5 The bronze altar, which Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, was there before the tabernacle of the LORD, and Solomon and the assembly sought it out. 6 Solomon went before the LORD to the bronze altar at the tabernacle and offered 1,000 burnt offerings on it. 7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, "What do you want Me to give you?" 8 Solomon said to God, "You have shown great loving kindness to my father and have made me king in his place." 9 "Your promise to my father David has been fulfilled, for you have made me king over a numerous people." 10 "Give me wisdom and knowledge that I may know how to rule this people, for who can rule so great a people as Your people?" 11 God said, "Because you did not ask for riches, honor or the life of those who hate you, and have not even asked for long life, but only wisdom and knowledge so that you may rule My people over whom I have made you king," 12 "I have granted you wisdom and knowledge. And I will also give you riches and honor such as no king before you has possessed nor will any after you." 13 So Solomon left the high place at Gibeon, the tent of meeting, back to Jerusalem, and reigned over Israel.

14 Solomon came to have 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen. He stationed them in the chariot cities and at Jerusalem with the king. 15 He made silver and gold as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars as plentiful as sycamores in the lowland. 16 Solomon imported horses from Egypt and from Kue for a price. 17 Chariots were imported from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver apiece and horses for 150 apiece. These he then exported to the kings of the Hittites and Aram.

2 Chronicles 2 - RWB Paraphrase (18 V)
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Solomon Decides To Build A House For The Lord
1 Solomon decided to build a house for the name of he Lord, and a palace for himself. 2 So he assigned 70,000 men to carry loads and 80,000 men to quarry stone in the mountains and 600 as overseers.

3 Then Solomon sent word to Hiram the king of Tyre, saying, "I would like you to send me cedars as you did for my father David." 4 "I am about to build a house for the name of the LORD my God. It will be a place to burn fragrant incense before Him, to set out showbread continually, and to offer burnt offerings morning and evening, on Sabbaths and new moons and on the appointed feasts of the LORD our God that are required in Israel forever." 5 "Because our God is greater than all gods, I will build a house for Him that is great." 6 "But who is able to build a house big enough for Him, for the highest heavens cannot contain Him? So who am I to build a house for Him, except to burn incense before Him?"

7 "Now send me a man skilled in fashioning gold, silver, brass and iron, and in purple, crimson and violet fabrics, and who knows how to make engravings, to work with the skilled men whom I have in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided." 8 "Send me cedar, cypress and algum timber from Lebanon. I know that your servants know how to cut timber, and my servants can work with your servants," 9 "to prepare timber in abundance for the great and wonderful house I am about to build." 10 "I will give to your servants, the woodsmen who cut the timber, 20,000 kors of crushed wheat, 20,000 kors of barley, 20,000 baths of wine and 20,000 baths of oil."

11 Then Hiram, king of Tyre, answered in a letter to Solomon, saying, "The LORD loves His people because He has made you king over them." 12 "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth and gave David a wise son, who has been endowed with discretion and understanding, who will build a house for the LORD and a royal palace for himself." 13 "Now I am sending Huram-abi, a skilled man, endowed with understanding," 14 the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan and a father from Tyre, who knows how to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone and wood, and in purple, violet, linen and crimson fabrics. He knows how to make all kinds of engravings and to create any design assigned to him. He can work with your skilled men and with those of my lord David your father. 15 "Now let my lord send to his servants the wheat, barley, oil and wine, of which he has spoken." 16 "We will cut from Lebanon the timber you need and raft it by sea to Joppa. From there you may then take it up to Jerusalem."

17 Solomon numbered the aliens who were in Israel following the census his father David had taken. There were 153,600 aliens. 18 He appointed 70,000 of them to carry loads, 80,000 to quarry stones in the mountains and 3,600 supervisors to manage the workers.

2 Chronicles 3 - RWB Paraphrase (17 V)
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Solomon Begins To Build The House Of The Lord
1 Solomon began to build the house of the LORD on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. It had been the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite when David bought it from him because that is where the LORD appeared to him. 2 He began building on the second day of the second month of the fourth year of his reign. 3 Here are the dimensions of the foundation he laid for the house of God. It was sixty by twenty cubits (90 x 30 feet). 4 The porch on the front of the house was along the entire width, twenty cubits (30 feet), and the height was 120 cubits (180 feet). Its inside was overlaid with pure gold. 5 He overlaid the main room with cypress wood and then fine gold ornamented with palm trees and chains. 6 He adorned the house with precious stones, and he used the gold from Parvaim. 7 The beams, thresholds and walls he overlaid with gold and he carved cherubim on the walls. 8 He made the most holy part of the house twenty cubits long and twenty cubits wide (30 by 30 feet). He overlaid it with 600 talents of fine gold. 9 The weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. He also overlaid the upper rooms with gold. 10 He made two sculptured cherubim for the most holy place and overlaid them with pure gold. 11 The wingspan of the cherubim together was twenty cubit (30 feet). Each wing of each cherubim was five cubits so that one wing touched the wall on one side and its other wing touched the wing of the other cherubim. 12 Each wing of the other cherubim was five cubits and with one wing it touched the opposite wall while its other wing touched the wing of the first cherubim. 13 Together their wings extended twenty cubits (30 feet), and they stood with their faces toward the center. 14 He made the veil of blue, purple and crimson, and fine linen with images of cherubim on it.

15 He made two pillars for the front of the house, thirty five cubits high with capitals five cubits tall making the height a total of 40 cubits (60 feet). 16 He made chains of 100 pomegranates for the tops of the pillars, 17 and erected the pillars on each side of the front of the temple. The one on the right was named Jachin and the one on the left was Boaz.

2 Chronicles 4 - RWB Paraphrase (22 V)
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A List of Things Solomon Made for the Temple
1 He made a bronze altar twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide and ten cubits high (30 feet square and 15 feet high). 2 He cast the metal sea with a diameter of ten cubits (fifteen feet) and five cubits (7.5 feet) high. Its circumference was 30 cubits (45 feet).

3 Under it were figures of oxen that were cast in two rows and were all of one piece. 4 There were twelve oxen. Three faced the north, three facing west, three facing south and three facing east. And the sea was set on top of them with their hindquarters turned in. 5 They were a handbreadth thick and its brim was like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held 3,000 baths (17,700 gallons). 6 He also made ten basins for washing for burnt offerings, five on each side. But the sea was only to be used by the priests.

7 He made ten lamp stands according to the prescribed pattern and set them in the temple, five on the right and five on the left. 8 He made ten tables and placed them in the temple, five on the right and five on the left. And he made 100 bowls.

9 He made the court of the priests and the great court and the doors of the court he overlaid with bronze.

10 He set the sea on the right side of the house toward the south east. 11 Huram made pails, shovels and bowls. And so he finished doing the work on the house of God for King Solomon. 12 He also finished the two pillars, the two bowls and two capitals on top of the pillars, the two networks to cover the capitals which were on top of the pillars, 13 and the 400 pomegranates for the two networks, a row of pomegranates for each network to cover the two bowls of the capitals on the two pillars. 14 He also made stands with basins, 15 and the sea with twelve oxen under it. 16 The pails, shovels, forks and other utensils, Huram made for Solomon of polished bronze for the house of the LORD. 17 The king had them cast in the clay ground on the plain of the Jordan between Succoth and Zeredah. 18 Solomon made all the utensils in great quantities. No one kept track of how much bronze was used. 19 He also made the things in the house of God, such as the golden altar, and the tables where the shewbread was to be placed, 20 the lamp stands with their lamps of pure gold, to burn in front of the inner sanctuary in the prescribed way, 21 the flowers, the lamps and tongs of purest gold, 22 the snuffers, bowls, spoons and firepans of pure gold, the entrance to the house, its inner doors for the most holy place and the doors to the outer part of the temple, all of gold.

2 Chronicles 5 - RWB Paraphrase (14 V)
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Solomon Finished Building the House of God
1 Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD. He brought in the things his father David had dedicated, silver and gold, and all the utensils, placing them in the treasuries of the house of the LORD.

2 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel in Jerusalem with the heads of tribes and leaders of fathers' households from throughout Israel, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Mount Zion. 3 All the men of Israel assembled themselves at the feast in the seventh month.

Israel Brings the Ark of the Covenant into the Finish House of God
4 Then the elders came and the Levites took up the ark. 5 The Levitical priests brought the ark, the tent of meeting and all the utensils that were in the tent. 6 King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel assembled before the ark, and sacrificed so many sheep and oxen that they did not keep count. 7 Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the most holy place under the wings of the cherubim, 8 whose wings were spread over the ark and its poles. 9 The poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the inner sanctuary, but not from outside. And they are there to this day.

10 There was nothing in the ark except the two tables of stone which Moses put there at Mount Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with Israel when they came out of Egypt. 11 When the priests came out of the most holy place (for they had all sanctified themselves), 12 and all the Levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and kinsmen, clothed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps and lyres, standing east of the altar, and with them one hundred and twenty priests blowing trumpets, 13 all in unison when the trumpeters and the singers were to make themselves heard with one voice to praise and glorify the LORD, and when they lifted up their voices accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and instruments of music, and when they praised the LORD saying, "He indeed is good for His lovingkindness is everlasting," then the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, 14 so that the priests could not stand to minister, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.

2 Chronicles 6 - RWB Paraphrase (42 V)
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Solomon Prays to the Lord
1 Then Solomon said, "The LORD has said that He would dwell in a thick cloud." 2 "I have built you a lofty house, a place for Your dwelling forever."

3 Then the king faced about and blessed all the assembly of Israel while they were standing. 4 He said, "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David, and has fulfilled with His hands the words He spoke, saying." 5 "Since the day that I brought you out of Egypt I did not choose a city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house that My name should be there. Neither did I choose a man as leader over my people Israel." 6 "But now I have chosen Jerusalem that My name should be there, and I chose David to be over My people Israel."

7 "It was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the name of the LORD God of Israel." 8 "But the LORD said to him, 'It is well that you wanted to build a house for My name.'" 9 "Nevertheless, you shall not build the house, but your son shall build a house for My name."

10 "Now the LORD has fulfilled His word, for I have risen in my father's place and sit on the throne of Israel, and as the LORD promised, I have built the house for His name." 11 "I have placed the ark of the covenant of the LORD in this house." 12 Then he stood before the altar of the LORD and spread out his hands in the presence of the entire assembly of Israel. 13 Now Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide and three cubits high. He had put it in the midst of the court and was standing on it. Then he knelt down on his knees and spreading out his hands to heaven, 14 he said, "O LORD, the God of Israel, there is no god like You in heaven or on earth. You keep Your covenant and show lovingkindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts." 15 "You have kept what You promised to Your servant, my father David. You have fulfilled this day Your words to him." 16 "Now, O LORD God of Israel, please keep that which You spoke to my father David, when You said there would always be a descendant of David on the throne of Israel. Your only stipulation is that each one of them walk in Your law as David walked in it." 17 "Now, O LORD God of Israel, let Your word be confirmed which You have spoken to Your servant David."

