# verses

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In the third year of Hoshea the son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to rule.


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He was twenty-five years old when he became king. And he ruled for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah.


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He took away the high places. He broke down the holy pillars used in worship and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the brass snake that Moses had made. For until those days the people of Israel burned special perfume to it. It was called Nehushtan.


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Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah before him or after him.


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For he held to the Lord and did not stop following Him. He kept His Laws which the Lord had given Moses.


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And the Lord was with him. Hezekiah did well in every place he went. He turned against the king of Assyria and did not work for him.


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He destroyed the Philistines as far as Gaza and its land, from the smallest town to the strongest city.


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In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, the seventh year of Elah's son Hoshea king of Israel, King Shalmaneser of Assyria came to fight against Samaria. His army gathered around it.


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At the end of three years they took the city. Samaria was taken by Assyria in the sixth year of Hezekiah and the ninth year of King Hoshea of Israel.


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Then the king of Assyria carried the people of Israel away against their will to Assyria. He had them live in Halah and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.


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Because the people of Israel did not obey the voice of the Lord their God. They sinned against His agreement and even all that the Lord's servant Moses told them. They would not listen or obey.


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In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, King Sennacherib of Assyria came and fought against all the strong cities of Judah and took them.


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Then King Hezekiah of Judah sent word to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, "I have done wrong; leave me. I will pay whatever you ask." So the king of Assyria had Hezekiah king of Judah pay him silver weighing as much as 300 men, and gold weighing as much as thirty men.


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Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the store-rooms of the king's house.


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Then he cut the gold off the doors of the Lord's house. He cut the gold from the sides of the door which King Hezekiah of Judah had covered with gold. And he gave it to the king of Assyria.


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Then the king of Assyria sent Tartan, Rab-saris and Rabshakeh with a large army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. So they went up and came to Jerusalem. They came and stood by the ditch of the upper pool, which is on the road to the fuller's field.


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When they called to the king, Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah the son of Asaph came out to them. Eliakim was the head of the house. Shebnah was the writer, and Joah wrote down the things of the nation.


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Rabshakeh said to them, "Say to Hezekiah, 'This is what the great king of Assyria says. "What is this strength of heart that you have?


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You say with empty words, 'I have wisdom and strength for war.' On whom do you trust, that you have turned against me?


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Look, you are trusting now in Egypt. It is a walking stick like a piece of broken river-grass. It will cut into a man's hand if he rests on it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.


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You might tell me, 'We trust in the Lord our God.' But is it not He Whose high places and altars Hezekiah has taken away? And has he not said to Judah and Jerusalem, 'You must worship in front of this altar in Jerusalem'?


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Come now, make an agreement with my ruler the king of Assyria. And I will give you 2,000 horses, if you are able to put horsemen on them.


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How can you fight back one captain among the least of my ruler's servants, when you trust Egypt for war-wagons and horsemen?


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Have I come up without the Lord against this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me, 'Go up against this land and destroy it.' " ' "


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Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah, said to Rabshakeh, "Speak to your servants in the Aramaic language, for we understand it. Do not speak with us in the language of Judah. The people on the wall might hear it."


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But Rabshakeh said to them, "Has my ruler sent me to speak these words to your ruler and to you, and not to the men sitting on the wall? They are sure to suffer with you, eating and drinking their own body waste."


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Then Rabshakeh stood and called out with a loud voice in the language of Judah, saying, "Hear the word of the great king of Assyria.


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Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, "The Lord will save us for sure. And this city will not be given to the king of Assyria."


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Do not listen to Hezekiah. For the king of Assyria says, "Make your peace with me and come out to me. Then every one of you will eat of his own vine and fig tree. And every one of you will drink the water of his own well.


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Then I will come and take you away to a land like your own land. It is a land of grain and new wine. It is a land of bread and grape-fields and olive trees and honey. There you will live and not die." But do not listen to Hezekiah when he lies to you, saying, "The Lord will save us."


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Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah? Have they saved Samaria from my power?


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Who among all the gods of the lands have saved their land from my power? So how should the Lord save Jerusalem from my power?' ''


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But the people were quiet. They did not answer him a word. For Hezekiah had told them, "Do not answer him."


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Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah who was the head of the house, and Shebna the writer, and Joah the son of Asaph who wrote down the things of the nation, came to Hezekiah. They came with their clothes torn and told him the words of Rabshakeh.


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When King Hezekiah heard about it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with cloth made from hair. Then he went into the house of the Lord.


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He sent Eliakim who was the head of the house, Shebna the writer, and the head religious leaders, to the man of God Isaiah the son of Amoz. They were covered with cloth made from hair.


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And they said to him, "Hezekiah says, 'This day is a day of trouble, sharp words, and shame. For children have come to be born, but there is no strength to give birth to them.


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It might be that the Lord your God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom his ruler the king of Assyria has sent to make fun of the living God. And the Lord your God might speak sharp words against what He has heard. So pray for those who are left of the Lord's people.' "


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And Isaiah said to them, "Tell your ruler, 'This is what the Lord says: "Do not be afraid because of the words you have heard spoken against Me by the servants of the king of Assyria.


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See, I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a made-up story and he will return to his own land. And I will have him killed by the sword in his own land." ' "


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Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah. For he had heard that the king had left Lachish.


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The king of Assyria was told, "See, King Tirhakah of Cush has come out to fight against you." So he sent men again to Hezekiah, saying,


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"Tell King Hezekiah of Judah, 'Do not let your God in Whom you trust lie to you by saying that Jerusalem will not be given into the power of the king of Assyria.


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Did the gods of those nations which my fathers destroyed save them? Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar, were destroyed.


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Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the men from Assyria, and read it. Then he went up to the house of the Lord, and spread the letter out before the Lord.


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Hezekiah prayed to the Lord, saying, "O Lord the God of Israel, You sit on Your throne above the cherubim. You are the God, and You alone, of all the nations of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.


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Turn Your ear, O Lord, and hear. Open Your eyes, O Lord, and see. Listen to the words Sennacherib has spoken against the living God.


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They have thrown their gods into the fire. For they were not gods, but the work of men's hands, made from wood and stone. So they have destroyed them.


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Now, O Lord our God, I beg You to save us from his power. Then all the nations of the earth may know that You alone are God, O Lord."


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Isaiah the son of Amoz sent word to Hezekiah, saying, "The Lord, the God of Israel, says, 'I have heard your prayer to Me about Sennacherib king of Assyria.'


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This is the Word that the Lord has spoken against him: 'She has hated you and made fun of you, the young daughter of Zion! She has shaken her head behind you, the daughter of Jerusalem!


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Whom have you spoken against? Against whom have you raised your voice, and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel!


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You have spoken against the Lord through the men you have sent. You have said, "With my many war-wagons I have come up to the tops of the mountains, to the farthest parts of Lebanon. I cut down its tall cedar trees and its best cypress trees. I went to its highest place, where its trees are close together.


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I dug wells and drank the water of other lands. I dried up all the rivers of Egypt with the bottom of my feet."


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'Have you not heard that I planned this long ago? From times long ago I planned it. Now I have made it happen, that you should destroy strong cities.


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That is why those who lived there did not have much strength. They were troubled and put to shame. They were like the plants of the field and the green grass. They were like grass on the roofs, killed by the sun before it is grown.


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You have spoken against Me in your anger and pride, and I have heard it. So I will put My hook in your nose, and My bit in your mouth. And I will have you return by the way you came.


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'This will be the special thing for you to see: This year you will eat what grows of itself. In the second year you will eat what grows of the same. Then in the third year, you will plant seeds and gather food. You will plant vines and eat their fruit.


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For those who are left will go out of Jerusalem. Those who are still alive will go out of Mount Zion. This will be done by the power of the Lord.


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So this is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria: He will not come to this city or shoot an arrow there. He will not come to it with a battle-covering or build a wall around it.


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That night the angel of the Lord went out and killed 185,000 men among the Assyrian tents. When those left alive got up early in the morning, they saw all the dead bodies.


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As he was worshiping in the house of his god Nisroch, Adrammelech and Sharezer killed him with the sword. Then they ran away to the land of Ararat. And his son Esarhaddon became king in his place.


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In those days Hezekiah became sick enough to die. The man of God, Isaiah the son of Amoz, came to him and said, "This is what the Lord says, 'Get those of your house ready. For you will die. You will not get well again.' ''


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"I beg You, O Lord, remember how I have walked before You in truth and with a whole heart. I have done what is good in Your eyes." And Hezekiah cried much.


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"Return to Hezekiah the leader of My people. Tell him, 'This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says, "I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. See, I will heal you. On the third day you must go up to the house of the Lord.


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And I will add fifteen years to your life. I will save you and this city from the power of the king of Assyria. And I will help this city because of My honor and because of My servant David." ' ''


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Then Isaiah said, "Bring a loaf made of figs. Have them take and lay it on the sore on Hezekiah's body. Then he will be well again." And they took and laid it on the boil and he was healed.


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Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "What will be the special thing for me to see, that the Lord will heal me, and that I will go up to the house of the Lord on the third day?"


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Isaiah said, "This will be the special thing for you to see from the Lord, to show that the Lord will do what He has said. Will the shadow go ten steps farther, or go back ten steps?"


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Hezekiah answered, "It is easy for the shadow to go ten steps farther. But let the shadow turn back ten steps."


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So Isaiah the man of God cried to the Lord, and the Lord brought the shadow back ten steps, on the steps set up by King Ahaz.


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At that time Berodach-baladan, a son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah. For he heard that Hezekiah had been sick.


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Hezekiah listened to them and showed them all his riches. He showed them the silver, the gold, the spices, the oil of much worth, the things used in battle, and all that was found in his store-rooms. There was nothing in his house, or in all the places of his rule, that Hezekiah did not show them.


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Then Isaiah the man of God came to King Hezekiah and said, "What did these men say? From where have they come to you?" Hezekiah said, "They have come from a far country, from Babylon."


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Isaiah said, "What have they seen in your house?" And Hezekiah answered, "They have seen all that is in my house. There is nothing among my riches that I have not shown them."


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'See, the days are coming when all that is in your house, all that your fathers have kept in store to this day, will be carried to Babylon. Nothing will be left,' says the Lord.


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'And some of your sons who will be born to you will be taken away. They will be servants in the house of the king of Babylon.' "


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Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good." For he thought, "Why not, if there will be peace and people will be safe in my days?"


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Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and all his strength are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. He made the pool and the ditch and brought water into the city.


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Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king. And he ruled fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hephzibah.


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Manasseh did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord. He did the sinful things that were done by the nations whom the Lord drove out from the people of Israel.


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He built again the high places which his father Hezekiah had destroyed. He built altars for Baal and made an object out of wood to worship the false goddess Asherah. He did as Ahab king of Israel had done. He worshiped all the stars of heaven and served them.


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He built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, "In Jerusalem I will put My name."


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He gave his son as a burnt gift, used witchcraft and told the future. He listened to those who spoke with spirits and used their secret ways. He did things that were very sinful in the eyes of the Lord, and made the Lord angry.


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Then Manasseh put the object he had made for Asherah into the house of the Lord. But the Lord had said to David and to his son Solomon, "I have chosen this house and Jerusalem from all the families of Israel. Here I will put My name forever.


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I will not make the feet of Israel travel any more from the land I gave to their fathers. But they must obey all that I have told them, and all the Law that My servant Moses told to them."


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But they did not listen. Manasseh led them to sin more than the nations whom the Lord destroyed from in front of the people of Israel.


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"Manasseh king of Judah has done these sinful things. He has sinned more than all the Amorites who were before him. And he has made Judah sin with his false gods. Because he has done this,


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the Lord, the God of Israel, says, 'See, I am bringing such trouble upon Jerusalem and Judah, that the ears of whoever hears it will be painful.


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I will punish Jerusalem as I did Samaria and as I did the family of Ahab. I will dry Jerusalem as one dries a dish, rubbing it and turning it up-sidedown.


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I will leave alone all who are left of My people, and give them to those who hate them. They will become something taken after the battle by those who fight against them.


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Because they have done what is bad in My eyes. They have been making Me angry since the day their fathers came from Egypt until this day.' "


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Manasseh killed many who were without guilt. He filled Jerusalem with blood from one end to another. He sinned and made Judah sin, by doing what is sinful in the eyes of the Lord.


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Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh and his sins are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.


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Manasseh died and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza. And his son Amon became king in his place.


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Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king. He ruled for two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.


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Then the people of the land killed all those who had made plans against King Amon. And they made Josiah his son king in his place.


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Josiah was eight years old when he became king. He ruled for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.


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Josiah did what is right in the eyes of the Lord. He walked in all the way of his father David. He did not turn aside to the right or to the left.


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In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan the writer, the son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, to the house of the Lord. He said,


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"Go up to Hilkiah the head religious leader, that he may add up the money brought into the Lord's house which the door-keepers have gathered from the people.


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Let the money be given to the workmen who are watching over the work on the Lord's house. And let them give it to the workmen who are doing the work on the Lord's house.


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Have them pay the builders and the men who work with wood and with stone. Have them use it for buying wood and cut stone needed to work on the house.


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But do not make them tell you how the money was spent that was given to them. For they are honest men."


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Then Hilkiah the head religious leader said to Shaphan the writer, "I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord." And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.


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Then Shaphan the writer came to the king and told him, "Your servants have taken all the money found in the house. And they have given it to the workmen who are watching over the work on the Lord's house."


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Then Shaphan the writer told the king, "Hilkiah the religious leader has given me a book." And Shaphan read it in front of the king.


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Then he told Hilkiah the religious leader, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Micaiah, Shaphan the writer, and Asaiah the king's servant,


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"Go, ask the Lord for me and all Judah about the words of this book that has been found. For the Lord is very angry with us, because our fathers have not listened to the words of this book. They have not done all that is written for us to do."


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So Hilkiah the religious leader, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to Huldah the woman who spoke for God. She was the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, and watched over the clothes of the house. <n>(She lived in the Second Part of Jerusalem.)</n> They spoke to her.


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that the Lord says, 'See, I will bring trouble upon this place and upon its people. All the words of the book which the king of Judah has read will come true


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because they have turned away from Me and have burned special perfume to other gods. They have made Me angry with all the work of their hands. So My anger burns against this place, and it will not be stopped.'


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But tell the king of Judah who sent you to ask of the Lord, 'This is what the Lord God of Israel says about the words you have heard.


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"You heard how I spoke against this place and against its people. I said that they should be destroyed and laid waste. They should be hated and destroyed. But when you heard this, you were sorry in your heart. You put away your pride before the Lord. You have torn your clothes and cried before Me, and I have heard you," says the Lord.


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"So I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the trouble which I will bring upon this place." ' '' So they returned to the king and told him what was said.


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The king went up to the house of the Lord with all the men of Judah and all the people who lived in Jerusalem. The religious leaders, the men who speak for God, and all the people went with him, both small and great. And Josiah read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Law which was found in the house of the Lord.


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Then the king stood by the pillar. There he made an agreement before the Lord. He promised to follow the Lord and keep His Word and His Laws with all his heart and soul. He promised to obey the words of this agreement that were written in this book, and all the people joined him in the agreement.


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Then the king spoke to Hilkiah the head religious leader, and the religious leaders who were next in power, and the door-keepers. He told them to bring out of the Lord's house all the objects made for the false gods Baal and Asherah and for all the stars of heaven. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron. And he carried their ashes to Bethel.


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He got rid of the religious leaders who worshiped false gods, whom the kings of Judah had chosen. They had been chosen to burn special perfume in the high places in the cities of Judah and in the land around Jerusalem. Josiah got rid of those who burned special perfume to Baal, to the sun and the moon, to groups of stars, and to all the stars of heaven.


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He brought out the object of the false goddess Asherah from the Lord's house to the river Kidron outside Jerusalem. There he burned it and ground it to dust, and threw its dust on the people's graves.


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He broke down the small rooms in the Lord's house that were used by the men who sold the use of their bodies for their false gods. The women were making special curtains for the false goddess Asherah in these rooms.


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Then King Josiah brought all the religious leaders from the cities of Judah. And he showed how sinful the high places were where the religious leaders had burned special perfume, from Geba to Beersheba. He broke down the high places at the gate of Joshua the leader of the city, which were to the left of the city gate.


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The religious leaders of the high places did not go up to the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem. But they ate bread without yeast among their brothers.


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The king made Topheth unclean, which is in the valley of the sons of Hinnom. He did this so no one might give his son or daughter there as a burnt gift to the false god Molech.


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Josiah got rid of the horses which the kings of Judah had given to the sun. They had given them at the door of the Lord's house, by the room of Nathan-melech the leader. And the king burned the war-wagons of the sun with fire.


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King Josiah broke down the altars which were on the roof of Ahaz's room on the second floor. They had been made by the kings of Judah. And he broke down the altars which Manasseh had made in the two open spaces of the Lord's house. He broke them there and threw their dust into the river Kidron.


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The king made the high places sinful which were east of Jerusalem and south of the Mount of Destruction. King Solomon of Israel had built them for Ashtoreth the sinful goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the hated false god of Moab, and Milcom the hated god of the sons of Ammon.


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And Josiah broke in pieces the pillars used in worship and cut down the Asherim. He filled their places with human bones.


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The king broke down the altar at Bethel and the high place made by Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, even that altar and the high place he broke down. He crushed its stones, ground them to dust, and burned the false goddess Asherah.


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As Josiah turned, he saw the graves that were there on the mountain. He had the bones taken from the graves, and burned them on the altar. So he made the altar sinful, as the word of the Lord said would happen, through the man of God.


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Then Josiah said, "What is this that I see?" The men of the city told him, "It is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah. He is the one who said that these things would happen which you have done against the altar of Bethel."


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Josiah said, "Let him alone. Let no one move his bones." So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the man of God who came from Samaria.


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Josiah took away all the houses of the high places in the cities of Samaria. The kings of Israel had made the Lord angry by building them. The king did to them just as he had done in Bethel.


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And he killed on the altar all the religious leaders of the high places who were there. He burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.


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King Josiah told all the people, "Keep the Passover to the Lord your God, as it is written in this Book of the Law."


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For sure no such Passover had been kept since the days of the judges who ruled Israel. It had not been kept in all the days of the kings of Israel or Judah.


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Josiah put away the people who spoke with spirits, and people who used their secret ways. He put away the house gods and the false gods and all the sinful things that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem. He did this to obey the words of the Law which were written in the book that was found in the Lord's house by Hilkiah the religious leader.


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Before Josiah there was no king like him who turned to the Lord with all his heart and soul and strength, obeying all the Law of Moses. And no one like him came after him.


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But the Lord did not stop from being very angry against Judah. Because Manasseh had done many things to make Him angry.


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The Lord said, "I will put Judah away from My eyes, as I have put away Israel. I will put away Jerusalem, this city I have chosen. And I will put away the family of which I said, 'My name will be there.' "


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In his days Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt went up to the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates. King Josiah went to meet him. And Pharaoh Neco killed him at Megiddo when he saw him.


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Josiah's servants carried his body from Megiddo in a war-wagon. They brought him to Jerusalem and buried him in his own grave. Then the people of the land took his son Jehoahaz and poured oil on him and made him king in his father's place.


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Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king. He ruled for three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.


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Pharaoh Neco put him in prison at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not rule in Jerusalem. And he made the people of the land pay a tax of silver weighing as much as 100 men, and gold weighing as much as one man.


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Pharaoh Neco made Josiah's son Eliakim king in the place of his father Josiah. And he changed his name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz away to Egypt, where he died.


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So Jehoiakim gave the silver and gold to Pharaoh. But he taxed the land to give Pharaoh the money he wanted. He took the silver and gold from the people of the land, from each one by the amount of tax he was made to pay. And he gave it to Pharaoh Neco.


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Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king. He ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zebidah the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.


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In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant for three years. Then he turned against him.


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The Lord sent armies of Babylonians, Syrians, Moabites and Ammonites against Jehoiakim. He sent them against Judah to destroy it, just as the word of the Lord had said through His men who spoke for Him.


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This came upon Judah at the word of the Lord, to put them away from His eyes because of the sins Manasseh had done.


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And it happened because of the people Manasseh had killed who were not guilty. For he filled Jerusalem with their blood, and the Lord would not forgive.


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Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.


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And the king of Egypt did not leave his land again. For the king of Babylon had taken all that belonged to the king of Egypt from the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates.


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Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king. He ruled for three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.


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At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon went up to Jerusalem. His soldiers gathered around the city.


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King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to the city, while his soldiers were all around it trying to take it.


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King Jehoiachin of Judah went out to the king of Babylon. He took with him his mother, his servants, his captains and his leaders. The king of Babylon took him away in the eighth year of his rule.


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And Nebuchadnezzar carried away all the riches of the Lord's house and of the king's house. He cut in pieces all the objects of gold which King Solomon of Israel had made in the house of the Lord. It happened just as the Lord had said.


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Then the king of Babylon led away all who lived in Jerusalem. He led away all the captains, all the powerful soldiers, and all those who were able to make things. He took 10,000 people away to Babylon. Only the very poor people of the land were left behind.


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So he led Jehoiachin away to Babylon. He also led away the king's mother, his wives, his leaders, and the most important men of the land. He took them from Jerusalem to Babylon.


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He led away all the powerful soldiers, 7,000 men. And he led away 1,000 of those who were able to make things. All of them were strong and able to fight in battle. Nebuchadnezzar took them away to Babylon.


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Then he made Mattaniah, the brother of Jehoiachin's father, king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah.


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Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king. He ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.


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For because of the anger of the Lord, this happened in Jerusalem and Judah until the Lord put them away from Him. And Zedekiah turned against the king of Babylon.


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On the tenth day of the tenth month in the ninth year of his rule, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem. His army set up their tents around the city, and built a wall all around it.


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On the ninth day of the fourth month, there was no food left in the city. There was no more food for the people of the land.


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Then the city was broken into. All the men of war ran away during the night between the two walls beside the king's garden. The Babylonians were all around the city, but the men left by the way of the Arabah.


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Then the Babylonian army went after the king and came to him in the plains of Jericho. All his army ran away from him.


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The Babylonians took the king and brought him to the king of Babylon at Riblah. And Nebuchadnezzar told him how he must be punished.


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They killed Zedekiah's sons in front of his eyes. Then they put out Zedekiah's eyes and tied him up in chains, and brought him to Babylon.


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On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Nebuzaradan came to Jerusalem. He was the captain of the soldiers, a servant of the king of Babylon.


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He burned the house of the Lord, the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem. He burned every great house with fire.


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And all the Babylonian army who were with the captain of the soldiers broke down the walls around Jerusalem.


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Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the soldiers carried away to Babylon the rest of the people who were left in the city. And he carried away the soldiers who had run away from the battle.


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But the captain of the soldiers left behind some of the very poor people of the land to take care of the vines and to plow the fields.


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The Babylonians broke in pieces the brass pillars in the house of the Lord. And they broke in pieces the stands and the brass pool which were in the house of the Lord. Then they carried the brass to Babylon.


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They took away the pots, the tools for digging, the things for putting out the lamps, the dishes for special perfume, and all the brass dishes used for the work of the Lord's house.


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And they took away the fire-holders and the wash-pots. The captain of the soldiers took away what was made of fine gold and what was made of fine silver.


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The brass of the two pillars, the one pool, and the stands which Solomon had made for the Lord's house, was too much to weigh.


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One pillar was five times taller than a man. The brass top piece on it was three armlengths tall. A network and pomegranates made of brass were all around the top piece. And the second pillar had the same, with a network.


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Then the captain of the soldiers took Seraiah the head religious leader, and Zephaniah the religious leader next in power. And he took the three men who were keepers of the door.


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From the city he took a captain who led the men of war, and five men found in the city who had spoken with the king about what should be done. He took the captain of the army, who called together the people of the land. And he took sixty men of the land who were found in the city.


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Nebuzaradan the captain of the soldiers took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.


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Then the king of Babylon killed them. He put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was taken away from its land.


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King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had left some people in the land of Judah. He chose Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, to rule over them.


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All the captains of the armies and their men heard that the king of Babylon had chosen Gedaliah to be leader. So they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. The captains who came with their men were Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan the son of Kareah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of Maacathite.


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Gedaliah made a promise to them and their men. He said to them, "Do not be afraid of the Babylonian leaders. Live in the land and work for the king of Babylon. Then it will be well with you."


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But in the seventh month Ishmael came. He was the son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the king's family. He came with ten men and killed Gedaliah and the Jews and Babylonians who were with him at Mizpah.


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Then all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the armies left and went to Egypt. For they were afraid of the Babylonians.


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On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month, in the thirty-seventh year since King Jehoiachin of Judah was taken away from his land, Evil-merodach became the king of Babylon. He showed favor to King Jehoiachin of Judah, and let him out of prison that year.


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He spoke kind words to him, and set his throne above the thrones of the kings who were with him in Babylon.


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The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raama, and Sabteca. And the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.


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Two sons were born to Eber. The name of one was Peleg, for the earth was divided in his days. And his brother's name was Joktan.


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Keturah was the woman who acted as Abraham's wife. She gave birth to Abraham's sons, Zimram, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan were Sheba and Dedan.


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The sons of Shobal were Alian, Manahath, Ebal, Shephi and Onam. The sons of Zibeon were Aiah and Anah.


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These are the kings who ruled in the land of Edom before any kings of Israel ruled. Bela was the son of Beor. The name of his city was Dinhabah.


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When Husham died, Hadad the son of Bedad became king in his place. Hadad won the battle against Midian in the field of Moab. The name of his city was Avith.


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When Baal-hanan died, Hadad became king in his place. The name of his city was Pai. His wife's name was Mehetabel the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.


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The sons of Judah were Er, Onan and Shelah. These three were born to him by Bath-shua of Canaan. Judah's first-born son Er was sinful in the eyes of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death.


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Ram was the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab was the father of Nahshon, the leader of the sons of Judah.


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Hezron's son Caleb had sons by his wives Azubah and Jerioth. Azubah's sons were Jesher, Shobab and Ardon.


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Later, when Hezron was sixty years old, he married the daughter of Machir the father of Gilead. She gave birth to his son Segub.


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But Geshur and Aram took the towns of Jair from them, with Kenath and its towns. They took sixty cities in all. All these were the sons of Machir, the father of Gilead.


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After Hezron died in Caleb-ephrathah, his wife Abijah gave birth to his son Ashhur. Ashhur was the father of Tekoa.


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The sons of Hezron's first-born Jerahmeel were Ram the first-born, then Bunah, Oren, Ozem and Ahijah.


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These are the sons of Jerahmeel's brother Caleb. Mesha was his firstborn and the father of Ziph. His son was Mareshah, the father of Hebron.


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Ephah was the woman who acted as Caleb's wife. She gave birth to Haran, Moza and Gazez. Haran was the father of Gazez.


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She also gave birth to Shaaph the father of Madmannah, and Sheva the father of Machbena and Gibea. Caleb's daughter was Achsah.


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These were the children of Caleb. The sons of Ephrathah's first-born son Hur were Shobal the father of Kiriath-jearim,


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and the families of Kiriathjearim. These families were the Ithrites, the Puthites, the Shumathites, and the Mishraites. From these came the Zorathites and the Eshtaolites.


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The sons of Salma were Bethlehem and the Netophathites, Atroth-bethjoab, half of the Manahathites, and the Zorites.


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The families of the writers who lived at Jabez were the Tirathites, the Shimeathites and the Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab.


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These were the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron. The first-born was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam of Jezreel. The second was Daniel, the son of Abigail of Carmel.


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The third was Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of King Talmai of Geshur. The fourth was Adonijah the son of Haggith.


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Six sons were born to David in Hebron. He ruled there for seven years and six months. And he ruled in Jerusalem for thirty-three years.


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These are the sons who were born to him in Jerusalem: Bathsheba the daughter of Ammiel gave birth to David's four sons, Shimea, Shobab, Nathan and Solomon.


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All these were the sons of David, added to the sons of the women who acted as David's wives. Tamar was their sister.


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The sons of Josiah were Johanan the first-born, Jehoiakim the second, Zedekiah the third, and Shallum the fourth.


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Pedaiah's sons were Zerubbabel and Shimei. And the sons of Zerubbabel were Meshullam and Hananiah. Shelomith was their sister.


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The sons of Hananiah were Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, whose son was Rephaiah. His son was Arnan. His son was Obadiah. And his son was Shecaniah.


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Shecaniah's son was Shemaiah, whose sons were Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat, six sons.


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And the seven sons of Elioenai were Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani.


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Shobal's son Reaiah was the father of Jahath. And Jahath was the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the families of the Zorathites.


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Penuel was the father of Gedor. Ezer was the father of Hushah. These were the sons of Hur, the first-born of Ephrathah, the father of Bethlehem.


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Jabez was more a man of honor than his brothers. His mother gave him the name Jabez, saying, "Because I gave birth to him in pain."


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Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, "O, if only You would bring good to me and give me more land! If only Your hand might be with me, that You would keep me from being hurt!" And God gave him what he asked for.


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Eshton was the father of Beth-rapha and Paseah. Tehinnah was the father of Irnahash. These are the men of Recah.


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Meonothai was the father of Ophrah. Seraiah was the father of Joab, who was the father of Ge-harashim. They were good at making things.


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The sons of Ezrah were Jether, Mered, Epher and Jalon. These are the sons of Pharaoh's daughter Bithia, whom Mered married. She gave birth to Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.


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Mered's Jewish wife gave birth to Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah.


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The sons of Hodiah's wife, the sister of Naham, were the fathers of Keilah the Garmite and Eshtemoa the Maacathite.


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The sons of Shelah the son of Judah were Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of those who worked with linen at Bethashbea.


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Shelah's other sons were Jokim, the men of Cozeba, Joash, Saraph who ruled in Moab, and Jaashubi-lehem. The writings of these times are old.


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These were the people who made pots and lived in Netaim and Gederah. They lived there with the king for his work.


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Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters. But his brothers did not have many children. Their whole family did not have many children, like the sons of Judah.


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And they had all the small towns that were around these towns as far as Baal. These were the places where they lived. And they wrote down all the names of their families.


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and Ziza the son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah.


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They went to the gate of Gedor, to the east side of the valley, to look for fields for their flocks.


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There they found good fields rich with grass. The land was wide and quiet, and there they had peace. For Hamites had lived there before.


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These whose names have been written down came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. They destroyed their tents and the Meunites who were found there. They destroyed all of them to this day, and lived in their place because there were fields for their flocks.


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Then some of them, 500 sons of Simeon, went to Mount Seir. Their leaders were Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi.


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They destroyed the rest of the Amalekites who had run away to be safe. And they have lived there to this day.


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Reuben was the first-born son of Israel but because he sinned against his father's marriage bed, his birth-right was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel. Reuben is not written down in the family names by his birth-right.


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Judah became stronger than his brothers, and a prince came from him. But the birthright belonged to Joseph.


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and Beerah his son. Beerah was the one whom Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria carried away to a strange land. He was a leader of the Reubenites.


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These are his brothers by their families, from the writings of their family names. There was Jeiel the leader, then Zechariah,


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and Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who lived in Aroer as far as Nebo and Baal-meon.


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He lived as far east as the beginning of the desert this side of the Euphrates River, because their cattle had become too many for the land of Gilead.


