert, in 
the land of Judah, 
{I}19_{/}all the store-
cities that Solomon had, 
the cities for his 
chariots and those for 
his horsemen, and 
whatever Solomon wanted 
to build in Jerusalem, in 
Lebanon and in all the 
land of his dominion.
{I}20_{/}On all the 
people who were left of 
the Amorites, the 
Hittites, the Perizzites, 
the Hivites and the 
Jebusites, who were not 
of the people of Israel - 
{I}21_{/}their 
descendants who were left 
in the land and whom the 
Israelites were unable to 
completely destroy - on 
all of these Solomon 
imposed forced labor and 
it remains so to this 
day. {I}22_{/}Of the 
people of Israel, 
however, Solomon made no 
slaves. They were the 
soldiers, his officials, 
his commanders, his 
captains, his chariot 
commanders and horsemen.
{I}23_{/}The overseers of 
Solomon's work, in charge 
of those who were 
working, were five 
hundred and fifty. 
{I}24_{/}When Pharaoh's 
daughter went up from the 
city of David to her own 
house that Solomon had 
built for her, he began 
building the Millo.
{I}25_{/}After Solomon 
had finished the House, 
he came three times a 
year to offer up burnt 
offerings and peace 
offerings on the altar 
which he had built to 
Yahweh, burning incense 
before Yahweh. 
{I}26_{/}King Solomon 
built a fleet of ships at 
Ezion-geber, near Elath 
on the shore of the Red 
Sea, in the land of Edom. 
{I}27_{/}Hiram sent his 
servants, seamen who were 
familiar with the sea, to 
serve in the fleet 
together with the 
servants of Solomon. 
{I}28_{/}They sailed for 
Ophir and brought back to 
King Solomon gold 
amounting to four hundred 
and twenty talents.
THE QUEEN OF SHEBA VISITS 
SOLOMON{/}

{1}10{/}

{I}1_{/}The queen of 
Sheba heard about 
Solomon's fame, and came 
to test him with 
difficult questions. 
{I}2_{/}She arrived in 
Jerusalem with a vast 
retinue and with camels 
loaded with spices, an 
abundance of gold and 
precious stones. When she 
came to Solomon, she told 
him all that she had on 
her mind {I}3_{/}and 
Solomon answered all her 
questions. There was 
nothing that the king 
could not explain to her. 
{I}4_{/}And when the 
queen of Sheba had seen 
all the wisdom of 
Solomon, the palace he 
had built, {I}5_{/}the 
food on his table, the 
residence of his 
officials, the attendance 
of his servants and their 
clothing, his cupbearers, 
and the burnt offerings 
which he offered at 
Yahweh's House, it left 
her breathless.
{I}6_{/}Then she said to 
the king, "All that I 
heard in my own land 
concerning you and your 
wisdom was true. 
{I}7_{/}But I did not 
believe the reports until 
I came and saw with my 
own eyes. And what did I 
see! I was told only half 
the story; for your 
wisdom and wealth surpass 
the report I heard.
{I}8_{/}Fortunate are 
your wives! Fortunate are 
your servants who are 
ever in your presence and 
hear your wisdom! 
{I}9_{/}Blessed be Yahweh 
your God, who has looked 
kindly on you and has put 
you on the throne of 
Israel! Because of 
Yahweh's eternal love for 
Israel, he has made you 
king so that you may 
dispense justice and 
righteousness."
{I}10_{/}Then she gave 
the king a hundred and 
twenty talents of gold, 
spices in abundance, and 
precious stones. Such an 
abundance of spices as 
those which the queen of 
Sheba gave to King 
Solomon was never again 
seen.
{I}11_{/}Moreover, the 
fleet of Hiram, which 
brought gold from Ophir, 
also brought from Ophir a 
huge amount of almug wood 
and precious stones. 
{I}12_{/}The king used 
the almug wood to make 
supports for Yahweh's 
House and the royal 
palace, and also to make 
lyres and harps for the 
singers. Such almug wood 
has never again been 
brought or seen to the 
present day.
{I}13_{/}King Solomon, in 
turn, gave the queen of 
Sheba all that she 
desired and all that he 
in his generosity wanted 
to give her. Then she 
went back to her own land 
together with her 
servants.
{I}14_{/}Now the weight 
of gold that Solomon 
received in one year was 
six hundred and sixty-six 
gold talents, 
{I}15_{/}not counting 
that brought by traders, 
merchants, the kings of 
Arabia and the governors 
of the land. 
{I}16_{/}King Solomon 
made two hundred large 
shields of beaten gold, 
six hundred shekels of 
gold going into each 
shield. {I}17_{/}And he 
made three hundred 
shields of beaten gold 
with three minas of gold 
in each shield. And the 
king put them in the 
House of the Forest of 
Lebanon. {I}18_{/}The 
king also made a huge 
ivory throne and overlaid 
it with the finest gold. 
{I}19_{/}The throne had 
six steps, a rounded 
back, and on each side of 
the seat were arm rests 
with two lions standing 
beside the arm rests. 
{I}20_{/}The six steps 
had twelve lions, one on 
each end of a step. 
Nothing like this was 
ever made in any kingdom. 
{I}21_{/}All of King 
Solomon's drinking 
vessels were of gold, and 
all the vessels of the 
House of the Forest of 
Lebanon were of pure gold 
and none of silver, for 
silver was not considered 
of much value in the days 
of Solomon.
{I}22_{/}The king had a 
fleet of Tarshish ships 
at sea with Hiram's 
fleet, and once every 
three years the fleet of 
Tarshish ships would 
bring gold, silver, 
ivory, apes and peacocks.
{I}23_{/}King Solomon 
surpassed all the kings 
of the earth in wealth 
and wisdom. {I}24_{/}And 
the whole world sought 
audience with Solomon to 
hear the wisdom which God 
had put into his mind. 
{I}25_{/}Everyone who 
came brought a present: 
articles of silver and 
gold, garments, myrrh, 
spices, horses and mules, 
so much every year.
{I}26_{/}Solomon gathered 
together chariots and 
horses - fourteen hundred 
chariots and twelve 
thousand horses which he 
stationed in the chariot 
cities and with the king 
in Jerusalem. 
{I}27_{/}The king made 
silver as common as stone 
in Jerusalem, and cedar 
as plentiful as sycamore 
in the lowland. 
{I}28_{/}Solomon imported 
his horses from Musri and 
Kue and the king's 
traders got them from Kue 
for a fixed price. 
{I}29_{/}A chariot could 
be imported from Musri 
for six hundred shekels 
of silver, and a horse 
for a hundred and fifty. 
They were exported in the 
same way to all the kings 
of the Hittites and the 
kings of Syria. 
SOLOMON'S WIVES{/}

{1}11{/}

{I}1_{/}King Solomon 
loved many foreign women 
besides the daughter of 
Pharaoh. There were 
Moabite, Ammonite, 
Edomite, Sidonian and 
Hittite women 
{I}2_{/}from nations 
about which Yahweh had 
commanded the Israelites, 
"You shall not marry 
them; nor shall they 
marry you, lest they win 
over your heart to their 
gods." Solomon, however, 
imitated these peoples 
because of his love. 
{I}3_{/}He had seven 
hundred wives of royal 
birth, and three hundred 
concubines, and they won 
his heart.
{I}4_{/}In Solomon's old 
age, his wives led him 
astray to serve other 
gods and, unlike his 
father David, his heart 
was no longer wholly 
given to Yahweh his God. 
{I}5_{/}For he served 
Astarte the goddess of 
the Sidonians, and 
Milcom, the idol of the 
Ammonites. {I}6_{/}He did 
what displeased Yahweh 
and, unlike his father 
David, was unfaithful to 
him. {I}7_{/}Solomon even 
built a high place for 
Chemosh, the idol of 
Moab, on the mountain 
east of Jerusalem and 
also for Molech, the idol 
of the Ammonites. 
{I}8_{/}He did the same 
for all his foreign wives 
who burned incense and 
sacrificed to their gods.
{I}9_{/}Yahweh became 
angry with Solomon 
because his heart had 
turned away from Yahweh, 
the God of Israel. 
{I}10_{/}Yahweh appeared 
to him twice and 
commanded him not to 
follow other gods. But he 
did not obey Yahweh's 
command. 
{I}11_{/}Therefore, 
Yahweh said to Solomon, 
"Since this has been your 
choice and you have kept 
neither my Covenant nor 
the statutes I commanded 
you, I will take the 
kingdom from you and give 
it to your servant. 
{I}12_{/}Nevertheless, I 
will not do this during 
your lifetime for the 
sake of your father 
David; I will take it 
from your son. 
{I}13_{/}But I will not 
take it all; I will 
reserve one tribe for 
your son for the sake of 
David my servant, and for 
the sake of Jerusalem, 
the city which I have 
chosen."
SOLOMON'S ENEMIES{/}

{I}14_{/}And Yahweh 
raised up an adversary 
against Solomon. This was 
Hadad, the Edomite of the 
royal house in Edom. 
{I}15_{/}Indeed, when 
David had defeated Edom, 
and Joab the commander of 
the army went up to bury 
the slain, he slew every 
male in Edom. 
{I}16_{/}Joab and the 
Israelites remained in 
the place for six months 
until he had destroyed 
every male in Edom. 
{I}17_{/}However Hadad, 
then still only a boy, 
fled to Egypt together 
with some Edomites, his 
father's servants. 
{I}18_{/}They left Midian 
for Paran and, taking 
along with them some of 
the men from Paran, they 
went on to Egypt to 
Pharaoh, king of Egypt, 
who gave Hadad a house, 
promised him food and 
gave him land. 
{I}19_{/}Hadad pleased 
Pharaoh, who gave him as 
wife the sister of Queen 
Tahpenes, his own wife. 
{I}20_{/}The sister of 
Tahpenes bore him a son, 
Genubath, whom Tahpenes 
weaned in Pharaoh's 
house, and who lived 
there together with 
Pharaoh's sons.
{I}21_{/}And so when 
Hadad heard in Egypt that 
David had slept with his 
fathers, and that Joab 
the commander of the army 
was also dead, he said to 
Pharaoh, "Let me go back 
to my own country." 
{I}22_{/}Pharaoh asked 
him, "What have I not 
done that you want to 
leave for your own 
country?" But he answered 
him, "Please, let me go." 
And he came back to his 
land. He ruled over Edom 
and hated Israel. 
{I}23_{/}God raised up 
another adversary in the 
person of Rezon son of 
Eliada, who had fled from 
his master Hadadezer king 
of Zobah. {I}24_{/}Rezon 
gathered men around him 
and became the leader of 
a marauding band. After 
David fought them and 
killed some of them, they 
went to live in Damascus 
where they made him king. 
{I}25_{/}He was an 
adversary of Israel 
during Solomon's 
lifetime.
AHIJAH FORETELLS THE 
DIVISION OF THE 
KINGDOM{/}