18 "But will God indeed dwell with mankind on earth? Behold the highest heaven cannot contain You. How much less this house which I have built." 19 "Yet You have regard for the prayer of Your servant, O LORD my God, to hear my supplication to You," 20 "that Your eye may watch this house day and night, the place where You have said You will put Your name and listen to the prayer of Your servant who prays toward this place."

21 "Listen to the prayers of Your servant and Your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from Your dwelling place in heaven. Hear and forgive." 22 "If a man sins against his neighbor, and he makes an oath before Your altar in this house," 23 "then hear from heaven and act, judging Your servants. Punish the wicked by bringing his own ways upon himself and justify the righteous according to his righteousness."

24 "If your people Israel are defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against You, and they repent and confess Your name, and pray before You in this house," 25 "then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which you gave to them and their fathers."

26 "When it does not rain because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place confessing Your name, and turning from their sins," 27 "then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel. And teach them the good way they should be walking. And send rain on Your land which You have given Your people for an inheritance."

28 "If there is famine in the land, or pestilence, blight, mildew, locust or grasshopper, if their enemies besiege them, or whatever plague or sickness comes," 29 "whatever prayer of supplication is made by any man, or by all Israel, each knowing his own affliction and pain, when he prays toward this house," 30 "hear from Your dwelling place in heaven, forgive and render to each according to his ways. For You alone know the hearts of the sons of men," 31 "that they may fear You, and walk in Your ways all their lives in the land which You gave to our fathers."

32 "And concerning the foreigner who comes from a far country for Your great name's sake and the majesty of Your mighty hand outstretched arm, when they come and pray toward this house," 33 "then hear from Your dwelling place in heaven, and do for the foreigner who calls to You what he asks, so that all the people of the earth may fear You and know that this house which I have built is called by Your name."

34 "When Your people go out to battle against their enemies, and they pray to You toward this place which You have chosen and that is called by Your name," 35 "then hear from heaven their prayer of supplication, and maintain their cause."

36 "When they sin against You, for everyone sins, and You are angry with them and deliver them to their enemy who takes them captive to a land far away," 37 "if while they are in that land they repent and make supplication to You, admitting their sin," 38 "and if they turn to You with all their soul, and pray toward this land which You gave to their fathers, and toward the house which I have built for Your name," 39 "then hear their prayer from heaven where You dwell. Maintain their cause and forgive Your people who have sinned against You."

40 "Now, O my God, I pray that Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place." 41 "Come into Your resting place, to the ark of Your might. Let Your priests be clothed with salvation and let Your godly ones rejoice in what is good." 42 "O LORD God, do not turn away the face of Your anointed. Remember Your lovingkindness to Your servant David."

2 Chronicles 7 - RWB Paraphrase (22 V)
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Fire Fell From Heaven
1 When Solomon had finished praying, fire fell from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the house. 2 The priests could not enter the house of the LORD because the glory of the LORD filled it. 3 Seeing this the people bowed with their faces to the pavement, and they worshiped and praised the LORD, saying, "Truly the LORD is good and His mercy endures forever." 4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD. 5 King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. Thus king and the people dedicated the house of the God. 6 The priests stood at their posts, and the Levites with their musical instruments that King David had provided, praising the LORD for His enduring mercy. The priests on the other side blew trumpets while all Israel stood.

7 Then Solomon consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD. This was where he offered the burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings because the bronze altar he had made was not able to contain all the burnt offering, grain offering and the fat.

8 So Solomon observed the feast for seven days, and all Israel observed it with him. A very great assembly came from as far away as the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of Egypt. 9 On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly to dedicate the altar. This along with the feast lasted seven days. 10 On the twenty third day of the seventh month he sent the people to their tents. There was much rejoicing because of the LORD's goodness shown to David and Solomon and to His people Israel. 11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD and the king's palace, successfully completing all that he had planned.

The LORD Appeared to Solomon
12 The LORD appeared to Solomon that night and said to him, "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice." 13 "If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people," 14 "and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and heal their land." 15 "My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place." 16 "For I have chosen and consecrated this house that My name may be there forever, and My eyes and My heart will always be there."

17 "As for you, if you walk before me as your father David did, doing all that I have commanded you, keeping My statutes and My ordinances," 18 "then I will establish your royal throne as I promised your father David when I told him that he would not lack a man to rule Israel." 19 "But if you turn from Me and forsake My statutes and My commandments, and worship other gods," 20 "then I will uproot you from My land. And this house which I have consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight. It will become a proverb among the nations." 21 "This house which was exalted will cause astonishment and people will ask why the LORD did this to this land this house?" 22 "They will know that this people forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who brought them up from Egypt, and they then adopted other gods, worshiping and serving them. This will be why He has brought this adversity upon them."

2 Chronicles 8 - RWB Paraphrase (18 V)
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Solomon Goes into the Shipping Business
1 After twenty years Solomon had finished building the house of the LORD and his own house. 2 Then he turned to building cities which Hiram had restored to Israel and settled the children of Israel in those cities. 3 Then he captured Hamathzobah. 4 He built Tadmor in the wilderness and all the storage cities in Hamath. 5 He also built upper and lower Bethhoron and fortified them with walls, gates and bars. 6 He also built Baalath and all the storage cities with additional cities for his chariots and horsemen. He built whatever he fancied in Jerusalem, Lebanon and all the land under his rule. 7 Those people that were left of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, who had not been destroyed when Israel entered Canaan, 8 Solomon made to be forced laborers. 9 But he did not make slaves of the children of Israel. They were men of war, his chief captains and commanders of his chariots and horsemen. 10 Solomon had two hundred and fifty chief officers who ruled over the people.

11 Then Solomon brought Pharaoh's daughter up from the city of David to the house he had built for her. He did not think it proper for her to live in the house of David, since the ark of the LORD had been kept there and it was holy.

12 Solomon offered burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of the LORD which he had built in front of the porch. 13 He did this according to the daily schedule of sacrifices as Moses had commanded for the Sabbaths, new moons and annual feasts, such as the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Booths.

14 He appointed the divisions of the priests for their service according to the plan David had developed. He also appointed the Levites their duties of praise and ministering before the priests according to the daily rule, as well as the gatekeepers by their divisions at every gate, just as David the man of God had commanded. 15 And they did not depart in any manner from the commandment of the king to the priests and Levites, nor concerning the storehouses. 16 Solomon carried out all the work from the day of the foundation of the house of the LORD was set in place until it had been completed.

17 Then Solomon went to Eziongeber and to Eloth on the seashore in Edom. 18 Hiram sent his servants who were sailors with ships. And Solomon's servants went with them to Ophir and brought back four hundred and fifty talents of gold to King Solomon.

2 Chronicles 9 - RWB Paraphrase (31 V)
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The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon
1 Hearing of Solomon's fame, the queen of Sheba came to Jerusalem to test him with some difficult questions. She came with a large ritinue of camels carrying spices and a large amount of gold and precious stones. She spoke with him about all that was on her heart. 2 And Solomon answered all her questions. 3 When she had observed his wisdom, and the house he had built, 4 the food on his table and the seating of his servants, his ministers and their attire, his cupbearers and their attire, and the stairway by which he went up to the house of the LORD, it took her breath away. 5 She said, "The report I heard of your wisdom is true," 6 "but I wanted to come and see for myself. And the half was not told to me." 7 "Your people are so blessed to be in your presence and hear your wisdom." 8 "Blessed be the LORD your God who delighted in you, setting you on His throne as king for Him, because He loved Israel and established them forever. He made you king over them to do judgment with justice." 9 She gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold and a great amount of spices and precious stones. There had never been spices like that which the queen gave to King Solomon.

10 Hiram's servants along with Solomon's servants, who brought gold from Ophir, also brought algum trees and precious stones. 11 Solomon used the algum trees to make steps for the house of the LORD and for his palace. He also made lyres and harps with it for the singers. Nothing like it had ever been seen in Judah.

12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she requested in return for what she had brought to him. Then she and her servants returned to their own land.

13 The weight of gold that was brought to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty six talents. 14 This was in addition to what the traders and merchants brought into the country. All the kings of Arabia brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15 He made two hundred large shields of beaten gold with each shield using six hundred shekels of gold. 16 He also made three hundred shields, using three hundred shekels of gold for each one. These he placed in the house of the forest of Lebanon. 17 Besides all of this, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 The throne had six steps and a footstool of gold attached to the throne. The arms on each side of the seat were of gold and the lion standing on each side was made of gold. 19 Twelve lions stood on the steps, one at the end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom.

20 All of King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, as were all the vessels in the house of the forest of Lebanon. Silver was not considered valuable in the days of Solomon. 21 The king had ships going to Tarshish with the servants of Hiram. They came back every third year with gold, silver, ivory, apes and peacocks.

Solomon Becomes the Greatest of All Kings
22 So king Solomon became greater in riches and wisdom than all the kings of the earth. 23 And all the kings of the earth sought his presence, just to hear the wisdom God had placed in his heart. 24 Year by year they brought him gifts, articles of gold and silver, garments, weapons, spices, horses and mules.

25 Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12,000 horsemen. He stationed these in the chariot cities and in Jerusalem. 26 He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines and as far as the boarder of Egypt. 27 He made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and cedars as plentiful as sycamore trees. 28 They brought to Solomon horses from Egypt and every other country.

29 The rest of the acts of Solomon are written in the records kept by Nathan the prophet, Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat? 30 Solomon reigned over all Israel for forty years in Jerusalem. 31 And he slept with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of his father David. And his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.

2 Chronicles 10 - RWB Paraphrase (19 V)
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Rehoboam Tries to Solidify His Kingdom
1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come there to make him king. 2 Jeroboam was in Egypt and when he heard of David's death, he returned from Egypt. 3 He was summoned with all Israel and they came to Rehoboam, saying, 4 "Your father placed a heavy yoke on us. Lighten the load he laid on us and we will serve you." 5 Rehoboam said to them, "Give me three days to consider your request." So the people went away. 6 King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had advised his father Solomon. 7 They said, "Be kind to the people. Speak good words to them and they will be your servants." 8 But their counsel did not please him, so he sought the council of the young men who grew up with him. 9 He asked them, "What shall I tell the people who have requested that I lighten their burden?" 10 The young men who grew up with him said, "Tell them that your father made their yoke heavy but you will make it even heavier. Tell them that your little finger is thicker than your father's waist." 11 Say to them, "My father loaded you with a heavy yoke. I will add to that yoke. My father disciplined you with whips. I will discipline you with scorpions."

12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as he had told them to. 13 The king did not follow the council of the elders, but answered them with harsh words. 14 He followed the advice of the young men, saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it. My father disciplined you with whips. I will disciple you with scorpions." 15 This caused a turn of events spoken of by the LORD through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 16 When all Israel saw that the king had not listened to their request, they answered the king, saying, "What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance with the son of Jesse. Every man to his tent, O Israel. Look after your own house, David." And they went to their tents. 17 So Rehoboam only reigned over the cities of Judah.