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In the days of Saul they made war with the Hagrites and killed them. So they lived in their tents over all the land east of Gilead.


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Their seven brothers of their fathers' houses were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber.


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These were the sons of Abihail, the son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz.


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All of these were added to the family names in the days of King Jotham of Judah and King Jeroboam of Israel.


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The sons of Reuben, the Gadites and the half-family group of Manasseh were powerful soldiers. They carried the battle-covering and the sword, and shot with the bow. They were able men in battle. There were 44,760 of them who went to war.


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They were given help against them, and the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hand. They cried out to God in the battle. He gave them what they asked for, because they trusted in Him.


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Many were killed, because the war was of God. They lived in their place until they were taken away by Assyria.


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The sons of the half-family group of Manasseh lived in the land. There were many of them from Bashan to Baal-hermon, Senir and Mount Hermon.


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The heads of their fathers' houses were Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were powerful soldiers, men whose names were well-known. And they were heads of their fathers' houses.


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But they sinned against the God of their fathers. They sold themselves to the gods of the people of the land, whom God had destroyed before them.


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So the God of Israel moved the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, also known as Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria. And he carried the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-family group of Manasseh away to a strange land. He brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan. And they are there to this day.


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The children of Amram were Aaron, Moses and Miriam. And the sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.


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Johanan was the father of Azariah. <n>(He was the one who served as the religious leader in the house which Solomon built in Jerusalem.)</n>


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Jehozadak was taken away when the Lord carried Judah and Jerusalem away to a strange land by Nebuchadnezzar.


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The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites by their fathers' houses.


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David chose these men to lead the singing in the house of the Lord, after the special box with the Law of the Lord rested there.


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They led the singing in front of the meeting tent until Solomon had built the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. And they took their places for their work at the right times.


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These are the men who served, and their sons. From the sons of the Kohathites were Heman the singer, the son of Joel, son of Samuel,


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On the left hand were their brothers the sons of Merari. There was Ethan the son of Kishi, son of Abdi, son of Malluch,


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But Aaron and his sons gave the gifts on the altar of burnt gifts and on the altar of special perfume. They did all the work of the most holy place, to pay for the sins of Israel. They did all that Moses the servant of God had told them to do.


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These are the places where they lived in their lands. The sons of Aaron of the families of the Kohathites were first to choose where to live.


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The sons of Aaron were given cities where people go to be safe. These cities were Hebron, Libnah with its fields, Jatir, Eshtemoa with its fields,


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From the family of Benjamin they were given Geba with its fields, Allemeth with its fields, and Anathoth with its fields. There were thirteen cities in all, by their families.


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Ten cities were given, by drawing names, to the rest of the sons of Kohath. These cities were given from the families of the half-family group of Manasseh.


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Thirteen cities were given to the sons of Gershom, by their families. These cities were given from the families of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh.


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Twelve cities were given, by drawing names, to the sons of Merari, by their families. These cities were given from the families of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.


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By drawing names, they gave them these cities which are written here, from the families of the sons of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin.


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They were given cities where anyone could go to be safe. These cities were Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim with its fields, Gezer with its fields,


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From the half-family group of Manasseh they were given Aner with its fields and Bileam with its fields. They were for the rest of the family of the sons of Kohath.


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Cities were given to the sons of Gershom from the half-family group of Manasseh. These cities were Golan in Bashan with its fields and Ashtaroth with its fields.


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From the family of Naphtali they were given Kedesh in Galilee with its fields, Hammon with its fields, and Kiriathaim with its fields.


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The rest of the Levites, the sons of Merari were given cities from the family of Zebulun. These cities were Rimmono with its fields and Tabor with its fields.


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On the other side of the Jordan at Jericho, on the east side of the Jordan, they were given cities from the family of Reuben. These cities were Bezer in the desert with its fields, Jahzah with its fields,


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The sons of Tola were Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam and Samuel, heads of their fathers' houses. Tola's sons were powerful soldiers among the people of their day. There were 22,600 of these men in the days of David.


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The son of Uzzi was Izrahiah. And the sons of Izrahiah were Michael, Obadiah, Joel and Isshiah. All five of them were leaders.


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With them by their families and by their fathers' houses were 36,000 men ready to fight. For they had many wives and sons.


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Their brothers among all the families of Issachar were powerful soldiers. There were 87,000 of them, whose names were written down by their families.


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The five sons of Bela were Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth and Iri. They were heads of their fathers' houses and powerful soldiers. There were 22,034 of them, whose names were written down by their families.


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The sons of Becher were Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Becher.


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Their names were written down by their families. They were heads of their fathers' houses, 20,200 powerful soldiers.


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The son of Jediael was Bilhan. And the sons of Bilhan were Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish and Ahishahar.


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All these were sons of Jediael, by the heads of their fathers' houses. They were 17,200 powerful soldiers, who were ready to go out with the army to battle.


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Manasseh's sons were Asriel and Machir the father of Gilead. Their mother was the Aramaean woman who acted as Manasseh's wife.


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Machir took a wife of Huppim and Shuppim, whose sister's name was Maacah. The name of the second was Zelophehad. And Zelophehad had daughters.


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Machir's wife Maacah gave birth to a son, and gave him the name Peresh. His brother's name was Sheresh. And his sons were Ulam and Rakem.


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Zabad his son, Shuthelah his son, and Ezer and Elead. The men of Gath who were born in the land killed Ezer and Elead, because they came down to take their cattle.


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Then he went in to his wife and she was able to have a child and gave birth to a son. Ephraim gave him the name Beriah, because trouble had come upon his house.


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Their cities and their lands were Bethel with its towns, Naaran to the east, Gezer to the west with its towns, and Shechem with its towns as far as Ayyah with its towns.


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Beside the land of the sons of Manasseh, they lived in Beth-shean with its towns, Taanach with its towns, Megiddo with its towns, and Dor with its towns. In these cities lived the sons of Joseph the son of Israel.


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All these were the sons of Asher and heads of the fathers' houses. They were chosen men and powerful soldiers, leaders of the king's sons. There were 26,000 of them, whose names were written down by their families for fighting in war.


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The sons of Ehud were the heads of fathers' houses of the people of Geba. They were taken away to Manahath.


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Elpaal was the father of Beriah and Shema also. They were heads of fathers' houses of the people of Aijalon, who drove away the people of Gath.


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These were heads of the fathers' houses by their families. They were leaders who lived in Jerusalem.


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and Mikloth the father of Shimeah. They lived with their brothers in Jerusalem beside their other brothers.


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Ner was the father of Kish. Kish was the father of Saul. Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malchi-shua, Abinadab and Eshbaal.


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Ahaz was the father of Jehoaddah. Jehoaddah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth and Zimri. Zimri was the father of Moza.


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The names of Azel's six sons were Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.


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The sons of Ulam were powerful soldiers. They fought with the bow. And they had 150 sons and grandsons. All these were the sons of Benjamin.


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So the names of all Israel were written down by families. See, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. And Judah was carried away to Babylon because they were not faithful.


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The first ones to live again in their land and in their cities were Israel, the religious leaders, the Levites and the servants of the Lord's house.


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They were Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, from the sons of Perez the son of Judah.


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From the sons of Benjamin were Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah.


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And there were Ibneiah the son of Jeroham, Elah the son of Uzzi, son of Michri, and Meshullam the son of Shephatiah, son of Reuel, son of Ibnijah.


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And there were their brothers by their families, 956 of them. All these were heads of fathers' houses by their fathers' houses.


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And there was Azariah the son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub. He was the head leader of the house of God.


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And there was Adaiah the son of Jeroham, son of Pashhur, son of Malchijah. There was Maasai the son of Adiel, son of Jahzerah, son of Meshullam, son of Meshillemith, son of Immer.


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And there were 1,760 of their brothers, who were heads of their fathers' houses. They were very able men for the work of the house of God.


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From the Levites were Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari.


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There was Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun. And there was Berechiah the son of Asa, son of Elkanah, who lived in the towns of the Netophathites.


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who was at the king's gate on the east side.)</n> These were the gate-keepers for the family group of the Levites.


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Shallum the son of Kore, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah, and his brothers of his father's house, were the Korahites. They led the work, and they watched the doors of the meeting tent. Their fathers had taken care of the tents of the Lord, and had watched the doors.


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There were 212 of those who were chosen to watch the gates. Their names were written down by families in their towns. David and Samuel the man of God chose them for places of trust.


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Those of their family in other towns were to come in every seven days from time to time to be with them.


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For the four head men who were gate-keepers were Levites and were in a place of trust. They watched over the rooms and the riches in the house of God.


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They stayed during the night around the house of God. For their duty was to watch. And they were to open the house every morning.


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Some of them took care of the things used for worship. They numbered them when they were brought in and taken out.


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Some of them were chosen to take care of the objects of the holy place, the fine flour, the wine, the oil, the special perfume, and the spices.


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Mattithiah was one of the Levites, the first-born of Shallum the Korahite. He took care of the making of bread.


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And some of their brothers of the Kohathites took care of the making of the holy bread every Day of Rest.


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These are the singers. They were heads of fathers' houses of the Levites, who lived in the rooms of the Lord's house. They were free from other kinds of worship, for they were on duty day and night.


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These were heads of fathers' houses of the Levites by their families. They were leaders who lived in Jerusalem.


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Mikloth was the father of Shimeam. They lived with their brothers in Jerusalem beside their other brothers.


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Ahaz was the father of Jarah. Jarah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth and Zimri. Zimri was the father of Moza.


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Azel had six sons whose names were Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.


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Now the many Philistines fought against Israel. The men of Israel ran away from the Philistines, and were killed on Mount Gilboa.


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The Philistines went after Saul and his sons. And they killed Jonathan, Abinadab and Malchi-shua, Saul's sons.


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Then Saul said to the one who carried his battle-clothes, "Take your sword and kill me with it. Or these men who have not gone through our religious act will come and make fun of me." But the one who carried his battleclothes would not do it. For he was very afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell on it.


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When the one who carried his battle-clothes saw that Saul was dead, he fell on his sword and died also.


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All the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that the army had run away and that Saul and his sons were dead. So they left their cities and ran away. Then the Philistines came and lived in their cities.


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When the Philistines came the next day to take what had belonged to the dead, they found Saul and his sons dead on Mount Gilboa.


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So they took his clothes, his head, and his battleclothes. And they sent men around the land of the Philistines to take the good news to their false gods and to the people.


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They put Saul's battleclothes in the house of their gods. And they put his head in the house of Dagon.


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So all the powerful soldiers went and took the bodies of Saul and his sons. They brought them to Jabesh and buried their bones under the oak tree there. Then they went without food for seven days.


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So Saul died for his sin against the Lord, because he did not keep the Word of the Lord. He had asked a woman who spoke with spirits what he should do.


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In times past, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led out and brought in Israel. The Lord your God said to you, 'You will be the shepherd of My people Israel. And you will be king over My people Israel.' "


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So all the leaders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. And David made an agreement with them in Hebron before the Lord. Then they poured oil on David to be the king of Israel, just as the Lord had said through Samuel.


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David and all Israel went to Jerusalem <n>(that is, Jebus)</n>. And the Jebusites, the people of the land, were there.


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The people of Jebus said to David, "You will not come in here." But David took the strong-place of Zion <n>(that is, the city of David)</n>.


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Now David had said, "Whoever kills a Jebusite first will be captain and leader." Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became captain.


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He built the city all around, from the Millo and then around. And Joab built the rest of the city up again.


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These are the leaders of David's strong men. They gave him much help in his nation, together with all Israel, to make him king. It was just as the Lord had said would happen with Israel.


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These are the names of David's strong men. There was Jashobeam the son of Hachmonite, the head of the thirty. He killed 300 men with his spear at one time.


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He was with David at Pasdammim when the Philistines were gathered there to battle, where there was a piece of ground full of grain. And the people ran away from the Philistines.


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But he and his men stood on the piece of ground and fought for it, and killed the Philistines. The Lord saved them by His great power.


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Three of the thirty leaders went down to the rock and into the cave of Adullam where David was staying. The Philistine army was staying in the valley of Rephaim.


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David had a strong desire. He said, "O, if only someone would give me water to drink from the well by the gate of Bethlehem!"


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So the three men broke through the Philistine army. They took water from the well by the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it to David. But David would not drink it. He poured it out to the Lord,


text:
and said, "Far be it from me that I should do this before my God. Should I drink the blood of these men? For they put their lives in danger to bring it." So he would not drink it. These things are what the three powerful soldiers did.


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As for Abishai the brother of Joab, he was the head of the thirty. He fought and killed 300 men with his spear. And his name became well-known like the three.


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Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a powerful soldier from Kabzeel, did great things. He killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He went down and killed a lion inside a deep hole on a day when there was snow.


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And he killed an Egyptian who was very tall, five arm-lengths tall. The Egyptian held a spear as big as the cross-piece of a cloth-maker. But Benaiah went down to him with a heavy stick and took the spear from the Egyptian's hand. Then he killed him with his own spear.


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These are the things Benaiah the son of Johoiada did. His name was well-known like the three powerful soldiers.


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He was respected among the thirty. But he was not as important as the three. David chose him to be the head of his house soldiers.


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Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite. Naharai was the one who carried the battle-clothes of Joab the son of Zeruiah.


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and Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite. Adina was a leader of the Reubenites, and had thirty men with him.


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Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam. And there were Ithmah the Moabite,


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These are the men who came to David at Ziklag, while David was still hidden because of Saul the son of Kish. They were among the strong men who helped him in war.


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They fought with the bow. They could also throw stones or shoot arrows with both the right and left hand. They were Saul's brothers from Benjamin.


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The leader was Ahiezer, then Joash. Both of them were sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite. And there were Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth, Beracah, Jehu the Anathothite,


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and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite. He was a strong man among the thirty, and a leader over them. There were Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite,


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Powerful soldiers came from the Gadites to David in the strong-place in the desert. They had been taught how to fight in war, and could use the battle-covering and spear. Their faces were like the faces of lions. And they were as fast as the deer on the mountains.


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These Gadites were captains of the army. He who was least led 100. And he who was greatest led 1,000.


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These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month when the water was flowing over its sides. They drove away all those in the valleys, to the east and to the west.


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David went out to meet them. He said to them, "If you come in peace to help me, my heart will be joined to you. But if you have come to hand me over to those who hate me, may the God of our fathers see it and speak strong words to you. For I have done nothing wrong."


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Then the Spirit came upon Amasai the captain of the thirty. Amasai said, "We are yours, O David! We are with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to those who help you! For your God helps you!" Then David received them and made them captains of his soldiers.


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Some men from Manasseh came over to David's side when he was about to go to battle with the Philistines against Saul. But they did not help him. For after talking it over, the Philistine leaders sent him away, saying, "He might go over to Saul's side with our heads."


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The men who came over to David's side from Manasseh as he went to Ziklag were Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai. They were captains of thousands who belonged to Manasseh.


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They helped David against the army of soldiers who came to fight him. For they were all powerful soldiers, and captains in the army.


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Each day men came to David to help him. They came until there was a great army, like the army of God.


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These are the numbers of the armies who came to David at Hebron. They came to turn the nation of Saul to him, as the Word of the Lord had said.


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And there was Zadok, a young, powerful soldier, and twenty-two captains from his own father's house.


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There were 3,000 sons of Benjamin, Saul's brothers. For until now most of them had stayed faithful to the house of Saul.


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There were 20,800 powerful soldiers from the sons of Ephraim. They were important men in their fathers' houses.


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There were 18,000 men of the half-family group of Manasseh. They were chosen by name to come and make David king.


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There were 200 captains of the sons of Issachar. They understood the times and had much understanding of what Israel should do. And all their brothers obeyed them.


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There were 50,000 men of Zebulun who were soldiers. They could fight in battle with everything used in war. And they helped David as if they had one heart.


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There were 1,000 captains from Naphtali. With them were 37,000 men with battle-coverings and spears.


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And there were 120,000 sons of Reuben, Gad and the half-family group of Manasseh from the other side of the Jordan. They came with everything used in war.


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All these were men of war, ready for battle. They came to Hebron with one desire, to make David the king of all Israel. And all the rest of Israel were of one mind to make David king.


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They were there with David for three days, eating and drinking. For their brothers had made food ready for them.


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And their neighbors brought food, from as far as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali. They brought food on donkeys, camels, horses and cattle. They brought many loaves of bread and figs, many dried grapes, wine, oil, cattle and sheep. For there was joy in Israel.


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Then David spoke with the captains of the thousands and the hundreds and with every leader about what should be done.


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David spoke to all the people of Israel. He said, "If you think it is good, and if it is from the Lord our God, let us send word to our brothers who are staying in all the land of Israel. Let us send word to the religious leaders and Levites who are with them in their cities that have fields. And let us ask them to meet with us.


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Let us bring the special box with the Law of our God to us. For we did not think of it in the days of Saul."


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So David gathered all Israel together, from the Shihor of Egypt to the gate of Hamath, to bring the special box of God from Kiriathjearim.


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David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim which belongs to Judah. They went to bring the special box of God. It is called by the name of the Lord Who sits on His throne above the cherubim.


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They carried the special box of God on a new wagon from the house of Abinadab. And Uzza and Ahio drove the wagon.


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David and all Israel were showing their joy before God with all their strength. They were singing and playing harps and timbrels, and blowing horns.


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When they came to the grain-floor of Chidon, the cattle pulling the wagon tripped. And Uzza put out his hand to hold the special box of God.


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Then the anger of the Lord burned against Uzza. So He killed him because Uzza had put out his hand to the special box of God, so before God he died.


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Then David became angry because the Lord had killed Uzza in His anger. That place is called Perezuzza to this day.


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So David did not take the special box of God with him to the city of David. He took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.


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The special box of God stayed with the family of Obed-edom in his house for three months. The Lord brought good to Obed-edom's family and all that he had.


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Now King Hiram of Tyre sent men with cedar trees to David. With them came men who worked with stone and wood. They came to build a house for him.


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David understood that the Lord had made him to be king of Israel. He knew that his nation was very honored because of God's people Israel.


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The Philistines heard that David had been chosen as king of all Israel. So they went up to look for him. David heard of it and went out against them.


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David asked God, "Should I go fight against the Philistines? Will You give them to me?" And the Lord said to him, "Go, for I will give them to you."


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So they came up to Baal-perazim, and David won the battle against them there. David said, "By my hand God has broken through those who hate me, like the breaking through of a flood." So they gave that place the name Baal-perazim.


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So David asked God again what he should do. God said to him, "Do not go after them. Go around behind them, and come upon them in front of the balsam trees.


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When you hear the sound of their steps in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out to battle. For God will have gone out before you to destroy the Philistine army."


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David did just as God had told him, and they destroyed the Philistine army from Gibeon as far as Gezer.


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Then the name of David became known in all the lands. The Lord brought the fear of him upon all the nations.


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David built houses for himself in the city of David. He made a place ready for the special box of God. And he set up a tent for it.


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Then David said, "No one but the Levites may carry the special box of God. For the Lord chose them to carry the special box of the agreement and to serve Him forever."


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David gathered all Israel together at Jerusalem, to bring up the special box of the Lord to the place he had made for it.


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Then David called for Zadok and Abiathar the religious leaders. And he called for the Levites, Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab.


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He said to them, "You are the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites. Make yourselves and your brothers holy, that you may bring up the special box of the Lord God of Israel to the place I have made for it.


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The Lord our God brought trouble upon us because you did not carry it the first time. We did not care for it the way He had told us."


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So the religious leaders and the Levites made themselves holy, to bring up the special box of the Lord God of Israel.


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The sons of the Levites carried the special box of God on their shoulders with the long pieces of wood. They did as Moses had told them by the Word of the Lord.


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Then David told the heads of the Levites to choose their brothers who sing and play music. They were to play harps and timbrels and make sounds of joy.


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So the Levites chose Heman the son of Joel. From his brothers they chose Asaph the son of Berechiah. From the sons of Merari their brothers, they chose Ethan the son of Kushaiah.


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With them they chose their brothers of the second group. These were Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, the gate-keepers.


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Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were chosen to play the high sounds on harps.


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Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were chosen to lead by playing the deep sounds on different kinds of harps.


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Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer, the religious leaders, were to blow the horns in front of the special box of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were gatekeepers for the special box of God also.


text:
So David, the leaders of Israel and the captains of thousands went to bring up the special box with the Law of the Lord from the house of Obededom with joy.


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God was helping the Levites who were carrying the special box of the agreement of the Lord. So they killed seven bulls and seven rams on the altar in worship.


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David was dressed in a long piece of clothing of fine linen. So were all the Levites who were carrying the special box of God. And so were the singers and Chenaniah the leader of the singing. David wore a linen vest also.


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So all Israel brought up the special box with the Law of the Lord. They brought it up with a loud voice, the sound of horns, and with loud-sounding timbrels and harps.


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When the special box with the Law of the Lord came to the city of David, Saul's daughter Michal looked out of the window. She saw King David dancing and jumping for joy. And she hated him in her heart.


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They brought the special box of God, and put it inside the tent David had set up for it. Then they gave burnt gifts and peace gifts to God.


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When David finished giving the burnt gifts and peace gifts, he prayed in the name of the Lord that good would come to the people.


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He gave to every man and woman in Israel a loaf of bread, a share of meat, and a loaf of dried grapes.


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David chose some of the Levites to do the work in front of the special box of the Lord. They were to be glad and thank and praise the Lord God of Israel.


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Asaph was the leader, then Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obededom, and Jeiel. They were to play harps. And Asaph played loud-sounding timbrels.


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The religious leaders Benaiah and Jahaziel sounded the horns all the time in front of the special box with the Law of God.


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Remember His great works which He has done. Remember the special things He has done and how He has judged,


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Remember His agreement forever, the Word which He gave to families and a thousand of their family groups to come.


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For great is the Lord. He is to be given much praise. And He is to be honored with fear more than all gods.


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Praise the Lord for the greatness of His name. Bring a gift and come to Him. Worship the Lord clothed in His holiness.


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Let the heavens be glad. Let the earth be filled with joy. And let them say among the nations, 'The Lord rules!'


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Then say, 'Set us free, O God Who saves us. Gather and save us from among the nations, to give thanks to Your holy name, and have joy in Your praise.


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Honor be to the Lord, the God of Israel forever and ever.' " Then all the people said, "Let it be so!" and they praised the Lord.


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So David left Asaph and his brothers there in front of the special box with the Law of the Lord. He left them there to do the work in front of the special box always. They were to do whatever work needed to be done each day.


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He left Obed-edom there with his sixty-eight brothers. Obededom, the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah were to watch the gate.


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David left Zadok and his brothers who were the religious leaders in front of the meeting tent of the Lord in the high place at Gibeon.


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They were to give burnt gifts to the Lord on the altar of burnt gifts all the time, morning and evening. They were to do all that is written in the Law of the Lord which He told Israel.


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With them were Heman, Jeduthun, and the rest who were chosen by name. They were to give thanks to the Lord, because His loving-kindness lasts forever.


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Heman and Jeduthun had horns and timbrels for making sounds of joy as the songs of God were sung. The sons of Jeduthun were to watch the gate.


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Then all the people left. Each one went home. And David returned to bring good to those of his house.


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Now when David lived in his house, he said to Nathan the special preacher, "See, I am living in a house of cedar wood. But the special box with the Law of the Lord is under a tent."


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"Go and tell My servant David, 'This is what the Lord says. "You will not build a house for Me to live in.


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For I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up Israel to this day. But I have gone from tent to tent and from one place to another to live.


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In all the places I have gone with all Israel, have I said a word to any of the judges of Israel about this? Have I said to anyone whom I told to watch over My people, 'Why have you not built a house of cedar wood for Me?' " '


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So now say to My servant David, 'The Lord of All says, "I took you from the field, from following the sheep, to be leader over My people Israel.


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I have been with you in every place you have gone. I have destroyed in front of you all those who hate you. And I will make your name to be known like the name of the great ones of the earth.


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I will choose a place for My people Israel, and will plant them. So they will live in their own place and not be moved again. Never again will they be under the power of sinful men, as they were before,


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from the time that I told judges to rule My people Israel. I will put under your power all those who hate you. And I say to you that the Lord will build a house for you.


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When your days are over, the time will come when you must go to be with your fathers. But then I will put into power one of your sons after you. I will make him king.


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I will be his father, and he will be My son. I will not take My loving-kindness away from him, as I took it from him who was before you.


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Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and said, "Who am I, O God? What is my house, that You have brought me this far?


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This was a small thing in Your eyes, O God. You have spoken of Your servant's house for a long time to come. You have thought of me as if I were an important man, O Lord God.


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You have made all this greatness, O Lord. You have made known all these great things, for Your servant, and by Your own heart.


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O Lord, there is no one like You. There is no God other than You, by all that we have heard with our ears.


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What other nation on earth is like Your people Israel? God went to free them to be His people. You made Yourself a name by great things which filled people with fear. You drove out the nations before Your people, whom You set free from Egypt.


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Now, O Lord, let the Word that You have spoken about Your servant and his house be made sure forever. Do as You have said.


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Let Your name be made sure and honored forever, saying, 'The Lord of All, the God of Israel, is Israel's God. And the house of Your servant David is made to last before You.'


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For You, O my God, have made it known to Your servant that You will build a house for him. So Your servant has found strength of heart to pray to You.


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Now it has pleased You to bring good to the house of Your servant. May it last forever before You. For when You bring good to something, O Lord, good is with it forever."


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After this David won the war against the Philistines and put them under his power. He took Gath and its towns from the Philistines.


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David won the war against King Hadadezer of Zobah as far as Hamath, as he went to bring his power to the Euphrates River.


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David took from him 1,000 war-wagons, 7,000 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. And he cut the legs of all but 100 war-wagon horses.


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The Syrians of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah. But David killed 22,000 of the Syrian men.


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Then David put soldiers in Syria of Damascus. And the Syrians became servants to David, paying taxes. The Lord helped David in every place he went.


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David took the battle-coverings of gold which were carried by Hadadezer's servants, and brought them to Jerusalem.


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He took a very large amount of brass from Hadadezer's cities, Tibhath and Cun. This was the brass Solomon used to make the brass pool, the pillars, and the brass pots.


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King Tou of Hamath heard that David had won the war against all the army of King Hadadezer of Zobah.


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So he sent his son Hadoram to King David, to say hello to him and give honor to him, because David had fought against Hadadezer and won. For Hadadezer had been at war with Tou. Hadoram brought all kinds of things of gold and silver and brass.


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King David set these apart to the Lord, with the silver and gold he had carried away from all the nations. He took things from Edom, Moab, the sons of Ammon, the Philistines, and Amalek.


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Then he put soldiers in Edom. And the Edomites became servants to David. The Lord helped David every place he went.


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Joab the son of Zeruiah was captain of the army. Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud wrote down the things of the nation.


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Zadok the son of Ahitub and Abimelech the son of Abiathar were religious leaders. Shavsha was the one who writes everything down.


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Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And the sons of David were leaders at the king's side.


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David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me." So David sent men to bring him comfort in his sorrow for his father. David's servants came to Hanun in the land of the sons of Ammon, to bring him comfort.


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But the princes of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun, "Do you think that David is giving honor to your father by sending men to comfort you? Have not his servants come to spy out the land and destroy it?"


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So Hanun took David's servants and cut the hair from their faces. Then he cut off the bottom half of their clothing, and sent them away.


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When David was told what had happened to his servants, he sent men out to meet them because the workmen were very ashamed. The king said, "Stay at Jericho until the hair grows again on your faces, and then return."


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The sons of Ammon saw that they had made themselves to be hated by David. So Hanun and the sons of Ammon sent silver weighing as much as 1,000 men, to get warwagons and horsemen from Mesopotamia, Aram-maacah, and Zobah.


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They paid for 32,000 war-wagons and for the king of Maacah and his army who came and set up their tents by Medeba. Then the sons of Ammon gathered together from their cities and came to battle.


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The sons of Ammon came out and were ready for battle at the city gate. The kings who had come were by themselves in the field.


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Joab saw that the battle was set against him in front and behind. So he chose some of the best men of Israel and they made themselves ready to fight the Syrians.


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But he had his brother Abishai lead the rest of the men. And they made themselves ready to fight the sons of Ammon.


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Joab said, "If the Syrians are too strong for me, then help me. But if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you.


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Be strong; let us show our strength of heart because of our people, and for the cities of our God. May the Lord do what is good in His eyes."


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So Joab and the men who were with him came near to fight against the Syrians. And the Syrians ran away from him.


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The sons of Ammon saw that the Syrians ran away. So they ran away from Joab's brother Abishai, and went into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.


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The Syrians saw that they had lost the war with Israel. So they sent men with news, and brought out the Syrians who were on the other side of the Euphrates River. Shophach the captain of Hadadezer's army was leading them.


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When David was told about it, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan. He came to them, and made his army ready to fight against them. When David made his army ready for battle, the Syrians fought against him.


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And the Syrians ran away from Israel. David killed 7,000 Syrians who drove war-wagons and 40,000 Syrian foot soldiers. And he killed Shophach the captain of the army.


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Hadadezer's servants saw that they had lost the war against Israel. So they made peace with David and worked for him. The Syrians were not willing to help the sons of Ammon any more.


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In the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, Joab led out the army. He destroyed the land of the sons of Ammon. And he gathered his army around Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. Joab fought against Rabbah, and won.


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Then David took the crown from their king's head. He found that its gold weighed as much as an older child. And there were stones of much worth in it. It was placed on David's head. He brought out the riches of the city, a very large amount.


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He brought out the people who were in it, and made them work with saws, iron picks, and axes. David did this to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then he and all the people returned to Jerusalem.


text:
After this there was a war with the Philistines at Gezer. Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, who was one of the sons of those who were very tall and strong. And the Philistines were put under their power.


text:
There was war with the Philistines again. Elhanan the son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite. Goliath's spear was as big as the cross-piece of a cloth-maker.


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Again there was war at Gath. A very tall man was there who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty four in all. He was a son of those who were very tall and strong.


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These were sons of the people of Gath who were very tall and strong. And they were killed by David and his servants.


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So David said to Joab and the leaders of the people, "Go and number Israel from Beersheba to Dan. Then let me know how many people there are."


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Joab said, "May the Lord add to His people a hundred times as many as they are! But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? Why does my lord want this thing done? Why should he bring guilt upon Israel?"


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But the king's word was stronger than Joab. So Joab left and went through all of Israel, and returned to Jerusalem.


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He gave the number of all the people to David. There were 1,100,000 men in all Israel who used the sword. And there were 470,000 men in Judah who used the sword.


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But Joab did not number Levi and Benjamin among them because he did not like what the king had told him to do.


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David said to God, "I have sinned very much by doing this thing. But now I beg You, take away the sin of Your servant for I have done a very foolish thing."


text:
"Go and tell David, 'This is what the Lord says. "I give you three things to choose from. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you." ' "


text:
Three years of no food in the land; three months to be destroyed by the sword of those who hate you; or three days of the sword of the Lord. This would be a disease sent upon the land. The angel of the Lord would destroy with disease through all the land of Israel.' Now decide what answer I should give Him Who sent me."


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David said to Gad, "I am in much trouble. Let me fall into the hand of the Lord. For His loving-kindness is very great. But do not let me fall into the hand of man."