{I}26_{/}Jeroboam also 
rebelled against the 
king. He was the son of 
Nebat, an Ephraimite of 
Zeredah; his mother, 
Zeruah, had been left a 
widow. He was one of 
Solomon's officials. 
{I}27_{/}This was the 
reason for his rebellion. 
Solomon was building the 
Millo and was closing up 
the breach of the City of 
David his father; 
{I}28_{/}when he noticed 
that Jeroboam was a man 
of great personal worth 
and an able worker, he 
put him in charge of all 
the forced labor of the 
tribes of Joseph.
{I}29_{/}Once, when 
Jeroboam went out of 
Jerusalem, the prophet 
Ahijah of Shiloh found 
him on the road. The two 
of them were alone in the 
open country 
{I}30_{/}when Ahijah, who 
had a new garment on, 
clutched and tore it into 
twelve pieces. 
{I}31_{/}He then said to 
Jeroboam, "Take ten 
pieces for yourself for 
this is the word of 
Yahweh, the God of 
Israel:
'I am about to tear the 
kingdom from Solomon's 
hands {I}32_{/}to give 
you ten tribes. Only one 
tribe shall be left to 
him for the sake of my 
servant David and 
Jerusalem, the city which 
I have chosen out of all 
the tribes of Israel. 
{I}33_{/}For Solomon has 
forsaken me and worshiped 
Astarte, the goddess of 
the Sidonians, Chemosh 
the god of Moab, and 
Milcom the god of the 
Ammonites. Unlike his 
father David, he has not 
walked in my ways to do 
what is right before me 
and to keep my 
commandments and 
decisions.
{I}34_{/}Nevertheless, it 
is not from him that I 
will take the kingdom. I 
will let him reign during 
his lifetime for the sake 
of David my servant, whom 
I chose and who kept my 
commandments and 
statutes. {I}35_{/}But I 
will take the kingship 
from his son's hand and 
make you king over ten 
tribes. {I}36_{/}One 
tribe will be left for 
his son so that my 
servant David may always 
have a lamp before me in 
Jerusalem, the city where 
I have chosen to put my 
Name. {I}37_{/}I will let 
you reign over all you 
wish; you shall be king 
of Israel. {I}38_{/}Now, 
if you obey all that I 
command you, follow me 
and do what is right in 
my eyes, if you keep my 
commandments and my 
statutes, as my servant 
David did, I will be with 
you and establish your 
family for a long time, 
as I did for David. I 
will entrust Israel to 
you. {I}39_{/}In this way 
I will humble the family 
of David for a time'."
{I}40_{/}Solomon wanted 
to kill Jeroboam, but 
Jeroboam took refuge in 
Egypt with Shishak king 
of Egypt, where he 
remained until the death 
of Solomon.
{I}41_{/}Now the rest of 
the events of Solomon's 
reign, his deeds and his 
wisdom, are written in 
the book of the acts of 
Solomon. {I}42_{/}Solomon 
reigned over all Israel 
in Jerusalem for forty 
years. {I}43_{/}Then he 
rested with his fathers 
and was buried in the 
city of David; Rehoboam 
his son reigned in his 
place. 
THE POLITICAL SCHISM{/}

{1}12{/}

{I}1_{/}Rehoboam went to 
Shechem because all 
Israel had gathered there 
to make him king. 
{I}2_{/}When Jeroboam, 
son of Nebat, heard of 
this in Egypt where he 
had fled from King 
Solomon and where he 
still remained, he 
returned from Egypt. 
{I}3_{/}They called for 
him, and he came with all 
the assembly of Israel.
The people of Israel went 
to Rehoboam with this 
demand, {I}4_{/}"Your 
father made our yoke 
heavy. So now lighten the 
heavy yoke and the hard 
labor your father imposed 
on us and we will serve 
you." {I}5_{/}Rehoboam 
answered them, "Leave now 
but come back on the 
third day." And so the 
people went their way.
{I}6_{/}King Rehoboam 
sought advice from the 
elderly counselors who 
served his father Solomon 
while he was still alive, 
and he asked them, "How 
would you advise me to 
answer this people?" 
{I}7_{/}To this they 
replied, "If you attend 
to this people today 
making yourself their 
servant and speak to them 
with good words, they 
will serve you forever." 
{I}8_{/}But Rehoboam 
disregarded the advice of 
the old counselors and 
asked the opinion of the 
greenhorns who had grown 
up with him and were in 
his service. {I}9_{/}He 
asked them, "What do you 
say we should answer this 
people who tell me: 
'Lighten the yoke which 
your father imposed on 
us'?" {I}10_{/}The 
greenhorns who had grown 
up with him answered, 
"Since these people said 
to you, 'Your father made 
our yoke heavy, but you 
should now lighten it for 
us,' tell them this: 'My 
little finger is thicker 
than my father's waist. 
{I}11_{/}My father laid a 
heavy yoke on you, but I 
will make it heavier yet. 
My father chastised you 
with whips, but I will 
fix iron points to the 
lashes."
{I}12_{/}On the third 
day, Jeroboam together 
with the people went back 
to Rehoboam just as the 
king said, for he had 
said to them, "Come back 
on the third day." 
{I}13_{/}Ignoring the 
advice given him by the 
elderly counselors, 
{I}14_{/}the king 
answered the people 
harshly in the way the 
greenhorns had advised 
him. He said, "My father 
made your yoke heavy, but 
I will make it even 
heavier. My father 
chastised you with whips, 
but I will fix iron 
points to the lashes." 
{I}15_{/}The king did not 
listen to the people. It 
was, indeed, Yahweh who 
brought about this 
fateful event, fulfilling 
the word he had spoken to 
Jeroboam, son of Nebat, 
through Ahijah the 
Shilonite. 
{I}16_{/}All Israel 
realized that the king 
refused to listen to 
them, and they answered 
the same way, "What have 
we to do with David? Is 
the son of Jesse from our 
tribes? Let the son of 
David deal with his own 
and you, people of 
Israel, go back to your 
homes!" And so the 
Israelites left for their 
homes. {I}17_{/}Only the 
Israelites who dwelt in 
the cities of Judah let 
Rehoboam reign over them.
{I}18_{/}Rehoboam sent 
Adoram, task-master of 
the forced labor, but the 
Israelites stoned him to 
death and King Rehoboam 
had to mount his chariot 
and flee to Jerusalem. 
{I}19_{/}So Israel has 
been in rebellion against 
the house of David to the 
present time.
{I}20_{/}As Jeroboam had 
returned and was with 
them at the assembly, 
having been called by 
them, they made him king 
of Israel. And so, with 
the exception of the 
tribe of Judah, no one 
followed the house of 
David.
{I}21_{/}When Rehoboam 
came to Jerusalem, he 
called together all the 
people of Judah and the 
tribe of Benjamin, 
numbering a hundred and 
eighty thousand select 
warriors, to fight 
against the people of 
Israel in a bid to 
restore the kingship of 
Rehoboam, son of Solomon. 
{I}22_{/}But the word of 
God was directed to 
Shemaiah, the man of God, 
{I}23_{/}"Give Rehoboam, 
son of Solomon, king of 
Judah, and all the people 
of Judah and Benjamin, 
and the rest of the 
people, this message from 
Yahweh: {I}24_{/}You 
shall not go up to fight 
against your kinsmen, the 
Israelites. Let everyone 
return to his home for I 
am the author of this." 
When they heard this word 
they went back home 
according to what Yahweh 
had ordered.
{I}25_{/}Jeroboam 
fortified Shechem in the 
hill country of Ephraim 
and lived there. Then, he 
set out to fortify 
Penuel.
THE RELIGIOUS DIVISION{/}

{I}26_{/}Jeroboam 
thought, "The kingdom 
could return to the house 
of David. {I}27_{/}Should 
this people go up to 
offer sacrifices in 
Yahweh's House in 
Jerusalem, their heart 
would turn again to their 
master, Rehoboam king of 
Judah. They would kill me 
and go back to him."
{I}28_{/}And so the king 
sought advice and made 
two golden calves. Then 
he said to the people, 
"You have been going up 
to Jerusalem long enough. 
Here are your gods, O 
Israel, who brought you 
up out of the land of 
Egypt." {I}29_{/}He put 
one of these in Bethel, 
the other in Dan. 
{I}30_{/}And so Jeroboam 
made the people sin; the 
people went as far as Dan 
to accompany one of them.
{I}31_{/}Jeroboam also 
built temples on high 
places, appointing 
priests who were not from 
the Levites. 
{I}32_{/}Jeroboam also 
appointed a feast on the 
fifteenth day of the 
eighth month in imitation 
of the feast in Judah, 
and he himself offered 
sacrifices on the altar. 
This he did in Bethel and 
sacrificed to the calves 
that he had made; there 
he placed priests for the 
high places he had made. 
{I}33_{/}On the fifteenth 
day of the eighth month, 
the month which he had 
arbitrarily chosen, he 
ordained a feast for the 
Israelites and went up to 
the altar to burn 
incense.
THE STORY OF JUDAH'S MAN 
OF GOD{/}

