# verses

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 This is the list of the administrators of the tribes of Israel:, Tribe Administrator, Reuben Eliezer son of Zichri, Simeon Shephatiah son of Maacah, Levi Hashabiah son of Kemuel, Aaron Zadok, Judah Elihu, one of King David's brothers, Issachar Omri son of Michael, Zebulun Ishmaiah son of Obadiah, Naphtali Jeremoth son of Azriel, Ephraim Hoshea son of Azaziah, West Manasseh Joel son of Pedaiah, East Manasseh Iddo son of Zechariah, Benjamin Jaasiel son of Abner, Dan Azarel son of Jeroham


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 King David did not take a census of the people who were under the age of twenty, because of the LORD's promise to make the people of Israel as numerous as the stars in the sky.


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 Joab, whose mother was Zeruiah, began to take a census, but he did not complete it. God punished Israel because of this census, so the final figures were never recorded in King David's official records.


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 This is the list of those who administered the royal property: Royal storerooms: Azmaveth son of Adiel Local storerooms: Jonathan son of Uzziah Farm labor: Ezri son of Chelub Vineyards: Shimei from Ramah Wine cellars: Zabdi from Shepham Olive and sycamore trees (in the western foothills): Baal Hanan from Geder Olive oil storage: Joash Cattle in the Plain of Sharon: Shitrai from Sharon Cattle in the valleys: Shaphat son of Adlai Camels: Obil, an Ishmaelite Donkeys: Jehdeiah from Meronoth Sheep and goats: Jaziz, a Hagrite


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 Jonathan, King David's uncle, was a skillful adviser and a scholar. He and Jehiel son of Hachmoni were in charge of the education of the king's sons.


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 After Ahithophel died, Abiathar and Jehoiada son of Benaiah became advisers. Joab was commander of the royal army.


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 King David commanded all the officials of Israel to assemble in Jerusalem. So all the officials of the tribes, the officials who administered the work of the kingdom, the leaders of the clans, the supervisors of the property and livestock that belonged to the king and his sons---indeed all the palace officials, leading soldiers, and important men---gathered in Jerusalem.


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 David stood before them and addressed them: "My friends, listen to me. I wanted to build a permanent home for the Covenant Box, the footstool of the LORD our God. I have made preparations for building a temple to honor him,


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 The LORD, the God of Israel, chose me and my descendants to rule Israel forever. He chose the tribe of Judah to provide leadership, and out of Judah he chose my father's family. From all that family it was his pleasure to take me and make me king over all Israel.


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 He gave me many sons, and out of them all he chose Solomon to rule over Israel, the LORD's kingdom.


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 "The LORD said to me, 'Your son Solomon is the one who will build my Temple. I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.


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 I will make his kingdom last forever if he continues to obey carefully all my laws and commands as he does now.'


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 "So now, my people, in the presence of our God and of this assembly of all Israel, the LORD's people, I charge you to obey carefully everything that the LORD our God has commanded us, so that you may continue to possess this good land and so that you may hand it on to succeeding generations forever."


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 And to Solomon he said, "My son, I charge you to acknowledge your father's God and to serve him with an undivided heart and a willing mind. He knows all our thoughts and desires. If you go to him, he will accept you; but if you turn away from him, he will abandon you forever.


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 You must realize that the LORD has chosen you to build his holy Temple. Now do it---and do it with determination."


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 David gave Solomon the plans for all the Temple buildings, for the storerooms and all the other rooms, and for the Most Holy Place, where sins are forgiven.


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 He also gave him the plans for all he had in mind for the courtyards and the rooms around them, and for the storerooms for the Temple equipment and the gifts dedicated to the LORD.


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 David also gave him the plans for organizing the priests and Levites to perform their duties, to do the work of the Temple, and to take care of all the Temple utensils.


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 for the silver tables, and for each gold table on which were placed the loaves of bread offered to God.


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 He also gave instructions as to how much pure gold was to be used in making forks, bowls, and jars, how much silver and gold in making dishes,


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 and how much pure gold in making the altar on which incense was burned and in making the chariot for the winged creatures that spread their wings over the LORD's Covenant Box.


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 King David said, "All this is contained in the plan written according to the instructions which the LORD himself gave me to carry out."


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 King David said to his son Solomon, "Be confident and determined. Start the work and don't let anything stop you. The LORD God, whom I serve, will be with you. He will not abandon you, but he will stay with you until you finish the work to be done on his Temple.


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 The priests and the Levites have been assigned duties to perform in the Temple. Workers with every kind of skill are eager to help you, and all the people and their leaders are at your command."


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 King David announced to the whole assembly: "My son Solomon is the one whom God has chosen, but he is still young and lacks experience. The work to be done is tremendous, because this is not a palace for people but a temple for the LORD God.


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 I have made every effort to prepare materials for the Temple---gold, silver, bronze, iron, timber, precious stones and gems, stones for mosaics, and quantities of marble.


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 Over and above all this that I have provided, I have given silver and gold from my personal property because of my love for God's Temple.


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 I have given 115 tons of the finest gold and 265 tons of pure silver for decorating the walls of the Temple


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 and for all the objects which the skilled workers are to make. Now who else is willing to give a generous offering to the LORD?"


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 Then the heads of the clans, the officials of the tribes, the commanders of the army, and the administrators of the royal property volunteered to give


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 the following for the work on the Temple: 190 tons of gold, 380 tons of silver, 675 tons of bronze, and 3,750 tons of iron.


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 Those who had precious stones gave them to the Temple treasury, which was administered by Jehiel of the Levite clan of Gershon.


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 The people had given willingly to the LORD, and they were happy that so much had been given. King David also was extremely happy.


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 There in front of the whole assembly King David praised the LORD. He said, "LORD God of our ancestor Jacob, may you be praised forever and ever!


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 You are great and powerful, glorious, splendid, and majestic. Everything in heaven and earth is yours, and you are king, supreme ruler over all.


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 All riches and wealth come from you; you rule everything by your strength and power; and you are able to make anyone great and strong.


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 "Yet my people and I cannot really give you anything, because everything is a gift from you, and we have only given back what is yours already.


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 You know, O LORD, that we pass through life like exiles and strangers, as our ancestors did. Our days are like a passing shadow, and we cannot escape death.


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 O LORD, our God, we have brought together all this wealth to build a temple to honor your holy name, but it all came from you and all belongs to you.


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 I know that you test everyone's heart and are pleased with people of integrity. In honesty and sincerity I have willingly given all this to you, and I have seen how your people who are gathered here have been happy to bring offerings to you.


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 LORD God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, keep such devotion forever strong in your people's hearts and keep them always faithful to you.


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 Give my son Solomon a wholehearted desire to obey everything that you command and to build the Temple for which I have made these preparations."


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 Then David commanded the people, "Praise the LORD your God!" And the whole assembly praised the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and they bowed low and gave honor to the LORD and also to the king.


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 The following day they killed animals as sacrifices, dedicating them to the LORD, and then gave them to the people to eat. In addition, they sacrificed a thousand bulls, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, which they burned whole on the altar. They also brought the offerings of wine.


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 So that day they were very happy as they ate and drank in the presence of the LORD. For a second time they proclaimed Solomon king. In the name of the LORD they anointed him as their ruler and Zadok as priest.


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 So Solomon succeeded his father David on the throne which the LORD had established. He was a successful king, and the whole nation of Israel obeyed him.


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 All the officials and soldiers, and even all of David's other sons, promised to be loyal to Solomon as king.


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 The LORD made the whole nation stand in awe of Solomon, and he made him more glorious than any other king that had ruled Israel.


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 The history of King David from beginning to end is recorded in the records of the three prophets, Samuel, Nathan, and Gad.


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 The records tell how he ruled, how powerful he was, and all the things that happened to him, to Israel, and to the surrounding kingdoms.


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 Solomon, the son of King David, took firm control of the kingdom of Israel, and the LORD his God blessed him and made him very powerful.


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 King Solomon gave an order to all the officers in charge of units of a thousand men and of a hundred men, all the government officials, all the heads of families, and all the rest of the people,


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 commanding them to go with him to the place of worship at Gibeon. They went there because that was where the Tent of the LORD's presence was located, which Moses, the LORD's servant, had made in the wilderness.


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 (The Covenant Box, however, was in Jerusalem, kept in a tent which King David had set up when he brought the Box from Kiriath Jearim.)


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 The bronze altar which had been made by Bezalel, the son of Uri and grandson of Hur, was also in Gibeon in front of the Tent of the LORD's presence. King Solomon and all the people worshiped the LORD there.


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 In front of the Tent the king worshiped the LORD by offering sacrifices on the bronze altar; he had a thousand animals killed and burned whole on it.


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 Solomon answered, "You always showed great love for my father David, and now you have let me succeed him as king.


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 O LORD God, fulfill the promise you made to my father. You have made me king over a people who are so many that they cannot be counted,


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 so give me the wisdom and knowledge I need to rule over them. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours?"


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 God replied to Solomon, "You have made the right choice. Instead of asking for wealth or treasure or fame or the death of your enemies or even for long life for yourself, you have asked for wisdom and knowledge so that you can rule my people, over whom I have made you king.


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 I will give you wisdom and knowledge. And in addition, I will give you more wealth, treasure, and fame than any king has ever had before or will ever have again."


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 So Solomon left the place of worship at Gibeon, where the Tent of the LORD's presence was, and returned to Jerusalem. There he ruled over Israel.


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 He built up a force of fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand cavalry horses. Some of them he kept in Jerusalem, and the rest he stationed in various other cities.


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 During his reign silver and gold became as common in Jerusalem as stone, and cedar was as plentiful as ordinary sycamore in the foothills of Judah.


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 King Solomon decided to build a temple where the LORD would be worshiped, and also to build a palace for himself.


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 He put 70,000 men to work transporting materials, and 80,000 to work cutting stone in the hill country. There were 3,600 others responsible for supervising the work.


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 Solomon sent a message to King Hiram of Tyre: "Do business with me as you did with my father, King David, when you sold him cedar logs for building his palace.


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 I am building a temple to honor the LORD my God. It will be a holy place where my people and I will worship him by burning incense of fragrant spices, where we will present offerings of sacred bread to him continuously, and where we will offer burnt offerings every morning and evening, as well as on Sabbaths, New Moon Festivals, and other holy days honoring the LORD our God. He has commanded Israel to do this forever.


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 Yet no one can really build a temple for God, because even all the vastness of heaven cannot contain him. How then can I build a temple that would be anything more than a place to burn incense to God?


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 Now send me a man with skill in engraving, in working gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in making blue, purple, and red cloth. He will work with the craftsmen of Judah and Jerusalem whom my father David selected.


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 I know how skillful your lumbermen are, so send me cedar, cypress, and juniper logs from Lebanon. I am ready to send my men to assist yours


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 in preparing large quantities of timber, because this temple I intend to build will be large and magnificent.


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 As provisions for your lumbermen, I will send you 100,000 bushels of wheat, 100,000 bushels of barley, 110,000 gallons of wine, and 110,000 gallons of olive oil."


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 King Hiram sent Solomon a letter in reply. He wrote, "Because the LORD loves his people, he has made you their king.


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 Praise the LORD God of Israel, Creator of heaven and earth! He has given King David a wise son, full of understanding and skill, who now plans to build a temple for the LORD and a palace for himself.


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 His mother was a member of the tribe of Dan and his father was a native of Tyre. He knows how to make things out of gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood. He can work with blue, purple, and red cloth, and with linen. He can do all sorts of engraving and can follow any design suggested to him. Let him work with your skilled workers and with those who worked for your father, King David.


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 In the mountains of Lebanon we will cut down all the cedars you need, tie them together in rafts, and float them by sea as far as Joppa. From there you can take them to Jerusalem."


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 King Solomon took a census of all the foreigners living in the land of Israel, similar to the census his father David had taken. There were 153,600 resident foreigners.


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 He assigned 70,000 of them to transport materials and 80,000 to cut stones in the mountains, and appointed 3,600 supervisors to make sure the work was done.


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 King David, Solomon's father, had already prepared a place for the Temple. It was in Jerusalem, on Mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared to David, at the place which Araunah the Jebusite had used as a threshing place. King Solomon began the construction


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 The entrance room was the full width of the Temple, 30 feet, and was 180 feet high. The inside of the room was overlaid with pure gold.


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 The main room was paneled with cedar and overlaid with fine gold, in which were worked designs of palm trees and chain patterns.


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 The king decorated the Temple with beautiful precious stones and with gold imported from the land of Parvaim.


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 He used the gold to overlay the Temple walls, the rafters, the entryways, and the doors. On the walls the workers carved designs of winged creatures.


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 The inner room, called the Most Holy Place, was 30 feet long and 30 feet wide, which was the full width of the Temple. Twenty-five tons of gold were used to cover the walls of the Most Holy Place;


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 twenty ounces of gold were used for making nails, and the walls of the upper rooms were also covered with gold.


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 The king also had his workers make two winged creatures out of metal, cover them with gold, and place them in the Most Holy Place,


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 where they stood side by side facing the entrance. Each had two wings, each wing 7 1/2 feet long, which were spread out so that they touched each other in the center of the room and reached to the wall on either side of the room, stretching across the full width of 30 feet.


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 A curtain for the Most Holy Place was made of linen and of other material, which was dyed blue, purple, and red, with designs of the winged creatures worked into it.


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 The king had two columns made, each one 52 feet tall, and placed them in front of the Temple. Each one had a capital 7 1/2 feet tall.


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 The tops of the columns were decorated with a design of interwoven chains and one hundred bronze pomegranates.


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 The columns were set at the sides of the Temple entrance: the one on the south side was named Jachin and the one on the north side was named Boaz.


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 He also made a round tank of bronze, 7 1/2 feet deep, 15 feet in diameter, and 45 feet in circumference.


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 All around the outer edge of the rim of the tank were two rows of decorations, one above the other. The decorations were in the shape of bulls, which had been cast all in one piece with the rest of the tank.


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 The sides of the tank were 3 inches thick. Its rim was like the rim of a cup, curving outward like the petals of a flower. The tank held about 15,000 gallons.


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 They also made ten basins, five to be placed on the south side of the Temple and five on the north side. They were to be used to rinse the parts of the animals that were burned as sacrifices. The water in the large tank was for the priests to use for washing.


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 They made ten gold lampstands according to the usual pattern, and ten tables, and placed them in the main room of the Temple, five lampstands and five tables on each side. They also made a hundred gold bowls.


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 They made an inner courtyard for the priests, and also an outer courtyard. The doors in the gates between the courtyards were covered with bronze.


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 Huram also made pots, shovels, and bowls. He completed all the objects that he had promised King Solomon he would make for the Temple: The two columns The two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the columns The design of interwoven chains on each capital The 400 bronze pomegranates arranged in two rows around the design of each capital The ten carts The ten basins The tank The twelve bulls supporting the tank The pots, shovels, and forks Huram the master metalworker made all these objects out of polished bronze, as King Solomon had commanded, for use in the Temple of the LORD.


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 King Solomon also had gold furnishings made for the Temple: the altar and the tables for the bread offered to God;


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 the lampstands and the lamps of fine gold that were to burn in front of the Most Holy Place, according to plan;


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 the lamp snuffers, the bowls, the dishes for incense, and the pans used for carrying live coals. All these objects were made of pure gold. The outer doors of the Temple and the doors to the Most Holy Place were overlaid with gold.


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 Then King Solomon summoned all the leaders of the tribes and clans of Israel to assemble in Jerusalem, in order to take the LORD's Covenant Box from Zion, David's City, to the Temple.


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 and carried it to the Temple. The priests and the Levites also moved the Tent of the LORD's presence and all its equipment to the Temple.


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 Then the priests carried the Covenant Box of the LORD into the Temple and put it in the Most Holy Place, beneath the winged creatures.


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 All the priests present, regardless of the group to which they belonged, had consecrated themselves. And all the Levite musicians---Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, and the members of their clans---were wearing linen clothing. The Levites stood near the east side of the altar with cymbals and harps, and with them were 120 priests playing trumpets. The singers were accompanied in perfect harmony by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, as they praised the LORD singing: "Praise the LORD, because he is good, And his love is eternal." As the priests were leaving the Temple, it was suddenly filled with a cloud shining with the dazzling light of the LORD's presence, and they could not continue the service of worship.


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 All the people of Israel were standing there. The king turned to face them and asked God's blessing on them.


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 He said, "Praise the LORD God of Israel! He has kept the promise he made to my father David when he said to him,


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 'From the time I brought my people out of Egypt until now, I did not choose any city in the land of Israel as the place to build a temple where I would be worshiped, and I did not choose anyone to lead my people Israel.


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 But now I have chosen Jerusalem as the place where I will be worshiped, and you, David, to rule my people.' "


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 "Now the LORD has kept his promise: I have succeeded my father as king of Israel, and I have built a temple for the worship of the LORD God of Israel.


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 I have placed in the Temple the Covenant Box, which contains the stone tablets of the covenant which the LORD made with the people of Israel."


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 Then in the presence of the people Solomon went and stood in front of the altar and raised his arms in prayer.


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 (Solomon had made a bronze platform and put it in the middle of the courtyard. It was eight feet square and five feet high. He mounted this platform, knelt down where everyone could see him, and raised his hands toward heaven.)


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 He prayed, " LORD God of Israel, in all heaven and earth there is no god like you. You keep your covenant with your people and show them your love when they live in wholehearted obedience to you.


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 Now, LORD God of Israel, keep the other promise you made to my father when you told him that there would always be one of his descendants ruling as king of Israel, provided that they carefully obeyed your Law just as he did.


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 "But can you, O God, really live on earth among men and women? Not even all of heaven is large enough to hold you, so how can this Temple that I have built be large enough?


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 Watch over this Temple day and night. You have promised that this is where you will be worshiped, so hear me when I face this Temple and pray.


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 Hear my prayers and the prayers of your people Israel when they face this place and pray. In your home in heaven hear us and forgive us.


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 "When people are accused of wronging others and are brought to your altar in this Temple to take an oath that they are innocent,


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 O LORD, listen in heaven and judge your servants. Punish the guilty ones as they deserve and acquit the innocent.


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 "When your people Israel are defeated by their enemies because they have sinned against you and then when they turn to you and come to this Temple, humbly praying to you for forgiveness,


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 listen to them in heaven. Forgive the sins of your people and bring them back to the land which you gave to them and to their ancestors.


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 "When you hold back the rain because your people have sinned against you and then when they repent and face this Temple, humbly praying to you,


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 O LORD, listen to them in heaven and forgive the sins of your servants, the people of Israel, and teach them to do what is right. Then, O LORD, send rain on this land of yours, which you gave to your people as a permanent possession.


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 hear their prayer. Listen to them in your home in heaven and forgive them. You alone know the thoughts of the human heart. Deal with each of us as we deserve,


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 so that your people may honor you and obey you all the time they live in the land which you gave to our ancestors.


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 "When foreigners who live in a distant land hear how great and powerful you are and how you are always ready to act, and then they come to pray at this Temple,


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 listen to their prayers. In heaven, where you live, hear them and do what they ask you to do, so that all the peoples of the world may know you and obey you, as your people Israel do. Then they will know that this Temple I have built is where you are to be worshiped.


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 then listen to their prayers. In your home in heaven hear them and be merciful to them and forgive all the sins of your people.


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 Rise up now, LORD God, and with the Covenant Box, the symbol of your power, enter the Temple and stay here forever. Bless your priests in all they do, and may all your people be happy because of your goodness to them.


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 LORD God, do not reject the king you have chosen. Remember the love you had for your servant David."


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 When King Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and burned up the sacrifices that had been offered, and the dazzling light of the LORD's presence filled the Temple.


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 When the people of Israel saw the fire fall from heaven and the light fill the Temple, they fell face downward on the pavement, worshiping God and praising him for his goodness and his eternal love.


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 He sacrificed 22,000 head of cattle and 120,000 sheep as fellowship offerings. And so he and all the people dedicated the Temple.


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 The priests stood in the places that were assigned to them, and facing them stood the Levites, praising the LORD with the musical instruments that King David had provided and singing the hymn, "His Love Is Eternal!" as they had been commissioned by David. The priests blew trumpets while all the people stood.


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 Solomon consecrated the central part of the courtyard, the area in front of the Temple, and then offered there the sacrifices burned whole, the grain offerings, and the fat from the fellowship offerings. He did this because the bronze altar which he had made was too small for all these offerings.


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 Solomon and all the people of Israel celebrated the Festival of Shelters for seven days. There was a huge crowd of people from as far away as Hamath Pass in the north and the Egyptian border in the south.


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 They had spent seven days for the dedication of the altar and then seven more days for the festival. On the last day they had a closing celebration,


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 and on the following day, the twenty-third day of the seventh month, Solomon sent the people home. They were happy about all the blessings that the LORD had given to his people Israel, to David, and to Solomon.


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 After King Solomon had finished the Temple and the palace, successfully completing all his plans for them,


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 the LORD appeared to him at night. He said to him, "I have heard your prayer, and I accept this Temple as the place where sacrifices are to be offered to me.


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 Whenever I hold back the rain or send locusts to eat up the crops or send an epidemic on my people,


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 if they pray to me and repent and turn away from the evil they have been doing, then I will hear them in heaven, forgive their sins, and make their land prosperous again.


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 because I have chosen it and consecrated it as the place where I will be worshiped forever. I will watch over it and protect it for all time.


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 If you serve me faithfully as your father David did, obeying my laws and doing everything I have commanded you,


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 But if you and your people ever disobey the laws and commands I have given you and worship other gods,


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 then I will remove you from the land that I gave you, and I will abandon this Temple that I have consecrated as the place where I am to be worshiped. People everywhere will ridicule it and treat it with contempt.


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 "The Temple is now greatly honored, but then everyone who passes by it will be amazed and will ask, 'Why did the LORD do this to this land and this Temple?'


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 and fortified the city of Palmyra in the desert. He rebuilt all the cities in Hamath that were centers for storing supplies.


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 Solomon also rebuilt the following cities: Upper Beth Horon and Lower Beth Horon (fortified cities with gates that could be barred),


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 the city of Baalath, all the cities where he stored supplies, and the cities where his horses and chariots were stationed. He carried out all his plans for building in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and throughout the territory that he ruled over.


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 Solomon employed at forced labor all the descendants of the people of Canaan whom the Israelites had not killed when they took possession of the land. These included Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, whose descendants continue to be slaves down to the present time.


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 Israelites were not used at forced labor, but served as soldiers, officers, chariot commanders, and cavalry troops.


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 Solomon moved his wife, the daughter of the king of Egypt, from David's City to a house he built for her. He said, "She must not live in the palace of King David of Israel, because any place where the Covenant Box has been is holy."


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 He offered burnt offerings according to the requirements of the Law of Moses for each holy day: Sabbaths, New Moon Festivals, and the three annual festivals---the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Harvest Festival, and the Festival of Shelters.


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 Following the rules laid down by his father David, he organized the daily work of the priests and of the Levites who assisted the priests in singing hymns and in doing their work. He also organized the Temple guards in sections for performing their daily duties at each gate, in accordance with the commands of David, the man of God.


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 The instructions which David had given the priests and the Levites concerning the storehouses and other matters were carried out in detail.


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 By this time all of Solomon's projects had been completed. From the laying of the foundation of the LORD's Temple to its completion, all the work had been successful.


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 Then Solomon went to Eziongeber and Elath, ports on the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba, in the land of Edom.


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 King Hiram sent him ships under the command of his own officers and with experienced sailors. They sailed with Solomon's officers to the land of Ophir and brought back to Solomon about sixteen tons of gold.


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 The queen of Sheba heard of King Solomon's fame, and she traveled to Jerusalem to test him with difficult questions. She brought with her a large group of attendants, as well as camels loaded with spices, jewels, and a large amount of gold. When she and Solomon met, she asked him all the questions that she could think of.


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 She saw the food that was served at his table, the living quarters for his officials, the organization of his palace staff and the uniforms they wore, the clothing of the servants who waited on him at feasts, and the sacrifices he offered in the Temple. It left her breathless and amazed.


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 I did not believe what they told me until I came and saw for myself. I had not heard of even half your wisdom. You are even wiser than people say.


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 How fortunate are those who serve you, who are always in your presence and are privileged to hear your wise sayings!


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 Praise the LORD your God! He has shown how pleased he is with you by making you king, to rule in his name. Because he loves his people Israel and wants to preserve them forever, he has made you their king so that you can maintain law and justice."


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 She presented to King Solomon the gifts she had brought: almost five tons of gold and a very large amount of spices and jewels. There have never been any other spices as fine as those that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.


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 (The sailors of King Hiram and of King Solomon who brought gold from Ophir also brought juniper wood and jewels.


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 Solomon used the wood to make stairs for the Temple and for his palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. Nothing like that had ever been seen before in the land of Judah.)


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 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she asked for. This was in addition to what he gave her in exchange for the gifts she brought to him. Then she and her attendants returned to the land of Sheba.


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 in addition to the taxes paid by the traders and merchants. The kings of Arabia and the governors of the Israelite districts also brought him silver and gold.


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 Solomon made two hundred large shields, each of which was covered with about fifteen pounds of beaten gold,


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 and three hundred smaller shields, each covered with about eight pounds of beaten gold. He had them all placed in the Hall of the Forest of Lebanon.


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 The king also had a large throne made. Part of it was covered with ivory and the rest of it was covered with pure gold.


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 Six steps led up to the throne, and there was a footstool attached to it, covered with gold. There were arms on each side of the throne, and the figure of a lion stood at each side.


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 Twelve figures of lions were on the steps, one at either end of each step. No throne like this had ever existed in any other kingdom.


text:
 All of King Solomon's drinking cups were made of gold, and all the utensils in the Hall of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. Silver was not considered valuable in Solomon's day.


text:
 He had a fleet of ocean-going ships sailing with King Hiram's fleet. Every three years his fleet would return, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys.


text:
 Each of them brought Solomon gifts---articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons, spices, horses, and mules. This continued year after year.


text:
 King Solomon also had four thousand stalls for his chariots and horses, and had twelve thousand cavalry horses. Some of them he kept in Jerusalem and the rest he stationed in various other cities.


text:
 He was supreme ruler of all the kings in the territory from the Euphrates River to Philistia and the Egyptian border.


text:
 The rest of the history of Solomon from beginning to end is recorded in <i>The History of Nathan the Prophet</i>,in <i>The Prophecy of Ahijah of Shiloh</i>,and in <i>The Visions of Iddo the Prophet</i>,which also deal with the reign of King Jeroboam of Israel.


text:
 When Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had gone to Egypt to escape from King Solomon, heard this news, he returned home.


text:
 The people of the northern tribes sent for him, and they all went together to Rehoboam and said to him,


text:
 "Your father placed heavy burdens on us. If you make these burdens lighter and make life easier for us, we will be your loyal subjects."


text:
 They replied, "If you are kind to these people and try to please them by giving a considerate answer, they will always serve you loyally."


text:
 They replied, "This is what you should tell them: 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist.'


text:
 It was the will of the LORD God to bring about what he had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh. This is why the king did not pay any attention to the people.


text:
 When King Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he called together 180,000 of the best soldiers from the tribes of Benjamin and Judah. He intended to go to war and restore his control over the northern tribes of Israel.


text:
 "Do not attack your own relatives. Go home, all of you. What has happened is my will." They obeyed the LORD's command and did not go to fight Jeroboam.


text:
 Rehoboam remained in Jerusalem and had fortifications built for the following cities of Judah and Benjamin:


text:
 He had them strongly fortified and appointed a commander for each of them, and in each one he placed supplies of food, olive oil, and wine,


text:
 The Levites abandoned their pastures and other land and moved to Judah and Jerusalem, because King Jeroboam of Israel and his successors would not let them serve as priests of the LORD.


text:
 Jeroboam appointed priests of his own to serve at the pagan places of worship and to worship demons and the idols he made in the form of bull-calves.


text:
 From all the tribes of Israel people who sincerely wanted to worship the LORD, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem, so that they could offer sacrifices to the LORD, the God of their ancestors.


text:
 This strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they supported Rehoboam son of Solomon and lived as they had under the rule of King David and King Solomon.


text:
 Rehoboam married Mahalath, whose father was Jerimoth son of David and whose mother was Abihail, the daughter of Eliab and granddaughter of Jesse.


text:
 Later he married Maacah, the daughter of Absalom, and they had four sons: Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.


text:
 In all, Rehoboam had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. Of all his wives and concubines he loved Maacah best,


text:
 and he favored her son Abijah over all his other children, choosing him as the one to succeed him as king.


text:
 Rehoboam wisely assigned responsibilities to his sons and stationed them throughout Judah and Benjamin in the fortified cities. He provided generously for them and also secured many wives for them.


text:
 As soon as Rehoboam had established his authority as king, he and all his people abandoned the Law of the LORD.


text:
 In the fifth year of Rehoboam's reign their disloyalty to the LORD was punished. King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem


text:
 with an army of twelve hundred chariots, sixty thousand cavalry, and more soldiers than could be counted, including Libyan, Sukkite, and Ethiopian troops.


text:
 Shemaiah the prophet went to King Rehoboam and the Judean leaders who had gathered in Jerusalem to escape Shishak. He said to them, "This is the LORD's message to you: 'You have abandoned me, so now I have abandoned you to Shishak.' "


text:
 The king and the leaders admitted that they had sinned, and they said, "What the LORD is doing is just."


text:
 When the LORD saw this, he spoke again to Shemaiah and said to him, "Because they admit their sin, I will not destroy them. But when Shishak attacks, they will barely survive. Jerusalem will not feel the full force of my anger,


text:
 but Shishak will conquer them, and they will learn the difference between serving me and serving earthly rulers."


text:
 King Shishak came to Jerusalem and took the treasures from the Temple and from the palace. He took everything, including the gold shields that King Solomon had made.


text:
 To replace them, Rehoboam made bronze shields and entrusted them to the officers responsible for guarding the palace gates.


text:
 Because he submitted to the LORD, the LORD's anger did not completely destroy him, and things went well for Judah.


text:
 Rehoboam ruled in Jerusalem and increased his power as king. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he ruled for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen from all the territory of Israel as the place where he was to be worshiped. Rehoboam's mother was Naamah, from the land of Ammon.


text:
 Rehoboam's acts from beginning to end and his family records are found in <i>The History of Shemaiah the Prophet</i> and <i>The History of Iddo the Prophet</i>.Rehoboam and Jeroboam were constantly at war with each other.


text:
 and he ruled three years in Jerusalem. His mother was Micaiah daughter of Uriel, from the city of Gibeah. War broke out between Abijah and Jeroboam.


text:
 The armies met in the hill country of Ephraim. King Abijah went up Mount Zemaraim and called out to Jeroboam and the Israelites: "Listen to me!" he said.


text:
 "Don't you know that the LORD, the God of Israel, made an unbreakable covenant with David, giving him and his descendants kingship over Israel forever?


text:
 Later he gathered together a group of worthless scoundrels, and they forced their will on Rehoboam son of Solomon, who was too young and inexperienced to resist them.


text:
 Now you propose to fight against the royal authority that the LORD gave to David's descendants. You have a huge army and have with you the gold bull-calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods.


text:
 You drove out the LORD's priests, the descendants of Aaron, and you drove out the Levites. In their place you appointed priests in the same way that other nations do. Anybody who comes along with a bull or seven sheep can get himself consecrated as a priest of those so-called gods of yours.


text:
 "But we still serve the LORD our God and have not abandoned him. Priests descended from Aaron perform their duties, and Levites assist them.


text:
 Every morning and every evening they offer him incense and animal sacrifices burned whole. They present the offerings of bread on a table that is ritually clean, and every evening they light the lamps on the gold lampstand. We do what the LORD has commanded, but you have abandoned him.


text:
 God himself is our leader and his priests are here with trumpets, ready to blow them and call us to battle against you. People of Israel, don't fight against the LORD, the God of your ancestors! You can't win!"


text:
 Meanwhile Jeroboam had sent some of his troops to ambush the Judean army from the rear, while the rest faced them from the front.


text:
 The Judeans looked around and saw that they were surrounded. They cried to the LORD for help, and the priests blew the trumpets.


text:
 The Judeans gave a loud shout, and led by Abijah, they attacked; God defeated Jeroboam and the Israelite army.


text:
 Abijah and his army dealt the Israelites a crushing defeat---half a million of Israel's best soldiers were killed.


text:
 And so the people of Judah were victorious over Israel, because they relied on the LORD, the God of their ancestors.


text:
 Abijah pursued Jeroboam's army and occupied some of his cities: Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, and the villages near each of these cities.


text:
 Jeroboam never regained his power during Abijah's reign. Finally the LORD struck him down, and he died.


text:
 Abijah, however, grew more powerful. He had fourteen wives and fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.


text:
 The rest of the history of Abijah, what he said and what he did, is written in <i>The History of Iddo the Prophet</i>.


text:
 King Abijah died and was buried in the royal tombs in David's City. His son Asa succeeded him as king, and under Asa the land enjoyed peace for ten years.


text:
 He removed the foreign altars and the pagan places of worship, broke down the sacred stone columns, and cut down the symbols of the goddess Asherah.


text:
 He commanded the people of Judah to do the will of the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and to obey his teachings and commands.


text:
 Because he abolished the pagan places of worship and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah, the kingdom was at peace under his rule.


text:
 He built fortifications for the cities of Judah during this time, and for several years there was no war, because the LORD gave him peace.


text:
 He told the people of Judah, "Let us fortify the cities by building walls and towers, and gates that can be shut and barred. We have control of the land because we have done the will of the LORD our God. He has protected us and given us security on every side." And so they built and prospered.


text:
 King Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah, armed with shields and spears, and 280,000 men from Benjamin, armed with shields and bows. All of them were brave, well-trained men.


text:
 An Ethiopian named Zerah invaded Judah with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots and advanced as far as Mareshah.


text:
 Asa went out to fight him, and both sides took up their positions at Zephathah Valley near Mareshah.


text:
 Asa prayed to the LORD his God, "O LORD, you can help a weak army as easily as a powerful one. Help us now, O LORD our God, because we are relying on you, and in your name we have come out to fight against this huge army. LORD, you are our God; no one can hope to defeat you."


text:
 and Asa and his troops pursued them as far as Gerar. So many of the Ethiopians were killed that the army was unable to rally and fight. They were overpowered by the LORD and his army, and the army took large amounts of loot.


text:
 Then they were able to destroy the cities in the area around Gerar, because the people there were terrified of the LORD. The army plundered all those cities and captured large amounts of loot.


text:
 They also attacked the camps of some shepherds, capturing large numbers of sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.


text:
 and he went to meet King Asa. He called out, "Listen to me, King Asa, and all you people of Judah and Benjamin! The LORD is with you as long as you are with him. If you look for him, he will let you find him, but if you turn away, he will abandon you.


text:
 For a long time Israel lived without the true God, without priests to teach them, and without a law.


text:
 But when trouble came, they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel. They searched for him and found him.


text:
 In those days no one could come and go in safety, because there was trouble and disorder in every land.


text:
 One nation oppressed another nation, and one city oppressed another city, because God was bringing trouble and distress on them.


text:
 When Asa heard the prophecy that Azariah son of Oded had spoken, he was encouraged. He did away with all the idols in the land of Judah and Benjamin and all the idols in the cities he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He also repaired the altar of the LORD that stood in the Temple courtyard.


text:
 Many people had come over to Asa's side from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon, and were living in his kingdom, because they had seen that the LORD was with him. Asa summoned all of them and the people of Judah and Benjamin.


text:
 On that day they offered sacrifices to the LORD from the loot they had brought back: seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep.


text:
 They made a covenant in which they agreed to worship the LORD, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul.


text:
 In a loud voice they took an oath in the LORD's name that they would keep the covenant, and then they shouted and blew trumpets.


text:
 All the people of Judah were happy because they had made this covenant with all their heart. They took delight in worshiping the LORD, and he accepted them and gave them peace on every side.


text:
 King Asa removed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother, because she had made an obscene idol of the fertility goddess Asherah. Asa cut down the idol, chopped it up, and burned the pieces in Kidron Valley.


text:
 Even though Asa did not destroy all the pagan places of worship in the land, he remained faithful to the LORD all his life.


text:
 He placed in the Temple all the objects his father Abijah had dedicated to God, as well as the gold and silver objects that he himself dedicated.


text:
 In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of King Asa of Judah, King Baasha of Israel invaded Judah and started to fortify Ramah in order to cut off all traffic in and out of Judah.


text:
 So Asa took silver and gold from the treasuries of the Temple and the palace and sent it to Damascus, to King Benhadad of Syria, with this message:


text:
 "Let us be allies, as our fathers were. This silver and gold is a present for you. Now break your alliance with King Baasha of Israel so that he will have to pull his troops out of my territory."


text:
 Benhadad agreed to Asa's proposal and sent his commanding officers and their armies to attack the cities of Israel. They captured Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maacah, and all the cities of Naphtali where supplies were stored.


text:
 Then King Asa gathered men from throughout Judah and had them carry off the stones and timbers that Baasha had been using at Ramah, and they used them to fortify the cities of Geba and Mizpah.


text:
 At that time the prophet Hanani went to King Asa and said, "Because you relied on the king of Syria instead of relying on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Israel has escaped from you.


text:
 Didn't the Ethiopians and the Libyans have large armies with many chariots and cavalry troops? But because you relied on the LORD, he gave you victory over them.


text:
 The LORD keeps close watch over the whole world, to give strength to those whose hearts are loyal to him. You have acted foolishly, and so from now on you will always be at war."


text:
 This made Asa so angry with the prophet that he had him put in chains. It was at this same time that Asa began treating some of the people cruelly.


text:
 All the events of Asa's reign from beginning to end are recorded in <i>The History of the Kings of Judah and Israel</i>.


text:
 In the thirty-ninth year that Asa was king, he was crippled by a severe foot disease; but even then he did not turn to the LORD for help, but to doctors.


text:
 and was buried in the rock tomb which he had carved out for himself in David's City. They used spices and perfumed oils to prepare his body for burial, and they built a huge bonfire to mourn his death.


text:
 He stationed troops in the fortified cities of Judah, in the Judean countryside, and in the cities which Asa had captured in the territory of Ephraim.


text:
 The LORD blessed Jehoshaphat because he followed the example of his father's early life and did not worship Baal.


text:
 He served his father's God, obeyed God's commands, and did not act the way the kings of Israel did.


text:
 The LORD gave Jehoshaphat firm control over the kingdom of Judah, and all the people brought him gifts, so that he became wealthy and highly honored.