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God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as he was about to destroy it, the Lord saw the trouble and was sorry. He said to the destroying angel, "It is enough. Now take your hand away." The angel of the Lord was standing by the grain-floor of Ornan the Jebusite.


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Then David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven. The angel had his sword in his hand, held out over Jerusalem. Then David and the leaders fell on their faces. They were dressed in cloth made from hair.


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David said to God, "Was it not I who said that the people must be numbered? I am the one who has sinned and done a very bad thing. But what have these sheep done? O Lord my God, I beg You, let Your hand be against me and my father's house. But do not let the trouble be upon Your people."


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Then the angel of the Lord told Gad to say to David, "Go up and build an altar to the Lord on the grain-floor of Ornan the Jebusite."


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Ornan looked and saw David coming. So he went out from the grainfloor and put his face to the ground showing respect to David.


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David said to him, "Give me this part of the grain-floor, that I may build an altar on it to the Lord. Give it to me for the full price. Then the disease will be turned away from the people."


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Ornan said to David, "Take it. Let my lord the king do what is good in his eyes. See, I will give the bulls for burnt gifts. I will give the objects made of wood used for beating grain for the fire-wood. And I will give the grain for the grain gift. I will give it all."


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But King David said to Ornan, "No, I will buy it for the full price. I will not take what is yours for the Lord. And I will not give a burnt gift for which I do not pay."


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Then David built an altar there to the Lord. He gave burnt gifts and peace gifts, and he called to the Lord. The Lord answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt gifts.


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When David saw that the Lord had answered him on the grain-floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he gave his gifts there.


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The meeting tent which Moses had made in the desert was in the high place at Gibeon then. The altar of burnt gifts was there also.


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But David could not go in front of it to pray to God. For he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord.


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Then David said, "This is the house of the Lord God. And this is the altar of burnt gifts for Israel."


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David told his men to gather the strangers who were in the land of Israel. And he had servants cut stones to build the house of God.


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He gave large amounts of iron to be used for making nails for the doors of the gates, and for making the parts that hold it all together. He gave more brass than could be weighed.


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And he gave too many cedar trees to number. For the Sidonians and Tyrians brought many cut cedar trees to David.


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David said, "My son Solomon is young and does not yet have much learning. And the house that is to be built for the Lord must be very beautiful. It must be very great, and well-known in all lands. So I will get things ready for it to be built." David made many things ready for it before his death.


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Then he called for his son Solomon, and gave him the work of building a house for the Lord God of Israel.


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But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 'You have taken much blood, and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house to My name, because you have poured so much blood upon the earth before Me.


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See, a son will be born to you, who will be a man of peace. I will give him peace from all those who hate him on every side. His name will be Solomon. And I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days.


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He will build a house for My name. He will be My son, and I will be his father. I will make his throne in Israel last forever.'


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Now, my son, may the Lord be with you and help you to do well. May you build the house of the Lord your God just as He has said you would.


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Only, may the Lord give you wisdom and understanding. When He has you rule over Israel, may you keep the Law of the Lord your God.


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Then you will do well, if you are careful to obey the Laws which the Lord gave to Israel by Moses. Be strong and have strength of heart. Do not be afraid or troubled.


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With much trouble I have made things ready for the house of the Lord. There is gold weighing as much as 100,000 men. There is silver weighing as much as 1,000,000 men. And there is too much brass and iron to weigh. I have made wood and stone ready, and you may add to them.


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You have many servants and workmen who cut and build with stones and wood. There are men who are able to do every kind of work well.


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Of the gold and silver and brass and iron, there is more than enough. So get ready and work, and may the Lord be with you."


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"Is not the Lord your God with you? Has He not given you peace on every side? For He has given the people of the land into my hand. The land is put under my rule before the Lord and His people.


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Now set your heart and soul to look to the Lord your God. Get ready and build the holy place of the Lord God. Then you may bring the special box with the Law of the Lord. You may bring the holy objects of God. And put them into the house that is to be built for the name of the Lord."


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Of these, 24,000 were to watch over the work of the Lord's house. There were 6,000 who were leaders and men who were to judge.


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There were 4,000 gate-keepers. And 4,000 were praising the Lord with the things for playing music that David had made.


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The three sons of Shimei were Shelemoth, Haziel and Haran. These were the heads of the fathers' houses of Ladan.


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Jahath was the first, and Zizah the second. But Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they were numbered together as one father's house.


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The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart for holy work, he and his sons forever. They were to burn special perfume before the Lord, and do His work. And they were to pray for good to come to the people in the Lord's name forever.


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The sons of Hebron were Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jehaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.


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These were the sons of Levi by their fathers' houses. They were the heads of the fathers' houses of those whose names were numbered from twenty years old and older. They were to do the work of the Lord's house.


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For David said, "The Lord God of Israel has given peace to his people. And He lives in Jerusalem forever.


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He said, "Their duties are to help Aaron's sons with the work of the Lord's house, in the open spaces and in the rooms. They are to make clean all the holy things, and do any work needed to be done in the house of God.


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They are to take care of the holy bread, the fine flour for a grain gift, and the bread without yeast. They are to take care of what is baked, and what is well mixed, of all the right amounts.


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And they are to give all the burnt gifts to the Lord on the Days of Rest, the new moons, and the special days. They are to do this before the Lord all the time, by the number set by the Law.


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In this way they are to take care of the meeting tent, the holy place, and help their brothers the sons of Aaron, for the work of the Lord's house.


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These were the family groups of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.


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Nadab and Abihu died before their father died. They had no sons, so Eleazar and Ithamar became the religious leaders.


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With the help of Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, David divided them by their given duties.


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More leaders were found from the sons of Eleazar than the sons of Ithamar. So they were divided in this way. There were sixteen heads of families of the sons of Eleazar. And there were eight heads of families of the sons of Ithamar.


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They were divided by drawing names, all alike. For there were leaders of the holy place and leaders of God, from both the sons of Eleazar and Ithamar.


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The writer Shemaiah, the Levite son of Nethanel, wrote down their names. He wrote them in front of the king, the princes, Zadok the religious leader, Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the heads of the families of the religious leaders and of the Levites. One family was taken for Eleazar, and one for Ithamar.


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This was the way they were to come on duty to work in the Lord's house. It was a rule given to them through their father Aaron, just as the Lord God of Israel had told him.


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Of the sons of Hebron, there were Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.


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


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The head of each family and his younger brother drew names just as their brothers the sons of Aaron did. They drew them in front of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the families of the religious leaders and of the Levites.


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David and the captains of the army set apart for the work some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman and of Jeduthun. They were to speak God's Word while harps and timbrels were playing. These are the names of those who served in this way.


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The sons of Asaph were: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah and Asharelah. They were led by Asaph, who spoke for God under the leading of the king.


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The six sons of Jeduthun were: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah and Mattithiah. They were led by their father Jeduthun, who spoke God's Word using the harp, giving thanks and praising the Lord.


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The sons of Heman were: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamtiezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir and Mahazioth.


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All these were the sons of Heman the king's man of God, to honor him by the Words of God. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.


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All of them were led by their father to sing in the Lord's house. They sang and played timbrels and harps, serving in the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were led by the king.


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The number of those and their brothers who were taught to sing to the Lord, all who were very good singers, was 288.


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They drew names for their work, the young and old alike, also the teacher and the one who was taught.


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These are how the names were drawn. First was Joseph the son of Asaph. The second was Gedaliah. Together with his brothers and sons, there were twelve.


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The gate-keepers were divided up. Of the Korahites there was Meshelemiah the son of Kore, a son of Asaph.


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Meshelemiah's sons were Zechariah the first-born, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth.


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Obed-edom's sons were Shemaiah the first-born, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sacar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth.


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Ammiel was his sixth son, Issachar the seventh, and Peullethai the eighth. God had brought good to the father.


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To his son Shemaiah sons were born who ruled over their father's house. They were strong, able men with strength of heart.


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The sons of Shemaiah were Othni, Rephael, Obed and Elzabad. Their brothers, Elihu and Semachiah, were strong and able men.


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All these were sons of Obed-edom. They and their sons and brothers were able men with strength for the work. There were sixty-two men from Obed-edom.


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These are the sons of Hosah, one of Merari's sons: Shimri was the first. <n>(He was not the first-born, but his father made him first.)</n>


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Hilkiah was his second, Tebaliah the third, and Zechariah the fourth. Hosah had thirteen sons and brothers in all.


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These leaders of the families who were set apart as gate-keepers were given duties like their brothers to work in the Lord's house.


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Shelemiah's name was drawn for the east gate. Then they drew the name of his son Zechariah for the north gate. Zechariah used much wisdom talking with people.


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Shuppim and Hosah's names were drawn for the west gate beside the gate of Shallecheth, on the road that goes up a hill. Each one was given his duty to watch.


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There were six Levites on the east. There were four each day on the north. There were four each day on the south. There were two at one time at the store-house.


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There were four at the road. And there were two at the place between the west wall of the Lord's house and the wall of the open space.


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Their brothers the Levites watched over the riches of the house of God and the riches of the holy gifts.


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His brothers by Eliezer were Rehabiah his son, Jeshaiah his son, Joram his son, Zichri his son, and Shelomoth his son.


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Shelomoth and his brothers watched over all the riches of the holy gifts. These gifts had been set apart by King David and the heads of the fathers' houses, the captains of thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the army.


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Samuel the man of God had set apart gifts. So had Saul the son of Kish, Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, and everyone who had set apart anything. All these holy gifts were in the care of Shelomoth and his brothers.


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Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were given outside duties for Israel. They were leaders and men who decide who is guilty or not.


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Of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brothers were leaders of Israel west of the Jordan. They were 1,700 able men who did all the work of the Lord and the work of the king.


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Of the Hebronites, Jerijah was the leader of the Hebronites by their families and fathers' houses. Very able men were found among them at Jazer in Gilead in the fortieth year of David's rule.


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Jerijah and his brothers were 2,700 able men, heads of fathers' houses. King David chose them to take care of all the duties of God and of the king, among the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-family group of the Manassites.


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These were the sons of Israel, the heads of fathers' houses. They were the leaders of thousands and of hundreds. These were the captains who worked for the king in anything to do with the armies which came in and went out every month of the year. There were 24,000 men in each army.


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Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel was the leader of the first army for the first month. There were 24,000 in his army.


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Dodai the Ahohite was the leader of the army for the second month. Mikloth was the head captain. There were 24,000 in his army.


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The third leader of the army for the third month was Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada the religious leader. There were 24,000 in his army.


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This is the Benaiah who was the strong man of the thirty, and leader of the thirty. Ammizabad his son was captain of his army.


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The fourth leader for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him. There were 24,000 in his army.


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The seventh for the seventh month was Helez the Pelonite of the sons of Ephraim. There were 24,000 in his army.


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The eighth for the eighth month was Sibbecai the Hushathite of the Zerahites. There were 24,000 in his army.


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The ninth for the ninth month was Abiezer the Anathothite of the Benjamites. There were 24,000 in his army.


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The tenth for the tenth month was Maharai the Netophathite of the Zerahites. There were 24,000 in his army.


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The eleventh for the eleventh month was Benaiah the Pirathonite of the sons of Ephraim. There were 24,000 in his army.


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The twelfth for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite of Othniel. There were 24,000 in his army.


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The leaders of the family groups of Israel were: Eliezer the son of Zichri was the head captain of the Reubenites; Shephatiah the son of Maacah led the Simeonites.


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Elihu, one of David's brothers, led the sons of Judah; Omri the son of Michael led the sons of Issachar;


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Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah led the sons of Zebulun; Jeremoth the son of Azriel led the sons of Naphtali;


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Hoshea the son of Azaziah led the sons of Ephraim; Joel the son of Pedaiah led the half-family group of Manasseh;


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Iddo the son of Zechariah led the half-family group of Manasseh in Gilead; Jaasiel the son of Abner led the sons of Benjamin;


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And Azarel the son of Jeroham led the sons of Dan. These were the leaders of the families of Israel.


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But David did not number those younger than twenty years old because the Lord had promised to make Israel many, as the stars of heaven.


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Joab the son of Zeruiah had begun to number them, but did not finish. Anger came upon Israel because of this. So the number was not put into the book of the chronicles of King David.


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Azmaveth the son of Adiel was over the king's store-houses. Jonathan the son of Uzziah was over the storehouses in the country, in the cities, in the towns, and in the towers.


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Shimei the Ramathite was over the grape-fields. Zabdi the Shiphmite was over the fruit of the grape-fields for the wine.


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Baalhanan the Gederite was over the olive and sycamore trees in the plains. Joash was captain of the stores of oil.


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Shitrai the Sharonite was over the cattle which were eating in the fields of Sharon. Shaphat the son of Adlai was over the cattle in the valleys.


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Jonathan, the brother of David's father, used much wisdom talking with people. And he was a writer. Jehiel the son of Hachmoni taught the king's sons.


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Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abaiathar, talked with the king after Ahithophel. And Joab was the captain of the king's army.


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David gathered together all the leaders of Israel. There were leaders of the family groups, and leaders of the armies that served the king. There were captains of thousands, and of hundreds. There were leaders who cared for all the things and animals belonging to the king and his sons. There were the leaders and all the powerful soldiers.


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Then King David stood up and said, "Listen to me, my brothers and my people. I had wanted to build a house of rest for the special box with the Law of the Lord, a place for God to rest His feet, so I had made plans to build it.


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But God said to me, 'You must not build a house for My name, because you are a man of war and blood.'


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But the Lord, the God of Israel, chose me from all the house of my father to be the king of Israel forever. For He has chosen Judah to be a leader. And in the house of Judah, my father's house, and among my father's sons, He was pleased to make me king of all Israel.


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The Lord has given me many sons. And of all my sons, He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the nation of the Lord over Israel.


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He said to me, 'Your son Solomon is the one who will build My house and My open spaces. For I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his father.


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So now I say to you in front of all these people of Israel, and in the hearing of our God: Be careful to do all the Law of the Lord your God. If you obey you will receive the good land and also leave it to your children after you forever.


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"As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father. Serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord looks into all hearts, and understands every plan and thought. If you look to Him, He will let you find Him. But if you turn away from Him, He will turn away from you forever.


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Then David gave his son Solomon the plan of the porch of the Lord's house, its buildings, and its store-houses. He gave him the plan of the rooms on its second floor, its inside rooms, and the room for the mercy-seat.


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He gave him the plan of all he had in mind. It showed the open spaces of the Lord's house, and all the rooms around them. It showed the store-houses of the house of God, and the store-houses of the holy things.


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He gave him the plan for the way the religious leaders and the Levites were to be divided up for all the work of the Lord's house. He told how all the objects were to be used in worship in the Lord's house.


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David gave the weight of all the gold objects to be used in each part of worship. He gave the weight for all the silver objects to be used in each part of the worship.


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The plan gave the weight of gold for the gold lamp-stands and gold lamps. It gave the weight of each lamp-stand and its lamps. It gave the weight of silver for the silver lampstands. It gave the weight of each lamp-stand and its lamps, by the use of each lamp-stand.


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It gave the weight of the meat-hooks, the pots and the cups of pure gold. It gave the weight for each of the gold and silver pots.


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It gave the weight of the fine gold of the altar of special perfume, and of the gold wagon and of the cherubim that spread out their wings and covered the special box with the Law of the Lord.


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Then David said to his son Solomon, "Be strong. Have strength of heart, and do it. Do not be afraid or troubled, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not stop helping you. He will not leave you until all the work of the house of the Lord is finished.


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See, the religious leaders and the Levites are divided up to do all the work of the house of God. Every willing man who is able to do a special work will help you in all that is to be done. The leaders and all the people will do what you say."


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They made David's son Solomon king a second time. They poured oil on him to set him apart as ruler for the Lord. And they set Zadok apart as religious leader.


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I have given all that I have been able to give for the house of my God. I have given the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, and the brass for the things of brass. I have given the iron for the things of iron, and the wood for the things of wood. I have given stones of much worth, stones for setting, silver-white stones, and stones of different colors. I have given all kinds of stones of much worth, and many smooth, special white stones.


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The house of my God means much to me. I have much gold and silver and I give it to the house of my God, together with all I have already given for the holy house.


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I gave gold weighing as much as 3,000 men, of the gold of Ophir. I gave fine silver weighing as much as 7,000 men, to cover the walls of the house.


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I gave gold for the things of gold, and silver for the things of silver for all the work done by the able men. Now who is willing to give himself and be set apart today to the Lord?"


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Then the rulers of the families gave because they wanted to. The leaders of the family groups of Israel, the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and those who watched over the king's work gave because they wanted to.


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For the work of the house of God, they gave gold weighing as much as 5,000 men, and 10,000 gold pieces. They gave silver weighing as much as 10,000 men. They gave brass weighing as much as 18,000 men, and iron weighing as much as 100,000 men.


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And whoever had stones of much worth gave them to the store-house of the house of the Lord, in the care of Jehiel the Gershonite.


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Then the people were filled with joy because they had been so willing to give. They gave their gift to the Lord with a whole heart. And King David was filled with great joy.


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So David praised the Lord in front of all the people. He said, "Honor and thanks be to You, O Lord God of Israel our father, forever and ever.


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O Lord, You have great power, shining-greatness and strength. Yes, everything in heaven and on earth belongs to You. You are the King, O Lord. And You are honored as head over all.


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Both riches and honor come from You. You rule over all. Power and strength are in Your hand. The power is in Your hand to make great and to give strength to all.


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"But who am I and who are my people, that we should be able to give so much? For all things come from You. We have given You only what already belongs to You.


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We are strangers before You. We are just staying here for a time, as all our fathers did. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and without hope.


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O Lord our God, from Your hand are all these many things that we have given to build You a house for Your holy name. It all belongs to You.


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O my God, I know that You test the heart and are pleased with what is right. I have given these things because I have wanted to with a clean heart. And now I have seen with joy how Your people who are here give gifts to You because they want to.


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O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the thoughts of the hearts of Your people. Lead their hearts to You.


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Give my son Solomon a perfect heart to keep Your Words and Your Laws and to obey them all. And so let him build the beautiful house I have planned and given for."


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Then David said to all the people, "Now praise the Lord your God." And all the people gave praise to the Lord, the God of their fathers. They bowed low to the ground before the Lord and the king.


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Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king instead of his father David. Everything went well for him, and all Israel obeyed him.


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All the leaders and the powerful men and all the sons of King David promised to be faithful to King Solomon.


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The Lord brought much honor to Solomon in the eyes of all Israel. He gave him greater power than any king before him in Israel.


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And he ruled over Israel for forty years. He ruled in Hebron seven years, and in Jerusalem thirty-three years.


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Then he died as an old man. He had lived many years, had many riches and much honor. And his son Solomon ruled in his place.


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The acts of King David, from first to last, are written in the books of Samuel, Nathan, and Gad, the men of God.


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They tell of all his rule, his power, and of the things which happened to him, to Israel, and to all the nations of the lands.


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Solomon the son of David became a strong king. The Lord his God was with him, and gave him much honor.


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Solomon spoke to all Israel. He spoke to the leaders of thousands and of hundreds. He spoke to the men who judge and to every leader in all Israel, the heads of fathers' houses.


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Then Solomon and all the people with him went to a place of worship at Gibeon where God's meeting tent was. It was the tent which Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the desert.


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<n>(But David had brought up the special box of God from Kiriath-jearim to the place he had made ready for it. For he had set up a tent for it in Jerusalem.)</n>


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Now the brass altar was there in front of the meeting tent of the Lord. It was the altar which was made by Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur. Solomon and the people worshiped the Lord there.


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Solomon went before the Lord to the brass altar at the meeting tent. And he gave a thousand burnt gifts on it.


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That night God showed Himself to Solomon and said to him, "Ask me for anything and I will give it to you."


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Solomon said to God, "You have acted toward my father David with great loving-kindness. And You have made me king in his place.


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Now, O Lord God, Your promise to my father David has come true. For You have made me king over as many people as the dust of the earth.


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Now give me wisdom and much understanding, that I may lead these people. For who can rule this great nation of Yours?"


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God said to Solomon, "You have not asked for riches, much money, or honor, or the life of those who hate you. And you have not asked for a long life for yourself. But you have asked for wisdom and much understanding, that you may rule My people over whom I have made you king. Because this was in your heart,


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wisdom and much understanding have been given to you. And I will give you riches and much money and honor. You will have more than all the kings who were before you, and more than all who will come after you."


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So Solomon went from the place of worship at Gibeon, from the meeting tent to Jerusalem. There he ruled over Israel.


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Solomon gathered together warwagons and horsemen. He had 1,400 war-wagons and 12,000 horsemen. And he kept some of them in the war-wagon cities, and some with him in Jerusalem.


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The king made silver and gold as easy to find in Jerusalem as stones. He made cedar trees as easy to find as sycamore trees in the valley.


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Solomon's horses were brought in from Egypt and Kue. The men who traded for the king received them from Kue for a special price.


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They paid 600 pieces of silver for each war-wagon brought in from Egypt and 150 pieces of silver for each horse. They also sold them to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.


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So he picked 70,000 men to carry loads, 80,000 men to cut stones in the mountains, and 3,600 men to watch over these men.


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Then Solomon sent word to King Huram of Tyre, saying, "You sent my father David cedar trees to build him a house to live in. Do the same for me.


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See, I am about to build a house for the name of the Lord my God. I will set it apart for Him. There special perfume will be burned before Him. The holy bread will be there all the time. Burnt gifts will be given morning and evening, on Days of Rest, on new moons, and during the special suppers of the Lord our God. This is to be done forever in Israel.


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But who is able to build a house for Him? For the heavens and the highest heavens are not big enough to hold Him. So who am I, that I should build a house for Him, except as a place to burn special perfume before Him?


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Now send me an able man to work with gold, silver, brass, iron, and purple, red and blue cloth who knows how to cut all kinds of pictures. He will work with the able men I have in Judah and Jerusalem, whom my father David gave me.


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Send me cedar, cypress and algum trees from Lebanon. I know you have able men who know how to do this work. My servants will work with your servants


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I will give to your servants who cut trees, 200,000 baskets of crushed grain, 200,000 baskets of barley, 200,000 bottles of wine, and 200,000 bottles of oil."


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Then King Huram of Tyre answered by letter to Solomon, "The Lord has made you king over His people because He loves them."


text:
Then Huram said, "Honor and thanks be to the Lord, the God of Israel. He has made heaven and earth. And He has given King David a wise son. Wisdom and understanding have been given to David's son who will build a house for the Lord and a king's house for himself.


text:
He is the son of a Danite woman and a Tyrian father. He knows how to work with gold, silver, brass, iron, stone and wood and with purple, blue, and red cloth. He knows how to cut all kinds of pictures, any kind given him to do. He is to work with your able men, and with those of my lord David your father.


text:
We will cut whatever trees you need in Lebanon, and bring them to you by ship to Joppa. Then you may carry them up to Jerusalem."


text:
Solomon numbered all those in Israel who were from other lands, using the number of them which his father David had taken. And 153,600 were found.


text:
He picked 70,000 of them to carry loads, 80,000 to cut stones in the mountains, and 3,600 men to see that the people did their work.


text:
Then Solomon began to build the Lord's house in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah. It was there that the Lord had shown Himself to his father David. It was the place that David had chosen, on the grain-floor of Ornan the Jebusite.


text:
He laid the base for building the house of God. It was thirty long steps, using the old way to find the length. And it was ten long steps wide.


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The porch in front of the house was as long as the house was wide, ten long steps. It was thirtythree times taller than a man. And he covered the inside with pure gold.


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He covered the large room with cypress wood, and covered that with fine gold. Then he made palm trees and chains on it.


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He covered the house with gold. He covered its cross-pieces, its door-ways, its walls, and its doors. And he cut pictures of cherubim on the walls.


text:
He made the most holy place. It was as long as the house was wide, ten long steps. And it was as wide as ten long steps. He covered it with fine gold weighing as much as 600 men.


text:
The nails weighed as much as fifty pieces of gold. He covered the rooms on the second floor with gold also.


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The wings of the cherubim spread as far as ten long steps. The wing of one was as long as three steps, and touched the wall of the house. Its other wing was as long as three steps, and touched the wing of the other cherub.


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The wing of the other cherub was as long as three steps, and touched the wall of the house. Its other wing was as long as three steps, and was joined to the wing of the first cherub.


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The wings of these cherubim spread as far as ten long steps. And they stood on their feet with their faces toward the holy place.


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He made two pillars in front of the house that were ten times taller than a man. The top piece of each one was as tall as a man can raise his hand.


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For the inside holy place he made chains, and put them on the tops of the pillars. Then he made 100 pomegranates and put them on the chains.


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He put up the pillars in front of the house of God. One was on the right and the other was on the left. He named the one on the right Jachin, and the one on the left Boaz.


text:
Then he made a brass altar. It was ten steps long, and ten steps wide, and three times taller than a man.


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He melted brass and made a pool. It was round, and five long steps from one side to the other. It was as tall as a man can raise his hand. And it took fifteen steps to walk around it.


text:
There were objects that looked like oxen under the pool and all around it, <n>(ten long steps around it)</n>. The oxen were in two rows, and were made of one piece.


text:
The pool was put on the twelve oxen. Three had their faces toward the north, three toward the west, three toward the south, and three toward the east. The pool was put on top of them. All their tails were toward the center.


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The brass of the pool was as thick as a hand is wide. Its round top was made like the top of a cup, like a lily flower. It could hold 22,000 bottles of water.


text:
He made ten pots in which to wash. He put five on the right side and five on the left side. They were to wash what was used for the burnt gifts. But the pool was for the religious leaders to wash in.


text:
Then he made ten gold lampstands, as was shown in the plan. He put them in the house of God, five on the right side and five on the left.


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He made ten tables and put them in the house of God. Five were on the right side and five on the left. And he made 100 deep dishes out of gold.


text:
Then he made the open space of the religious leaders, the large open space, and the doors for the open space. And he covered their doors with brass.


text:
Then Huram made the pails, the tools for digging, and the pots. So Huram finished the work of God's house that he did for King Solomon.


text:
He finished making the two pillars, the pots, and the two pieces on top of the pillars. He finished the two networks to cover the two pots of the pieces on top of the pillars.


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He finished the 400 pomegranates for the two networks. There were two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two pots of the pieces on top of the pillars.


text:
Huramabi made the pails, the tools for digging, the meat-hooks, and all their objects. He made them of shining brass for King Solomon for the house of the Lord.


text:
Solomon made all the things that were in the house of God. He made the gold altar, and the tables for the holy bread.


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He made the lampstands with their lamps of pure gold, to burn in front of the most holy place in the way given.


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He made the things to put out the lamps, the pots and the fire-holders of pure gold. And he made the front of the house, its inside doors for the most holy place, and the doors of the holy place, all of gold.


text:
So all the work that Solomon did for the Lord's house was finished. He brought in the things that his father David had set apart, the silver and the gold and all the objects. He put them in the storerooms of the house of God.


text:
Then Solomon gathered to Jerusalem the leaders of Israel, and all the heads of the families, the leaders of the fathers' houses of the sons of Israel. He called them together to bring up the special box with the Law of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion.


text:
All the men of Israel gathered together in front of the king at the special supper in the seventh month.


text:
They brought up the special box of God, the meeting tent, and all the holy objects that were in the tent. The religious leaders and the Levites brought them up.


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Then King Solomon and all the people of Israel who were with him were in front of the special box of God. There they gave on the altar in worship so many sheep and oxen that they could not be numbered.


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The religious leaders brought the special box of the Lord to its place. They brought it into the most holy place in the house, under the wings of the cherubim.


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The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the special box of God. They made a covering over the special box and its long pieces of wood used for carrying.


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The pieces of wood for the special box of God were so long that their ends could be seen in front of the holy place. But they could not be seen outside. They are there to this day.


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There was nothing in the special box of God except the two stone writings which Moses put there at Horeb. It was there that the Lord made an agreement with the people of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.


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Then the religious leaders came out of the holy place. All the religious leaders who were there had set themselves apart, without thinking of how they were divided.


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All the Levite singers, Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and brothers, were dressed in fine linen. They stood east of the altar, with timbrels and different kinds of harps. With them were 120 religious leaders sounding horns.


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Those who sounded the horns and the singers made themselves heard as with one voice, praising and thanking the Lord. They sang in a loud voice, with horns, and timbrels, and other objects for making music. They praised the Lord, saying, "He is good. For His loving-kindness lasts forever." Then the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud.


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The religious leaders could not stand to do their work because of the cloud. For the shining-greatness of the Lord filled the house of God.


text:
Solomon said, "Honor and thanks be to the Lord, the God of Israel. He spoke with His mouth to my father David. And He has kept His promises with His hands, saying,


text:
`Since the day that I brought My people from the land of Egypt, I chose no city among all the families of Israel in which to build a house for My name. I did not choose any man to be a leader over My people Israel.


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But I have chosen Jerusalem that My name might be there. And I have chosen David to rule My people Israel.'


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But the Lord said to my father David, `Because it was in your heart to build a house for My name, you did well that it was in your heart.


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Now the Lord has kept His promise which He made. For I have taken the place of my father David and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised. And I have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.


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Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord, in front of all the people of Israel, and spread out his hands.


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Solomon had made a special place to stand, out of brass. It was as long and as wide as three steps, and as high as a man's chest. And he had put it in the center of the open space. He stood on it, then got down on his knees in front of all the people of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven.


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He said, "O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven or on earth. You keep Your promises and show loving-kindness to Your servants who walk with You with all their hearts.


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You have kept Your promises to Your servant David my father. Yes, You have spoken with Your mouth, and have done all You said You would do, as it is today.


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So now, O Lord, God of Israel, keep Your promise which You made to Your servant David my father, saying, `You will never be without a man to sit on the throne of Israel. But your sons must be careful to walk in My Law, as you have done.'


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So now, O Lord, God of Israel, let Your Word be made sure which You have spoken to Your servant David.


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"But is it true that God will live with man on the earth? See, heaven and the highest heaven cannot hold You. How much less can this house hold You which I have built!


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But respect the prayer of Your servant and what he asks of You, O Lord my God. Listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays to You.


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May Your eyes be open day and night toward this house, the place where You have promised to put Your name. Listen to the prayer which Your servant prays toward this place.


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Listen to what Your servant and Your people Israel ask for when they pray toward this place. Hear from the place where You live, from heaven. Hear and forgive.


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"If a man sins against his neighbor, and has to make a promise, and he comes and makes a promise before Your altar in this house,


text:
then hear from heaven, and act. Judge Your servants. Punish the sinful by bringing his actions on his own head. And make it known that the one who is right and good is not guilty. Bring good to him because he is right and good.


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"If Your people Israel lose a battle against those who hate them, because they have sinned against You, and they return to You and tell of Your name, and pray and ask of You in this house,


text:
then listen to them from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel. Bring them back to the land You have given to them and to their fathers.


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"When the heavens are shut up and give no rain because the people have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and tell of Your name, and turn from their sin when You bring trouble to them,


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then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants and Your people Israel. Teach them the good way in which they should walk. And send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people.


text:
"If there is a time of no food in the land, and if there is a disease that kills the plants, or if there are locusts or grasshoppers, if those who hate Your people send armies to trap them in their cities, whatever trouble or sickness there is,


text:
hear the prayer made by any man or by all Your people Israel. Each one will know his own trouble and his own pain. And when he spreads his hands toward this house,


text:
then hear from heaven where You live, and forgive. Give to each man what he should have. For You, and only You, know the hearts of men.