{1}13{/}

{I}1_{/}A man of God came 
out of Judah following a 
command of Yahweh, and he 
arrived at Bethel while 
Jeroboam was standing by 
the altar to burn 
incense. {I}2_{/}The man 
shouted, cursing the 
altar, "O altar, altar, 
thus says Yahweh: There 
shall be born to the 
family of David a son by 
the name of Josiah. He 
shall sacrifice on you 
the priests of the high 
places who burn incense 
on you; and human bones 
shall be burned on you."
{I}3_{/}And at once the 
man gave a sign. He said, 
"This is the proof that 
Yahweh has spoken. The 
altar shall be torn down 
and the ashes on it shall 
be scattered."
{I}4_{/}When the king 
heard the man of God 
shouting and cursing the 
altar of Bethel, he 
stretched out his hand 
from the altar and said, 
"Arrest him!" 
{I}5_{/}Immediately the 
hand which he pointed out 
against the man dried up 
and he could not draw it 
back. The altar itself 
crumbled and the ashes on 
it were scattered, 
according to the sign 
that had been given.
{I}6_{/}And so the king 
said to the man of God, 
"Entreat the favor of 
Yahweh your God and pray 
for me so that my hand 
may be restored." The man 
of God entreated Yahweh 
and the king's hand was 
restored as it had been 
before.
{I}7_{/}The king then 
said to the man of God, 
"Come home with me and 
refresh yourself. I will 
give you a reward." 
{I}8_{/}But the man of 
God answered the king, 
"Even if you give me half 
your house, I will not go 
in with you; nor will I 
eat or drink in this 
place, for this was 
commanded me by Yahweh. 
{I}9_{/}He precisely said 
to me: You shall neither 
eat bread nor drink 
water, nor return by the 
way you came." 
{I}10_{/}And the man did 
not return by the way he 
had come to Bethel, but 
he went another way.
{I}11_{/}Now there was an 
old prophet living in 
Bethel, and his sons came 
to tell him what the man 
of God had done on that 
day in Bethel, and 
everything he had said to 
the king. {I}12_{/}Their 
father then asked them, 
"Which way did he go?" 
and they told him which 
way the man of God from 
Judah had taken. 
{I}13_{/}He then said to 
his sons, "Saddle the ass 
for me", and they did so. 
{I}14_{/}He mounted the 
ass and went after the 
man of God whom he found 
sitting under the Oak.
He asked him, "Are you 
the man of God who came 
from Judah? {I}15_{/}Come 
home with me and eat 
bread." {I}16_{/}The 
prophet from Judah 
answered, "I may neither 
return nor go in with 
you; nor will I eat or 
drink with you, 
{I}17_{/}for this was the 
command of Yahweh: You 
shall neither eat bread 
nor drink water there, 
nor shall you return by 
the way you came." 
{I}18_{/}But the old 
prophet from Bethel said 
to him: "I am also a 
prophet as you are; and 
an angel told me on 
behalf of Yahweh: Bring 
him back with you into 
your house that he may 
eat bread and drink 
water." {I}19_{/}The old 
prophet in fact, was 
lying. And so the man of 
God went back with him 
and ate and drank in his 
house.
{I}20_{/}As they sat at 
table, the word of Yahweh 
came to the prophet who 
had brought him back. 
{I}21_{/}And he said in a 
loud voice to the man of 
God who came from Judah, 
"Thus says Yahweh: You 
have disobeyed me and 
have not observed the 
command I gave you. 
{I}22_{/}Instead, you 
have come back and eaten 
and drunk although I told 
you not to eat bread or 
drink water. Because of 
this, your body shall not 
be laid in the tomb of 
your fathers."
{I}23_{/}After he had 
eaten and drunk, the old 
prophet who had brought 
him back saddled the ass 
for him and the prophet 
from Judah went away. 
{I}24_{/}But a lion met 
him on the road and 
killed him. His body was 
thrown on the road with 
the lion beside it. 
{I}25_{/}People who 
passed by saw the body 
thrown on the road with 
the lion standing by; and 
they reported this in the 
city where the old 
prophet lived.
{I}26_{/}When the prophet 
heard of this, he said, 
"It is the man of God who 
disobeyed the word of 
Yahweh. Yahweh has 
delivered him to the lion 
which has torn and slain 
him just as Yahweh had 
told him." {I}27_{/}Then 
he said to his sons, 
"Saddle the ass for me." 
{I}28_{/}They saddled it 
and he went and found the 
body thrown on the road 
with the ass and the lion 
standing beside it. 
{I}29_{/}The lion had 
neither eaten the body 
nor torn the ass. And so 
the prophet took up the 
body of the man of God, 
laid it on the ass and 
brought it back to the 
city to mourn and to bury 
him. {I}30_{/}He laid the 
body in his own grave and 
they mourned over him 
with the lament, "Alas, 
my brother!"
{I}31_{/}After that the 
old prophet said to his 
sons, "When I die, bury 
me in the grave where the 
man of God is buried and 
lay my bones beside his 
bones. {I}32_{/}For 
everything he said at 
Yahweh's command, cursing 
the altar in Bethel and 
all the sanctuaries of 
the high places in the 
cities of Samaria, will 
be fulfilled."
{I}33_{/}After this, 
however, Jeroboam did not 
abstain from doing evil. 
Instead he made priests 
for the high places from 
among the people; he 
consecrated anyone who 
wanted to be a priest for 
the high places. 
{I}34_{/}And this became 
the sin of the family of 
Jeroboam for which it was 
to be cut off and 
destroyed from the face 
of the earth.
AHIJAH'S PROPHECY AGAINST 
JEROBOAM{/}

{1}14{/}

{I}1_{/}At that time, 
Abijah, son of Jeroboam, 
fell ill. {I}2_{/}So the 
king told his wife. "Go, 
disguise yourself so that 
no one may recognize you 
as Jeroboam's wife. Go to 
Shiloh where you will 
find Ahijah the prophet 
who foretold that I would 
be king over this people. 
{I}3_{/}Take with you ten 
loaves, a few cakes, and 
a jar of honey. Enter his 
house and he will tell 
you what shall happen to 
the child."
{I}4_{/}Jeroboam's wife 
did as she was told and 
left for Shiloh. She 
entered the house of 
Ahijah who was now so old 
that he could not see.
{I}5_{/}But Yahweh had 
told Ahijah, "Jeroboam's 
wife is coming to consult 
you about her sick son, 
and this is what you must 
tell her. She will be 
coming in disguise." 
{I}6_{/}And so when 
Ahijah heard the sound of 
her footsteps, as she 
entered the door, he 
said, "Come in, wife of 
Jeroboam. Why have you 
disguised yourself? I 
have been told to give 
you unpleasant news. 
{I}7_{/}Go, therefore; 
bring Jeroboam this 
message of Yahweh, the 
God of Israel: {I}8_{/}I 
made you rise from the 
midst of the people and 
established you as the 
leader of Israel. I took 
the kingdom from David's 
family to give it to you. 
Yet you have not been 
like my servant David, 
who kept my commands and 
followed me with his 
whole heart, doing only 
what was pleasing to me. 
{I}9_{/}You have done 
worse than anyone before 
you. You have made me 
angry with your strange 
gods and the images you 
have made; and you have 
forsaken me.
{I}10_{/}Now, I shall 
bring disaster on the 
family of Jeroboam. I 
will cut off every male 
in Jeroboam's line, 
whether slave or freeman 
in Israel, and I will 
wipe out the descendants 
of Jeroboam just as they 
wipe out the dung till 
all is gone. {I}11_{/}He 
who dies in the city will 
be devoured by dogs; he 
who dies in the field, by 
the birds of the sky. So 
Yahweh has spoken! 
{I}12_{/}Leave now, and 
go back home! As soon as 
you enter the city, the 
child will die. 
{I}13_{/}All Israel will 
mourn for him and bury 
him. He alone of 
Jeroboam's line will be 
buried, for in him alone 
has Yahweh, the God of 
Israel, found something 
good. {I}14_{/}Yahweh 
himself will raise up for 
himself a king of Israel; 
it is he who will destroy 
Jeroboam's family.
{I}15_{/}Yahweh will 
strike Israel like a reed 
tossed about in the water 
and root them out from 
this good land which he 
gave to their ancestors. 
He will scatter them 
beyond the river 
Euphrates because they 
made him angry with the 
sacred poles they set up. 
{I}16_{/}Yahweh will 
scatter Israel because of 
the sins Jeroboam has 
committed and by which he 
dragged Israel into sin."
{I}17_{/}So Jeroboam's 
wife went home. On her 
arrival at Tirzah, and as 
soon as she crossed the 
threshold of her house, 
the child died. 
{I}18_{/}The child was 
buried and all Israel 
mourned over him just as 
Yahweh had prophesied 
through his servant the 
prophet Ahijah.
REHOBOAM, KING OF 
JUDAH{/}