text:
 He took pride in serving the LORD and destroyed all the pagan places of worship and the symbols of the goddess Asherah in Judah.


text:
 In the third year of his reign he sent out the following officials to teach in the cities of Judah: Benhail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah.


text:
 They were accompanied by nine Levites and two priests. The Levites were Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah; and the priests were Elishama and Jehoram.


text:
 They took the book of the Law of the LORD and went through all the towns of Judah, teaching it to the people.


text:
 Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat a large amount of silver and other gifts, and some Arabs brought him 7,700 sheep and 7,700 goats.


text:
 So Jehoshaphat continued to grow more and more powerful. Throughout Judah he built fortifications and cities,


text:
 according to their clans. Adnah was the commander of the troops from the clans of Judah, and he had 300,000 soldiers under him.


text:
 The commander of the troops from the clans of Benjamin was Eliada, an outstanding soldier, in command of 200,000 men armed with shields and bows.


text:
 These soldiers served the king in Jerusalem, and in addition he stationed others in the other fortified cities of Judah.


text:
 When King Jehoshaphat of Judah became rich and famous, he arranged a marriage between a member of his family and the family of King Ahab of Israel.


text:
 A number of years later Jehoshaphat went to the city of Samaria to visit Ahab. To honor Jehoshaphat and those with him, Ahab had a large number of sheep and cattle slaughtered for a feast. He tried to persuade Jehoshaphat to join him in attacking the city of Ramoth in Gilead.


text:
 He asked, "Will you go with me to attack Ramoth?" Jehoshaphat replied, "I am ready when you are, and so is my army. We will join you."


text:
 So Ahab called in the prophets, about four hundred of them, and asked them, "Should I go and attack Ramoth, or not?" "Attack it," they answered. "God will give you victory."


text:
 One of them, Zedekiah son of Chenaanah, made iron horns and said to Ahab, "This is what the LORD says, 'With these you will fight the Syrians and totally defeat them.' "


text:
 Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, "I told you that he never prophesies anything good for me; it's always something bad!"


text:
 The LORD asked, 'Who will deceive Ahab so that he will go and get killed at Ramoth?' Some of the angels said one thing, and others said something else,


text:
 until a spirit stepped forward, approached the LORD, and said, 'I will deceive him.' 'How?' the LORD asked.


text:
 The spirit replied, 'I will go and make all of Ahab's prophets tell lies.' The LORD said, 'Go and deceive him. You will succeed.' "


text:
 The king of Syria had ordered his chariot commanders to attack no one else except the king of Israel.


text:
 So when they saw King Jehoshaphat, they all thought that he was the king of Israel, and they turned to attack him. But Jehoshaphat gave a shout, and the LORD God rescued him and turned the attack away from him.


text:
 While the battle raged on, King Ahab remained propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrians. At sunset he died.


text:
 A prophet, Jehu son of Hanani, went to meet the king and said to him, "Do you think it is right to help those who are wicked and to take the side of those who hate the LORD? What you have done has brought the LORD's anger on you.


text:
 But even so, there is some good in you. You have removed all the symbols of the goddess Asherah which people worshiped, and you have tried to follow God's will."


text:
 Even though King Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, he traveled regularly among the people, from Beersheba in the south to the edge of the hill country of Ephraim in the north, in order to call the people back to the LORD, the God of their ancestors.


text:
 and instructed them: "Be careful in pronouncing judgment; you are not acting on human authority, but on the authority of the LORD, and he is with you when you pass sentence.


text:
 Honor the LORD and act carefully, because the LORD our God does not tolerate fraud or partiality or the taking of bribes."


text:
 In Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed Levites, priests, and some of the leading citizens as judges in cases involving a violation of the Law of the LORD or legal disputes between inhabitants of the city.


text:
 He gave them the following instructions: "You must perform your duties in reverence for the LORD, faithfully obeying him in everything you do.


text:
 Whenever your fellow citizens from any of the cities bring before you a case of homicide or any other violation of a law or commandment, you must instruct them carefully how to conduct themselves during the trial, so that they do not become guilty of sinning against the LORD. Unless you do, you and your fellow citizens will feel the force of the LORD's anger. But if you do your duty, you will not be guilty.


text:
 Amariah the High Priest will have final authority in all religious cases, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, governor of Judah, will have final authority in all civil cases. The Levites have the responsibility of seeing that the decisions of the courts are carried out. Be courageous and carry out these instructions, and may the LORD be on the side of the right!"


text:
 Some time later the armies of Moab and Ammon, together with their allies, the Meunites, invaded Judah.


text:
 Some messengers came and announced to King Jehoshaphat: "A large army from Edom has come from the other side of the Dead Sea to attack you. They have already captured Hazazon Tamar." (This is another name for Engedi.)


text:
 Jehoshaphat was frightened and prayed to the LORD for guidance. Then he gave orders for a fast to be observed throughout the country.


text:
 and they and the people of Jerusalem gathered in the new courtyard of the Temple. King Jehoshaphat went and stood before them


text:
 and prayed aloud, "O LORD God of our ancestors, you rule in heaven over all the nations of the world. You are powerful and mighty, and no one can oppose you.


text:
 You are our God. When your people Israel moved into this land, you drove out the people who were living here and gave the land to the descendants of Abraham, your friend, to be theirs forever.


text:
 that if any disaster struck them to punish them---a war, an epidemic, or a famine---then they could come and stand in front of this Temple where you are worshiped. They could pray to you in their trouble, and you would hear them and rescue them.


text:
 "Now the people of Ammon, Moab, and Edom have attacked us. When our ancestors came out of Egypt, you did not allow them to enter those lands, so our ancestors went around them and did not destroy them.


text:
 You are our God! Punish them, for we are helpless in the face of this large army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but we look to you for help."


text:
 The spirit of the LORD came upon a Levite who was present in the crowd. His name was Jahaziel son of Zechariah; he was a member of the clan of Asaph and was descended from Asaph through Mattaniah, Jeiel, and Benaiah.


text:
 Jahaziel said, "Your Majesty and all you people of Judah and Jerusalem, the LORD says that you must not be discouraged or be afraid to face this large army. The battle depends on God, not on you.


text:
 Attack them tomorrow as they come up the pass at Ziz. You will meet them at the end of the valley that leads to the wild country near Jeruel.


text:
 You will not have to fight this battle. Just take up your positions and wait; you will see the LORD give you victory. People of Judah and Jerusalem, do not hesitate or be afraid. Go out to battle, and the LORD will be with you!"


text:
 Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low, with his face touching the ground, and all the people bowed with him and worshiped the LORD.


text:
 The members of the Levite clans of Kohath and Korah stood up and with a loud shout praised the LORD, the God of Israel.


text:
 Early the next morning the people went out to the wild country near Tekoa. As they were starting out, Jehoshaphat addressed them with these words: "People of Judah and Jerusalem! Put your trust in the LORD your God, and you will stand your ground. Believe what his prophets tell you, and you will succeed."


text:
 After consulting with the people, the king ordered some musicians to put on the robes they wore on sacred occasions and to march ahead of the army, singing: "Praise the LORD! His love is eternal!"


text:
 The Ammonites and the Moabites attacked the Edomite army and completely destroyed it, and then they turned on each other in savage fighting.


text:
 When the Judean army reached a tower that was in the desert, they looked toward the enemy and saw that they were all lying on the ground dead. Not one had escaped.


text:
 Jehoshaphat and his troops moved in to take the loot, and they found many cattle, supplies, clothing, and other valuable objects. They spent three days gathering the loot, but there was so much that they could not take everything.


text:
 On the fourth day they assembled in Beracah Valley and praised the LORD for all he had done. That is why the valley is called "Beracah."


text:
 Jehoshaphat led his troops back to Jerusalem in triumph, because the LORD had defeated their enemies.


text:
 Jehoshaphat had become king of Judah at the age of thirty-five and had ruled in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.


text:
 but the pagan places of worship were not destroyed. The people still did not turn wholeheartedly to the worship of the God of their ancestors.


text:
 Everything else that Jehoshaphat did, from the beginning of his reign to its end, is recorded in <i>The History of Jehu Son of Hanani</i>,which is a part of <i>The History of the Kings of Israel</i>.


text:
 At one time King Jehoshaphat of Judah made an alliance with King Ahaziah of Israel, who did many wicked things.


text:
 But Eliezer son of Dodavahu, from the town of Mareshah, warned Jehoshaphat, "Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the LORD will destroy what you have built." And the ships were wrecked and never sailed.


text:
 Jehoshaphat died and was buried in the royal tombs in David's City and his son Jehoram succeeded him as king.


text:
 Jehoram son of King Jehoshaphat of Judah had six brothers: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael, and Shephatiah.


text:
 Their father gave them large amounts of gold, silver, and other valuable possessions, and placed each one in charge of one of the fortified cities of Judah. But because Jehoram was the oldest, Jehoshaphat made him his successor.


text:
 When Jehoram was in firm control of the kingdom, he had all his brothers killed, and also some Israelite officials.


text:
 He followed the wicked example of King Ahab and the other kings of Israel, because he had married one of Ahab's daughters. He sinned against the LORD,


text:
 but the LORD was not willing to destroy the dynasty of David, because he had made a covenant with David and promised that his descendants would always continue to rule.


text:
 So Jehoram and his officers set out with chariots and invaded Edom. There the Edomite army surrounded them, but during the night they managed to break out and escape.


text:
 Edom has been independent of Judah ever since. During this same period the city of Libnah also revolted, because Jehoram had abandoned the LORD, the God of his ancestors.


text:
 He even built pagan places of worship in the Judean highlands and led the people of Judah and Jerusalem to sin against the LORD.


text:
 The prophet Elijah sent Jehoram a letter, which read as follows: "The LORD, the God of your ancestor David, condemns you, because you did not follow the example of your father, King Jehoshaphat, or that of your grandfather, King Asa.


text:
 Instead, you have followed the example of the kings of Israel and have led the people of Judah and Jerusalem into being unfaithful to God, just as Ahab and his successors led Israel into unfaithfulness. You even murdered your brothers, who were better men than you are.


text:
 As a result, the LORD will severely punish your people, your children, and your wives, and will destroy your possessions.


text:
 Some Philistines and Arabs lived near where some Ethiopians had settled along the coast. The LORD caused them to go to war against Jehoram.


text:
 They invaded Judah, looted the royal palace, and carried off as prisoners all the king's wives and sons except Ahaziah, his youngest son.


text:
 For almost two years it grew steadily worse until finally the king died in agony. His subjects did not light a bonfire in mourning for him as had been done for his ancestors.


text:
 Jehoram had become king at the age of thirty-two and had ruled in Jerusalem for eight years. Nobody was sorry when he died. They buried him in David's City, but not in the royal tombs.


text:
 Some Arabs had led a raid and killed all of King Jehoram's sons except Ahaziah, the youngest. So now the people of Jerusalem made Ahaziah king as his father's successor.


text:
 Ahaziah became king at the age of twenty-two, and he ruled in Jerusalem for one year. Ahaziah also followed the example of King Ahab's family, since his mother Athaliah---the daughter of King Ahab and granddaughter of King Omri of Israel---gave him advice that led him into evil.


text:
 He sinned against the LORD, because after his father's death other members of King Ahab's family became his advisers, and they led to his downfall.


text:
 Following their advice, he joined King Joram of Israel in a war against King Hazael of Syria. The armies clashed at Ramoth in Gilead, and Joram was wounded in battle.


text:
 God used this visit to Joram to bring about Ahaziah's downfall. While Ahaziah was there, he and Joram were confronted by a man named Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had chosen to destroy the dynasty of Ahab.


text:
 As Jehu was carrying out God's sentence on the dynasty, he came across a group made up of Judean leaders and of Ahaziah's nephews that had accompanied Ahaziah on his visit. Jehu killed them all.


text:
 A search was made for Ahaziah, and he was found hiding in Samaria. They took him to Jehu and put him to death. But they did bury his body out of respect for his grandfather King Jehoshaphat, who had done all he could to serve the LORD. No member of Ahaziah's family was left who could rule the kingdom.


text:
 As soon as King Ahaziah's mother Athaliah learned of her son's murder, she gave orders for all the members of the royal family of Judah to be killed.


text:
 Ahaziah had a half sister, Jehosheba, who was married to a priest named Jehoiada. She secretly rescued one of Ahaziah's sons, Joash, took him away from the other princes who were about to be murdered and hid him and a nurse in a bedroom at the Temple. By keeping him hidden, she saved him from death at the hands of Athaliah.


text:
 After waiting six years Jehoiada the priest decided that it was time to take action. He made a pact with five army officers: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri.


text:
 They traveled to all the cities of Judah and brought back with them to Jerusalem the Levites and all the heads of the clans.


text:
 They all gathered in the Temple, and there they made a covenant with Joash, the king's son. Jehoiada said to them, "Here is the son of the late king. He is now to be king, as the LORD promised that King David's descendants would be.


text:
 This is what we will do. When the priests and Levites come on duty on the Sabbath, one third of them will guard the Temple gates,


text:
 another third will guard the royal palace, and the rest will be stationed at the Foundation Gate. All the people will assemble in the Temple courtyard.


text:
 No one is to enter the Temple buildings except the priests and the Levites who are on duty. They may enter, because they are consecrated, but the rest of the people must obey the LORD's instructions and stay outside.


text:
 The Levites are to stand guard around the king, with their swords drawn, and are to stay with the king wherever he goes. Anyone who tries to enter the Temple is to be killed."


text:
 The Levites and the people of Judah carried out Jehoiada's instructions. The men were not dismissed when they went off duty on the Sabbath, so the commanders had available both those coming on duty and those going off.


text:
 Jehoiada gave the officers the spears and shields that had belonged to King David and had been kept in the Temple.


text:
 Then Jehoiada led Joash out, placed the crown on his head, and gave him a copy of the laws governing kingship. And so he was made king. Jehoiada the priest and his sons anointed Joash, and everyone shouted, "Long live the king!"


text:
 Athaliah heard the people cheering for the king, so she hurried to the Temple, where the crowd had gathered.


text:
 There she saw the new king at the Temple entrance, standing by the column reserved for kings and surrounded by the army officers and the trumpeters. All the people were shouting joyfully and blowing trumpets, and the Temple musicians with their instruments were leading the celebration. She tore her clothes in distress and shouted, "Treason! Treason!"


text:
 Jehoiada did not want Athaliah killed in the Temple area, so he called out the army officers and said, "Take her out between the rows of guards, and kill anyone who tries to rescue her."


text:
 The priest Jehoiada had King Joash and the people join him in making a covenant that they would be the LORD's people.


text:
 Then they all went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols there and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars.


text:
 Jehoiada put the priests and Levites in charge of the work of the Temple. They were to carry out the duties assigned to them by King David and to burn the sacrifices offered to the LORD in accordance with the Law of Moses. They were also in charge of the music and the celebrations.


text:
 The army officers, the leading citizens, the officials, and all the rest of the people joined Jehoiada in a procession that brought the king from the Temple to the palace. They entered by the main gate, and the king took his place on the throne.


text:
 All the people were filled with happiness, and the city was quiet, now that Athaliah had been killed.


text:
 Joash became king of Judah at the age of seven, and he ruled in Jerusalem for forty years. His mother was Zibiah from the city of Beersheba.


text:
 He ordered the priests and the Levites to go to the cities of Judah and collect from all the people enough money to make the annual repairs on the Temple. He told them to act promptly, but the Levites delayed,


text:
 so he called in Jehoiada, their leader, and demanded, "Why haven't you seen to it that the Levites collect from Judah and Jerusalem the tax which Moses, the servant of the LORD, required the people to pay for support of the Tent of the LORD's presence?"


text:
 (The followers of Athaliah, that corrupt woman, had damaged the Temple and had used many of the sacred objects in the worship of Baal.)


text:
 They sent word throughout Jerusalem and Judah for everyone to bring to the LORD the tax which Moses, God's servant, had first collected in the wilderness.


text:
 This pleased the people and their leaders, and they brought their tax money and filled the box with it.


text:
 Every day the Levites would take the box to the royal official who was in charge of it. Whenever it was full, the royal secretary and the High Priest's representative would take the money out and return the box to its place. And so they collected a large sum of money.


text:
 The king and Jehoiada would give the money to those who were in charge of repairing the Temple, and they hired stonemasons, carpenters, and metalworkers to make the repairs.


text:
 When the repairs were finished, the remaining gold and silver was given to the king and Jehoiada, who used it to have bowls and other utensils made for the Temple. As long as Jehoiada was alive, sacrifices were offered regularly at the Temple.


text:
 They buried him in the royal tombs in David's City in recognition of the service he had done for the people of Israel, for God, and for the Temple.


text:
 And so the people stopped worshiping in the Temple of the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and began to worship idols and the images of the goddess Asherah. Their guilt for these sins brought the LORD's anger on Judah and Jerusalem.


text:
 Then the spirit of God took control of Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood where the people could see him and called out, "The LORD God asks why you have disobeyed his commands and are bringing disaster on yourselves! You abandoned him, so he has abandoned you!"


text:
 King Joash joined in a conspiracy against Zechariah, and on the king's orders the people stoned Zechariah in the Temple courtyard.


text:
 The king forgot about the loyal service that Zechariah's father Jehoiada had given him, and he had Zechariah killed. As Zechariah was dying, he called out, "May the LORD see what you are doing and punish you!"


text:
 When autumn came that year, the Syrian army attacked Judah and Jerusalem, killed all the leaders, and took large amounts of loot back to Damascus.


text:
 The Syrian army was small, but the LORD let them defeat a much larger Judean army because the people had abandoned him, the LORD God of their ancestors. In this way King Joash was punished.


text:
 He was severely wounded, and when the enemy withdrew, two of his officials plotted against him and killed him in his bed to avenge the murder of the son of Jehoiada the priest. He was buried in David's City, but not in the royal tombs.


text:
 (Those who plotted against him were Zabad, the son of an Ammonite woman named Shimeath, and Jehozabad, the son of a Moabite woman named Shimrith.)


text:
 The <i>Commentary on the Book of Kings</i> contains the stories of the sons of Joash, the prophecies spoken against him, and the record of how he rebuilt the Temple. His son Amaziah succeeded him as king.


text:
 Amaziah became king at the age of twenty-five, and he ruled in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years. His mother was Jehoaddin from Jerusalem.


text:
 He did not, however, execute their children, but followed what the LORD had commanded in the Law of Moses: "Parents are not to be put to death for crimes committed by their children, and children are not to be put to death for crimes committed by their parents; people are to be put to death only for crimes they themselves have committed."


text:
 King Amaziah organized all the men of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin into army units, according to the clans they belonged to, and placed officers in command of units of a thousand and units of a hundred. This included all men twenty years of age or older, 300,000 in all. They were picked troops, ready for battle, skilled in using spears and shields.


text:
 But a prophet went to the king and said to him, "Don't take these Israelite soldiers with you. The LORD is not with these people from the Northern Kingdom.


text:
 You may think that they will make you stronger in battle, but it is God who has the power to give victory or defeat, and he will let your enemies defeat you."


text:
 Amaziah asked the prophet, "But what about all that silver I have already paid for them?" The prophet replied, "The LORD can give you back more than that!"


text:
 So Amaziah sent the hired troops away and told them to go home. At this they went home, bitterly angry with the people of Judah.


text:
 Amaziah summoned up his courage and led his army to Salt Valley. There they fought and killed ten thousand Edomite soldiers


text:
 and captured another ten thousand. They took the prisoners to the top of the cliff at the city of Sela and threw them off, so that they were killed on the rocks below.


text:
 Meanwhile the Israelite soldiers that Amaziah had not allowed to go into battle with him attacked the Judean cities between Samaria and Beth Horon, killed three thousand men, and captured quantities of loot.


text:
 When Amaziah returned from defeating the Edomites, he brought their idols back with him, set them up, worshiped them, and burned incense to them.


text:
 This made the LORD angry, so he sent a prophet to Amaziah. The prophet demanded, "Why have you worshiped foreign gods that could not even save their own people from your power?"


text:
 "Since when," Amaziah interrupted, "have we made you adviser to the king? Stop talking, or I'll have you killed!" The prophet stopped, but not before saying, "Now I know that God has decided to destroy you because you have done all this and have ignored my advice."


text:
 King Amaziah of Judah and his advisers plotted against Israel. He then sent a message to King Jehoash of Israel, who was the son of Jehoahaz and grandson of Jehu, challenging him to fight.


text:
 Jehoash sent this answer to Amaziah: "Once a thorn bush in the Lebanon Mountains sent a message to a cedar: 'Give your daughter in marriage to my son.' A wild animal passed by and trampled the bush down.


text:
 Now Amaziah, you boast that you have defeated the Edomites, but I advise you to stay at home. Why stir up trouble that will only bring disaster on you and your people?"


text:
 But Amaziah refused to listen. It was God's will for Amaziah to be defeated, because he had worshiped the Edomite idols.


text:
 So King Jehoash of Israel went into battle against King Amaziah of Judah. They met at Beth Shemesh in Judah,


text:
 Jehoash captured Amaziah and took him to Jerusalem. There he tore down the city wall from Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate, a distance of two hundred yards.


text:
 He took back to Samaria as loot all the gold and silver in the Temple, the Temple equipment guarded by the descendants of Obed Edom, and the palace treasures. He also took hostages with him.


text:
 All the other things that Amaziah did from the beginning to the end of his reign are recorded in <i>The History of the Kings of Judah and Israel</i>.


text:
 Ever since the time when he rebelled against the LORD, there had been a plot against him in Jerusalem. Finally he fled to the city of Lachish, but his enemies followed him there and killed him.


text:
 His body was carried to Jerusalem on a horse, and he was buried in the royal tombs in David's City.


text:
 Uzziah became king at the age of sixteen, and he ruled in Jerusalem for fifty-two years. His mother was Jecoliah from Jerusalem.


text:
 As long as Zechariah, his religious adviser, was living, he served the LORD faithfully, and God blessed him.


text:
 Uzziah went to war against the Philistines. He tore down the walls of the cities of Gath, Jamnia, and Ashdod, and built fortified cities near Ashdod and in the rest of Philistia.


text:
 The Ammonites paid tribute to Uzziah, and he became so powerful that his fame spread even to Egypt.


text:
 Uzziah strengthened the fortifications of Jerusalem by building towers at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate, and where the wall turned.


text:
 He also built fortified towers in the open country and dug many cisterns, because he had large herds of livestock in the western foothills and plains. Because he loved farming, he encouraged the people to plant vineyards in the hill country and to farm the fertile land.


text:
 He had a large army ready for battle. Its records were kept by his secretaries Jeiel and Maaseiah under the supervision of Hananiah, a member of the king's staff.


text:
 Uzziah supplied the army with shields, spears, helmets, coats of armor, bows and arrows, and stones for slinging.


text:
 In Jerusalem his inventors made equipment for shooting arrows and for throwing large stones from the towers and corners of the city wall. His fame spread everywhere, and he became very powerful because of the help he received from God.


text:
 But when King Uzziah became strong, he grew arrogant, and that led to his downfall. He defied the LORD his God by going into the Temple to burn incense on the altar of incense.


text:
 to resist him. They said, "Uzziah! You have no right to burn incense to the LORD. Only the priests who are descended from Aaron have been consecrated to do this. Leave this holy place. You have offended the LORD God, and you no longer have his blessing."


text:
 Uzziah was standing there in the Temple beside the incense altar and was holding an incense burner. He became angry with the priests, and immediately a dreaded skin disease broke out on his forehead.


text:
 Azariah and the other priests stared at the king's forehead in horror and then forced him to leave the Temple. He hurried to get out, because the LORD had punished him.


text:
 For the rest of his life King Uzziah was ritually unclean because of his disease. Unable to enter the Temple again, he lived in his own house, relieved of all duties, while his son Jotham governed the country.


text:
 The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz recorded all the other things that King Uzziah did during his reign.


text:
 Uzziah died and was buried in the royal burial ground, but because of his disease he was not buried in the royal tombs. His son Jotham succeeded him as king.


text:
 Jotham became king at the age of twenty-five, and he ruled in Jerusalem for sixteen years. His mother was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok.


text:
 He did what was pleasing to the LORD, just as his father had done; but unlike his father he did not sin by burning incense in the Temple. The people, however, went on sinning.


text:
 It was Jotham who built the North Gate of the Temple and did extensive work on the city wall in the area of Jerusalem called Ophel.


text:
 He fought against the king of Ammon and his army and defeated them. Then he forced the Ammonites to pay him the following tribute each year for three years: four tons of silver, fifty thousand bushels of wheat, and fifty thousand bushels of barley.


text:
 The other events of Jotham's reign, his wars, and his policies, are all recorded in <i>The History of the Kings of Israel and Judah</i>.


text:
 Ahaz became king at the age of twenty, and he ruled in Jerusalem for sixteen years. He did not follow the good example of his ancestor King David; instead, he did what was not pleasing to the LORD


text:
 burned incense in Hinnom Valley, and even sacrificed his own sons as burnt offerings to idols, imitating the disgusting practice of the people whom the LORD had driven out of the land as the Israelites advanced.


text:
 At the pagan places of worship, on the hills, and under every shady tree Ahaz offered sacrifices and burned incense.


text:
 Because King Ahaz sinned, the LORD his God let the king of Syria defeat him and take a large number of Judeans back to Damascus as prisoners. The LORD also let the king of Israel, Pekah son of Remaliah, defeat Ahaz and kill 120,000 of the bravest Judean soldiers in one day. The LORD, the God of their ancestors, permitted this to happen, because the people of Judah had abandoned him.


text:
 An Israelite soldier named Zichri killed King Ahaz' son Maaseiah, the palace administrator Azrikam, and Elkanah, who was second in command to the king.


text:
 Even though the Judeans were their own relatives, the Israelite army captured 200,000 women and children as prisoners and took them back to Samaria, along with large amounts of loot.


text:
 A man named Oded, a prophet of the LORD, lived in the city of Samaria. He met the returning Israelite army with its Judean prisoners as it was about to enter the city, and he said, "The LORD God of your ancestors was angry with Judah and let you defeat them, but now he has heard of the vicious way you slaughtered them.


text:
 And now you intend to make the men and women of Jerusalem and Judah your slaves. Don't you know that you also have committed sins against the LORD your God?


text:
 Listen to me! These prisoners are your brothers and sisters. Let them go, or the LORD will punish you in his anger."


text:
 Four of the leading men of the Northern Kingdom, Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai also opposed the actions of the army.


text:
 They said, "Don't bring those prisoners here! We have already sinned against the LORD and made him angry enough to punish us. Now you want to do something that will increase our guilt."


text:
 and the four men were appointed to provide the prisoners with clothing from the captured loot. They gave them clothes and sandals to wear, gave them enough to eat and drink, and put olive oil on their wounds. Those who were too weak to walk were put on donkeys, and all the prisoners were taken back to Judean territory at Jericho, the city of palm trees. Then the Israelites returned home to Samaria.


text:
 The Edomites began to raid Judah again and captured many prisoners, so King Ahaz asked Tiglath Pileser, the emperor of Assyria, to send help.


text:
 At this same time the Philistines were raiding the towns in the western foothills and in southern Judah. They captured the cities of Beth Shemesh, Aijalon, and Gederoth, and the cities of Soco, Timnah, and Gimzo with their villages, and settled there permanently.


text:
 Because King Ahaz of Judah had violated the rights of his people and had defied the LORD, the LORD brought troubles on Judah.


text:
 So Ahaz took the gold from the Temple, the palace, and the homes of the leaders of the people, and gave it to the emperor, but even this did not help.


text:
 He offered sacrifices to the gods of the Syrians, who had defeated him. He said, "The Syrian gods helped the kings of Syria, so if I sacrifice to them, they may help me too." This brought disaster on him and on his nation.


text:
 In addition, he took all the Temple equipment and broke it in pieces. He closed the Temple and set up altars in every part of Jerusalem.


text:
 In every city and town in Judah he built pagan places of worship, where incense was to be burned to foreign gods. In this way he brought on himself the anger of the LORD, the God of his ancestors.


text:
 All the other events of his reign, from beginning to end, are recorded in <i>The History of the Kings of Judah and Israel</i>.


text:
 King Ahaz died and was buried in Jerusalem, but not in the royal tombs. His son Hezekiah succeeded him as king.


text:
 Hezekiah became king of Judah at the age of twenty-five, and he ruled in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years. His mother was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.


text:
 In the first month of the year after Hezekiah became king, he reopened the gates of the Temple and had them repaired.


text:
 and spoke to them there. He said, "You Levites are to consecrate yourselves and purify the Temple of the LORD, the God of your ancestors. Remove from the Temple everything that defiles it.


text:
 Our ancestors were unfaithful to the LORD our God and did what was displeasing to him. They abandoned him and turned their backs on the place where he dwells.


text:
 They closed the doors of the Temple, let the lamps go out, and failed to burn incense or offer burnt offerings in the Temple of the God of Israel.


text:
 Because of this the LORD has been angry with Judah and Jerusalem, and what he has done to them has shocked and frightened everyone. You know this very well.


text:
 "I have now decided to make a covenant with the LORD, the God of Israel, so that he will no longer be angry with us.


text:
 My sons, do not lose any time. You are the ones that the LORD has chosen to burn incense to him and to lead the people in worshiping him."


text:
 The following Levites were there: From the clan of Kohath, Mahath son of Amasai and Joel son of Azariah From the clan of Merari, Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of Jehallelel From the clan of Gershon, Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah From the clan of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeuel From the clan of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah From the clan of Heman, Jehuel and Shimei From the clan of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel


text:
 These men assembled their fellow Levites, and they all made themselves ritually clean. Then, as the king had commanded them to do, they began to make the Temple ritually clean, according to the Law of the LORD.


text:
 The priests went inside the Temple to purify it, and they carried out into the Temple courtyard everything that was ritually unclean. From there the Levites took it all outside the city to Kidron Valley.


text:
 The work was begun on the first day of the first month, and by the eighth day they had finished it all, including the entrance room to the Temple. Then they worked for the next eight days, until the sixteenth of the month, preparing the Temple for worship.


text:
 The Levites made the following report to King Hezekiah: "We have completed the ritual purification of the whole Temple, including the altar for burnt offerings, the table for the sacred bread, and all their equipment.


text:
 We have also brought back all the equipment which King Ahaz took away during those years he was unfaithful to God, and we have rededicated it. It is all in front of the LORD's altar."


text:
 Without delay King Hezekiah assembled the leading men of the city, and together they went to the Temple.


text:
 As an offering to take away the sins of the royal family and of the people of Judah and to purify the Temple, they took seven bulls, seven sheep, seven lambs, and seven goats. The king told the priests, who were descendants of Aaron, to offer the animals as sacrifices on the altar.


text:
 The priests killed the bulls first, then the sheep, and then the lambs, and sprinkled the blood of each sacrifice on the altar.


text:
 Then the priests killed the goats and poured their blood on the altar as a sacrifice to take away the sin of all the people, for the king had commanded that burnt offerings and sin offerings be made for all Israel.


text:
 The king followed the instructions that the LORD had given to King David through Gad, the king's prophet, and through the prophet Nathan; he stationed Levites in the Temple, with harps and cymbals,


text:
 Hezekiah gave the order for the burnt offering to be presented; and as the offering began, the people sang praise to the LORD, and the musicians began to play the trumpets and all the other instruments.


text:
 Everyone who was there joined in worship, and the singing and the rest of the music continued until all the sacrifices had been burned.


text:
 The king and the leaders of the nation told the Levites to sing to the LORD the songs of praise that were written by David and by Asaph the prophet. So everyone sang with great joy as they knelt and worshiped God.


text:
 Hezekiah said to the people, "Now that you are ritually clean, bring sacrifices as offerings of thanksgiving to the LORD." They obeyed, and some of them also voluntarily brought animals to be sacrificed as burnt offerings.


text:
 Since there were not enough priests to kill all these animals, the Levites helped them until the work was finished. By then more priests had made themselves ritually clean. (The Levites were more faithful in keeping ritually clean than the priests were.)


text:
 In addition to offering the sacrifices that were burned whole, the priests were responsible for burning the fat that was offered from the sacrifices which the people ate, and for pouring out the wine that was presented with the burnt offerings. And so worship in the Temple was begun again.


text:
 The people had not been able to celebrate the Passover Festival at the proper time in the first month, because not enough priests were ritually clean and not many people had assembled in Jerusalem. So King Hezekiah, his officials, and the people of Jerusalem agreed to celebrate it in the second month, and the king sent word to all the people of Israel and Judah. He took special care to send letters to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, inviting them to come to the Temple in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover in honor of the LORD, the God of Israel.


text:
 so they invited all the Israelites, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, to come together in Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover according to the Law, in larger numbers than ever before.


text:
 Messengers went out at the command of the king and his officials through all Judah and Israel with the following invitation: "People of Israel, you have survived the Assyrian conquest of the land. Now return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and he will return to you.


text:
 Do not be like your ancestors and your Israelite relatives who were unfaithful to the LORD their God. As you can see, he punished them severely.


text:
 Do not be stubborn as they were, but obey the LORD. Come to the Temple in Jerusalem, which the LORD your God has made holy forever, and worship him so that he will no longer be angry with you.


text:
 If you return to the LORD, then those who have taken your relatives away as prisoners will take pity on them and let them come back home. The LORD your God is kind and merciful, and if you return to him, he will accept you."


text:
 The messengers went to every city in the territory of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far north as the tribe of Zebulun, but people laughed at them and made fun of them.


text:
 Still, there were some from the tribes of Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun who were willing to come to Jerusalem.


text:
 God was also at work in Judah and united the people in their determination to obey his will by following the commands of the king and his officials.


text:
 A great number of people gathered in Jerusalem in the second month to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread.


text:
 They took all the altars that had been used in Jerusalem for offering sacrifices and burning incense and threw them into Kidron Valley.


text:
 And on the fourteenth day of the month they killed the lambs for the Passover sacrifice. The priests and Levites who were not ritually clean became so ashamed that they dedicated themselves to the LORD, and now they could sacrifice burnt offerings in the Temple.


text:
 They took their places in the Temple according to the instructions in the Law of Moses, the man of God. The Levites gave the blood of the sacrifices to the priests, who sprinkled it on the altar.


text:
 Because many of the people were not ritually clean, they could not kill the Passover lambs, so the Levites did it for them and dedicated the lambs to the LORD.


text:
 In addition, many of those who had come from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not performed the ritual of purification, and so they were observing Passover improperly. King Hezekiah offered this prayer for them:


text:
 "O LORD, the God of our ancestors, in your goodness forgive those who are worshiping you with all their heart, even though they are not ritually clean."


text:
 For seven days the people who had gathered in Jerusalem celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread with great joy, and day after day the Levites and the priests praised the LORD with all their strength.


text:
 Hezekiah praised the Levites for their skill in conducting the worship of the LORD. After the seven days during which they offered sacrifices in praise of the LORD, the God of their ancestors,


text:
 King Hezekiah contributed 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep for the people to kill and eat, and the officials gave them another 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. A large number of priests went through the ritual of purification.


text:
 So everyone was happy---the people of Judah, the priests, the Levites, the people who had come from the north, and the foreigners who had settled permanently in Israel and Judah.


text:
 The city of Jerusalem was filled with joy, because nothing like this had happened since the days of King Solomon, the son of David.


text:
 The priests and the Levites asked the LORD's blessing on the people. In his home in heaven God heard their prayers and accepted them.


text:
 After the festival ended, all the people of Israel went to every city in Judah and broke the stone pillars, cut down the symbols of the goddess Asherah, and destroyed the altars and the pagan places of worship. They did the same thing throughout the rest of Judah, and the territories of Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh; then they all returned home.


text:
 King Hezekiah reestablished the organization of the priests and Levites, under which they each had specific duties. These included offering the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings, taking part in the Temple worship, and giving praise and thanks in the various parts of the Temple.


text:
 From his own flocks and herds he provided animals for the burnt offerings each morning and evening, and for those offered on the Sabbath, at the New Moon Festival, and at the other festivals which are required by the Law of the LORD.


text:
 In addition, the king told the people of Jerusalem to bring the offerings to which the priests and the Levites were entitled, so that they could give all their time to the requirements of the Law of the LORD.


text:
 As soon as the order was given, the people of Israel brought gifts of their finest grain, wine, olive oil, honey, and other farm produce, and they also brought the tithes of everything they had.


text:
 All the people who lived in the cities of Judah brought tithes of their cattle and sheep, and they also brought large quantities of gifts which they dedicated to the LORD their God.


text:
 When King Hezekiah and his officials saw how much had been given, they praised the LORD and praised his people Israel.


text:
 and Azariah the High Priest, a descendant of Zadok, said to him, "Since the people started bringing their gifts to the Temple, there has been enough to eat and a large surplus besides. We have all this because the LORD has blessed his people."


text:
 and put all the gifts and tithes in them for safekeeping. They placed a Levite named Conaniah in charge and made his brother Shimei his assistant.


text:
 Ten Levites were assigned to work under them: Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah. All this was done under the authority of King Hezekiah and Azariah the High Priest.


text:
 Kore son of Imnah, a Levite who was chief guard at the East Gate of the Temple, was in charge of receiving the gifts offered to the LORD and of distributing them.


text:
 In the other cities where priests lived, he was faithfully assisted in this by other Levites: Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah. They distributed the food equally to their fellow Levites according to what their duties were,


text:
 and not by clans. They gave a share to all males thirty years of age or older who had daily responsibilities in the Temple in accordance with their positions.


text:
 The priests were assigned their duties by clans, and the Levites twenty years of age or older were assigned theirs by work groups.


text:
 They were all registered together with their wives, children, and other dependents, because they were required to be ready to perform their sacred duties at any time.


text:
 Among the priests who lived in the cities assigned to Aaron's descendants or in the pasture lands belonging to these cities, there were responsible men who distributed the food to all the males in the priestly families and to everyone who was on the rolls of the Levite clans.


text:
 He was successful, because everything he did for the Temple or in observance of the Law, he did in a spirit of complete loyalty and devotion to his God.


text:
 After these events, in which King Hezekiah served the LORD faithfully, Sennacherib, the emperor of Assyria, invaded Judah. He besieged the fortified cities and gave orders for his army to break their way through the walls.


text:
 he and his officials decided to cut off the supply of water outside the city in order to keep the Assyrians from having any water when they got near Jerusalem. The officials led a large number of people out and stopped up all the springs, so that no more water flowed out of them.


text:
 The king strengthened the city's defenses by repairing the wall, building towers on it, and building an outer wall. In addition, he repaired the defenses built on the land that was filled in on the east side of the old part of Jerusalem. He also had a large number of spears and shields made.