18 Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was in charge of forced labor and Israel stoned him to death. Then King Rehoboam made a hasty retreat to Jerusalem. 19 And Israel has remained in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

2 Chronicles 11 - RWB Paraphrase (23 V)
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Rehoboam Establishes His Kingdom in Judah and Benjamin
1 After returning to Jerusalem, Rehoboam assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin. He had 180,000 chosen men who were warriors. With these he planned to fight against Israel and restore the kingdom to himself. 2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 3 "Speak to Rehoboam, Solomon's son, and everyone in Judah and Benjamin." 4 "Thus says the LORD, 'You shall not go up against your relatives. Every man is to return to his house, for I have planned this division.'" So they listen to the word of the LORD and did not go up against Jeroboam.

5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built cities for defense in Judah. 6 He fortified Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, 7 Bethzur, Soco, Adullam, 8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10 Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin. 11 He fortified the strongholds and placed officers in them with stores of food, oil and wine. 12 He put shields and spears in every city and greatly strengthened them. And so he held Judah and Benjamin. 13 Besides this, the priests and Levites in all of Israel stood with him from all their districts. 14 The Levites left their pasture lands and property and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had excluded them from serving as priests to the LORD.

15 Jeroboam set up his own high places for false worship using the calves which he made. 16 Those of Israel intent on following the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD God of their fathers. 17 This strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam the son of Solomon for three years, for they walked in the way of David and Solomon.

18 Then Rehoboam took as wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse. 19 She bore him three sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham. 20 After her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza and Shelomith. 21 Rehoboam loved Maacah more than all his other wives and concubines. He had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he fathered twenty eight sons and sixty daughters. 22 He appointed Abijah, the son of Maacah, as chief over his brothers, for he intended to make him king. 23 He acted wisely by dispersing some of his sons throughout the territories of Judah and Benjamin in the fortified cities. He gave them food in abundance and many wives.

2 Chronicles 12 - RWB Paraphrase (16 V)
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Rehoboam Does not Continue to Follow the Lord
1 When Rehoboam had established the kingdom and was strong, he and all Israel forsook the law of the LORD. 2 Because of their unfaithfulness, in his fifth year Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. 3 He had 1,200 chariots and 60,000 horsemen. The people who came with him from Egypt were without number: the Lubims, the Sukkiims and the Ethiopians. 4 Shishak captured the fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem. 5 Then Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and the princes of Judah gathered at Jerusalem, and said to them, "Thus says the LORD, 'You have forsaken Me, so I have also forsaken you to Shishak.'" 6 So the king and the princes of Israel humbled themselves and said, "The LORD is righteous." 7 When the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, He sent word through Shemaiah, saying, "They have humbled themselves so I will not destroy them. I will grant them a measure of deliverance and not use Shishak to pour out My wrath on Jerusalem." 8 "But I will let them become his slaves that they may learn the difference between serving Me and serving other countries."

9 So Shishak king of Egypt came against Jerusalem and took the treasures from the LORD's house and from the king's palace. He took everything, including the shields Solomon had made. 10 So King Rehoboam made shields of bronze in their place and committed them to the care of the commanders of the guard in the king's house. 11 As often as the king went up to the house of the LORD, his guards carried them and then brought them back to the guards' room. 12 And when he humbled himself, the LORD's anger turned away from him so he would not be completely destroyed. And conditions were good in Judah.

13 Once again King Rehoboam strengthen himself in Jerusalem. He was forty one years old when he began to reign. He reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Naamah the Ammonites. 14 He did evil because he did not prepare his heart to seek the LORD. 15 All the acts of Rehoboam are written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and Iddo the seer in the genealogies. And there was continual war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. 16 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. And his son Abijah became king in his place.

2 Chronicles 13 - RWB Paraphrase (22 V)
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Judah Defeats Israel
1 In Jeroboam's eighteenth year Abijah became king over Judah. 2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. Jeroboam and Abijah were at war with each other. 3 Abijah came to battle with 400,000 valiant men. Jeroboam came against him with 800,000 mighty men. 4 Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim in Ephraim and said, "Hear me Jeroboam and all Israel." 5 "Don't you know that God gave the rule of all Israel to David and his sons by a covenant of salt?" 6 "Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, a son of a servant of David and Solomon, rebelled against his master." 7 "Worthless men gathered about him and they proved too strong for Rehoboam, Solomon's son. He was young and inexperienced and could not withstand Jeroboam." 8 "So now you are resisting the kingdom of the LORD. You have more men and the golden calves Jeroboam made for your gods." 9 "You have driven out the priests of the LORD, Aaron's sons, and the Levites, and made your own priests as the people do in other lands. Any one can buy their way into the priesthood." 10 "But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken Him. The sons of Aaron minister to the LORD and the Levites do their work as well." 11 "Every morning and evening they make burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the LORD. The showbread is set on a clean table and the golden lampstand gives light every evening. We have kept the charge of the LORD out God, but you have forsaken Him." 12 "Behold, God is at our head and His priests are with us to sound the alarm against you with trumpets. O children of Israel, do not fight against the LORD God of your fathers, for you will not prevail."

13 Jeroboam had set an ambush to come at Judah from the rear so that Israel was on both sides of Judah. 14 When Judah turn around, they saw that they were being attacked from both front and rear. They cried to the LORD, and the priests blew the trumpets. 15 Then the men of Judah raised the war cry and God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

16 The children of Israel fled before Judah and God gave them into Judah's hand. 17 Abijah and his people defeated them with a great slaughter. 500,000 chosen men of Israel died. 18 Thus Israel was subdued for a time. Judah had conquered them by trusting in the LORD, the God of their fathers.

19 Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured several cities from him: Bethel, Jeshanah and Ephron, each with their villages. 20 Jeroboam never recovered during the days of Abijah. And the LORD struck him and he died. 21 But Abijah became stronger. He took fourteen wives and fathered twenty two sons and sixteen daughters. 22 The rest of Abijah's acts are written in the records of Iddo the prophet.

2 Chronicles 14 - RWB Paraphrase (15 V)
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Asa Becomes King Of Judah
1 Abijah slept with his fathers and they buried him in the city of David, and his son Asa became king in his place. The land had peace for tens years. 2 Asa did what was right in the LORD's sight. 3 He removed the foreign altars and the high places. He tore down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherim. 4 And he commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and observe the law and the commandment. 5 He removed the high places where incense was burned in all the cities of Judah. Under him the kingdom was undisturbed. 6 While the land was at peace he built fortified cities in Judah. No one came against him during those years because the LORD gave him rest.

7 Asa said to the people, "Let us fortify our cities with walls, gates, bars and towers. The land is still ours because we are seeking the LORD our God, and He has given us rest on every side." So they built and prospered.

8 Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah with large shields and spears. He had 280,000 men from Benjamin bearing shields and bows. All of them were valiant warriors.

9 Zerah the Ethiopian came out against Judah at Mareshah with 300 chariots and one million men. 10 And Asa went out to meet him and they drew up in battle formation in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11 Then Asa called on the LORD his God and said, "Lord, no one but You can help us in this battle with such a powerful army, for we are weak. So help us, O LORD our God, for we trust in You, and in Your name against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God. Do not let man prevail against you."

12 So the LORD routed the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and they fled. 13 Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar. So many Ethiopians fell that their army was shattered before the LORD and His army. Judah carried away much plunder. 14 They destroyed all the cities around Gerar for the dread of the LORD came upon them. 15 They also killed the owners of livestock and took large numbers of sheep and camels back to Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 15 - RWB Paraphrase (19 V)
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Asa's Heart Was Blameless All His Days
1 Now the Spirit of God came on Azariah the son of Oded. 2 He went out to Asa and said, "Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you as long as you are with Him. If you seek Him He will let you find Him. But if your forsake Him, He will forsake you." 3 "For many days Israel was without the true God and without a priest to teach the law." 4 "And in their distress they turned to the LORD God of Israel, looking for Him and He let them find Him." 5 "In those times without Him there was no peace, for there were many afflictions on all the inhabitants of the lands." 6 "Nation crushed nation, for God let them have this distress." 7 "But you be strong. Do not lose courage, for your work shall be rewarded." 8 When Asa heard these words of Azariah the son of Oded, he took courage and removed the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities which he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He then restored the altar of the LORD which was in front of the porch of the LORD's house. 9 He gathered all Judah and Benjamin and those from Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon, who resided with them, for many defected to him from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him. 10 So they assembled at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa's reign. 11 They sacrificed 700 oxen and 7,000 sheep to the LORD from the spoil they had taken. 12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and soul. 13 Whoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, no matter who they were. 14 And they made and oath to the LORD with shouting and trumpets. 15 All Judah rejoiced when they made this oath, for they had sworn with their whole heart to seek Him and He had let them find Him. So the LORD gave them rest on every side. 16 Asa removed Maacah, his mother, from being queen, because she had made an image in a grove. They cut down her idol, busted it up and burned it at the Kidron brook. 17 Yet the high places were not removed from Israel. Nevertheless, Asa's heart was blameless all his days. 18 He brought into the house of God the things dedicated by his father and himself, silver and gold utensils. 19 And there was no more war until the thirty fifth year of Asa's reign.

2 Chronicles 16 - RWB Paraphrase (14 V)
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Asa Depends on the King of Syria Instead of the Lord
1 In the thirty sixth year of Asa's reign Baasha king of Israel came against Judah. He built up Ramah with the intent of keeping everyone from passing over to Judah. 2 Then Asa brought silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the LORD, and also from the king's house, and sent them to Benhadad the king of Syria in Damascus. 3 He asked for a treaty between them, as had been between their fathers. In exchange for the silver and gold he had sent, he asked Benhadad to break his treaty with Israel, so that Israel would withdraw from Judah. 4 Benhadad listened to King Asa and sent his army against the cities of Israel, conquering Ijon, Dan, Abelmaim and all the cities of Naphtali. 5 When Baasha heard of what Benhadad was doing, he stopped his work of fortifying Ramah. 6 Then King Asa brought all Judah to Ramah to carry away the stones and timber which Baasha had used to fortify Ramah. With these materials he fortified Geba and Mizpah.

7 At this time Hanani the seer came to Asa and said, "Because you have relied on the king of Syria instead of the LORD your God, the king of Syria has escaped out of your hand." 8 "Remember how many chariots and horsemen came in the army of the Ethiopians and the Lubim? Yet because you relied on the LORD, He delivered them into your hand." 9 "For the eyes of the LORD move to and for throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose hearts belong to Him. You have acted foolishly in getting help from Syria. From now on you will surely have wars." 10 This made Asa angry with the seer and he put him in prison. And he oppressed some of the people as well. 11 All of the acts of Asa are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

12 In the thirty ninth year of his reign, Asa's feet became diseased. It was severe but he sought the help of physicians instead of going to the LORD for help. 13 So Asa died in the forty first year of his reign and slept with his fathers. 14 They buried him in his own tomb which he had cut out for himself in the city of David. He was laid in his resting place which he had filled with various spices blended by those who made perfume. And they made a very great fire for him.