{I}19_{/}The rest of the 
acts of Jeroboam, his 
achievements in war and 
his reign, are recorded 
in the Book of Chronicles 
of the Kings of Israel. 
{I}20_{/}Jeroboam reigned 
for twenty-two years. 
When he rested with his 
fathers, his son Nadab 
succeeded him as king.
{I}21_{/}As for Rehoboam, 
son of Solomon, he was 
forty-one when he began 
to reign over Judah. He 
reigned for seventeen 
years in Jerusalem, the 
city which Yahweh chose 
out of all the tribes of 
Israel to put his Name 
there. His mother Naamah 
was an Ammonite.
{I}22_{/}The people of 
Judah did what displeased 
Yahweh and, by their 
sins, angered him even 
more than their ancestors 
had done. {I}23_{/}They 
also built for themselves 
high places, pillars and 
sacred poles on every 
high hill and under every 
green tree. {I}24_{/}They 
even had male cult 
prostitutes in their 
land. Judah followed all 
the abominable practices 
of the nations whom 
Yahweh had driven out 
before the Israelites.
{I}25_{/}In the fifth 
year of King Rehoboam, 
Shishak, king of Egypt, 
attacked Jerusalem 
{I}26_{/}and looted 
everything, including the 
treasures of Yahweh's 
house and of the royal 
palace. As he had taken 
the golden shields made 
under Solomon, 
{I}27_{/}Rehoboam 
replaced them with brazen 
shields and entrusted 
them to the officers of 
the guard who watched at 
the door of the king's 
palace. {I}28_{/}Every 
time the king went into 
Yahweh's House, the 
guards took them out and 
then brought them back to 
the guardroom.
{I}29_{/}The rest of the 
events of Rehoboam's 
reign, including his 
deeds, are all written in 
the Book of the 
Chronicles of the Kings 
of Judah. {I}30_{/}There 
was incessant war between 
Rehoboam and Jeroboam. 
{I}31_{/}Then Rehoboam 
rested with his fathers 
and was buried with his 
ancestors in the City of 
David. His mother Naamah 
was an Ammonite. His son 
Abijam succeeded him as 
king.
ABIJAM, KING OF JUDAH{/}

{1}15{/}

{I}1_{/}In the eighteenth 
year of King Jeroboam, 
son of Nebat, Abijam 
became king of Judah 
{I}2_{/}and reigned for 
three years in Jerusalem. 
His mother's name was 
Maacah, daughter of 
Abishalom. {I}3_{/}He 
imitated all the sins his 
father had committed 
before him and, unlike 
his ancestor David, was 
not wholly faithful to 
Yahweh, his God. 
{I}4_{/}Yet Yahweh had 
promised David that he 
would keep his lamp 
burning in Jerusalem; he 
would raise his 
descendants after him and 
establish Jerusalem. 
{I}5_{/}This was because 
David had pleased Yahweh 
and did not disobey any 
of his commands as long 
as he lived, except in 
the case of Uriah the 
Hittite. {I}6{/}-
{I}7_{/}The rest of the 
events of Abijam's reign 
and everything he did are 
written in the Book of 
the Chronicles of the 
Kings of Judah. There was 
war between Abijam and 
Jeroboam. {I}8_{/}When 
Abijam rested with his 
fathers, he was buried in 
the city of David, and 
his son Asa reigned in 
his place.
ASA, KING OF JUDAH{/}

{I}9_{/}In the twentieth 
year of Jeroboam, king of 
Israel, Asa, king of 
Judah, began to reign and 
{I}10_{/}was king for 
forty-one years, ruling 
in Jerusalem. His 
grandmother was Maacah, 
daughter of Abishalom. 
{I}11_{/}Asa did what was 
right before Yahweh, just 
as his ancestor David had 
done. {I}12_{/}He rid the 
land of male cult 
prostitutes and removed 
all the idols his 
ancestors had made. 
{I}13_{/}He also deposed 
his grandmother Maacah as 
queen mother, for having 
made an abominable image 
for Asherah. Asa 
destroyed Asherah's image 
and burned it at the 
brook Kidron; {I}14_{/}he 
did not, however, close 
down the high places. 
Nevertheless, Asa 
remained faithful to 
Yahweh for the rest of 
his life. {I}15_{/}He 
brought into Yahweh's 
house both the votive 
gifts of his father and 
his own: silver, gold and 
vessels.
{I}16_{/}Asa and Baasha, 
king of Israel, were at 
war during their reigns. 
{I}17_{/}Baasha, king of 
Israel, attacked Judah 
and fortified Ramah to 
cut off all communication 
with Asa, king of Judah. 
{I}18_{/}Asa, in the 
meantime, collecting all 
the silver and gold 
remaining in the 
treasuries of the temple 
of Yahweh and the royal 
palace, entrusted them to 
his servants whom he sent 
to Ben-hadad, son of 
Tabrimmon, son of Hezion, 
king of Syria who reigned 
in Damascus. {I}19_{/}He 
sent him this message, 
"Let us together make a 
treaty just as my father 
and yours did. I am 
sending you silver and 
gold, so please break 
your treaty with Baasha, 
king of Israel that he 
may withdraw from my 
territory."
{I}20_{/}Ben-hadad 
acceded to King Asa's 
request and sent his 
officers to harass the 
cities of Israel, 
capturing Ijon, Dan, 
Abel-beth-maacah, all the 
land of Chinneroth and 
the region of Naphtali. 
{I}21_{/}On hearing this, 
Baasha stopped the 
fortification of Ramah 
and moved to Tirzah where 
he lived. {I}22_{/}Then 
King Asa issued an order 
to all of Judah, 
excluding no one, to take 
away the stones and 
timber which Baasha had 
been using to fortify 
Ramah. With these 
materials, King Asa built 
Geba of Benjamin and 
Mizpah. {I}23_{/}The rest 
of Asa's reign, his 
bravery, his deeds and 
the cities which he built 
are written in the Book 
of the Chronicles of the 
Kings of Judah. In his 
old age, Asa suffered 
from a foot disease. 
{I}24_{/}Asa then rested 
with his fathers and was 
buried in the City of 
David his ancestor. His 
son Jehoshaphat reigned 
in his place.
NADAB AND BAASHA, KINGS 
OF ISRAEL{/}

{I}25_{/}Nadab, son of 
Jeroboam, began to reign 
over Israel in the second 
year of Asa, king of 
Judah. {I}26_{/}He 
reigned over Israel for 
two years, doing what 
displeased Yahweh and 
dragging Israel into sin 
as his father had done.
{I}27_{/}Baasha, son of 
Ahijah of the family of 
Issachar, plotted against 
him and struck him down 
at Gibbethon of the 
Philistines when Nadab 
and the Israelites were 
laying siege to this 
city. {I}28_{/}Baasha 
killed Nadab in the third 
year of Asa king of Judah 
and reigned in his place. 
{I}29_{/}As soon as he 
was king, he killed off 
the entire family of 
Jeroboam, leaving him no 
one alive but wiping them 
out according to the word 
which Yahweh had spoken 
through his servant 
Ahijah, the Shilonite. 
{I}30_{/}This happened 
because of Jeroboam who 
aroused the anger of 
Yahweh, the God of 
Israel, by sinning and 
dragging Israel into sin.
{I}31_{/}The rest of the 
events of Nadab's reign 
and his achievements are 
written in the Book of 
the Chronicles of the 
Kings of Israel. 
{I}32_{/}Asa and Baasha 
were at war during their 
reigns.
{I}33_{/}In the third 
year of Asa king of 
Judah, Baasha, son of 
Ahijah, began to reign 
over all Israel at Tirzah 
where he reigned for 
twenty-four years. 
{I}34_{/}He did what 
displeased Yahweh and 
sinned just as Jeroboam, 
who dragged Israel into 
sin, had done.
{1}16{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Jehu, son of Hanani, to 
condemn Baasha. He said, 
{I}2_{/}"I have raised 
you from the dust to make 
you rule over my people 
Israel, but you have made 
me angry by going the way 
of Jeroboam and dragging 
my people Israel into 
sin. {I}3_{/}I will 
therefore sweep away 
Baasha and his family and 
deal with them as I did 
with Jeroboam, son of 
Nebat. {I}4_{/}Dogs will 
devour those of Baasha's 
line who die in the City, 
the birds of the air will 
feed on those who die in 
the country."
{I}5_{/}The rest of the 
events of Baasha's reign, 
his deeds and 
achievements are written 
in the Book of the 
Chronicles of the Kings 
of Israel.{I}6_{/}Baasha 
rested with his fathers 
and was buried at Tirzah, 
while Elah his son 
reigned in his place. 
{I}7_{/}Yahweh indeed 
spoke through the prophet 
Jehu, son of Hanani, to 
condemn Baasha and his 
family, not only for 
doing what displeased 
Yahweh, making him angry 
as Jeroboam had done, but 
also because he murdered 
the family of Jeroboam.
ELAH, KING OF ISRAEL{/}

{I}8_{/}In the twenty-
sixth year of Asa king of 
Judah, Elah, son of 
Baasha, began to reign 
over Israel in Tirzah and 
was king for two years. 
{I}9_{/}But his servant 
Zimri, commander of half 
his chariots, plotted 
against him. While Elah 
was getting himself drunk 
in the house of Arza, 
governor of Tirzah, 
{I}10_{/}Zimri came in, 
struck him down and 
killed him. This happened 
in the twenty-seventh 
year of Asa, king of 
Judah. Then Zimri reigned 
in his place.
{I}11_{/}As soon as Zimri 
began to reign, he had 
the entire family of 
Baasha killed, leaving 
him not a single male 
relative or friend. 
{I}12_{/}Zimri wiped out 
the entire house of 
Baasha according to 
Yahweh's pronouncement 
against him as spoken by 
Jehu, the prophet. 
{I}13_{/}And this 
happened because of the 
sins which Baasha and his 
son had committed, 
dragging Israel into sin 
and making Yahweh angry 
with their idols. 
{I}14_{/}Now the rest of 
the events of Elah's 
reign and all his deeds 
are written in the Book 
of the Chronicles of the 
Kings of Israel.
OMRI, KING OF ISRAEL{/}