text:
 He placed all the men in the city under the command of army officers and had them assemble in the open square at the city gate. He said to them,


text:
 "Be determined and confident, and don't be afraid of the Assyrian emperor or of the army he is leading. We have more power on our side than he has on his.


text:
 He has human power, but we have the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." The people were encouraged by these words of their king.


text:
 Some time later, while Sennacherib and his army were still at Lachish, he sent the following message to Hezekiah and the people of Judah who were with him in Jerusalem:


text:
 "I, Sennacherib, Emperor of Assyria, ask what gives you people the confidence to remain in Jerusalem under siege.


text:
 Hezekiah tells you that the LORD your God will save you from our power, but Hezekiah is deceiving you and will let you die of hunger and thirst.


text:
 He is the one who destroyed the LORD's shrines and altars and then told the people of Judah and Jerusalem to worship and burn incense at one altar only.


text:
 Don't you know what my ancestors and I have done to the people of other nations? Did the gods of any other nation save their people from the emperor of Assyria?


text:
 When did any of the gods of all those countries ever save their country from us? Then what makes you think that your god can save you?


text:
 Now don't let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you like that. Don't believe him! No god of any nation has ever been able to save his people from any Assyrian emperor. So certainly this god of yours can't save you!"


text:
 The letter that the emperor wrote defied the LORD, the God of Israel. It said, "The gods of the nations have not saved their people from my power, and neither will Hezekiah's god save his people from me."


text:
 The officials shouted this in Hebrew in order to frighten and discourage the people of Jerusalem who were on the city wall, so that it would be easier to capture the city.


text:
 They talked about the God of Jerusalem in the same way that they talked about the gods of the other peoples, idols made by human hands.


text:
 The LORD sent an angel that killed the soldiers and officers of the Assyrian army. So the emperor went back to Assyria disgraced. One day when he was in the temple of his god, some of his sons killed him with their swords.


text:
 In this way the LORD rescued King Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the power of Sennacherib, the emperor of Assyria, and also from their other enemies. He let the people live in peace with all the neighboring countries.


text:
 Many people came to Jerusalem, bringing offerings to the LORD and gifts to Hezekiah, so that from then on all the nations held Hezekiah in honor.


text:
 About this time King Hezekiah became sick and almost died. He prayed, and the LORD gave him a sign that he would recover.


text:
 But Hezekiah was too proud to show gratitude for what the LORD had done for him, and Judah and Jerusalem suffered for it.


text:
 Finally, however, Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem humbled themselves, and so the LORD did not punish the people until after Hezekiah's death.


text:
 King Hezekiah became very wealthy, and everyone held him in honor. He had storerooms built for his gold, silver, precious stones, spices, shields, and other valuable objects.


text:
 In addition, he had storehouses built for his grain, wine, and olive oil; barns for his cattle; and pens for his sheep.


text:
 Besides all this, God gave him sheep and cattle and so much other wealth that he built many cities.


text:
 It was King Hezekiah who blocked the outlet for Gihon Spring and channeled the water to flow through a tunnel to a point inside the walls of Jerusalem. Hezekiah succeeded in everything he did,


text:
 and even when the Babylonian ambassadors came to inquire about the unusual event that had happened in the land, God let Hezekiah go his own way only in order to test his character.


text:
 Everything else that King Hezekiah did and his devotion to the LORD are recorded in <i>The Vision of the Prophet Isaiah Son of Amoz</i> and in <i>The History of the Kings of Judah and Israel</i>.


text:
 Hezekiah died and was buried in the upper section of the royal tombs. All the people of Judah and Jerusalem paid him great honor at his death. His son Manasseh succeeded him as king.


text:
 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled in Jerusalem for fifty-five years.


text:
 He rebuilt the pagan places of worship that his father Hezekiah had destroyed. He built altars for the worship of Baal, made images of the goddess Asherah, and worshiped the stars.


text:
 He built pagan altars in the Temple, the place that the LORD had said was where he should be worshiped forever.


text:
 He sacrificed his sons in Hinnom Valley as burnt offerings. He practiced divination and magic and consulted fortunetellers and mediums. He sinned greatly against the LORD and stirred up his anger.


text:
 He placed an image in the Temple, the place about which God had said to David and his son Solomon: "Here in Jerusalem, in this Temple, is the place that I have chosen out of all the territory of the twelve tribes of Israel as the place where I am to be worshiped.


text:
 Manasseh led the people of Judah to commit even greater sins than those committed by the nations whom the LORD had driven out of the land as his people advanced.


text:
 So the LORD let the commanders of the Assyrian army invade Judah. They captured Manasseh, stuck hooks in him, put him in chains, and took him to Babylon.


text:
 God accepted Manasseh's prayer and answered it by letting him go back to Jerusalem and rule again. This convinced Manasseh that the LORD was God.


text:
 After this, Manasseh increased the height of the outer wall on the east side of David's City, from a point in the valley near Gihon Spring north to the Fish Gate and the area of the city called Ophel. He also stationed an army officer in command of a unit of troops in each of the fortified cities of Judah.


text:
 He removed from the Temple the foreign gods and the image that he had placed there, and the pagan altars that were on the hill where the Temple stood and in other places in Jerusalem; he took all these things outside the city and threw them away.


text:
 He also repaired the altar where the LORD was worshiped, and he sacrificed fellowship offerings and thanksgiving offerings on it. He commanded all the people of Judah to worship the LORD, the God of Israel.


text:
 Although the people continued to offer sacrifices at other places of worship, they offered them only to the LORD.


text:
 Everything else that Manasseh did, the prayer he made to his God, and the messages of the prophets who spoke to him in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, are all recorded in <i>The History of the Kings of Israel</i>.


text:
 The king's prayer and God's answer to it, and an account of the sins he committed before he repented---the evil he did, the pagan places of worship and the symbols of the goddess Asherah that he made and the idols that he worshiped---are all recorded in <i>The History of the Prophets</i>.


text:
 Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled in Jerusalem for two years.


text:
 Like his father Manasseh, he sinned against the LORD, and he worshiped the idols that his father had worshiped.


text:
 But unlike his father, he did not become humble and turn to the LORD; he was even more sinful than his father had been.


text:
 Josiah was eight years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled in Jerusalem for thirty-one years.


text:
 He did what was pleasing to the LORD; he followed the example of his ancestor King David, strictly obeying all the laws of God.


text:
 In the eighth year that Josiah was king, while he was still very young, he began to worship the God of his ancestor King David. Four years later he began to destroy the pagan places of worship, the symbols of the goddess Asherah, and all the other idols.


text:
 Under his direction the altars where Baal was worshiped were smashed, and the incense altars near them were torn down. They ground to dust the images of Asherah and all the other idols and then scattered the dust on the graves of the people who had sacrificed to them.


text:
 He burned the bones of the pagan priests on the altars where they had worshiped. By doing all this, he made Judah and Jerusalem ritually clean again.


text:
 He did the same thing in the cities and the devastated areas of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, and as far north as Naphtali.


text:
 Throughout the territory of the Northern Kingdom he smashed the altars and the symbols of Asherah, ground the idols to dust, and broke into bits all the incense altars. Then he returned to Jerusalem.


text:
 In the eighteenth year of his reign, after he had purified the land and the Temple by ending pagan worship, King Josiah sent three men to repair the Temple of the LORD God: Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah, the governor of Jerusalem, and Joah son of Joahaz, a high official.


text:
 The money that the Levite guards had collected in the Temple was turned over to Hilkiah the High Priest. (It had been collected from the people of Ephraim and Manasseh and the rest of the Northern Kingdom, and from the people of Judah, Benjamin, and Jerusalem.)


text:
 This money was then handed over to the three men in charge of the Temple repairs, and they gave it to


text:
 the carpenters and the builders to buy the stones and the timber used to repair the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to decay.


text:
 The men who did the work were thoroughly honest. They were supervised by four Levites: Jahath and Obadiah of the clan of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam of the clan of Kohath. (The Levites were all skillful musicians.)


text:
 Other Levites were in charge of transporting materials and supervising the workers on various jobs, and others kept records or served as guards.


text:
 While the money was being taken out of the storeroom, Hilkiah found the book of the Law of the LORD, the Law that God had given to Moses.


text:
 He said to Shaphan, "I have found the book of the Law here in the Temple." He gave Shaphan the book,


text:
 We have taken the money that was kept in the Temple and handed it over to the workers and their supervisors."


text:
 and gave the following order to Hilkiah, to Ahikam son of Shaphan, to Abdon son of Micaiah, to Shaphan, the court secretary, and to Asaiah, the king's attendant:


text:
 "Go and consult the LORD for me and for the people who still remain in Israel and Judah. Find out about the teachings of this book. The LORD is angry with us because our ancestors have not obeyed the word of the LORD and have not done what this book says must be done."


text:
 At the king's command, Hilkiah and the others went to consult a woman named Huldah, a prophet who lived in the newer part of Jerusalem. (Her husband Shallum, the son of Tikvah and grandson of Harhas, was in charge of the Temple robes.) They described to her what had happened,


text:
 the following message from the LORD: "I am going to punish Jerusalem and all its people with the curses written in the book that was read to the king.


text:
 and you repented and humbled yourself before me, tearing your clothes and weeping, when you heard how I threatened to punish Jerusalem and its people. I have heard your prayer,


text:
 and together they went to the Temple, accompanied by the priests and the Levites and all the rest of the people, rich and poor alike. Before them all the king read aloud the whole book of the covenant, which had been found in the Temple.


text:
 He stood by the royal column and made a covenant with the LORD to obey him, to keep his laws and commands with all his heart and soul, and to put into practice the demands attached to the covenant, as written in the book.


text:
 He made the people of Benjamin and everyone else present in Jerusalem promise to keep the covenant. And so the people of Jerusalem obeyed the requirements of the covenant they had made with the God of their ancestors.


text:
 King Josiah destroyed all the disgusting idols that were in the territory belonging to the people of Israel, and as long as he lived, he required the people to serve the LORD, the God of their ancestors.


text:
 King Josiah celebrated the Passover at Jerusalem in honor of the LORD; on the fourteenth day of the first month they killed the animals for the festival.


text:
 He assigned to the priests the duties they were to perform in the Temple and encouraged them to do them well.


text:
 He also gave these instructions to the Levites, the teachers of Israel, who were dedicated to the LORD: "Put the sacred Covenant Box in the Temple that King Solomon, the son of David, built. You are no longer to carry it from place to place, but you are to serve the LORD your God and his people Israel.


text:
 Take your places in the Temple by clans, according to the responsibilities assigned to you by King David and his son King Solomon,


text:
 and arrange yourselves so that some of you will be available to help each family of the people of Israel.


text:
 You are to kill the Passover lambs and goats. Now make yourselves ritually clean and prepare the sacrifices in order that your fellow Israelites may follow the instructions which the LORD gave through Moses."


text:
 For the use of the people at the Passover, King Josiah contributed from his own herds and flocks 30,000 sheep, lambs, and young goats, and 3,000 bulls.


text:
 His officials also made contributions for the people, the priests, and the Levites to use. And the officials in charge of the Temple---Hilkiah, the High Priest, Zechariah, and Jehiel---gave the priests 2,600 lambs and young goats and 300 bulls for sacrifices during the festival.


text:
 The leaders of the Levites---Conaniah, Shemaiah and his brother Nethanel, Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad---contributed 5,000 lambs and young goats and 500 bulls for the Levites to offer as sacrifices.


text:
 When everything was arranged for the Passover, the priests and the Levites took their posts, as commanded by the king.


text:
 After the lambs and goats had been killed, the Levites skinned them, and the priests sprinkled the blood on the altar.


text:
 Then they divided among the people, by family groups, the animals for burnt offerings, so that they could offer them according to the instructions in the Law of Moses.


text:
 The Levites roasted the Passover sacrifices over the fire, according to the regulations, and boiled the sacred offerings in pots, kettles, and pans, and quickly distributed the meat to the people.


text:
 After this was done, the Levites provided meat for themselves and for the priests descended from Aaron, for the priests were kept busy until night, burning the animals that were burned whole and the fat of the sacrifices.


text:
 The following musicians of the Levite clan of Asaph were in the places assigned to them by King David's instructions: Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, the king's prophet. The guards at the Temple gates did not need to leave their posts, because the other Levites prepared the Passover for them.


text:
 So, as King Josiah had commanded, everything was done that day for the worship of the LORD, the keeping of the Passover Festival, and the offering of burnt offerings on the altar.


text:
 For seven days all the people of Israel who were present celebrated the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread.


text:
 Since the days of the prophet Samuel, the Passover had never been celebrated like this. None of the former kings had ever celebrated a Passover like this one celebrated by King Josiah, the priests, the Levites, and the people of Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem


text:
 After King Josiah had done all this for the Temple, King Neco of Egypt led an army to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates River. Josiah tried to stop him,


text:
 but Neco sent Josiah this message: "This war I am fighting does not concern you, King of Judah. I have not come to fight you, but to fight my enemies, and God has told me to hurry. God is on my side, so don't oppose me, or he will destroy you."


text:
 But Josiah was determined to fight. He refused to listen to what God was saying through King Neco, so he disguised himself and went into battle on the plain of Megiddo.


text:
 During the battle King Josiah was struck by Egyptian arrows. He ordered his servants, "Take me away; I'm badly hurt!"


text:
 They lifted him out of his chariot, placed him in a second chariot which he had there, and took him to Jerusalem. There he died and was buried in the royal tombs. All the people of Judah and Jerusalem mourned his death.


text:
 The prophet Jeremiah composed a lament for King Josiah. It has become a custom in Israel for the singers, both men and women, to use this song when they mourn for him. The song is found in the collection of laments.


text:
 and his history from beginning to end---is all recorded in <i>The History of the Kings of Israel and Judah</i>.


text:
 Joahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled in Jerusalem for three months.


text:
 King Neco of Egypt took him prisoner and made Judah pay 7,500 pounds of silver and 75 pounds of gold as tribute.


text:
 Neco made Joahaz' brother Eliakim king of Judah and changed his name to Jehoiakim. Joahaz was taken to Egypt by Neco.


text:
 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled in Jerusalem for eleven years. He sinned against the LORD his God.


text:
 King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia invaded Judah, captured Jehoiakim, and took him to Babylonia in chains.


text:
 Nebuchadnezzar carried off some of the treasures of the Temple and put them in his palace in Babylon.


text:
 Everything that Jehoiakim did, including his disgusting practices and the evil he committed, is recorded in <i>The History of the Kings of Israel and Judah</i>.His son Jehoiachin succeeded him as king.


text:
 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled in Jerusalem for three months and ten days. He too sinned against the LORD.


text:
 When spring came, King Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin to Babylonia as a prisoner and carried off the treasures of the Temple. Then Nebuchadnezzar made Jehoiachin's uncle Zedekiah king of Judah and Jerusalem.


text:
 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled in Jerusalem for eleven years.


text:
 He sinned against the LORD and did not listen humbly to the prophet Jeremiah, who spoke the word of the LORD.


text:
 Zedekiah rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had forced him to swear in God's name that he would be loyal. He stubbornly refused to repent and return to the LORD, the God of Israel.


text:
 In addition, the leaders of Judah, the priests, and the people followed the sinful example of the nations around them in worshiping idols, and so they defiled the Temple, which the LORD himself had made holy.


text:
 The LORD, the God of their ancestors, had continued to send prophets to warn his people, because he wanted to spare them and the Temple.


text:
 But they made fun of God's messengers, ignoring his words and laughing at his prophets, until at last the LORD's anger against his people was so great that there was no escape.


text:
 So the LORD brought the king of Babylonia to attack them. The king killed the young men of Judah even in the Temple. He had no mercy on anyone, young or old, man or woman, sick or healthy. God handed them all over to him.


text:
 The king of Babylonia looted the Temple, the Temple treasury, and the wealth of the king and his officials, and took everything back to Babylon.


text:
 He burned down the Temple and the city, with all its palaces and its wealth, and broke down the city wall.


text:
 He took all the survivors to Babylonia, where they served him and his descendants as slaves until the rise of the Persian Empire.


text:
 And so what the LORD had foretold through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: "The land will lie desolate for seventy years, to make up for the Sabbath rest that has not been observed."


text:
 In the first year that Cyrus of Persia was emperor, the LORD made what he had said through the prophet Jeremiah come true. He prompted Cyrus to issue the following command and send it out in writing to be read aloud everywhere in his empire:


text:
 "This is the command of Cyrus, Emperor of Persia. The LORD, the God of Heaven, has made me ruler over the whole world and has given me the responsibility of building a temple for him in Jerusalem in Judah. Now, all of you who are God's people, go there, and may the LORD your God be with you."


text:
 "This is the command of Cyrus, Emperor of Persia. The LORD, the God of Heaven, has made me ruler over the whole world and has given me the responsibility of building a temple for him in Jerusalem in Judah.


text:
 May God be with all of you who are his people. You are to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is worshiped in Jerusalem.


text:
 If any of his people in exile need help to return, their neighbors are to give them this help. They are to provide them with silver and gold, supplies and pack animals, as well as offerings to present in the Temple of God in Jerusalem."


text:
 Then the heads of the clans of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, the priests and Levites, and everyone else whose heart God had moved got ready to go and rebuild the LORD's Temple in Jerusalem.


text:
 All their neighbors helped them by giving them many things: silver utensils, gold, supplies, pack animals, other valuables, and offerings for the Temple.


text:
 Emperor Cyrus gave them back the bowls and cups that King Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem and had put in the temple of his gods.


text:
 He handed them over to Mithredath, chief of the royal treasury, who made an inventory of them for Sheshbazzar, the governor of Judah,


text:
 as follows:, gold bowls for offerings - 30, silver bowls for offerings - 1,000, other bowls - 29, small gold bowls - 30, small silver bowls - 410, other utensils - 1,000


text:
 In all there were 5,400 gold and silver bowls and other articles which Sheshbazzar took with him when he and the other exiles went from Babylon to Jerusalem.


text:
 Many of the exiles left the province of Babylon and returned to Jerusalem and Judah, all to their own hometowns. Their families had been living in exile in Babylonia ever since King Nebuchadnezzar had taken them there as prisoners.


text:
 Their leaders were Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. This is the list of the clans of Israel, with the number of those from each clan who returned from exile:


text:
 Parosh - 2,172, Shephatiah - 372, Arah - 775, Pahath Moab (descendants of Jeshua and Joab) - 2,812, Elam - 1,254, Zattu - 945, Zaccai - 760, Bani - 642, Bebai - 623, Azgad - 1,222, Adonikam - 666, Bigvai - 2,056, Adin - 454, Ater (also called Hezekiah) - 98, Bezai - 323, Jorah - 112, Hashum - 223, Gibbar - 95


text:
 People whose ancestors had lived in the following towns also returned:, Bethlehem - 123, Netophah - 56, Anathoth - 128, Azmaveth - 42, Kiriath Jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth - 743, Ramah and Geba - 621, Michmash - 122, Bethel and Ai - 223, Nebo - 52, Magbish - 156, The other Elam - 1,254, Harim - 320, Lod, Hadid, and Ono - 725, Jericho - 345, Senaah - 3,630


text:
 This is the list of the priestly clans that returned from exile:, Jedaiah (descendants of Jeshua) - 973, Immer - 1,052, Pashhur - 1,247, Harim - 1,017


text:
 Clans of Levites who returned from exile:, Jeshua and Kadmiel (descendants of Hodaviah) - 74, Temple musicians (descendants of Asaph) - 128, Temple guards (descendants of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai) - 139


text:
 Clans of Temple workers who returned from exile: Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, Keros, Siaha, Padon, Lebanah, Hagabah, Akkub, Hagab, Shamlai, Hanan, Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah, Besai, Asnah, Meunim, Nephisim, Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha, Barkos, Sisera, Temah, Neziah, and Hatipha


text:
 Clans of Solomon's servants who returned from exile: Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda, Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel, Shephatiah, Hattil, Pochereth Hazzebaim, and Ami


text:
 The total number of descendants of the Temple workers and of Solomon's servants who returned from exile was 392.


text:
 There were 652 belonging to the clans of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda who returned from the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer; but they could not prove that they were descendants of Israelites.


text:
 The following priestly clans could find no record to prove their ancestry: Habaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai. (The ancestor of the priestly clan of Barzillai had married a woman from the clan of Barzillai of Gilead and had taken the name of his father-in-law's clan.) Since they were unable to prove who their ancestors were, they were not accepted as priests.


text:
 The Jewish governor told them that they could not eat the food offered to God until there was a priest who could use the Urim and Thummim.


text:
 Total number of exiles who returned - 42,360, Their male and female servants - 7,337, Male and female musicians - 200, Horses - 736, Mules - 245, Camels - 435, Donkeys - 6,720


text:
 When the exiles arrived at the LORD's Temple in Jerusalem, some of the leaders of the clans gave freewill offerings to help rebuild the Temple on its old site.


text:
 They gave as much as they could for this work, and the total came to 1,030 pounds of gold, 5,740 pounds of silver, and 100 robes for priests.


text:
 The priests, the Levites, and some of the people settled in or near Jerusalem; the musicians, the Temple guards, and the Temple workers settled in nearby towns; and the rest of the Israelites settled in the towns where their ancestors had lived.


text:
 By the seventh month the people of Israel were all settled in their towns. Then they all assembled in Jerusalem,


text:
 and Joshua son of Jehozadak, his fellow priests, and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, together with his relatives, rebuilt the altar of the God of Israel, so that they could burn sacrifices on it according to the instructions written in the Law of Moses, the man of God.


text:
 Even though the returning exiles were afraid of the people who were living in the land, they rebuilt the altar where it had stood before. Then they began once again to burn on it the regular morning and evening sacrifices.


text:
 They celebrated the Festival of Shelters according to the regulations; each day they offered the sacrifices required for that day;


text:
 and in addition they offered the regular sacrifices to be burned whole and those to be offered at the New Moon Festival and at all the other regular assemblies at which the LORD is worshiped, as well as all the offerings that were given to the LORD voluntarily.


text:
 Although the people had not yet started to rebuild the Temple, they began on the first day of the seventh month to burn sacrifices to the LORD.


text:
 The people gave money to pay the stonemasons and the carpenters and gave food, drink, and olive oil to be sent to the cities of Tyre and Sidon in exchange for cedar trees from Lebanon, which were to be brought by sea to Joppa. All this was done with the permission of Emperor Cyrus of Persia.


text:
 So in the second month of the year after they came back to the site of the Temple in Jerusalem, they began work. Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the rest of their people, the priests, and the Levites, in fact all the exiles who had come back to Jerusalem, joined in the work. All the Levites twenty years of age or older were put in charge of the work of rebuilding the Temple.


text:
 The Levite Jeshua and his sons and relatives, and Kadmiel and his sons (the clan of Hodaviah ) joined together in taking charge of the rebuilding of the Temple. (They were helped by the Levites of the clan of Henadad.)


text:
 When the builders started to lay the foundation of the Temple, the priests in their robes took their places with trumpets in their hands, and the Levites of the clan of Asaph stood there with cymbals. They praised the LORD according to the instructions handed down from the time of King David.


text:
 They sang the LORD's praises, repeating the refrain: "The LORD is good, and his love for Israel is eternal." Everyone shouted with all their might, praising the LORD, because the work on the foundation of the Temple had been started.


text:
 Many of the older priests, Levites, and heads of clans had seen the first Temple, and as they watched the foundation of this Temple being laid, they cried and wailed. But the others who were there shouted for joy.


text:
 No one could distinguish between the joyful shouts and the crying, because the noise they made was so loud that it could be heard for miles.


text:
 The enemies of the people of Judah and Benjamin heard that those who had returned from exile were rebuilding the Temple of the LORD, the God of Israel.


text:
 So they went to see Zerubbabel and the heads of the clans and said, "Let us join you in building the Temple. We worship the same God you worship, and we have been offering sacrifices to him ever since Emperor Esarhaddon of Assyria sent us here to live."


text:
 Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the heads of the clans told them, "We don't need your help to build a temple for the LORD our God. We will build it ourselves, just as Emperor Cyrus of Persia commanded us."


text:
 Then the people who had been living in the land tried to discourage and frighten the Jews and keep them from building.


text:
 They also bribed Persian government officials to work against them. They kept on doing this throughout the reign of Emperor Cyrus and into the reign of Emperor Darius.


text:
 At the beginning of the reign of Emperor Xerxes, the enemies of the people living in Judah and Jerusalem brought written charges against them.


text:
 Again in the reign of Emperor Artaxerxes of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and their associates wrote a letter to the emperor. The letter was written in Aramaic and was to be translated when read.


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 Also Rehum, the governor, and Shimshai, the secretary of the province, wrote the following letter to Emperor Artaxerxes about Jerusalem:


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 "From Rehum, the governor, from Shimshai, secretary of the province, from their associates, the judges, and from all the other officials, who are originally from Erech, Babylon, and Susa in the land of Elam,


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 together with the other peoples whom the great and powerful Ashurbanipal moved from their homes and settled in the city of Samaria and elsewhere in West-of-Euphrates Province."


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 This is the text of the letter: "To Emperor Artaxerxes from his servants who live in West-of-Euphrates.


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 "We want Your Majesty to know that the Jews who came here from your other territories have settled in Jerusalem and are rebuilding that evil and rebellious city. They have begun to rebuild the walls and will soon finish them.


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 Your Majesty, if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, the people will stop paying taxes, and your royal revenues will decrease.


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 Now, because we are under obligation to Your Majesty, we do not want to see this happen, and so we suggest


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 that you order a search to be made in the records your ancestors kept. If you do, you will discover that this city has always been rebellious and that from ancient times it has given trouble to kings and to rulers of provinces. Its people have always been hard to govern. This is why the city was destroyed.


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 We therefore are convinced that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, Your Majesty will no longer be able to control West-of-Euphrates Province."


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 The emperor sent this answer: "To Rehum, the governor, to Shimshai, secretary of the province, and to their associates who live in Samaria and in the rest of West-of-Euphrates, greetings.


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 I gave orders for an investigation to be made, and it has indeed been found that from ancient times Jerusalem has revolted against royal authority and that it has been full of rebels and troublemakers.


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 Powerful kings have reigned there and have ruled over the entire province of West-of-Euphrates, collecting taxes and revenue.


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 Therefore you are to issue orders that those men are to stop rebuilding the city until I give further commands.


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 As soon as this letter from Emperor Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai, and their associates, they hurried to Jerusalem and forced the Jews to stop rebuilding the city.


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 Work on the Temple had been stopped and had remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Emperor Darius of Persia.


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 At that time two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo, began to speak in the name of the God of Israel to the Jews who lived in Judah and Jerusalem.


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 When Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jehozadak heard their messages, they began to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, and the two prophets helped them.


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 Almost at once Governor Tattenai of West-of-Euphrates, Shethar Bozenai, and their fellow officials came to Jerusalem and demanded: "Who gave you orders to build this Temple and equip it?"


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 But God was watching over the Jewish leaders, and the Persian officials decided to take no action until they could write to Emperor Darius and receive a reply.


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 "Your Majesty should know that we went to the province of Judah and found that the Temple of the great God is being rebuilt with large stone blocks and with wooden beams set in the wall. The work is being done with great care and is moving ahead steadily.


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 "We then asked the leaders of the people to tell us who had given them authority to rebuild the Temple and to equip it.


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 "They answered, 'We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the Temple which was originally built and equipped many years ago by a powerful king of Israel.


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 But because our ancestors made the God of Heaven angry, he let them be conquered by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia, a king of the Chaldean dynasty. The Temple was destroyed, and the people were taken into exile in Babylonia.


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 Then in the first year of the reign of King Cyrus as emperor of Babylonia, Cyrus issued orders for the Temple to be rebuilt.


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 He restored the gold and silver Temple utensils which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem and had placed in the temple in Babylon. Emperor Cyrus turned these utensils over to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he appointed governor of Judah.


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 The emperor told him to take them and return them to the Temple in Jerusalem, and to rebuild the Temple where it had stood before.


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 So Sheshbazzar came and laid its foundation; construction has continued from then until the present, but it is still not finished.'


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 "Now, if it please Your Majesty, have a search made in the royal records in Babylon to find whether or not Emperor Cyrus gave orders for this Temple in Jerusalem to be rebuilt, and then inform us what your will is in this matter."


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 So Emperor Darius issued orders for a search to be made in the royal records that were kept in Babylon.


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 But it was in the city of Ecbatana in the province of Media that a scroll was found, containing the following record:


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 "In the first year of his reign Emperor Cyrus commanded that the Temple in Jerusalem be rebuilt as a place where sacrifices are made and offerings are burned. The Temple is to be ninety feet high and ninety feet wide.


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 The walls are to be built with one layer of wood on top of each three layers of stone. All expenses are to be paid by the royal treasury.


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 Also the gold and silver utensils which King Nebuchadnezzar brought to Babylon from the Temple in Jerusalem are to be returned to their proper place in the Jerusalem Temple."


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 Then Emperor Darius sent the following reply: "To Tattenai, governor of West-of-Euphrates, Shethar Bozenai, and your fellow officials in West-of-Euphrates. "Stay away from the Temple


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 and do not interfere with its construction. Let the governor of Judah and the Jewish leaders rebuild the Temple of God where it stood before.


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 I hereby command you to help them rebuild it. Their expenses are to be paid promptly out of the royal funds received from taxes in West-of-Euphrates, so that the work is not interrupted.


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 Day by day, without fail, you are to give the priests in Jerusalem whatever they tell you they need: young bulls, sheep, or lambs to be burned as offerings to the God of Heaven, or wheat, salt, wine, or olive oil.


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 This is to be done so that they can offer sacrifices that are acceptable to the God of Heaven and pray for his blessing on me and my sons.


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 I further command that if any disobey this order, a wooden beam is to be torn out of their houses, sharpened on one end, and then driven through their bodies. And their houses are to be made a rubbish heap.


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 May the God who chose Jerusalem as the place where he is to be worshiped overthrow any king or nation that defies this command and tries to destroy the Temple there. I, Darius, have commanded. My command is to be fully obeyed."


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 Then Governor Tattenai, Shethar Bozenai, and their fellow officials did exactly as the emperor had commanded.


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 The Jewish leaders made good progress with the building of the Temple, encouraged by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. They completed the Temple as they had been commanded by the God of Israel and by Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, emperors of Persia.


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 They finished the Temple on the third day of the month Adar in the sixth year of the reign of Emperor Darius.


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 Then the people of Israel---the priests, the Levites, and all the others who had returned from exile---joyfully dedicated the Temple.


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 For the dedication they offered 100 bulls, 200 sheep, and 400 lambs as sacrifices, and 12 goats as offerings for sin, one for each tribe of Israel.


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 They also organized the priests and the Levites for the Temple services in Jerusalem, according to the instructions contained in the book of Moses.


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 The people who had returned from exile celebrated Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month of the following year.


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 All the priests and the Levites had purified themselves and were ritually clean. The Levites killed the animals for the Passover sacrifices for all the people who had returned, for the priests, and for themselves.


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 The sacrifices were eaten by all the Israelites who had returned from exile and by all those who had given up the pagan ways of the other people who were living in the land and who had come to worship the LORD God of Israel.


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 For seven days they joyfully celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread. They were full of joy because the LORD had made the emperor of Assyria favorable to them, so that he supported them in their work of rebuilding the Temple of the God of Israel.


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 Many years later, when Artaxerxes was emperor of Persia, there was a man named Ezra. He traced his ancestors back to Aaron, the High Priest, as follows: Ezra was the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah,


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 Ezra was a scholar with a thorough knowledge of the Law which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given to Moses. Because Ezra had the blessing of the LORD his God, the emperor gave him everything he asked for. In the seventh year of the reign of Artaxerxes, Ezra set out from Babylonia for Jerusalem with a group of Israelites which included priests, Levites, Temple musicians, Temple guards, and workers.


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 They left Babylonia on the first day of the first month, and with God's help they arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month.


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 Ezra had devoted his life to studying the Law of the LORD, to practicing it, and to teaching all its laws and regulations to the people of Israel.


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 Emperor Artaxerxes gave the following document to Ezra, the priest and scholar, who had a thorough knowledge of the laws and commands which the LORD had given to Israel:


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 "I command that throughout my empire all the Israelite people, priests, and Levites that so desire be permitted to go with you to Jerusalem.


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 I, together with my seven counselors, send you to investigate the conditions in Jerusalem and Judah in order to see how well the Law of your God, which has been entrusted to you, is being obeyed.


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 You are to take with you the gold and silver offerings which I and my counselors desire to give to the God of Israel, whose Temple is in Jerusalem.


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 You are also to take all the silver and gold which you collect throughout the province of Babylon and the offerings which the Israelite people and their priests give for the Temple of their God in Jerusalem.


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 "You are to spend this money carefully and buy bulls, rams, lambs, grain, and wine and offer them on the altar of the Temple in Jerusalem.


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 You may use the silver and gold that is left over for whatever you and your people desire, in accordance with the will of your God.


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 You are to present to God in Jerusalem all the utensils that have been given to you for use in the Temple services.


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 "I command all the treasury officials in West-of-Euphrates Province to provide promptly for Ezra, the priest and scholar in the Law of the God of Heaven, everything he asks you for,


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 up to a limit of 7,500 pounds of silver, 500 bushels of wheat, 550 gallons of wine, 550 gallons of olive oil, and as much salt as needed.


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 You must be careful to provide everything which the God of Heaven requires for his Temple, and so make sure that he is never angry with me or with those who reign after me.


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 You are forbidden to collect any taxes from the priests, Levites, musicians, guards, workers, or anyone else connected with this Temple.


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 "You, Ezra, using the wisdom which your God has given you, are to appoint administrators and judges to govern all the people in West-of-Euphrates who live by the Law of your God. You must teach that Law to anyone who does not know it.


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 If any disobey the laws of your God or the laws of the empire, they are to be punished promptly: by death or by exile or by confiscation of their property or by imprisonment."


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 Ezra said, "Praise the LORD, the God of our ancestors! He has made the emperor willing to honor in this way the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalem.


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 By God's grace I have won the favor of the emperor, of his counselors, and of all his powerful officials; the LORD my God has given me courage, and I have been able to persuade many of the heads of the clans of Israel to return with me."


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 This is the list of the heads of the clans who had been in exile in Babylonia and who returned with Ezra to Jerusalem when Artaxerxes was emperor:


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 Gershom, of the clan of Phinehas, Daniel, of the clan of Ithamar, Hattush son of Shecaniah, of the clan of David, Zechariah, of the clan of Parosh, with 150 men of his clan (there were records of their family lines), Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, of the clan of Pahath Moab, with 200 men, Shecaniah son of Jahaziel, of the clan of Zattu, with 300 men, Ebed son of Jonathan, of the clan of Adin, with 50 men, Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, of the clan of Elam, with 70 men, Zebadiah son of Michael, of the clan of Shephatiah, with 80 men, Obadiah son of Jehiel, of the clan of Joab, with 218 men, Shelomith son of Josiphiah, of the clan of Bani, with 160 men, Zechariah son of Bebai, of the clan of Bebai, with 28 men, Johanan son of Hakkatan, of the clan of Azgad, with 110 men, Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah, of the clan of Adonikam, with 60 men (they returned at a later date), Uthai and Zaccur, of the clan of Bigvai, with 70 men


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 I assembled the entire group by the canal that runs to the town of Ahava, and we camped there three days. I found that there were priests in the group, but no Levites.


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 I sent for nine of the leaders: Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, and for two teachers, Joiarib and Elnathan.


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 I sent them to Iddo, head of the community at Casiphia, to ask him and his associates, the Temple workers, to send us people to serve God in the Temple.


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 Through God's grace they sent us Sherebiah, an able man, a Levite from the clan of Mahli; and eighteen of his sons and brothers came with him.


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 In addition there were 220 Temple workers whose ancestors had been designated by King David and his officials to assist the Levites. They were all listed by name.


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 There by the Ahava Canal I gave orders for us all to fast and humble ourselves before our God and to ask him to lead us on our journey and protect us and our children and all our possessions.


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 I would have been ashamed to ask the emperor for a troop of cavalry to guard us from any enemies during our journey, because I had told him that our God blesses everyone who trusts him, but that he is displeased with and punishes anyone who turns away from him.


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 Then I weighed out the silver, the gold, and the utensils which the emperor, his advisers and officials, and the people of Israel had given to be used in the Temple, and I gave it to the priests.


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 This is what I gave them:, silver - 25 tons, 100 silver utensils - 150 pounds, gold - 7,500 pounds, 20 gold bowls - 270 ounces, fine bronze bowls, equal in value to gold bowls


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 I said to them, "You are sacred to the LORD, the God of your ancestors, and so are all the silver and gold utensils brought to him as freewill offerings.


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 Guard them carefully until you reach the Temple. There in the priests' rooms weigh them and turn them over to the leaders of the priests and of the Levites, and to the leaders of the people of Israel in Jerusalem."


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 So the priests and the Levites took charge of the silver, the gold, and the utensils, to take them to the Temple in Jerusalem.


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 It was on the twelfth day of the first month that we left the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. Our God was with us and protected us from enemy attacks and from ambush as we traveled.


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 Then on the fourth day we went to the Temple, weighed the silver, the gold, and the utensils, and turned them over to Meremoth the priest, son of Uriah. With him were Eleazar son of Phinehas and two Levites, Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui.


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 All those who had returned from exile then brought offerings to be burned as sacrifices to the God of Israel. They offered 12 bulls for all Israel, 96 rams, and 77 lambs; they also offered 12 goats to purify themselves from sin. All these animals were burned as sacrifices to the LORD.


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 They also took the document the emperor had given them and gave it to the governors and officials of West-of-Euphrates Province, who then gave their support to the people and the Temple worship.


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 After all this had been done, some of the leaders of the people of Israel came and told me that the people, the priests, and the Levites had not kept themselves separate from the people in the neighboring countries of Ammon, Moab, and Egypt or from the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, and Amorites. They were doing the same disgusting things which these people did.


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 Jewish men were marrying foreign women, and so God's holy people had become contaminated. The leaders and officials were the chief offenders.


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 When I heard this, I tore my clothes in despair, tore my hair and my beard, and sat down crushed with grief.


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 I sat there grieving until the time for the evening sacrifice to be offered, and people began to gather around me---all those who were frightened because of what the God of Israel had said about the sins of those who had returned from exile.


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 When the time came for the evening sacrifice, I got up from where I had been grieving, and still wearing my torn clothes, I knelt in prayer and stretched out my hands to the LORD my God.


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 I said, "O God, I am too ashamed to raise my head in your presence. Our sins pile up higher than our heads; they reach as high as the heavens.