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May they fear You and walk in Your ways as long as they live in the land You have given to our fathers.


text:
"If a stranger who is not from Your people Israel comes from a far country because of Your great name, Your powerful hand, and Your strong arm, when he comes and prays toward this house,


text:
hear from heaven where You live. Do all that the stranger asks of You. Then all the people of the earth may know Your name and honor You with fear, as Your people Israel do. And then they may know that this house I have built is called by Your name.


text:
"When Your people go out to battle against those who hate them, by whatever way You send them, and they pray to You toward this city which You have chosen and the house I have built for Your name,


text:
"When they sin against You, <n>(for there is no man who does not sin)</n>, and You are angry with them and give them to those who hate them, they will be carried away against their will to a land far away or near.


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If they think about it in the land where they have been taken, and are sorry for their sins and turn away from them and pray to You in the land where they have been taken, saying, `We have sinned. We have been bad and have done wrong.'


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If they come back to You with all their heart and soul in the land where they have been taken and pray toward their land which You gave to their fathers and toward the city You have chosen and toward the house I have built for Your name,


text:
then hear from heaven where You live. Hear their prayer and what they ask for, and help them. Forgive Your people who have sinned against You.


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"Now, O my God, I ask You, let Your eyes be open and let Your ears listen to the prayer given in this place.


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Now rise up, O Lord God. Go to Your resting place, You and the special box of Your power. O Lord God, let Your religious leaders be dressed in saving power. Let those who belong to You be filled with joy in what is good.


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O Lord God, do not turn away the face of Your chosen one. Remember Your loving-kindness to Your servant David."


text:
When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and burned up the burnt gift and gifts of worship. And the shining-greatness of the Lord filled the house.


text:
The religious leaders could not go into the house of the Lord because it was filled with the Lord's shining-greatness.


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All the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the shining-greatness of the Lord upon the house. So they bowed their faces to the ground and worshiped. They gave thanks to the Lord, saying, "He is good. For His loving-kindness lasts forever."


text:
King Solomon gave a gift of 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people set apart the house of God.


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The religious leaders stood in their places while the Levites were praising the Lord using objects King David had made. They were playing, "For His loving-kindness lasts forever." As the religious leaders blew horns on the other side, all Israel stood.


text:
Then Solomon set apart the center of the open space in front of the Lord's house. There he gave the burnt gifts and the fat of the peace gifts. The brass altar Solomon had made could not hold the burnt gift, the grain gift and the fat.


text:
At that time Solomon gave the special supper for seven days, and all Israel with him. Many people were there. They had come from the gate of Hamath to the river of Egypt.


text:
On the eighth day they gathered together for a special time. For seven days they had to set apart the altar, and for seven days they had the special supper.


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On the twenty-third day of the seventh month Solomon sent the people to their tents. They were full of joy and happy in their heart for the good that the Lord had shown to David and Solomon and His people Israel.


text:
Solomon finished the house of the Lord and the king's house. All that Solomon had planned to do in the Lord's house and in his own house was well done.


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Then the Lord came to Solomon during the night and said to him, "I have heard your prayer. And I have chosen this place for Myself as a house of gifts given in worship.


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If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, and if I tell the locust to destroy the land, or send disease upon My people,


text:
if My people who are called by My name put away their pride and pray, and look for My face, and turn from their sinful ways, then I will hear from heaven. I will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.


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For I have chosen this house and have made it holy, that My name may be there forever. My eyes and My heart will always be there.


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As for you, if you walk in My ways as your father David walked and do all that I have told you to do and keep My Laws,


text:
then I will make your throne to last as I promised your father David. I said, `You will never be without a man to rule Israel.'


text:
"But if you turn away and leave My Laws and My Word which I have given you, if you go and serve other gods and worship them,


text:
then I will take you from the land I have given you. And I will turn My eyes away from this house which I have set apart for My name. I will make it so all people speak of it in shame.


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Everyone will look with wonder at this house that was once honored. They will say, `Why has the Lord done this to this land and to this house?'


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Then they will say, `It is because they turned away from the Lord, the God of their fathers, Who brought them out of the land of Egypt. They have taken other gods, and worshiped them and served them. So the Lord has brought all this trouble on them.' "


text:
It took Solomon twenty years to build the house of the Lord and his own house. At the end of that time,


text:
he built again the cities which Huram had given to him. And he had the people of Israel live in them.


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He built upper Beth-horon and lower Beth-horon. He made the city strong with walls, gates, and long pieces of iron.


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Solomon built Baalath and all the store-cities he had. He built all the cities for his war-wagons, and the cities for his horsemen. He built whatever he wanted to build in Jerusalem, Lebanon, and in all the land under his rule.


text:
There were people who were left of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of Israel.


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They were the children of those who were left in the land, whom the people of Israel had not destroyed. Solomon made all of these people do hard work, as they do to this day.


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But he did not make the people of Israel do hard work. They were soldiers, leaders, captains of war-wagons, and his horsemen.


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Then Solomon brought Pharaoh's daughter up from the city of David to the house he had built for her. For he said, "My wife should not live in the house of David king of Israel. Because the places are holy where the special box of the Lord has come."


text:
Then Solomon gave burnt gifts to the Lord on the Lord's altar which he had built in front of the porch.


text:
He gave a certain number of gifts every day, as Moses had said should be given. Gifts were given for the Days of Rest, the new moons, and the three special suppers each year. These special suppers were the Special Supper of Bread Without Yeast, the Special Supper of Weeks, and the Special Supper of Tents.


text:
By the law of David his father, Solomon chose the religious leaders for their different duties. He chose the Levites for their duties of praise and helping the religious leaders for each day's needs. And he chose who should be the gate-keepers at each gate. For David the man of God had said that this must be done.


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They did all that the king had said the religious leaders and Levites must do in every duty and with the store-houses.


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So all the work of Solomon was done, from the day the house of the Lord was begun until it was finished. So the house of the Lord was built.


text:
Huram sent his servants to him with ships and servants who knew the sea. They went to Ophir together with Solomon's servants to get gold. And they brought gold weighing as much as 450 men from there to King Solomon.


text:
The queen of Sheba heard how well Solomon was known in all the lands. So she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. She came with many servants and camels carrying spices and much gold and stones of much worth. When she came to Solomon, she talked with him about all that was on her heart.


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And Solomon answered all her questions. There was nothing hidden from him which he could not make clear to her.


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She saw the food at his table, and all his captains sitting there. She saw all those who were bringing in the food, and how they were dressed. She saw those who carried the cups, and their clothing. And she saw the burnt gifts that Solomon gave at the house of the Lord. After that, there was no more spirit in her.


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She said to the king, "The news was true which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom.


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But I did not believe the news until I came and saw it with my own eyes. See, half the greatness of your wisdom was not told to me. You are greater than what I had heard.


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Happy are your men! Happy are your servants who stand in front of you all the time hearing your wisdom!


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Praise be to the Lord your God Who was pleased with you! He set you on His throne as king for the Lord your God. Your God loved Israel and would have them last forever. So He made you king over them to do what is fair and right and good."


text:
Then she gave the king gold weighing as much as 120 men, a very large amount of spices, and stones of much worth. There had never been spices like what the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.


text:
Huram's servants and Solomon's servants brought gold from Ophir. They also brought algum trees and stones of much worth.


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The king used the algum wood to make steps for the house of the Lord and for the king's house. And he used it to make different kinds of harps for the singers. There were none seen like them before in the land of Judah.


text:
King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she asked for, much more than she had brought to him. Then she returned to her own land with her servants.


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Traders and men who buy and sell brought gold also. And all the kings of Arabia and the leaders of the land brought gold and silver to Solomon.


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King Solomon made 200 battle-coverings of beaten gold. The beaten gold he used to make each large covering was as much as 600 gold pieces.


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And he made 300 battle-coverings of beaten gold, using as much as 300 gold pieces worth of gold for each covering. The king put them in the House of the Trees of Lebanon.


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There were six steps to the throne, and a part made of gold for his feet was joined to the throne. The throne had arms on each side, and two lions standing beside the arms.


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Twelve lions were standing on each side of the six steps. Nothing like it had ever been made for the king of any other nation.


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All King Solomon's cups were made of gold. And all the cups of the House of the Trees of Lebanon were made of pure gold. Silver was not thought of as having much worth in the days of Solomon.


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For the king had ships which went to Tarshish with Huram's servants. Once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.


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And all the kings of the earth wanted to be with Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put into his heart.


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Every one of them brought his gift. Objects of silver and gold, clothing, objects for battle, spices, horses and donkeys, were brought each year.


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Solomon had 4,000 rooms for horses and war-wagons, and 12,000 horsemen. He put them in the warwagon cities and with the king in Jerusalem.


text:
He was the ruler over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, and as far as the land of Egypt.


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And the king made silver as easy to find as stones in Jerusalem. He made cedar trees as easy to find as sycamore trees in the valley.


text:
Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, from first to last, are written in the words of Nathan the man of God. They are written in the holy words of Ahijah the Shilonite. And they are written in the special dreams of Iddo, the man who tells what will happen in the future, about Jeroboam the son of Nebat.


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When he died he was buried in the city of his father David. And his son Rehoboam ruled in his place.


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When Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard about it, he returned from Egypt. For Jeroboam had run to Egypt to get away from King Solomon.


text:
"Your father gave us a heavy load to carry. So now make our work easier than your father made us work. Do not let our load be as heavy as the one he put on us. And we will work for you."


text:
Then King Rehoboam spoke with the leaders who had served his father Solomon while he was still alive. He said, "Tell me, how do you think I should answer these people?"


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They said to him, "If you will be kind to these people and please them and speak good words to them, they will be your servants forever."


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But Rehoboam would not listen to the wise words of the leaders. He spoke with the young men who grew up with him and served him.


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He said to them, "Tell me, how do you think I should answer these people who have said to me, `Do not let our load be as heavy as the one your father put on us'?"


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The young men who grew up with him said to him, "Say this to the people who said to you, `Your father made our load heavy, but you make it easier for us.' Tell them, `My little finger is bigger around than my father's body!


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So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had told them, saying, "Return to me on the third day."


text:
The king answered them with strong words. King Rehoboam did not listen to the wise words of the leaders.


text:
Instead he listened to the words of the young men. And he said to them," My father made your load heavy, but I will add to it. My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions."


text:
So the king did not listen to the people. God made this happen so that He might make His Word come true which He spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.


text:
All Israel saw that the king did not listen to them. So the people said to the king, "What share do we have in David? We have no share in the son of Jesse. Every man to your tents, O Israel! Now look to your own house, David!" So all Israel left and went to their tents.


text:
Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, the man who made the people work. But the people of Israel killed him with stones. So King Rehoboam got on his war-wagon in a hurry, to go to Jerusalem.


text:
When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he gathered together the family of Judah and Benjamin. There were 180,000 chosen men of war gathered to fight against Israel to make Rehoboam their king again.


text:
"Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah. And speak to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin. Tell them,


text:
`This is what the Lord says, "You must not go up to fight against your brothers. Every man return to his house. For I have made this happen." ' " So they listened to the word of the Lord and returned. They did not go against Jeroboam.


text:
And he put battle-coverings and spears in every city and made them very strong. So he kept Judah and Benjamin.


text:
The religious leaders and the Levites who were in all Israel joined with Rehoboam from all places where they lived.


text:
The Levites left their fields and land and came to Judah and Jerusalem. For Jeroboam and his sons had stopped them from working as religious leaders for the Lord.


text:
He chose religious leaders of his own for the high places, for the goat-gods and for the calves which he had made.


text:
Those from all the families of Israel who set their hearts on following the Lord God of Israel came after them to Jerusalem. They came to give gifts in worship to the Lord God of their fathers.


text:
They made the nation of Judah strong, and gave strength to Rehoboam the son of Solomon for three years. For they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.


text:
Then Rehoboam married Mahalath. She was the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse.


text:
After her he married Maacah the daughter of Absalom. She gave birth to his sons: Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.


text:
Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom more than all his other wives and women who acted as his wives. For he had taken eighteen wives and sixty women who acted as his wives. He was the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.


text:
Rehoboam chose Maacah's son Abijah to be the head leader among his brothers. For he wanted to make him king.


text:
And he acted with wisdom. He spread some of his sons to every strong city in all the lands of Judah and Benjamin. He gave them much food, and found many wives for them.


text:
When King Rehoboam's nation had been made strong, he and all Israel turned away from the Law of the Lord.


text:
After Rehoboam had been king for five years, King Shishak of Egypt came to fight against Jerusalem. This happened because they had not been faithful to the Lord.


text:
Shishak came with 1,200 war-wagons and 60,000 horsemen. And the people who came with him from Egypt were too many to number. There were Libyans, Sukkites, and Ethiopians.


text:
Then Shemaiah the man of God came to Rehoboam and the princes of Judah who had gathered at Jerusalem because of Shishak. He said to them, "The Lord says, `You have left Me. So I have left you to Shishak.' "


text:
The Lord saw that they had put away their pride. And the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, "They have put away their pride. I will not destroy them. But I will give them some help. My anger will not be poured out on Jerusalem by the power of Shishak.


text:
But they will be made to work for him. In this way they may learn the difference between My work and the work of the kings of the countries."


text:
So King Shishak of Egypt came and fought against Jerusalem. He took the riches of the Lord's house and the riches of the king's house. He took everything. He even took the battlecoverings of gold which Solomon had made.


text:
King Rehoboam made battlecoverings of brass in their place. And he put them in the care of the captains of the soldiers who watched the door of the king's house.


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Every time the king went into the house of the Lord, the soldiers came and carried the coverings. Then they returned them to the soldiers' room.


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When Rehoboam put away his pride, the Lord's anger turned away from him. He was not destroyed. And things were good in Judah.


text:
So King Rehoboam became strong in Jerusalem and ruled. He was fortyone years old when he began to rule. And he ruled in Jerusalem for seventeen years. This was the city the Lord had chosen from all the families of Israel to put His name there. The name of Rehoboam's mother was Naamah the Ammonitess.


text:
The acts of Rehoboam, from first to last, are written in the writings of Shemaiah the man of God and of Iddo the man who told what would happen in the future. Wars were always being fought between Rehoboam and Jeroboam.


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He ruled for three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.


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Abijah began the battle with an army of powerful soldiers, 400,000 chosen men. Jeroboam came ready for battle against him with 800,000 chosen men who were powerful soldiers.


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


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Do you not know that the Lord God of Israel gave the rule over Israel forever to David and his sons by an agreement of salt?


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But Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, went against his lord the king.


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And men of no worth gathered around him. They were bad men who were too strong for Rehoboam the son of Solomon. Rehoboam was young and weak and could not stand against them.


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So now you plan to stand against the power of the Lord through the sons of David. You think you can because you have many people and the gold calves Jeroboam made you for gods.


text:
Have you not driven out the religious leaders of the Lord, the sons of Aaron and the Levites? And have you not made religious leaders for yourselves like the people of other lands? Whoever comes to make himself holy with a young bull and seven rams becomes a religious leader of false gods.


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But as for us, the Lord is our God. We have not left Him. The sons of Aaron are working for the Lord as religious leaders. And the Levites are doing their work.


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Every morning they give burnt gifts and burn special perfume to the Lord. The holy bread is set on the clean table. And the gold lampstand with its lamps is ready to light every evening. For we do the work of the Lord our God. But you have left Him.


text:
Now see, God is with us at our head. His religious leaders are ready to blow the horns, to sound the call to battle against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the Lord God of your fathers. For you cannot win."


text:
But Jeroboam had sent soldiers to come from behind. So Israel was in front of Judah, and soldiers were behind them also.


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When Judah looked, they saw that the battle was both in front of them and behind them. So they cried to the Lord, and the religious leaders blew the horns.


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Then the men of Judah sounded a war cry. And when they sounded the war cry, God began destroying Jeroboam and all Israel around Abijah and Judah.


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So the sons of Israel were set back at that time. The sons of Judah were strong because they trusted in the Lord, the God of their fathers.


text:
Abijah went after Jeroboam. He took from him the cities of Bethel with its towns, Jeshanah with its towns, and Ephron with its towns.


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Jeroboam did not become strong again in the days of Abijah. And the Lord destroyed him, and he died.


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But Abijah became very strong. He married fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.


text:
Now the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways and his words, are written in the story of Iddo the man of God.


text:
Abijah died and they buried him in the city of David. His son Asa became king in his place. In his days the land had peace ten years.


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For he put away the strange altars and high places. He tore down the pillars used in worship of false gods. And he cut down the false goddesses, the Asherim.


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He put the high places and the altars of special perfume away from all the cities of Judah. And the nation had rest under his rule.


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He built strong cities in Judah, since the land had rest. No one fought a war with him during those years, because the Lord had given him rest.


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So he said to the people of Judah, "Let us build these cities. And let us build walls and towers around them, with iron gates. The land is still ours, because we have followed the Lord our God. We have followed Him, and He has given us rest on every side." So they built and did well.


text:
Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah, with large battlecoverings and spears. And he had 280,000 men from Benjamin, with battle-coverings and bows. All of them were powerful soldiers.


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Zerah the Ethiopian came out to fight against them with an army of 1,000,000 men and 300 war-wagons. He came as far as Mareshah.


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So Asa went out to meet him. They made themselves ready for battle in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.


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Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, "Lord, there is no one but You to help in the battle between the powerful and the weak. So help us, O Lord God. For we trust in You. In Your name we have come against these many people. O Lord, You are our God. Do not let any man win the fight against You."


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So the Lord began to destroy the Ethiopians in front of Asa and the people of Judah, and the Ethiopians ran away.


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Asa and the people with him went after them as far as Gerar. The Ethiopians were killed until none were left alive. They were destroyed before the Lord and his army. And they carried away many things that had belonged to the Ethiopians.


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Then they destroyed all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of the Lord had come upon them. And they took everything of worth that was in the cities, for there was much left.


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They destroyed the tents of the animals. And they took away many sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.


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Azariah went out to meet Asa and said to him, "Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when you are with Him. If you look for Him, He will let you find Him. But if you leave Him, He will leave you.


text:
For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a teaching religious leader, and without law.


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But in their trouble they turned to the Lord God of Israel. They looked for Him, and He let them find Him.


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In those times there was no peace for him who went out, or for him who came in. For much trouble came to all the people of the lands.


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When Asa heard these words and the words of Azariah the son of Oded, his heart became strong. He put away the sinful false gods from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities he had taken in the hill country of Ephraim. He built again the altar of the Lord which was in front of the porch of the Lord's house.


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Then he gathered all Judah and Benjamin and those from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon, who lived with them. For many had left Israel to come to him when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.


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They killed animals on the altar in worship to the Lord that day. They killed and gave 700 cattle and 7,000 sheep from the animals they had taken in battle.


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All Judah was filled with joy because of the promise. For they had promised with their whole heart. They had looked for the Lord with a pure heart. And He let them find Him. So the Lord gave them rest on every side.


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King Asa even stopped his mother from being queen mother. Because she had made a sinful object of the false goddess Asherah. Asa cut down her sinful object. He crushed it and burned it at the Kidron River.


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But the high places were not taken away from Israel. Yet Asa's heart was without blame all his days.


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He brought into the house of God the holy things of his father and his own holy things. He brought in silver and gold and the things used for the worship.


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In the thirty-sixth year of Asa's rule, King Baasha of Israel came to fight against Judah. He began building a wall around Ramah to stop anyone from going out or coming in to King Asa of Judah.


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Then Asa took silver and gold from the storerooms of the house of the Lord and the king's house. He sent them to King Ben-hadad of Syria, who lived in Damascus, saying,


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"Let there be an agreement between you and me, as between my father and your father. See, I have sent you silver and gold. Go and break your agreement with King Baasha of Israel so that he will leave me."


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Ben-hadad listened to King Asa. He sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel. They destroyed Ijon, Dan, Abelmaim, and all the store-cities of Naphtali.


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Then King Asa brought all the people of Judah. And they carried away the stones and wood of the wall which Baasha had been building around Ramah. Asa used them to build Geba and Mizpah.


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At that time Hanani the man of God came to King Asa of Judah and said to him, "You have put your trust in the king of Syria and not in the Lord your God. So the army of the king of Syria got away from you.


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Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a very large army with warwagons? But because you trusted in the Lord, He gave them into your hand.


text:
For the eyes of the Lord move over all the earth so that He may give strength to those whose whole heart is given to Him. You have done a foolish thing. So from now on you will have wars."


text:
Then Asa was angry with the man of God. He put him in prison because he was angry at him for this. And Asa made it hard for some of the people at the same time.


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A disease came into Asa's feet in the thirtyninth year of his rule. His disease was bad. But even in his disease, he did not trust in the Lord, but in the doctors.


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They buried him in his own grave which he had cut out for himself in the city of David. They laid him in the place of rest which he had filled with different kinds of spices mixed by those who work with perfumes. And they made a very big fire in his honor.


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He placed soldiers in all the strong cities of Judah, and in places built for them in the land of Judah. And he put soldiers in the cities of Ephraim which his father Asa had taken in battle.


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The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the early ways of his father. He did not follow the false gods of Baal.


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So the Lord made the nation strong under his rule. And all Judah paid taxes to Jehoshaphat. He had great riches and honor.


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He was strong in his heart in the ways of the Lord. And he took the high places and the false goddess Asherah out of Judah again.


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In the third year of his rule, Jehoshaphat sent his leaders to teach in the cities of Judah. He sent Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah.


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With them he sent the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah. And with them he sent the religious leaders, Elishama and Jehoram.


text:
They taught in Judah, having the book of the Law of the Lord with them. They went through all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.


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The fear of the Lord was on all the nations of the lands around Judah. So they did not make war against Jehoshaphat.


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Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat gifts, and silver for taxes. The Arabians brought him flocks, 7700 rams and 7700 male goats.


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This was the number of them by their fathers' houses: Adnah was the captain of thousands from Judah. He had 300,000 powerful soldiers with him.


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Next to him was Amasiah the son of Zichri, who gave himself to work for the Lord. He had 200,000 powerful soldiers with him.


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Eliada was a powerful soldier of the family of Benjamin. He had with him 200,000 men with bows and battle-coverings.


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These are the men who served the king, as well as those whom the king put in the strong cities through all Judah.


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After some years he went down to visit Ahab at Samaria. Ahab killed many sheep and cattle for him and for the people who were with him. And he wanted Jehoshaphat to fight against Ramoth-gilead.


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King Ahab of Israel said to King Jehoshaphat of Judah, "Will you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?" He answered, "I am as you are. And my people are as your people. We will be with you in the battle."


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So the king of Israel gathered together the 400 men who told what would happen in the future. He said to them, "Should we go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or should I wait?" And they said, "Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king."


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The king of Israel said to him, "There is yet one man whom we may ask of the Lord. But I hate him. For he never tells me anything good, only bad. He is Micaiah, the son of Imla." But Jehoshaphat said, "You should not say that."


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Then the king of Israel called for one of his captains and said, "Hurry, bring Micaiah the son of Imla."


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The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were each sitting on his throne, dressed in king's clothing. They were sitting at the grain-floor at the gate of Samaria. All the men who told what would happen in the future were speaking in front of them.


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Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, "The Lord says that with these you will hurt the Syrians until they are destroyed."


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All the men who told what would happen in the future were saying, "Go up to Ramoth-gilead and win the battle. For the Lord will give it into the hand of the king."


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Then the man who was sent to call Micaiah said to him, "See, all the men who tell what will happen in the future are speaking in the king's favor. So I ask that you let your word be like one of them, and speak in the king's favor."


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When he came to the king, the king said to him, "Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or should I wait?" Micaiah said, "Go up and win the battle. For they will be given into your hand."


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Then the king said to him, "How many times must I tell you to speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?"


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So he said, "I saw all Israel spread out on the mountains, like sheep without a shepherd. And the Lord said, `These have no owner. Let each of them return to his house in peace.' "


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Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell you that he would not tell me anything good, but bad?"


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Micaiah said, "So hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne. All the armies of heaven were standing on His right and on His left.


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The Lord said, `Who will lead King Ahab of Israel to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' And one said this while another said that.


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Then a spirit came and stood before the Lord and said, `I will lead him to do it.' And the Lord said to him, `How?'


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He said, `I will go and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all Ahab's men who tell what will happen in the future.' Then the Lord said, `You are to make him want to go, and you will do well. Go and do so.'


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So now the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of your men who speak for God. For the Lord has said that trouble will come to you."


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Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and hit Micaiah on the side of the face, and said, "How did the Spirit of the Lord pass from me to speak to you?"


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Then the king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the city leader, and to Joash the king's son.


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Tell them, `The king says to put this man in prison. Feed him only a little bread and water until I return in peace.' "


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Micaiah said, "If you do return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me." And he said, "Listen, all you people."


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The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will dress up to look like someone else and go into battle. But you wear your king's clothing." So the king of Israel dressed up to look like someone else, and they went into battle.


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Now the king of Syria had told the captains of his war-wagons, "Do not fight with small or great, but only with the king of Israel."


text:
So when the captains of the war-wagons saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "It is the king of Israel." And they turned to fight against him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him. God made them go away from him.


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When the captains of the war-wagons saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from going after him.


text:
But a certain man happened to shoot an arrow and hit the king of Israel in a joint of the battle-clothes. So the king said to the man on the war-wagon, "Turn around, and take me out of the battle. For I am hurt."


text:
The battle was hard that day. And the king of Israel stood up against the sides of his warwagon in front of the Syrians until the evening. When the sun went down, he died.


text:
Jehu the son of Hanani the man who tells what will happen in the future went out to meet King Jehoshaphat, and said to him, "Should you help the sinful? Should you love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, the Lord is angry with you.


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But there is some good in you. For you have destroyed from the land the false goddess Asherah. And you have set your heart to follow God."


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So Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem. He went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim. And he brought them back to the Lord, the God of their fathers.


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And he said to the judges, "Think about what you do. For you do not judge for man, but for the Lord. He is with you when you judge between right and wrong.


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So now let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be very careful what you do. For the Lord our God will have nothing to do with what is not right and good, or with what is not fair, or with taking pay for doing what is wrong."


text:
In Jerusalem also Jehoshaphat chose some of the Levites and religious leaders, and heads of families of Israel. He chose them to judge for the Lord, and to judge the troubles among the people of Jerusalem.


text:
Then he told them what they must do. He said, "Do this in the fear of the Lord. Be faithful, and do your duty with your whole heart.


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Whenever trouble comes to you between your brothers who live in the cities, between blood and blood, between one law and another, tell them not to sin before the Lord, so God's anger may not come upon you and your brothers. Do this, and you will not be guilty.


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See, Amariah the head religious leader will be over you in everything that has to do with the Lord. And Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the family of Judah, will be over you in everything that has to do with the king. The Levites will work for you as leaders. Be strong in what you do, and the Lord will be with the good."


text:
After this the men of Moab, and Ammon, and some of the Meunites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat.


text:
Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "Very many people are coming against you from the other side of the sea, from Syria. See, they are in Hazazon-tamar <n>(that is, Engedi)</n>."


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Jehoshaphat was afraid and decided to call on the Lord. He made a special time of not eating in all Judah.


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And Judah gathered together to pray for help from the Lord. They came to the Lord from all the cities of Judah to call on the Lord.


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Jehoshaphat stood among the people of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, in front of the new open space.


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Then he said, "O Lord, the God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven? Do You not rule over all the nations? Power and strength are in Your hand, so that no one is able to stand against You.


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O our God, did You not make the people of this land leave so that Your people Israel could have it and give it to the children of Your friend Abraham forever?


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`If what is bad comes upon us, fighting, hard times, disease, or no food, we will stand in front of this house. And we will stand before You, <n>(for Your name is in this house)</n>. We will cry to You in our trouble. And You will hear and take us out of trouble.'


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Now see the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom You did not let Israel fight when they came from the land of Egypt. <n>(They turned aside from them and did not destroy them.)</n>


text:
Look how they are paying us back. They are coming to make us leave Your land which You have given to us.


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O our God, will You not punish them? For we have no power against all these men who are coming against us. We do not know what to do. But our eyes look to You."


text:
And all the men of Judah were standing before the Lord, with their babies, their wives, and their children.


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Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite of the sons of Asaph, as he stood among the people.


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He said, "Listen, all Judah, the people of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat. The Lord says to you, `Do not be afraid or troubled because of these many men. For the battle is not yours but God's.


text:
Go down to fight them tomorrow. See, they will come up by the hill of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, in front of the desert of Jeruel.


text:
You will not need to fight in this battle. Just stand still in your places and see the saving power of the Lord work for you, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not be afraid or troubled. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you."


text:
Then Jehoshaphat put his face to the ground. And all Judah and the people of Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord.


text:
The Levites, of the Kohathites and Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel, with a very loud voice.


text:
They got up early in the morning and went out to the desert of Tekoa. When they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, O Judah and people of Jerusalem. Trust in the Lord your God, and you will be made strong. Trust in the men who speak for Him, and you will do well."


text:
When he had spoken with the people, he called those who sang to the Lord and those who praised Him in holy clothing. They went out in front of the army and said, "Give thanks to the Lord. For His lovingkindness lasts forever."


text:
When they began to sing and praise, the Lord set traps against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah. So they were destroyed.


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The men of Ammon and Moab fought against the people of Mount Seir, and killed all of them. And when they finished with the people of Seir, they all helped to kill each other.


text:
Judah came to the place where they could look out over the desert. When they looked toward the armies, they saw that dead bodies were lying on the ground. No one had been left alive.


text:
So Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away what they wanted from them. They found cattle, many good things, clothing, and things of great worth, which they took for themselves. There was more than they could carry. It took them three days to take all the things, because there was so much.


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They gathered together in the Valley of Beracah on the fourth day. There they praised and thanked the Lord. So the name of that place has been the Valley of Beracah to this day.


text:
Then every man of Judah and Jerusalem returned, with Jehoshaphat leading them. They returned to Jerusalem with joy. For the Lord had filled them with joy by saving them from those who hated them.


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And the fear of God came upon all the nations of the lands, when they heard that the Lord had fought against those who hate Israel.


text:
So Jehoshaphat ruled over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king. And he ruled in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. His mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.


text:
Jehoshaphat walked in the way of his father Asa, and did not leave it. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.


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But the high places were not taken away. The people had not yet set their hearts on the God of their fathers.


text:
The rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from first to last, are written in the story of Jehu the son of Hanani, which is written in the Book of the Kings of Israel.


text:
Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah told what would happen against Jehoshaphat, saying, "Because you have joined with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made." So the ships were wrecked, and could not go to Tarshish.


text:
Jehoshaphat died, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. His son Jehoram became king in his place.