2 Chronicles 17 - RWB Paraphrase (19 V)
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Jehoshaphat Becomes King of Judah
1 Jehoshaphat, Asa's son, became king of Judah and strengthened his position over Israel. 2 He placed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah putting garrisons throughout the land in the cities his father Asa had captured in Ephraim. 3 The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he did as his father David had done by not going after the Baals. 4 Instead he sought the God of his father, followed His commandments, not doing as Israel had done. 5 So the LORD established the kingdom under Jehoshaphat, and all Judah brought tribute to him. As a result, he had great riches and honor. 6 He took great pride in the ways of the LORD by removing the high places and the Asherim from Judah.

7 In the third year of his reign he sent his officials, Benhail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah. 8 With them he sent the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tobadonijah, as well as Elishama and Jehoram, the priests. 9 They taught using the book of the law of the LORD. The went to all the cities of Judah and taught the people.

10 The dread of the LORD was on all the nations around Judah so that none made war with Jehoshaphat. 11 Some of the Philistines brought gifts of silver as tribute. The Arabians brought flocks of 7,000 rams and 7,700 male goats.

12 So Jehoshaphat grew greater and greater. He built fortresses and storage cities in Judah. 13 He kept large supplies in the cities of Judah and valiant men in Jerusalem. 14 These were their numbers according to their fathers' households: of Judah, commanders of thousands, Adnah was the commander, and with him 300,000 valiant warriors, 15 and next was Johanan the commander, who had 280,000 warriors, 16 and next was Amasiah the son of Zichri, who volunteered for the LORD with his 200,000 valiant warriors, 17 and of Benjamin, Eliada a valiant warrior with 200,000 men armed with bow and shield, 18 and next to him Jehozabad with 180,000 equipped for war. 19 These served the king in addition to those he placed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.

2 Chronicles 18 - RWB Paraphrase (34 V)
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Jehoshaphat Agrees to Go with Ahab in Battle Against Syria
1 Jehoshaphat was very rich and greatly honored. He aligned himself by marriage with Ahab, king of Israel. 2 Some years later he went to visit Ahab at Samaria. Ahab killed many sheep and oxen for him and the people with him. Then Ahab induced Jehoshaphat to go with him against Ramothgilead. 3 He said to Jehoshaphat, "Will you go against Ramothgilead with me?" Jehoshaphat said, "I and my people are as you and your people. We will be with you in battle." 4 Jehoshaphat said, "First we should inquire of the LORD." 5 So the king of Israel assembled his four hundred prophets, asking them, "Shall we go against Ramothgilead?" They replied, "Go, for God will give them into your hand." 6 But Jehoshaphat said, "Isn't there a prophet of the LORD that we may inquire of?" 7 Ahab said, "There is such a man, but I hate him, for he never prophesies any good about me. He is Micaiah the son of Imla." Jehoshaphat said, "Do not say that about him." 8 So Ahab had an officer go get Micaiah.

9 Ahab and Jehoshaphat were each sitting on his own throne. They were wearing their kingly robes as they sat at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria. And the four hundred prophets were prophesying before them. 10 Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron and said, "Thus says the LORD, 'With these you shall gore Syria until it is consumed.'" 11 All of Ahab's prophets were telling him to go up against Ramothgilead for the LORD would give him success against them.

12 When the officer sent to Micaiah found him, he said, "All of Ahab's prophets are telling Ahab he will be successful in a war against Syria. Please let your words be the same." 13 Micaiah said, "Whatever the LORD tells me is what I will say."

14 When he came to Ahab, the king asked him, "Micaiah, shall we go to battle against Syria?" Micaiah said, "Go up and be successful, for they will be given into your hand." 15 Then Ahab said, "How often must I remind you to speak only the truth in the name of the LORD?" 16 Then Micaiah said, "I saw Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, 'These have no master. Let each of them return to his house in peace.'" 17 Then Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, "Didn't I tell you he would have nothing good to prophecy concerning me?"

18 Micaiah then said, "Hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on his throne and all the host of heaven standing around Him." 19 "The LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab to go and fall at Ramothgilead?' Several suggestions were made." 20 "Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, 'I will entice him.' And the LORD said, 'How?'" 21 "He said, 'I will be a deceiving spirit in all the mouths of his prophets.' And the LORD said, 'Go and do this.'"

22 "Now, understand that the LORD has placed a deceiving spirit in the mouth of your prophets, for He has determined disaster against you."

23 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came over and struck Micaiah on his cheek, saying, "How did the Spirit of the LORD pass from me to speak instead through you?" 24 Micaiah answered him, "Behold, you will understand on the day when you hide in the inner room."

25 Ahab said, "Return Micaiah to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash, the king's son." 26 "Tell him the king says to keep him in prison with only a little bread and water until I return safely." 27 Micaiah said, "If you return safely, the LORD has not spoken by me. Everyone take note of what I have said."

28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up against Ramothgilead. 29 Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself when we to into battle, but you wear your kingly robes." So that is what they did. 30 The king of Syria had commanded the captains of his chariots to look for just the king of Israel. 31 Seeing Jehoshaphat they thought he was the king of Israel, and prepared to fight against him. Jehoshaphat cried out to the LORD and the LORD diverted him from them. 32 When the captains of the chariots saw that Jehoshaphat was not the king of Israel, they no longer pursued him. 33 One of the warriors of Syria drew his bow and shot at random striking the king of Israel in a joint of his armor. Ahab then commanded his driver, "Take me out of the fight for I am severely wounded." 34 The battle raged on all that day as Ahab propped himself up in his chariot and watched. Then he died as the sun was going down.

2 Chronicles 19 - RWB Paraphrase (11 V)
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Jehoshaphat Set up Judges Throughout Judah
1 Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned in safety to his house in Jerusalem. 2 Jehu the seer, son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said, "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD and so bring wrath on yourself from the LORD?" 3 "But there is some good in you, for you have removed the Asheroth from the land, and you have set your heart to seek the LORD."

4 So Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem and traveled about in Judah from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, bringing them back to the LORD God of their fathers. 5 He appointed judges in each of the fortified cities of Judah. 6 He told the judges to consider what they were doing when they judged a man and that the LORD would be with them as they rendered judgment. 7 He said, "Let the fear of the LORD be upon you. Be careful to have no part in unrighteousness or partiality. Never take a bribe."

8 In Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites, priests and heads of father's households to handle disputes in Jerusalem. 9 He charged them saying, "You shall fear the LORD, and be faithful in judgment." 10 "When a dispute comes to you from your brethren who live in your cities, between blood relatives, concerning the law and commandment, statutes and ordinances, you must warn them so that they will not be guilty before the LORD, and wrath may not come on you and your brethren. If you do this you will not be guilty." 11 "And Amariah the chief priest will be over you in all that pertains to the LORD. Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, will be over all that pertains to the king. The Levites shall be officers before you. Be resolute in your work and the LORD will be with you."

2 Chronicles 20 - RWB Paraphrase (37 V)
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God Defeats Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir
1 After this Moab and Ammon, with some Meunites, made war against Jehoshaphat. 2 It was reported to Jehoshaphat that a great multitude was coming against Judah from beyond the sea. They were already in Engedi. 3 Jehoshaphat was afraid and he turned to the LORD and proclaimed a fast throughout Judah. 4 Then Judah came together from every city to seek the LORD. 5 Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the LORD before the new court. 6 He said, "O LORD, God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? Are You not ruler of all the kingdoms on earth? Power and might are Yours. No one can stand against You." 7 "Did You not drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it to the descendants of Abraham, Your friend forever?" 8 "Your people have lived in it, and have built You a sanctuary for Your name, saying," 9 "should evil come upon us, the sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before You, Whose name is in this house, and cry to You in our distress, and You will hear and deliver us." 10 "Behold, Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, all of whom You would not let us invade when we came out of Egypt, are coming to do us harm." 11 "See how they are rewarding us by coming to drive us out of the land which You have given to us as an inheritance?" 12 "O God, will You not judge them? We are powerless before this great multitude. We do not know what to do. So our eyes are upon You."

13 All Israel was standing before the LORD, with their infants, wives and little children. 14 Then in the midst of the assembly the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, 15 and he said, "Listen, all you inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat. Thus says the LORD to you, 'Do not fear this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but the LORDs.'" 16 "Tomorrow go down against this multitude. They will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel." 17 "You will not need to fight this battle. Stand watch the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah. Do not fear or be dismayed. You can go to face them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you." 18 Jehoshaphat bowed his face to he ground and all of the inhabitants of Judah fell down before the LORD to worship Him. 19 The Levites from the sons of Kohath and the sons of Korah stood up and praised the LORD with a very loud voice.

20 They rose early the next morning and went to the wilderness of Takoa. As they went, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen, O Judah, put your trust in the LORD your God and all will be well. Put your trust in what His prophets say and you will succeed." 21 Then after he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the LORD. They were to wear holy attire while they praised Him. They were to go out before the army and give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness which is everlasting. 22 As they began singing, the LORD set ambushes against Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir. And they were routed. 23 Moab and Ammon rose up against those of Mount Seir completely destroying them. Afterwards they destroyed each other. 24 Judah looked out over the wilderness and the multitude had become corpses all over the ground. None survived. 25 Jehoshaphat and his people found much spoil, such as garments and other valuables things. There was more than they could carry. It took them three days to gather all of it.

26 On the fourth day they assembled in the valley of Beracah to bless the LORD. 27 Every man of Judah returned to Jerusalem with Jehoshaphat at their head. They had much joy, for the LORD had prevailed over their enemies. 28 They came to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem with harps, lyres and trumpets. 29 And the dread of God was on every kingdom that heard of how the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 So the kingdom of Jehoshaphat had peace, for God gave them rest on all sides.

31 Jehoshaphat began reigning over Judah when he was thirty five years old and he reigned twenty five years. His mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 32 He did not depart from walking in the ways of his father Asa, doing right in the sight of the LORD. 33 However, the high places were not removed. The people had not yet directed their hearts to the God of their fathers.

34 The rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat are written in the Book of Jehu the son of Hanani, which is recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel. 35 After this Jehoshaphat allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel. In doing this he acted wickedly. 36 They jointly made ships to go to Tarshish and Eziongaber. 37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, "Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works." So the ships were broken up and could not go to Tarshish.

2 Chronicles 21 - RWB Paraphrase (20 V)
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Jehoram Becomes King and Does Evil in God's Sight
1 Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of David, and Jehoram his son became king in his place. 2 Jehoshaphat had other sons: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azaryahu, Michael and Shephatiah. 3 He gave them many gifts of silver, gold and precious things along with fortified cities in Judah. But he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was his firstborn.