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 From the days of our ancestors until now, we, your people, have sinned greatly. Because of our sins we, our kings, and our priests have fallen into the hands of foreign kings, and we have been slaughtered, robbed, and carried away as prisoners. We have been totally disgraced, as we still are today.


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 Now for a short time, O LORD our God, you have been gracious to us and have let some of us escape from slavery and live in safety in this holy place. You have let us escape from slavery and have given us new life.


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 We were slaves, but you did not leave us in slavery. You made the emperors of Persia favor us and permit us to go on living and to rebuild your Temple, which was in ruins, and to find safety here in Judah and Jerusalem.


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 that you gave us through your servants, the prophets. They told us that the land we were going to occupy was an impure land because the people who lived in it filled it from one end to the other with disgusting, filthy actions.


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 They told us that we were never to intermarry with those people and never to help them prosper or succeed if we wanted to enjoy the land and pass it on to our descendants forever.


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 Even after everything that has happened to us in punishment for our sins and wrongs, we know that you, our God, have punished us less than we deserve and have allowed us to survive.


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 Then how can we ignore your commandments again and intermarry with these wicked people? If we do, you will be so angry that you will destroy us completely and let no one survive.


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 LORD God of Israel, you are just, but you have let us survive. We confess our guilt to you; we have no right to come into your presence."


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 While Ezra was bowing in prayer in front of the Temple, weeping and confessing these sins, a large group of Israelites---men, women, and children---gathered around him, weeping bitterly.


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 Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, of the clan of Elam, said to Ezra, "We have broken faith with God by marrying foreign women, but even so there is still hope for Israel.


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 Now we must make a solemn promise to our God that we will send these women and their children away. We will do what you and the others who honor God's commands advise us to do. We will do what God's Law demands.


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 So Ezra began by making the leaders of the priests, of the Levites, and of the rest of the people take an oath that they would do what Shecaniah had proposed.


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 Then he went from in front of the Temple into the living quarters of Jehohanan son of Eliashib, and spent the night there grieving over the unfaithfulness of the exiles. He did not eat or drink anything.


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 A message was sent throughout Jerusalem and Judah that all those who had returned from exile were to meet in Jerusalem


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 by order of the leaders of the people. If any failed to come within three days, all their property would be confiscated, and they would lose their right to be members of the community.


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 Within the three days, on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the men living in the territory of Judah and Benjamin came to Jerusalem and assembled in the Temple square. It was raining hard, and because of the weather and the importance of the meeting everyone was trembling.


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 Ezra the priest stood up and spoke to them. He said, "You have been faithless and have brought guilt on Israel by marrying foreign women.


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 Now then, confess your sins to the LORD, the God of your ancestors, and do what pleases him. Separate yourselves from the foreigners living in our land and get rid of your foreign wives."


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 But they added, "The crowd is too big, and it's raining hard. We can't stand here in the open like this. This isn't something that can be done in one or two days, because so many of us are involved in this sin.


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 Let our officials stay in Jerusalem and take charge of the matter. Then let anyone who has a foreign wife come at a set time, together with the leaders and the judges of his city. In this way God's anger over this situation will be turned away."


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 No one was opposed to the plan except Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, who had the support of Meshullam and of Shabbethai, a Levite.


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 The returned exiles accepted the plan, so Ezra the priest appointed men from among the heads of the clans and recorded their names. On the first day of the tenth month they began their investigation,


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 This is the list of the men who had foreign wives: <i>Priests,</i> listed by clans: Clan of Joshua and his brothers, sons of Jehozadak: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.


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 Clan of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu


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 Clan of Binnui: Shimei, Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph


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 This is the account of what Nehemiah son of Hacaliah accomplished. In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year that Artaxerxes was emperor of Persia, I, Nehemiah, was in Susa, the capital city.


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 Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived from Judah with another group, and I asked them about Jerusalem and about the other Jews who had returned from exile in Babylonia.


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 They told me that those who had survived and were back in the homeland were in great difficulty and that the foreigners who lived nearby looked down on them. They also told me that the walls of Jerusalem were still broken down and that the gates had not been restored since the time they were burned.


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 When I heard all this, I sat down and wept. For several days I mourned and did not eat. I prayed to God,


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 " LORD God of Heaven! You are great, and we stand in fear of you. You faithfully keep your covenant with those who love you and do what you command.


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 Look at me, LORD, and hear my prayer, as I pray day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess that we, the people of Israel, have sinned. My ancestors and I have sinned.


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 We have acted wickedly against you and have not done what you commanded. We have not kept the laws which you gave us through Moses, your servant.


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 Remember now what you told Moses: 'If you people of Israel are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the other nations.


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 But then if you turn back to me and do what I have commanded you, I will bring you back to the place where I have chosen to be worshiped, even though you are scattered to the ends of the earth.'


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 "Lord, these are your servants, your own people. You rescued them by your great power and strength.


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 Listen now to my prayer and to the prayers of all your other servants who want to honor you. Give me success today and make the emperor merciful to me." In those days I was the emperor's wine steward.


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 One day four months later, when Emperor Artaxerxes was dining, I took the wine to him. He had never seen me look sad before,


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 so he asked, "Why are you looking so sad? You aren't sick, so it must be that you're unhappy." I was startled


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 and answered, "May Your Majesty live forever! How can I keep from looking sad when the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?"


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 and then I said to the emperor, "If Your Majesty is pleased with me and is willing to grant my request, let me go to the land of Judah, to the city where my ancestors are buried, so that I can rebuild the city."


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 The emperor, with the empress sitting at his side, approved my request. He asked me how long I would be gone and when I would return, and I told him.


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 Then I asked him to grant me the favor of giving me letters to the governors of West-of-Euphrates Province, instructing them to let me travel to Judah.


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 I asked also for a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal forests, instructing him to supply me with timber for the gates of the fort that guards the Temple, for the city walls, and for the house I was to live in. The emperor gave me all I asked for, because God was with me.


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 The emperor sent some army officers and a troop of cavalry with me, and I made the journey to West-of-Euphrates. There I gave the emperor's letters to the governors.


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 But Sanballat, from the town of Beth Horon, and Tobiah, an official in the province of Ammon, heard that someone had come to work for the good of the people of Israel, and they were highly indignant.


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 I did not tell anyone what God had inspired me to do for Jerusalem. Then in the middle of the night I got up and went out, taking a few of my companions with me. The only animal we took was the donkey that I rode on.


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 It was still night as I left the city through the Valley Gate on the west and went south past Dragon's Fountain to the Rubbish Gate. As I went, I inspected the broken walls of the city and the gates that had been destroyed by fire.


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 Then on the east side of the city I went north to the Fountain Gate and the King's Pool. The donkey I was riding could not find any path through the rubble,


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 so I went down into Kidron Valley and rode along, looking at the wall. Then I returned the way I had come and went back into the city through the Valley Gate.


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 None of the local officials knew where I had gone or what I had been doing. So far I had not said anything to any of the other Jews---the priests, the leaders, the officials, or anyone else who would be taking part in the work.


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 But now I said to them, "See what trouble we are in because Jerusalem is in ruins and its gates are destroyed! Let's rebuild the city walls and put an end to our disgrace."


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 And I told them how God had been with me and helped me, and what the emperor had said to me. They responded, "Let's start rebuilding!" And they got ready to start the work.


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 When Sanballat, Tobiah, and an Arab named Geshem heard what we were planning to do, they laughed at us and said, "What do you think you're doing? Are you going to rebel against the emperor?"


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 I answered, "The God of Heaven will give us success. We are his servants, and we are going to start building. But you have no right to any property in Jerusalem, and you have no share in its traditions."


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 This is how the city wall was rebuilt. The High Priest Eliashib and his fellow priests rebuilt the Sheep Gate, dedicated it, and put the gates in place. They dedicated the wall as far as the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel.


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 The clan of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They put the beams and the gates in place, and put in the bolts and bars for locking the gate.


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 Meremoth, the son of Uriah and grandson of Hakkoz, built the next section. Meshullam, the son of Berechiah and grandson of Meshezabel, built the next section. Zadok son of Baana built the next section.


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 The men of Tekoa built the next section, but the leading men of the town refused to do the manual labor assigned them by the supervisors.


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 Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah rebuilt Jeshanah Gate. They put the beams and the gates in place, and put in the bolts and bars for locking the gate.


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 Melatiah from Gibeon, Jadon from Meronoth, and the men of Gibeon and Mizpah built the next section, as far as the residence of the governor of West-of-Euphrates.


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 Uzziel son of Harhaiah, a goldsmith, built the next section. Hananiah, a maker of perfumes, built the next section, as far as Broad Wall.


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 Jedaiah son of Harumaph built the next section, which was near his own house. Hattush son of Hashabneiah built the next section.


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 Malchijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath Moab built both the next section and the Tower of the Ovens.


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 Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of the other half of the Jerusalem District, built the next section. (His daughters helped with the work.)


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 Hanun and the inhabitants of the city of Zanoah rebuilt the Valley Gate. They put the gates in place, put in the bolts and the bars for locking the gate, and repaired the wall for fifteen hundred feet, as far as the Rubbish Gate.


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 Malchijah son of Rechab, ruler of the Beth Haccherem District, rebuilt the Rubbish Gate. He put the gates in place, and put in the bolts and the bars for locking the gate.


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 Shallum son of Colhozeh, ruler of the Mizpah District, rebuilt the Fountain Gate. He covered the gateway, put the gates in place, and put in the bolts and the bars. At the Pool of Shelah he built the wall next to the royal garden, as far as the stairs leading down from David's City.


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 Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of half of the Bethzur District, built the next section, as far as David's tomb, the pool, and the barracks.


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 The following Levites rebuilt the next several sections of the wall: Rehum son of Bani built the next section; Hashabiah, ruler of half of the Keilah District, built the next section on behalf of his district;


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 Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, built the next section in front of the armory, as far as the place where the wall turns;


text:
 Baruch son of Zabbai built the next section, as far as the entrance to the house of the High Priest Eliashib;


text:
 Meremoth, the son of Uriah and grandson of Hakkoz, built the next section, up to the far end of Eliashib's house.


text:
 The following priests rebuilt the next several sections of the wall: Priests from the area around Jerusalem built the next section;


text:
 Benjamin and Hasshub built the next section, which was in front of their houses; Azariah, the son of Maaseiah and grandson of Ananiah, built the next section, which was in front of his house;


text:
 Palal son of Uzai built the next section, beginning at the corner of the wall and the tower of the upper palace near the court of the guard; Pedaiah son of Parosh built the next section, to a point on the east near the Water Gate and the tower guarding the Temple. (This was near that part of the city called Ophel, where the Temple workers lived.)


text:
 The men of Tekoa built the next section, their second one, from a point opposite the large tower guarding the Temple as far as the wall near Ophel.


text:
 A group of priests built the next section, going north from the Horse Gate, each one building in front of his own house.


text:
 Zadok son of Immer built the next section, which was in front of his house. Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, keeper of the East Gate, built the next section.


text:
 Hananiah son of Shelemiah and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, built the next section, their second one. Meshullam son of Berechiah built the next section, which was in front of his house.


text:
 Malchijah, a goldsmith, built the next section, as far as the building used by the Temple workers and the merchants, which was by the Miphkad Gate to the Temple, near the room on top of the northeast corner of the wall.


text:
 The goldsmiths and the merchants built the last section, from the room at the corner as far as the Sheep Gate.


text:
 When Sanballat heard that we Jews had begun rebuilding the wall, he became furious and began to ridicule us.


text:
 In front of his companions and the Samaritan troops he said, "What do these miserable Jews think they're doing? Do they intend to rebuild the city? Do they think that by offering sacrifices they can finish the work in one day? Can they make building stones out of heaps of burnt rubble?"


text:
 Tobiah was standing there beside him, and he added, "What kind of wall could they ever build? Even a fox could knock it down!"


text:
 I prayed, "Hear how they make fun of us, O God! Let their ridicule fall on their own heads. Let them be robbed of everything they have, and let them be taken as prisoners to a foreign land.


text:
 Don't forgive the evil they do and don't forget their sins, for they have insulted us who are building."


text:
 So we went on rebuilding the wall, and soon it was half its full height, because the people were eager to work.


text:
 Sanballat, Tobiah, and the people of Arabia, Ammon, and Ashdod heard that we were making progress in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem and that the gaps in the wall were being closed, and they became very angry.


text:
 The people of Judah had a song they sang: "We grow weak carrying burdens; There's so much rubble to take away. How can we build the wall today?"


text:
 Our enemies thought we would not see them or know what was happening until they were already upon us, killing us and putting an end to our work.


text:
 But time after time Jews who were living among our enemies came to warn us of the plans our enemies were making against us.


text:
 So I armed the people with swords, spears, and bows, and stationed them by clans behind the wall, wherever it was still unfinished.


text:
 I saw that the people were worried, so I said to them and to their leaders and officials, "Don't be afraid of our enemies. Remember how great and terrifying the Lord is, and fight for your relatives, your children, your wives, and your homes."


text:
 Our enemies heard that we had found out what they were plotting, and they realized that God had defeated their plans. Then all of us went back to rebuilding the wall.


text:
 From then on half of my men worked and half stood guard, wearing coats of armor and armed with spears, shields, and bows. And our leaders gave their full support to the people


text:
 who were rebuilding the wall. Even those who carried building materials worked with one hand and kept a weapon in the other,


text:
 and everyone who was building kept a sword strapped to their waist. The man who was to sound the alarm on the bugle stayed with me.


text:
 I told the people and their officials and leaders, "The work is spread out over such a distance that we are widely separated from one another on the wall.


text:
 So every day, from dawn until the stars came out at night, half of us worked on the wall, while the other half stood guard with spears.


text:
 During this time I told the men in charge that they and all their helpers had to stay in Jerusalem at night, so that we could guard the city at night as well as work in the daytime.


text:
 I didn't take off my clothes even at night, neither did any of my companions nor my servants nor my bodyguards. And we all kept our weapons at hand.


text:
 Others said, "We have had to mortgage our fields and vineyards and houses to get enough grain to keep us from starving."


text:
 We are of the same race as the other Jews. Aren't our children just as good as theirs? But we have to make slaves of our children. Some of our daughters have already been sold as slaves. We are helpless because our fields and vineyards have been taken away from us."


text:
 and decided to act. I denounced the leaders and officials of the people and told them, "You are oppressing your own relatives!" I called a public assembly to deal with the problem


text:
 and said, "As far as we have been able, we have been buying back our Jewish relatives who had to sell themselves to foreigners. Now you are forcing your own relatives to sell themselves to you, their own people!" The leaders were silent and could find nothing to say.


text:
 Then I said, "What you are doing is wrong! You ought to obey God and do what's right. Then you would not give our enemies, the Gentiles, any reason to ridicule us.


text:
 I have let the people borrow money and grain from me, and so have my companions and those who work for me. Now let's give up all our claims to repayment.


text:
 Cancel all the debts they owe you---money or grain or wine or olive oil. And give them back their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses right now!"


text:
 The leaders replied, "We'll do as you say. We'll give the property back and not try to collect the debts." I called in the priests and made the leaders swear in front of them to keep the promise they had just made.


text:
 Then I took off the sash I was wearing around my waist and shook it out. "This is how God will shake any of you who don't keep your promise," I said. "God will take away your houses and everything you own, and will leave you with nothing." Everyone who was present said, "Amen!" and praised the LORD. And the leaders kept their promise.


text:
 During all the twelve years that I was governor of the land of Judah, from the twentieth year that Artaxerxes was emperor until his thirty-second year, neither my relatives nor I ate the food I was entitled to have as governor.


text:
 Every governor who had been in office before me had been a burden to the people and had demanded forty silver coins a day for food and wine. Even their servants had oppressed the people. But I acted differently, because I honored God.


text:
 I put all my energy into rebuilding the wall and did not acquire any property. Everyone who worked for me joined in the rebuilding.


text:
 I regularly fed at my table a hundred and fifty of the Jewish people and their leaders, besides all the people who came to me from the surrounding nations.


text:
 Every day I served one beef, six of the best sheep, and many chickens, and every ten days I provided a fresh supply of wine. But I knew what heavy burdens the people had to bear, and so I did not claim the allowance that the governor is entitled to.


text:
 Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem, and the rest of our enemies heard that we had finished building the wall and that there were no gaps left in it, although we still had not set up the gates in the gateways.


text:
 So Sanballat and Geshem sent me a message, suggesting that I meet with them in one of the villages in the Plain of Ono. This was a trick of theirs to try to harm me.


text:
 I sent messengers to say to them, "I am doing important work and can't go down there. I am not going to let the work stop just to go and see you."


text:
 Then Sanballat sent one of his servants to me with a fifth message, this one in the form of an unsealed letter.


text:
 It read: "Geshem tells me that a rumor is going around among the neighboring peoples that you and the Jewish people intend to revolt and that this is why you are rebuilding the wall. He also says you plan to make yourself king


text:
 and that you have arranged for some prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem that you are the king of Judah. His Majesty is certain to hear about this, so I suggest that you and I meet to talk the situation over."


text:
 About this time I went to visit Shemaiah, the son of Delaiah and grandson of Mehetabel, who was unable to leave his house. He said to me, "You and I must go and hide together in the Holy Place of the Temple and lock the doors, because they are coming to kill you. Any night now they will come to kill you."


text:
 I answered, "I'm not the kind of person that runs and hides. Do you think I would try to save my life by hiding in the Temple? I won't do it."


text:
 When I thought it over, I realized that God had not spoken to Shemaiah, but that Tobiah and Sanballat had bribed him to give me this warning.


text:
 They hired him to frighten me into sinning, so that they could ruin my reputation and humiliate me.


text:
 I prayed, "God, remember what Tobiah and Sanballat have done and punish them. Remember that woman Noadiah and all the other prophets who tried to frighten me."


text:
 After fifty-two days of work the entire wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul.


text:
 When our enemies in the surrounding nations heard this, they realized that they had lost face, since everyone knew that the work had been done with God's help.


text:
 Many people in Judah were on his side because of his Jewish father-in-law, Shecaniah son of Arah. In addition, his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah.


text:
 People would talk in front of me about all the good deeds Tobiah had done and would tell him everything I said. And he kept sending me letters to try to frighten me.


text:
 And now the wall had been rebuilt, the gates had all been put in place, and the Temple guards, the members of the sacred choir, and the other Levites had been assigned their work.


text:
 I put two men in charge of governing the city of Jerusalem: my brother Hanani and Hananiah, commanding officer of the fortress. Hananiah was a reliable and God-fearing man without equal.


text:
 I told them not to have the gates of Jerusalem opened in the morning until well after sunrise and to have them closed and barred before the guards went off duty at sunset. I also told them to appoint guards from among the people who lived in Jerusalem and to assign some of them to specific posts and others to patrol the area around their own houses.


text:
 Jerusalem was a large city, but not many people were living in it, and not many houses had been built yet.


text:
 God inspired me to assemble the people and their leaders and officials and to check their family records. I located the records of those who had first returned from captivity, and this is the information I found:


text:
 Many of the exiles left the province of Babylon and returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own hometown. Their families had been living in exile in Babylonia ever since King Nebuchadnezzar had taken them there as prisoners.


text:
 Their leaders were Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.


text:
 This is the list of the clans of Israel, with the number of those from each clan who returned from exile:, Parosh - 2,172, Shephatiah - 372, Arah - 652, Pahath Moab (descendants of Jeshua and Joab) - 2,818, Elam - 1,254, Zattu - 845, Zaccai - 760, Binnui - 648, Bebai - 628, Azgad - 2,322, Adonikam - 667, Bigvai - 2,067, Adin - 655, Ater (also called Hezekiah) - 98, Hashum - 328, Bezai - 324, Hariph - 112, Gibeon - 95


text:
 People whose ancestors had lived in the following towns also returned: Bethlehem and Netophah - 188, Anathoth - 128, Beth Azmaveth - 42, Kiriath Jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth - 743, Ramah and Geba - 621, Michmash - 122, Bethel and Ai - 123, The other Nebo - 52, The other Elam - 1,254, Harim - 320, Jericho - 345, Lod, Hadid, and Ono - 721, Senaah - 3,930


text:
 This is the list of the priestly clans that returned from exile: Jedaiah (descendants of Jeshua) - 973, Immer - 1,052, Pashhur - 1,247,  Harim - 1,017


text:
 Clans of Levites who returned from exile:, Jeshua and Kadmiel (descendants of Hodaviah) - 74, Temple musicians (descendants of Asaph) - 148, Temple guards (descendants of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai) - 138


text:
 Clans of Temple workers who returned from exile: Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, Keros, Sia, Padon, Lebana, Hagaba, Shalmai, Hanan, Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah, Besai, Meunim, Nephushesim, Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, Bazlith, Mehida, Harsha, Barkos, Sisera, Temah, Neziah, and Hatipha.


text:
 Clans of Solomon's servants who returned from exile: Sotai, Sophereth, Perida, Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel, Shephatiah, Hattil, Pochereth Hazzebaim, and Amon.


text:
 There were 642 belonging to the clans of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda who returned from the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer; but they could not prove that they were descendants of Israelites.


text:
 The following priestly clans could find no record to prove their ancestry: Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai. (The ancestor of the priestly clan of Barzillai had married a woman from the clan of Barzillai of Gilead and taken the name of his father-in-law's clan.) Since they were unable to prove who their ancestors were, they were not accepted as priests.


text:
 Total number of exiles who returned - 42,360. Their male and female servants - 7,337, Male and female musicians - 245, Horses - 736, Mules - 245, Camels - 435, Donkeys - 6,720


text:
 Many of the people contributed to help pay the cost of restoring the Temple: The governor 270 ounces of gold & 50 ceremonial bowls & 530 robes for priests Heads of clans 337 pounds of gold & 3,215 pounds of silver


text:
 The priests, the Levites, the Temple guards, the musicians, many of the ordinary people, the Temple workers---all the people of Israel---settled in the towns and cities of Judah.


text:
 By the seventh month the people of Israel were all settled in their towns. On the first day of that month they all assembled in Jerusalem, in the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra, the priest and scholar of the Law which the LORD had given Israel through Moses, to get the book of the Law.


text:
 So Ezra brought it to the place where the people had gathered---men, women, and the children who were old enough to understand.


text:
 There in the square by the gate he read the Law to them from dawn until noon, and they all listened attentively.


text:
 Ezra was standing on a wooden platform that had been built for the occasion. The following men stood at his right: Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and the following stood at his left: Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.


text:
 As Ezra stood there on the platform high above the people, they all kept their eyes fixed on him. As soon as he opened the book, they all stood up.


text:
 Ezra said, "Praise the LORD, the great God!" All the people raised their arms in the air and answered, "Amen! Amen!" They knelt in worship, with their faces to the ground.


text:
 Then they rose and stood in their places, and the following Levites explained the Law to them: Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah.


text:
 They gave an oral translation of God's Law and explained it so that the people could understand it.


text:
 When the people heard what the Law required, they were so moved that they began to cry. So Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra, the priest and scholar of the Law, and the Levites who were explaining the Law told all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your God, so you are not to mourn or cry.


text:
 Now go home and have a feast. Share your food and wine with those who don't have enough. Today is holy to our Lord, so don't be sad. The joy that the LORD gives you will make you strong."


text:
 So all the people went home and ate and drank joyfully and shared what they had with others, because they understood what had been read to them.


text:
 The next day the heads of the clans, together with the priests and the Levites, went to Ezra to study the teachings of the Law.


text:
 They discovered that the Law, which the LORD gave through Moses, ordered the people of Israel to live in temporary shelters during the Festival of Shelters.


text:
 So they gave the following instructions and sent them all through Jerusalem and the other cities and towns: "Go out to the hills and get branches from pines, olives, myrtles, palms, and other trees to make shelters according to the instructions written in the Law."


text:
 So the people got branches and built shelters on the flat roofs of their houses, in their yards, in the Temple courtyard, and in the public squares by the Water Gate and by the Ephraim Gate.


text:
 All the people who had come back from captivity built shelters and lived in them. This was the first time it had been done since the days of Joshua son of Nun, and everybody was excited and happy.


text:
 From the first day of the festival to the last they read a part of God's Law every day. They celebrated for seven days, and on the eighth day there was a closing ceremony, as required in the Law.


text:
 On the twenty-fourth day of the same month the people of Israel gathered to fast in order to show sorrow for their sins. They had already separated themselves from all foreigners. They wore sackcloth and put dust on their heads as signs of grief. Then they stood and began to confess the sins that they and their ancestors had committed.


text:
 For about three hours the Law of the LORD their God was read to them, and for the next three hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the LORD their God.


text:
 There was a platform for the Levites, and on it stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani. They prayed aloud to the LORD their God.


text:
 The following Levites gave a call to worship: Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah. They said: "Stand up and praise the LORD your God; praise him forever and ever! Let everyone praise his glorious name, although no human praise is great enough."


text:
 And then the people of Israel prayed this prayer: "You, LORD, you alone are LORD; you made the heavens and the stars of the sky. You made land and sea and everything in them; you gave life to all. The heavenly powers bow down and worship you.


text:
 You found that he was faithful to you, and you made a covenant with him. You promised to give him the land of the Canaanites, the land of the Hittites and the Amorites, the land of the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Girgashites, to be a land where his descendants would live. You kept your promise, because you are faithful.


text:
 You worked amazing miracles against the king, against his officials and the people of his land, because you knew how they oppressed your people. You won then the fame you still have today.


text:
 Through the sea you made a path for your people and led them through on dry ground. Those who pursued them drowned in deep water, as a stone sinks in the raging sea.


text:
 At Mount Sinai you came down from heaven; you spoke to your people and gave them good laws and sound teachings.


text:
 You taught them to keep your Sabbaths holy, and through your servant Moses you gave them your laws.


text:
 "When they were hungry, you gave them bread from heaven, and water from a rock when they were thirsty. You told them to take control of the land which you had promised to give them.


text:
 They refused to obey; they forgot all you did; they forgot the miracles you had performed. In their pride they chose a leader to take them back to slavery in Egypt. But you are a God who forgives; you are gracious and loving, slow to be angry. Your mercy is great; you did not forsake them.


text:
 They made an idol in the shape of a bull-calf and said it was the god who led them from Egypt! How much they insulted you, LORD!


text:
 But you did not abandon them there in the desert, for your mercy is great. You did not take away the cloud or the fire that showed them the path by day and night.


text:
 In your goodness you told them what they should do; you fed them manna and gave them water to drink.


text:
 Through forty years in the desert you provided all that they needed; their clothing never wore out, and their feet were not swollen with pain.


text:
 "You let them conquer nations and kingdoms, lands that bordered their own. They conquered the land of Heshbon, where Sihon ruled, and the land of Bashan, where Og was king.


text:
 You gave them as many children as there are stars in the sky, and let them conquer and live in the land that you had promised their ancestors to give them.


text:
 They conquered the land of Canaan; you overcame the people living there. You gave your people the power to do as they pleased with the people and kings of Canaan.


text:
 Your people captured fortified cities, fertile land, houses full of wealth, cisterns already dug, olive trees, fruit trees, and vineyards. They ate all they wanted and grew fat; they enjoyed all the good things you gave them.


text:
 "But your people rebelled and disobeyed you; they turned their backs on your Law. They killed the prophets who warned them, who told them to turn back to you. They insulted you time after time,


text:
 so you let their enemies conquer and rule them. In their trouble they called to you for help, and you answered them from heaven. In your great mercy you sent them leaders who rescued them from their foes.


text:
 When peace returned, they sinned again, and again you let their enemies conquer them. Yet when they repented and asked you to save them, in heaven you heard, and time after time you rescued them in your great mercy.


text:
 You warned them to obey your teachings, but in pride they rejected your laws, although keeping your Law is the way to life. Hard-headed and stubborn, they refused to obey.


text:
 Year after year you patiently warned them. You inspired your prophets to speak, but your people were deaf, so you let them be conquered by other nations.


text:
 And yet, because your mercy is great, you did not forsake or destroy them. You are a gracious and merciful God!


text:
 "O God, our God, how great you are! How terrifying, how powerful! You faithfully keep your covenant promises. From the time when Assyrian kings oppressed us, even till now, how much we have suffered! Our kings, our leaders, our priests and prophets, our ancestors, and all our people have suffered. Remember how much we have suffered!


text:
 Our ancestors, our kings, leaders, and priests have not kept your Law. They did not listen to your commands and warnings.


text:
 With your blessing, kings ruled your people when they lived in the broad, fertile land you gave them; but they failed to turn from sin and serve you.


text:
 What the land produces goes to the kings that you put over us because we sinned. They do as they please with us and our livestock, and we are in deep distress!"


text:
 Because of all that has happened, we, the people of Israel, hereby make a solemn written agreement, and our leaders, our Levites, and our priests put their seals to it.


text:
 The first to sign was the governor, Nehemiah son of Hacaliah, and then Zedekiah signed. The following also signed:


text:
 Priests: Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah, Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaia.


text:
 Levites: Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the clan of Henadad, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.


text:
 Leaders of the people: Parosh, Pahath Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, Meshezabel,Zadok, Jaddua, Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.


text:
 We, the people of Israel, the priests, the Levites, the Temple guards, the Temple musicians, the Temple workers, and all others who in obedience to God's Law have separated themselves from the foreigners living in our land, we, together with our wives and all our children old enough to understand,


text:
 do hereby join with our leaders in an oath, under penalty of a curse if we break it, that we will live according to God's Law, which God gave through his servant Moses; that we will obey all that the LORD, our Lord, commands us; and that we will keep all his laws and requirements.


text:
 If foreigners bring grain or anything else to sell to us on the Sabbath or on any other holy day, we will not buy from them. Every seventh year we will not farm the land, and we will cancel all debts.


text:
 Every year we will each contribute one-eighth of an ounce of silver to help pay the expenses of the Temple.


text:
 We will provide for the Temple worship the following: the sacred bread, the daily grain offering, the animals to be burned each day as sacrifices, the sacred offerings for Sabbaths, New Moon Festivals, and other festivals, the other sacred offerings, the offerings to take away the sins of Israel, and anything else needed for the Temple.


text:
 We, the people, priests, and Levites, will draw lots each year to determine which clans are to provide wood to burn the sacrifices offered to the LORD our God, according to the requirements of the Law.


text:
 We will take to the Temple each year an offering of the first grain we harvest and of the first fruit that ripens on our trees.


text:
 The first son born to each of us we will take to the priests in the Temple and there, as required by the Law, dedicate him to God. We will also dedicate the first calf born to each of our cows, and the first lamb or kid born to each of our sheep or goats.


text:
 We will take to the priests in the Temple the dough made from the first grain harvested each year and our other offerings of wine, olive oil, and all kinds of fruit. We will take to the Levites, who collect tithes in our farming villages, the tithes from the crops that grow on our land.


text:
 Priests who are descended from Aaron are to be with the Levites when tithes are collected, and for use in the Temple the Levites are to take to the Temple storerooms one-tenth of all the tithes they collect.


text:
 The people of Israel and the Levites are to take the contributions of grain, wine, and olive oil to the storerooms where the utensils for the Temple are kept and where the priests who are on duty, the Temple guards, and the members of the Temple choir have their quarters. We will not neglect the house of our God.


text:
 The leaders settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people drew lots to choose one family out of every ten to go and live in the holy city of Jerusalem, while the rest were to live in the other cities and towns.


text:
 In the other towns and cities the people of Israel, the priests, the Levites, the Temple workers, and the descendants of Solomon's servants lived on their own property in their own towns. The following is the list of the leading citizens of the province of Judah who lived in Jerusalem:


text:
 <i>Members of the tribe of Judah</i>: Athaiah, the son of Uzziah and grandson of Zechariah. His other ancestors included Amariah, Shephatiah, and Mahalalel, descendants of Judah's son Perez.


text:
 Maaseiah, the son of Baruch and grandson of Colhozeh. His other ancestors included Hazaiah, Adaiah, Joiarib, and Zechariah, descendants of Judah's son Shelah.


text:
 <i>Members of the tribe of Benjamin</i>: Sallu, the son of Meshullam and grandson of Joed. His other ancestors included Pedaiah, Kolaiah, Maaseiah, Ithiel, and Jeshaiah.


text:
 Joel son of Zichri was their leader, and Judah son of Hassenuah was the second ranking official in the city.


text:
 Seraiah, the son of Hilkiah and grandson of Meshullam. His ancestors included Zadok, Meraioth, and Ahitub, who was the High Priest.


text:
 In all, 822 members of this clan served in the Temple. Adaiah, the son of Jeroham and grandson of Pelaliah. His ancestors included Amzi, Zechariah, Pashhur, and Malchijah.


text:
 In all, 242 members of this clan were heads of families. Amashsai, the son of Azarel and grandson of Ahzai. His ancestors included Meshillemoth and Immer.


text:
 There were 128 members of this clan who were outstanding soldiers. Their leader was Zabdiel, a member of a leading family.


text:
 <i>Levites</i>: Shemaiah, the son of Hasshub and grandson of Azrikam. His ancestors included Hashabiah and Bunni.


text:
 Mattaniah, the son of Mica and grandson of Zabdi, a descendant of Asaph. He led the Temple choir in singing the prayer of thanksgiving. Bakbukiah, who was Mattaniah's assistant. Abda, the son of Shammua and grandson of Galal, a descendant of Jeduthun.


text:
 The rest of the people of Israel and the remaining priests and Levites lived on their own property in the other cities and towns of Judah.


text:
 The Temple workers lived in the part of Jerusalem called Ophel and worked under the supervision of Ziha and Gishpa.


text:
 The supervisor of the Levites who lived in Jerusalem was Uzzi, the son of Bani and grandson of Hashabiah. His ancestors included Mattaniah and Mica, and he belonged to the clan of Asaph, the clan that was responsible for the music in the Temple services.


text:
 There were royal regulations stating how the clans should take turns in leading the Temple music each day.


text:
 Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, of the clan of Zerah and the tribe of Judah, represented the people of Israel at the Persian court.


text:
 Many of the people lived in towns near their farms. Those who were of the tribe of Judah lived in Kiriath Arba, Dibon, and Jekabzeel, and in the villages near these cities.


text:
 in Zanoah, in Adullam, and in the villages near these towns. They lived in Lachish and on the farms nearby, and in Azekah and its villages. That is to say, the people of Judah lived in the territory between Beersheba in the south and Hinnom Valley in the north.


text:
 Some groups of Levites that had lived in the territory of Judah were assigned to live with the people of Benjamin.


text:
 The following is a list of the priests and Levites who returned from exile with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with the High Priest Joshua:


text:
 Priests: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These men were leaders among all their fellow priests in the days of Joshua.


text:
 <i>Levites</i>: The following were in charge of the singing of hymns of thanksgiving: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah.


text:
 Joshua was the father of Joiakim; Joiakim was the father of Eliashib; Eliashib was the father of Joiada;


text:
 When Joiakim was High Priest, the following priests were the heads of the priestly clans: Priest Clan, Meraiah Seraiah, Hananiah Jeremiah, Meshullam Ezra, Jehohanan Amariah, Jonathan Malluchi, Joseph Shebaniah, Adna Harim, Helkai Meraioth, Zechariah Iddo, Meshullam Ginnethon, Zichri Abijah, ... Miniamin, Piltai Moadiah, Shammua Bilgah, Jehonathan Shemaiah, Mattenai Joiarib, Uzzi Jedaiah, Kallai Sallai, Eber Amo, Hashabiah Hilkiah, Nethanel Jedaiah


text:
 A record was kept of the heads of the Levite families and of the priestly families during the lifetimes of the following High Priests: Eliashib, Joiada, Jonathan, and Jaddua. This record was finished when Darius was emperor of Persia.


text:
 The heads of the Levite families, however, were recorded in the official records only until the time of Jonathan, the grandson of Eliashib.


text:
 Under the direction of Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua, Binnui, and Kadmiel, the Levites were organized into groups. Two groups at a time praised God responsively and gave thanks to him, in accordance with the instructions given by King David, the man of God.


text:
 The following Temple guards were in charge of guarding the storerooms by the gates to the Temple: Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub.


text:
 These people lived during the time of Joiakim, the son of Joshua and grandson of Jehozadak, and the time of Nehemiah the governor, and the time of Ezra, the priest who was a scholar of the Law.


text:
 When the city wall of Jerusalem was dedicated, the Levites were brought in from wherever they were living, so that they could join in celebrating the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals and harps.


text:
 The Levite families of singers gathered from the area where they had settled around Jerusalem and from the towns around Netophah,


text:
 The priests and the Levites performed ritual purification for themselves, the people, the gates, and the city wall.


text:
 I assembled the leaders of Judah on top of the wall and put them in charge of two large groups to march around the city, giving thanks to God. The first group went to the right on top of the wall toward the Rubbish Gate.


text:
 The following priests, blowing trumpets, marched next: Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah. Next came Zechariah, the son of Jonathan and grandson of Shemaiah. (His ancestors also included Mattaniah, Micaiah, and Zaccur, of the clan of Asaph.)


text:
 He was followed by other members of his clan---Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani---all of whom carried musical instruments of the kind played by King David, the man of God. Ezra the scholar led this group in the procession.


text:
 At the Fountain Gate they went up the steps that led to David's City, past David's palace, and back to the wall at the Water Gate, on the east side of the city.


text:
 The other group of those who gave thanks went to the left along the top of the wall, and I followed with half of the people. We marched past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall,


text:
 and from there we went past Ephraim Gate, Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate. We ended our march near the gate to the Temple.


text:
 So both the groups that were giving thanks to God reached the Temple area. In addition to the leaders who were with me,


text:
 my group included the following priests, blowing trumpets: Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah;


text:
 and they were followed by Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers, led by Jezrahiah, sang at the top of their voices.


text:
 That day many sacrifices were offered, and the people were full of joy because God had made them very happy. The women and the children joined in the celebration, and the noise they all made could be heard for miles.


text:
 At that time men were put in charge of the storerooms where contributions for the Temple were kept, including the tithes and the first grain and fruit that ripened each year. These men were responsible for collecting from the farms near the various cities the contributions for the priests and the Levites which the Law required. All the people of Judah were pleased with the priests and the Levites,


text:
 because they performed the ceremonies of purification and the other rituals that God had commanded. The Temple musicians and the Temple guards also performed their duties in accordance with the regulations made by King David and his son Solomon.


text:
 From the time of King David and the musician Asaph long ago, the musicians have led songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.


text:
 In the time of Zerubbabel and also in the time of Nehemiah, all the people of Israel gave daily gifts for the support of the Temple musicians and the Temple guards. The people gave a sacred offering to the Levites, and the Levites gave the required portion to the priests.