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


text:
Their father gave them many gifts of silver, gold, and things of much worth. He gave them strong cities in Judah. But he made Jehoram king, because he was the first-born.


text:
Now when Jehoram had become king in the place of his father, and had made himself strong, he killed all his brothers with the sword. He killed some of the leaders of Israel also.


text:
He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as those of Ahab's house did. <n>(For Ahab's daughter was his wife.)</n> He did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord.


text:
Yet the Lord would not destroy the family of David, because of the agreement He had made with David. He had promised to give a light to him and his sons forever.


text:
Then Jehoram crossed over with his captains and all his war-wagons. He went during the night and destroyed the Edomites who had gathered around him and the captains of the warwagons.


text:
So Edom has been against the rule of Judah to this day. Libnah turned against Jehoram's rule at the same time, because he had left the Lord God of his fathers.


text:
And Jehoram made high places in the mountains of Judah. He caused the people of Jerusalem to give themselves over to sin. And he made Judah sin.


text:
Then a letter came to him from Elijah the man of God, saying, "The Lord God of your father David says, `You have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat, and the ways of King Asa of Judah.


text:
But you have walked in the way of the kings of Israel. You have caused Judah and the people of Israel to give themselves over to sin, as those of Ahab's house did. And you have killed your brothers, your own family, who were better than you.


text:
So see, the Lord is going to send a bad disease upon your people, your sons, your wives, and all you have.


text:
You yourself will suffer a bad sickness, a disease of your stomach. Your insides will come out because of the sickness, day by day.' "


text:
Then the Lord made the Philistines and the Arabs who were near the Ethiopians angry against Jehoram.


text:
They came and fought against Judah, and carried away all the things they found in the king's house, together with his sons and his wives. No son was left to him except Jehoahaz, his youngest.


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After that time, at the end of two years, his insides came out because of his sickness. And he died in much pain. His people made no fire for him like the fires made for his fathers.


text:
Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for eight years. And no one felt bad when he died. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the graves of the kings.


text:
The people of Jerusalem made his youngest son Ahaziah king in his place. For the army of men who came with the Arabs to the tents had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah, the son of King Jehoram of Judah, began to rule.


text:
He was twenty-two years old when he became king. And he ruled for one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Athaliah, the grand-daughter of Omri.


text:
Ahaziah walked in the ways of those of Ahab's house. For his mother talked him into doing sinful things.


text:
He did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord, as those of Ahab's house had done. For after his father's death, they talked with him about what to do, and so caused him to be destroyed.


text:
He did what they told him to do. He went with Jehoram the son of King Ahab of Israel to fight a war against King Hazael of Syria at Ramoth-gilead. But the Syrians hurt Jehoram.


text:
So he returned to Jezreel to be healed of the cuts he had received at Ramah, when he fought against King Hazael of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.


text:
But it was planned by God that Ahaziah would be destroyed by going to Jehoram. For when he came, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi. Jehu was the one the Lord had chosen to destroy the family of Ahab.


text:
When Jehu was punishing the family of Ahab, he found the sons of kings of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah's brothers. They were helping Ahaziah. And Jehu killed them.


text:
Then he looked for Ahaziah, and he was found hiding in Samaria. He was brought to Jehu, and was put to death. Then they buried him, for they said, "He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who followed the Lord with all his heart." So there was no one left of Ahaziah's house who was able to rule the nation.


text:
When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she went and destroyed all the king's children of the family of Judah.


text:
But Jehoshabeath, the king's daughter, took Ahaziah's son Joash. She stole him from among the king's sons who were being killed. And she put him and his nurse in the bedroom. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the religious leader, and sister of Ahaziah, hid Joash from Athaliah, so she could not kill him.


text:
In the seventh year, Jehoiada made himself strong. He made an agreement with the captains of hundreds. These captains were Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Johanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri. They made an agreement with Jehoiada.


text:
And they went through Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities. They gathered the heads of the fathers' houses of Israel. And they came to Jerusalem.


text:
Then all the people made an agreement with the king in the house of God. Jehoiada said to them, "See, the king's son will rule, as the Lord has spoken about the sons of David.


text:
This is what you must do. One third of you religious leaders and Levites who come in on the Day of Rest will watch the gates.


text:
One third will be at the king's house, and one third at the Gate of the Foundation. And all the people will be in the open places of the house of the Lord.


text:
But let no one come into the house of the Lord except the religious leaders and the Levite helpers. They may come in, for they are holy. But let all the other people obey the law against going into the holy place of the Lord.


text:
The Levites will stand around the king. Each one will have his spear in his hand. And whoever goes into the house will be killed. Be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out."


text:
The Levites and all Judah did all that Jehoiada the religious leader told them. Each one of them took his men who were to come in on the Day of Rest, with those who were to go out on the Day of Rest. For Jehoiada the religious leader did not send away any of the groups.


text:
Then Jehoiada the religious leader gave the captains of hundreds the spears and the large and small battle-coverings that had been King David's, which were in the house of God.


text:
And he put all the people in their places around the king. Each man had his spear in his hand. They were put in their places from the right side of the house to the left side, around the altar and the house.


text:
Then they brought out the king's son and put the crown on him. They gave him the Law, and made him king. Jehoiada and his sons poured oil on him and said, "Long live the king!"


text:
When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came into the house of the Lord to the people.


text:
She looked and saw the king beside his pillar at the gate. The captains and those who blew the horns were beside the king. And all the people of the land were filled with joy and blew horns. The singers were playing music and leading the praise. Athaliah tore her clothes and called out, "They are turning against the queen!"


text:
Then Jehoiada the religious leader brought out the captains of hundreds who were over the army, and said to them, "Bring her out from among the groups of people. And kill with the sword whoever follows her." For the religious leader said, "Do not kill her in the house of the Lord."


text:
So they took hold of her. And when she came to the Horse Gate of the king's house, they killed her there.


text:
Then Jehoiada made an agreement between himself and all the people and the king, that they should be the Lord's people.


text:
All the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down. They broke in pieces his altars and the objects made to look like him. And they killed Mattan the religious leader of Baal in front of the altars.


text:
Then Jehoiada put the duties of the Lord's house under the care of the religious leaders and the Levites. David had chosen them to take care of the Lord's house. They were to give the burnt gifts of the Lord, as it is written in the Law of Moses. It was to be done with joy and singing, as David had told them.


text:
And Jehoiada put the gate-keepers in their places of the Lord's house. This was so no one would go in who was in any way unclean.


text:
Then he took the captains of hundreds, the princes, the leaders of the people, and all the people of the land. And they brought the king down from the house of the Lord. They came through the high gate to the king's house. And they placed the king upon the throne of the nation.


text:
So all the people of the land were filled with joy, and the city was quiet. For they had killed Athaliah with the sword.


text:
Joash was seven years old when he became king. And he ruled forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba.


text:
He gathered the religious leaders and Levites, and said to them, "Go out to the cities of Judah. And gather money from all Israel to pay for the work needed to be done on the house of your God from year to year. Be quick about it." But the Levites did not hurry.


text:
So the king called for Jehoiada the head religious leader, and said to him, "Why have you not made the Levites bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax set by Moses the Lord's servant? All the people of Israel were to pay taxes for the tent of the Law."


text:
For the sons of that sinful woman Athaliah had broken into the house of God. They even used the holy things of the Lord's house for the false gods of Baal.


text:
And they made it known in Judah and Jerusalem that the tax set by God's servant Moses on Israel in the desert must be brought to the Lord.


text:
Then all the leaders and all the people were filled with joy. They brought in their taxes and put the money into the box until they had finished.


text:
The Levites would bring the box in to the king's helper. And when they saw that there was much money, the king's writer and the head religious leader's helper would come and empty the box. They would take out the money and return the box to its place. They did this each day, and gathered much money.


text:
The king and Jehoiada gave it to those who watched over the work being done on the Lord's house. They paid those who worked with stone and wood and iron and brass, for the work done on the Lord's house.


text:
So the workmen worked hard doing what needed to be done. The house of God was like new again, just as it was planned. They made it strong.


text:
When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money to the king and Jehoiada. From it were made the objects used in the Lord's house. These things were made for the worship and the burnt gifts. Then dishes and pots of gold and silver were made. And they gave burnt gifts in the house of the Lord all the time, all the days of Jehoiada.


text:
They buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done well in Israel, and to God and His house.


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But after the death of Jehoiada, the leaders of Judah came and bowed down in front of the king. And the king listened to them.


text:
They left the house of the Lord the God of their fathers, and worshiped the false gods of Asherah and the objects made to look like them. So anger came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of their sin.


text:
Yet God sent men who speak for God to bring them back to the Lord. These men of God spoke against them, but they would not listen.


text:
Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the religious leader. He stood where he could be seen by the people and said to them, "God says, 'Why do you sin against the Laws of the Lord, and bring trouble on yourselves? Because you have left the Lord, He has left you.' "


text:
So they made plans against him. At the king's word, they killed Zechariah with stones in the open space of the Lord's house.


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So Joash the king did not remember the kindness his father Jehoiada had shown him, but he killed his son. And when Zechariah was dying, he said, "May the Lord see and punish!"


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At the end of the year the army of the Syrians came up against Joash. They came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the leaders of the people. And they sent all they had taken in battle to the king of Damascus.


text:
The army of the Syrians came with a small number of men. But the Lord let them win against a very large army. Because the people of Judah and Jerusalem had turned away from the Lord, the God of their fathers. So the Syrians were used to punish Joash.


text:
When they had left Joash, leaving him very sick, his own servants made plans against him because of the blood of the son of Jehoiada the religious leader. And they killed him on his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David. But they did not bury him in the graves of the kings.


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The men who made plans against Joash were Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess.


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Now the story of his sons, and the words spoken by wise men against him, and the work done on the house of God, are written in the Book of the Kings. His son Amaziah became king in his place.


text:
Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king. And he ruled for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.


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As soon as the nation was under his rule, he killed his servants who had killed his father the king.


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But he did not kill their children. He did what is written in the Law in the book of Moses. The Lord had said in this Law, "Fathers must not be put to death for the children. And children must not be put to death for the fathers. Each must be put to death for his own sin."


text:
Then Amaziah gathered the men of Judah together. He put them, by their fathers' houses, under the rule of captains of thousands and of hundreds for all Judah and Benjamin. He numbered those who were twenty years old and older. And he found that they were 300,000 chosen men, able to go to war and fight with spear and battle-covering.


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He also asked for the help of 100,000 powerful soldiers from Israel and paid them with silver weighing as much as 100 men.


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But a man of God came to him and said, "O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you. For the Lord is not with Israel. He is not with all these sons of Ephraim.


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But if you think that in this way you will be strong in war, God will destroy you in front of those who fight you. For God has power to help and to destroy."


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Amaziah said to the man of God, "But what should I do about the silver weighing as much as 100 men, which I have given to the army of Israel?" The man of God answered, "The Lord has much more to give you than this."


text:
Then Amaziah sent the army home which had come to him from Ephraim. These hired soldiers were angry at the people of Judah. As they returned home they were very angry.


text:
Now Amaziah made himself strong of heart, and he led his people to the Valley of Salt and killed 10,000 men of Seir.


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The men of Judah also took 10,000 men alive. They brought them to the top of a high rock and threw them down from it, so they were all crushed to pieces.


text:
But the soldiers from Israel whom Amaziah had sent back from going with him to battle came and fought against the cities of Judah. They fought cities from Samaria to Bethhoron, and killed 3,000 people living in them. And they took many things which had belonged to the people in these cities.


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After Amaziah came from killing the Edomites, he brought the gods of the men of Seir. He set them up as his gods. He bowed down in front of them, and burned special perfume to them.


text:
Then the Lord was angry with Amaziah and sent a man who speaks for God to him, saying, "Why have you worshiped the gods of the people? These gods have not saved their own people from your hand."


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But as he was speaking the king said to him, "Have we chosen you to give words of wisdom to the king? Stop! Or I will have you put to death?" So the man who spoke for God stopped, but said, "I know that God has planned to destroy you because you have done this. And you have not listened to what I have said."


text:
Then King Amaziah of Judah spoke with his wise men, and sent word to Joash the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, the king of Israel, saying, "Come, let us face each other."


text:
King Joash of Israel sent an answer to King Amaziah of Judah, saying, "The thorn bush in Lebanon sent word to the cedar in Lebanon, saying, 'Give your daughter to my son for a wife.' But a wild animal of Lebanon passed by and crushed the thorn bush under its feet.


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You say, 'See, I have destroyed Edom.' And your heart has become proud by what you say. Now stay at home. Why should you bring trouble so you will fall, and Judah with you?"


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But Amaziah would not listen. God had planned that He would give Judah into the hand of Joash because Judah had worshiped the gods of Edom.


text:
King Joash of Israel took King Amaziah of Judah, the son of Joash, son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem. He tore down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, as much wall as 200 long steps.


text:
And he took all the gold and silver, and all the objects found in the house of God with Obed-edom. He took the riches of the king's house, and people also, and returned to Samaria.


text:
Amaziah, the son of King Joash of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Joash, the son of King Jehoahaz of Israel.


text:
Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, from first to last, are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.


text:
After Amaziah turned away from the Lord, they made plans against him in Jerusalem, and he ran away to Lachish. But they sent men after him to Lachish, and killed him there.


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


text:
Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king. And he ruled fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jechiliah of Jerusalem.


text:
He kept on looking to God in the days of Zechariah, who had special wisdom from God and taught him in the things of God. And as long as he looked to the Lord, God made things go well for him.


text:
Uzziah went out and made war against the Philistines. He broke down the wall of Gath and the wall of Jabneh and the wall of Ashdod. And he built cities in the land of Ashdod and among the Philistines.


text:
God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who lived in Gur-baal, and against the Meunites.


text:
The Ammonites paid taxes to Uzziah. And his name was known as far as the land of Egypt, for he became very strong.


text:
Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate, and at the place where the walls joined. And he made them strong.


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He built towers in the desert and dug many wells. For he had many animals, both in the valley and in the plain. He also had farmers and vine-keepers in the hill country and in the good growing fields, for he loved farming.


text:
And Uzziah had an army ready for battle. It was divided by the number of names written down by Jeiel the writer and Maaseiah the captain, led by Hananiah, one of the king's leaders.


text:
Under their leading was an army of 307,500, who could fight with great power, to help the king against those who hated them.


text:
Uzziah had battle-coverings, spears, head-coverings, strong battleclothes, bows, and slings using arrows and large stones made for all the army.


text:
In Jerusalem he made large objects of war, planned by able men, to be on the towers and the corners. They were for shooting arrows and big stones. So Uzziah's name became known in far away places. For he was helped by God in a very special way until he was strong.


text:
But when he became strong, Uzziah's heart was so proud that his actions were sinful. He was not faithful to the Lord his God, for he went into the Lord's house to burn special perfume on the altar of special perfume.


text:
Then Azariah the religious leader went in after him, with eighty religious leaders of the Lord who were men strong in heart.


text:
They went against King Uzziah and said to him, "It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn special perfume to the Lord. It should be done by the religious leaders, the sons of Aaron, who are set apart to burn special perfume. Get out of the holy place, for you have not been faithful. You will have no honor from the Lord God."


text:
Then Uzziah was angry, and he had a dish in his hand for burning special perfume. While he was angry with the religious leaders, a bad skin disease broke out on his forehead in front of the religious leaders in the Lord's house, beside the altar of special perfume.


text:
Azariah the head religious leader and all the religious leaders looked at him and saw that he had a bad skin disease on his forehead. So they were quick to get him out of there, and he himself left in a hurry because the Lord had punished him.


text:
King Uzziah had the bad skin disease to the day of his death. He lived in a separate house, suffering with the skin disease, for he was cut off from the house of the Lord. And his son Jotham was over the king's house, ruling the people of the land.


text:
Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first to last, were written by the man of God Isaiah, the son of Amoz.


text:
Uzziah died, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the grave which belonged to the kings. For they said, "He has a bad skin disease." And Jotham his son became king in his place.


text:
Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king. And he ruled for sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok.


text:
Jotham did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He did all that his father Uzziah had done, only he did not go into the house of the Lord. But the people still sinned much.


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He built cities in the hill country of Judah, and strong places and towers on the tree-covered hills.


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He fought with the king of the Ammonites and won the war against them so that the Ammonites paid taxes to him. During that year they paid him silver weighing as much as 100 men, 100,000 baskets of wheat, and 100,000 baskets of barley. The Ammonites also paid him this amount in the second and in the third year.


text:
Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, all his wars and his acts, are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.


text:
Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king. And he ruled for sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done.


text:
But he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel. He also made objects to look like the false gods of Baal.


text:
He burned special perfume in the valley of Ben-Hinnom. And he burned his sons in fire, following the hated ways of the nations whom the Lord had driven out before the sons of Israel.


text:
He gave gifts in worship and burned special perfume on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.


text:
So the Lord his God gave him into the hand of the king of Syria. The Syrians won the war against Ahaz and carried away many of his people to Damascus. He was also given into the hand of the king of Israel, who killed many of his people in the war.


text:
For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed 120,000 powerful soldiers of Judah in one day, because they had turned away from the Lord God of their fathers.


text:
And Zichri, a strong man of Ephraim, killed the king's son Maaseiah, and Azrikam the ruler of the house, and Elkanah the second in power to the king.


text:
The sons of Israel carried away 200,000 women and sons and daughters of Judah. They also took many good things from them to Samaria.


text:
But a man who spoke for the Lord was there, whose name was Oded. He went out to meet the army that came to Samaria and said to them, "See, because the Lord, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, He has given them into your hand. But you have killed them in an anger which has even gone up to heaven.


text:
And now you plan to make the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem work hard for you. Do you not have sins of your own against the Lord your God?


text:
Now listen to me. Return the people whom you have taken from your brothers. For the burning anger of the Lord is against you."


text:
Then some of the leaders of the sons of Ephraim stood up against those who were coming from the battle. These leaders were Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai.


text:
They said, "You must not bring the people in here. For you plan to bring guilt upon us against the Lord, adding to our sins and our guilt. We are already so guilty that His burning anger is against Israel."


text:
So the men of war left the people and things taken from Judah in front of the leaders and all the people of Israel.


text:
Then the men who were chosen by name came and took the people of Judah. And they gave clothing to all of them who had none, using the clothes found among the things taken from Judah. They gave them clothes and shoes, and food and drink, and poured oil on them. They led all their weak ones on donkeys, and brought them to their brothers at Jericho, the city of palm trees. Then they returned to Samaria.


text:
The Philistines also had come to fight against the cities of the valley and of the Negev of Judah. They had taken Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages. And they came to live there.


text:
For the Lord brought trouble to Judah because of King Ahaz of Israel. Ahaz caused the people of Judah to sin and was not faithful to the Lord.


text:
Ahaz took riches from the house of the Lord and from the house of the king and of the princes, and gave them to the king of Assyria. But it did not help him.


text:
For he gave gifts on the altar to the gods of Damascus who had beaten him in battle. He said, "Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will give gifts to them so they may help me." But they were what destroyed him and all Israel.


text:
Ahaz gathered together the objects of the house of God and cut them in pieces. Then he closed the doors of the Lord's house, and made altars for himself in every corner of Jerusalem.


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In every city of Judah he made high places to burn special perfume to other gods. And he made the Lord, the God of his fathers, very angry.


text:
Now the rest of his acts and all his ways, from first to last, are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.


text:
Ahaz died, and they buried him in the city of Jerusalem. They did not bring him into the graves of the kings of Israel. And Hezekiah his son ruled in his place.


text:
Hezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old. And he ruled for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.


text:
In the first month of the first year of his rule, he opened the doors of the Lord's house and made them like new.


text:
He brought in the religious leaders and the Levites, and gathered them in the open space on the east side.


text:
Then he said to them, "Listen to me, O Levites. Now make yourselves holy. And make holy the house of the Lord, the God of your fathers. Carry what is unclean out from the holy place.


text:
For our fathers have not been faithful. They have done what is bad in the eyes of the Lord our God. They have left Him and turned their faces away from the house of the Lord. They have turned their backs.


text:
They have also shut the doors of the porch and put out the lamps. They have not burned special perfume or given burnt gifts in the holy place to the God of Israel.


text:
So the Lord was angry with Judah and Jerusalem. He has made them an object of fear and wonder and shame, as you see with your own eyes.


text:
See, our fathers have fallen by the sword. And our sons, our daughters and our wives have been taken away to a strange land because of this.


text:
Now it is in my heart to make an agreement with the Lord God of Israel, that His burning anger may turn away from us.


text:
My sons, take care now. For the Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to do His work and to burn special perfume."


text:
Then the Levites set to work. There was Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, from the sons of the Kohathites. From the sons of Merari there was Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehallelel. From the Gershonites there was Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah.


text:
There were Shimri and Jeiel from the sons of Elizaphan. There were Zechariah and Mattaniah from the sons of Asaph.


text:
From the sons of Heman there were Jehiel and Shimei. And from the sons of Jeduthun there were Shemaiah and Uzziel.


text:
They gathered their brothers and made themselves holy, and went in to make the Lord's house clean, as the king had told them by the words of the Lord.


text:
The religious leaders went in to the inside part of the Lord's house to make it clean. They brought out to the open space of the Lord's house everything they found inside which was unclean. Then the Levites took it and carried it out to the river of Kidron.


text:
They began to make it holy on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the porch of the Lord. Then they made the Lord's house holy in eight days, and finished on the sixteenth day of the first month.


text:
Then they went in to King Hezekiah and said, "We have made clean the whole house of the Lord, the altar of burnt gifts with all of its objects, and the table of holy bread with all of its objects.


text:
And we have made all the objects holy which King Ahaz had thrown away during his rule when he was not faithful. See, they are before the altar of the Lord."


text:
They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats, for a sin gift for the nation, the holy place, and Judah. Hezekiah told the religious leaders, the sons of Aaron, to give them on the altar of the Lord.


text:
So they killed the bulls, and the religious leaders took the blood and put it on the altar. They killed the rams and put the blood on the altar. And they killed the lambs and put the blood on the altar.


text:
Then they brought the male goats of the sin gift in front of the king and the people. They laid their hands on them.


text:
And the religious leaders killed them and gave a sin gift with their blood, to pay for the sins of all Israel. For the king said that the burnt gift and the sin gift should be made for all Israel.


text:
Then Hezekiah put the Levites in their places in the house of the Lord with timbrels and different kinds of harps. He did as David, Gad and Nathan, the men who spoke for God, had all said. For through these men the Lord said that this was to be done.


text:
The Levites stood with the objects for making music which David had made. And the religious leaders stood with the horns.


text:
Then Hezekiah told them to give the burnt gift on the altar. When the burnt gift began, the song to the Lord also began, with the horns and the objects for music made by David, king of Israel.


text:
While all the people worshiped, the singers sang and the horns sounded. The music went on until the burnt gift was finished.


text:
King Hezekiah and the rulers told the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and Asaph the man of God. So they sang praises with joy, and bowed down and worshiped.


text:
Then Hezekiah said, "Now that you have made yourselves holy to the Lord, come near and bring gifts for the altar and gifts of thanks to the house of the Lord." And the people brought gifts for the altar and gifts of thanks. All those who were willing brought burnt gifts.


text:
The number of the burnt gifts which the people brought was 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs. All these were for a burnt gift to the Lord.


text:
But there were not enough religious leaders to skin all the burnt gifts. So their brothers the Levites helped them until the work was finished, and until all the religious leaders had made themselves holy. For the Levites put more care into making themselves holy than the religious leaders.


text:
There were also many burnt gifts with the fat of the peace gifts. And there were the drink gifts for the burnt gifts. So the worship was returned to the house of the Lord.


text:
Then Hezekiah and all the people were filled with joy because of what God had done for the people, for it was done all at once.


text:
Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah. He wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh also, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to the Lord God of Israel.


text:
For the king and his rulers and all the people in Jerusalem had decided to keep the Passover in the second month.


text:
For they could not keep it at the set time, because there had not been enough religious leaders who had made themselves holy. And the people had not been gathered to Jerusalem.


text:
And they made it known in all Israel, from Beer-sheba to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem. For great numbers of people had not kept it, as they were told to do.


text:
Men were sent through all Israel and Judah with the letters from the hand of the king and his rulers, as the king had told them. The letters said, "O sons of Israel, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that He may return to those of you who have not been taken away by the kings of Assyria.


text:
Do not be like your fathers and your brothers. They were not faithful to the Lord God of their fathers, so He gave them a reason to fear, as you see.


text:
Now do not make your hearts hard like your fathers, but give yourselves to the Lord. Come to His holy place which He has set apart forever. And worship the Lord your God, that His burning anger may turn away from you.


text:
For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your sons will be shown pity by those who took them away, and will return to this land. For the Lord your God is kind and loving. He will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him."


text:
So the men took the letters from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun. But the people laughed at them and made fun of them.


text:
The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the rulers told them by the Word of the Lord.


text:
Many people gathered together at Jerusalem to keep the Special Supper of Bread Without Yeast in the second month. There were very many people.


text:
They took away the altars which were in Jerusalem. And they also took away all the special perfume altars and threw them into the river of Kidron.


text:
Then they killed the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the second month. The religious leaders and Levites were ashamed and made themselves holy, and brought burnt gifts to the house of the Lord.


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They stood in their places as they should, as given by the Law of Moses the man of God. The religious leaders placed the blood which they received from the hand of the Levites.


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For there were many of the people who had not made themselves holy. So the Levites had to kill the Passover lambs for every one who was unclean, to make them holy to the Lord.


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For many of the people, many of them from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not made themselves clean. Yet they ate the Passover in a different way than had been written. For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, "May the good Lord forgive everyone


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who makes his heart ready to look for God, the Lord God of his fathers, even if he does not follow the rules of the holy place for making himself clean."


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The people of Israel who were there in Jerusalem kept the Special Supper of Bread Without Yeast for seven days with great joy. The Levites and the religious leaders praised the Lord day after day, singing with loud music to the Lord.


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Then Hezekiah spoke comforting words to all the Levites who had good understanding in the Lord's work. So the people ate the food of the Special Supper for seven days, giving peace gifts and thanks to the Lord God of their fathers.


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Then all the people decided to keep the Special Supper for another seven days. So they kept it for another seven days with joy.


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For King Hezekiah of Judah had given the people 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep. And the rulers had given the people 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. And a large number of religious leaders made themselves holy.


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All the people of Judah were filled with joy, with the religious leaders and the Levites, and all the people who came from Israel. Both the people who came from the land of Israel and those living in Judah were filled with joy.


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So there was great joy in Jerusalem, because there was nothing like this in Jerusalem since the days of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel.


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Then the religious leaders and Levites stood and prayed that good would come to the people. And their voice was heard. Their prayer came to the Lord's holy place in heaven.


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Now when all this was finished, all the people of Israel who were there went out to the cities of Judah. They broke in pieces the pillars set up for the false gods. They cut down the objects of the false goddess Asherah. And they pulled down the high places and the altars through all Judah and Benjamin, and in Ephraim and Manasseh. They destroyed all of them. Then all the people of Israel returned to their cities, every man to his land.


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Hezekiah divided the religious leaders and the Levites into groups, each by the work he was to do. He chose the religious leaders and Levites for giving the burnt gifts and peace gifts, for serving and giving thanks, and for praising in the gates of the camp of the Lord.


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He decided what the king should give of his own animals for the burnt gifts, for the morning and evening, for the Days of Rest and the New Moons and the Special Suppers, as it is written in the Law of the Lord.


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And he told the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the share that should go to the religious leaders and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the Law of the Lord.


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As soon as the news spread, the people of Israel gave much of the first-fruits of grain, new wine, oil, honey, and of all the food of the field. They brought in more than a tenth part of everything.


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The people of Israel and Judah, who lived in the cities of Judah, also brought in a tenth part of the cattle and sheep. And they brought a tenth part of the holy things which were set apart for the Lord their God. They laid them one on top of the other.


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And when Hezekiah and the rulers came and saw all the things, they praised the Lord and His people Israel.


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Then Hezekiah asked the religious leaders and the Levites about all the things which had been brought.


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Azariah the head religious leader of the family of Zadok said to him, "Since the gifts began to be brought into the Lord's house, we have had much more than enough to eat. For the Lord has brought good to His people, and we have all this much left."


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And they were faithful to bring in the gifts and the tenth part and the holy things. Conaniah the Levite was the captain over them, and his brother Shimei was second.


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The leaders under Conaniah and his brother Shimei were Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah. They were chosen by King Hezekiah. Azariah was the head captain of the house of God.


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Kore, the son of Imnah the Levite, who watched over the east gate, was captain of the free-will gifts to God. He divided the gifts for the Lord and the most holy things.


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Under his rule were Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the religious leaders. They were faithful to give shares to their brothers by their groups, large and small alike.


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Also they gave to those whose names were written down by families, from three years old and older. They gave to everyone who went into the Lord's house for each day's duty, for the work each of their groups was to do.


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The names of the religious leaders were written down by their family groups, and the Levites from twenty years old and older, by their duties and their groups.


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Also written down were the names of their little children, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, for all the people. For they were faithful to set themselves apart to be holy.


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Also the sons of Aaron, the religious leaders who were in the fields around their cities, or in each and every city, were taken care of. There were men chosen by name to give shares to every male among the religious leaders and to everyone whose name was written down among the Levites.


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Hezekiah did this through all Judah. He did what was good and right and true before the Lord his God.


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All the work he began in the house of God, obeying the Laws and looking to his God, he did with all his heart and all went well for him.


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After these faithful acts, King Sennacherib of Assyria came to fight against Judah. His army gathered around the strong cities. He thought he would take them for himself.


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he planned with his captains and men of war to stop the water from the wells which were outside the city. And they helped him.


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Many people were gathered, and they stopped all the wells and the small river which flowed through the land. They said, "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?"


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Then Hezekiah took strength of heart and built again all of the wall that had been broken down. He built towers on it, and built another outside wall. He made the Millo strong in the city of David. And he made many battle-coverings and objects to fight with.


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He chose army captains to lead the people, and gathered them in the place by the city gate. He spoke comforting words to them, saying,


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"Be strong and have strength of heart. Do not be afraid or troubled because of the king of Assyria and all those who are with him. For the One with us is greater than the one with him.


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He has only man with him. But we have the Lord our God with us, to help us and to fight our battles." And the people trusted the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.


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Then King Sennacherib of Assyria, whose army was gathered around Lachish with him, sent word by his servants to Jerusalem to King Hezekiah and to all the people of Judah who were in Jerusalem. He said,


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"King Sennacherib of Assyria says, 'On what do you trust, that you are staying in Jerusalem with my army around you?


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Is not Hezekiah leading you the wrong way to let you die by hunger and thirst, saying, "The Lord our God will save us from the king of Assyria"?


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Has not this same Hezekiah taken away His high places and His altars, and said to Judah and Jerusalem, "You will worship in front of one altar and burn special perfume on it"?


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Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of other lands? Were the gods of the other nations able to save their lands from me?


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Who among all the gods could save his people from me in all those nations which my fathers destroyed? Would your God be able to save you from me?


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So now do not let Hezekiah lie to you or lead you in the wrong way like this. Do not believe him. For no god of any nation was able to save his people from me or from my fathers. How much less will your God save you from me!' "


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The Assyrian king also wrote letters to say things against the Lord God of Israel, saying, "As the gods of the other nations of the lands have not saved their people from me, so the God of Hezekiah will not save His people from me."


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They called this out with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall. They did this to bring fear upon them, so that they might take the city.