4 When Jehoram had taken over the kingdom from his father, he made himself secure by killing all his brothers with the sword. He also killed some of the rulers of Israel. 5 Jehoram was thirty two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 6 He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab did. Ahab's daughter was his wife and Jehoram did evil in the sight of the LORD. 7 But the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David because of the covenant He had made with him to give a lamp to him and his sons forever.

8 In Jehoram's day Edom revolted against the rule of Judah and set up their own king. 9 Then Jehoram crossed over with his commanders and chariots and struck the Edomites who were surrounding him and his chariots at night. 10 So Edom revolted against Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted during his rule, because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers. 11 Moreover, he made high places in the mountains of Judah and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot and be led astray.

12 Then a letter came from Elijah the prophet, saying, "Thus says the LORD God of your father David, 'Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father and the ways of Asa king of Judah," 13 "but have followed in the ways of the kings of Israel, and have caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot just as the house of Ahab did, and you have also killed your brothers who were your own family, who were better than you," 14 "the LORD is going to strike your people, your sons, your wives and all you possess with great calamity." 15 "You will become very sick in your bowels until they come out of you."

16 Then the LORD stirred up the Philistines and the Arabs who bordered Ethiopia, 17 so that they invaded Judah and carried away the kings sons and his wives as well as the possessions found in the king's house. The only son left to him was Jehoahaz who was the youngest. 18 After all of this the LORD smote him with an incurable sickness in his bowels. 19 After two years his sickness caused his bowels to come out of him and he died in great pain. His people made no fire with aromatic wood and spices at his funeral. 20 He was thirty two years old when he became king and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. No one was sorry to see him die. He was buried in the city of David but not in the tombs of the kings.

2 Chronicles 22 - RWB Paraphrase (12 V)
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Ahaziah Is Killed and His Mother Athaliah Reigns in His Place
1 The inhabitants of Jerusalem made Jehoram's youngest son, Ahaziah, king in his place. All the older sons had been killed by the band of Arabs. 2 Ahaziah was twenty two years old when he began to reign and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Athaliah, the grand daughter of Omri, a former king in Israel. 3 Ahaziah walked in the ways of Ahab, for his mother counseled him to do wickedly. 4 He did evil in the sight of the LORD, for his counselors had been with Ahab. 5 He followed their counsel and went to war with Jehoram the son of Ahab against Hazael king of Syria at Ramothgilead. And the Syrians wounded Jehoram. 6 So he returned to Jezreel to be healed of his wounds. Later Ahaziah went to see how Jehoram was doing. 7 The destruction of Ahaziah was from God because he went to see Jehoram, and went out with him against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. 8 When Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he found the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah's brothers ministering to Ahaziah, and he killed them as well. 9 He looked for and found Ahaziah hiding in Samaria. They brought him to Jehu and he killed him and buried him. They said, "He is the son of Jehoshaphat who sought the LORD with all his heart." Now there was no one of the house of Ahaziah to reign over Judah.

10 When Athaliah, Ahaziah's mother, saw that her son was dead, she destroyed all the royal offspring of the house of Judah. 11 But Jehoshabeath, the king's daughter, saved Joash the son of Ahaziah while the kings sons were being put to death. She placed him and his nurse in a bedroom. Jehoshabeath was Jehoram's daughter and the wife of Jehoiada the priest. She was a sister to Ahaziah.

12 Joash was hidden in the house of the LORD for six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.

2 Chronicles 23 - RWB Paraphrase (21 V)
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Joash Is Made King
1 In the seventh year of Jehoiada the priest, he strengthened himself, and took captains of hundreds: Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Johanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri. And they made a covenant with him. 2 They gathered to Jerusalem Levites from all the cities of Judah. 3 Then all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. Jehoiada said to them, "Behold, the king's son shall reign, as the LORD has spoken concerning the sons of David." 4 "One third of the priests and Levites shall be gate keepers." 5 "One third shall be at the king's house and one third at the Gate of Foundation. And all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the LORD." 6 "No one is to enter the house of the LORD except the priests and ministering Levites. They may enter for they are holy. Let all the people follow the direction of the LORD." 7 "The Levites will surround the king, each with his weapon in his hand. Let anyone entering the house be killed. This is how we will take care of the king when he comes in and when he goes out." 8 So the Levites and all of Judah did as Jehoiada the priest commanded. No division was dismissed and every man was available. 9 Jehoiada the priest gave the captains of hundreds spears and the large or small shields which had belonged to David which were in the LORD's house. 10 Each man was stationed with his weapon in his hand throughout the house of the LORD and around the king.

11 Bringing out the king's son they placed the crown on him, and they gave him the testimony and made him king. Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and said, "Long live the king!" 12 When Athaliah heard the noise of people running and praising the king, she came into the house of the LORD where the people were. 13 She saw the king standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and trumpeters beside the king. All the people were rejoicing, blowing trumpets and playing musical instruments to lead out in the singing. Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, "Treason! Treason!" 14 Jehoiada told the captains to bring her out from the house of the LORD and kill her and all those that followed her. He didn't want her to be killed in the house of the LORD.

15 So they seized Athaliah and brought her as far as the Horse Gate of the king's house and put her to death there. 16 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king, that they would be the LORD's people.

17 Then all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down. They broke in pieces his altars and images, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. 18 Besides this Jehoiada placed the offices of the LORD's house under the authority of the Levitical priests assigned by David over the house of the LORD. Their responsibility was to offer burnt offerings to the LORD, according to the law of Moses. David had ordered them to do this with rejoicing and singing. 19 He stationed the gatekeepers to keep the unclean from entering. 20 He took the captains of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from the house of the LORD, coming through the upper gate to the king's house, and they placed the king upon the royal throne. 21 So all the people in the land rejoiced and the city was quiet, for they had put Athaliah to death with the sword.

2 Chronicles 24 - RWB Paraphrase (27 V)
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Joash Is a Good King While Jehoiada the Priest Lives
1 Joash was seven years old when he became king. He reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah from Beersheba. 2 He did what was right in the LORD's sight all the days of Jehoiada the priest. 3 Jehoiada took two wives for Joash and he became the father of sons and daughters. 4 Then it was that Joash decided to restore the house of God. 5 He gathered the priests and Levites and told them to go throughout the cities of Judah and collect money to repair the house of the LORD. They were to do this immediately and it was to be an annual activity.

6 The king called for Jehoiada the chief priest to give an account as to why his instruction to collect the tax levied by Moses for the tabernacle in the wilderness had not produced results? 7 The sons of wicked Athaliah had broken into the house of God and used holy things from it for the house of Baal.

8 The king then commanded that a chest be made and placed at the gate to the house of the LORD. 9 A proclamation was made throughout Judah to bring the collection that Moses had specified in the wilderness. 10 Everyone rejoiced as they brought in their contribution to place in the chest. 11 Whenever the chest had a lot of money in it the Levites brought to the king's office. They collected a lot of money. 12 The money was then given to those responsible for the repairs on the house of the LORD. They hired masons, carpenters and workers of iron and bronze. 13 So the repair work progressed as the house of the LORD was restored according to specifications. 14 When the work was finished the rest of the money was used to make utensils for the worship service in the house of the LORD. Pans of gold and silver were made for the service of burnt offerings, which were offered in the house of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada.

15 Jehoiada the chief priest was one hundred and thirty years old when he died. 16 They buried him in the city of David with the kings because he had done so much for Israel, for God and for His house. 17 After Jehoiada's death the officials of Judah came and bowed down to the king and he listened to them. 18 They caused him to abandoned the house of the LORD and the God of their fathers. They served the Asherim and the idols. So the wrath of God came upon Judah for what they were doing. 19 He sent prophets to call them back to the LORD, but the people would not listen. 20 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, "God says, 'Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD? You shall not prosper because you have forsaken the LORD. Therefore, He has forsaken you.'" 21 So the people conspired against him at the command of the king, and stoned him to death in the court of the house of the LORD. 22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness of Jehoiada who had been like a father to him. As Zechariah died he said, "May the LORD see and avenge!"

23 At the turn of the year the army of Syria came against Joash and Judah. They destroyed all the princes from among the people and gathered the spoil for their king in Damascus. 24 Even though Syria had come with few men, the LORD delivered Judah's greater army into their hands, because they had turned their back on the LORD, the God of their fathers. 25 When Syria left, Joash was very sick. His own servants conspired against him because he had been responsible for the death of Jehoiada's son. They murdered him in his bed, and so he died and was buried in the city of David, but not with the kings. 26 Now these are those who conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess. 27 The account concerning his sons, the things written against him and the rebuilding of the house of God, are written in the Book of the Kings. Then Amaziah his son became king in his place.

2 Chronicles 25 - RWB Paraphrase (28 V)
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Amaziah Follows the Lord to Begin with and Then Apostasies
1 Amaziah became king when he was twenty five years old and he reigned twenty nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 2 Though he did what was right in God's sight, he did not do it with his whole heart.

3 As soon as the kingdom was firmly established under him, he killed his servants who had killed his father the king. 4 But he did not put their children to death because Moses had written the LORD's command that the fathers shall not be put to death for the sins of their sons or the sons for their fathers. Each shall give an account for himself.

5 Amaziah organized Judah according to the fathers' households under commanders of thousands and hundreds throughout Judah and Benjamin. He took a census of those twenty years old and upward and found he had 300,000 choice men, able to go to war and handle a spear and shield. 6 He also hired 100,000 valiant warriors from Israel paying one hundred talents of silver.

7 A man of God came to Amaziah saying, "O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you to battle, for the LORD God is not with Israel or any of the sons of Ephraim." 8 "But if you do go into battle, and are strong, it is God who gives you success, for He has the power to bring you help or to bring you down." 9 Amaziah said to the prophet, "What about the one hundred talents of silver I have given to the troops of Israel?" And the man of God said, "The LORD has much more to give you than that silver."

10 So Amaziah sent the troops from Ephraim home. They went but they were very angry with Judah.

11 Amaziah strengthened himself and led his people to the Valley of Salt where he struck down 10,000 of the sons of Seir. 12 They captured alive 10,000 more and brought them to the top of a cliff, and threw them down dashing them to pieces.

13 While Judah was fighting Seir, the troops from Ephraim that Amaziah had sent home raided the cities of Judah from Samaria to Bethhoron. They struck down 3,000 men and took much plunder.

14 After Amaziah came back from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought their gods home and set them up as his own, worshipping them and burning incense to them. 15 This caused the anger of the LORD to burn against Amaziah, and he sent a prophet to him, saying, "Why have you sought the gods of people whose gods could not deliver them?" 16 As the prophet talked with Amaziah, the king said, "Are you part of the royal council? What business do you have advising me?" Then the prophet said, "I know that God has planned to destroy you, because you have not listened to my council."