text:
 When the Law of Moses was being read aloud to the people, they came to the passage that said that no Ammonite or Moabite was ever to be permitted to join God's people.


text:
 This was because the people of Ammon and Moab did not give food and water to the Israelites on their way out of Egypt. Instead, they paid money to Balaam to curse Israel, but our God turned the curse into a blessing.


text:
 The priest Eliashib, who was in charge of the Temple storerooms, had for a long time been on good terms with Tobiah.


text:
 He allowed Tobiah to use a large room that was intended only for storing offerings of grain and incense, the equipment used in the Temple, the offerings for the priests, and the tithes of grain, wine, and olive oil given to the Levites, to the Temple musicians, and to the Temple guards.


text:
 While this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, because in the thirty-second year that Artaxerxes was king of Babylon I had gone back to report to him. After some time I received his permission


text:
 and returned to Jerusalem. There I was shocked to find that Eliashib had allowed Tobiah to use a room in the Temple.


text:
 I gave orders for the rooms to be ritually purified and for the Temple equipment, grain offerings, and incense to be put back.


text:
 I also learned that the Temple musicians and other Levites had left Jerusalem and gone back to their farms, because the people had not been giving them enough to live on.


text:
 I reprimanded the officials for letting the Temple be neglected. And I brought the Levites and musicians back to the Temple and put them to work again.


text:
 Then all the people of Israel again started bringing to the Temple storerooms their tithes of grain, wine, and olive oil.


text:
 I put the following men in charge of the storerooms: Shelemiah, a priest; Zadok, a scholar of the Law; and Pedaiah, a Levite. Hanan, the son of Zaccur and grandson of Mattaniah, was to be their assistant. I knew I could trust these men to be honest in distributing the supplies to the other workers.


text:
 At that time I saw people in Judah pressing juice from grapes on the Sabbath. Others were loading grain, wine, grapes, figs, and other things on their donkeys and taking them into Jerusalem; I warned them not to sell anything on the Sabbath.


text:
 Some people from the city of Tyre were living in Jerusalem, and they brought fish and all kinds of goods into the city to sell to our people on the Sabbath.


text:
 I reprimanded the Jewish leaders and told them, "Look at the evil you're doing! You're making the Sabbath unholy.


text:
 This is exactly why God punished your ancestors when he brought destruction on this city. And yet you insist on bringing more of God's anger down on Israel by profaning the Sabbath."


text:
 So I gave orders for the city gates to be shut at the beginning of every Sabbath, as soon as evening began to fall, and not to be opened again until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my men at the gates to make sure that nothing was brought into the city on the Sabbath.


text:
 I warned them, "It's no use waiting out there for morning to come. If you try this again, I'll use force on you." From then on they did not come back on the Sabbath.


text:
 I ordered the Levites to purify themselves and to go and guard the gates to make sure that the Sabbath was kept holy. Remember me, O God, for this also, and spare me because of your great love.


text:
 At that time I also discovered that many of the Jewish men had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.


text:
 Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or some other language and didn't know how to speak our language.


text:
 I reprimanded the men, called down curses on them, beat them, and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath in God's name that never again would they or their children intermarry with foreigners.


text:
 I told them, "It was foreign women that made King Solomon sin. Here was a man who was greater than any of the kings of other nations. God loved him and made him king over all of Israel, and yet he fell into this sin.


text:
 Joiada was the son of Eliashib the High Priest, but one of Joiada's sons married the daughter of Sanballat, from the town of Beth Horon, so I made Joiada leave Jerusalem.


text:
 Remember, God, how those people defiled both the office of priest and the covenant you made with the priests and the Levites.


text:
 I purified the people from everything foreign; I prepared regulations for the priests and the Levites so that all of them would know their duties;


text:
 I arranged for the wood used for burning the offerings to be brought at the proper times, and for the people to bring their offerings of the first grain and the first fruits that ripened. Remember all this, O God, and give me credit for it.


text:
 From his royal throne in Persia's capital city of Susa, King Xerxes ruled 127 provinces, all the way from India to Ethiopia.


text:
 In the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his officials and administrators. The armies of Persia and Media were present, as well as the governors and noblemen of the provinces.


text:
 For six whole months he made a show of the riches of the imperial court with all its splendor and majesty.


text:
 After that, the king gave a banquet for all the people in the capital city of Susa, rich and poor alike. It lasted a whole week and was held in the gardens of the royal palace.


text:
 The courtyard there was decorated with blue and white cotton curtains, tied by cords of fine purple linen to silver rings on marble columns. Couches made of gold and silver had been placed in the courtyard, which was paved with white marble, red feldspar, shining mother-of-pearl, and blue turquoise.


text:
 Drinks were served in gold cups, no two of them alike, and the king was generous with the royal wine.


text:
 There were no limits on the drinks; the king had given orders to the palace servants that everyone could have as much as they wanted.


text:
 On the seventh day of his banquet the king was drinking and feeling happy, so he called in the seven eunuchs who were his personal servants, Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas.


text:
 He ordered them to bring in Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown. The queen was a beautiful woman, and the king wanted to show off her beauty to the officials and all his guests.


text:
 But when the servants told Queen Vashti of the king's command, she refused to come. This made the king furious.


text:
 Now it was the king's custom to ask for expert opinion on questions of law and order, so he called for his advisers, who would know what should be done.


text:
 Those he most often turned to for advice were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan---seven officials of Persia and Media who held the highest offices in the kingdom.


text:
 He said to these men, "I, King Xerxes, sent my servants to Queen Vashti with a command, and she refused to obey it! What does the law say that we should do with her?"


text:
 Then Memucan declared to the king and his officials: "Queen Vashti has insulted not only the king but also his officials---in fact, every man in the empire!


text:
 Every woman in the empire will start looking down on her husband as soon as she hears what the queen has done. They'll say, 'King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to come to him, and she refused.'


text:
 When the wives of the royal officials of Persia and Media hear about the queen's behavior, they will be telling their husbands about it before the day is out. Wives everywhere will have no respect for their husbands, and husbands will be angry with their wives.


text:
 If it please Your Majesty, issue a royal proclamation that Vashti may never again appear before the king. Have it written into the laws of Persia and Media, so that it can never be changed. Then give her place as queen to some better woman.


text:
 When your proclamation is made known all over this huge empire, every woman will treat her husband with proper respect, whether he's rich or poor."


text:
 To each of the royal provinces he sent a message in the language and the system of writing of that province, saying that every husband should be the master of his home and speak with final authority.


text:
 Later, even after the king's anger had cooled down, he kept thinking about what Vashti had done and about his proclamation against her.


text:
 So some of the king's advisers who were close to him suggested, "Why don't you make a search to find some beautiful young virgins?


text:
 You can appoint officials in every province of the empire and have them bring all these beautiful young women to your harem here in Susa, the capital city. Put them in the care of Hegai, the eunuch who is in charge of your women, and let them be given a beauty treatment.


text:
 Then take the young woman you like best and make her queen in Vashti's place." The king thought this was good advice, so he followed it.


text:
 There in Susa lived a Jew named Mordecai son of Jair; he was from the tribe of Benjamin and was a descendant of Kish and Shimei.


text:
 When King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took King Jehoiachin of Judah into exile from Jerusalem, along with a group of captives, Mordecai was among them.


text:
 He had a cousin, Esther, whose Hebrew name was Hadassah; she was a beautiful young woman, and had a good figure. At the death of her parents, Mordecai had adopted her and brought her up as his own daughter.


text:
 When the king had issued his new proclamation and many young women were being brought to Susa, Esther was among them. She too was put in the royal palace in the care of Hegai, who had charge of the harem.


text:
 Hegai liked Esther, and she won his favor. He lost no time in beginning her beauty treatment of massage and special diet. He gave her the best place in the harem and assigned seven young women specially chosen from the royal palace to serve her.


text:
 Every day Mordecai would walk back and forth in front of the courtyard of the harem, in order to find out how she was getting along and what was going to happen to her.


text:
 The regular beauty treatment for the women lasted a year---massages with oil of myrrh for six months and with oil of balsam for six more. After that, each woman would be taken in turn to King Xerxes.


text:
 She would go there in the evening, and the next morning she would be taken to another harem and put in the care of Shaashgaz, the eunuch in charge of the king's concubines. She would not go to the king again unless he liked her enough to ask for her by name.


text:
 The time came for Esther to go to the king. Esther---the daughter of Abihail and the cousin of Mordecai, who had adopted her as his daughter; Esther---admired by everyone who saw her. When her turn came, she wore just what Hegai, the eunuch in charge of the harem, advised her to wear.


text:
 So in Xerxes' seventh year as king, in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, Esther was brought to King Xerxes in the royal palace.


text:
 The king liked her more than any of the other women, and more than any of the others she won his favor and affection. He placed the royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.


text:
 Then the king gave a great banquet in Esther's honor and invited all his officials and administrators. He proclaimed a holiday for the whole empire and distributed gifts worthy of a king.


text:
 As for Esther, she had still not let it be known that she was Jewish. Mordecai had told her not to tell anyone, and she obeyed him in this, just as she had obeyed him when she was a little girl under his care.


text:
 During the time that Mordecai held office in the palace, Bigthana and Teresh, two of the palace eunuchs who guarded the entrance to the king's rooms, became hostile to King Xerxes and plotted to assassinate him.


text:
 Mordecai learned about it and told Queen Esther, who then told the king what Mordecai had found out.


text:
 There was an investigation, and it was discovered that the report was true, so both men were hanged on the gallows. The king ordered an account of this to be written down in the official records of the empire.


text:
 Some time later King Xerxes promoted a man named Haman to the position of prime minister. Haman was the son of Hammedatha, a descendant of Agag.


text:
 The king ordered all the officials in his service to show their respect for Haman by kneeling and bowing to him. They all did so, except for Mordecai, who refused to do it.


text:
 day after day they urged him to give in, but he would not listen to them. "I am a Jew," he explained, "and I cannot bow to Haman." So they told Haman about this, wondering if he would tolerate Mordecai's conduct.


text:
 and when he learned that Mordecai was a Jew, he decided to do more than punish Mordecai alone. He made plans to kill every Jew in the whole Persian Empire.


text:
 In the twelfth year of King Xerxes' rule, in the first month, the month of Nisan, Haman ordered the lots to be cast ("purim," they were called) to find out the right day and month to carry out his plot. The thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, was decided on.


text:
 So Haman told the king, "There is a certain race of people scattered all over your empire and found in every province. They observe customs that are not like those of any other people. Moreover, they do not obey the laws of the empire, so it is not in your best interests to tolerate them.


text:
 If it please Your Majesty, issue a decree that they are to be put to death. If you do, I guarantee that I will be able to put 375 tons of silver into the royal treasury for the administration of the empire."


text:
 The king took off his ring, which was used to stamp proclamations and make them official, and gave it to the enemy of the Jewish people, Haman son of Hammedatha, the descendant of Agag.


text:
 So on the thirteenth day of the first month Haman called the king's secretaries and dictated a proclamation to be translated into every language and system of writing used in the empire and to be sent to all the rulers, governors, and officials. It was issued in the name of King Xerxes and stamped with his ring.


text:
 Runners took this proclamation to every province of the empire. It contained the instructions that on a single day, the thirteenth day of Adar, all Jews---young and old, women and children---were to be killed. They were to be slaughtered without mercy and their belongings were to be taken.


text:
 The contents of the proclamation were to be made public in every province, so that everyone would be prepared when that day came.


text:
 At the king's command the decree was made public in the capital city of Susa, and runners carried the news to the provinces. The king and Haman sat down and had a drink while the city of Susa was being thrown into confusion.


text:
 When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes in anguish. Then he dressed in sackcloth, covered his head with ashes, and walked through the city, wailing loudly and bitterly,


text:
 until he came to the entrance of the palace. He did not go in because no one wearing sackcloth was allowed inside.


text:
 Throughout all the provinces, wherever the king's proclamation was made known, there was loud mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, wailed, and most of them put on sackcloth and lay in ashes.


text:
 When Esther's servant women and eunuchs told her what Mordecai was doing, she was deeply disturbed. She sent Mordecai some clothes to put on instead of the sackcloth, but he would not accept them.


text:
 Then she called Hathach, one of the palace eunuchs appointed as her servant by the king, and told him to go to Mordecai and find out what was happening and why.


text:
 Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him and just how much money Haman had promised to put into the royal treasury if all the Jews were killed.


text:
 He gave Hathach a copy of the proclamation that had been issued in Susa, ordering the destruction of the Jews. Mordecai asked him to take it to Esther, explain the situation to her, and have her go and plead with the king and beg him to have mercy on her people.


text:
 "If anyone, man or woman, goes to the inner courtyard and sees the king without being summoned, that person must die. That is the law; everyone, from the king's advisers to the people in the provinces, knows that. There is only one way to get around this law: if the king holds out his gold scepter to someone, then that person's life is spared. But it has been a month since the king sent for me."


text:
 he sent her this warning: "Don't imagine that you are safer than any other Jew just because you are in the royal palace.


text:
 If you keep quiet at a time like this, help will come from heaven to the Jews, and they will be saved, but you will die and your father's family will come to an end. Yet who knows---maybe it was for a time like this that you were made queen!"


text:
 "Go and get all the Jews in Susa together; hold a fast and pray for me. Don't eat or drink anything for three days and nights. My servant women and I will be doing the same. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. If I must die for doing it, I will die."


text:
 On the third day of her fast Esther put on her royal robes and went and stood in the inner courtyard of the palace, facing the throne room. The king was inside, seated on the royal throne, facing the entrance.


text:
 When the king saw Queen Esther standing outside, she won his favor, and he held out to her the gold scepter. She then came up and touched the tip of it.


text:
 "What is it, Queen Esther?" the king asked. "Tell me what you want, and you shall have it---even if it is half my empire."


text:
 Esther replied, "If it please Your Majesty, I would like you and Haman to be my guests tonight at a banquet I am preparing for you."


text:
 The king then ordered Haman to come quickly, so that they could be Esther's guests. So the king and Haman went to Esther's banquet.


text:
 Over the wine the king asked her, "Tell me what you want, and you shall have it. I will grant your request, even if you ask for half my empire."


text:
 "If Your Majesty is kind enough to grant my request, I would like you and Haman to be my guests tomorrow at another banquet that I will prepare for you. At that time I will tell you what I want."


text:
 When Haman left the banquet he was happy and in a good mood. But then he saw Mordecai at the entrance of the palace, and when Mordecai did not rise or show any sign of respect as he passed, Haman was furious with him.


text:
 But he controlled himself and went on home. Then he invited his friends to his house and asked his wife Zeresh to join them.


text:
 He boasted to them about how rich he was, how many sons he had, how the king had promoted him to high office, and how much more important he was than any of the king's other officials.


text:
 "What is more," Haman went on, "Queen Esther gave a banquet for no one but the king and me, and we are invited back tomorrow.


text:
 But none of this means a thing to me as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the entrance of the palace."


text:
 So his wife and all his friends suggested, "Why don't you have a gallows built, seventy-five feet tall? Tomorrow morning you can ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it, and then you can go to the banquet happy." Haman thought this was a good idea, so he had the gallows built.


text:
 That same night the king could not get to sleep, so he had the official records of the empire brought and read to him.


text:
 The part they read included the account of how Mordecai had uncovered a plot to assassinate the king---the plot made by Bigthana and Teresh, the two palace eunuchs who had guarded the king's rooms.


text:
 The king asked, "How have we honored and rewarded Mordecai for this?" His servants answered, "Nothing has been done for him."


text:
 "Are any of my officials in the palace?" the king asked. Now Haman had just entered the courtyard; he had come to ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on the gallows that was now ready.


text:
 So Haman came in, and the king said to him, "There is someone I wish very much to honor. What should I do for this man?" Haman thought to himself, "Now who could the king want to honor so much? Me, of course."


text:
 So he answered the king, "Have royal robes brought for this man---robes that you yourself wear. Have a royal ornament put on your own horse.


text:
 Then have one of your highest noblemen dress the man in these robes and lead him, mounted on the horse, through the city square. Have the nobleman announce as they go: 'See how the king rewards someone he wishes to honor!' "


text:
 Then the king said to Haman, "Hurry and get the robes and the horse, and provide these honors for Mordecai the Jew. Do everything for him that you have suggested. You will find him sitting at the entrance of the palace."


text:
 So Haman got the robes and the horse, and he put the robes on Mordecai. Mordecai got on the horse, and Haman led him through the city square, announcing to the people as they went: "See how the king rewards a man he wishes to honor!"


text:
 Mordecai then went back to the palace entrance while Haman hurried home, covering his face in embarrassment.


text:
 He told his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then she and those wise friends of his told him, "You are beginning to lose power to Mordecai. He is a Jew, and you cannot overcome him. He will certainly defeat you."


text:
 While they were still talking, the palace eunuchs arrived in a hurry to take Haman to Esther's banquet.


text:
 for a second time. Over the wine the king asked her again, "Now, Queen Esther, what do you want? Tell me and you shall have it. I'll even give you half the empire."


text:
 Queen Esther answered, "If it please Your Majesty to grant my humble request, my wish is that I may live and that my people may live.


text:
 My people and I have been sold for slaughter. If it were nothing more serious than being sold into slavery, I would have kept quiet and not bothered you about it; but we are about to be destroyed---exterminated!"


text:
 Esther answered, "Our enemy, our persecutor, is this evil man Haman!" Haman faced the king and queen with terror.


text:
 The king got up in a fury, left the room, and went outside to the palace gardens. Haman could see that the king was determined to punish him for this, so he stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.


text:
 He had just thrown himself down on Esther's couch to beg for mercy, when the king came back into the room from the gardens. Seeing this, the king cried out, "Is this man going to rape the queen right here in front of me, in my own palace?" The king had no sooner said this than the eunuchs covered Haman's head.


text:
 Then one of them, who was named Harbonah, said, "Haman even went so far as to build a gallows at his house so that he could hang Mordecai, who saved Your Majesty's life. And it's seventy-five feet tall!" "Hang Haman on it!" the king commanded.


text:
 So Haman was hanged on the gallows that he had built for Mordecai. Then the king's anger cooled down.


text:
 That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther all the property of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. Esther told the king that Mordecai was related to her, and from then on Mordecai was allowed to enter the king's presence.


text:
 The king took off his ring with his seal on it (which he had taken back from Haman) and gave it to Mordecai. Esther put Mordecai in charge of Haman's property.


text:
 Then Esther spoke to the king again, throwing herself at his feet and crying. She begged him to do something to stop the evil plot that Haman, the descendant of Agag, had made against the Jews.


text:
 "If it please Your Majesty, and if you care about me and if it seems right to you, please issue a proclamation to keep Haman's orders from being carried out---those orders that the son of Hammedatha the descendant of Agag gave for the destruction of all the Jews in the empire.


text:
 King Xerxes then said to Queen Esther and Mordecai, the Jew, "Look, I have hanged Haman for his plot against the Jews, and I have given Esther his property.


text:
 But a proclamation issued in the king's name and stamped with the royal seal cannot be revoked. You may, however, write to the Jews whatever you like; and you may write it in my name and stamp it with the royal seal."


text:
 This happened on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. Mordecai called the king's secretaries and dictated letters to the Jews and to the governors, administrators, and officials of all the 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia. The letters were written to each province in its own language and system of writing and to the Jews in their language and system of writing.


text:
 Mordecai had the letters written in the name of King Xerxes, and he stamped them with the royal seal. They were delivered by riders mounted on fast horses from the royal stables.


text:
 These letters explained that the king would allow the Jews in every city to organize for self-defense. If armed men of any nationality in any province attacked the Jewish men, their children, or their women, the Jews could fight back and destroy the attackers; they could slaughter them to the last man and take their possessions.


text:
 This decree was to take effect throughout the Persian Empire on the day set for the slaughter of the Jews, the thirteenth of Adar, the twelfth month.


text:
 It was to be proclaimed as law and made known to everyone in every province, so that the Jews would be ready to take revenge on their enemies when that day came.


text:
 At the king's command the riders mounted royal horses and rode off at top speed. The decree was also made public in Susa, the capital city.


text:
 Mordecai left the palace, wearing royal robes of blue and white, a cloak of fine purple linen, and a magnificent gold crown. Then the streets of Susa rang with cheers and joyful shouts.


text:
 In every city and province, wherever the king's proclamation was read, the Jews held a joyful holiday with feasting and happiness. In fact, many other people became Jews, because they were afraid of them now.


text:
 The thirteenth day of Adar came, the day on which the royal proclamation was to take effect, the day when the enemies of the Jews were hoping to get them in their power. But instead, the Jews triumphed over them.


text:
 In the Jewish quarter of every city in the empire the Jews organized to attack anyone who tried to harm them. People everywhere were afraid of them, and no one could stand against them.


text:
 In fact, all the provincial officials---governors, administrators, and royal representatives---helped the Jews because they were all afraid of Mordecai.


text:
 It was well-known throughout the empire that Mordecai was now a powerful man in the palace and was growing more powerful.


text:
 So the Jews could do what they wanted with their enemies. They attacked them with swords and slaughtered them.


text:
 Among them were the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews: Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha. However, there was no looting.


text:
 He then said to Queen Esther, "In Susa alone the Jews have killed five hundred people, including Haman's ten sons. What must they have done out in the provinces! What do you want now? You shall have it. Tell me what else you want, and you shall have it."


text:
 Esther answered, "If it please Your Majesty, let the Jews in Susa do again tomorrow what they were allowed to do today. And have the bodies of Haman's ten sons hung from the gallows."


text:
 The king ordered this to be done, and the proclamation was issued in Susa. The bodies of Haman's ten sons were publicly displayed.


text:
 On the fourteenth day of Adar the Jews of Susa got together again and killed three hundred more people in the city. But again, they did no looting.


text:
 The Jews in the provinces also organized and defended themselves. They rid themselves of their enemies by killing seventy-five thousand people who hated them. But they did no looting.


text:
 This was on the thirteenth day of Adar. On the next day, the fourteenth, there was no more killing, and they made it a joyful day of feasting.


text:
 The Jews of Susa, however, made the fifteenth a holiday, since they had slaughtered their enemies on the thirteenth and fourteenth and then stopped on the fifteenth.


text:
 This is why Jews who live in small towns observe the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a joyous holiday, a time for feasting and giving gifts of food to one another.


text:
 Mordecai had these events written down and sent letters to all the Jews, near and far, throughout the Persian Empire,


text:
 These were the days on which the Jews had rid themselves of their enemies; this was a month that had been turned from a time of grief and despair into a time of joy and happiness. They were told to observe these days with feasts and parties, giving gifts of food to one another and to the poor.


text:
 Haman son of Hammedatha---the descendant of Agag and the enemy of the Jewish people---had cast lots ("purim," they were called) to determine the day for destroying the Jews; he had planned to wipe them out.


text:
 But Esther went to the king, and the king issued written orders with the result that Haman suffered the fate he had planned for the Jews---he and his sons were hanged from the gallows.


text:
 That is why the holidays are called Purim. Because of Mordecai's letter and because of all that had happened to them,


text:
 the Jews made it a rule for themselves, their descendants, and anyone who might become a Jew, that at the proper time each year these two days would be regularly observed according to Mordecai's instructions.


text:
 It was resolved that every Jewish family of every future generation in every province and every city should remember and observe the days of Purim for all time to come.


text:
 Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai, also wrote a letter, putting her full authority behind the letter about Purim, which Mordecai had written earlier.


text:
 The letter was addressed to all the Jews, and copies were sent to all the 127 provinces of the Persian Empire. It wished the Jews peace and security


text:
 and directed them and their descendants to observe the days of Purim at the proper time, just as they had adopted rules for the observance of fasts and times of mourning. This was commanded by both Mordecai and Queen Esther.


text:
 King Xerxes imposed forced labor on the people of the coastal regions of his empire as well as on those of the interior.


text:
 All the great and wonderful things he did, as well as the whole story of how he promoted Mordecai to high office, are recorded in the official records of the kings of Persia and Media.


text:
 Mordecai the Jew was second in rank only to King Xerxes himself. He was honored and well-liked by his fellow Jews. He worked for the good of his people and for the security of all their descendants.


text:
 There was a man named Job, living in the land of Uz, who worshiped God and was faithful to him. He was a good man, careful not to do anything evil.


text:
 and owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, one thousand head of cattle, and five hundred donkeys. He also had a large number of servants and was the richest man in the East.


text:
 Job's sons used to take turns giving a feast, to which all the others would come, and they always invited their three sisters to join them.


text:
 The morning after each feast, Job would get up early and offer sacrifices for each of his children in order to purify them. He always did this because he thought that one of them might have sinned by insulting God unintentionally.


text:
 The LORD asked him, "What have you been doing?" Satan answered, "I have been walking here and there, roaming around the earth."


text:
 "Did you notice my servant Job?" the LORD asked. "There is no one on earth as faithful and good as he is. He worships me and is careful not to do anything evil."


text:
 You have always protected him and his family and everything he owns. You bless everything he does, and you have given him enough cattle to fill the whole country.


text:
 "All right," the LORD said to Satan, "everything he has is in your power, but you must not hurt Job himself." So Satan left.


text:
 a messenger came running to Job. "We were plowing the fields with the oxen," he said, "and the donkeys were in a nearby pasture.


text:
 Suddenly the Sabeans attacked and stole them all. They killed every one of your servants except me. I am the only one who escaped to tell you."


text:
 Before he had finished speaking, another servant came and said, "Lightning struck the sheep and the shepherds and killed them all. I am the only one who escaped to tell you."


text:
 Before he had finished speaking, another servant came and said, "Three bands of Chaldean raiders attacked us, took away the camels, and killed all your servants except me. I am the only one who escaped to tell you."


text:
 Before he had finished speaking, another servant came and said, "Your children were having a feast at the home of your oldest son,


text:
 when a storm swept in from the desert. It blew the house down and killed them all. I am the only one who escaped to tell you."


text:
 Then Job got up and tore his clothes in grief. He shaved his head and threw himself face downward on the ground.


text:
 He said, "I was born with nothing, and I will die with nothing. The LORD gave, and now he has taken away. May his name be praised!"


text:
 When the day came for the heavenly beings to appear before the LORD again, Satan was there among them.


text:
 The LORD asked him, "Where have you been?" Satan answered, "I have been walking here and there, roaming around the earth."


text:
 "Did you notice my servant Job?" the LORD asked. "There is no one on earth as faithful and good as he is. He worships me and is careful not to do anything evil. You persuaded me to let you attack him for no reason at all, but Job is still as faithful as ever."


text:
 His wife said to him, "You are still as faithful as ever, aren't you? Why don't you curse God and die?"


text:
 Job answered, "You are talking nonsense! When God sends us something good, we welcome it. How can we complain when he sends us trouble?" Even in all this suffering Job said nothing against God.


text:
 Three of Job's friends were Eliphaz, from the city of Teman, Bildad, from the land of Shuah, and Zophar, from the land of Naamah. When they heard how much Job had been suffering, they decided to go and comfort him.


text:
 While they were still a long way off they saw Job, but did not recognize him. When they did, they began to weep and wail, tearing their clothes in grief and throwing dust into the air and on their heads.


text:
 Then they sat there on the ground with him for seven days and nights without saying a word, because they saw how much he was suffering.


text:
 Turn that day into darkness, God. Never again remember that day; never again let light shine on it.


text:
 I have seen people plow fields of evil and plant wickedness like seed; now they harvest wickedness and evil.


text:
 I could see something standing there; I stared, but couldn't tell what it was. Then I heard a voice out of the silence:


text:
 Hungry people will eat the fool's crops--- even the grain growing among thorns --- and thirsty people will envy his wealth.


text:
 He upsets the plans of cunning people, and traps the wise in their own schemes, so that nothing they do succeeds;


text:
 Almighty God has shot me with arrows, and their poison spreads through my body. God has lined up his terrors against me.


text:
 If I knew he would, I would leap for joy, no matter how great my pain. I know that God is holy; I have never opposed what he commands.


text:
 Like a cloud that fades and is gone, we humans die and never return; we are forgotten by all who knew us.


text:
 Are you harmed by my sin, you jailer? Why use me for your target practice? Am I so great a burden to you?


text:
 Can't you ever forgive my sin? Can't you pardon the wrong I do? Soon I will be in my grave, and I'll be gone when you look for me.


text:
 if you are so honest and pure, then God will come and help you and restore your household as your reward.


text:
 I am innocent, but I no longer care. I am sick of living. Nothing matters; innocent or guilty, God will destroy us.


text:
 If I smile and try to forget my pain, all my suffering comes back to haunt me; I know that God does hold me guilty.


text:
 Is it right for you to be so cruel? To despise what you yourself have made? And then to smile on the schemes of wicked people?


text:
 As soon as I sin, I'm in trouble with you, but when I do right, I get no credit. I am miserable and covered with shame.


text:
 You always have some witness against me; your anger toward me grows and grows; you always plan some new attack.


text:
 He would tell you there are many sides to wisdom; there are things too deep for human knowledge. God is punishing you less than you deserve.


text:
 The sky is no limit for God, but it lies beyond your reach. God knows the world of the dead, but you do not know it.


text:
 Then all your troubles will fade from your memory, like floods that are past and remembered no more.


text:
 Your life will be brighter than sunshine at noon, and life's darkest hours will shine like the dawn.


text:
 But the wicked will look around in despair and find that there is no way to escape. Their one hope is that death will come.


text:
 But I have as much sense as you have; I am in no way inferior to you; everyone knows all that you have said.


text:
 Even my friends laugh at me now; they laugh, although I am righteous and blameless; but there was a time when God answered my prayers.


text:
 Old people have wisdom, but God has wisdom and power. Old people have insight; God has insight and power to act.


text:
 Everything you say, I have heard before. I understand it all; I know as much as you do. I'm not your inferior.


text:
 If God looks at you closely, will he find anything good? Do you think you can fool God the way you fool others?


text:
 The length of our lives is decided beforehand--- the number of months we will live. You have settled it, and it can't be changed.


text:
 people die, never to rise. They will never wake up while the sky endures; they will never stir from their sleep.


text:
 I wish you would hide me in the world of the dead; let me be hidden until your anger is over, and then set a time to remember me.


text:
 If a man dies, can he come back to life? But I will wait for better times, wait till this time of trouble is ended.


text:
 Water will wear down rocks, and heavy rain will wash away the soil; so you destroy our hope for life.


text:
 Those who are wise have taught me truths which they learned from their ancestors, and they kept no secrets hidden.


text:
 They are proud and rebellious; they stubbornly hold up their shields and rush to fight against God.


text:
 They are the ones who captured cities and seized houses whose owners had fled, but war will destroy those cities and houses.


text:
 and they will not escape from darkness. They will be like trees whose branches are burned by fire, whose blossoms are blown away by the wind.


text:
 If you were in my place and I in yours, I could say everything you are saying. I could shake my head wisely and drown you with a flood of words.


text:
 You have seized me; you are my enemy. I am skin and bones, and people take that as proof of my guilt.


text:
 I was living in peace, but God took me by the throat and battered me and crushed me. God uses me for target practice


text:
 and shoots arrows at me from every side--- arrows that pierce and wound me; and even then he shows no pity.


text:
 But my friends say night is daylight; they say that light is near, but I know I remain in darkness.


text:
 You are only hurting yourself with your anger. Will the earth be deserted because you are angry? Will God move mountains to satisfy you?


text:
 Those who were guests in my house have forgotten me; my servant women treat me like a stranger and a foreigner.


text:
 I will see him with my own eyes, and he will not be a stranger. My courage failed because you said,


text:
 But now, be afraid of the sword--- the sword that brings God's wrath on sin, so that you will know there is one who judges.


text:
 but they will be blown away like dust. Those who used to know them will wonder where they have gone.


text:
 They will have to give up all they have worked for; they will have no chance to enjoy their wealth,


text:
 Arrows stick through their bodies; the shiny points drip with their blood, and terror grips their hearts.


text:
 Everything they have saved is destroyed; a fire not lit by human hands burns them and all their family.


text:
 Was a wicked person's light ever put out? Did one of them ever meet with disaster? Did God ever punish the wicked in anger


text:
 You claim God punishes a child for the sins of his father. No! Let God punish the sinners themselves; let him show that he does it because of <i>their</i> sins.


text:
 Some people stay healthy till the day they die; they die happy and at ease, their bodies well-nourished.


text:
 To make a brother repay you the money he owed, you took away his clothes and left him nothing to wear.


text:
 Now, Job, make peace with God and stop treating him like an enemy; if you do, then he will bless you.


text:
 I have searched in the East, but God is not there; I have not found him when I searched in the West.


text:
 Almighty God has destroyed my courage. It is God, not the dark, that makes me afraid--- even though the darkness has made me blind.


text:
 So the poor, like wild donkeys, search for food in the dry wilderness; nowhere else can they find food for their children.


text:
 They are drenched by the rain that falls on the mountains, and they huddle beside the rocks for shelter.


text:
 Evil people make slaves of fatherless infants and take the children of the poor in payment for debts.


text:
 But the poor must go out with no clothes to protect them; they must go hungry while harvesting wheat.


text:
 The wicked are swept away by floods, and the land they own is under God's curse; they no longer go to work in their vineyards.


text:
 For a while the wicked prosper, but then they wither like weeds, like stalks of grain that have been cut down.


text:
 But these are only hints of his power, only the whispers that we have heard. Who can know how truly great God is?


text:
 Miners explore the deepest darkness. They search the depths of the earth And dig for rocks in the darkness.


text:
 Far from where anyone lives Or human feet ever travel, They dig the shafts of mines. There they work in loneliness, Clinging to ropes in the pits.


text:
 God said to us humans, "To be wise, you must have reverence for the Lord. To understand, you must turn from evil."


text:
 I took charge and made the decisions; I led them as a king leads his troops, and gave them comfort in their despair.


text:
 But men younger than I am make fun of me now! Their fathers have always been so worthless that I wouldn't let them help my dogs guard sheep.


text:
 They treat me with disgust; they think they are too good for me, and even come and spit in my face.


text:
 If I have turned from the right path or let myself be attracted to evil, if my hands are stained with sin,


text:
 I would give him clothing made of wool that had come from my own flock of sheep. Then he would praise me with all his heart.


text:
 I have never feared what people would say; I have never kept quiet or stayed indoors because I feared their scorn.


text:
 Will no one listen to what I am saying? I swear that every word is true. Let Almighty God answer me. If the charges my opponent brings against me were written down so that I could see them,


text:
 But a bystander named Elihu could not control his anger any longer, because Job was justifying himself and blaming God. (Elihu was the son of Barakel, a descendant of Buz, and belonged to the clan of Ram.)


text:
 He was also angry with Job's three friends. They could not find any way to answer Job, and this made it appear that God was in the wrong.


text:
 Perhaps an angel may come to their aid--- one of God's thousands of angels, who remind us of our duty.


text:
 In mercy the angel will say, "Release them! They are not to go down to the world of the dead. Here is the ransom to set them free."


text:
 when they pray, God will answer; they will worship God with joy; God will set things right for them again.


text:
 We may suddenly die at night. God strikes us down and we perish; he kills the mighty with no effort at all.


text:
 If God decided to do nothing at all, no one could criticize him. If he hid his face, we would be helpless.


text:
 Since you object to what God does, can you expect him to do what you want? The decision is yours, not mine; tell us now what you think.


text:
 He protects those who are righteous; he allows them to rule like kings and lets them be honored forever.


text:
 Then the roar of his voice is heard, the majestic sound of thunder, and all the while the lightning flashes.


text:
 And now the light in the sky is dazzling, too bright for us to look at it; and the sky has been swept clean by the wind.


text:
 God's power is so great that we cannot come near him; he is righteous and just in his dealings with us.


text:
 Who decided how large it would be? Who stretched the measuring line over it? Do you know all the answers?


text:
 Daylight makes the hills and valleys stand out like the folds of a garment, clear as the imprint of a seal on clay.


text:
 Who is it that feeds the ravens when they wander about hungry, when their young cry to me for food?


text:
 At each blast of the trumpet they snort; they can smell a battle before they get near, and they hear the officers shouting commands.


text:
 The scales on his belly are like jagged pieces of pottery; they tear up the muddy ground like a threshing sledge.


text:
 You ask how I dare question your wisdom when I am so very ignorant. I talked about things I did not understand, about marvels too great for me to know.


text:
 After the LORD had finished speaking to Job, he said to Eliphaz, "I am angry with you and your two friends, because you did not speak the truth about me, the way my servant Job did.


text:
 Now take seven bulls and seven rams to Job and offer them as a sacrifice for yourselves. Job will pray for you, and I will answer his prayer and not disgrace you the way you deserve. You did not speak the truth about me as he did."


text:
 Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar did what the LORD had told them to do, and the LORD answered Job's prayer.


text:
 Then, after Job had prayed for his three friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had had before.


text:
 All Job's brothers and sisters and former friends came to visit him and feasted with him in his house. They expressed their sympathy and comforted him for all the troubles the LORD had brought on him. Each of them gave him some money and a gold ring.


text:
 The LORD blessed the last part of Job's life even more than he had blessed the first. Job owned fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, two thousand head of cattle, and one thousand donkeys.


text:
 There were no other women in the whole world as beautiful as Job's daughters. Their father gave them a share of the inheritance along with their brothers.


text:
 Job lived a hundred and forty years after this, long enough to see his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.


text:
 Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people, who do not follow the example of sinners or join those who have no use for God.


text:
 They are like trees that grow beside a stream, that bear fruit at the right time, and whose leaves do not dry up. They succeed in everything they do.


text:
 "I will announce," says the king, "what the LORD has declared. He said to me: 'You are my son; today I have become your father.


text:
 and bow down to him; or else his anger will be quickly aroused, and you will suddenly die. Happy are all who go to him for protection.


text:
 Answer me when I pray, O God, my defender! When I was in trouble, you helped me. Be kind to me now and hear my prayer.


text:
 How long will you people insult me? How long will you love what is worthless and go after what is false?


text:
 But because of your great love I can come into your house; I can worship in your holy Temple and bow down to you in reverence.


text:
 What my enemies say can never be trusted; they only want to destroy. Their words are flattering and smooth, but full of deadly deceit.


text:
 Condemn and punish them, O God; may their own plots cause their ruin. Drive them out of your presence because of their many sins and their rebellion against you.


text:
 But all who find safety in you will rejoice; they can always sing for joy. Protect those who love you; because of you they are truly happy.


text:
 I am worn out with grief; every night my bed is damp from my weeping; my pillow is soaked with tears.


text:
 or else like a lion they will carry me off where no one can save me, and there they will tear me to pieces.


text:
 O LORD, my God, if I have wronged anyone, if I have betrayed a friend or without cause done violence to my enemy --- if I have done any of these things---


text:
 then let my enemies pursue me and catch me, let them cut me down and kill me and leave me lifeless on the ground!


text:
 Rise in your anger, O LORD! Stand up against the fury of my enemies; rouse yourself and help me! Justice is what you demand,


text:
 You are a righteous God and judge our thoughts and desires. Stop the wickedness of evildoers and reward those who are good.


text:
 it is sung by children and babies. You are safe and secure from all your enemies; you stop anyone who opposes you.


text:
 When I look at the sky, which you have made, at the moon and the stars, which you set in their places---


text:
 Our enemies are finished forever; you have destroyed their cities, and they are completely forgotten.


text:
 God remembers those who suffer; he does not forget their cry, and he punishes those who wrong them.


text:
 that I may stand before the people of Jerusalem and tell them all the things for which I praise you. I will rejoice because you saved me.


text:
 The LORD has revealed himself by his righteous judgments, and the wicked are trapped by their own deeds.


text:
 Come, LORD! Do not let anyone defy you! Bring the heathen before you and pronounce judgment on them.


text:
 The wicked succeed in everything. They cannot understand God's judgments; they sneer at their enemies.


text:
 Their speech is filled with curses, lies, and threats; they are quick to speak hateful, evil words.


text:
 They hide themselves in the villages, waiting to murder innocent people. They spy on their helpless victims;


text:
 they wait in their hiding place like lions. They lie in wait for the poor; they catch them in their traps and drag them away.


text:
 But you do see; you take notice of trouble and suffering and are always ready to help. The helpless commit themselves to you; you have always helped the needy.


text:
 Break the power of wicked and evil people; punish them for the wrong they have done until they do it no more.


text:
 You will hear the cries of the oppressed and the orphans; you will judge in their favor, so that mortal men may cause terror no more.


text:
 I trust in the LORD for safety. How foolish of you to say to me, "Fly away like a bird to the mountains,


text:
 because the wicked have drawn their bows and aimed their arrows to shoot from the shadows at good people.


text:
 The LORD is in his holy temple; he has his throne in heaven. He watches people everywhere and knows what they are doing.


text:
 He sends down flaming coals and burning sulfur on the wicked; he punishes them with scorching winds.


text:
 "But now I will come," says the LORD, "because the needy are oppressed and the persecuted groan in pain. I will give them the security they long for."


text:
 The promises of the LORD can be trusted; they are as genuine as silver refined seven times in the furnace.


text:
 The wicked are everywhere, and everyone praises what is evil. Keep us always safe, O LORD, and preserve us from such people.


text:
 How long must I endure trouble? How long will sorrow fill my heart day and night? How long will my enemies triumph over me?


text:
 Fools say to themselves, "There is no God!" They are all corrupt, and they have done terrible things; there is no one who does what is right.


text:
 The LORD looks down from heaven at us humans to see if there are any who are wise, any who worship him.


text:
 But they have all gone wrong; they are all equally bad. Not one of them does what is right, not a single one.


text:
 "Don't they know?" asks the LORD. "Are all these evildoers ignorant? They live by robbing my people, and they never pray to me."


text:
 How I pray that victory will come to Israel from Zion. How happy the people of Israel will be when the LORD makes them prosperous again!


text:
 and who do not slander others. They do no wrong to their friends nor spread rumors about their neighbors.


text:
 They despise those whom God rejects, but honor those who obey the LORD. They always do what they promise, no matter how much it may cost.


text:
 They make loans without charging interest and cannot be bribed to testify against the innocent. Whoever does these things will always be secure.


text:
 Those who rush to other gods bring many troubles on themselves. I will not take part in their sacrifices; I will not worship their gods.


text:
 because you protect me from the power of death. I have served you faithfully, and you will not abandon me to the world of the dead.


text:
 You will show me the path that leads to life; your presence fills me with joy and brings me pleasure forever.


text:
 Listen, O LORD, to my plea for justice; pay attention to my cry for help! Listen to my honest prayer.


text:
 You know my heart. You have come to me at night; you have examined me completely and found no evil desire in me. I speak no evil,


text:
 save me from those who in this life have all they want. Punish them with the sufferings you have stored up for them; may there be enough for their children and some left over for their children's children!


text:
 But I will see you, because I have done no wrong; and when I awake, your presence will fill me with joy.


text:
 The LORD is my protector; he is my strong fortress. My God is my protection, and with him I am safe. He protects me like a shield; he defends me and keeps me safe.


text:
 Then the earth trembled and shook; the foundations of the mountains rocked and quivered, because God was angry.


text:
 Hailstones and flashes of fire came from the lightning before him and broke through the dark clouds.


text:
 The floor of the ocean was laid bare, and the foundations of the earth were uncovered, when you rebuked your enemies, LORD, and roared at them in anger.


text:
 O LORD, you are faithful to those who are faithful to you; completely good to those who are perfect.


text:
 This God---how perfect are his deeds! How dependable his words! He is like a shield for all who seek his protection.


text:
 I crush them, so that they become like dust which the wind blows away. I trample on them like mud in the streets.


text:
 You saved me from a rebellious people and made me ruler over the nations; people I did not know have now become my subjects.


text:
 and saves me from my foes. O LORD, you give me victory over my enemies and protect me from violent people.


text:
 yet their message goes out to all the world and is heard to the ends of the earth. God made a home in the sky for the sun;


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 The law of the LORD is perfect; it gives new strength. The commands of the LORD are trustworthy, giving wisdom to those who lack it.