{I}15_{/}It happened in 
the twenty-seventh year 
of Asa, king of Judah, 
that Zimri reigned seven 
days in Tirzah. 
{I}16_{/}For the army was 
besieging Gibbethon of 
the Philistines when 
Zimri plotted against 
Elah, and, on hearing 
that he had killed the 
king, they proclaimed 
Omri, commander of the 
army, king of Israel. 
{I}17_{/}Omri went up 
with the Israelites from 
Gibbethon and attacked 
Tirzah.{I}_18_{/}When 
Zimri saw that the city 
was to be captured, he 
went into the citadel of 
the royal palace; he set 
the royal palace on fire, 
and he died. {I}19_{/}He 
died thus because of the 
sins he had committed, 
doing what displeased 
Yahweh and going the way 
of Jeroboam by dragging 
Israel into sin. 
{I}20_{/}The rest of the 
acts of Zimri and his 
plot are written in the 
Book of the Chronicles of 
the Kings of Israel.
{I}21_{/}The Israelites 
were then divided; half 
of them followed Tibni, 
son of Ginath to make him 
king; the other half 
followed Omri. 
{I}22_{/}Those who 
followed Omri overcame 
those who followed Tibni, 
son of Ginath. And so, 
Tibni died and Omri 
became king. {I}23_{/}In 
the thirty-first year of 
Asa, king of Judah, Omri 
began to reign over 
Israel. He reigned for 
twelve years, six years 
of which he reigned in 
Tirzah. {I}24_{/}Then he 
bought the hill of 
Samaria from Shemer for 
two talents of silver. He 
built a city on the hill 
and called it Samaria, 
after Shemer, the owner 
of the hill.
{I}25_{/}Omri did what 
displeased Yahweh, even 
more than all those who 
preceded him. {I}26_{/}He 
went the way of Jeroboam, 
son of Nebat, and dragged 
Israel into sin, thereby 
provoking the anger of 
Yahweh, the God of 
Israel, by their idols. 
{I}27_{/}The rest of the 
acts of Omri and his 
bravery are written in 
the Book of the 
Chronicles of the Kings 
of Israel. {I}28_{/}Then 
Omri rested with his 
fathers and was buried in 
Samaria while Ahab, his 
son, reigned in his 
place.
AHAB, KING OF ISRAEL{/}

{I}29_{/}Ahab, son of 
Omri became king in the 
thirty-eighth year of 
Asa, king of Judah, and 
he reigned over Israel in 
Samaria for twenty-two 
years. {I}30_{/}Ahab, son 
of Omri did what 
displeased Yahweh, even 
more than all those who 
preceded him. 
{I}31_{/}Apparently the 
example and the sins of 
Jeroboam son of Nebat 
were not enough for him; 
he even married Jezebel, 
daughter of Ethbaal, king 
of the Sidonians. So he 
served Baal and worshiped 
him. {I}32_{/}He set up 
an altar for Baal in the 
temple of Baal which he 
built in Samaria 
{I}33_{/}and proceeded to 
make an Asherah. So Ahab 
did everything that could 
make Yahweh angry, even 
more than any of the 
kings of Israel who ruled 
before him.
{I}34_{/}During his 
reign, Hiel of Bethel 
rebuilt Jericho. On 
laying its foundation he 
sacrificed Abirma, his 
firstborn. And when he 
set up the gates of the 
city, he sacrificed his 
youngest son, Segub, in 
accordance with the word 
of Yahweh spoken through 
Joshua, son of Nun.
THE PROPHET ELIJAH{/}

{1}17{/}

{I}1_{/}Now Elijah, the 
prophet from Tishbe in 
Gilead, said to Ahab, "As 
Yahweh, the God of Israel 
whom I serve lives, 
neither dew shall drop 
nor rain fall except at 
my command."
{I}2_{/}Then the word of 
Yahweh came to Elijah, 
{I}3_{/}"Leave this place 
and go eastward. Hide 
yourself by the brook 
Cherith, east of the 
Jordan. {I}4_{/}You shall 
drink from the brook and, 
for your food, I have 
commanded the ravens to 
feed you there." 
{I}5_{/}So Elijah obeyed 
the word of Yahweh and 
went to live by the brook 
Cherith, east of the 
Jordan. {I}6_{/}There the 
ravens brought him bread 
in the morning and meat 
in the evening; and he 
drank from the brook.
THE WIDOW OF ZAREPHATH{/}

{I}7_{/}After a while, 
the brook dried up 
because no rain had 
fallen in the land. 
{I}8_{/}Then Yahweh spoke 
to Elijah, {I}9_{/}"Go to 
Zarephath of the 
Sidonites and stay there. 
I have given word to a 
widow there to give you 
food." {I}10_{/}So Elijah 
went to Zarephath. On 
reaching the gate of the 
town, he saw a widow 
gathering sticks. He 
called to her and said, 
"Bring me a little water 
in a vessel that I may 
drink."
{I}11_{/}As she was going 
to bring it, he called 
after her and said, 
"Bring me also a piece of 
bread." {I}12_{/}But she 
answered, "As Yahweh your 
God lives, I have no 
bread left but only a 
handful of flour in a jar 
and a little oil in a 
jug. I am just now 
gathering some sticks so 
that I may go in and 
prepare something for 
myself and my son to eat 
- and die."
{I}13_{/}Elijah then said 
to her, "Do not be 
afraid. Go and do as you 
have said, but first make 
me a little cake of it 
and bring it to me; then 
make some for yourself 
and your son. 
{I}14_{/}For this is the 
word of Yahweh, the God 
of Israel, 'The jar of 
meal shall not be emptied 
nor shall the jug of oil 
fail, until the day when 
Yahweh sends rain to the 
earth."
{I}15_{/}So she went and 
did as Elijah told her; 
and she had food for 
herself, Elijah and her 
son from that day on. 
{I}16_{/}The jar of flour 
was not emptied nor did 
the jug of oil fail, in 
accordance with what 
Yahweh had said through 
Elijah.
THE WIDOW'S SON RAISED TO 
LIFE{/}

{I}17_{/}After this, the 
son of this housewife 
became ill. And such was 
his illness that he 
stopped breathing. 
{I}18_{/}She then said to 
Elijah, "What did you do, 
O man of God? Have you 
come to uncover past sins 
and cause my son's 
death?" {I}19_{/}He 
answered, "Give me your 
son."
Taking him from her lap, 
he carried him up to the 
upper room where he was 
staying and laid him on 
his own bed. 
{I}20_{/}Then he called 
on Yahweh, "O Yahweh, my 
God, will you afflict 
even the widow with whom 
I am residing by letting 
her son die?" 
{I}21_{/}Then he 
stretched himself on the 
child three times and 
called on Yahweh, "O 
Yahweh, my God, let this 
child's breath return to 
him." {I}22_{/}Yahweh 
listened to the pleading 
of Elijah and the child's 
breath returned to him, 
and he lived. 
{I}23_{/}Elijah then took 
the child and brought him 
down from the upper room. 
He gave him to his mother 
and said, "See, your son 
is alive."
{I}24_{/}Then the woman 
said to Elijah, "Now I am 
certain that you are a 
man of God, and that your 
words really came from 
Yahweh."
{1}18{/}

{I}1_{/}After several 
days (in the third year) 
Yahweh spoke to Elijah 
and said, "Go, show 
yourself to Ahab that I 
may let it rain on the 
earth." {I}2_{/}So Elijah 
went to show himself to 
Ahab.
{I}3_{/}Now the famine in 
Samaria was severe. Ahab 
therefore called Obadiah, 
who was in charge of the 
household. 
{I}4_{/}(Obadiah was a 
faithful servant of 
Yahweh and when Jezebel 
slew the prophets of 
Yahweh he himself took a 
hundred prophets and hid 
them by fifties in caves, 
feeding them with bread 
and water.) {I}5_{/}Then 
Ahab told Obadiah, "Let's 
go and check all the 
watersprings and the 
valleys through the land, 
looking for grass so that 
the horses and mules may 
be kept alive and not 
perish." {I}6_{/}So Ahab 
and Obadiah divided the 
land between them and 
each of them went his own 
way. 
{I}7_{/}As Obadiah was 
going his way, Elijah met 
him. Recognizing Elijah, 
Obadiah fell on his face 
and said, "Is that you, 
my master Elijah?" 
{I}8_{/}He answered him, 
"It is I. Go tell your 
master that I am here." 
{I}9_{/}But Obadiah 
replied, "What evil have 
I done that you expose me 
to Ahab's anger? Surely 
you want me to die. 
{I}10_{/}By Yahweh, your 
God, there is no people 
or nation where my master 
has not searched for you 
and if they said, 'Elijah 
is not here,' he would 
make them take an oath 
that they had not found 
you. {I}11_{/}Yet now as 
soon as I leave to inform 
Ahab of your presence, 
{I}12_{/}the Spirit of 
Yahweh will transport 
your goodness elsewhere, 
and when Ahab fails to 
find you, he will kill 
me. But I have served 
Yahweh from my youth. 
{I}13_{/}Do you not know 
that when Jezebel had the 
prophets of Yahweh 
killed, I hid a hundred 
of them in two caves and 
fed them with bread and 
water? {I}14_{/}Now if I 
notify Ahab of your 
presence, as you want me 
to do, he will surely 
kill me!"
{I}15_{/}But Elijah said 
to him, "By Yahweh of 
hosts whom I serve, I 
will show myself to him 
today." {I}16_{/}So 
Obadiah went to give Ahab 
this message and Ahab 
came to meet Elijah.
THE SACRIFICE AT 
CARMEL{/}