17 Amaziah king of Judah made plans to go against Joash son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel. 18 Joash sent a message back to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, "The thorn bush in Lebanon sent word to the cedar in Lebanon, saying, 'Give your daughter to my son in marriage.' Then a wild beast passed by and trampled the thorn bush." 19 "You have defeated Edom and your heart is proud because of it. Stay home for you don't want to cause more trouble than you can handle."

20 But Amaziah would not listen, for it was God's plan to deliver him into the hand of Joash because he had sought the gods of Edom.

21 So Joash king of Israel went up and faced Amaziah king of Judah at Bethshemesh in Judah. 22 Judah was defeated and each man fled to his own tent. 23 Joash captured Amaziah and brought him to Jerusalem and tore down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, a distance of four hundred cubits. 24 He took all the gold and silver and all the utensils found in the house of the LORD as well as the treasures in the king's house. And he took hostages with him back to Samaria.

25 Amaziah, the son of Joash king of Israel, lived fifteen years after the death of Joash, king of Israel. 26 The rest of Amaziah's acts are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

27 From the time that Amaziah turned from following the LORD he was conspired against in Jerusalem. He fled to Lachish, but men followed him there and killed him. 28 They brought him back and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.

2 Chronicles 26 - RWB Paraphrase (23 V)
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Uzziah Becomes King of Judah When He Is Sixteen Years Old
1 When Uzziah was sixteen years old all the people of Judah made him king in his father's place. 2 He built Eloth and restored it to Judah after his father had died. 3 He reigned fifty two years in Jerusalem and his mother's name was Jechiliah of Jerusalem. 4 He did right in the LORD's sight according to all his father Amaziah had done. 5 He sought the LORD during the days of Zechariah who had visions from God. As long as Uzziah sought the LORD, God prospered him.

6 Uzziah went out and warred against the Philistines, breaking down the walls of Gath, Jabneh and Ashdod. And he built cities among the Philistines in the area of Ashdod. 7 God helped him against the Philistines, and the Arabians living in Gurbaal, as well as the Meunites. 8 The Ammonites gave tribute to Uzziah, and he became very strong. His fame extended to the border of Egypt. 9 Besides this, he built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, the Valley Gate and the corner buttress, and fortified them. 10 He built towers in the wilderness and dug many cisterns and had much livestock in the lowland on the plain. He loved the soil and had plowmen and vinedressers in the hill country and the fertile fields.

11 Uzziah had an army ready for battle, able to entered combat by divisions according to the number of their muster, prepared by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the official, under the direction of Hananiah, one of the king's officers. 12 The total number of the heads of the households, of valiant warriors, was 2,600. 13 Under these men was an elite army of 307,500 able to wage war with great power, to help the king against the enemy. 14 Uzziah prepared shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows and slings to cast stones. 15 Skillful men in Jerusalem invented engines of war. These were placed on the towers and on the corners for the purpose of shooting arrows and great stones. Hence his fame spread afar, for because of these he became very strong.

16 With his increased strength his heart became proud, and he became unfaithful to the LORD his God. He went into the temple to burn incense on the alter of incense. 17 Azariah the priest entered after him with eighty valiant priests of the LORD. 18 They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, "It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD. Only the sons of Aaron who are consecrated for this purpose are to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary. You have been unfaithful and have no honor from the LORD God."

Uzziah Becomes a Leper
19 As Uzziah stood enraged by the alter of incense with a censer in his hand, leprosy broke out on his forehead in the presence of the priests. 20 Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests saw the leprosy breaking out on his forehead and hurried him out of the LORD's house, because the LORD had smitten him.

21 And so King Uzziah was a leper until his death. He lived in a house separate from everyone else and was cut off from the house of the LORD. Jotham his son took his place in the king's house judging the people of the land. 22 The prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, has written about the rest of Uzziah's acts. 23 And Uzziah slept with his fathers and they buried him in a grave in a field belonging to the kings, for they said, "He is a leper." And Jotham his son became king in his place.

2 Chronicles 27 - RWB Paraphrase (9 V)
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Jotham Reigned Sixteen Years in Jerusalem and He Did Right
1 Jotham was twenty five years old when he became king. He reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok. 2 He did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all his father Uzziah had done, though he did not enter the temple of the LORD. But the people continued to act corruptly.

3 Jotham built the upper gate of the house of the LORD and built much on the wall of Ophel. 4 Besides this he built cities in the hill country of Judah and fortresses and towers on the wooded hills. 5 He fought with and prevailed over the Ammonites so that they gave him one hundred talents of silver, 10,000 kors of wheat and 10,000 kors of barley. They paid these amounts in the second and third year also.

6 So Jotham became mighty because he followed the LORD. 7 The rest of his acts are written in the Book of the of the Kings of Israel and Judah. 8 He was twenty five when he became king and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. 9 And Jotham slept with his fathers. They buried him in the city of David, and Ahaz his son became king in his place.

2 Chronicles 28 - RWB Paraphrase (27 V)
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Ahaz Becomes King Of Judah
1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king. He reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not do right in the sight of the LORD as David his father had done. 2 He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and made molten images to Baal. 3 He burned incense in the valley of Hinnom and burned his sons in fire, doing the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had driven out before the children of Israel. 4 He sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills and under every green tree. 5 So the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria. They smote him and carried away a great number of captives to Damascus. He was also delivered into the hand of Israel with a great slaughter. 6 Pekah the son of Remaliah slew 120,000 valiant men in Judah in one day, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. 7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's son and Azrikam the ruler of the house and Elkanah the who was second to the king. 8 The children of Israel carried 200,000 away captive from Judah, women, sons and daughters, and they took also a great deal of spoil back to Samaria. 9 Obed, a prophet of the LORD, went out to meet the army when it came to Samaria, and said to them, "The LORD, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, and He has delivered them into your hand. You have slain them in a rage which has reached up to heaven." 10 "You have made slaves of men and women from Judah. Do not transgress against the LORD by doing this." 11 "Listen to me and return these captives, for the LORD's anger now burns against you." 12 Some of the heads of the sons of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, arose against those who were coming from the battle, 13 and said, "You must not bring these captives here, or you will add to our sins by bringing guilt and God's burning anger against Israel." 14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the officers and all the assembly. 15 They then designated men to clothed the naked captives and give them sandals and something to drink. After anointing them with oil, they put their feeble ones on donkeys and brought them to Jericho. They left them with their brothers and returned to Samaria.

16 It was at that time that Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria for help, 17 because the Edomites had attacked Judah and carried away captives. 18 The Philistines had also invaded the cities of the lowlands of the Negev of Judah and taken Bethshemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, and Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages, and were settling their own people there. 19 The LORD was humbling Judah because of Ahaz, for he had been very unfaithful to the LORD and this was having its affect on Judah.

20 Then Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him. 21 Although Ahaz took things from the house of the LORD and out of the palace of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria, this did not help. 22 In his time of great distress, King Ahaz became even more unfaithful. 23 He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus thinking that he had been defeated by them. This became his downfall and that of Israel (actually Judah) with him. 24 He had the utensils of the house of the LORD cut into pieces, closed the doors of the LORD's house and made altars for himself everywhere in Jerusalem. 25 He made high places in every city of Judah where incense was burned to other gods. This provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers. 26 The rest of Ahaz's acts are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 27 So Ahaz slept with his fathers and was buried in Jerusalem, for they did not bring him to the tombs of the kings. And Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.

2 Chronicles 29 - RWB Paraphrase (36 V)
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Hezekiah Becomes King
1 Hezekiah became king when he was twenty five years old. He reigned twenty nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. 2 He did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done. 3 He opened the doors of the house of the LORD and repaired it in the first month of the first year of his reign. 4 He brought the priests and the Levites together in the square on the east side. 5 He said to them, "Listen, O Levites. Consecrate yourselves and consecrate the house of the LORD, the God of your fathers, and remove the uncleanness from the holy place." 6 "Our fathers were unfaithful and did evil in the LORD's sight. They forsook Him and turned their backs on His dwelling place." 7 "They shut the doors of the porch and put out the lamps. They have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel." 8 "Therefore the wrath of God was against Judah and Jerusalem. He delivered them to trouble and made them an object of horror as you have seen with your own eyes." 9 "Behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons, daughters and wives have been taken captive." 10 "Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, so that His anger may be turned from us." 11 "My sons, do not be negligent, for the LORD has chosen you to stand before Him, to minister to Him, and burn incense."

12 Then the Levites arose: Mahath, the son of Amasai and Joel the son of Azariah, from the sons of the Kohathites, and from the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi and Azariah the son of Jehallelel, and from the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah and Eden the son of Joah, 13 and from the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeiel, and from the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah, 14 and from the sons of Heman, Jehiel and Shimei, and from the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel. 15 They assembled their brothers, consecrated themselves, and went in and cleansed the house of the LORD, just as the king had commanded according to the words of the LORD. 16 So the priests went in to the inner part of the house of the LORD to cleanse it, and every unclean thing which they found in the temple of the LORD they brought out to the court of the house of the LORD. Then the Levites took it down to the Kidron Valley. 17 They began the consecration on the first day of the first month, and finished cleaning in eight days, and consecrated the house of the LORD on the sixteenth day of the first month. 18 Then they went in to King Hezekiah and said, "We have cleansed the whole house of the LORD, the altar of burnt offering with all of its utensils, and the table of showbread with all of its utensils." 19 "In addition, all the utensils which King Ahaz had discarded during his reign in his unfaithfulness, we have prepared and consecrated, and they are before the altar of the LORD."

20 Then King Hezekiah arose early and assembled the princes of the city and went up to the house of the LORD. 21 They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs and seven male goats for a sin offering for the kingdom, the sanctuary, and Judah. And he ordered the priests, the sons of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of the LORD. 22 So they slaughtered the bulls, the rams and the lambs, and the priests took the blood and sprinkled it on the altar. 23 Then they brought the male goats of the sin offering before the king and the assembly, and they laid their hands on them. 24 The priests slaughtered them and purged the altar with their blood to atone for all Israel, for the king ordered the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel. 25 He then stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, harps and lyres, according to the command of David and of Gad the king's seer, and of Nathan the prophet, for the command was from the LORD through His prophets. 26 The Levites stood with the musical instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. 27 Then Hezekiah gave the order to offer the burnt offering on the altar. When the burnt offering began, the song to the LORD also began with the trumpets, accompanied by the instruments of David, king of Israel. 28 While the whole assembly worshiped, the singers also sang and the trumpets sounded. This continued until the burnt offering was finished.

29 When the burnt offerings were complete, the king and all who were with him bowed down and worshiped. 30 Besides this King Hezekiah and the officials ordered the Levites to sing praises to the LORD using the words of David and Asaph the seer. They did this with joy, bowing down and worshiping.