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 The laws of the LORD are right, and those who obey them are happy. The commands of the LORD are just and give understanding to the mind.


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 Reverence for the LORD is good; it will continue forever. The judgments of the LORD are just; they are always fair.


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 Keep me safe, also, from willful sins; don't let them rule over me. Then I shall be perfect and free from the evil of sin.


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 Then we will shout for joy over your victory and celebrate your triumph by praising our God. May the LORD answer all your requests.


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 Now I know that the LORD gives victory to his chosen king; he answers him from his holy heaven and by his power gives him great victories.


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 Some trust in their war chariots and others in their horses, but we trust in the power of the LORD our God.


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 The king is glad, O LORD, because you gave him strength; he rejoices because you made him victorious.


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 The king trusts in the LORD Almighty; and because of the LORD's constant love he will always be secure.


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 He will destroy them like a blazing fire when he appears. The LORD will devour them in his anger, and fire will consume them.


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 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? I have cried desperately for help, but still it does not come.


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 "You relied on the LORD," they say. "Why doesn't he save you? If the LORD likes you, why doesn't he help you?"


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 Many enemies surround me like bulls; they are all around me, like fierce bulls from the land of Bashan.


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 My strength is gone, gone like water spilled on the ground. All my bones are out of joint; my heart is like melted wax.


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 My throat is as dry as dust, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have left me for dead in the dust.


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 An evil gang is around me; like a pack of dogs they close in on me; they tear at my hands and feet.


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 "Praise him, you servants of the LORD! Honor him, you descendants of Jacob! Worship him, you people of Israel!


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 He does not neglect the poor or ignore their suffering; he does not turn away from them, but answers when they call for help."


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 In the full assembly I will praise you for what you have done; in the presence of those who worship you I will offer the sacrifices I promised.


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 The poor will eat as much as they want; those who come to the LORD will praise him. May they prosper forever!


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 All nations will remember the LORD. From every part of the world they will turn to him; all races will worship him.


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 Even if I go through the deepest darkness, I will not be afraid, LORD, for you are with me. Your shepherd's rod and staff protect me.


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 You prepare a banquet for me, where all my enemies can see me; you welcome me as an honored guest and fill my cup to the brim.


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 I know that your goodness and love will be with me all my life; and your house will be my home as long as I live.


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 The LORD is my light and my salvation; I will fear no one. The LORD protects me from all danger; I will never be afraid.


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 Even if a whole army surrounds me, I will not be afraid; even if enemies attack me, I will still trust God.


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 I have asked the LORD for one thing; one thing only do I want: to live in the LORD's house all my life, to marvel there at his goodness, and to ask for his guidance.


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 In times of trouble he will shelter me; he will keep me safe in his Temple and make me secure on a high rock.


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 So I will triumph over my enemies around me. With shouts of joy I will offer sacrifices in his Temple; I will sing, I will praise the LORD.


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 Don't hide yourself from me! Don't be angry with me; don't turn your servant away. You have been my help; don't leave me, don't abandon me, O God, my savior.


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 Teach me, LORD, what you want me to do, and lead me along a safe path, because I have many enemies.


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 O LORD, my defender, I call to you. Listen to my cry! If you do not answer me, I will be among those who go down to the world of the dead.


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 Do not condemn me with the wicked, with those who do evil--- those whose words are friendly, but who have hatred in their hearts.


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 Punish them for what they have done, for the evil they have committed. Punish them for all their deeds; give them what they deserve!


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 They take no notice of what the LORD has done or of what he has made; so he will punish them and destroy them forever.


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 The LORD protects and defends me; I trust in him. He gives me help and makes me glad; I praise him with joyful songs.


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 Save your people, LORD, and bless those who are yours. Be their shepherd, and take care of them forever.


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 The voice of the LORD is heard on the seas; the glorious God thunders, and his voice echoes over the ocean.


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 The LORD's voice shakes the oaks and strips the leaves from the trees while everyone in his Temple shouts, "Glory to God!"


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 Sing praise to the LORD, all his faithful people! Remember what the Holy One has done, and give him thanks!


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 His anger lasts only a moment, his goodness for a lifetime. Tears may flow in the night, but joy comes in the morning.


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 You were good to me, LORD; you protected me like a mountain fortress. But then you hid yourself from me, and I was afraid.


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 "What will you gain from my death? What profit from my going to the grave? Are dead people able to praise you? Can they proclaim your unfailing goodness?


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 You have changed my sadness into a joyful dance; you have taken away my sorrow and surrounded me with joy.


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 So I will not be silent; I will sing praise to you. LORD, you are my God; I will give you thanks forever.


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 I come to you, LORD, for protection; never let me be defeated. You are a righteous God; save me, I pray!


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 I will be glad and rejoice because of your constant love. You see my suffering; you know my trouble.


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 Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in trouble; my eyes are tired from so much crying; I am completely worn out.


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 I am exhausted by sorrow, and weeping has shortened my life. I am weak from all my troubles; even my bones are wasting away.


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 All my enemies, and especially my neighbors, treat me with contempt. Those who know me are afraid of me; when they see me in the street, they run away.


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 I hear many enemies whispering; terror is all around me. They are making plans against me, plotting to kill me.


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 I call to you, LORD; don't let me be disgraced. May the wicked be disgraced; may they go silently down to the world of the dead.


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 How wonderful are the good things you keep for those who honor you! Everyone knows how good you are, how securely you protect those who trust you.


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 You hide them in the safety of your presence from the plots of others; in a safe shelter you hide them from the insults of their enemies.


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 I was afraid and thought that he had driven me out of his presence. But he heard my cry, when I called to him for help.


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 Love the LORD, all his faithful people. The LORD protects the faithful, but punishes the proud as they deserve.


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 Day and night you punished me, LORD; my strength was completely drained, as moisture is dried up by the summer heat.


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 Then I confessed my sins to you; I did not conceal my wrongdoings. I decided to confess them to you, and you forgave all my sins.


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 So all your loyal people should pray to you in times of need; when a great flood of trouble comes rushing in, it will not reach them.


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 You are my hiding place; you will save me from trouble. I sing aloud of your salvation, because you protect me.


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 Don't be stupid like a horse or a mule, which must be controlled with a bit and bridle to make it submit."


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 The wicked will have to suffer, but those who trust in the LORD are protected by his constant love.


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 You that are righteous, be glad and rejoice because of what the LORD has done. You that obey him, shout for joy!


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 All you that are righteous, shout for joy for what the LORD has done; praise him, all you that obey him.


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 A king does not win because of his powerful army; a soldier does not triumph because of his strength.


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 May those who try to kill me be defeated and disgraced! May those who plot against me be turned back and confused!


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 But destruction will catch them before they know it; they will be caught in their own trap and fall to their destruction!


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 With all my heart I will say to the LORD, "There is no one like you. You protect the weak from the strong, the poor from the oppressor."


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 But when they were sick, I dressed in mourning; I deprived myself of food; I prayed with my head bowed low,


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 as I would pray for a friend or a brother. I went around bent over in mourning, as one who mourns for his mother.


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 But when I was in trouble, they were all glad and gathered around to make fun of me; strangers beat me and kept striking me.


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 How much longer, Lord, will you just look on? Rescue me from their attacks; save my life from these lions!


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 Don't let my enemies, those liars, gloat over my defeat. Don't let those who hate me for no reason smirk with delight over my sorrow.


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 They do not speak in a friendly way; instead they invent all kinds of lies about peace-loving people.


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 May those who gloat over my suffering be completely defeated and confused; may those who claim to be better than I am be covered with shame and disgrace.


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 May those who want to see me acquitted shout for joy and say again and again, "How great is the LORD! He is pleased with the success of his servant."


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 Because they think so highly of themselves, they think that God will not discover their sin and condemn it.


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 They make evil plans as they lie in bed; nothing they do is good, and they never reject anything evil.


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 Your righteousness is towering like the mountains; your justice is like the depths of the sea. People and animals are in your care.


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 Be patient and wait for the LORD to act; don't be worried about those who prosper or those who succeed in their evil plans.


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 The wicked draw their swords and bend their bows to kill the poor and needy, to slaughter those who do what is right;


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 But the wicked will die; the enemies of the LORD will vanish like wild flowers; they will disappear like smoke.


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 Those who are blessed by the LORD will possess the land, but those who are cursed by him will be driven out.


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 I am old now; I have lived a long time, but I have never seen good people abandoned by the LORD or their children begging for food.


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 for the LORD loves what is right and does not abandon his faithful people. He protects them forever, but the descendants of the wicked will be driven out.


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 but the LORD will not abandon them to their enemy's power or let them be condemned when they are on trial.


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 Put your hope in the LORD and obey his commands; he will honor you by giving you the land, and you will see the wicked driven out.


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 He helps them and rescues them; he saves them from the wicked, because they go to him for protection.


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 My friends and neighbors will not come near me, because of my sores; even my family keeps away from me.


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 Those who want to kill me lay traps for me, and those who want to hurt me threaten to ruin me; they never stop plotting against me.


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 I said, "I will be careful about what I do and will not let my tongue make me sin; I will not say anything while evil people are near."


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 and I was overcome with anxiety. The more I thought, the more troubled I became; I could not keep from asking:


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 How short you have made my life! In your sight my lifetime seems nothing. Indeed every living being is no more than a puff of wind,


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 You punish our sins by your rebukes, and like a moth you destroy what we love. Indeed we are no more than a puff of wind!


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 Hear my prayer, LORD, and listen to my cry; come to my aid when I weep. Like all my ancestors I am only your guest for a little while.


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 He pulled me out of a dangerous pit, out of the deadly quicksand. He set me safely on a rock and made me secure.


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 He taught me to sing a new song, a song of praise to our God. Many who see this will take warning and will put their trust in the LORD.


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 You have done many things for us, O LORD our God; there is no one like you! You have made many wonderful plans for us. I could never speak of them all--- their number is so great!


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 You do not want sacrifices and offerings; you do not ask for animals burned whole on the altar or for sacrifices to take away sins. Instead, you have given me ears to hear you,


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 In the assembly of all your people, LORD, I told the good news that you save us. You know that I will never stop telling it.


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 I have not kept the news of salvation to myself; I have always spoken of your faithfulness and help. In the assembly of all your people I have not been silent about your loyalty and constant love.


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 LORD, I know you will never stop being merciful to me. Your love and loyalty will always keep me safe.


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 I am surrounded by many troubles--- too many to count! My sins have caught up with me, and I can no longer see; they are more than the hairs of my head, and I have lost my courage.


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 May those who try to kill me be completely defeated and confused. May those who are happy because of my troubles be turned back and disgraced.


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 May all who come to you be glad and joyful. May all who are thankful for your salvation always say, "How great is the LORD!"


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 I am weak and poor, O Lord, but you have not forgotten me. You are my savior and my God--- hurry to my aid!


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 The LORD will protect them and preserve their lives; he will make them happy in the land; he will not abandon them to the power of their enemies.


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 Those who come to see me are not sincere; they gather bad news about me and then go out and tell it everywhere.


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 Day and night I cry, and tears are my only food; all the time my enemies ask me, "Where is your God?"


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 My heart breaks when I remember the past, when I went with the crowds to the house of God and led them as they walked along, a happy crowd, singing and shouting praise to God.


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 Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled? I will put my hope in God, and once again I will praise him, my savior and my God.


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 Here in exile my heart is breaking, and so I turn my thoughts to him. He has sent waves of sorrow over my soul; chaos roars at me like a flood, like waterfalls thundering down to the Jordan from Mount Hermon and Mount Mizar.


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 May the LORD show his constant love during the day, so that I may have a song at night, a prayer to the God of my life.


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 To God, my defender, I say, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go on suffering from the cruelty of my enemies?"


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 O God, declare me innocent, and defend my cause against the ungodly; deliver me from lying and evil people!


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 You are my protector; why have you abandoned me? Why must I go on suffering from the cruelty of my enemies?


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 Send your light and your truth; may they lead me and bring me back to Zion, your sacred hill, and to your Temple, where you live.


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 Then I will go to your altar, O God; you are the source of my happiness. I will play my harp and sing praise to you, O God, my God.


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 With our own ears we have heard it, O God--- our ancestors have told us about it, about the great things you did in their time, in the days of long ago:


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 how you yourself drove out the heathen and established your people in their land; how you punished the other nations and caused your own to prosper.


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 Your people did not conquer the land with their swords; they did not win it by their own power; it was by your power and your strength, by the assurance of your presence, which showed that you loved them.


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 All this has happened to us, even though we have not forgotten you or broken the covenant you made with us.


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 But it is on your account that we are being killed all the time, that we are treated like sheep to be slaughtered.


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 Beautiful words fill my mind, as I compose this song for the king. Like the pen of a good writer my tongue is ready with a poem.


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 Ride on in majesty to victory for the defense of truth and justice! Your strength will win you great victories!


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 The kingdom that God has given you will last forever and ever. You rule over your people with justice;


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 you love what is right and hate what is evil. That is why God, your God, has chosen you and has poured out more happiness on you than on any other king.


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 The perfume of myrrh and aloes is on your clothes; musicians entertain you in palaces decorated with ivory.


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 Among the women of your court are daughters of kings, and at the right of your throne stands the queen, wearing ornaments of finest gold.


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 In her colorful gown she is led to the king, followed by her bridesmaids, and they also are brought to him.


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 You, my king, will have many sons to succeed your ancestors as kings, and you will make them rulers over the whole earth.


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 "Stop fighting," he says, "and know that I am God, supreme among the nations, supreme over the world."


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 The rulers of the nations assemble with the people of the God of Abraham. More powerful than all armies is he; he rules supreme.


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 Zion, the mountain of God, is high and beautiful; the city of the great king brings joy to all the world.


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 We have heard what God has done, and now we have seen it in the city of our God, the LORD Almighty; he will keep the city safe forever.


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 You are praised by people everywhere, and your fame extends over all the earth. You rule with justice;


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 Anyone can see that even the wise die, as well as the foolish and stupid. They all leave their riches to their descendants.


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 Their graves are their homes forever; there they stay for all time, though they once had lands of their own.


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 See what happens to those who trust in themselves, the fate of those who are satisfied with their wealth---


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 they are doomed to die like sheep, and Death will be their shepherd. The righteous will triumph over them, as their bodies quickly decay in the world of the dead far from their homes.


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 Our God is coming, but not in silence; a raging fire is in front of him, a furious storm around him.


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 He says, "Gather my faithful people to me, those who made a covenant with me by offering a sacrifice."


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 But God says to the wicked, "Why should you recite my commandments? Why should you talk about my covenant?


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 You have done all this, and I have said nothing, so you thought that I am like you. But now I reprimand you and make the matter plain to you.


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 Be merciful to me, O God, because of your constant love. Because of your great mercy wipe away my sins!


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 I have sinned against you---only against you--- and done what you consider evil. So you are right in judging me; you are justified in condemning me.


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 Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness; and though you have crushed me and broken me, I will be happy once again.


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 Then you will be pleased with proper sacrifices and with our burnt offerings; and bulls will be sacrificed on your altar.


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 So God will ruin you forever; he will take hold of you and snatch you from your home; he will remove you from the world of the living.


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 "Look, here is someone who did not depend on God for safety, but trusted instead in great wealth and looked for security in being wicked."


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 But I am like an olive tree growing in the house of God; I trust in his constant love forever and ever.


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 I will always thank you, God, for what you have done; in the presence of your people I will proclaim that you are good.


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 Fools say to themselves, "There is no God." They are all corrupt, and they have done terrible things; there is no one who does what is right.


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 But they have all turned away; they are all equally bad. Not one of them does what is right, not a single one.


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 "Don't they know?" God asks. "Are these evildoers ignorant? They live by robbing my people, and they never pray to me."


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 But then they will become terrified, as they have never been before, for God will scatter the bones of the enemies of his people. God has rejected them, and so Israel will totally defeat them.


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 How I pray that victory will come to Israel from Zion. How happy the people of Israel will be when God makes them prosperous again!


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 Proud people are coming to attack me; cruel people are trying to kill me--- those who do not care about God.


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 I am terrified by the threats of my enemies, crushed by the oppression of the wicked. They bring trouble on me; they are angry with me and hate me.


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 If it were an enemy making fun of me, I could endure it; if it were an opponent boasting over me, I could hide myself from him.


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 May my enemies die before their time; may they go down alive into the world of the dead! Evil is in their homes and in their hearts.


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 God, who has ruled from eternity, will hear me and defeat them; for they refuse to change, and they do not fear him.


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 His words were smoother than cream, but there was hatred in his heart; his words were as soothing as oil, but they cut like sharp swords.


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 Leave your troubles with the LORD, and he will defend you; he never lets honest people be defeated.


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 But you, O God, will bring those murderers and liars to their graves before half their life is over. As for me, I will trust in you.


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 I trust in God and am not afraid; I praise him for what he has promised. What can a mere human being do to me?


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 because you have rescued me from death and kept me from defeat. And so I walk in the presence of God, in the light that shines on the living.


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 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful, because I come to you for safety. In the shadow of your wings I find protection until the raging storms are over.


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 He will answer from heaven and save me; he will defeat my oppressors. God will show me his constant love and faithfulness.


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 I am surrounded by enemies, who are like lions hungry for human flesh. Their teeth are like spears and arrows; their tongues are like sharp swords.


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 My enemies have spread a net to catch me; I am overcome with distress. They dug a pit in my path, but fell into it themselves.


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 May they be like snails that dissolve into slime; may they be like a baby born dead that never sees the light.


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 Before they know it, they are cut down like weeds; in his fierce anger God will blow them away while they are still living.


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 The righteous will be glad when they see sinners punished; they will wade through the blood of the wicked.


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 Look! They are waiting to kill me; cruel people are gathering against me. It is not because of any sin or wrong I have done,


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 Rise, LORD God Almighty, and come to my aid; see for yourself, God of Israel! Wake up and punish the heathen; show no mercy to evil traitors!


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 Listen to their insults and threats. Their tongues are like swords in their mouths, yet they think that no one hears them.


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 Do not kill them, O God, or my people may forget. Scatter them by your strength and defeat them, O Lord, our protector.


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 Sin is on their lips; all their words are sinful; may they be caught in their pride! Because they curse and lie,


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 destroy them in your anger; destroy them completely. Then everyone will know that God rules in Israel, that his rule extends over all the earth.


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 But I will sing about your strength; every morning I will sing aloud of your constant love. You have been a refuge for me, a shelter in my time of trouble.


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 You have made the land tremble, and you have cut it open; now heal its wounds, because it is falling apart.


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 From his sanctuary God has said, "In triumph I will divide Shechem and distribute Sukkoth Valley to my people.


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 But I will use Moab as my washbowl, and I will throw my sandals on Edom, as a sign that I own it. Did the Philistines think they would shout in triumph over me?"


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 You only want to bring him down from his place of honor; you take pleasure in lies. You speak words of blessing, but in your heart you curse him.


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 Human beings are all like a puff of breath; great and small alike are worthless. Put them on the scales, and they weigh nothing; they are lighter than a mere breath.


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 Don't put your trust in violence; don't hope to gain anything by robbery; even if your riches increase, don't depend on them.


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 O God, you are my God, and I long for you. My whole being desires you; like a dry, worn-out, and waterless land, my soul is thirsty for you.


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 Because God gives him victory, the king will rejoice. Those who make promises in God's name will praise him, but the mouths of liars will be shut.


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 They encourage each other in their evil plots; they talk about where they will place their traps. "No one can see them," they say.


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 They make evil plans and say, "We have planned a perfect crime." The human heart and mind are a mystery.


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 All righteous people will rejoice because of what the LORD has done. They will find safety in him; all good people will praise him.


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 Happy are those whom you choose, whom you bring to live in your sanctuary. We shall be satisfied with the good things of your house, the blessings of your sacred Temple.


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 You answer us by giving us victory, and you do wonderful things to save us. People all over the world and across the distant seas trust in you.


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 The whole world stands in awe of the great things that you have done. Your deeds bring shouts of joy from one end of the earth to the other.


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 You show your care for the land by sending rain; you make it rich and fertile. You fill the streams with water; you provide the earth with crops. This is how you do it:


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 you send abundant rain on the plowed fields and soak them with water; you soften the soil with showers and cause the young plants to grow.


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 The fields are covered with sheep; the valleys are full of wheat. Everything shouts and sings for joy.


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 Say to God, "How wonderful are the things you do! Your power is so great that your enemies bow down in fear before you.


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 He changed the sea into dry land; our ancestors crossed the river on foot. There we rejoiced because of what he did.


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 You let our enemies trample us; we went through fire and flood, but now you have brought us to a place of safety.


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 I will offer sheep to be burned on the altar; I will sacrifice bulls and goats, and the smoke will go up to the sky.


text:
 May the nations be glad and sing for joy, because you judge the peoples with justice and guide every nation on earth.


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 As smoke is blown away, so he drives them off; as wax melts in front of the fire, so do the wicked perish in God's presence.


text:
 Sing to God, sing praises to his name; prepare a way for him who rides on the clouds. His name is the LORD ---be glad in his presence!


text:
 He gives the lonely a home to live in and leads prisoners out into happy freedom, but rebels will have to live in a desolate land.


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 the earth shook, and the sky poured down rain, because of the coming of the God of Sinai, the coming of the God of Israel.


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 figures of doves covered with silver, whose wings glittered with fine gold. (Why did some of you stay among the sheep pens on the day of battle?)


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 Why from your mighty peaks do you look with scorn on the mountain on which God chose to live? The LORD will live there forever!


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 He goes up to the heights, taking many captives with him; he receives gifts from rebellious people. The LORD God will live there.


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 The Lord has said, "I will bring your enemies back from Bashan; I will bring them back from the depths of the ocean,


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 The singers are in front, the musicians are behind, in between are the young women beating the tambourines.


text:
 First comes Benjamin, the smallest tribe, then the leaders of Judah with their group, followed by the leaders of Zebulun and Naphtali.


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 Rebuke Egypt, that wild animal in the reeds; rebuke the nations, that herd of bulls with their calves, until they all bow down and offer you their silver. Scatter those people who love to make war!


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 How awesome is God as he comes from his sanctuary--- the God of Israel! He gives strength and power to his people. Praise God!


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 I am sinking in deep mud, and there is no solid ground; I am out in deep water, and the waves are about to drown me.


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 I am worn out from calling for help, and my throat is aching. I have strained my eyes, looking for your help.


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 Those who hate me for no reason are more numerous than the hairs of my head. My enemies tell lies against me; they are strong and want to kill me. They made me give back things I did not steal.


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 Don't let me bring shame on those who trust in you, Sovereign LORD Almighty! Don't let me bring disgrace to those who worship you, O God of Israel!


text:
 My devotion to your Temple burns in me like a fire; the insults which are hurled at you fall on me.


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 But as for me, I will pray to you, LORD; answer me, God, at a time you choose. Answer me because of your great love, because you keep your promise to save.


text:
 Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I had hoped for sympathy, but there was none; for comfort, but I found none.


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 They persecute those whom you have punished; they talk about the sufferings of those you have wounded.


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 May their names be erased from the book of the living; may they not be included in the list of your people.


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 He will save Jerusalem and rebuild the towns of Judah. His people will live there and possess the land;


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 May those who try to kill me be defeated and confused. May those who are happy because of my troubles be turned back and disgraced.


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 May all who come to you be glad and joyful. May all who are thankful for your salvation always say, "How great is God!"


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 I have relied on you all my life; you have protected me since the day I was born. I will always praise you.


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 They say, "God has abandoned him; let's go after him and catch him; there is no one to rescue him."


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 May those who attack me be defeated and destroyed. May those who try to hurt me be shamed and disgraced.


text:
 I will tell of your goodness; all day long I will speak of your salvation, though it is more than I can understand.


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 Now that I am old and my hair is gray, do not abandon me, O God! Be with me while I proclaim your power and might to all generations to come.


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 You have sent troubles and suffering on me, but you will restore my strength; you will keep me from the grave.


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 I will indeed praise you with the harp; I will praise your faithfulness, my God. On my harp I will play hymns to you, the Holy One of Israel.


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 I will speak of your righteousness all day long, because those who tried to harm me have been defeated and disgraced.


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 May your people worship you as long as the sun shines, as long as the moon gives light, for ages to come.


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 May righteousness flourish in his lifetime, and may prosperity last as long as the moon gives light.


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 The peoples of the desert will bow down before him; his enemies will throw themselves to the ground.


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 The kings of Spain and of the islands will offer him gifts; the kings of Sheba and Seba will bring him offerings.


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 Long live the king! May he be given gold from Sheba; may prayers be said for him at all times; may God's blessings be on him always!


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 May there be plenty of grain in the land; may the hills be covered with crops, as fruitful as those of Lebanon. May the cities be filled with people, like fields full of grass.


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 May the king's name never be forgotten; may his fame last as long as the sun. May all nations ask God to bless them as he has blessed the king.


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 They laugh at other people and speak of evil things; they are proud and make plans to oppress others.


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 They are like a dream that goes away in the morning; when you rouse yourself, O Lord, they disappear.


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 But as for me, how wonderful to be near God, to find protection with the Sovereign LORD and to proclaim all that he has done!


text:
 Remember your people, whom you chose for yourself long ago, whom you brought out of slavery to be your own tribe. Remember Mount Zion, where once you lived.


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 Your enemies have shouted in triumph in your Temple; they have placed their flags there as signs of victory.


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 All our sacred symbols are gone; there are no prophets left, and no one knows how long this will last.


text:
 Rouse yourself, God, and defend your cause! Remember that godless people laugh at you all day long.


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 We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks to you! We proclaim how great you are and tell of the wonderful things you have done.


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 Though every living creature tremble and the earth itself be shaken, I will keep its foundations firm.


text:
 The LORD holds a cup in his hand, filled with the strong wine of his anger. He pours it out, and all the wicked drink it; they drink it down to the last drop.


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 How glorious you are, O God! How majestic, as you return from the mountains where you defeated your foes.


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 Their brave soldiers have been stripped of all they had and now are sleeping the sleep of death; all their strength and skill was useless.


text:
 Human anger only results in more praise for you; those who survive the wars will keep your festivals.


text:
 Give the LORD your God what you promised him; bring gifts to him, all you nearby nations. God makes everyone fear him;


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 In times of trouble I pray to the Lord; all night long I lift my hands in prayer, but I cannot find comfort.


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 The clouds poured down rain; thunder crashed from the sky, and lightning flashed in all directions.


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 The crash of your thunder rolled out, and flashes of lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and shook.


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 We will not keep them from our children; we will tell the next generation about the LORD's power and his great deeds and the wonderful things he has done.


text:
 He gave laws to the people of Israel and commandments to the descendants of Jacob. He instructed our ancestors to teach his laws to their children,


text:
 In this way they also will put their trust in God and not forget what he has done, but always obey his commandments.


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 They will not be like their ancestors, a rebellious and disobedient people, whose trust in God was never firm and who did not remain faithful to him.


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 It is true that he struck the rock, and water flowed out in a torrent; but can he also provide us with bread and give his people meat?"


text:
 And so the LORD was angry when he heard them; he attacked his people with fire, and his anger against them grew,


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 Whenever he killed some of them, the rest would turn to him; they would repent and pray earnestly to him.


text:
 But God was merciful to his people. He forgave their sin and did not destroy them. Many times he held back his anger and restrained his fury.


text:
 He caused them great distress by pouring out his anger and fierce rage, which came as messengers of death.


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 He drove out the inhabitants as his people advanced; he divided their land among the tribes of Israel and gave their homes to his people.


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 But they rebelled against Almighty God and put him to the test. They did not obey his commandments,


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 There he built his Temple like his home in heaven; he made it firm like the earth itself, secure for all time.


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 where he looked after his flocks, and he made him king of Israel, the shepherd of the people of God.


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 O God, the heathen have invaded your land. They have desecrated your holy Temple and left Jerusalem in ruins.


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 They left the bodies of your people for the vultures, the bodies of your servants for wild animals to eat.


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 They shed your people's blood like water; blood flowed like water all through Jerusalem, and no one was left to bury the dead.


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 Why should the nations ask us, "Where is your God?" Let us see you punish the nations for shedding the blood of your servants.


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 Listen to the groans of the prisoners, and by your great power free those who are condemned to die.


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 Then we, your people, the sheep of your flock, will thank you forever and praise you for all time to come.


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 Listen to us, O Shepherd of Israel; hear us, leader of your flock. Seated on your throne above the winged creatures,


text:
 reveal yourself to the tribes of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh. Show us your strength; come and save us!


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 He gave it to the people of Israel when he attacked the land of Egypt. I hear an unknown voice saying,


text:
 When you were in trouble, you called to me, and I saved you. From my hiding place in the storm, I answered you. I put you to the test at the springs of Meribah.


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 "How ignorant you are! How stupid! You are completely corrupt, and justice has disappeared from the world.


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 Assyria has also joined them as a strong ally of the Ammonites and Moabites, the descendants of Lot.


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 Do to their leaders what you did to Oreb and Zeeb; defeat all their rulers as you did Zebah and Zalmunna,


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 How I want to be there! I long to be in the LORD's Temple. With my whole being I sing for joy to the living God.


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 Even the sparrows have built a nest, and the swallows have their own home; they keep their young near your altars, LORD Almighty, my king and my God.


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 How happy are those whose strength comes from you, who are eager to make the pilgrimage to Mount Zion.


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 As they pass through the dry valley of Baca, it becomes a place of springs; the autumn rain fills it with pools.


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 One day spent in your Temple is better than a thousand anywhere else; I would rather stand at the gate of the house of my God than live in the homes of the wicked.


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 The LORD is our protector and glorious king, blessing us with kindness and honor. He does not refuse any good thing to those who do what is right.


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 I am listening to what the LORD God is saying; he promises peace to us, his own people, if we do not go back to our foolish ways.


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 All the nations that you have created will come and bow down to you; they will praise your greatness.


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 Teach me, LORD, what you want me to do, and I will obey you faithfully; teach me to serve you with complete devotion.


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 Proud people are coming against me, O God; a cruel gang is trying to kill me--- people who pay no attention to you.


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 Turn to me and have mercy on me; strengthen me and save me, because I serve you just as my mother did.


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 Show me proof of your goodness, LORD; those who hate me will be ashamed when they see that you have given me comfort and help.


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 "I will include Egypt and Babylonia when I list the nations that obey me; the people of Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia I will number among the inhabitants of Jerusalem."


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 I am abandoned among the dead; I am like the slain lying in their graves, those you have forgotten completely, who are beyond your help.


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 You have caused my friends to abandon me; you have made me repulsive to them. I am closed in and cannot escape;


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 Ever since I was young, I have suffered and been near death; I am worn out from the burden of your punishments.


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 Your kingdom is founded on righteousness and justice; love and faithfulness are shown in all you do.


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 In a vision long ago you said to your faithful servants, "I have given help to a famous soldier; I have given the throne to one I chose from the people.


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 Before you created the hills or brought the world into being, you were eternally God, and will be God forever.


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 A thousand years to you are like one day; they are like yesterday, already gone, like a short hour in the night.


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 You carry us away like a flood; we last no longer than a dream. We are like weeds that sprout in the morning,


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 Seventy years is all we have--- eighty years, if we are strong; yet all they bring us is trouble and sorrow; life is soon over, and we are gone.


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 He will cover you with his wings; you will be safe in his care; his faithfulness will protect and defend you.


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 When they call to me, I will answer them; when they are in trouble, I will be with them. I will rescue them and honor them.


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 the wicked may grow like weeds, those who do wrong may prosper; yet they will be totally destroyed,


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 The LORD is king. He is clothed with majesty and strength. The earth is set firmly in place and cannot be moved.


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 The LORD rules supreme in heaven, greater than the roar of the ocean, more powerful than the waves of the sea.


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 He scolds the nations---won't he punish them? He is the teacher of us all---hasn't he any knowledge?


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 He will punish them for their wickedness and destroy them for their sins; the LORD our God will destroy them.


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 He is our God; we are the people he cares for, the flock for which he provides. Listen today to what he says:


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 "Don't be stubborn, as your ancestors were at Meribah, as they were that day in the desert at Massah.


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 For forty years I was disgusted with those people. I said, 'How disloyal they are! They refuse to obey my commands.'


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 I was angry and made a solemn promise: 'You will never enter the land where I would have given you rest.' "


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 Say to all the nations, "The LORD is king! The earth is set firmly in place and cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with justice."


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 when the LORD comes to rule the earth. He will rule the peoples of the world with justice and fairness.


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 The LORD loves those who hate evil; he protects the lives of his people; he rescues them from the power of the wicked.


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 All you that are righteous be glad because of what the LORD has done! Remember what the holy God has done, and give thanks to him.


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 Sing a new song to the LORD; he has done wonderful things! By his own power and holy strength he has won the victory.


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 He kept his promise to the people of Israel with loyalty and constant love for them. All people everywhere have seen the victory of our God.


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 because he comes to rule the earth. He will rule the peoples of the world with justice and fairness.


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 The LORD is king, and the people tremble. He sits on his throne above the winged creatures, and the earth shakes.


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 Mighty king, you love what is right; you have established justice in Israel; you have brought righteousness and fairness.