{I}17_{/}On seeing 
Elijah, Ahab said to him, 
"Is it you, the plague of 
Israel?" {I}18_{/}Elijah 
replied, "Who is 
troubling Israel? Isn't 
it you and your family 
who have disobeyed the 
commands of Yahweh and 
followed instead the 
Baals? {I}19_{/}Now, 
therefore, give an order 
for the Israelites to 
gather before me at Mount 
Carmel, together with the 
four hundred and fifty 
prophets of Baal who are 
sustained by Jezebel."
{I}20_{/}So Ahab sent for 
all the people of Israel 
and gathered the prophets 
at Mount Carmel. 
{I}21_{/}Then Elijah ad-
dressed the people and 
asked, "How long will you 
follow two ways at the 
same time? If Yahweh is 
God, follow him; but if 
Baal is God then follow 
him." The people remained 
silent.
{I}22_{/}So Elijah 
continued, "I am the only 
prophet of Yahweh left 
here to face Baal's four 
hundred and fifty 
prophets. {I}23_{/}Get us 
two bulls. Let them 
choose one bull for 
themselves, cut it into 
pieces and lay it on the 
wood and I will do the 
same with the other bull. 
But we will not set it on 
fire. {I}24_{/}Then you 
shall call on the name of 
your god while I shall 
call on the name of 
Yahweh. The God who 
answers with fire is the 
true one." Then the 
people answered, "That is 
right."
{I}25_{/}Then Elijah told 
the prophets of Baal, 
"Choose for yourselves 
one bull and prepare it 
first, for you are many. 
Then call on the name of 
your god lest you are 
left without fire!" 
{I}26_{/}So they took the 
bull and prepared it, and 
they called on the name 
of Baal, "Baal, answer 
us!" But there was no 
voice and no one answered 
them while they went on 
dancing on one foot 
around the altar they had 
built.
{I}27_{/}By noontime, 
Elijah began to mock 
them, "Shout out louder. 
Baal is a busy god; or he 
may have gone out or 
perhaps he has gone on a 
trip, or he is sleeping 
and must be wakened." 
{I}28_{/}So they shouted 
louder gashing their skin 
with knives, as they are 
used to doing, until they 
bled. {I}29_{/}It was 
already past noon and 
they were still raving on 
until the time of the 
evening offering. But 
still there was no voice; 
no one answered or gave a 
sign of life.
{I}30_{/}Then Elijah said 
to the people, "Draw 
closer to me," and the 
people drew closer to 
him. He then repaired the 
altar of Yahweh which had 
been thrown down. 
{I}31_{/}He took twelve 
stones corresponding to 
the number of tribes of 
the sons of Jacob whom 
Yahweh had addressed 
saying, "Israel shall be 
your name." {I}32_{/}With 
these stones, he built an 
altar to the Name of 
Yahweh and dug a trench 
around it that would 
contain about thirty 
liters. {I}33_{/}He then 
arranged the firewood, 
cut the bull in pieces 
and laid them on the 
wood. Then, he said, 
"Fill four jars with 
water and pour it on the 
burnt offering and on the 
firewood." {I}34_{/}He 
said, "Do it again"; and 
they did it again; "one 
more time," and they did 
it a third time. 
{I}35_{/}The water ran 
around the altar and 
filled the trench.
{I}36_{/}When the time of 
the evening offering 
came, Elijah the prophet 
came near and said, "O 
Yahweh, God of Abraham, 
Isaac and Israel, let it 
be known today that you 
are God in Israel and 
that I am your servant, 
doing all these things at 
your command. 
{I}37_{/}Answer me, O 
Yahweh, answer me so that 
this people may know that 
you, O Yahweh, are God 
and that you are turning 
back their hearts to 
you." {I}38_{/}Then the 
fire of Yahweh fell and 
consumed the burnt 
offering, together with 
the wood, the stones 
also, and the dust; the 
water also dried up in 
the trench. 
{I}39_{/}All the people 
witnessed this. Then they 
fell on their faces and 
said, "Yahweh is God! 
Yahweh is God!" 
{I}40_{/}Then Elijah 
commanded them, "Seize 
the prophets of Baal and 
let none of them escape." 
And so they seized them. 
Then Elijah brought them 
down to the brook Kidron 
and had them slaughtered 
there.
{I}41_{/}Elijah then said 
to Ahab, "Go up, eat and 
drink, for the sound of 
rain is rushing in." 
{I}42_{/}So Ahab went up 
to eat and drink. Elijah, 
in the meantime, went to 
the top of Carmel, bowed 
to the ground and put his 
face between his knees. 
{I}43_{/}Then he said to 
his servant, "Go up and 
look in the direction of 
the sea." The man went 
up, looked, and said, 
"There is nothing." Then 
Elijah said, "Go again" 
and seven times he went. 
{I}44_{/}At the seventh 
time, he perceived a 
little cloud, the size of 
a man's hand, rising out 
of the sea. Elijah told 
him, "Go, tell Ahab: 
Prepare your chariot and 
go down before the rain 
stops you." {I}45_{/}A 
little later the sky grew 
dark with clouds and wind 
and a strong rain fell. 
Ahab was riding on his 
way to Jezreel; 
{I}46_{/}as for Elijah, 
the hand of Yahweh was on 
him, and tucking his 
cloak in his belt, he ran 
before Ahab to the 
entrance of Jezreel.
ELIJAH FLEES TO HOREB{/}

{1}19{/}

{I}1_{/}Ahab told Jezebel 
everything Elijah had 
done and how he had slain 
all the prophets with the 
sword. {I}2_{/}Jezebel 
then sent word to Elijah, 
"May I be cursed if by 
this time tomorrow I have 
not dealt with you as you 
dealt with them."
{I}3_{/}Elijah was scared 
and fled for his life. He 
reached Beer-sheba of 
Judah and left his 
servant there. {I}4_{/}He 
himself disappeared into 
the desert going on a 
day's journey. Then he 
sat down under a broom 
tree and prayed to die, 
"That is enough, Yahweh, 
take away my life for I 
am dying."
{I}5_{/}He lay down and 
went to sleep under the 
broom tree. Then an angel 
touched him and said, 
"Get up and eat." 
{I}6_{/}Elijah looked and 
saw, at his head, a cake 
baked on hot stones and a 
jar of water. He ate and 
drank and went back to 
sleep. {I}7_{/}The angel 
of Yahweh came a second 
time to him, saying, "Get 
up and eat, for the 
journey is too long for 
you." {I}8_{/}He got up, 
ate and drank, and on the 
strength of that food, he 
traveled for forty days 
and forty nights to 
Horeb, the mount of God.
THE ENCOUNTER WITH GOD{/}

{I}9_{/}On reaching the 
place, he came to the 
cave and stayed in it. 
Then the word of Yahweh 
came to him,"What are you 
doing here, Elijah?" 
{I}10_{/}He answered, "I 
am burning with jealous 
love for Yahweh, the God 
of Hosts, because the 
Israelites have forsaken 
your covenant, thrown 
down your altars, and 
slain your prophets with 
the sword. No one is left 
but myself and they are 
still trying to kill me 
as well." {I}11_{/}Then 
Yahweh said, "Go up and 
stand on the mount, 
waiting for Yahweh." And 
Yahweh passed by.
There was first a 
windstorm, wild wind 
which rent the mountains 
and broke the rocks into 
pieces before Yahweh, but 
Yahweh was not in the 
wind. After the storm, an 
earthquake, but Yahweh 
was not in the 
earthquake. 
{I}12_{/}After the 
earthquake, a fire, but 
Yahweh was not in the 
fire. After the fire, the 
murmur of a gentle 
breeze. {I}13_{/}When 
Elijah perceived it, he 
covered his face with his 
cloak, went out and stood 
at the entrance of the 
cave. 
Then he heard a voice 
addressing him again, 
"What are you doing here, 
Elijah?" {I}14_{/}He 
answered, "I am burning 
with jealous love for 
Yahweh, the God of hosts, 
because the Israelites 
have forsaken your 
covenant, thrown down 
your altars and slain 
your prophets with the 
sword. No one is left but 
myself, yet they still 
seek my life to take it 
away."
{I}15_{/}Yahweh said to 
him, "Take the road back 
through the desert and go 
to Damascus for you must 
anoint Hazael as king of 
Syria; {I}16_{/}you shall 
also anoint Jehu, son of 
Minshi, as king over 
Israel; and Elisha, son 
of Shaphat, from 
Abelmehrah, you shall 
anoint as prophet in your 
place. {I}17_{/}Whoever 
escapes from the sword of 
Hazael will be slain by 
Jehu and whoever escapes 
from the sword of Jehu, 
Elisha will let him die. 
{I}18_{/}Yet I will spare 
seven thousand in Israel 
who have not knelt before 
Baal and whose lips have 
not kissed him."
{I}19_{/}So Elijah left. 
He found Elisha, son of 
Shaphat, who was plowing 
a field of twelve acres 
and was at the end of the 
twelfth acre. Elijah 
passed by him and cast 
his cloak over him. 
{I}20_{/}Elisha left the 
oxen, ran after Elijah 
and said, "Let me say 
goodbye to my father and 
mother; then I will 
follow you." Elijah said 
to him, "Return if you 
want, don't worry about 
what I did." 
{I}21_{/}However, Elisha 
turned back, took the 
yoke of oxen and slew 
them. He roasted their 
meat on the pieces of the 
yoke and gave it to his 
people who ate of it. 
After this, he followed 
Elijah and began 
ministering to him.
THE SIEGE OF SAMARIA{/}