31 Then Hezekiah said, "You have consecrated yourselves to the LORD. Come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of the LORD." And the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and those who were willing brought burnt offerings. 32 The assembly brought 70 bulls, 100 rams and 200 lambs for burnt offerings to the LORD. 33 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep were consecrated. 34 There were not enough priests and they were not able to skin all the burnt offerings. So their brothers the Levites helped until the work was completed and other priests had consecrated themselves. The Levites had been more conscientious about consecrating themselves than the priests had been. 35 There were also many burnt offerings with the fat of the peace offerings and with the libations for the burnt offerings. Thus the service of the house of the LORD was established again. 36 Hezekiah and the people rejoiced over what God had prepared for the people, for it had come about suddenly.

2 Chronicles 30 - RWB Paraphrase (27 V)
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Hezekiah Invites All Israel, Including Ephraim and Manasseh to Come to Jerusalem for Passover
1 Hezekiah sent letters to all Israel, including Ephraim and Manasseh, to come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem to keep the Passover. 2 The king, his princes and all the assembly had decided to keep the Passover in the second month, 3 since they had not been able to celebrate it at the regular time because a sufficient numbers of priests had not consecrated themselves and the people had not yet gathered to Jerusalem. 4 So it seemed right in the sight of the king and all the assembly. 5 They circulated a proclamation throughout all Israel from Beersheba to Dan, that everyone should come to celebrate the Passover to the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem, for it had not been celebrated in great numbers as had been prescribed. 6 The couriers went throughout all Israel and Judah with the letters from Hezekiah and his princes, saying, "O children of Israel, return to the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that He may return to those of you who escaped and are left from the hand of the kings of Assyria." 7 "Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were unfaithful to the LORD God of their fathers, so that He made them a horror." 8 "Now do not stiffen your neck like your fathers, but yield to the LORD and enter His sanctuary which He has consecrated forever. And serve the LORD your God, that His burning anger may turn away from you." 9 "For if you return to the LORD, your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive and will return to this land. For the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him."

10 So the couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but they were laughed to scorn and mocked. 11 Nevertheless, some from Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun, humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 The hand of God was on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the LORD.

13 A very large assembly was gathered at Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month. 14 They removed the altars which were in Jerusalem, they also removed all the incense altars and cast them into the brook Kidron. 15 They slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth of the second month. And the priests and Levites were ashamed of themselves, and consecrated themselves bringing burnt offerings to the house of the LORD. 16 They stood at their stations according to custom and the law of Moses the man of God. The priests sprinkled the blood as the Levites brought it to them. 17 Many in the assembly had not consecrated themselves, so the Levites slaughtered the Passover lambs for them because they were unclean. 18 Many, especially from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover as prescribed. Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, "May the LORD pardon them," 19 "everyone who has prepared his heart to seek the LORD God of his fathers, though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary." 20 So the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people. 21 The children of Israel present at Jerusalem kept the feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy. The Levites and the priests praised the LORD each day with loud instruments. 22 Then Hezekiah spoke encouraging words to all the Levites who showed good insight in the knowledge of the LORD. So they ate for the appointed seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the LORD God of their fathers. 23 The whole assembly decided to celebrate the feast for another seven days and they did this with joy.

24 Hezekiah the king had contributed 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep. The princes had also contributed 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. And a large number of priests consecrated themselves. 25 All the assembly of Judah rejoiced with the priests and Levites, and all the rest of the people, whether from Israel, or sojourners, or those living in Judah. 26 There was great joy in Jerusalem. Nothing like this had happened since the days of Solomon, David's son. 27 Then the Levitical priests arose and blessed the people. Their prayers came to the holy place and were heard in heaven.

2 Chronicles 31 - RWB Paraphrase (21 V)
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Hezekiah Continues Get Rid of Places of False Worship
1 When all this was finished, everyone present went throughout the cities of Judah and Benjamin breaking down the pillars, cutting down the Asherim, and pulling down the high places and altars. Then they each went home. 2 Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites according to their service for burnt offerings, peace offerings, and for their ministry to give thanks and praise to the LORD. 3 He appointed the king's portion of his goods for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, new moons and fixed festivals, as it is written in the law of the LORD. 4 He also commanded the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion due the priests and Levites so that they might devote themselves to the law of the LORD. 5 As soon as this order became known, the children of Israel provided in abundance from their first fruits of grain, new wine, oil, honey and every kind of produce. And they brought in an abundant tithe of everything. 6 The children of Israel and Judah brought the tithe of their oxen, sheep and holy things consecrated to the LORD their God. They laid them up in heaps. 7 They made these heaps from the third month until the seventh month. 8 When Hezekiah and the rulers came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD and His people Israel.

9 Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10 Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok said, "Since the contributions began coming to the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat and plenty left over, for the LORD has blessed His people." 11 So Hezekiah commanded that rooms be prepared in the house of the LORD to store it. 12 The people faithfully brought their contributions, tithes, and consecrated things. Cononiah the Levite was the officer in charge, along with his brother, Shimei who was second in charge. 13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath and Benaiah were overseers under the authority of Conaniah and Shimei, whom King Hezekiah had appointed, and Azariah was the chief officer of the house of God. 14 Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the eastern gate, was over the freewill offerings of God. He apportioned the contributions for the LORD and the most holy things. 15 Under his authority were Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah and Shecaniah in the cities of the priests, to distribute faithfully their portions to their brothers by divisions, whether great or small, 16 without regard to their genealogical enrollment, to the males from thirty years old and upward, to everyone who entered the house of the LORD for his daily obligations, for their work in their duties according to their divisions, 17 as well as the priests who were enrolled genealogically according to their fathers' households, and the Levites from twenty years old and upwards, by their duties and their divisions. 18 The genealogical enrollment included all their little children, their wives, their sons and their daughters, for they were faithful to consecrate themselves in holiness. 19 Also for the sons of Aaron the priests who were in the pasture lands of their cities, and in every city, there were men who were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone genealogically enrolled among the Levites.

20 Hezekiah did what was right and good before the LORD his God throughout all Judah. 21 Every work which he began in the service of the house of God, in law and in the commandments, seeking his God, he did this with all his heart and he prospered.

2 Chronicles 32 - RWB Paraphrase (33 V)
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Sennacherib King Of Assyria Invaded Judah
1 After these acts of faithfulness Sennacherib king of Assyria invaded Judah, besieged the fortified cities and tried to break into them. 2 When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib planned to make war against Jerusalem, 3 he with his officers and warriors cut off the water from the springs outside of the city. 4 Many people came to help so that the kings of Assyria would not find abundant water. 5 And Hezekiah took courage and rebuilt the wall that had been broken down and placed towers on it. Then he built an outer wall and strengthened the Millo in the city of David. He also made many weapons and shields. 6 He appointed military officers over the people and called them together in the square by the city gate where he spoke encouragingly to them, saying, 7 "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria, or the many soldiers with him. The One who is with us is greater that the one with him." 8 "He has only an army of flesh, but the LORD God is with us to help us and fight our battles." And the people were encouraged by Hezekiah's words.

9 After this Sennacherib king of Assyria sent servants to Jerusalem while he was besieging Lachish with all his forces. He said, 10 "Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, on what are you trusting that you remain in Jerusalem under siege?" 11 "Hezekiah is misleading you to give you over to hunger and thirst so that you will die. He has said that the LORD your God will deliver you from the king of Assyria." 12 "Isn't this the same Hezekiah who has taken away your high places and altars and told you to worship before one altar and burn incense on it alone?" 13 "Don't you realize what I and my fathers have done to people in every land? Their gods were not able to deliver them from my hand." 14 "Which of their gods saved them? How shall your God deliver you from my hand?" 15 "So do not let Hezekiah mislead you into believing what says. No god of any nation has delivered his people from my hand. Neither shall your God deliver you." 16 Sennacherib's servants said other things against the LORD God and his servant Hezekiah. 17 And Sennacherib wrote letters insulting the LORD God of Israel, saying, "Just as the gods of other lands have not delivered their people, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver his people from my hand."

18 They said these things loudly in the language of Judah for the people of Jerusalem to hear, they they might be frighten and terrified so that the city might be more easily taken. 19 They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as being like the gods of other nations, the work of men's hands.

20 But Hezekiah and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed about this, crying out to heaven.

The Lord Sent And Angel To Destroy Sennacherib's Army
21 And the LORD sent an angel who destroyed every mighty warrior, commander and officer in the camp of the king of Assyria, and Sennacherib returned to his own land in shame. And when he had entered the temple of his god, some of his own children killed him with the sword. 22 So the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from Sennacherib king of Assyria, as well as all others. The LORD was a guide to them on every side.

23 Many brought gifts to the LORD at Jerusalem and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations after that.

24 After this Hezekiah became mortally ill. He knew he was going to die. He prayed to the LORD and the LORD spoke to him and gave him a sign. 25 But because of his pride Hezekiah did not show his thankfulness for what God had done for him. Therefore God's wrath came on him, on Judah and Jerusalem. 26 Then Hezekiah humbled himself as did the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and God's wrath did not come on them during the days of Hezekiah.

27 Hezekiah had immense riches and honor. He made treasuries filled with silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuable things, 28 storehouses for grain, wine and oil, pens for all kinds of cattle and sheepfolds for flocks. 29 He made cities for himself and acquired flocks and herds in abundance, for God had given him great wealth.

30 It was Hezekiah who stopped the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon and directed them to the west side of the city of David. He prospered in everything that he did. 31 Envoys from Babylon came to inquire of the wonders done in the land. God allowed this as a test to show all that was in Hezekiah's heart.

32 The rest of Hezekiah's deeds of devotion are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 33 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers and was buried in the upper section of the tombs of the sons of David. At his death all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him. And his son Manasseh became king in his place.

2 Chronicles 33 - RWB Paraphrase (25 V)
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Manasseh Was An Evil King
1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king and he reigned fifty five years in Jerusalem. 2 He did evil in the LORD's sight by following the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had dispossessed before the children of Israel. 3 He rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down. He erected altars for the Baals and made Asherim, worshiping the host of heaven and serving them. 4 He built altars in the house of which the LORD had said, "My name shall be in this house in Jerusalem forever." 5 He built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. 6 He made his sons pass through the fire in the Valley of Hinnom. He practiced witchcraft and used divination. He practiced sorcery and dealt with mediums and spiritists. The evil he did provoked the LORD to anger. 7 He made a carved image of the idol and placed it in the house of God. God had said to David and Solomon his son, "This is the house I have chosen in Jerusalem out of all the tribes of Israel. In it I will put My name forever." 8 "I will not remove Israel from the land, if only they will observe the commands I have given to them, and follow the law, the statutes and ordinances I gave through Moses."

9 Thus Manasseh led Judah to do more evil than the nations God had removed before the children of Israel. 10 The LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they did not pay any attention. 11 For this reason the LORD brought Assyria against them. They captured Manasseh with hooks and bound him with bronze chains and took him to Babylon. 12 When he was in distress, he called on the LORD his God, humbling himself greatly before the God of his fathers. 13 When he prayed, God heard his entreaty and brought him back to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God.