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 Moses and Aaron were his priests, and Samuel was one who prayed to him; they called to the LORD, and he answered them.


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 O LORD, our God, you answered your people; you showed them that you are a God who forgives, even though you punished them for their sins.


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 Acknowledge that the LORD is God. He made us, and we belong to him; we are his people, we are his flock.


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 Enter the Temple gates with thanksgiving; go into its courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise him.


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 and will never tolerate evil. I hate the actions of those who turn away from God; I will have nothing to do with them.


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 I will get rid of anyone who whispers evil things about someone else; I will not tolerate anyone who is proud and arrogant.


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 I will approve of those who are faithful to God and will let them live in my palace. Those who are completely honest will be allowed to serve me.


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 Day after day I will destroy the wicked in our land; I will expel all who are evil from the city of the LORD.


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 Because of your anger and fury, ashes are my food, and my tears are mixed with my drink. You picked me up and threw me away.


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 You will rise and take pity on Zion; the time has come to have mercy on her; this is the right time.


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 Your servants love her, even though she is destroyed; they have pity on her, even though she is in ruins.


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 Write down for the coming generation what the LORD has done, so that people not yet born will praise him.


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 They will disappear, but you will remain; they will all wear out like clothes. You will discard them like clothes, and they will vanish.


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 But for those who honor the LORD, his love lasts forever, and his goodness endures for all generations


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 Praise the LORD, all his creatures in all the places he rules. Praise the LORD, my soul! Praise the LORD, my soul!


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 and built your home on the waters above. You use the clouds as your chariot and ride on the wings of the wind.


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 LORD, you have made so many things! How wisely you made them all! The earth is filled with your creatures.


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 When you turn away, they are afraid; when you take away your breath, they die and go back to the dust from which they came.


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 May sinners be destroyed from the earth; may the wicked be no more. Praise the LORD, my soul! Praise the LORD!


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 You descendants of Abraham, his servant; you descendants of Jacob, the man he chose: remember the miracles that God performed and the judgments that he gave.


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 Then he led the Israelites out; they carried silver and gold, and all of them were healthy and strong.


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 Let me see the prosperity of your people and share in the happiness of your nation, in the glad pride of those who belong to you.


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 Our ancestors in Egypt did not understand God's wonderful acts; they forgot the many times he showed them his love, and they rebelled against the Almighty at the Red Sea.


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 When God said that he would destroy his people, his chosen servant, Moses, stood up against God and kept his anger from destroying them.


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 At the springs of Meribah the people made the LORD angry, and Moses was in trouble on their account.


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 Many times the LORD rescued his people, but they chose to rebel against him and sank deeper into sin.


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 Save us, O LORD our God, and bring us back from among the nations, so that we may be thankful and praise your holy name.


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 Praise the LORD, the God of Israel; praise him now and forever! Let everyone say, "Amen!" Praise the LORD!


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 Repeat these words in praise to the LORD, all you whom he has saved. He has rescued you from your enemies


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 The ships were lifted high in the air and plunged down into the depths. In such danger the sailors lost their courage;


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 They must proclaim his greatness in the assembly of the people and praise him before the council of the leaders.


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 But I will use Moab as my washbowl, and I will throw my sandals on Edom, as a sign that I own it. I will shout in triumph over the Philistines."


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 That man never thought of being kind; he persecuted and killed the poor, the needy, and the helpless.


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 He cursed as naturally as he dressed himself; may his own curses soak into his body like water and into his bones like oil!


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 But my Sovereign LORD, help me as you have promised, and rescue me because of the goodness of your love.


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 They may curse me, but you will bless me. May my persecutors be defeated, and may I, your servant, be glad.


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 On the day you fight your enemies, your people will volunteer. Like the dew of early morning your young men will come to you on the sacred hills.


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 The LORD made a solemn promise and will not take it back: "You will be a priest forever in the priestly order of Melchizedek."


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 He will pass judgment on the nations and fill the battlefield with corpses; he will defeat kings all over the earth.


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 How wonderful are the things the LORD does! All who are delighted with them want to understand them.


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 The way to become wise is to honor the LORD; he gives sound judgment to all who obey his commands. He is to be praised forever.


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 Praise the LORD! Happy is the person who honors the LORD, who takes pleasure in obeying his commands.


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 He honors the childless wife in her home; he makes her happy by giving her children. Praise the LORD!


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 To you alone, O LORD, to you alone, and not to us, must glory be given because of your constant love and faithfulness.


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 The LORD remembers us and will bless us; he will bless the people of Israel and all the priests of God.


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 The danger of death was all around me; the horrors of the grave closed in on me; I was filled with fear and anxiety.


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 In the assembly of all your people, in the sanctuary of your Temple in Jerusalem, I will give you what I have promised. Praise the LORD!


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 They swarmed around me like bees, but they burned out as quickly as a brush fire; by the power of the LORD I destroyed them.


text:
 Listen to the glad shouts of victory in the tents of God's people: "The LORD's mighty power has done it!


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 The LORD is God; he has been good to us. With branches in your hands, start the festival and march around the altar.


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 I wander about like a lost sheep; so come and look for me, your servant, because I have not neglected your laws.


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 This is where the tribes come, the tribes of Israel, to give thanks to the LORD according to his command.


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 As a servant depends on his master, as a maid depends on her mistress, so we will keep looking to you, O LORD our God, until you have mercy on us.


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 The wicked will not always rule over the land of the righteous; if they did, the righteous themselves might do evil.


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 How we laughed, how we sang for joy! Then the other nations said about us, "The LORD did great things for them."


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 Those who wept as they went out carrying the seed will come back singing for joy, as they bring in the harvest.


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 If the LORD does not build the house, the work of the builders is useless; if the LORD does not protect the city, it does no good for the sentries to stand guard.


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 It is useless to work so hard for a living, getting up early and going to bed late. For the LORD provides for those he loves, while they are asleep.


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 Happy is the man who has many such arrows. He will never be defeated when he meets his enemies in the place of judgment.


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 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine in your home, and your children will be like young olive trees around your table.


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 I wait for the Lord more eagerly than sentries wait for the dawn--- than sentries wait for the dawn.


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 LORD, I have given up my pride and turned away from my arrogance. I am not concerned with great matters or with subjects too difficult for me.


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 Instead, I am content and at peace. As a child lies quietly in its mother's arms, so my heart is quiet within me.


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 You made a solemn promise to David--- a promise you will not take back: "I will make one of your sons king, and he will rule after you.


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 If your sons are true to my covenant and to the commands I give them, their sons, also, will succeed you for all time as kings."


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 Here I will make one of David's descendants a great king; here I will preserve the rule of my chosen king.


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 It is like the precious anointing oil running down from Aaron's head and beard, down to the collar of his robes.


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 It is like the dew on Mount Hermon, falling on the hills of Zion. That is where the LORD has promised his blessing--- life that never ends.


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 He brings storm clouds from the ends of the earth; he makes lightning for the storms, and he brings out the wind from his storeroom.


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 Those who captured us told us to sing; they told us to entertain them: "Sing us a song about Zion."


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 May I never be able to sing again if I do not remember you, if I do not think of you as my greatest joy!


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 Remember, LORD, what the Edomites did the day Jerusalem was captured. Remember how they kept saying, "Tear it down to the ground!"


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 I face your holy Temple, bow down, and praise your name because of your constant love and faithfulness, because you have shown that your name and your commands are supreme.


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 When I am surrounded by troubles, you keep me safe. You oppose my angry enemies and save me by your power.


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 You will do everything you have promised; LORD, your love is eternal. Complete the work that you have begun.


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 If I went up to heaven, you would be there; if I lay down in the world of the dead, you would be there.


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 but even darkness is not dark for you, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are the same to you.


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 I praise you because you are to be feared; all you do is strange and wonderful. I know it with all my heart.


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 When my bones were being formed, carefully put together in my mother's womb, when I was growing there in secret, you knew that I was there---


text:
 you saw me before I was born. The days allotted to me had all been recorded in your book, before any of them ever began.


text:
 Protect me, LORD, from the power of the wicked; keep me safe from violent people who plot my downfall.


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 The proud have set a trap for me; they have laid their snares, and along the path they have set traps to catch me.


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 May those who accuse others falsely not succeed; may evil overtake violent people and destroy them.


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 Keep me from wanting to do wrong and from joining evil people in their wickedness. May I never take part in their feasts.


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 Good people may punish me and rebuke me in kindness, but I will never accept honor from evil people, because I am always praying against their evil deeds.


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 When their rulers are thrown down from rocky cliffs, the people will admit that my words were true.


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 Like wood that is split and chopped into bits, so their bones are scattered at the edge of the grave.


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 When I am ready to give up, he knows what I should do. In the path where I walk, my enemies have hidden a trap for me.


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 When I look beside me, I see that there is no one to help me, no one to protect me. No one cares for me.


text:
 Listen to my cry for help, for I am sunk in despair. Save me from my enemies; they are too strong for me.


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 Set me free from my distress; then in the assembly of your people I will praise you because of your goodness to me.


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 My enemies have hunted me down and completely defeated me. They have put me in a dark prison, and I am like those who died long ago.


text:
 Answer me now, LORD! I have lost all hope. Don't hide yourself from me, or I will be among those who go down to the world of the dead.


text:
 Remind me each morning of your constant love, for I put my trust in you. My prayers go up to you; show me the way I should go.


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 He is my protector and defender, my shelter and savior, in whom I trust for safety. He subdues the nations under me.


text:
 Reach down from above, pull me out of the deep water, and rescue me; save me from the power of foreigners,


text:
 Save me from my cruel enemies; rescue me from the power of foreigners, who never tell the truth and lie even under oath.


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 May our sons in their youth be like plants that grow up strong. May our daughters be like stately columns which adorn the corners of a palace.


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 May our barns be filled with crops of every kind. May the sheep in our fields bear young by the tens of thousands.


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 May our cattle reproduce plentifully without miscarriage or loss. May there be no cries of distress in our streets.


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 What you have done will be praised from one generation to the next; they will proclaim your mighty acts.


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 Your rule is eternal, and you are king forever. The LORD is faithful to his promises; he is merciful in all his acts.


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 He protects the strangers who live in our land; he helps widows and orphans, but takes the wicked to their ruin.


text:
 Let them all praise the name of the LORD! His name is greater than all others; his glory is above earth and heaven.


text:
 He made his nation strong, so that all his people praise him--- the people of Israel, so dear to him. Praise the LORD!


text:
 Here are proverbs that will help you recognize wisdom and good advice, and understand sayings with deep meaning.


text:
 To have knowledge, you must first have reverence for the LORD. Stupid people have no respect for wisdom and refuse to learn.


text:
 Their teaching will improve your character as a handsome turban or a necklace improves your appearance.


text:
 Suppose they say, "Come on; let's find someone to kill! Let's attack some innocent people for the fun of it!


text:
 Robbery always claims the life of the robber---this is what happens to anyone who lives by violence.


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 "Foolish people! How long do you want to be foolish? How long will you enjoy making fun of knowledge? Will you never learn?


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 I have been calling you, inviting you to come, but you would not listen. You paid no attention to me.


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 when it comes on you like a storm, bringing fierce winds of trouble, and you are in pain and misery.


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 Then you will call for wisdom, but I will not answer. You may look for me everywhere, but you will not find me.


text:
 Inexperienced people die because they reject wisdom. Stupid people are destroyed by their own lack of concern.


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 If you do, you will know what it means to fear the LORD and you will succeed in learning about God.


text:
 If you listen to me, you will know what is right, just, and fair. You will know what you should do.


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 and prevent you from doing the wrong thing. They will keep you away from people who stir up trouble by what they say---


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 If you go to her house, you are traveling the road to death. To go there is to approach the world of the dead.


text:
 But God will snatch the wicked from the land and pull sinners out of it like plants from the ground.


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 Never let yourself think that you are wiser than you are; simply obey the LORD and refuse to do wrong.


text:
 Wise people will gain an honorable reputation, but stupid people will only add to their own disgrace.


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 My children, listen to what your father teaches you. Pay attention, and you will have understanding.


text:
 my father would teach me. He would say, "Remember what I say and never forget it. Do as I tell you, and you will live.


text:
 Wicked people cannot sleep unless they have done something wrong. They lie awake unless they have hurt someone.


text:
 The road the righteous travel is like the sunrise, getting brighter and brighter until daylight has come.


text:
 The road of the wicked, however, is dark as night. They fall, but cannot see what they have stumbled over.


text:
 If you do, others will gain the respect that you once had, and you will die young at the hands of merciless people.


text:
 Yes, strangers will take all your wealth, and what you have worked for will belong to someone else.


text:
 Son, why should you give your love to another woman? Why should you prefer the charms of another man's wife?


text:
 Well then, my child, you are in that person's power, but this is how to get out of it: hurry to him, and beg him to release you.


text:
 There are seven things that the LORD hates and cannot tolerate: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that kill innocent people, a mind that thinks up wicked plans, feet that hurry off to do evil, a witness who tells one lie after another, and someone who stirs up trouble among friends.


text:
 A man can hire a prostitute for the price of a loaf of bread, but adultery will cost him all he has.


text:
 Do what I say, and you will live. Be as careful to follow my teaching as you are to protect your eyes.


text:
 He was walking along the street near the corner where a certain woman lived. He was passing near her house


text:
 Suddenly he was going with her like an ox on the way to be slaughtered, like a deer prancing into a trap


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 where an arrow would pierce its heart. He was like a bird going into a net---he did not know that his life was in danger.


text:
 and ordered the waters of the sea to rise no further than he said. I was there when he laid the earth's foundations.


text:
 Those who listen to me will be happy--- those who stay at my door every day, waiting at the entrance to my home.


text:
 If you correct conceited people, you will only be insulted. If you reprimand evil people, you will only get hurt.


text:
 Never correct conceited people; they will hate you for it. But if you correct the wise, they will respect you.


text:
 Anything you say to the wise will make them wiser. Whatever you tell the righteous will add to their knowledge.


text:
 To be wise you must first have reverence for the LORD. If you know the Holy One, you have understanding.


text:
 You are the one who will profit if you have wisdom, and if you reject it, you are the one who will suffer.


text:
 Her victims do not know that the people die who go to her house, that those who have already entered are now deep in the world of the dead.


text:
 These are Solomon's proverbs: Wise children make their fathers proud of them; foolish ones bring their mothers grief.


text:
 The LORD will not let good people go hungry, but he will keep the wicked from getting what they want.


text:
 A sensible person gathers the crops when they are ready; it is a disgrace to sleep through the time of harvest.


text:
 People who listen when they are corrected will live, but those who will not admit that they are wrong are in danger.


text:
 Never get a lazy person to do something for you; he will be as irritating as vinegar on your teeth or smoke in your eyes.


text:
 If you are good, you are guided by honesty. People who can't be trusted are destroyed by their own dishonesty.


text:
 Righteousness rescues those who are honest, but those who can't be trusted are trapped by their own greed.


text:
 A city is happy when honest people have good fortune, and there are joyful shouts when the wicked die.


text:
 A city becomes great when the righteous give it their blessing; but a city is brought to ruin by the words of the wicked.


text:
 No one who gossips can be trusted with a secret, but you can put confidence in someone who is trustworthy.


text:
 If you promise to pay a stranger's debt, you will regret it. You are better off if you don't get involved.


text:
 A gracious woman is respected, but a woman without virtue is a disgrace. Lazy people will never have money, but aggressive people will get rich.


text:
 Wicked people do not really gain anything, but if you do what is right, you are certain to be rewarded.


text:
 What good people want always results in good; when the wicked get what they want, everyone is angry.


text:
 Some people spend their money freely and still grow richer. Others are cautious, and yet grow poorer.


text:
 People curse someone who hoards grain, waiting for a higher price, but they praise the one who puts it up for sale.


text:
 If your goals are good, you will be respected, but if you are looking for trouble, that is what you will get.


text:
 Those who depend on their wealth will fall like the leaves of autumn, but the righteous will prosper like the leaves of summer.


text:
 Those who bring trouble on their families will have nothing at the end. Foolish people will always be servants to the wise.


text:
 Those who are good are rewarded here on earth, so you can be sure that wicked and sinful people will be punished.


text:
 A good wife is her husband's pride and joy; but a wife who brings shame on her husband is like a cancer in his bones.


text:
 The words of the wicked are murderous, but the words of the righteous rescue those who are threatened.


text:
 The wicked meet their downfall and leave no descendants, but the families of the righteous live on.


text:
 It is better to be an ordinary person working for a living than to play the part of someone great but go hungry.


text:
 If you are lazy, you will never get what you are after, but if you work hard, you will get a fortune.


text:
 Wise children pay attention when their parents correct them, but arrogant people never admit they are wrong.


text:
 Good people will be rewarded for what they say, but those who are deceitful are hungry for violence.


text:
 No matter how much a lazy person may want something, he will never get it. A hard worker will get everything he wants.


text:
 The more easily you get your wealth, the sooner you will lose it. The harder it is to earn, the more you will have.


text:
 The teachings of the wise are a fountain of life; they will help you escape when your life is in danger.


text:
 Someone who will not learn will be poor and disgraced. Anyone who listens to correction is respected.


text:
 Keep company with the wise and you will become wise. If you make friends with stupid people, you will be ruined.


text:
 Good people will have wealth to leave to their grandchildren, but the wealth of sinners will go to the righteous.


text:
 Unused fields could yield plenty of food for the poor, but unjust people keep them from being farmed.


text:
 If you don't punish your children, you don't love them. If you do love them, you will correct them.


text:
 Be honest and you show that you have reverence for the LORD; be dishonest and you show that you do not.


text:
 Why is a clever person wise? Because he knows what to do. Why is a stupid person foolish? Because he only thinks he knows.


text:
 Sensible people are careful to stay out of trouble, but stupid people are careless and act too quickly.


text:
 You will earn the trust and respect of others if you work for good; if you work for evil, you are making a mistake.


text:
 If you oppress poor people, you insult the God who made them; but kindness shown to the poor is an act of worship.


text:
 Wicked people bring about their own downfall by their evil deeds, but good people are protected by their integrity.


text:
 If you do what is wrong, you will be severely punished; you will die if you do not let yourself be corrected.


text:
 Not even the world of the dead can keep the LORD from knowing what is there; how then can we hide our thoughts from God?


text:
 If you are lazy, you will meet difficulty everywhere, but if you are honest, you will have no trouble.


text:
 Try to make a profit dishonestly, and you get your family in trouble. Don't take bribes and you will live longer.


text:
 Reverence for the LORD is an education in itself. You must be humble before you can ever receive honors.


text:
 Be loyal and faithful, and God will forgive your sin. Obey the LORD and nothing evil will happen to you.


text:
 Those who are good travel a road that avoids evil; so watch where you are going---it may save your life.


text:
 It is better to be humble and stay poor than to be one of the arrogant and get a share of their loot.


text:
 Pay attention to what you are taught, and you will be successful; trust in the LORD and you will be happy.


text:
 A wise, mature person is known for his understanding. The more pleasant his words, the more persuasive he is.


text:
 It is better to be patient than powerful. It is better to win control over yourself than over whole cities.


text:
 Better to eat a dry crust of bread with peace of mind than have a banquet in a house full of trouble.


text:
 A shrewd servant will gain authority over a master's worthless son and receive a part of the inheritance.


text:
 If you make fun of poor people, you insult the God who made them. You will be punished if you take pleasure in someone's misfortune.


text:
 If you want people to like you, forgive them when they wrong you. Remembering wrongs can break up a friendship.


text:
 An intelligent person learns more from one rebuke than a fool learns from being beaten a hundred times.


text:
 It is better to meet a mother bear robbed of her cubs than to meet some fool busy with a stupid project.


text:
 It is not right to make an innocent person pay a fine; justice is perverted when good people are punished.


text:
 After all, even fools may be thought wise and intelligent if they stay quiet and keep their mouths shut.


text:
 People who do not get along with others are interested only in themselves; they will disagree with what everyone else knows is right.


text:
 A fool does not care whether he understands a thing or not; all he wants to do is show how smart he is.


text:
 Rich people, however, imagine that their wealth protects them like high, strong walls around a city.


text:
 Help your relatives and they will protect you like a strong city wall, but if you quarrel with them, they will close their doors to you.


text:
 Everyone tries to gain the favor of important people; everyone claims the friendship of those who give out favors.


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 Even the relatives of a poor person have no use for him; no wonder he has no friends. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot win any.


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 If you are sensible, you will control your temper. When someone wrongs you, it is a great virtue to ignore it.


text:
 Stupid children can bring their parents to ruin. A nagging wife is like water going drip-drip-drip.


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 A man can inherit a house and money from his parents, but only the LORD can give him a sensible wife.


text:
 Discipline your children while they are young enough to learn. If you don't, you are helping them destroy themselves.


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 If someone has a hot temper, let him take the consequences. If you get him out of trouble once, you will have to do it again.


text:
 Arrogance should be punished, so that people who don't know any better can learn a lesson. If you are wise, you will learn when you are corrected.


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 Only a shameful, disgraceful person would mistreat his father or turn his mother away from his home.


text:
 There is no justice where a witness is determined to hurt someone. Wicked people love the taste of evil.


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 The customer always complains that the price is too high, but then he goes off and brags about the bargain he got.


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 Anyone stupid enough to promise to be responsible for a stranger's debts ought to have their own property held to guarantee payment.


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 What you get by dishonesty you may enjoy like the finest food, but sooner or later it will be like a mouthful of sand.


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 The LORD has determined our path; how then can anyone understand the direction his own life is taking?


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 The riches you get by dishonesty soon disappear, but not before they lead you into the jaws of death.


text:
 When someone who is conceited gets his punishment, even an unthinking person learns a lesson. One who is wise will learn from what he is taught.


text:
 God, the righteous one, knows what goes on in the homes of the wicked, and he will bring the wicked down to ruin.


text:
 all they do is think about what they would like to have. The righteous, however, can give, and give generously.


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 The LORD hates it when wicked people offer him sacrifices, especially if they do it from evil motives.


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 The testimony of a liar is not believed, but the word of someone who thinks matters through is accepted.


text:
 Sensible people will see trouble coming and avoid it, but an unthinking person will walk right into it and regret it later.


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 If you plant the seeds of injustice, disaster will spring up, and your oppression of others will end.


text:
 Get rid of a conceited person, and then there will be no more arguments, quarreling, or name-calling.


text:
 Children just naturally do silly, careless things, but a good spanking will teach them how to behave.


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 and will teach you what the truth really is. Then when you are sent to find it out, you will bring back the right answer.


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 Don't take advantage of the poor just because you can; don't take advantage of those who stand helpless in court.


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 Show me someone who does a good job, and I will show you someone who is better than most and worthy of the company of kings.


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 "Come on and have some more," he says, but he doesn't mean it. What he thinks is what he really is.


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 Drunkards and gluttons will be reduced to poverty. If all you do is eat and sleep, you will soon be wearing rags.


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 Listen to your father; without him you would not exist. When your mother is old, show her your appreciation.


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 Truth, wisdom, learning, and good sense---these are worth paying for, but too valuable for you to sell.


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 Show me people who drink too much, who have to try out fancy drinks, and I will show you people who are miserable and sorry for themselves, always causing trouble and always complaining. Their eyes are bloodshot, and they have bruises that could have been avoided.


text:
 Don't let wine tempt you, even though it is rich red, and it sparkles in the cup, and it goes down smoothly.


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 You will feel as if you were out on the ocean, seasick, swinging high up in the rigging of a tossing ship.


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 "I must have been hit," you will say; "I must have been beaten up, but I don't remember it. Why can't I wake up? I need another drink."


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 Causing trouble is all they ever think about; every time they open their mouth someone is going to be hurt.


text:
 After all, you must make careful plans before you fight a battle, and the more good advice you get, the more likely you are to win.


text:
 Wise sayings are too deep for stupid people to understand. They have nothing to say when important matters are being discussed.


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 You may say that it is none of your business, but God knows and judges your motives. He keeps watch on you; he knows. And he will reward you according to what you do.


text:
 No matter how often honest people fall, they always get up again; but disaster destroys the wicked.


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 The LORD will know if you are gloating, and he will not like it; and then maybe he won't punish them.


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 Have reverence for the LORD, my child, and honor the king. Have nothing to do with people who rebel against them;


text:
 such people could be ruined in a moment. Do you realize the disaster that God or the king can cause?


text:
 Don't build your house and establish a home until your fields are ready, and you are sure that you can earn a living.


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 They were full of thorn bushes and overgrown with weeds. The stone wall around them had fallen down.


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 You never know what a king is thinking; his thoughts are beyond us, like the heights of the sky or the depths of the ocean.


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 It is better to be asked to take a higher position than to be told to give your place to someone more important.


text:
 Don't be too quick to go to court about something you have seen. If another witness later proves you wrong, what will you do then?


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 If you and your neighbor have a difference of opinion, settle it between yourselves and do not reveal any secrets.


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 Otherwise everyone will learn that you can't keep a secret, and you will never live down the shame.


text:
 A warning given by an experienced person to someone willing to listen is more valuable than gold rings or jewelry made of the finest gold.


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 A reliable messenger is refreshing to the one who sends him, like cold water in the heat of harvest time.


text:
 Depending on an unreliable person in a crisis is like trying to chew with a loose tooth or walk with a crippled foot.


text:
 Singing to a person who is depressed is like taking off a person's clothes on a cold day or like rubbing salt in a wound.


text:
 Finally hearing good news from a distant land is like a drink of cold water when you are dry and thirsty.


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 A good person who gives in to someone who is evil reminds you of a polluted spring or a poisoned well.


text:
 Give a silly answer to a silly question, and the one who asked it will realize that he's not as smart as he thinks.


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 If you let a fool deliver a message, you might as well cut off your own feet; you are asking for trouble.


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 A lazy person will think he is smarter than seven men who can give good reasons for their opinions.


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 Getting involved in an argument that is none of your business is like going down the street and grabbing a dog by the ears.


text:
 Someone who tricks someone else and then claims that he was only joking is like a crazy person playing with a deadly weapon.


text:
 Charcoal keeps the embers glowing, wood keeps the fire burning, and troublemakers keep arguments alive.


text:
 Friends mean well, even when they hurt you. But when an enemy puts his arm around your shoulder---watch out!


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 Do not forget your friends or your father's friends. If you are in trouble, don't ask a relative for help; a nearby neighbor can help you more than relatives who are far away.


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 Any people stupid enough to promise to be responsible for a stranger's debts deserve to have their own property held to guarantee payment.


text:
 How can you keep her quiet? Have you ever tried to stop the wind or ever tried to hold a handful of oil?


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 Take care of a fig tree and you will have figs to eat. Servants who take care of their master will be honored.


text:
 It is your own face that you see reflected in the water and it is your own self that you see in your heart.


text:
 You can make clothes from the wool of your sheep and buy land with the money you get from selling some of your goats.


text:
 The rest of the goats will provide milk for you and your family, and for your servant women as well.


text:
 When a nation sins, it will have one ruler after another. But a nation will be strong and endure when it has intelligent, sensible leaders.


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 If you have no regard for the law, you are on the side of the wicked; but if you obey it, you are against them.


text:
 Young people who obey the law are intelligent. Those who make friends with good-for-nothings are a disgrace to their parents.


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 If you get rich by charging interest and taking advantage of people, your wealth will go to someone who is kind to the poor.


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 If you trick an honest person into doing evil, you will fall into your own trap. The innocent will be well rewarded.


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 Rich people always think they are wise, but a poor person who has insight into character knows better.


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 When good people come to power, everybody celebrates, but when bad people rule, people stay in hiding.


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 You will never succeed in life if you try to hide your sins. Confess them and give them up; then God will show mercy to you.


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 Poor people are helpless against a wicked ruler; he is as dangerous as a growling lion or a prowling bear.


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 Honest people will lead a full, happy life. But if you are in a hurry to get rich, you are going to be punished.


text:
 Selfish people are in such a hurry to get rich that they do not know when poverty is about to strike.


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 Give to the poor and you will never be in need. If you close your eyes to the poor, many people will curse you.


text:
 People stay in hiding when the wicked come to power. But when they fall from power, the righteous will rule again.


text:
 If you get more stubborn every time you are corrected, one day you will be crushed and never recover.


text:
 Show me a righteous ruler and I will show you a happy people. Show me a wicked ruler and I will show you a miserable people.


text:
 If you appreciate wisdom, your parents will be proud of you. It is a foolish waste to spend money on prostitutes.


text:
 When the king is concerned with justice, the nation will be strong, but when he is only concerned with money, he will ruin his country.


text:
 People with no regard for others can throw whole cities into turmoil. Those who are wise keep things calm.


text:
 When an intelligent person brings a lawsuit against a fool, the fool only laughs and becomes loud and abusive.


text:
 Bloodthirsty people hate anyone who's honest, but righteous people will protect the life of such a person.


text:
 Correction and discipline are good for children. If they have their own way, they will make their mothers ashamed of them.


text:
 When evil people are in power, crime increases. But the righteous will live to see the downfall of such people.


text:
 Discipline your children and you can always be proud of them. They will never give you reason to be ashamed.


text:
 You cannot correct servants just by talking to them. They may understand you, but they will pay no attention.


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 If you give your servants everything they want from childhood on, some day they will take over everything you own.


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 A thief 's partner is his own worst enemy. He will be punished if he tells the truth in court, and God will curse him if he doesn't.


text:
 It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you, but if you trust the LORD, you are safe.


text:
 These are the solemn words of Agur son of Jakeh: "God is not with me, God is not with me, and I am helpless.


text:
 Have any ever mastered heavenly knowledge? Have any ever caught the wind in their hands? Or wrapped up water in a piece of cloth? Or fixed the boundaries of the earth? Who are they, if you know? Who are their children?


text:
 If you claim that he said something that he never said, he will reprimand you and show that you are a liar."


text:
 If I have more, I might say that I do not need you. But if I am poor, I might steal and bring disgrace on my God.


text:
 There are people who take cruel advantage of the poor and needy; that is the way they make their living.


text:
 A leech has two daughters, and both are named "Give me!" There are four things that are never satisfied:


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 the world of the dead, a woman without children, dry ground that needs rain, and a fire burning out of control.


text:
 If you make fun of your father or despise your mother in her old age, you ought to be eaten by vultures or have your eyes picked out by wild ravens.


text:
 an eagle flying in the sky, a snake moving on a rock, a ship finding its way over the sea, and a man and a woman falling in love.


text:
 This is how an unfaithful wife acts: she commits adultery, takes a bath, and says, "But I haven't done anything wrong!"


text:
 If you churn milk, you get butter. If you hit someone's nose, it bleeds. If you stir up anger, you get into trouble.


text:
 She gets up before daylight to prepare food for her family and to tell her servant women what to do.


text:
 The sun still rises, and it still goes down, going wearily back to where it must start all over again.


text:
 Every river flows into the sea, but the sea is not yet full. The water returns to where the rivers began, and starts all over again.


text:
 Everything leads to weariness---a weariness too great for words. Our eyes can never see enough to be satisfied; our ears can never hear enough.


text:
 What has happened before will happen again. What has been done before will be done again. There is nothing new in the whole world.


text:
 "Look," they say, "here is something new!" But no, it has all happened before, long before we were born.


text:
 No one remembers what has happened in the past, and no one in days to come will remember what happens between now and then.


text:
 I determined that I would examine and study all the things that are done in this world. God has laid a miserable fate upon us.


text:
 I have seen everything done in this world, and I tell you, it is all useless. It is like chasing the wind.


text:
 I told myself, "I have become a great man, far wiser than anyone who ruled Jerusalem before me. I know what wisdom and knowledge really are."


text:
 I was determined to learn the difference between knowledge and foolishness, wisdom and madness. But I found out that I might as well be chasing the wind.


text:
 Driven on by my desire for wisdom, I decided to cheer myself up with wine and have a good time. I thought that this might be the best way people can spend their short lives on earth.


text:
 I bought many slaves, and there were slaves born in my household. I owned more livestock than anyone else who had ever lived in Jerusalem.


text:
 I also piled up silver and gold from the royal treasuries of the lands I ruled. Men and women sang to entertain me, and I had all the women a man could want.


text:
 Yes, I was great, greater than anyone else who had ever lived in Jerusalem, and my wisdom never failed me.


text:
 Anything I wanted, I got. I did not deny myself any pleasure. I was proud of everything I had worked for, and all this was my reward.


text:
 Then I thought about all that I had done and how hard I had worked doing it, and I realized that it didn't mean a thing. It was like chasing the wind---of no use at all.


text:
 After all, a king can only do what previous kings have done. So I started thinking about what it meant to be wise or reckless or foolish.


text:
 The wise can see where they are going, and fools cannot." But I also know that the same fate is waiting for us all.


text:
 I thought to myself, "What happens to fools is going to happen to me, too. So what have I gained from being so wise?" "Nothing," I answered, "not a thing."


text:
 No one remembers the wise, and no one remembers fools. In days to come, we will all be forgotten. We must all die---wise and foolish alike.


text:
 So life came to mean nothing to me, because everything in it had brought me nothing but trouble. It had all been useless; I had been chasing the wind.


text:
 Nothing that I had worked for and earned meant a thing to me, because I knew that I would have to leave it to my successor,


text:
 and he might be wise, or he might be foolish---who knows? Yet he will own everything I have worked for, everything my wisdom has earned for me in this world. It is all useless.


text:
 You work for something with all your wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and then you have to leave it all to someone who hasn't had to work for it. It is useless, and it isn't right!


text:
 As long as you live, everything you do brings nothing but worry and heartache. Even at night your mind can't rest. It is all useless.


text:
 The best thing we can do is eat and drink and enjoy what we have earned. And yet, I realized that even this comes from God.


text:
 God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness to those who please him, but he makes sinners work, earning and saving, so that what they get can be given to those who please him. It is all useless. It is like chasing the wind.


text:
 He sets the time for birth and the time for death, the time for planting and the time for pulling up,


text:
 the time for killing and the time for healing, the time for tearing down and the time for building.


text:
 the time for making love and the time for not making love, the time for kissing and the time for not kissing.


text:
 He sets the time for finding and the time for losing, the time for saving and the time for throwing away,


text:
 He has set the right time for everything. He has given us a desire to know the future, but never gives us the satisfaction of fully understanding what he does.


text:
 I know that everything God does will last forever. You can't add anything to it or take anything away from it. And one thing God does is to make us stand in awe of him.


text:
 Whatever happens or can happen has already happened before. God makes the same thing happen again and again.


text:
 In addition, I have also noticed that in this world you find wickedness where justice and right ought to be.


text:
 I told myself, "God is going to judge the righteous and the evil alike, because every thing, every action, will happen at its own set time."


text:
 After all, the same fate awaits human beings and animals alike. One dies just like the other. They are the same kind of creature. A human being is no better off than an animal, because life has no meaning for either.


text:
 They are both going to the same place---the dust. They both came from it; they will both go back to it.


text:
 How can anyone be sure that the human spirit goes upward while an animal's spirit goes down into the ground?


text:
 So I realized then that the best thing we can do is enjoy what we have worked for. There is nothing else we can do. There is no way for us to know what will happen after we die.


text:
 Then I looked again at all the injustice that goes on in this world. The oppressed were crying, and no one would help them. No one would help them, because their oppressors had power on their side.


text:
 But better off than either are those who have never been born, who have never seen the injustice that goes on in this world.


text:
 I have also learned why people work so hard to succeed: it is because they envy the things their neighbors have. But it is useless. It is like chasing the wind.


text:
 Maybe so, but it is better to have only a little, with peace of mind, than be busy all the time with both hands, trying to catch the wind.


text:
 Here is someone who lives alone. He has no son, no brother, yet he is always working, never satisfied with the wealth he has. For whom is he working so hard and denying himself any pleasure? This is useless, too---and a miserable way to live.


text:
 If one of them falls down, the other can help him up. But if someone is alone and falls, it's just too bad, because there is no one to help him.


text:
 Two people can resist an attack that would defeat one person alone. A rope made of three cords is hard to break.


text:
 Someone may rise from poverty to become king of his country, or go from prison to the throne, but if in his old age he is too foolish to take advice, he is not as well off as a young man who is poor but intelligent.


text:
 I thought about all the people who live in this world, and I realized that somewhere among them there is a young man who will take the king's place.


text:
 There may be no limit to the number of people a king rules; when he is gone, no one will be grateful for what he has done. It is useless. It is like chasing the wind.


text:
 Be careful about going to the Temple. It is better to go there to learn than to offer sacrifices like foolish people who don't know right from wrong.


text:
 Think before you speak, and don't make any rash promises to God. He is in heaven and you are on earth, so don't say any more than you have to.


text:
 The more you worry, the more likely you are to have bad dreams, and the more you talk, the more likely you are to say something foolish.


text:
 So when you make a promise to God, keep it as quickly as possible. He has no use for a fool. Do what you promise to do.


text:
 Don't let your own words lead you into sin, so that you have to tell God's priest that you didn't mean it. Why make God angry with you? Why let him destroy what you have worked for?


text:
 No matter how much you dream, how much useless work you do, or how much you talk, you must still stand in awe of God.


text:
 Don't be surprised when you see that the government oppresses the poor and denies them justice and their rights. Every official is protected by someone higher, and both are protected by still higher officials.


text:
 If you love money, you will never be satisfied; if you long to be rich, you will never get all you want. It is useless.


text:
 The richer you are, the more mouths you have to feed. All you gain is the knowledge that you are rich.


text:
 Workers may or may not have enough to eat, but at least they can get a good night's sleep. The rich, however, have so much that they stay awake worrying.


text:
 Here is a terrible thing that I have seen in this world: people save up their money for a time when they may need it,


text:
 We leave this world just as we entered it---with nothing. In spite of all our work there is nothing we can take with us.


text:
 Here is what I have found out: the best thing we can do is eat and drink and enjoy what we have worked for during the short life that God has given us; this is our fate.


text:
 If God gives us wealth and property and lets us enjoy them, we should be grateful and enjoy what we have worked for. It is a gift from God.


text:
 God will give us wealth, honor, and property, yes, everything we want, but then will not let us enjoy it. Some stranger will enjoy it instead. It is useless, and it just isn't right.


text:
 We may have a hundred children and live a long time, but no matter how long we live, if we do not get our share of happiness and do not receive a decent burial, then I say that a baby born dead is better off.


text:
 more so than the man who never enjoys life, though he may live two thousand years. After all, both of them are going to the same place.


text:
 It is useless; it is like chasing the wind. It is better to be satisfied with what you have than to be always wanting something else.


text:
 Everything that happens was already determined long ago, and we all know that you cannot argue with someone who is stronger than you.


text:
 How can anyone know what is best for us in this short, useless life of ours---a life that passes like a shadow? How can we know what will happen in the world after we die?


text:
 A good reputation is better than expensive perfume; and the day you die is better than the day you are born.


text:
 It is better to go to a home where there is mourning than to one where there is a party, because the living should always remind themselves that death is waiting for us all.


text:
 You may be wise, but if you cheat someone, you are acting like a fool. If you take a bribe, you ruin your character.


text:
 and will give you as much security as money can. Wisdom keeps you safe---this is the advantage of knowledge.


text:
 When things are going well for you, be glad, and when trouble comes, just remember: God sends both happiness and trouble; you never know what is going to happen next.