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They talked about the God of Jerusalem as if He were one of the gods of the people of the earth, which were made by the hands of men.


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But King Hezekiah and Isaiah the man of God, the son of Amoz, prayed about this and cried out to heaven.


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And the Lord sent an angel who destroyed every powerful soldier and every captain and leader in the camp of the king of Assyria. So Sennacherib returned in shame to his own land. And when he had gone into the house of his god, some of his own children killed him there with the sword.


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So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from King Sennacherib of Assyria, and from all others. And He gave them rest on every side.


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Many brought gifts to the Lord at Jerusalem, and things of much worth to King Hezekiah of Judah. So the king was honored in the eyes of all nations from that time on.


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In those days Hezekiah became very sick. He prayed to the Lord, and the Lord spoke to him and gave him something special to see.


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But Hezekiah did not do anything in return for the good he received, because his heart was proud. So the Lord's anger came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem.


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Then Hezekiah put away the pride of his heart, both he and the people of Jerusalem. So that the anger of the Lord did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah.


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Now Hezekiah had very great riches and honor. He made for himself store-houses for silver, gold, stones of much worth, spices, battlecoverings, and all kinds of things of much worth.


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He made store-houses for the grain that was gathered, wine, and oil. He made places for all kinds of herds, and places for the flocks.


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He made cities for himself, and gathered very many flocks and cattle. For God had given him very many riches.


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It was Hezekiah who stopped the upper opening of the waters of Gihon, and made them flow to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah did well in all that he did.


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It was so even when the men were sent to him from the rulers of Babylon to ask about the wonder that had happened in the land. God left Hezekiah alone to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart.


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Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his good works are written in the special dream of Isaiah the man of God, the son of Amoz, in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.


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Hezekiah died and they buried him in the upper graves of the sons of David. All the people of Judah and Jerusalem honored him at his death. And his son Manasseh became king in his place.


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He did what was bad in the eyes of the Lord. He did the hated things of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the sons of Israel.


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For he built again the high places which his father Hezekiah had broken down. He built altars for the false gods of Baal and made objects of worship for the false goddess Asherah. He worshiped all the stars of heaven and served them.


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And he built altars in the Lord's house, of which the Lord had said, "My name will be in Jerusalem forever."


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And he burned his sons as a gift in the valley of Ben-hinnom. He did witchcraft and asked the demon world about the future. He asked the demon world to do very special things, and he talked with people who spoke with the spirits of the dead. He did what was very bad in the eyes of the Lord, and made Him angry.


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Manasseh made an object to look like a false god, and put it in God's house, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, "In this house, and in Jerusalem which I have chosen from all the families of Israel, I will put My name forever.


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And I will never again take Israel out of the land which I have chosen for your fathers, if only they will obey all that I have told them in the Laws given through Moses."


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Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem to do more sinful things than the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the sons of Israel.


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So the Lord brought the captains of the army of the king of Assyria against them. And they took Manasseh with hooks and tied him with brass chains and brought him to Babylon.


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When Manasseh was in trouble, he prayed to the Lord his God, and put away his pride before the God of his fathers.


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When he prayed to Him, God heard his prayer and listened to him, and brought him again to Jerusalem and to his nation. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.


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After this he built the outside wall of the city of David on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, as far as the Fish Gate. He built it around the Ophel, and made it very high. Then he put army captains in all the strong cities of Judah.


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He took away the strange gods and the false god from the house of the Lord. And he took away all the altars he had built on the mountain of the Lord's house and in Jerusalem, and threw them outside the city.


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He set up the altar of the Lord and gave peace gifts and thank gifts in worship on it. And he told Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel.


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Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, his prayer to his God, and the words the men who spoke for God spoke to him in the name of the Lord God of Israel, are among the writings of the kings of Israel.


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His prayer and how God heard his prayer, and of all his sin and how he was not faithful, are found in the writings of the men who spoke for God. Also it is written where he built the high places, and made the objects of the false goddess Asherah, and made objects to look like gods, before he put away his pride.


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Amon did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done. He killed animals in worship to all the false gods his father Manasseh had made, and he served them.


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He did not put away his pride before the Lord as his father Manasseh had done, but Amon added to his guilt.


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But the people of the land killed all those who had killed King Amon and made his son Josiah king in his place.


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He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and walked in the ways of his father David. He did not turn aside to the right or to the left.


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For in the eighth year of his rule while he was still young, he began to look for the God of his father David. In the twelfth year he began to take the sinful things out of Judah and Jerusalem. He took away the high places, the objects of the false goddess Asherah, and all the objects made to look like gods.


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They tore down the altars of the false gods of Baal in front of him. And he cut down the special perfume altars which stood above them. He broke in pieces the objects of the false goddess Asherah and all the objects made to look like gods. Then he ground them to dust and spread it on the graves of those who had given gifts in worship to them.


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He burned the bones of their religious leaders on their altars, and made Judah and Jerusalem free from worshiping false gods.


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And in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, and as far as Naphtali, in the broken down places around them,


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Josiah tore down the altars and beat to dust the objects of Asherah and the objects made to look like gods. He cut down all the special perfume altars through all the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.


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Now it was the eighteenth year of his rule, and Josiah had made the land and the Lord's house free from worshiping false gods. At that time he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the leader of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz, who wrote down the things that happened, to do the work needed on the house of the Lord his God.


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They came to Hilkiah the head religious leader and gave him the money that was brought into the house of God. The Levites who watched the door had received this money from Manasseh and Ephraim and from all those who were left of Israel, and from all Judah and Benjamin and the people of Jerusalem.


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Then they gave the money to the workmen who watched over the work of the Lord's house. And the workmen who were working in the Lord's house used it to make the house like new.


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They gave the money to those who work with wood and to the builders to buy cut stone and wood for joints and building-pieces for the houses. The kings of Judah had not had the needed work done on them.


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And the men were faithful in doing the work. Watching over them were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites of the sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam of the sons of the Kohathites. The Levites who were good at playing music


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watched over those who carried loads and those who did work in every kind of duty. Some of the Levites were writers and leaders and gate-keepers.


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When they were bringing out the money which had been brought into the Lord's house, Hilkiah the religious leader found the book of the Law of the Lord given by Moses.


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Hilkiah told Shaphan the writer, "I have found the book of the Law in the Lord's house." And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan.


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Then Shaphan brought the book to the king, and said to him, "Your servants are doing all the work that they have been given to do.


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They have taken all the money that was found in the Lord's house and have given it to the leaders and the workmen."


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Then Shaphan the writer said to the king, "Hilkiah the religious leader gave me a book." And Shaphan read it in front of the king.


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Then the king called Hilkiah, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the writer, and Asaiah the king's servant. He told them,


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"Go, ask the Lord for me, and for those who are left in Israel and Judah, about the words of the book which have been found. For much of the Lord's anger has been poured out on us because our fathers have not obeyed the Word of the Lord. They have not done all that is written in this book."


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So Hilkiah and those whom the king had sent went to Huldah the woman who spoke for God. She was the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, who watched over the clothing. <n>(She lived in Jerusalem in the second part of the city.)</n> They spoke to her about this.


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what I say. See, I am bringing much trouble to this place and to its people. I am allowing all the curses to come which are written in the book they have read in front of the king of Judah.


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They have left Me and have burned special perfume to other gods, that they might make Me angry with all the work of their hands. So My anger will be poured out on this place, and it will not be stopped.


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But tell the king of Judah who sent you to the Lord, "This is what the Lord God of Israel says about the words which you have heard:


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'Your heart was broken and you had no pride before God when you heard His words against this place and its people. And because you came before Me with no pride, tore your clothes, and cried before Me, I have heard you,' says the Lord.


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'Your eyes will not see all the much trouble that I will bring on this place and its people. It will come after you die. You will be taken to your grave in peace.' " ' " The men brought back this word to the king.


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The king went up to the house of the Lord, with all the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, the religious leaders, the Levites, and all the people from the greatest to the least. And he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the agreement which was found in the Lord's house.


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Then the king stood in his place and made an agreement before the Lord. He agreed to follow the Lord, to obey His Laws with all his heart and soul, and to do what is written in the agreement in this book.


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And he made all who were there in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand with him. So the people of Jerusalem promised to obey the agreement of God, the God of their fathers.


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Josiah took away all the hated false gods from all the lands belonging to the sons of Israel. He made all who were in Israel worship the Lord their God. While Josiah was alive, they did not turn from following the Lord God of their fathers.


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Then Josiah kept the Passover to the Lord in Jerusalem. They killed the Passover animals on the fourteenth day of the first month.


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He gave the religious leaders their duties and gave them strength to do the work of the Lord's house.


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And he said to the Levites who taught all Israel and who were holy to the Lord, "Put the holy box of the agreement in the house which Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, built. You do not need to carry it on your shoulders any longer. Now work for the Lord your God and His people Israel.


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Make yourselves ready by your fathers' houses in your groups, in the way that was written by King David of Israel and his son Solomon.


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Stand in the holy place by the family groups of your brothers who are not religious leaders. And let some of the Levites help each family group of the people.


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Now kill the Passover animals, and make yourselves holy. Make things ready for your brothers to obey the word of the Lord by Moses."


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Then Josiah gave flocks of lambs and young goats as Passover gifts for all the people who were there. He gave 30,000 of them, and 3,000 bulls. These were from the king's animals.


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His leaders also gave a free-will gift to the people, the religious leaders, and the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah and Jehiel, the leaders of the house of God, gave 2,600 animals from the flocks and 300 bulls to the religious leaders for the Passover gifts.


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Conaniah, and Shemaiah and Nethanel his brothers, and Hashabiah, Jeiel and Jozabad, the leaders of the Levites, gave 5,000 animals from the flocks and 500 bulls to the Levites for the Passover gifts.


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So everything was made ready for the Passover. The religious leaders stood in their places, and the Levites stood by their groups, as the king had told them.


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Then they killed the Passover animals. The religious leaders took the blood from them and put it on the altar. And the Levites cut the skins from the animals.


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They set aside the burnt gifts that they might give them to the family groups of the people, to give to the Lord, as it is written in the Book of Moses. They did the same thing with the bulls.


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So they cooked the Passover animals on the fire as the Law said. They boiled the holy things in pots and deep dishes, and carried them in a hurry to all the people.


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After this they made everything ready for themselves and for the religious leaders because the religious leaders, the sons of Aaron, were giving in worship the burnt gifts and the fat parts until night. So the Levites made things ready for themselves and for the religious leaders, the sons of Aaron.


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The singers, the sons of Asaph, were also in their places, as had been written by David, Asaph, Hemen, and Jeduthun the king's man of God. The men who were gate-keepers did not have to leave their duty, because their brothers the Levites made things ready for them.


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All the work of the Lord was made ready that day to keep the Passover, and to give burnt gifts on the Lord's altar, as King Josiah had said.


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So the people of Israel who were there kept the Passover at that time. And they kept the Special Supper of Bread Without Yeast for seven days.


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There had not been kept a Passover like it in Israel since the days of Samuel the man of God. None of the kings of Israel had kept such a Passover as Josiah did with the religious leaders, the Levites, all Judah and Israel who were there, and the people of Jerusalem.


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After all this, when Josiah had made the house of the Lord ready, King Neco of Egypt came up to make war at Carchemish on the Euphrates. And Josiah went out to fight against him.


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But Neco sent men to him, saying, "What have we to do with each other, O King of Judah? I am not coming against you today but against the house with which I am at war, and God has told me to hurry. Do not stand in the way of God Who is with me, or He will destroy you."


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But Josiah would not turn away from him. He made himself to look like someone else, so he could fight against him. He did not listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, but came to make war on the Plain of Megiddo.


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So his servants took him out of the war-wagon and carried him in his second war-wagon, and brought him to Jerusalem. And there he died. He was buried in the graves of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem were filled with sorrow for Josiah.


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Then Jeremiah sang a song of sorrow for Josiah. And all the male and female singers speak about Josiah in their songs of sorrow to this day. They made them a law in Israel, and they are written in the Lamentations.


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Then the people of the land took Joahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in place of his father in Jerusalem.


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Then the king of Egypt took Joahaz's power away at Jerusalem, and made the people of the land pay a tax of silver weighing as much as 100 men, and gold weighing as much as one man.


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The king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But Neco took Eliakim's brother Joahaz and brought him to Egypt.


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Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he ruled eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord his God.


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King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came up against him and tied him with brass chains to take him to Babylon.


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Nebuchadnezzar also brought some of the things of the Lord's house to Babylon and put them in his place of worship there.


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Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim and the sinful things which he did, and what was found against him, are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. His son Jehoiachin became king in his place.


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Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he ruled in Jerusalem three months and ten days. He did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord.


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In the spring of the year, King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon with the objects of great worth from the Lord's house. He made his brother Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.


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He did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord his God. He had much pride in front of Jeremiah the man of God who spoke for the Lord.


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And he turned against King Nebuchadnezzar who had made him make a promise by God. He was strong-willed and made his heart hard against turning to the Lord God of Israel.


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Also none of the rulers of the religious leaders and people were faithful. They followed all the sinful things of the nations. And they brought sinful things into the Lord's house, which the Lord had made holy in Jerusalem.


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The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent men to speak for Him again and again, because He had loving-pity on His people and on His house.


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But the people always made fun of the men sent by God. They hated God's words and laughed at His men who spoke for God, until the Lord was very angry with His people. And there was no way for things to be better.


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So God brought the king of the Babylonians against them, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of God. He had no pity on anyone, young or old, men or women or the sick. He gave them all into the king's hand.


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And he brought to Babylon all the things of the house of God, great and small, and the riches of the Lord's house, and the riches of the king and of his rulers.


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Then they burned the house of God, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem. They burned all of its buildings built for battles, and destroyed all of its objects of great worth.


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He carried away to Babylon those who had not been killed by the sword. They were made to work for him and his sons until the rule of the nation of Persia.


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This was done so the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah came true. For the seventy years that the land was not being used, the Day of Rest was kept. So the Days of Rest were enjoyed that had not been kept before.


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The Lord's word by the mouth of Jeremiah came true in this way also: In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the Lord caused the spirit of King Cyrus to send word to all his nation, and also to write it down, saying,


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"King Cyrus of Persia says, 'The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the nations of the earth. He has chosen me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all His people, may the Lord his God be with him, and let him go up.' "


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In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the words of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah came true. The Lord worked in the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia so that he made it known through all his nation, and also put it in writing, saying,


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"This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: 'The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the nations of the earth. He has chosen me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.


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Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build again the house of the Lord, the God of Israel. He is the God Who is in Jerusalem.


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Let each one who is still alive, at whatever place he may live, be helped by the men of his place with silver and gold and with good things and cattle. Let the men also give a free-will gift for the house of God in Jerusalem.' "


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Then the leaders of the family groups of Judah and Benjamin and the religious leaders and Levites stood up, everyone in whose spirit the Lord had worked to go up and build the Lord's house in Jerusalem again.


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All those around them helped them with gifts of silver, gold, good things, cattle, and things worth much money, besides all that was given as a freewill gift.


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King Cyrus brought out the objects of the house of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and put in the house of his gods.


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King Cyrus of Persia had them brought out by Mithredath, the man who took care of the nation's riches. And he numbered them as he handed them over to Sheshbazzar, the leader of Judah.


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There were 5,400 objects of gold and silver in all. Sheshbazzar brought all of them back when the people who had been taken away went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.


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These are the people who left the land of Babylon and returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own city. Their families had been taken away to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon.


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These people returned with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. The number of the men of Israel:


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The men who worked in the house of the Lord: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth,


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Now these are the men who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer. But they were not able to show that their fathers and they were children of Israel:


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And the sons of the religious leaders: the sons of Habaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai, who had married one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called by their name.


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These men looked for their names among the names of all the families, but could not find them. So they were thought of as being unclean, and were not allowed to work as religious leaders.


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And the leader told them that they should not eat from the most holy things until a religious leader learned God's will by the Urim and Thummin.


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When they came to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the family groups gave a free-will gift for the house of God to be built again on the same place.


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As they were able, they gave 61,000 gold-pieces and 5,000 silverpieces and 100 coats for the religious leaders, for the work to be done.


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So the religious leaders, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gate-keepers and the servants of the Lord's house lived in their own cities, and all Israel lived in their cities.


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When the seventh month came, and the sons of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man in Jerusalem.


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Then Jozadak's son Jeshua and his brothers the religious leaders, and Shealtiel's son Zerubbabel and his brothers, built the altar of the God of Israel, to give burnt gifts on it. They did this as it is written in the Law of Moses, the man of God.


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So they set up the altar in its place, for they were afraid because of the peoples of the lands. On it they gave burnt gifts in worship to the Lord morning and evening.


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They kept the Special Supper of Tents, as it is written. They gave the right number of burnt gifts every day by the Law, as was needed for each day.


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After that they gave the gifts to be burned day and night and for the new moons, and for all the special times of the Lord, and the gifts from every one who brought a free-will gift to the Lord.


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From the first day of the seventh month they began to give burnt gifts to the Lord. But the house of the Lord had not begun to be built.


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So they gave money to the men who worked with stone and wood. They gave food, drink and oil to the Sidonians and Tyrians so the cedar wood could be brought from Lebanon to the sea at Joppa, as King Cyrus of Persia had allowed them.


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In the second month of the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers the religious leaders and Levites, and all who returned from Babylon to Jerusalem, began the work. And they chose the Levites from twenty years old and older to watch over the work of the Lord's house.


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Then Jeshua with his sons and brothers, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, and the sons of Henadad with their sons and brothers the Levites, together watched over the workmen in the house of God.


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When the builders had begun building the house of the Lord, the religious leaders stood in their religious clothing blowing horns. The Levites, the sons of Asaph, stood with brass noise-makers. And they praised the Lord, as they had been told by King David of Israel.


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They sang, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, saying, "For He is good, for His loving-kindness is upon Israel forever." All the people called out with a loud voice when they praised the Lord because the work on the house of the Lord had begun.


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But many of the religious leaders and Levites and heads of the family groups were old men who had seen the first house of the Lord. And they cried with a loud voice when the work of this house was begun in front of their eyes. But many called out for joy in a loud voice.


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The people could not tell the difference between the sound of joy and the sound of crying. For the people called out with a loud voice, and the sound was heard far away.


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Now those who hated Judah and Benjamin heard that the people had returned from Babylon and were building a house of worship to the Lord God of Israel.


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They came to Zerubbabel and the heads of the family groups and said to them, "Let us build with you. For we worship your God as you do. We have been giving gifts to Him since the days of King Esar-haddon of Assyria, who brought us here."


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But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the family groups of Israel said to them, "You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God. But we alone will build to the Lord God of Israel, as King Cyrus of Persia has told us to do."


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Then the people of the land made the hearts of the people of Judah weak, and made them afraid to go on building.


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They paid people to speak against them and to make trouble in their plans all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the rule of King Darius of Persia.


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In the beginning of Ahasuerus' rule, people of the land wrote that the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem had done something wrong.


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During Artaxerxes' rule, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of their friends wrote to King Artaxerxes of Persia. The letter was written in the Aramaic language.


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It was written by Rehum the captain and Shimshai the writer and the rest of their friends, the judges, the leaders and important men, the men of Erech, Babylon, Shusha <n>(that is, the Elamites)</n>,


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and the rest of the nations. The people of these nations were sent away by the great and honored Osnappar, and made their home in the city of Samaria and in the rest of the land on the other side of the Euphrates River. Now


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this is what they said in their letter to him: "To King Artaxerxes, your servants, the men in the land on the other side of the River,


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let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to Jerusalem. They are building again the sinful city that is not willing to be ruled. They are finishing the walls and beginning the work on the buildings.


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Now let it be known to the king that, if that city is built again and the walls are finished, they will not pay what should be paid to the king. The taxes paid to the king will be less.


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We are under the care of the king, and it is not right for us to see the king not being honored. So we have sent to let the king know.


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Look through the books kept by your fathers. You will find from these books that Jerusalem is not willing to be ruled, and that it is a danger to kings and lands. They have turned against kings in past times, and this is why that city was laid waste.


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We are letting the king know that, if that city is built again and the walls are finished, you will own nothing in the land on the other side of the River."


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The king sent an answer to Rehum the captain, Shimshai the writer, and to the rest of their friends who live in Samaria and in the rest of the land on the other side of the River. He wrote: "Peace.


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I have had men look through the books. And it has been found that the city has turned against kings in past times, and that plans against kings have been made in it.


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Powerful kings have ruled over Jerusalem, who ruled over all the lands on the other side of the River, and taxes were paid to them.


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So give word to these men to make them stop the work. This city may not be built again until I allow it.


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When the letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the writer and their friends, they went in a hurry to the Jews at Jerusalem and with their power made them stop.


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Then the work on the house of God in Jerusalem stopped. It was stopped until the second year of the rule of Darius king of Persia.


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Now the men who spoke for God, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, spoke for God to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem. They spoke in the name of the God of Israel Who was over them.


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Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak began to build again the house of God in Jerusalem. The men who spoke for God were with them and helped them.


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Then Tattenai, the leader over the land on the other side of the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and their friends, came to them and said, "Who told you to build on this house and to finish the building?"


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But the eye of their God was on the leaders of the Jews. They did not stop them until a letter was sent to Darius about it, and a written answer received from him.


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This is what was said in the letter sent to King Darius from Tattenai, the leader over the land on the other side of the River, and Shethar-bozenai and his important friends.


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Let it be known to the king that we have gone to the land of Judah, to the house of the great God. It is being built with very large stones, and heavy pieces of wood are being laid in the walls. This work is being done with much care and is going well in their hands.


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We also asked them their names, that we might write down the names of their leaders and let you know.


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They answered, 'We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth. We are building again the house of God that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.


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But because our fathers had made the God of heaven angry, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed this house of God, and carried the people away to Babylon.


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But in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus told us to build again this house of God.


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Nebuchadnezzar had taken the gold and silver objects of the house of God from the house in Jerusalem, and brought them to the house of worship at Babylon. But King Cyrus took them from the house of worship at Babylon and they were given to Sheshbazzar, whom he had chosen as leader over the land.


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He said to him, "Go, take these objects to Jerusalem and carry them into the place of worship. And let the house of God be built again in its place."


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Then Sheshbazzar came and began building the house of God in Jerusalem. The building has been going on from then until now, and it is not yet finished.'


text:
So now, if it pleases the king, have men look through the books kept there in Babylon to see if King Cyrus had told them to build again this house of God at Jerusalem. Let the king send us word on what is decided about this."


text:
And in Ecbatana, the most important city in the land of Media, a book was found in which was written:


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"In the first year of King Cyrus, Cyrus the king said that this was to be done about the house of God at Jerusalem: 'Let the house of God, the place where burnt gifts are given in worship, be built again with a good base. It should be sixteen times taller than a man, and as wide as thirty long steps.


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There should be three very large stones laid on the top of each other, and then one large piece of wood laid. Let it be paid for from the king's money.


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Let the gold and silver objects which Nebuchadnezzar took from the house of God in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon be returned to their places in the house of God in Jerusalem. You must put them in the house of God.'


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"So now, Tattenai, leader over the land on the other side of the River, Shethar-bozenai, and your friends who are leaders in the lands on the other side of the River, stay away from there.


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Leave this work on the house of God alone. Let the leaders of the Jews build this house of God again where it stood before.


text:
Also, I am making it known what you are to do for these leaders of Judah for the building of this house of God. All of it is to be paid for from the king's money out of the taxes from the lands on the other side of the River. And waste no time to get it to them.


text:
Be sure to give them each day whatever is needed, young bulls, rams and lambs for a burnt gift to the God of heaven, and grain, salt, wine, and oil for pouring.


text:
This is so they may give pleasing gifts in worship to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.


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I here make it known that if anyone does not do what I say, a piece of wood will be taken from his house and he will be nailed on it. And his house will become a place to gather waste.


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May the God Who has caused His name to be there take away the power of any king or people who will try to change what I have said, so as to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have told this to you. Let it be done with much care."


text:
Then Tattenai, the leader over the land on the other side of the River, and Shethar-bozenai and their friends obeyed the words of the king with much care, just as King Darius had told them.


text:
The leaders of the Jews did well in building, through the words spoken by Haggai the man who spoke for God and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They finished building as they had been told to do by the God of Israel, and by Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.


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The house of God was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the rule of King Darius.


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The people of Israel, the religious leaders, the Levites, and the rest of the people who returned from Babylon, set apart this house of God with joy.


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To set apart this house of God they gave 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs. For a sin gift for all Israel they gave twelve male goats, one for each number of the families of Israel.


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Then they put the religious leaders and the Levites into groups by the work they were to do for God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.


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The people who had returned from Babylon kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.


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For the religious leaders and the Levites had made themselves holy together. All of them were clean. Then they killed the Passover lamb for all the people, for their brothers the religious leaders, and for themselves.


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It was eaten by the people of Israel who returned from Babylon and all those who had separated themselves from the sin of the nations of the land to join them and to look for the Lord God of Israel.


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They kept the Special Supper of Bread Without Yeast for seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them very happy. He had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to give them strength in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.


text:
Now after this, during the rule of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Ezra went up from Babylon. Ezra was the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah,


text:
This Ezra went up from Babylon. He was a writer who knew well the Law of Moses which the Lord God of Israel had given. The king gave him everything he asked for, because the Lord his God was good to him.


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Some of the sons of Israel and some of the religious leaders, the Levites, the singers, the gate-keepers and the servants of the house of God went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.


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He left Babylon on the first day of the first month, and came to Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, because the good hand of his God was upon him.


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For Ezra had set his heart to learn the Law of the Lord, to live by it, and to teach His Laws in Israel.


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This is what was written in the letter which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the religious leader, the writer, who had much learning in the Laws of the Lord and His Laws for Israel:


text:
"Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the religious leader, the writer who knows the Law of the God of heaven: Peace. And now


text:
I let it be known that if there are any people of Israel, religious leaders or Levites in my nation who are willing to go to Jerusalem, they may go with you.


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For you are sent by the king and his seven men of wisdom to see if the Law of your God which is in your hand is being obeyed in Judah and Jerusalem.


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Take the silver and gold which the king and his men of wisdom have given because they wanted to give to the God of Israel, Whose house is in Jerusalem.


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Take this with all the silver and gold you will find in the whole land of Babylon. And take the gifts of the people and of the religious leaders, who have given because they have wanted to for the house of their God in Jerusalem.


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With this money, buy bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain gifts and their drink gifts. And give them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem.


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Whatever you and your brothers think is best to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do, if it is the will of your God.


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Also take to the God of Jerusalem all the objects given to you for the work of the house of your God.


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I, King Artaxerxes, here make this known to all those who take care of the money in the lands on the other side of the River. You should be ready and willing to give Ezra, the religious leader and writer who knows the Law of the God of heaven, whatever he needs.


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Give silver weighing up to as much as 100 men, and as much as 1,000 baskets of grain, 1,100 jars of wine, 1,100 jars of oil, and as much salt as is needed.


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Whatever is wanted by the God of heaven, let it be done in full for the house of the God of heaven. Or else He might be angry with the nation of the king and his sons.


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We also let you know that it is not allowed to take any taxes from any of the religious leaders, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, or servants of this house of God.


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And you, Ezra, use the wisdom of your God which is in your hand to choose leaders and judges. They are to judge all the people in the land on the other side of the River, all those who know the Laws of your God. You may teach anyone who does not know them.


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Whoever will not obey the Law of your God and the law of the king, let his punishment be hard. Put him to death, or send him out of the land, or take what he has, or put him in prison."


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Honor and thanks be to the Lord, the God of our fathers, Who has put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to make the house of the Lord in Jerusalem beautiful.


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He has shown loving-kindness to me in front of the king and his wise men, and in front of all the king's powerful leaders. I was given strength, because the hand of the Lord my God was upon me. And I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.


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These are the leaders of family groups and the family names of those who went up with me from Babylon during the rule of King Artaxerxes:


text:
there was Gershom of the sons of Phinehas, Daniel of the sons of Ithamar, and from the house of David, Hattush,


text:
the son of Shecaniah. There was Zechariah of the sons of Parosh, and with him were 150 men whose family names were written down.


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Of the sons of Adonikam, the last to come, there were Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah, and sixty men with them.


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I gathered them at the river that flows to Ahava, where we had our camp for three days. When I saw the people and the religious leaders, I did not find any Levites there.


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So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were leaders, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, who were teachers.


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I sent them to Iddo, the leader at Casiphia. I told them what to say to Iddo and his brothers, servants in the house of worship at Casiphia. They were to bring men to us to care for the house of our God.


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And by the good hand of our God upon us, they brought us a man of wisdom, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel. His name is Sherebiah, and with him came his sons and brothers, eighteen men.


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They also brought Hashabiah and Jeshaiah of the sons of Morari, with his brothers and their sons, twenty men.


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They brought 220 men to work in the house of God, whom David and the leaders had chosen to help the Levites. All of them were chosen by name.


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Then I set apart a time there at the river of Ahava when we would not eat any food. This was so we might put away our pride before our God, and pray that He would keep us and our children and all our things safe as we traveled.


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For I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to keep us safe from those who hate us on the way, because we had said to the king, "The hand of our God brings good to all who look for Him. But His power and His anger are against all who turn away from Him."


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Then I set apart twelve of the head religious leaders: Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers.


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And I weighed and gave to them the silver, the gold and the dishes and objects, which had been given for the house of our God by the king and his wise men and leaders, and all the people of Israel who were there.


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I gave them silver weighing as much as 650 men, silver dishes and objects weighing as much as 100 men, and gold weighing as much as 100 men.


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I gave them twenty deep, gold dishes, worth 1,000 gold-pieces, and two pots of fine shining brass, worth as much as gold.


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Then I said to them, "You are holy to the Lord, and these objects are holy. The silver and the gold are a free-will gift to the Lord God of your fathers.


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Watch and keep them until you weigh them in front of the head religious leaders, the Levites, and the heads of the family groups of Israel at Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord."


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So the religious leaders and the Levites took the weight of silver and gold and objects, to bring them to the house of our God at Jerusalem.


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Then we left the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month to go to Jerusalem. And God helped us and kept us safe from those who hated us and from those who hid waiting to fight us on the way.


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On the fourth day the silver and gold and objects were weighed in the house of our God and given to Meremoth the son of Uriah the religious leader. With him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas. And with them were the Levites, Jozabad the son of Jeshua and Noadiah the son of Binnui.


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The people who had returned from Babylon gave burnt gifts in worship to the God of Israel. They gave 12 bulls for all Israel, 96 rams, 77 lambs, and 12 male goats for a sin gift. All this was a burnt gift to the Lord.


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Then they let the king's rulers and leaders in the lands on the other side of the River know what the king said for them to do. And they helped the people and the house of God.


text:
After these things had been done, the leaders came to me, saying, "The people of Israel and the religious leaders and the Levites have not separated themselves from the people of the lands. They have followed the sinful ways of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.


text:
For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons. The holy people have mixed with the peoples of the lands. The leaders and rulers of the government have been the first in this sin."


text:
When I heard this, I tore my clothing and my coat, and pulled hair from my head and face, and sat down filled with much trouble and fear.


text:
Then everyone who shook with fear at the words of the God of Israel, because of the sin of the Jews who returned from Babylon, gathered around me. And I sat filled with trouble and fear until the time to give the evening gift in worship.