{1}20{/}

{I}1_{/}Ben-hadad, king 
of Aram, gathered 
together his entire army. 
With him were thirty-two 
kings. With horses and 
chariots, he went to 
Samaria and besieged it. 
{I}2_{/}He then sent 
messengers into the city 
to Ahab, king of Israel, 
and said to him, "Thus 
says Ben-hadad: 
{I}3_{/}Your silver and 
gold are mine and so are 
your fairest wives and 
children." {I}4_{/}The 
king of Israel answered, 
"As you say, my master, O 
king, I am yours with all 
that I possess." 
{I}5_{/}Again Ben-hadad 
sent messengers to say, 
"I sent this message to 
you: 'Hand over to me 
your silver and gold, 
along with your wives and 
children,' {I}6_{/}but 
now I will send my 
servants to you tomorrow 
about this time. They 
shall search your house 
and those of your 
officials and take with 
them whatever they want 
to take."
{I}7_{/}Then the king of 
Israel summoned all the 
elders of the land and 
said, "Look now and see 
how this man acts with 
evil intentions. He will 
send his officers to take 
my wives and children, 
and my silver and gold, 
although I agreed to 
deliver all to him." 
{I}8_{/}The elders and 
the people said to him, 
"Pay no attention to him 
and do not agree to what 
he asks." {I}9_{/}So the 
king of Israel told Ben-
hadad's messengers, "Tell 
my master, the king, I 
will do everything you 
first demanded of me, but 
now it is too much." The 
messengers left and 
reported this to 
{I}10_{/}Ben-hadad who 
then answered, "May I be 
cursed if enough dust 
remains of Samaria to 
give a handful to all the 
people who follow me." 
{I}11_{/}But the king of 
Israel answered, "Let not 
he who puts on his armor 
boast like one who takes 
it off." {I}12_{/}Ben-
hadad was drinking with 
the kings in the booths 
when he heard this 
message. So he said to 
his officers, "Take your 
positions." And they took 
their positions against 
the city.
{I}13_{/}Then a prophet 
approached Ahab king of 
Israel and said, "Have 
you seen this immense 
crowd? This is the word 
of Yahweh: I will deliver 
it into your hands today 
and you shall know that I 
am Yahweh." {I}14_{/}Ahab 
asked, "Who is to win 
over him?" The prophet 
replied, "The guards of 
the governors of the 
districts, for this is 
Yahweh's order." Again 
the king asked, "Who 
shall begin the battle?" 
He replied, "You!"
{I}15_{/}And so the king 
of Israel mustered the 
guards of the governors 
of the districts, 
numbering two hundred and 
thirty-two. After that, 
he mustered all the 
Israelites, numbering 
seven thousand.
{I}16_{/}They set out at 
noon while Ben-hadad was 
drinking himself drunk in 
the booths, together with 
the thirty-two kings who 
helped him. {I}17_{/}The 
guards of the governors 
of the districts went out 
first. Someone reported 
to Ben-hadad, "People are 
coming out from Samaria." 
{I}18_{/}He said, "If 
they have come out for 
peace, take them alive; 
if for war, take them 
alive as well."
{I}19_{/}So the guards of 
the governors of the city 
went out, and the army 
followed them, 
{I}20_{/}and each one 
began to kill his man. 
The Arameans fled, with 
the Israelites pursuing 
them. Ben-hadad, king of 
Aram was able to escape 
on a horse with horsemen, 
{I}21_{/}but the king of 
Israel captured horses 
and chariots and utterly 
defeated the Arameans. 
{I}22_{/}Then the prophet 
came again to the king of 
Israel and said to 
him,"Courage, be on your 
guard and ponder well 
your next action, for 
next year the king of 
Aram will come up against 
you."
{I}23_{/}The officers of 
the king of Aram said to 
him, "Their gods are gods 
of the hills; that is why 
they were stronger than 
us. {I}24_{/}Let us fight 
against them on the plain 
and we shall overcome 
them. But you must also 
replace the princes with 
officers appointed by 
you. {I}25_{/}When you 
have gathered an army 
like the one you have 
lost, with the same 
amount of horses and 
chariots, we will fight 
on the plain, then we 
shall see who is 
stronger." Ben-hadad 
listened to their advice 
and did just that.
VICTORY OVER THE 
ARAMEANS{/}

{I}26_{/}In the spring, 
Ben-hadad mustered the 
Arameans and set out for 
Aphek to fight against 
Israel. {I}27_{/}The 
Israelites were also 
mustered and they set out 
against the Arameans. As 
they encamped, the 
Israelites looked like 
two little herds of 
goats, whereas the 
Arameans filled the 
countryside. {I}28_{/}A 
man of God approached the 
king of Israel and said 
to him, "Thus says 
Yahweh: Because the 
Arameans have said: 
'Yahweh is a god of the 
hills but not of the 
valleys,' therefore I 
will deliver this immense 
crowd into your hands and 
you shall know that I am 
Yahweh." {I}29_{/}And 
they encamped facing each 
other for seven days.
On the seventh day, the 
battle was engaged and 
that day the Israelites 
killed a hundred thousand 
Aramean foot soldiers. 
{I}30_{/}As the rest fled 
into the city of Aphek, 
the wall fell on the 
twenty-seven thousand men 
that were left. Ben-hadad 
himself fled and entered 
an inner room in the 
city. {I}31_{/}His 
officers said to him, 
"People say that the 
kings of Israel are 
merciful kings. Let us 
put sackcloth around our 
waists; perhaps he will 
spare your life."
{I}32_{/}So, putting 
sackcloth around their 
waists and ropes around 
their necks, they went to 
the king of Israel and 
said, "Your servant, Ben-
hadad, pleads, 'Please, 
let me live." He then 
asked, "Is he still 
alive? He is my brother." 
{I}33_{/}They quickly 
took up his word and 
said, "Yes, Ben-hadad is 
your brother." The king 
of Israel then said, "Go, 
bring him here."
Ben-hadad came to him and 
he let Ben-hadad get into 
his chariot. 
{I}34_{/}Ben-hadad then 
said to him, "I will give 
back the cities which my 
father took from your 
father, and you may put 
up business 
establishments for 
yourself in Damascus just 
as my father did in 
Samaria." He then made an 
agreement with Ben-hadad 
and let him go.
{I}35_{/}Now the word of 
Yahweh was directed to 
one of the fellow 
prophets, so he said to 
his companion, "Strike 
me, please." But his 
companion refused to 
strike him. {I}36_{/}So 
he said to him, "Since 
you have not obeyed the 
voice of Yahweh, once you 
leave me, a lion shall 
kill you." And, indeed, 
as soon as he had left, a 
lion found him and killed 
him.
{I}37_{/}Then the fellow 
prophet found another man 
to whom he said, "Please, 
strike me." This man 
struck him, wounding him. 
{I}38_{/}Then this 
prophet left, disguising 
himself with a bandage 
over his eyes, and waited 
for the king along the 
road. {I}39_{/}When the 
king passed, he called to 
him and said, "O King! I, 
your servant, went into 
the thick of the battle 
when a soldier left the 
line and brought me a 
man, saying: 'Guard this 
man. Should he escape, 
your life shall be in 
exchange for his, or else 
you shall pay a talent of 
silver.' {I}40_{/}While I 
was busy running around, 
my prisoner disappeared." 
The king of Israel said 
to him, "You yourself 
have said what your 
sentence shall be."
{I}41_{/}At once the man 
removed the bandage from 
his eyes and the king of 
Israel recognized him as 
one of the prophets. 
{I}42_{/}Then the prophet 
told him, "Because you 
have released the man 
whom I have decreed to 
die, your life shall be 
in exchange for his and 
your people for his 
people." {I}43_{/}And the 
king of Israel went back 
home to Samaria, 
resentful and sad.
NABOTH'S VINEYARD{/}

{1}21{/}

{I}1_{/}Now Naboth, a man 
from Jezreel, owned a 
vineyard just beside the 
palace of Ahab, king of 
Samaria. {I}2_{/}Ahab 
asked Naboth, "Give me 
your vineyard which is 
near my house that I may 
use it for a vegetable 
garden. I will give you a 
better vineyard in 
exchange. Or, if you 
prefer, I will pay you 
its price."
{I}3_{/}But Naboth said 
to Ahab, "Yahweh forbid 
that I should give you 
the inheritance of my 
fathers."
{I}4_{/}So Ahab went home 
angry and sad because of 
what Naboth had told him, 
that he would not give 
him the inheritance of 
his fathers. So he lay 
down on his bed with his 
face turned toward the 
wall and refused to eat.
{I}5_{/}His wife Jezebel 
came to him and said, 
"Why are you so angry 
that you refuse to eat?" 
{I}6_{/}He answered, "I 
spoke to Naboth the 
Jezreelite and asked him 
to sell me his vineyard 
or to exchange it for 
another better one but he 
answered: I will not give 
you my vineyard."
{I}7_{/}His wife Jezebel 
said to him, "Are you not 
king of Israel? Get up 
and eat and be joyful, 
for I will give you the 
vineyard of Naboth of 
Jezreel."
{I}8_{/}So Jezebel wrote 
letters using Ahab's name 
and sealed them with his 
seal, and sent the 
letters to the elders and 
important persons living 
near Naboth. {I}9_{/}This 
is what she wrote in the 
letters, "Declare a fast 
and put Naboth on trial. 
{I}10_{/}Get two 
worthless fellows to 
accuse him in this way: 
'You have cursed God and 
the king.' Then take him 
out and stone him to 
death."
{I}11_{/}The people, the 
elders and the important 
persons who lived in his 
city did as Jezebel had 
instructed them in the 
letters she sent to them. 
{I}12_{/}They declared a 
fast and put Naboth on 
trial. {I}13_{/}The two 
worthless fellows came in 
and sat facing him, 
accusing Naboth before 
the people, "Naboth 
cursed God and the king!" 
So the people took him 
outside the city and 
stoned him to death. 
{I}14_{/}They then sent 
word to Jezebel that 
Naboth had been stoned 
and was dead.
{I}15_{/}As soon as 
Jezebel heard that Naboth 
had been stoned and was 
dead, she told Ahab, "Now 
take possession of the 
vineyard of Naboth, the 
man of Jezreel who 
refused to sell it to 
you, for Naboth is now 
dead." {I}16_{/}As soon 
as Ahab heard that Naboth 
was dead, he went down to 
the vineyard of Naboth 
and took possession of 
it.
{I}17_{/}Then Yahweh 
spoke to Elijah of 
Tishbe, {I}18_{/}"Go down 
to meet Ahab, king of 
Israel, in Samaria. He is 
taking possession of the 
vineyard of Naboth. 
{I}19_{/}Say to him: 
'Have you killed and have 
taken possession at the 
same time?' Then give him 
this word of mine: 'Dogs 
shall lick your blood in 
the very place where the 
dogs licked the blood of 
Naboth.'"
{I}20_{/}Ahab then said 
to Elijah, "Who, better 
than my enemy, could find 
me here and now!" Elijah 
answered, "I have come to 
you because you have done 
what Yahweh abhors. 
{I}21_{/}This is Yahweh's 
word: I will bring 
disgrace on you. I will 
sweep you away and cut 
off every male of your 
family, from the lowliest 
to the greatest. 
{I}22_{/}Your family will 
disappear like the 
families of Jeroboam and 
Baasa, because you have 
offended me and have 
dragged Israel into sin. 
{I}23_{/}There is another 
word of Yahweh to 
Jezebel: 'The dogs shall 
devour Jezebel within the 
territory of Jezreel.' 
{I}24_{/}If anyone of 
Ahab's line dies in the 
city, he shall be 
devoured by dogs; if in 
the green country, the 
birds of the air shall 
feed on him."
{I}25_{/}There was no one 
like Ahab, urged by his 
wife Jezebel, in doing 
what Yahweh abhorred. 
{I}26_{/}He did horrible 
things and ran after 
unclean idols just as the 
Amorites had done, from 
whom Yahweh had taken the 
land to give it to 
Israel.
{I}27_{/}On hearing these 
words, Ahab tore his 
clothes and put on 
sackcloth. He fasted as 
he lay in sackcloth and 
moved around 
despondently. 
{I}28_{/}Then Yahweh said 
to Elijah the Tishbite, 
"Have you seen how Ahab 
has humbled himself? 
{I}29_{/}Because of this 
I will not bring about 
the disaster during his 
reign; during his son's 
reign disgrace will fall 
on his family."
{1}22{/}