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 My life has been useless, but in it I have seen everything. Some good people may die while others live on, even though they are evil.


text:
 But I devoted myself to knowledge and study; I was determined to find wisdom and the answers to my questions, and to learn how wicked and foolish stupidity is.


text:
 I found something more bitter than death---the woman who is like a trap. The love she offers you will catch you like a net, and her arms around you will hold you like a chain. A man who pleases God can get away, but she will catch the sinner.


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 I have looked for other answers but have found none. I found one man in a thousand that I could respect, but not one woman.


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 This is all that I have learned: God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated.


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 Only the wise know what things really mean. Wisdom makes them smile and makes their frowns disappear.


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 The king can do anything he likes, so depart from his presence; don't stay in such a dangerous place.


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 No one can keep from dying or put off the day of death. That is a battle we cannot escape; we cannot cheat our way out.


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 I saw all this when I thought about the things that are done in this world, a world where some people have power and others have to suffer under them.


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 Yes, I have seen the wicked buried and in their graves, but on the way back from the cemetery people praise them in the very city where they did their evil. It is useless.


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 A sinner may commit a hundred crimes and still live. Oh yes, I know what they say: "If you obey God, everything will be all right,


text:
 but it will not go well for the wicked. Their life is like a shadow and they will die young, because they do not obey God."


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 But this is nonsense. Look at what happens in the world: sometimes the righteous get the punishment of the wicked, and the wicked get the reward of the righteous. I say it is useless.


text:
 So I am convinced that we should enjoy ourselves, because the only pleasure we have in this life is eating and drinking and enjoying ourselves. We can at least do this as we labor during the life that God has given us in this world.


text:
 Whenever I tried to become wise and learn what goes on in the world, I realized that you could stay awake night and day


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 and never be able to understand what God is doing. However hard you try, you will never find out. The wise may claim to know, but they don't.


text:
 I thought long and hard about all this and saw that God controls the actions of wise and righteous people, even their love and their hate. No one knows anything about what lies ahead.


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 It makes no difference. The same fate comes to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the bad, to those who are religious and those who are not, to those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. A good person is no better off than a sinner; one who takes an oath is no better off than one who does not.


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 One fate comes to all alike, and this is as wrong as anything that happens in this world. As long as people live, their minds are full of evil and madness, and suddenly they die.


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 But anyone who is alive in the world of the living has some hope; a live dog is better off than a dead lion.


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 Yes, the living know they are going to die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward; they are completely forgotten.


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 Their loves, their hates, their passions, all died with them. They will never again take part in anything that happens in this world.


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 Enjoy life with the one you love, as long as you live the useless life that God has given you in this world. Enjoy every useless day of it, because that is all you will get for all your trouble.


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 Work hard at whatever you do, because there will be no action, no thought, no knowledge, no wisdom in the world of the dead---and that is where you are going.


text:
 I realized another thing, that in this world fast runners do not always win the races, and the brave do not always win the battles. The wise do not always earn a living, intelligent people do not always get rich, and capable people do not always rise to high positions. Bad luck happens to everyone.


text:
 You never know when your time is coming. Like birds suddenly caught in a trap, like fish caught in a net, we are trapped at some evil moment when we least expect it.


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 There was a little town without many people in it. A powerful king attacked it. He surrounded it and prepared to break through the walls.


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 Someone lived there who was poor, but so clever that he could have saved the town. But no one thought about him.


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 I have always said that wisdom is better than strength, but no one thinks of the poor as wise or pays any attention to what they say.


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 It is better to listen to the quiet words of someone wise than to the shouts of a ruler at a council of fools.


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 Dead flies can make a whole bottle of perfume stink, and a little stupidity can cancel out the greatest wisdom.


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 Their stupidity will be evident even to strangers they meet along the way; they let everyone know that they are fools.


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 If your ruler becomes angry with you, do not hand in your resignation; serious wrongs may be pardoned if you keep calm.


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 If your ax is dull and you don't sharpen it, you have to work harder to use it. It is smarter to plan ahead.


text:
 A fool talks on and on. No one knows what is going to happen next, and no one can tell us what will happen after we die.


text:
 But a country is fortunate to have a king who makes his own decisions and leaders who eat at the proper time, who control themselves and don't get drunk.


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 Don't criticize the king, even silently, and don't criticize the rich, even in the privacy of your bedroom. A bird might carry the message and tell them what you said.


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 Put your investments in several places---many places even---because you never know what kind of bad luck you are going to have in this world.


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 No matter which direction a tree falls, it will lie where it fell. When the clouds are full, it rains.


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 If you wait until the wind and the weather are just right, you will never plant anything and never harvest anything.


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 God made everything, and you can no more understand what he does than you understand how new life begins in the womb of a pregnant woman.


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 Do your planting in the morning and in the evening, too. You never know whether it will all grow well or whether one planting will do better than the other.


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 Be grateful for every year you live. No matter how long you live, remember that you will be dead much longer. There is nothing at all to look forward to.


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 Young people, enjoy your youth. Be happy while you are still young. Do what you want to do, and follow your heart's desire. But remember that God is going to judge you for whatever you do.


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 So remember your Creator while you are still young, before those dismal days and years come when you will say, "I don't enjoy life."


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 That is when the light of the sun, the moon, and the stars will grow dim for you, and the rain clouds will never pass away.


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 Then your arms, that have protected you, will tremble, and your legs, now strong, will grow weak. Your teeth will be too few to chew your food, and your eyes too dim to see clearly.


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 Your ears will be deaf to the noise of the street. You will barely be able to hear the mill as it grinds or music as it plays, but even the song of a bird will wake you from sleep.


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 You will be afraid of high places, and walking will be dangerous. Your hair will turn white; you will hardly be able to drag yourself along, and all desire will be gone. We are going to our final resting place, and then there will be mourning in the streets.


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 The silver chain will snap, and the golden lamp will fall and break; the rope at the well will break, and the water jar will be shattered.


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 Our bodies will return to the dust of the earth, and the breath of life will go back to God, who gave it to us.


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 But because the Philosopher was wise, he kept on teaching the people what he knew. He studied proverbs and honestly tested their truth.


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 The sayings of the wise are like the sharp sticks that shepherds use to guide sheep, and collected proverbs are as lasting as firmly driven nails. They have been given by God, the one Shepherd of us all.


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 My child, there is something else to watch out for. There is no end to the writing of books, and too much study will wear you out.


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 After all this, there is only one thing to say: Have reverence for God, and obey his commands, because this is all that we were created for.


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 There is a fragrance about you; the sound of your name recalls it. No woman could keep from loving you.


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 Take me with you, and we'll run away; be my king and take me to your room. We will be happy together, drink deep, and lose ourselves in love. No wonder all women love you!


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 Women of Jerusalem, I am dark but beautiful, dark as the desert tents of Kedar, but beautiful as the draperies in Solomon's palace.


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 Don't look down on me because of my color, because the sun has tanned me. My brothers were angry with me and made me work in the vineyard. I had no time to care for myself.


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 Tell me, my love, Where will you lead your flock to graze? Where will they rest from the noonday sun? Why should I need to look for you among the flocks of the other shepherds?


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 Don't you know the place, loveliest of women? Go and follow the flock; find pasture for your goats near the tents of the shepherds.


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 Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my dearest compared to other men. I love to sit in its shadow, and its fruit is sweet to my taste.


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 Promise me, women of Jerusalem; swear by the swift deer and the gazelles that you will not interrupt our love.


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 My lover is like a gazelle, like a young stag. There he stands beside the wall. He looks in through the window and glances through the lattice.


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 in the countryside the flowers are in bloom. This is the time for singing; the song of doves is heard in the fields.


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 Figs are beginning to ripen; the air is fragrant with blossoming vines. Come then, my love; my darling, come with me.


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 You are like a dove that hides in the crevice of a rock. Let me see your lovely face and hear your enchanting voice.


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 until the morning breezes blow and the darkness disappears. Return, my darling, like a gazelle, like a stag on the mountains of Bether.


text:
 Asleep on my bed, night after night I dreamed of the one I love; I was looking for him, but couldn't find him.


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 I went wandering through the city, through its streets and alleys. I looked for the one I love. I looked, but couldn't find him.


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 As soon as I left them, I found him. I held him and wouldn't let him go until I took him to my mother's house, to the room where I was born.


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 What is this coming from the desert like a column of smoke, fragrant with incense and myrrh, the incense sold by the traders?


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 Solomon is coming, carried on his throne; sixty soldiers form the bodyguard, the finest soldiers in Israel.


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 All of them are skillful with the sword; they are battle-hardened veterans. Each of them is armed with a sword, on guard against a night attack.


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 Its posts are covered with silver; over it is cloth embroidered with gold. Its cushions are covered with purple cloth, lovingly woven by the women of Jerusalem.


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 Women of Zion, come and see King Solomon. He is wearing the crown that his mother placed on his head on his wedding day, on the day of his gladness and joy.


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 How beautiful you are, my love! How your eyes shine with love behind your veil. Your hair dances like a flock of goats bounding down the hills of Gilead.


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 Your teeth are as white as sheep that have just been shorn and washed. Not one of them is missing; they are all perfectly matched.


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 Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon; how lovely they are when you speak. Your cheeks glow behind your veil.


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 Your neck is like the tower of David, round and smooth, with a necklace like a thousand shields hung around it.


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 I will stay on the hill of myrrh, the hill of incense, until the morning breezes blow and the darkness disappears.


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 Come with me from the Lebanon Mountains, my bride; come with me from Lebanon. Come down from the top of Mount Amana, from Mount Senir and Mount Hermon, where the lions and leopards live.


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 The look in your eyes, my sweetheart and bride, and the necklace you are wearing have stolen my heart.


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 Your love delights me, my sweetheart and bride. Your love is better than wine; your perfume more fragrant than any spice.


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 The taste of honey is on your lips, my darling; your tongue is milk and honey for me. Your clothing has all the fragrance of Lebanon.


text:
 there the plants flourish. They grow like an orchard of pomegranate trees and bear the finest fruits. There is no lack of henna and nard,


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 of saffron, calamus, and cinnamon, or incense of every kind. Myrrh and aloes grow there with all the most fragrant perfumes.


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 Fountains water the garden, streams of flowing water, brooks gushing down from the Lebanon Mountains.


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 Wake up, North Wind. South Wind, blow on my garden; fill the air with fragrance. Let my lover come to his garden and eat the best of its fruits.


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 I have entered my garden, my sweetheart, my bride. I am gathering my spices and myrrh; I am eating my honey and honeycomb; I am drinking my wine and milk. Eat, lovers, and drink until you are drunk with love!


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 While I slept, my heart was awake. I dreamed my lover knocked at the door. Let me come in, my darling, my sweetheart, my dove. My head is wet with dew, and my hair is damp from the mist.


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 I have already undressed; why should I get dressed again? I have washed my feet; why should I get them dirty again?


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 I was ready to let him come in. My hands were covered with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, as I grasped the handle of the door.


text:
 I opened the door for my lover, but he had already gone. How I wanted to hear his voice! I looked for him, but couldn't find him; I called to him, but heard no answer.


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 The sentries patrolling the city found me; they struck me and bruised me; the guards at the city wall tore off my cape.


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 Promise me, women of Jerusalem, that if you find my lover, you will tell him I am weak from passion.


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 Most beautiful of women, is your lover different from everyone else? What is there so wonderful about him that we should give you our promise?


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 His eyes are as beautiful as doves by a flowing brook, doves washed in milk and standing by the stream.


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 His cheeks are as lovely as a garden that is full of herbs and spices. His lips are like lilies, wet with liquid myrrh.


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 His hands are well-formed, and he wears rings set with gems. His body is like smooth ivory, with sapphires set in it.


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 His thighs are columns of alabaster set in sockets of gold. He is majestic, like the Lebanon Mountains with their towering cedars.


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 His mouth is sweet to kiss; everything about him enchants me. This is what my lover is like, women of Jerusalem.


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 Most beautiful of women, where has your lover gone? Tell us which way your lover went, so that we can help you find him.


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 My lover has gone to his garden, where the balsam trees grow. He is feeding his flock in the garden and gathering lilies.


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 My love, you are as beautiful as Jerusalem, as lovely as the city of Tirzah, as breathtaking as these great cities.


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 Turn your eyes away from me; they are holding me captive. Your hair dances like a flock of goats bounding down the hills of Gilead.


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 Your teeth are as white as a flock of sheep that have just been washed. Not one of them is missing; they are all perfectly matched.


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 But I love only one, and she is as lovely as a dove. She is her mother's only daughter, her mother's favorite child. All women look at her and praise her; queens and concubines sing her praises.


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 Who is this whose glance is like the dawn? She is beautiful and bright, as dazzling as the sun or the moon.


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 I have come down among the almond trees to see the young plants in the valley, to see the new leaves on the vines and the blossoms on the pomegranate trees.


text:
 Dance, dance, girl of Shulam. Let us watch you as you dance. Why do you want to watch me as I dance between the rows of onlookers?


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 What a magnificent young woman you are! How beautiful are your feet in sandals. The curve of your thighs is like the work of an artist.


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 A bowl is there, that never runs out of spiced wine. A sheaf of wheat is there, surrounded by lilies.


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 Your neck is like a tower of ivory. Your eyes are like the pools in the city of Heshbon, near the gate of that great city. Your nose is as lovely as the tower of Lebanon that stands guard at Damascus.


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 Your head is held high like Mount Carmel. Your braided hair shines like the finest satin; its beauty could hold a king captive.


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 I will climb the palm tree and pick its fruit. To me your breasts are like bunches of grapes, your breath like the fragrance of apples,


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 and your mouth like the finest wine. Then let the wine flow straight to my lover, flowing over his lips and teeth.


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 We will get up early and look at the vines to see whether they've started to grow, whether the blossoms are opening and the pomegranate trees are in bloom. There I will give you my love.


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 You can smell the scent of mandrakes, and all the pleasant fruits are near our door. Darling, I have kept for you the old delights and the new.


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 I wish that you were my brother, that my mother had nursed you at her breast. Then, if I met you in the street, I could kiss you and no one would mind.


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 I would take you to my mother's house, where you could teach me love. I would give you spiced wine, my pomegranate wine to drink.


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 Who is this coming from the desert, arm in arm with her lover? Under the apple tree I woke you, in the place where you were born.


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 Close your heart to every love but mine; hold no one in your arms but me. Love is as powerful as death; passion is as strong as death itself. It bursts into flame and burns like a raging fire.


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 Water cannot put it out; no flood can drown it. But if any tried to buy love with their wealth, contempt is all they would get.


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 We have a young sister, and her breasts are still small. What will we do for her when a young man comes courting?


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 If she is a wall, we will build her a silver tower. But if she is a gate, we will protect her with panels of cedar.


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 I am a wall, and my breasts are its towers. My lover knows that with him I find contentment and peace.


text:
 Solomon has a vineyard in a place called Baal Hamon. There are farmers who rent it from him; each one pays a thousand silver coins.


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 Solomon is welcome to his thousand coins, and the farmers to two hundred as their share; I have a vineyard of my own!


text:
 This book contains the messages about Judah and Jerusalem which God revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz during the time when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah.


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 The LORD said, "Earth and sky, listen to what I am saying! The children I brought up have rebelled against me.


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 Cattle know who owns them, and donkeys know where their master feeds them. But that is more than my people Israel know. They don't understand at all."


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 You are doomed, you sinful nation, you corrupt and evil people! Your sins drag you down! You have rejected the LORD, the holy God of Israel, and have turned your backs on him.


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 Why do you keep on rebelling? Do you want to be punished even more? Israel, your head is already covered with wounds, and your heart and mind are sick.


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 From head to foot there is not a healthy spot on your body. You are covered with bruises and sores and open wounds. Your wounds have not been cleaned or bandaged. No medicine has been put on them.


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 Your country has been devastated, and your cities have been burned to the ground. While you look on, foreigners take over your land and bring everything to ruin.


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 Jerusalem alone is left, a city under siege---as defenseless as a guard's hut in a vineyard or a shed in a cucumber field.


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 If the LORD Almighty had not let some of the people survive, Jerusalem would have been totally destroyed, just as Sodom and Gomorrah were.


text:
 Jerusalem, your rulers and your people are like those of Sodom and Gomorrah. Listen to what the LORD is saying to you. Pay attention to what our God is teaching you.


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 He says, "Do you think I want all these sacrifices you keep offering to me? I have had more than enough of the sheep you burn as sacrifices and of the fat of your fine animals. I am tired of the blood of bulls and sheep and goats.


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 Who asked you to bring me all this when you come to worship me? Who asked you to do all this tramping around in my Temple?


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 It's useless to bring your offerings. I am disgusted with the smell of the incense you burn. I cannot stand your New Moon Festivals, your Sabbaths, and your religious gatherings; they are all corrupted by your sins.


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 "When you lift your hands in prayer, I will not look at you. No matter how much you pray, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with blood.


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 and learn to do right. See that justice is done---help those who are oppressed, give orphans their rights, and defend widows."


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 The LORD says, "Now, let's settle the matter. You are stained red with sin, but I will wash you as clean as snow. Although your stains are deep red, you will be as white as wool.


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 The city that once was faithful is behaving like a whore! At one time it was filled with righteous people, but now only murderers remain.


text:
 Jerusalem, you were once like silver, but now you are worthless; you were like good wine, but now you are only water.


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 Your leaders are rebels and friends of thieves; they are always accepting gifts and bribes. They never defend orphans in court or listen when widows present their case.


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 So now, listen to what the LORD Almighty, Israel's powerful God, is saying: "I will take revenge on you, my enemies, and you will cause me no more trouble.


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 I will take action against you. I will purify you the way metal is refined, and will remove all your impurity.


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 I will give you rulers and advisers like those you had long ago. Then Jerusalem will be called the righteous, faithful city."


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 But he will crush everyone who sins and rebels against him; he will kill everyone who forsakes him.


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 Just as straw is set on fire by a spark, so powerful people will be destroyed by their own evil deeds, and no one will be able to stop the destruction.


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 In days to come the mountain where the Temple stands will be the highest one of all, towering above all the hills. Many nations will come streaming to it,


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 and their people will say, "Let us go up the hill of the LORD, to the Temple of Israel's God. He will teach us what he wants us to do; we will walk in the paths he has chosen. For the LORD's teaching comes from Jerusalem; from Zion he speaks to his people."


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 He will settle disputes among great nations. They will hammer their swords into plows and their spears into pruning knives. Nations will never again go to war, never prepare for battle again.


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 O God, you have forsaken your people, the descendants of Jacob! The land is full of magic practices from the East and from Philistia. The people follow foreign customs.


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 Their land is full of silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures. Their land is full of horses, and there is no end to their chariots.


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 They will hide in caves in the rocky hills or dig holes in the ground to try to escape from the LORD's anger and to hide from his power and glory!


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 A day is coming when human pride will be ended and human arrogance destroyed. Then the LORD alone will be exalted.


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 On that day the LORD Almighty will humble everyone who is powerful, everyone who is proud and conceited.


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 Human pride will be ended, and human arrogance will be destroyed. Idols will completely disappear, and the LORD alone will be exalted on that day.


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 People will hide in caves in the rocky hills or dig holes in the ground to try to escape from the LORD's anger and to hide from his power and glory, when he comes to shake the earth.


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 When that day comes, they will throw away the gold and silver idols they have made, and abandon them to the moles and the bats.


text:
 When the LORD comes to shake the earth, people will hide in holes and caves in the rocky hills to try to escape from his anger and to hide from his power and glory.


text:
 Now the Lord, the Almighty LORD, is about to take away from Jerusalem and Judah everything and everyone that the people depend on. He is going to take away their food and their water,


text:
 their heroes and their soldiers, their judges and their prophets, their fortunetellers and their statesmen,


text:
 their military and civilian leaders, their politicians and everyone who uses magic to control events.


text:
 Everyone will take advantage of everyone else. Young people will not respect their elders, and worthless people will not respect their superiors.


text:
 A time will come when the members of a clan will choose one of their number and say to him, "You at least have something to wear, so be our leader in this time of trouble."


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 But he will answer, "Not me! I can't help you. I don't have any food or clothes either. Don't make me your leader!"


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 Yes, Jerusalem is doomed! Judah is collapsing! Everything they say and do is against the LORD; they openly insult God himself.


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 Their prejudices will be held against them. They sin as openly as the people of Sodom did. They are doomed, and they have brought it on themselves.


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 The righteous will be happy, and things will go well for them. They will get to enjoy what they have worked for.


text:
 Moneylenders oppress my people, and their creditors cheat them. My people, your leaders are misleading you, so that you do not know which way to turn.


text:
 The LORD is bringing the elders and leaders of his people to judgment. He makes this accusation: "You have plundered vineyards, and your houses are full of what you have taken from the poor.


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 You have no right to crush my people and take advantage of the poor. I, the Sovereign LORD Almighty, have spoken."


text:
 The LORD said, "Look how proud the women of Jerusalem are! They walk along with their noses in the air. They are always flirting. They take dainty little steps, and the bracelets on their ankles jingle.


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 A day is coming when the Lord will take away from the women of Jerusalem everything they are so proud of---the ornaments they wear on their ankles, on their heads, on their necks,


text:
 their revealing garments, their linen handkerchiefs, and the scarves and long veils they wear on their heads.


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 Instead of using perfumes, they will stink; instead of fine belts, they will wear coarse ropes; instead of having beautiful hair, they will be bald; instead of fine clothes, they will be dressed in rags; their beauty will be turned to shame!


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 The city gates will mourn and cry, and the city itself will be like a woman sitting on the ground, stripped naked.


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 When that time comes, seven women will grab hold of one man and say, "We can feed and clothe ourselves, but please let us say you are our husband, so that we won't have to endure the shame of being unmarried."


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 The time is coming when the LORD will make every plant and tree in the land grow large and beautiful. All the people of Israel who survive will take delight and pride in the crops that the land produces.


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 By his power the Lord will judge and purify the nation and wash away the guilt of Jerusalem and the blood that has been shed there.


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 Then over Mount Zion and over all who are gathered there, the LORD will send a cloud in the daytime and smoke and a bright flame at night. God's glory will cover and protect the whole city.


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 His glory will shade the city from the heat of the day and make it a place of safety, sheltered from the rain and storm.


text:
 Listen while I sing you this song, a song of my friend and his vineyard: My friend had a vineyard on a very fertile hill.


text:
 He dug the soil and cleared it of stones; he planted the finest vines. He built a tower to guard them, dug a pit for treading the grapes. He waited for the grapes to ripen, but every grape was sour.


text:
 So now my friend says, "You people who live in Jerusalem and Judah, judge between my vineyard and me.


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 Is there anything I failed to do for it? Then why did it produce sour grapes and not the good grapes I expected?


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 "Here is what I am going to do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge around it, break down the wall that protects it, and let wild animals eat it and trample it down.


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 I will let it be overgrown with weeds. I will not trim the vines or hoe the ground; instead, I will let briers and thorns cover it. I will even forbid the clouds to let rain fall on it."


text:
 Israel is the vineyard of the LORD Almighty; the people of Judah are the vines he planted. He expected them to do what was good, but instead they committed murder. He expected them to do what was right, but their victims cried out for justice.


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 You are doomed! You buy more houses and fields to add to those you already have. Soon there will be no place for anyone else to live, and you alone will live in the land.


text:
 The grapevines growing on five acres of land will yield only five gallons of wine. Ten bushels of seed will produce only one bushel of grain."


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 You are doomed! You get up early in the morning to start drinking, and you spend long evenings getting drunk.


text:
 At your feasts you have harps and tambourines and flutes---and wine. But you don't understand what the LORD is doing,


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 and so you will be carried away as prisoners. Your leaders will starve to death, and the common people will die of thirst.


text:
 The world of the dead is hungry for them, and it opens its mouth wide. It gulps down the nobles of Jerusalem along with the noisy crowd of common people.


text:
 But the LORD Almighty shows his greatness by doing what is right, and he reveals his holiness by judging his people.


text:
 You say, "Let the LORD hurry up and do what he says he will, so that we can see it. Let Israel's holy God carry out his plans; let's see what he has in mind."


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 You are doomed! You call evil good and call good evil. You turn darkness into light and light into darkness. You make what is bitter sweet, and what is sweet you make bitter.


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 So now, just as straw and dry grass shrivel and burn in the fire, your roots will rot and your blossoms will dry up and blow away, because you have rejected what the LORD Almighty, Israel's holy God, has taught us.


text:
 The LORD is angry with his people and has stretched out his hand to punish them. The mountains will shake, and the bodies of those who die will be left in the streets like rubbish. Yet even then the LORD's anger will not be ended, but his hand will still be stretched out to punish.


text:
 The LORD gives a signal to call for a distant nation. He whistles for them to come from the ends of the earth. And here they come, swiftly, quickly!


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 None of them grow tired; none of them stumble. They never doze or sleep. Not a belt is loose; not a sandal strap is broken.


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 Their arrows are sharp, and their bows are ready to shoot. Their horses' hoofs are as hard as flint, and their chariot wheels turn like a whirlwind.


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 The soldiers roar like lions that have killed an animal and are carrying it off where no one can take it away from them.


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 When that day comes, they will roar over Israel as loudly as the sea. Look at this country! Darkness and distress! The light is swallowed by darkness.


text:
 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. He was sitting on his throne, high and exalted, and his robe filled the whole Temple.


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 Around him flaming creatures were standing, each of which had six wings. Each creature covered its face with two wings, and its body with two, and used the other two for flying.


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 They were calling out to each other: "Holy, holy, holy! The LORD Almighty is holy! His glory fills the world."


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 The sound of their voices made the foundation of the Temple shake, and the Temple itself became filled with smoke.


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 I said, "There is no hope for me! I am doomed because every word that passes my lips is sinful, and I live among a people whose every word is sinful. And yet, with my own eyes I have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."


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 Then one of the creatures flew down to me, carrying a burning coal that he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs.


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 He touched my lips with the burning coal and said, "This has touched your lips, and now your guilt is gone, and your sins are forgiven."


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 Then I heard the Lord say, "Whom shall I send? Who will be our messenger?" I answered, "I will go! Send me!"


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 So he told me to go and give the people this message: "No matter how much you listen, you will not understand. No matter how much you look, you will not know what is happening."


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 Then he said to me, "Make the minds of these people dull, their ears deaf, and their eyes blind, so that they cannot see or hear or understand. If they did, they might turn to me and be healed."


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 I asked, "How long will it be like this, Lord?" He answered, "Until the cities are ruined and empty---until the houses are uninhabited---until the land itself is a desolate wasteland.


text:
 Even if one person out of ten remains in the land, he too will be destroyed; he will be like the stump of an oak tree that has been cut down." (The stump represents a new beginning for God's people.)


text:
 When King Ahaz, the son of Jotham and grandson of Uzziah, ruled Judah, war broke out. Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah son of Remaliah, king of Israel, attacked Jerusalem, but were unable to capture it.


text:
 When word reached the king of Judah that the armies of Syria were already in the territory of Israel, he and all his people were so terrified that they trembled like trees shaking in the wind.


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 The LORD said to Isaiah, "Take your son Shear Jashub, and go to meet King Ahaz. You will find him on the road where the cloth makers work, at the end of the ditch that brings water from the upper pool.


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 Tell him to keep alert, to stay calm, and not to be frightened or disturbed. The anger of King Rezin and his Syrians and of King Pekah is no more dangerous than the smoke from two smoldering sticks of wood.


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 They intend to invade Judah, terrify the people into joining their side, and then put Tabeel's son on the throne.


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 Why? Because Syria is no stronger than Damascus, its capital city, and Damascus is no stronger than King Rezin. As for Israel, within sixty-five years it will be too shattered to survive as a nation.


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 Israel is no stronger than Samaria, its capital city, and Samaria is no stronger than King Pekah. "If your faith is not enduring, you will not endure."


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 "Ask the LORD your God to give you a sign. It can be from deep in the world of the dead or from high up in heaven."


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 To that Isaiah replied, "Listen, now, descendants of King David. It's bad enough for you to wear out the patience of people---do you have to wear out God's patience too?


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 Well then, the Lord himself will give you a sign: a young woman who is pregnant will have a son and will name him 'Immanuel.'


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 By the time he is old enough to make his own decisions, people will be drinking milk and eating honey.


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 "The LORD is going to bring on you, on your people, and on the whole royal family, days of trouble worse than any that have come since the kingdom of Israel separated from Judah---he is going to bring the king of Assyria.


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 "When that time comes, the LORD will whistle as a signal for the Egyptians to come like flies from the farthest branches of the Nile, and for the Assyrians to come from their land like bees.


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 They will swarm in the rugged valleys and in the caves in the rocks, and they will cover every thorn bush and every pasture.


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 "When that time comes, the Lord will hire a barber from across the Euphrates---the emperor of Assyria!---and he will shave off your beards and the hair on your heads and your bodies.


text:
 they will give so much milk that he will have all he needs. Yes, the few survivors left in the land will have milk and honey to eat.


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 "When that time comes, the fine vineyards, each with a thousand vines and each worth a thousand pieces of silver, will be overgrown with thorn bushes and briers.


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 People will go hunting there with bows and arrows. Yes, the whole country will be full of briers and thorn bushes.


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 All the hills where crops were once planted will be so overgrown with thorns that no one will go there. It will be a place where cattle and sheep graze."


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 The LORD said to me, "Take a large piece of writing material and write on it in large letters: 'Quick Loot, Fast Plunder.'


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 Some time later my wife became pregnant. When our son was born, the LORD said to me, "Name him 'Quick-Loot-Fast-Plunder.'


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 Before the boy is old enough to say 'Mamma' and 'Daddy,' all the wealth of Damascus and all the loot of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria."


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 He said, "Because these people have rejected the quiet waters of Shiloah Brook and tremble before King Rezin and King Pekah,


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 I, the Lord, will bring the emperor of Assyria and all his forces to attack Judah. They will advance like the flood waters of the Euphrates River, overflowing all its banks.


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 They will sweep through Judah in a flood, rising shoulder high and covering everything." God is with us! His outspread wings protect the land.


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 Gather together in fear, you nations! Listen, you distant parts of the earth. Get ready to fight, but be afraid! Yes, get ready, but be afraid!


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 Make your plans! But they will never succeed. Talk all you want to! But it is all useless, because God is with us.


text:
 With his great power the LORD warned me not to follow the road which the people were following. He said,


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 Because of my awesome holiness I am like a stone that people stumble over; I am like a trap that will catch the people of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel and the people of Jerusalem.


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 Here I am with the children the LORD has given me. The LORD Almighty, whose throne is on Mount Zion, has sent us as living messages to the people of Israel.


text:
 But people will tell you to ask for messages from fortunetellers and mediums, who chirp and mutter. They will say, "After all, people should ask for messages from the spirits and consult the dead on behalf of the living."


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 You are to answer them, "Listen to what the LORD is teaching you! Don't listen to mediums---what they tell you cannot keep trouble away."


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 The people will wander through the land, discouraged and hungry. In their hunger and their anger they will curse their king and their God. They may look up to the sky


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 or stare at the ground, but they will see nothing but trouble and darkness, terrifying darkness into which they are being driven.


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 There will be no way for them to escape from this time of trouble. The land of the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali was once disgraced, but the future will bring honor to this region, from the Mediterranean eastward to the land on the other side of the Jordan, and even to Galilee itself, where the foreigners live.


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 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. They lived in a land of shadows, but now light is shining on them.


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 You have given them great joy, Lord; you have made them happy. They rejoice in what you have done, as people rejoice when they harvest grain or when they divide captured wealth.


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 For you have broken the yoke that burdened them and the rod that beat their shoulders. You have defeated the nation that oppressed and exploited your people, just as you defeated the army of Midian long ago.


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 A child is born to us! A son is given to us! And he will be our ruler. He will be called, "Wonderful Counselor," "Mighty God," "Eternal Father," "Prince of Peace."


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 His royal power will continue to grow; his kingdom will always be at peace. He will rule as King David's successor, basing his power on right and justice, from now until the end of time. The LORD Almighty is determined to do all this.


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 All the people of Israel, everyone who lives in the city of Samaria, will know that he has done this. Now they are proud and arrogant. They say,


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 "The brick buildings have fallen down, but we will replace them with stone buildings. The beams of sycamore wood have been cut down, but we will replace them with the finest cedar."


text:
 Syria on the east and Philistia on the west have opened their mouths to devour Israel. Yet even so the LORD's anger is not ended; his hand is still stretched out to punish.


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 The people of Israel have not repented; even though the LORD Almighty has punished them, they have not returned to him.


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 In a single day the LORD will punish Israel's leaders and its people; he will cut them off, head and tail.


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 And so the Lord will not let any of the young men escape, and he will not show pity on any of the widows and orphans, because all the people are godless and wicked and everything they say is evil. Yet even so the LORD's anger will not be ended, but his hand will still be stretched out to punish.


text:
 The wickedness of the people burns like a fire that destroys thorn bushes and thistles. It burns like a forest fire that sends up columns of smoke.


text:
 Because the LORD Almighty is angry, his punishment burns like a fire throughout the land and destroys the people, and it is each of us for ourselves.


text:
 Everywhere in the country people snatch and eat any bit of food they can find, but their hunger is never satisfied. They even eat their own children!


text:
 The people of Manasseh and the people of Ephraim attack each other, and together they attack Judah. Yet even so the LORD's anger is not ended; his hand is still stretched out to punish.


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 That is how you keep the poor from having their rights and from getting justice. That is how you take the property that belongs to widows and orphans.


text:
 What will you do when God punishes you? What will you do when he brings disaster on you from a distant country? Where will you run to find help? Where will you hide your wealth?


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 You will be killed in battle or dragged off as prisoners. Yet even so the LORD's anger will not be ended; his hand will still be stretched out to punish.


text:
 I sent Assyria to attack a godless nation, people who have made me angry. I sent them to loot and steal and trample the people like dirt in the streets."


text:
 But the Assyrian emperor has his own violent plans in mind. He is determined to destroy many nations.


text:
 I conquered the cities of Calno and Carchemish, the cities of Hamath and Arpad. I conquered Samaria and Damascus.


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 I reached out to punish those kingdoms that worship idols, idols more numerous than those of Jerusalem and Samaria.


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 I have destroyed Samaria and all its idols, and I will do the same to Jerusalem and the images that are worshiped there."


text:
 But the Lord says, "When I finish what I am doing on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, I will punish the emperor of Assyria for all his boasting and all his pride."


text:
 The emperor of Assyria boasts, "I have done it all myself. I am strong and wise and clever. I wiped out the boundaries between nations and took the supplies they had stored. Like a bull I have trampled the people who live there.


text:
 The nations of the world were like a bird's nest, and I gathered their wealth as easily as gathering eggs. Not a wing fluttered to scare me off; no beak opened to scream at me!"


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 But the LORD says, "Can an ax claim to be greater than the one who uses it? Is a saw more important than the one who saws with it? A club doesn't lift up a person; a person lifts up a club."


text:
 The LORD Almighty is going to send disease to punish those who are now well-fed. In their bodies there will be a fire that burns and burns.


text:
 God, the light of Israel, will become a fire. Israel's holy God will become a flame, which in a single day will burn up everything, even the thorns and thistles.


text:
 The rich forests and farmlands will be totally destroyed, in the same way that a fatal sickness destroys someone.


text:
 A time is coming when the people of Israel who have survived will not rely any more on the nation that almost destroyed them. They will truly put their trust in the LORD, Israel's holy God.


text:
 Even though now there are as many people of Israel as there are grains of sand by the sea, only a few will come back. Destruction is in store for the people, and it is fully deserved.


text:
 Yes, throughout the whole country the Sovereign LORD Almighty will bring destruction, as he said he would.


text:
 The Sovereign LORD Almighty says to his people who live in Zion, "Do not be afraid of the Assyrians, even though they oppress you as the Egyptians used to do.


text:
 I, the LORD Almighty, will beat them with my whip as I did the people of Midian at Oreb Rock. I will punish Assyria as I punished Egypt.


text:
 When that time comes, I will free you from the power of Assyria, and their yoke will no longer be a burden on your shoulders."


text:
 The enemy army has captured the city of Ai! They have passed through Migron! They left their supplies at Michmash!


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 They have crossed the pass and are spending the night at Geba! The people in the town of Ramah are terrified, and the people in King Saul's hometown of Gibeah have run away.


text:
 Today the enemy are in the town of Nob, and there they are shaking their fists at Mount Zion, at the city of Jerusalem.


text:
 The LORD Almighty will bring them crashing down like branches cut off a tree. The proudest and highest of them will be cut down and humiliated.


text:
 The LORD will cut them down as trees in the heart of the forest are cut down with an ax, as even the finest trees of Lebanon fall!


text:
 The royal line of David is like a tree that has been cut down; but just as new branches sprout from a stump, so a new king will arise from among David's descendants.


text:
 The spirit of the LORD will give him wisdom and the knowledge and skill to rule his people. He will know the LORD's will and honor him,


text:
 he will judge the poor fairly and defend the rights of the helpless. At his command the people will be punished, and evil persons will die.


text:
 Wolves and sheep will live together in peace, and leopards will lie down with young goats. Calves and lion cubs will feed together, and little children will take care of them.


text:
 Cows and bears will eat together, and their calves and cubs will lie down in peace. Lions will eat straw as cattle do.


text:
 On Zion, God's sacred hill, there will be nothing harmful or evil. The land will be as full of knowledge of the LORD as the seas are full of water.


text:
 A day is coming when the new king from the royal line of David will be a symbol to the nations. They will gather in his royal city and give him honor.


text:
 When that day comes, the Lord will once again use his power and bring back home those of his people who are left in Assyria and Egypt, in the lands of Pathros, Ethiopia, Elam, Babylonia, and Hamath, and in the coastlands and on the islands of the sea.


text:
 The Lord will raise a signal flag to show the nations that he is gathering together again the scattered people of Israel and Judah and bringing them back from the four corners of the earth.