14 After this he built the outer wall of the city of David on the west side of Gihon, in the valley all the way to the Fish Gate. He made it very high encircling the Ophel. Then he put army commanders in all the fortified cities. 15 He removed the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the LORD, as well as the altars he had built on the mount of the house of the LORD, and cast them out of the city. 16 He set up the altar of the LORD and sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings. He ordered Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel. 17 The people still sacrificed in the high places, but only to the LORD their God.

18 The rest of Manasseh's acts, including his prayer to God, and the words of the seers who brought word to him from the God of Israel, are among the records of the kings of Israel. 19 Also his prayer and how he entreated God, and all his sin, his unfaithfulness, and the sites where he built high places and erected the Asherim and carved images before he humbled himself, these are all written in the records of Hozai. 20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house. Then Amon his son became king in his place.

Amon becomes King
21 Amon was twenty two years old when he became king and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. 22 He did evil in the sight of the LORD just as Manasseh his father had done. He sacrificed to all the carved images which his father had made. 23 He did not humble himself before the LORD as his father Manasseh had done, but instead multiplied his guilt. 24 Finally his servants conspired against him and put him to death in his own house. 25 Then the people of the land killed all the conspirators against King Amon, and made Josiah his son king in his place.

2 Chronicles 34 - RWB Paraphrase (33 V)
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Josiah Becomes King When He Is Eight Years Old
1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king and he reigned thirty one years in Jerusalem. 2 He did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of his father David. He did not turn aside to the right or to the left. 3 In the eighth year of his reign while still a youth he began to seek the God of his father David. In the twelfth year he began to purge Judah of the high places, the Asherim, and the carved and molten images. 4 In his presence they tore down the altars of the Baals, and chopped down the incense altars in the high places. He got rid of the Asherim and broke down the carved images. He ground the molten images to powder and scattered it on the graves of those who sacrificed to them. 5 He burned the bones of the priests to these altars on their altars, and purged Judah and Jerusalem. 6 In the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, and even as far as Naphtali, and in their surrounding ruins, 7 he tore down the altars and beat the Asherim and carved images to powder, and chopped down all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel before returning to Jerusalem.

8 In the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land the temple, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah an official of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God. 9 They came to Hilkiah the high priest and delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites, who were the doorkeepers, had collected from Manasseh and Ephraim, from all the remnant of Israel, and from all Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 They gave it to the workmen who had oversight of the repair of house of the LORD. 11 These in turn gave it to the carpenters and builders to buy quarried stone and timber to make beams for the parts of the house the kings of Judah had let go to ruin. 12 The men were faithful in their work with the supervision of Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites of the sons of Merari, Zechariah and Meshullam of the sons of the Kohathites, and the Levites, all who were skillful with musical instruments. 13 Even those bearing burdens were well supervised for each thing that was done. And some of the Levites were scribes, officials and gatekeepers. 14 As they brought out the money which had been brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of the LORD that had been given by Moses.

They Find The Book Of The Law Written By Moses
15 Hilkiah said to Shaphan the scribe, "I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD." And he gave the book to Shaphan. 16 Shaphan brought the book to the king and said, "Everything that was entrusted to your servants is being done." 17 "They emptied the money found in the house of the LORD and have delivered it into the hands of the supervisors and the workmen." 18 "Besides this, Hilkiah the priest gave me a book that he found." And Shaphan read from the book to the king.

19 When the king heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes. 20 Then he commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying, 21 "Inquire of the LORD for me and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book which has been found, for great is the wrath of the LORD which is poured out on us because our fathers have not observed the word of the LORD, to obey everything written in this book."

22 So Hilkiah and those whom the king had appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, the keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter. They spoke to her regarding all of this. 23 She said to them, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Tell the man who sent you to me," 24 "thus says the LORD, behold, I am bringing evil on this place and on its inhabitants, even all the curses written in the book which they have read in the presence of the king of Judah." 25 "I am doing this because they have forsaken Me and have burned incense to other gods, provoking Me to anger with all the works of their hands. Therefore My wrath will be poured out on this place and it shall not be quenched." 26 "But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the LORD, you shall say, 'Thus says the LORD God of Israel regarding the words which you have heard,'" 27 "Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before Me, tearing your clothes and weeping before Me, I truly have heard you," declares the LORD. 28 "Because of this, I will gather you to your fathers and you shall go to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the evil which I will bring on this place and on its inhabitants." And they brought these words back to the king.

29 Then the king sent and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 The king went up to the house of the LORD along with all the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests, the Levites and all the people, from the greatest to the least, and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD. 31 Then he stood and made a covenant before the LORD to follow Him, keeping His commandments, His testimonies and statutes with all his heart and soul, to perform the words of the covenant written in this book. 32 Moreover, he made everyone present stand with him, so that they would keep the covenant of the God of their fathers.

33 Josiah removed all the abominations from all the land of the children of Israel and made everyone in Israel serve the LORD their God. During his lifetime they did not turn from following the LORD God of their fathers.

2 Chronicles 35 - RWB Paraphrase (27 V)
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Josiah Proclaims a Celebration of the Passover
1 Josiah celebrated the Passover to the LORD in Jerusalem. They slaughtered the Passover animals on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2 He made sure the priests knew their appointed jobs and encouraged them in their service in the house of the LORD. 3 He also said to the Levites who taught all Israel and who were holy to the LORD, "Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built. It will no longer be a burden on your shoulders. Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel." 4 "Prepare yourselves according to your fathers' households in your divisions, according to the writing of David king of Israel and according to the writing of his son Solomon." 5 "And stand in the holy place according to the sections of the fathers' households of your brethren the lay people, and according to the Levites, by division of a father's household." 6 "Slaughter the Passover animals, sanctify yourselves and prepare your brethren to do according to the word of the LORD by Moses."

7 Josiah contributed flocks of lambs and young goats, to the lay people and all present, for the Passover offerings, numbering 30,000 plus 3,000 bulls, all from the king's possessions. 8 His officers also contributed a freewill offering to the people, the priests and the Levites. Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, the officials of the house of God, gave to the priests for the Passover offerings 2,600 from the flocks and 300 bulls. 9 Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brothers, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, the officers of the Levites, contributed to the Levites for the Passover offerings 5,000 from the flocks and 500 bulls. 10 So the service was prepared, and the priests stood at their stations and the Levites by their divisions according to the king's command.

11 They slaughtered the Passover animals, and while the priests sprinkled the blood received from their hands, the Levites skinned them. 12 Then they removed the burnt offerings that they might give them to the sections of the fathers' households of the lay people to present to the LORD, as it is written in the book of Moses. They did this also with the bulls.

13 So they roasted the Passover animals on the fire according to the ordinance, and they boiled the holy things in pots, kettles, and pans, carrying them quickly to all the lay people. 14 Afterwards they prepared for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the sons of Aaron, were offering the burnt offerings and the fat until night. Therefore the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests, and the sons of Aaron.

15 The singers, the sons of Asaph, were also at their stations according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king's seer, and the gatekeepers at each gate did not have to depart from their service, because the Levites their brethren prepared for them. 16 So all the service of the LORD was prepared on that day to celebrate the Passover, and to offer burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD according to the command of King Josiah. 17 Thus the children of Israel who were present celebrated the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days. 18 The Passover had not been celebrated like this since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel had celebrated such a Passover as Josiah did with the priests, the Levites, and all Judah and Israel who were present. 19 This Passover was celebrated in the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign.

Josiah Dies in Battle
20 It was after Josiah had set the temple in order that Neco king of Egypt came to make war at Charchemish by the Euphrates, and Josiah went out against him. 21 Neco sent messengers to Josiah, saying, "What have we to do with each other? I am not coming against you, but against the house with which I am at war, and God has ordered me to hurry. Stop for your own sake from interfering with God who is with me, so that He will not destroy you." 22 But, Josiah would not turn away from him. He disguised himself as he went to make war with Egypt, and did not listen to Neco's words. They met in war on the plain of Megiddo. 23 Egypt's archers shot King Josiah, and he said to his servants, "Take me away, for I am badly wounded." 24 So his servants placed him in another chariot and brought him to Jerusalem. He died there and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

25 Then Jeremiah chanted a lament for Josiah. All the men and women singers speak of Josiah in their Lamentations to this day. It was made an ordinance in Israel and also written in the Lamentations.

26 The rest of the acts of Josiah and his deeds of devotion in following the Law of the LORD, 27 are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.

2 Chronicles 36 - RWB Paraphrase (23 V)
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Jehoahaz Becomes King
1 Then the people made Joahaz the son of Josiah, king in his place. 2 He was twenty three years old and reigned three months in Jerusalem. 3 Then the king of Egypt deposed him at Jerusalem and imposed a fine of one hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold.

Jehoiakim Becomes King
4 The king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But Neco took Joahaz his brother and brought him to Egypt. 5 Jehoiakim was twenty five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of the LORD his God. 6 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against Jehoiakim, bound him with bronze chains and took him to Babylon. 7 Nebuchadnezzar also brought some of the articles of the house of the LORD to Babylon and put them in his temple in Babylon. 8 The rest of Jehoiakim's acts, his abominations and what was found against him are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. And Jehoiachin his son became king in his place.

Jehoiachin Becomes King
9 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he became king. He reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem, and he did evil in the sight of the LORD. 10 At the turn of the year King Nebuchadnezzar brought him to Babylon along with more of the valuable articles of the house of the LORD. He made his kinsman Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.

Zedekiah Become King
11 Zedekiah was twenty nine years old when he became king and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. 12 He did evil in the sight of the LORD his God and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet who spoke for the LORD. 13 He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar who had made him swear allegiance by God. He stiffened his neck and would not turn to the LORD God of Israel. 14 Besides this, all the officials of the priests and the people were very unfaithful following all the abominations of the nations, and defiling the house of the LORD which He had sanctified in Jerusalem. 15 The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place, 16 but they always mocked the messengers of God, despising God's words and scoffing at His prophets. Finally the wrath of the LORD God rose up against His people, for there was no other remedy.

Babylon Destroys the Temple
17 So He brought the king of the Chaldeans against them to kill their young men with the sword. God had no compassion for young, old or infirmed, but gave them all into his hand. 18 Babylon took back all the articles left in the house of the LORD. 19 They burned the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem. They burned all its fortified buildings and destroyed anything of value. 20 Those who escaped the sword were carried to Babylon and became servants to him until the time of Persia. 21 This fulfilled the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah the prophet. It was to continue until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. The land was desolate and kept Sabbath until the seventy years had been completed.

Cyrus Proclaims the Rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem
22 In order to fulfill the word of the LORD, in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, so that he sent a proclamation in writing throughout his kingdom. It said, 23 "Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, the LORD God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem of Judah. Whoever among His people will go and do this, the LORD his God be with him."

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