{I}1_{/}There was no war 
between Aram and Israel 
for three years. 
{I}2_{/}But in the third 
year, Jehoshaphat, king 
of Judah, came down to 
the king of Israel. 
{I}3_{/}The king of 
Israel then talked to his 
officers, "Have you 
forgotten that Ramoth-
gilead belongs to us? Yet 
we do nothing to take it 
back from the Arameans." 
{I}4_{/}So he asked 
Jehoshaphat, "Will you 
come with me to conquer 
Ramoth-gilead?" 
Jehoshaphat answered the 
king of Israel, "I am 
with you, my people are 
with your people, and my 
horses with yours."
MICAIAH AND THE FALSE 
PROPHETS{/}

{I}5_{/}Jehoshaphat, king 
of Judah, said to the 
king of Israel, "Let us 
consult Yahweh before 
setting out for war." 
{I}6_{/}So the king of 
Israel gathered all the 
prophets, numbering about 
four hundred men, and 
asked them, "Shall I go 
to conquer Ramoth-gilead, 
or shall I hold back?" 
They replied, "Go, for 
Yahweh will deliver the 
city into your hands."
{I}7_{/}Jehoshaphat 
asked, "Is there no other 
prophet of Yahweh around 
here whom we might ask?" 
{I}8_{/}The king of 
Israel answered, "There 
is still one through whom 
we may ask for Yahweh's 
counsel; but I hate him, 
for he never prophesies 
good about me but only 
evil. It is Micaiah, son 
of Imlah." Then 
Jehoshaphat said, "Don't 
speak in this manner." 
{I}9_{/}So the king of 
Israel called an official 
and told him, "Bring 
quickly Micaiah, son of 
Imlah."
{I}10_{/}Meantime, the 
king of Israel and 
Jehoshaphat, king of 
Judah, were seated on 
their thrones, fully 
robed. They were both at 
the threshing floor by 
the entrance gate of 
Samaria where the 
prophets continued to 
prophesy before them. 
{I}11_{/}There was 
Zedekiah, son of 
Chenaanah who made for 
himself horns from iron 
and said, "Thus says 
Yahweh: 'With these horns 
you shall strike the 
Arameans until they are 
destroyed." 
{I}12_{/}All the prophets 
said the same, "Go to 
Ramoth-gilead and 
triumph. Yahweh will 
deliver it into the hands 
of the king."
{I}13_{/}The official who 
went to summon Micaiah 
said to him, "Look here, 
all the prophets agree to 
foretell a happy end to 
the king. You too agree 
to speak favorably." 
{I}14_{/}But Micaiah 
replied, "As Yahweh 
lives, I will speak what 
Yahweh tells me to." 
{I}15_{/}When he had 
come, the king asked him, 
"Micaiah, shall we go to 
conquer Ramoth-gilead or 
shall we hold back?" Then 
Micaiah answered, "Go and 
triumph! Yahweh will give 
the city into the hands 
of the king!" 
{I}16_{/}But the king 
said to him, "How many 
times shall I ask you to 
speak seriously to me and 
tell me the truth in the 
name of Yahweh?" 
{I}17_{/}Then Micaiah 
said, "I saw all Israel 
scattered on the 
mountains like sheep 
without a shepherd. Then 
Yahweh said: These have 
no master; so let each 
return to his home in 
peace." 
{I}18_{/}So the king of 
Israel said to 
Jehoshaphat, "Did I not 
tell you that he would 
not prophesy good about 
me, but only evil?" 
{I}19_{/}Micaiah replied, 
"Listen again to this 
word of Yahweh. I saw 
Yahweh sitting on his 
throne with the entire 
host of Heaven standing 
beside him on his right 
and on his left. 
{I}20_{/}Then Yahweh 
asked: 'Who will deceive 
the king of Israel that 
he may go and fall at 
Ramoth-gilead?' One said 
one thing and another, 
another thing. 
{I}21_{/}Then a spirit 
came forward and stood 
before Yahweh, saying: 'I 
will deceive him.' 
{I}22_{/}Yahweh then 
asked him, 'What will you 
do?' To this he replied: 
'I will go and make 
myself a lying spirit on 
the lips of all his 
prophets.' Then Yahweh 
said, 'You shall succeed. 
Go and do just that.'
{I}23_{/}You must know 
that Yahweh has put a 
lying spirit in the 
mouths of all these 
prophets of yours because 
he willed to bring evil 
on you."
{I}24_{/}Then Zedekiah, 
son of Chena-anah, 
approached Micaiah, 
struck him, and said, 
"Has the Spirit of Yahweh 
left me to speak to you?" 
{I}25_{/}Micaiah replied, 
"You shall discover for 
yourself on the day you 
flee from house to house 
to hide."
{I}26_{/}Then the king of 
Israel ordered, "Seize 
Micaiah and take him back 
to Amon, governor of the 
city, and to Joash, the 
king's son. {I}27_{/}Give 
them this order: 'Throw 
this man in prison and 
feed him with scant fare 
of bread and water until 
I come in peace."
{I}28_{/}Then Micaiah 
said, "If you return in 
peace, then Yahweh has 
not spoken through me."
DEATH OF THE KING OF 
ISRAEL{/}

{I}29_{/}So the king of 
Israel went up to Ramoth-
gilead together with the 
king of Judah. 
{I}30_{/}The king of 
Israel told Jehoshaphat, 
"I will disguise myself 
before the battle, but 
you wear your robes." So 
the king of Israel 
disguised himself before 
the battle. 
{I}31_{/}Now the king of 
Aram had commanded the 
thirty-two captains of 
his chariots, "Attack no 
one, big or small, but 
only the king of Israel." 
{I}32_{/}When the 
captains of the chariots 
saw Jehoshaphat, they 
thought, "That surely is 
the king of Israel." So 
they turned to attack 
him. But when Jehoshaphat 
shouted his cry of war, 
{I}33_{/}the captains of 
the chariots saw that it 
was not the king of 
Israel and they no longer 
pursued him.
{I}34_{/}In the meantime 
one of the Arameans drew 
his bow, without knowing 
at whom he aimed, and hit 
the king of Israel 
between the scale armor 
and the breastplate. The 
king then ordered the 
driver of his chariot, 
"Turn around and carry me 
out of the battle for I 
am wounded." {I}35_{/}The 
battle raged fiercely on 
that day. Meanwhile, the 
king was propped up in 
his chariot, facing the 
Arameans, until the 
evening when he died. The 
blood from his wound 
flowed down into the 
bottom of the chariot. 
{I}36_{/}At about sunset, 
a cry went through the 
camp, "Everyone to his 
city, and everyone to his 
country! {I}37_{/}The 
king has died!"
The king was brought to 
Samaria and was buried 
there. {I}38_{/}But they 
washed the chariot by the 
pool of Samaria. So the 
dogs licked up his blood, 
while the harlots bathed 
in it in accordance with 
the word spoken by 
Yahweh.
{I}39_{/}The rest of the 
acts of Ahab, his deeds, 
the ivory house he built, 
and the cities he 
restored are all written 
in the Book of the 
Chronicles of the Kings 
of Israel. {I}40_{/}So 
Ahab rested with his 
fathers and his son 
Ahaziah reigned in his 
place.
{I}41_{/}Jehoshaphat, son 
of Asa, began to reign 
over Judah in the fourth 
year of Ahab, king of 
Israel. {I}42_{/}He was 
thirty-five years old 
when he began to reign, 
and he reigned for 
twenty-five years in 
Jerusalem. His mother was 
Azubah, daughter of 
Shilhi. {I}43_{/}He 
conducted himself like 
his father Asa, and did 
what pleased Yahweh 
without hesitation. Yet, 
he did not remove the 
high places where the 
people continued to 
sacrifice and burn 
incense. 
{I}44_{/}Jehoshaphat had 
peace with the king of 
Israel.
{I}45_{/}The rest of the 
acts of Jehoshaphat, his 
bravery and his war 
exploits are written in 
the Book of the 
Chronicles of the Kings 
of Judah. {I}46_{/}He 
also removed from the 
land the remaining male 
cult prostitutes, 
completing the work of 
his father Asa.
{I}47_{/}There was no 
king in Edom but a 
governor ruled over it. 
{I}48_{/}Jehoshaphat had 
Tarshish ships go to 
Ophir for gold, but the 
venture failed when_the 
ships were wrecked at 
Eziongeber. {I}49_{/}Then 
Ahaziah, son of Ahab, 
said to Jehoshaphat, "Let 
my servants go in the 
ships with your 
servants." Jehoshaphat, 
however, refused. 
{I}50_{/}When Jehoshaphat 
rested with his fathers, 
he was buried with them 
in the city of his 
ancestor David and his 
son Jehoram reigned in 
his place.