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When the evening gift was given, I rose up from my trouble, with my clothing and coat torn. And I got down on my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my God.


text:
I said, "O my God, I am ashamed to lift up my face to You, my God, for our sins have risen above our heads. Our guilt has grown even to the heavens.


text:
We have been very guilty since the days of our fathers to this day. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our religious leaders have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands. We have been killed by the sword. We have been carried away to a strange land. We have had our things taken from us, and have been put to shame, as it is this day.


text:
But now for a short time loving-favor has been shown to us from the Lord our God. He has kept some of us alive to return to get a hold on His holy place, that our God may give light to our eyes, and give us some new life while we are under the power of Persia.


text:
For we are servants, but our God has not left us even while we are servants of another nation. He has shown us loving-kindness in the eyes of the kings of Persia. He has given us new life to set up the house of our God, to build again its parts that have been destroyed, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.


text:
which You have given to us by Your servants who spoke for You, saying, 'The land which you are going in to take for your own is an unclean land. The peoples of the lands are unclean and have sinful ways, and they have filled it from end to end with their sin.


text:
So do not let your daughters marry their sons, or their daughters marry your sons. Never look for their peace or their wellbeing, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land, and leave it as a gift to your children forever.'


text:
You, our God, have made our punishment less than our sins. You have given us these people who are left of the Jews and who have returned from a strange land. And after all that has come upon us because of our wrong-doing and much guilt,


text:
should we break Your Laws again and marry the peoples who do these sinful things? Would You not be angry with us until we are destroyed and there is no one left?


text:
O Lord God of Israel, You are right and good. For some of us have been left alive to return, as it is this day. See, we are guilty before You. No one can stand before You because of this."


text:
Ezra was praying and telling their sins, and crying and lying on the ground before the house of God. Many people, men, women and children, gathered around him from Israel, for the people cried with many tears.


text:
Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, said to Ezra, "We have not been faithful to our God. We have married strange women from the people of the land. But even so, there is hope for Israel.


text:
So let us make an agreement with our God to put away all the wives and their children. Let this be done by the wise words of my lord and of those who shake with fear at the Word of our God. And let it be done by the Law.


text:
So Ezra got up and made the head religious leaders, the Levites and all Israel promise that they would do as he had said, and they promised.


text:
Then Ezra got up from before the house of God and went into the room of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib. He went there, but he did not eat bread or drink water, for he was filled with sorrow because the people who returned had not been faithful to God.


text:
And it was made known to all the Jews who had returned to Judah and Jerusalem that they should gather together at Jerusalem.


text:
Whoever would not come within three days, as the leaders had said, would have all he owned taken away from him. He would be sent away from the people who had returned from Babylon.


text:
So all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered together at Jerusalem within the three days. It was the twentieth day of the ninth month. All the people sat in the open space before the house of God, shaking because of this trouble and because of much rain.


text:
Then Ezra the religious leader stood up and said to them, "You have been sinful and have married wives of strange lands, adding to the guilt of Israel.


text:
So now tell your sins to the Lord God of your fathers, and do His will. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from the strange wives."


text:
But there are many people, and there is much rain. We cannot stand in the open. This cannot be done in one or two days, for we have sinned very much.


text:
Let our leaders speak for all the people. Then let all those in our cities who have married strange wives come at certain times, together with the leaders and judges of each city. Let this be done until the anger of our God, because of this sin, is turned away from us."


text:
Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah were against this, with Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite following them.


text:
But the other people who had returned from Babylon agreed to do this. Ezra the religious leader chose men who were leaders of family groups for each of their fathers' houses. Each of them were chosen by name. So they met together on the first day of the tenth month to look into the problem.


text:
And by the first day of the first month, they finished finding the names of all the men who had married wives from the other nations.


text:
Of the sons of the religious leaders who had married strange wives were found the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.


text:
They promised to put away their wives, and because they were guilty, they gave a ram of the flock for their sin.


text:
Of the Levites there were Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah <n>(that is, Kelita)</n>, Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.


text:
Of Israel, there were Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah, of the sons of Parosh.


text:
There were Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh, of the sons of Pahath-moab.


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There were Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei, of the sons of Hashum.


text:
All these had married wives of the other nations, and some of the wives had given birth to children.


text:
These are the words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in the king's house in Susa,


text:
Hanani, one of my brothers, and some men from Judah came. I asked them about the Jews who were still living and had gotten away from Babylon, and about Jerusalem.


text:
They said to me, "The Jews who are left who have returned to the land from Babylon are in much trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are destroyed by fire."


text:
When I heard this, I sat down and cried and was filled with sorrow for days. I did not eat, and I prayed to the God of heaven.


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I said, "O Lord God of heaven, the great God Who is honored with fear, Who keeps the agreement and loving-kindness for those who love Him and keep His Laws,


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listen to me and let Your eyes be open. Hear the prayer of Your servant which I now pray to You day and night for the sons of Israel Your servants, telling the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You. I and my father's house have sinned.


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We have sinned in our actions against You. We have not kept the Laws which You gave to Your servant Moses.


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Remember what You told Your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are not faithful, I will make you go different places in other nations.


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But if you return to Me and keep My Laws and obey them, I will gather you and bring you to the place where I have chosen for My name to be. I will do this even if you have been spread out to the farthest part of the heavens.'


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O Lord, hear the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who are happy to fear Your name. Make Your servant do well today, and give him lovingpity in front of this man." Now I was the one who carried the cup for the king.


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In the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, wine was in front of him. And I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in front of him before.


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So the king said to me, "Why is your face so sad when you are not sick? It must be that you are sad in your heart." Then I was very much afraid.


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I said to the king, "Let the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad when the city, the place of my fathers' graves, lies waste and its gates destroyed by fire?"


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And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your eyes, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves. Let me build it again."


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The king said to me, with the queen sitting beside him, "How long will you be gone, and when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me, and I set him a time.


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And I said to the king, "If it please the king, let letters be given to me for the leaders of the lands on the other side of the River, that they may allow me to pass through until I come to Judah.


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Send a letter with me for Asaph, the keeper of the king's trees, that he may give me cut trees. These will be for making heavy wood pieces for the gates of the strong place by the house of God, and for the city wall, and for the house where I will stay." And the king gave me what I asked for, because the good hand of my God was upon me.


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Then I came to the leaders of the lands on the other side of the River and gave them the letters. Now the king had sent army captains and horsemen with me.


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When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite workman heard about it, they were not pleased that someone had come to make things go well for the sons of Israel.


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Then I got up in the night, I and a few men with me. I did not tell anyone what my God was putting into my mind to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me except the one I was sitting on.


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I went out at night by the Valley Gate to the Dragon's Well and to the Waste Gate. I looked at the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down and its gates which were destroyed by fire.


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Then I went on to the Well Gate and the King's Pool, but there was no place for the animal I was on to pass.


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So I went up in the night by the valley and looked at the wall. Then I went in through the Valley Gate again and returned.


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The leaders did not know where I had gone or what I had done. And I had not yet told the Jews, the religious leaders, the rulers, the leaders, or the rest who did the work.


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Then I said to them, "You see the problem we have. Jerusalem lies waste and its gates are destroyed by fire. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem again, that we may no longer be put to shame."


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I told them how the hand of my God had brought good to me, and the words that the king had spoken to me. Then they said, "Let us get up and build." So they put their hands to the good work.


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But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite servant, and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they made fun of us and hated us. They said, "What is this thing you are doing? Are you turning against the king?"


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I answered them, "The God of heaven will make it go well for us. So we His servants will get up and build. But you have no share or right or anything to be remembered in Jerusalem."


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Then Eliashib the head religious leader and his brothers the religious leaders started to work and built the Sheep Gate. They set it apart as holy, and hung its doors. They set apart as holy the wall to the Tower of the Hundred, and to the Tower of Hananel.


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The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They laid the long wood pieces that hold up the gate and hung its doors with its iron pieces.


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Next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz, did the needed work. Next to him Meshullam the son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel, did the needed work. And next to him Zadok the son of Baana did the needed work.


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Next to him the Tekoites did the needed work, but their rulers would not do the work they were told to do by their lords.


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Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah did the needed work on the Old Gate. They laid its long wood pieces and hung its doors with its iron pieces.


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Next to them Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite did the needed work. They were the men of Gibeon and Mizpah, who were under the rule of the leader of the land on the other side of the River.


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Next to them Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, who worked with gold, did the needed work. Next to him Hananiah, one of the men who made perfume, did the needed work. They made Jerusalem like new as far as the Wide Wall.


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Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph did the needed work beside his house. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah did the needed work.


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Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab did the needed work on another part and on the Tower of the Stoves.


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Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the leader of half of Jerusalem, did the needed work, he and his daughters.


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Hanun and the people of Zanoah did the needed work on the Valley Gate. They built it and hung its doors with its iron pieces. And they built the wall to the Waste Gate, as far as 500 long steps.


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Malchijah the son of Rechab, the leader of Beth-haccherem did the needed work on the Waste Gate. He built it and hung its doors with its iron pieces.


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Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, the leader of Mizpah, did the needed work on the Well Gate. He built it, covered it, and hung its doors with its iron pieces. And he built the wall of the Pool of Shelah at the King's Garden as far as the steps that go down from the City of David.


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After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, leader of half of Beth-zur, did the needed work as far as David's grave, and as far as the Man-made Pool and the House of the Powerful Men.


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After him the Levites did the needed work, led by Rehum the son of Bani. Next to him Hashabiah, the leader of half of Keilah, did the needed work for his part of the city.


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After him their brothers did the needed work, led by Bavvai the son of Henadad, leader of the other half of Keilah.


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Next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, the leader of Mizpah, did the needed work on another part, in front of the hill up to the place where the things for battle were kept at the turn of the wall.


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After him Baruch the son of Zabbai did the needed work with much care on another part, from the turn of the wall to the door of the house of Eliashib the head religious leader.


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After him Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz did the needed work on another part from the door of Eliashib's house to the end of the house.


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After them Benjamin and Hasshub did the needed work in front of their house. After them Azariah the son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah, did the needed work beside his house.


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After him Binnui the son of Henadad did the needed work on another part, from the house of Azariah as far as the turn of the wall, and to the corner.


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Palal the son of Uzai did the needed work in front of the turn of the wall and the tower which stands out from the upper house of the king, by the open space of the house soldiers. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh


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and the servants of the house of worship living in Ophel did the needed work as far as the front of the Water Gate on the east and the tall tower.


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After him the Tekoites did the needed work on another part in front of the tall tower and as far as the wall of Ophel.


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The religious leaders did the needed work above the Horse Gate. Each one worked in front of his house.


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After them Zadok the son of Immer did the needed work in front of his house. And after him Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, did the needed work.


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After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, did the needed work on another part. After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah did the needed work in front of his own room.


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After him Malchijah, one of the men who worked with gold, did the needed work as far as the house of the servants of the Lord's house and of the traders. He worked in front of the Master Gate and as far as the upper room of the corner.


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The goldworkers and the traders did the needed work between the upper room of the corner and the Sheep Gate.


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When Sanballat heard that we were building the wall again, he became very angry. He was filled with anger and he made fun of the Jews.


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He said to his brothers and the rich men of Samaria, "What are these weak Jews doing? Are they going to build things again for themselves? Will they give gifts on the altar in worship? Will they finish in a day? Will they get good stones for building from the dust, seeing they are burned?"


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Tobiah the Ammonite was near him and said, "If a fox would jump on what they build, he would break their stone wall down!"


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Hear, O our God, how we are hated! Return their shame on their own heads. Let them be taken as servants to a strange land.


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Do not forgive their sin. Do not let their sin be covered from Your eyes. For they have made much fun of the builders.


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But we built the wall, and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.


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When Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the work of building the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the broken places began to be closed, they were very angry.


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So in Judah it was said, "Those who carry the loads are becoming weaker, and there is much dust. We are not able to work on the wall."


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Those who hated us said, "They will not know it or see us until we are among them, kill them, and stop the work."


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When the Jews who lived by them came, they told us ten times, "They will come up against us from all the places where they live."


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So I put men in the lowest parts of the places behind the wall, in the open places. I put the people in place by their families with their swords, spears and bows.


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When I saw their fear, I got up and said to the rulers and leaders and the rest of the people, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord Who is great and honored with fear. And fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses."


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When those who hated us heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought trouble to their plan, then all of us returned to the wall. Each one returned to his work.


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From that day on, half of my servants did the work while half of them held the spears, battle-coverings, bows, and battle-clothes. And the captains stood behind the whole house of Judah.


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Those who were building the wall and those who carried loads did their work with one hand, and held something to fight with in the other hand.


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I said to the rulers, leaders, and the rest of the people, "There is very much work to do, and we are separated on the wall far from one another.


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In whatever place you hear the sound of the horn, gather together to us there. Our God will fight for us."


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At that time I also said to the people, "Let every man and his servant spend the night within Jerusalem so they may watch for us during the night and work during the day."


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So none of us, I, my brothers, my servants, or the soldiers who followed me, took off our clothes. Each man kept something to fight with in his hand, even when he went to wash.


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For some said, "We, our sons and our daughters are many. Let us get grain, that we may eat and live."


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And some said, "We are giving up our fields, our grape-vines and our houses, that we might get grain because of no food."


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Others said, "We have taken money from others to pay the king's tax on our fields and our grape-vines, and we must pay back this money.


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Our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers. Our children are like their children. Yet we are made to sell our sons and daughters to work for others. Some of our daughters have already been sold and taken away. We cannot do anything, because our fields and vines belong to others."


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I thought about it, and spoke sharp words to the rulers and leaders. I said to them, "You are making the people pay back more money than you give them to use!" So I gathered many people together against them.


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And I said to them, "As we have been able, we have bought and freed our Jewish brothers who were sold to the nations. But you would even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!" They were quiet and could not find a word to say.


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So I said, "What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God to stop the nations who hate us from putting us to shame?


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I, my brothers and my servants are giving them money and grain. Let us stop making them pay back more than they are given.


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Return to them this very day their fields, vines, olive trees, and houses. Also return to them one-hundredth part of the money, grain, new wine, and oil, that you have been making them pay."


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Then they said, "We will give these back and will ask nothing from them. We will do just as you say." So I called the religious leaders, and had them promise that they would keep their word.


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I shook out the front of my clothing and said, "So may God shake out every man from his house and from all he has worked for, who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and made empty." And all the people said, "Let it be so!" and praised the Lord. Then they did as they had promised.


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Also, in the twelve years after I was chosen to be their ruler in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, I and my brothers did not eat the food allowed to the ruler.


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The rulers who were before me made the people work very hard. They took bread and wine from them, besides forty pieces of silver. Even their servants ruled over the people. But I did not do so because of the fear of God.


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I also worked on this wall myself, and we did not buy any land. And all my servants were gathered there for the work.


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Also, there were 150 Jews and leaders at my table, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us.


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One bull, six of the best sheep, and birds were made ready for me each day. All kinds of wine were brought in every ten days. Yet for all this I did not make them give me the food allowed to me as ruler, because the work was very hard for these people.


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It was told to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and to the rest of those who hated us that I had built the wall again. They were told that the wall had no more open places, but I had not yet set up the doors in the gates.


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So Sanballat and Geshem sent word to me, saying, "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono." But they were planning to hurt or kill me.


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So I sent men with word to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?"


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Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same way for a fifth time, with an open letter in his hand.


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In it was written, "It is said among the nations, and Gashmu says that you and the Jews are planning to turn against the king. This is why you are building the wall again. It is said that you wish to be their king.


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You have also chosen men who tell what will happen to speak to the people in Jerusalem about you, saying, 'A king is in Judah!' Now this will be told to the king. So come now, let us meet to speak with each other."


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Then I sent word to him, saying, "No such things as you say have been done. You are making them up in your own mind."


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For they all wanted to make us afraid, thinking, "Their hands will become weak and the work will not be done." But now, O God, strengthen my hands.


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When I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was at home said, "Let us meet together inside the house of God, and close the doors of the Lord's house for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you at night."


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But I said, "Should a man like me run away? And could a man such as I go into the house of God to save his life? I will not go in."


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Then I understood that God had not sent him. He had spoken these words against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had paid him to do it.


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He had been paid to try to make me afraid and to do as he said and sin, so they would have sinful things to say about me and put me to shame.


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O my God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat by these works of theirs. And remember Noadiah and the rest of the men who tell what will happen who were trying to make me afraid.


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When all those who hated us heard about it, all the nations around us were afraid and troubled. For they saw that this work had been done with the help of our God.


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For many in Judah were joined by promise to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah. And his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam, son of Berechiah.


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Also they spoke about Tobiah's good works in front of me, and told my words to him. Then Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid.


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When the wall was built and I had set up the doors, and the gate-keepers and singers and Levites were chosen,


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I gave my brother Hanani, and Hanaiah the captain of the strong place, the work of watching over Jerusalem. For he was a faithful man and honored God with fear more than many.


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I said to them, "Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot. And while the soldiers are on duty watching the gates, let them shut and lock the doors. Choose soldiers from the people of Jerusalem, each one for the place he is to keep watch, and each in front of his own house."


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Then my God put it into my heart to gather together the rulers, the leaders and the people to have their names written down by families. And I found the book of the family names of those who came up first. This is what I found written in it:


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These people returned with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. The number of the men of Israel:


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Now these were the men who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer. But they were not able to prove their fathers' houses or that they were children of Israel:


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And the sons of the religious leaders: the sons of Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai, who had married one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called by their name.


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Some from among the heads of the family groups gave to the work. The ruler gave 1,000 gold pieces, fifty deep dishes, and 530 sets of clothing for the religious leaders.


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The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold pieces, 2,000 silver pieces, and 67 sets of clothing for the religious leaders.


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Now the religious leaders, the Levites, the gate-keepers, the singers, some of the people, the servants in the house of the Lord, and all Israel, lived in their cities. When the seventh month had come, the sons of Israel were in their cities.


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Then all the people gathered as one man at the open space in front of the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the writer to bring the book of the Law of Moses which the Lord had given to Israel.


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And on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the religious leader brought the Law to the gathering of men, women, and all who were able to understand.


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He read from it in the open space by the Water Gate from early morning until noon. He read it in front of men and women and those who were able to understand and all the people listened to the book of the Law.


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Ezra the writer stood on a raised floor of wood which they had made for this reason. Beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right. And Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam stood on his left.


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All the people saw Ezra open the book, for he was standing above all of them. And all the people stood up when he opened it.


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Then Ezra gave honor and thanks to the Lord the great God. And all the people answered, "Let it be so!" while lifting up their hands. They bowed low with their faces to the ground and worshiped the Lord.


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Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, helped the people understand the Law, while the people stayed in their places.


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They read from the book of the Law of God, telling the meaning of it so that they understood what was read.


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Then Nehemiah, who was the ruler, and Ezra the religious leader and writer, and the Levites who taught the people, said to all of them, "This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not cry or be filled with sorrow." For all the people were crying when they heard the words of the Law.


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Ezra said to them, "Go, eat and drink what you enjoy, and give some to him who has nothing ready. For this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be sad for the joy of the Lord is your strength."


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So the Levites made all the people quiet, saying, "Be quiet, for this is a holy day. Do not be sad."


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And all the people went away to eat and drink, to share what they had, and to show their joy. They understood the words which had been made known to them.


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On the second day the heads of the family groups of all the people, the religious leaders, and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the writer, that they might better understand the words of the Law.


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They found written in the Law how the Lord had said through Moses that the sons of Israel should live in tents during the special supper of the seventh month.


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So they made it known in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, "Go out to the hills and bring branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other trees with leaves, to make tents, as it is written."


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So the people went out and brought them and made tents for themselves, each on his roof. And they made tents in their open spaces, in the open spaces of the house of God, in the place by the Water Gate, and in the place by the Gate of Ephraim.


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All the people who had returned from Babylon made tents and lived in them. The sons of Israel had not done so since the days of Joshua the son of Nun. And there was much joy.


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Every day Ezra read from the book of the Law of God, from the first day to the last day. They held the special supper seven days, and on the eighth day there was a special gathering, as it is written in the Law.


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Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the sons of Israel gathered together, but they did not eat. They dressed in cloth made from hair, and put dirt on their heads.


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The children of Israel separated themselves from all those of other nations. They stood and told their sins and the sins of their fathers to God.


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While they stood in their place, they read from the book of the Law of the Lord their God for a fourth of the day. And for another fourth they told their sins and worshiped the Lord their God.


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Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani stood on the Levites' raised floor. And they cried with a loud voice to the Lord their God.


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Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, "Stand up and give honor and thanks to the Lord your God forever and ever! O may Your great name be praised!"


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"You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, the heaven of heavens with all their angels. You have made the earth and all that is on it, and the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them, and the angels of heaven bow down to You.


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You are the Lord God, Who chose Abram and brought him out from Ur of the Chaldees and gave him the name Abraham.


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You found his heart faithful to You and made an agreement with him, to give his children and their children's children the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite. And You have done what You promised, for You are right and good.


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Then You made special things to see and did powerful works against Pharaoh, against all his servants and all the people of his land. For You knew that they were proud and made it hard for our fathers. And You made a name for Yourself, as it is this day.


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You divided the sea in front of them, so they passed through the sea on dry ground. And You threw those who went after them into the deep sea, like a stone into troubled waters.


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You led the people during the day with a cloud, and with a pillar of fire during the night to light the way they were to go.


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Then You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You gave them Laws that are right and true and good.


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You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger. You brought them water from a rock for their thirst. And You told them to go in to take for their own the land You promised to give them.


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"But they, our fathers, acted with pride. They became strong-willed and would not listen to Your Words.


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They would not listen, and did not remember Your powerful works which You had done among them. So they became strong-willed and chose a leader to return to their hard work in Egypt. But You are a forgiving God. You are kind and loving, slow to anger, and full of loving-kindness. You did not leave them.


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They even melted gold and made a calf, and said, 'This is your God Who brought you up from Egypt.' They spoke sinful words against You.


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But You, in Your great loving-kindness, did not leave them in the desert. The pillar of cloud which led them on their way during the day did not leave them. And the pillar of fire which gave light to the way they were to go during the night did not leave them.


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You gave Your good Spirit to teach them. You did not keep Your bread from heaven from their mouths. And You gave them water when they were thirsty.


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For forty years You kept them alive in the desert and gave them everything they needed. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not become sore.


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You gave them nations and peoples, and You gave them every part. For their own they took the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and the land of Og king of Bashan.


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You made their sons as many as the stars of heaven. And You brought them into the land which You had told their fathers to go into and take for their own.


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So their sons went into the land and took it. You gave them power over the people of the land, the Canaanites. You gave these people into their hand, with their kings and the peoples of the land, to do with them as they would.


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They took strong cities and a rich land. They took houses full of every good thing. They took wells that had been dug, grape-vines, olive trees, and many fruit trees. So they ate and were filled and became fat. They were glad because You were so good to them.


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"But they would not obey and they turned against You. They put Your Law behind their backs. They killed the men who tell what will happen who had spoken sharp words to them telling them to return to You. The people spoke very sinful words against You.


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So You gave them into the hand of those who made it hard for them. But when they cried to You in the time of their trouble, You heard from heaven. And by Your great loving-kindness You sent men to save them from those who made it hard for them.


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But as soon as they had rest, they sinned against You again. So You left them in the hand of those who hated them, so that they ruled over them. When they cried again to You, You heard from heaven. And many times You took them away from trouble because of Your loving-kindness.


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You spoke sharp words to them to turn them back to Your Law. Yet they acted in pride and did not listen to Your Words, but sinned against Your Laws, by which if a man obeys them he will live. They were strong-willed and made their hearts hard against You, and would not listen.


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But You did not give up taking care of them for many years. You spoke sharp words to them by Your Spirit through the men who tell what will happen. Yet they would not listen. So You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.


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But in Your great lovingkindness, You did not make an end of them or leave them for You are a kind and loving God.


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"So now, our God, the great and powerful God, honored with fear, Who keeps His agreement and loving-kindness, do not let all this trouble look small in Your eyes which has come upon us, our kings, our princes, our religious leaders, our men who tell what will happen, our fathers, and on all Your people since the days of the kings of Assyria to this day.


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Yet You have been right and fair in all that has come upon us. For You have been faithful, but we have sinned.


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Our kings, leaders, religious leaders, and fathers have not kept Your Law or listened to Your Laws and Your strong words which You have given them.


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Even when they were in their own nation, with all the good things You gave them and with the great rich land You gave them, they did not serve You or turn from their sins.


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See, we are servants today. We are servants in the land You gave to our fathers. You gave it to them so they could eat the fruit and have other good things.


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The many good things the land gives are used by the kings whom You have put over us because of our sins. They also rule over our bodies and over our cattle as they please. So we are in much trouble.


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"Now because of all this we are making an agreement in writing. And our leaders, our Levites, and our religious leaders have put their mark on it."


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Those who put their mark on the agreement are Nehemiah the ruler, the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah,


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The rest of the people, the religious leaders, Levites, gate-keepers, singers, servants in the Lord's house, and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, sons, and daughters, all those who had much learning and understanding,


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are joining with their brothers, their leaders. They all promise and swear to walk in God's Law which was given through Moses, God's servant, and to keep and obey all the Words and Laws of God our Lord.


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We promise not to give our daughters in marriage to the people of the land, or take their daughters for our sons.


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If the people of the land bring grain or things to sell on the Day of Rest, we will not buy from them on the Day of Rest or a holy day. During the seventh year we will not grow food in the fields and will do away with anything that is owed.


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We also promise to give one-third part of a piece of silver each year for the work of the house of our God.


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This will be for the holy bread, the grain and burnt gifts that must be given, for gifts on the Days of Rest, the new moon, and the special times, for the holy gifts, and for the sin gifts to pay for the sins of Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.


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We drew names among the religious leaders, the Levites and the people, by our family groups, for the wood to be brought to the house of our God at certain times each year. It is to be burned on the altar of the Lord our God as it is written in the Law.


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We promise to bring the first-fruits of our ground and the first-fruits of all the fruit of every tree to the house of the Lord each year.


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We promise to bring to the house of our God the first-born of our sons, animals, cattle and flocks, as it is written in the Law, for the religious leaders who are working in the house of our God.


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We will bring the first of our grain, our gifts, the fruit of every tree, the new wine and the oil to the religious leaders in the rooms of the house of our God. And we will bring a tenth part of what we get from our ground to the Levites. For the Levites are the ones who receive a tenth part from all the farming towns.


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The religious leader, the son of Aaron, will be with the Levites when they receive a tenth part. And the Levites will bring up a tenth part of all the tenth parts to the rooms of the store-house of the house of our God.


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For the sons of Israel and the sons of Levi will bring the gifts of grain, new wine and oil to the storerooms where the tools of the holy place are kept. The religious leaders who serve, the gate-keepers, and the singers stay here. We will not forget to take care of the house of our God.


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Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. But the rest of the people drew names to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while nine-tenths stayed in the other cities.


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These are the leaders of the lands who lived in Jerusalem but in the cities of Judah every one lived on his own land there: Israel, the religious leaders, the Levites, the servants in the house of God, and the children of Solomon's servants.


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Some of the sons of Judah and some of the sons of Benjamin lived in Jerusalem. Of the sons of Judah there was Athaiah the son of Uzziah, son of Zechariah, son of Amariah, son of Shephatiah, son of Mahalalel, of the sons of Perez,


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and Maaseiah the son of Baruch, son of Col-hozeh, son of Hazaiah, son of Adaiah, son of Joiarib, son of Zechariah, son of the Shilonite.


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The sons of Benjamin are Sallu the son of Meshullam, son of Joed, son of Pedaiah, son of Kolaiah, son of Maaseiah, son of Ithiel, son of Jeshaiah,


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Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, the leader of the house of God,


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and their brothers who did the work of the house of God, 822 men. And there was Adaiah the son of Jeroham, son of Pelaliah, son of Amzi, son of Zechariah, son of Pashhur, son of Malchijah,


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and his brothers, heads of family groups, 242 men. And there was Amashsai the son of Azarel, son of Ahzai, son of Meshillemoth, son of Immer,


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and their brothers, 128 men with strength of heart. Zabdiel, the son of Haggedolim, watched over them.


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Of the Levites there was Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni,


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and Shabbethai and Jozabad, from the leaders of the Levites. They watched over the outside work of the house of God.


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And there was Mattaniah the son of Mica, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, who was the leader in beginning the giving of thanks at prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brothers. And there was Abda the son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun.


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The rest of Israel, of the religious leaders and of the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, each in the land he had been given.


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But the servants of the house of God were living in Ophel. Ziha and Gishpa were over the servants of the house of God.


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The one who watched over the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, son of Hashabiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Mica, from the sons of Asaph, the singers for the work of the house of God.


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Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the sons of Zerah the son of Judah, was the king's workman in everything to do with the people.


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As for the villages with their fields, some of the sons of Judah lived in Kiriath-arba and its villages, in Dibon and its villages, in Jekabzeel and its villages,


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Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its fields, and Azekah and its villages. So they lived from Beersheba as far as the valley of Hinnom.


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These are the religious leaders and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua. There were Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,


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Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the heads of the religious leaders and their brothers in the days of Jeshua.


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The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who with his brothers was over the songs of giving thanks.


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Jeshua was the father of Joiakim. Joiakim was the father of Eliashib. Eliashib was the father of Joiada.


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In the days of Joiakim the religious leader, these were the heads of the family groups: Meraiah of Seraiah, Hananiah of Jeremiah,


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As for the Levites, in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, the heads of the family groups were written down. So were the religious leaders in the rule of Darius the Persian.


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The sons of Levi, the heads of the family groups, were written down in the Book of the Chronicles until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.


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The heads of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers beside them. Each group praised and gave thanks, as David the man of God had told them.


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Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were gate-keepers. They watched at the store-houses of the gates.


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These men worked in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the ruler and of Ezra the religious leader and writer.


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At the special time to praise God for the wall of Jerusalem, they looked for all the Levites in the places where they lived and brought them to Jerusalem so they might join them at this special time with happiness. They sang songs of thanks and other songs as timbrels and harps were played.


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So the sons of the singers were gathered from the land around Jerusalem, from the villages of the Nethophathites,


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from Beth-gilgal, and from their fields in Geba and Azmaveth. For the singers had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem.


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The religious leaders and the Levites made themselves holy, and they made the people, the gates, and the wall holy.


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Then I had the leaders of Judah come up on top of the wall. And I picked two large groups of singers to give thanks. One group was to go to the right on top of the wall to the Waste Gate.


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and some of the sons of the religious leaders blowing horns. Then followed Zechariah the son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph,


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and his brothers, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the objects that David the man of God had made for playing music. And Ezra the writer went before them.


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At the Well Gate they went straight up the steps of the city of David, by the steps of the wall above the house of David, to the Water Gate on the east.


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The second group went to the left. I followed them with half of the people on the wall, above the Tower of Stoves, to the Wide Wall.


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They went above the Gate of Ephraim, by the Old Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. And they stopped at the Gate of the Watchmen.


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and the religious leaders, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with the horns,


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and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang with Jezrahiah as their leader.


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On that day they gave many good gifts and were glad because God had given them great joy. Even the women and children were filled with joy, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from far away.


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On that day men were chosen for the work of the store-rooms for the gifts, the first-fruits, and the tenth part for the Lord. They were to gather into them from the fields near the towns what was to be given by the Law to the religious leaders and Le vites. For Judah was filled with joy because of the religious leaders and Levites who did the work.


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They did the work of their God and the work of making everything clean from sin, together with the singers and the gate-keepers. They did as David and his son Solomon had told them.


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For in the days of David and Asaph, long ago, there were leaders of the singers, and songs of praise and thanks to God.


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So all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah gave what was to be given to the singers and gate-keepers each day. They set apart what was for the Levites. And the Levites set apart what was for the sons of Aaron.


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On that day they read from the book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And there was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever gather together to worship with the people of God.


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It was because they did not meet the sons of Israel with food and water, but paid Balaam to curse them. Yet our God turned the curse into good.


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Before this, Eliashib the religious leader, who watched over the storerooms of the house of our God, being close to Tobiah,


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made a room for him. They had before used the room to store the grain gifts, special perfume, dishes, and the tenth part of grain, wine and oil to be given to the Levites, the singers and the gatekeepers, and the gifts for the religious leaders.


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But during all this time I was not in Jerusalem. For in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon, I had gone to the king. Then after some time, I asked the king to let me go,


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and came to Jerusalem. I learned about the sinful thing Eliashib had done for Tobiah, by giving a room for him in the house of God.


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Then I said that the rooms must be made clean, and put back the things of the house of God with the grain gifts and the special perfume.


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I also learned that what was to be given to the Levites had not been given. So the Levites and the singers who did the work had gone back to their own fields.


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So I spoke sharp words to the leaders and said, "Why is the house of God no longer cared for?" Then I gathered them together and returned them to their duties.


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All the people of Judah then brought the tenth part of the grain, wine and oil into the store-houses.


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I had Shelemiah the religious leader, Zadok the writer, and Pedaiah of the Levites, watch over the storehouses. With them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah. For they were trusted, and it was their duty to give the needed things to their brothers.


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Remember me for this, O my God. Do not forget my good works which I have done for the house of my God and His worship.


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In those days I saw in Judah some who were crushing grapes to make wine on the Day of Rest. I saw them bringing in bags of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads. And they brought them into Jerusalem on the Day of Rest. So I spoke sharp words to them on the day they sold food.


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Men of Tyre were living there who brought in fish and all kinds of things to sell. They sold them to the people of Judah on the Day of Rest, even in Jerusalem.


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Then I spoke sharp words to the leaders of Judah, saying, "What is this sinful thing you are doing by not keeping the Day of Rest holy?


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Did not your fathers do the same, so that our God brought all this trouble to us and to this city? Yet you are bringing more anger to Israel by not keeping the Day of Rest holy."


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Just as it became dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Day of Rest, I had them shut the doors. And I would not let them be opened until after the Day of Rest. Then I had some of my servants watch the gates, that no load should come in on the Day of Rest.


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Then I spoke sharp words to them, saying, "Why do you stay the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will send men out to make you leave." From that time on they did not come on the Day of Rest.


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Then I told the Levites to make themselves free from sin and come and watch the gates to keep the Day of Rest holy. Remember me for this also, O my God. Be good to me because of Your great loving-kindness.


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Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod. They could not speak the language of Judah, but the language of their own people.


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So I fought with them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them promise in the name of God, saying, "You must not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.


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Did not King Solomon of Israel sin because of these women? Yet among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. But the women from other nations caused even him to sin.


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Should we hear now that you also are sinning in the same way by not being faithful to our God, by marrying women from other nations?"


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Even one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the religious leader, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. So I drove him away from me.


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Remember them, O my God, because they have brought sin to the religious leaders and to the agreement of the religious leaders and the Levites.


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So I made them free from the sin of other nations. I gave the religious leaders and the Levites their duties, each in his work.


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And I saw to it that wood would be brought at the right times, and also the first-fruits. O my God, remember me for good.


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This is what happened in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who ruled over 127 parts of the nation from India to Ethiopia.


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In the third year of his rule, he gave a special supper for all his princes and leaders. The army captains of Persia and Media, the important men and princes of the many parts of the country were there with him.


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When all the days were over, the king gave a supper lasting seven days for all the people from the greatest to the least who were in the city of Susa where he ruled. The supper was given in the open space of the garden of the king's special house.


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There were curtains of fine white and blue linen held by ropes of fine purple linen on silver rings and marble pillars. There were seats of gold and silver on a floor made of small glass-like pieces, marble, mother-of-pearl, and stones of much worth.


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Drinks were served in different kinds of gold cups, and there was much wine, because the king was very able and willing to give it.


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Drinking was done by the law. No one was made to drink. The king had told all the workmen of his house that they should give each person what he wanted.


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Queen Vashti also gave a special supper for the women in the beautiful house that belonged to King Ahasuerus.


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On the seventh day the heart of the king was happy with wine. And he told Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas, the seven servants who served King Ahasuerus,


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to bring Queen Vashti to the king with her crown. He wanted to show her beauty to the people and the princes, for she was beautiful.


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But Queen Vashti would not come when the king sent his servants to bring her. So the king became very angry and his anger burned within him.


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Then the king spoke to the wise men who understood the times. For it was the king's way to speak with all who knew law and what was right and fair.


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These men next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media. They were allowed to visit with the king and were next to the king in the nation.


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He asked them, "By the law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti, because she did not obey what King Ahasuerus sent the servants to tell her?"


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Then Memucan said in front of the king and the princes, "Queen Vashti has done wrong not only to the king, but to all the princes and all the people in the lands of King Ahasuerus.


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For what the queen has done will become known to all the women, and will make them hate their husbands. They will say, 'King Ahasuerus told Queen Vashti to be brought to him, but she would not come.'


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This very day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard what the queen has done will speak in the same way to all the king's princes. And there will be much hate and anger.


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If it pleases the king, let word be sent by him, and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media which cannot be changed, that Vashti should not come again to King Ahasuerus. Let the king give the place of queen to another who is better than she.


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Then the king's word will be heard through all his great nation, and all women will give honor to their husbands, from the greatest to the least."


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So he sent letters to all parts of the king's nation, to each land in its own writing and to every people in their own language. The letters said that every man should rule in his own house and speak there in the language of his own people.


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After these things, when King Ahasuerus was no longer angry, he remembered Vashti and what she had done, and what had been decided against her.


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Let the king choose men to watch over all the parts of his nation, that they may gather every beautiful young woman who has never had a man to the city of Susa. Have them brought to the house for the king's wives, under the care of Hegai, the king's servant, who takes care of the women. And let their things for making them beautiful be given to them.


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Then let the young lady who pleases the king be queen in place of Vashti." This pleased the king, and he did so.


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Now in the city of Susa where the king lived there was a Jew whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite.


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He had been taken from Jerusalem with the people who had been taken away with King Jeconiah of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon.


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He had brought up Hadassah, that is Esther, the daughter of his father's brother. For she did not have a father or mother. The young lady was beautiful in body and face. When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.


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The words of the king were made known, and many young ladies were gathered to the city of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. So Esther was taken to the king's house into the care of Hegai, who cared for the women.


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Now the young lady pleased Hegai and she found favor with him. He was quick to give her oils and special food, and gave her seven of the best women servants from the king's special house. He moved her and her women servants to the best place in the house for the king's wives.


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And every day Mordecai walked in front of the open space of the house of the king's women to learn how Esther was and how she was getting along.


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The time for each young lady came to go in to King Ahasuerus after the end of her twelve months of being under the rules for the women. The days of making themselves beautiful were finished after using oil from spices for six months, and perfumes and oils for making themselves beautiful for another six months.


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When the young woman went in to the king, whatever she wanted was given to her to take from the house of the king's women to the king's special house.


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In the evening she would go in and in the morning she would return to the second house for the king's women, into the care of Shaashgaz, the king's servant who took care of his women who acted as wives. She would not go in to the king again unless the king was pleased with her and she was called by name.


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Now the turn came for Esther, the daughter of Abihail, the brother of the father of Mordecai who had taken her as his daughter, to go in to the king. She did not ask for anything except what Hegai, the king's servant who took care of the women, said she should take. And Esther found favor in the eyes of all who saw her.


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So Esther was taken to the beautiful house of King Ahasuerus in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his rule.


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And the king loved Esther more than all the women. She found favor and kindness with him more than all the young women, so that he set the queen's crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.


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Then the king gave a great supper for all his princes and leaders. It was a special supper for Esther. He also made a special day for the nation, and gave many gifts.


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When the young women were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate.


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Esther had not yet told who her family or her people were, as Mordecai had said. For she did what Mordecai told her just as she had done when she was under his care.


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In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king's servants from those who watched over the door, became angry. And they planned to kill King Ahasuerus.


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But their plan became known to Mordecai and he told Queen Esther. And Esther told the king what Mordecai had heard.


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When the plan was learned and found to be true, both men were hanged on a tree. It was written down in the Book of the Chronicles in front of the king.


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After these things King Ahasuerus raised Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, to a more important duty. He was made to rule over all the princes who were with him.


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All the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed down and gave honor to Haman, for the king had said that this should be done. But Mordecai did not bow down or give him honor.


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Then the king's servants who were at the king's gate said to Mordecai, "Why are you not obeying the king?"


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They spoke to him each day, but he would not listen to them. So they told Haman to see if Mordecai's reason was good enough. For he had told them that he was a Jew.


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But he did not want to only hurt Mordecai. They had told him who the people of Mordecai were and Haman wanted to destroy all the Jews. He wanted to destroy all the people of Mordecai in the whole nation of Ahasuerus.


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In the first month, the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, names were drawn in front of Haman from day to day and from month to month, until the twelfth month, the month of Adar.


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Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people spread out among the people in all the parts of your nation whose laws are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king's laws. So it is not good for the king to let them stay.


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If it pleases the king, let it be made known that they should be destroyed. And I will pay silver weighing as much as 10,000 men to those who do the king's work, to be put into the king's store-houses."


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Then the king took the special ring from his hand that he used for marking his name and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, who hated the Jews.


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Then the king's writers were called on the thirteenth day of the first month. And all that Haman had said was written to the king's rulers who were over each part of the land, and to the princes of each people. It was written to each part in its own writing, and in the language of each people. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and marked with the king's special ring.


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Men were sent with letters to all the king's lands, to destroy, to kill, and to put an end to all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day. This was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. And they could take the things that belonged to the Jews.


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The letters were to be made a law in every land to all the people so that they should be ready for this day.


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The men went out with the letters in a hurry as the king told them. And the law was made known in the city of Susa where the king lived. While the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was troubled.


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When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes. He dressed in cloth made from hair and put on ashes, and went out into the city and cried with loud cries.


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He went as far as the king's gate, for no one was to go through the king's gate wearing cloth made from hair.


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There was much sorrow among the Jews in each and every part of the nation where the king's law was made known. They went without food and cried with sounds of sorrow. Many lay in cloth made from hair and in ashes.


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Then Esther's women and men servants came and told her, and the queen was very troubled. She sent clothes for Mordecai to wear, that he might take off his clothes made from hair. But he would not take them.


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Then Esther called Hathach from the king's servants whom the king had chosen to help her. She told him to go to Mordecai and find out what was wrong and why.


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And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him. He told him just how much money Haman had promised to pay to the king's store-houses to have the Jews destroyed.


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He also gave him one of the letters of the law that was sent out from Susa to destroy the Jews, that he might show it to Esther and let her know. And he said that she should go in to the king and beg him to show favor to her people.


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"All the king's servants and the people of the king's nation know that he has one law for any man or woman who comes to him in his room who has not been called: They will be put to death, unless the king holds out his special golden stick to him so that he may live. And I have not been called to come to the king for these thirty days."


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Mordecai answered, "Do not think that you in the king's special house will live any more than all the other Jews.


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For if you keep quiet at this time, help will come to the Jews from another place. But you and your father's house will be destroyed. Who knows if you have not become queen for such a time as this?"


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"Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and have them all go without food so they can pray better for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my women servants will go without food in the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is against the law. And if I die, I die."


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On the third day Esther put on her queen's clothing and stood in the open space inside the king's special house in front of his throne room. The king was sitting on his throne in the throne room looking toward the door of his house.


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When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the open space, she found favor in his eyes. The king held his special golden stick in his hand toward Esther. So Esther came near and touched the top of the special stick.


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Then the king said to her, "What do you want, Queen Esther? What do you ask of me? You would be given even as much as half the nation."


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Esther said, "If it please the king, may the king and Haman come today to the special supper I have made ready for him."


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Then the king said, "Be quick to bring Haman, that we may do as Esther wants." So the king and Haman came to the special supper that Esther had made ready.


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As they drank their wine at the supper, the king said to Esther, "What is it that you want? For it will be given to you. What do you ask of me? You would be given as much as half the nation."


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If I have found favor in the king's eyes, and if it please the king to give me what I ask of him, may the king and Haman come to the special supper that I will make ready for them. And tomorrow I will tell you what I want."


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Then Haman went out that day glad and with joy in his heart. But when he saw Mordecai at the king's gate, and when he did not stand up or show any fear in front of him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai.


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But Haman kept himself from doing anything at that time, and went home. There he sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh.


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Haman told them about the greatness of his riches and the number of his sons. He told them how the king had raised him to a place of honor, and how he had made him more important than the princes and the king's servants.


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Haman said, "Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the special supper that she had made ready. She has asked me to come with the king tomorrow also.


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Yet all of this is not enough to please me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate."


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Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, "Have a tower made ready for hanging him. Let it be thirteen times taller than a man. And in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it. Then go with joy to the special supper with the king." These words pleased Haman, so he had the tower built.


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During that night the king could not sleep. So he had the Book of the Chronicles brought to him, and they were read to the king.


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And it was found written what Mordecai had told him about Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's servants who were door-keepers, who had planned to kill King Ahasuerus.


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The king said, "What honor or pay has been given to Mordecai for this?" Then the king's servants who served him said, "Nothing has been done for him."


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So the king said, "Who is outside?" Now Haman had just come into the garden outside the king's special house. He wanted to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the tower he had made ready for him.


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The king's servants said to him, "See, Haman is standing in the garden." And the king said, "Let him come in."


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So Haman came in and the king said to him, "What is to be done for the man whom the king wants to honor?" Haman thought to himself, "Whom would the king want to honor more than me?"


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let them bring clothing which the king wears, and the horse on which the king rides, and on whose head a crown has been placed.


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Let the clothing and the horse be handed over to one of the king's most honored princes. Let them dress the man whom the king wants to honor and lead him on the horse through the center of the city. Have them make it known before him, 'This is being done to the man whom the king wants to honor.' "


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Then the king said to Haman, "Be quick to take the clothing and the horse as you have said. Do this for Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting at the king's gate. Do not do any less than all that you have said."


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So Haman took the clothing and the horse. He dressed Mordecai and led him on the horse through the center of the city. And he made known before him, "This is being done to the man whom the king wants to honor."


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Then Mordecai returned to the king's gate. But Haman went home in a hurry with his head covered and very sad.


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Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, "If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of the Jewish people, you cannot stand against him. For sure you will fall before him."


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While they were still talking with him, the king's servants came and brought Haman in a hurry to the special supper that Esther had made ready.


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And the king said again to Esther on the second day, as they drank their wine at the special supper, "What do you want to ask of me, Queen Esther? It will be done for you. What do you want? You would be given as much as half the nation."


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Queen Esther answered, "If I have found favor in your eyes, O king, and if it please the king, I ask that my life and the lives of my people be saved.


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For I and my people have been sold, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be done away with. If we had only been sold as men and women servants, I would have kept quiet. For our trouble is not to be compared with the trouble it will make for the king."


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Esther said, "This sinful Haman hates us very much!" Then Haman was very afraid in front of the king and queen.


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The king got up from drinking the wine very angry, and went into his garden, but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther. He knew that the king planned to punish him.


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When the king returned from his garden to the place where they were drinking wine, Haman was falling on the bed-like seat where Esther was lying. Then the king said, "Will he even trouble the queen while I am in the house?" As the king spoke the words, they covered Haman's face.


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Then Harbonah, one of the king's servants helping the king, said, "See, there is a tower made for hanging people at Haman's house, thirteen times taller than a man. Haman had it made for hanging Mordecai who spoke good and helped the king!" And the king said, "Hang Haman on it."


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On that day King Ahasuerus gave everything Haman owned, the one who hated the Jews, to Queen Esther. Mordecai came to the king, for Esther had told him what he was to her.


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The king took off the ring he used for marking his name, which he had taken away from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther put Mordecai over everything Haman had owned.


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Then Esther spoke again to the king. She fell at his feet and cried and begged him to stop the sinful plan of Haman the Agagite, the plan he had made against the Jews.


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The king held out the special golden stick toward Esther. So she got up and stood in front of the king.


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Then she said, "If it pleases the king and if I have his favor, if the king thinks it is right and if I am pleasing in his eyes, let letters be written to keep Haman's letters from being carried out. The letters Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, wrote would destroy the Jews in all the king's nation.


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For how can I stand to see all the trouble that will come to my people? How can I keep on if I see them destroyed?"


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So King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, "See, I have given everything Haman owned to Esther. They have hanged him on the tower because he had wanted to destroy all the Jews.


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Now you write whatever pleases you about the Jews, in the king's name, and mark it with the king's special ring. For what is written in the king's name and marked with the king's special ring may not be changed."


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So the king's writers were called at that time, on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. All that Mordecai said was written and sent to the Jews, the rulers, the leaders, and the princes of the 127 parts of the nation from India to Ethiopia. The letters were sent to every land in its own writing and to every people in their own language. And they were sent to the Jews in their own writing and language.


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He wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and marked it with the king's special ring. He sent the letters by men on fast horses used in the king's work, raised from the king's best male horse.


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In the letters the king allowed the Jews who were in every city the right to gather together to fight for their lives. He gave them the right to destroy, kill, and do away with the whole army of any people or nation which might come to fight against them. They were given the right to kill even the children and women, and to take whatever belonged to them.


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On one day in all the nation of King Ahasuerus, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, they were to do this.


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The letter was law in every part of the nation and was sent to all the people, so the Jews would be ready on that day to stand against those who hated them.


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The men went out in a hurry on the fast horses that were used for the king's work, just as the king told them. And the letter was made known in the city of Susa where the king ruled.


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Then Mordecai went out from the king wearing king's clothing of blue and white, with a large gold crown and a long coat of fine linen and purple cloth. The people in the city of Susa were filled with joy and called out in loud voices.


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In every part of the nation and in every city where the king's law had come, there was happiness and joy for the Jews, a special supper and a good day. And many people who had come there from other countries became Jews because they were afraid of the Jews.


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Now came the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, when the king's law was about to be carried out. It was the day when those who hated the Jews hoped to get the rule over them. But their plan was turned around, and the Jews ruled over those who hated them.


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The Jews gathered in their cities in all the parts of the nation of King Ahasuerus to hurt those who wanted to kill them. No one could stand in front of them, for the fear of them had come upon all the people.


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The princes of the nation, the rulers, the leaders, and those who were doing the king's work all helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai had come upon them.


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For Mordecai was great in the king's house. His name spread through all the nation, for the man Mordecai became greater and greater.


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So the Jews killed and destroyed with sword all those who hated them. They did as they pleased to those who hated them.


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These were the ten sons of Haman, the son of Hammedatha, who hated the Jews. But they did not touch anything that belonged to them.


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On that day the number of those who were killed in the city of Susa where the king lived was told to the king.


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And the king said to Queen Esther, "The Jews have killed and destroyed 500 men and the ten sons of Haman in Susa. What then have they done in the rest of the king's nation! Now what do you ask of me? It will be done for you. What else do you want? It will be done."


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Esther said, "If it pleases the king, let the Jews in Susa be allowed tomorrow also to carry out today's law. Let the bodies of Haman's ten sons be hanged on the tower."


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So the king said that this should be done. He made it known in Susa, and the bodies of Haman's ten sons were hanged.


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The Jews in Susa gathered also on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and killed 300 men in Susa. But they did not touch anything that belonged to them.


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Now the rest of the Jews who were in the king's nation gathered to fight for their lives and get rid of those who hated them. They killed 75,000 of those who hated them. But they did not touch anything that belonged to them.


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This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. On the fourteenth day they rested and made it a day of eating and joy.


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But the Jews in Susa gathered on the thirteenth and fourteenth days of the same month. And they rested on the fifteenth day and made it a day of eating and joy.


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So the Jews of the villages, who lived in the small towns without walls, made the fourteenth day of the month of Adar a special day of joy and eating and sharing their food with one another.


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Mordecai wrote down these things. And he sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the nation of King Ahasuerus, both near and far.


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Because on those days the Jews got rid of those who hated them. It was a month which was changed from sorrow into joy, from a day of sorrow into a special day. He said that they should make them days of eating and joy and sending food to one another and gifts to the poor.


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For Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the one who hated all the Jews, had planned to destroy the Jews. He had drawn names, using Pur, to trouble them and destroy them.


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But when the king heard about it, he made it known by letter that his plan against the Jews should bring trouble upon himself. And he had Haman and his sons hanged on the tower.


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So they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Because of what was written in this letter, and what they had seen and what had happened to them,


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the Jews set apart this special time each year for themselves, for their children and their children's children, and for all who joined them. They would always remember to keep these two days special, as it was written and at the same time every year.


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These days were to be remembered and kept as a special time for all their children-tocome, in every family, every land, and every city. These days of Purim were not to be forgotten by the Jews. Their children and their children's children were to remember them forever.


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Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full power to make this second letter about Purim sure.


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Letters were sent to all the Jews in the 127 parts of the nation of Ahasuerus, in words of peace and truth.


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They made sure that these days of Purim would be kept at the right times, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had told them. These days were set apart for themselves and for their children and their children's children, with the times they were to go without food and the times they were to be sad.


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All the acts of his power and strength, and the whole story of the high honor given to Mordecai by the king, are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia.


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For Mordecai the Jew was second in power only to King Ahasuerus and great among the Jews. He found favor in the eyes of his people. He worked for the good of his people and spoke for the well-being of all the Jews.


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There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was without blame. He was right and good, he feared God, and turned away from sin.


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He had 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 1,000 oxen, 500 female donkeys, and many servants. He was the greatest of all the men of the east.


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His sons used to go and make a special supper in each one's house on a special day. And they would send for their three sisters to eat and drink with them.


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When the days of their special supper were over, Job would get up early in the morning and send for them. Then he would give burnt gifts for each of them so that they would be pure. For Job said, "It might be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Job always did this.


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Now there was a day when the sons of God came to show themselves before the Lord. Satan came with them also.


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And the Lord said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the Lord and said, "From traveling around on the earth and walking around on it."


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The Lord said to Satan, "Have you thought about My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth. He is without blame, a man who is right and good. He honors God with fear and turns away from sin."


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Have You not made a wall around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have brought good to the work of his hands, and he has received more and more in the land.


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Then the Lord said to Satan, "See, all that he has is in your power. Only do not put your hand on him." So Satan went out from the Lord.


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On a day when Job's sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,


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a man came to Job with news, saying, "The oxen were pulling the plow and the donkeys were eating beside them.


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And the Sabeans came and took them. They also killed the servants with the sword. I alone have run away from them to tell you."


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While he was still speaking, another man came and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and destroyed them. I alone have gotten away to tell you."


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While he was still speaking, another came and said, "The Babylonians divided into three groups and came to fight. They took the camels and killed the servants with the sword. I alone have gotten away to tell you."


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While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house.


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And see, a strong wind came from the desert and hit the four corners of the house. It fell on the young people and they are dead. I alone have gotten away to tell you."


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Then Job stood up and tore his clothing and cut the hair from his head. And he fell to the ground and worshiped.


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He said, "Without clothing I was born from my mother, and without clothing I will return. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Praise the name of the Lord."


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Again there was a day when the sons of God came to show themselves before the Lord. And Satan came with them also to show himself before the Lord.


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The Lord said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the Lord and said, "From traveling around the earth and walking around on it."


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The Lord said to Satan, "Have you thought about My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth. He is without blame, a man who is right and good. He fears God and turns away from sin. He still holds to his good ways, even when I allowed you to go against him, and to destroy him for no reason."


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Satan answered the Lord and said, "Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.


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Then Satan went out from the Lord. And he made very bad sores come on Job from the bottom of his foot to the top of his head.


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But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Should we receive good from God and not receive trouble?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.


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Now when Job's three friends heard of all this trouble that had come upon him, they came each from his own place. They were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They agreed to meet together to come to share Job's sorrow and comfort him.


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And when they looked up from far away and saw how different he looked, they cried in loud voices. They tore their clothing and threw dust over their heads toward the sky.


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Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very bad.


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Let darkness and a heavy shadow take it for their own. Let a cloud come upon it. Let the darkness of the day bring fear upon it.


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As for that night, let darkness take hold of it. Let it not have joy among the days of the year. Let it not come into the number of months.


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Let the early morning stars be made dark. Let it wait for light but have none. Do not let it see the light of day.


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Those in prison are at rest together. They do not hear the voice of the one who rules over their work.


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The strong lion dies because there is no food to get. And the young of the lioness are sent everywhere.


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The spirit stood still, but I could not understand what I saw. Something was in front of my eyes. All was quiet, then I heard a voice:


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How much more those who live in houses of clay, who build upon the dust, who are crushed like the moth!


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The hungry eat the food of his field. They take it even out of the thorns. And the thirsty want his riches.


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He does great things, too great for us to understand. He does too many wonderful things for us to number.


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He puts those who are in low places up to high places. Those who are filled with sorrow are lifted to where they are safe.


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He troubles the plans of those who try to fool people, so that their hands cannot do what they plan.


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God gets them into a trap when they use their own wisdom. And the plans of the wise are brought to a quick end.


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"See, happy is the man to whom God speaks strong words. So do not hate the strong teaching of the Allpowerful.


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You will be hidden from the punishment of the tongue. You will not be afraid of being destroyed when danger comes.


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For you will be in agreement with the stones of the field. And the animals of the field will be at peace with you.


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You will know that your tent is safe. You will look over what you have and see that nothing is gone.


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You will know also that your children and children's children will be many. They will be as the grass of the earth.


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They would weigh more than the sand of the seas. My words have been spoken fast and without thought.


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For the arrows of the Allpowerful are in me. My spirit drinks their poison. The hard things from God are like an army against me.


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But this gives me comfort even though I suffer much pain because I have not turned away from the words of the Holy One.


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"Kindness from a friend should be shown to a man without hope, or he might turn away from the fear of the All-powerful.


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Have I said, 'Take me out from under the power of the one who hates me,' or, 'Save me from those who make it hard for me'?


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Do you think you can speak against my words, and act as if the words of a man without hope are wind?


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When I lie down I say, 'When will I get up?' But the night is long, and I am always turning from side to side until morning.


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When a cloud goes away, it is gone. And he who goes down to the place of the dead does not come back.


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"So I will not keep my mouth shut. I will speak in the suffering of my spirit. I will complain because my soul is bitter.


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Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have you made me something to shoot at, so that I am a problem to myself?


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Why then do You not forgive my wrong-doing and take away my sin? For now I will lie down in the dust. You will look for me, but I will not be."


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if you are pure and right and good, for sure He will help you. Because you are right and good He will put you back where you should be.


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"Can the tall river grass grow up from dry ground? Can the grass that grows in wet places grow without water?


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See, God will not turn away from a man who is honest and faithful. And He will not help those who do wrong.


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If one wished to argue with Him, he would not be able to answer one out of a thousand of His questions.


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If it is a question of power, see, He is the strong one! If it is a question of what is right and fair, who can call Him to a trial?


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Even if I were right, my mouth would say that I am guilty. Even if I were without blame, He would say I am guilty.


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The earth is given into the hand of the sinful. He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not He, then who is it?


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"I hate my life. I will be free in my complaining. I will show how bitter I am in my soul when I speak.


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Do You think it is right for You to make it hard for me, to turn away from the work of Your hands and favor the plans of the sinful?


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If I am sinful, it would be bad for me! If I am right and good, I cannot lift my head for I am filled with shame and see all my trouble.


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If I would lift up my head, You would hunt me like a lion. Again You would show Your power against me.


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You would send new ones who would speak against me, and become more angry with me. You would send me more and more trouble.


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Should your words of pride make men quiet? Should you make fun of truth and no one speak sharp words to you?


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He would show you the secrets of wisdom because there are two sides. Then you would know that God is punishing you less than you should get.


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They are higher than the heavens. What can you do? They are deeper than the place of the dead. What can you know?


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But the eyes of the sinful will waste away. There will be no way for them to get away. And their hope is to breathe their last."


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But I have understanding as well as you. I am not less than you. Who does not know such things as these?


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Even my friends laugh at me. The man who called on God, and God answered him, the man who is right and without blame is laughed at.


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The tents of those who destroy have much. Those who make God angry are safe and have their god in their own hands.


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"But ask the wild animals, and they will teach you. Ask the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you.


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He makes religious leaders walk without pride, and takes the power away from those who think they are safe.


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He makes the nations great, and then destroys them. He helps nations to become large, then leads them away.


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He takes away understanding from the leaders of the people of the earth, and makes them travel in a waste-land with no path.


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They feel their way in darkness with no light. And He makes them walk from side to side like a drunk man.


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Will You make a wind-blown leaf afraid? Will You go after the dry parts of a grain-field that have no worth?


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A man's days are numbered. You know the number of his months. He cannot live longer than the time You have set.


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So now look away from him that he may rest, until he has lived the time set for him like a man paid to work.


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"For there is hope for a tree, when it is cut down, that it will grow again, and that its branches will not stop growing.


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so man lies down and does not get up again. Until the heavens are no more, he will not wake up or come out of his sleep.


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"If only You would hide me in the place of the dead! If only You would hide me until Your anger is past, and set a time for me and remember me!


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Men whose hair has grown white and those who have lived many years are among us. They are older than your father.


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Sounds of fear are in his ears. When all seems to be going well, the one who destroys will come upon him.


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He has lived in cities that have been laid waste, in houses where no one lives which will be destroyed.


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He will not get away from darkness. The fire will dry up his branches, and the breath of God's mouth will drive him away.


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He will be like the vine that drops off its grapes before they are ready. And he will throw off his flower like the olive tree.


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I also could speak like you, if I were in your place. I could put words together against you, and shake my head at you.


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He has made me dry up, and this speaks against me. The wasting away of my body rises up against me. It speaks against me to my face.


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His anger has torn me and hated me. He has ground His teeth at me. The one against me looks hard at me.


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Men have looked at me with their mouths open. They have hit me on the face with anger. They have gathered together against me.


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I was living in comfort, but He has taken that away. He has taken hold of me by the neck and shaken me to pieces. He has set me up for something to shoot at.


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His arrows are all around me. He cuts my kidneys open without pity. He pours the bitter insides on the ground.


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Men who are right and good will be surprised and afraid at this. He who is without guilt will be moved to go against the sinful.


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But the one who is right with God will hold to his way. And he who has clean hands will become stronger and stronger.


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You who tear yourself in your anger, will the earth be left alone because of you? Or will the rocks be moved from their place?


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Those in the west are surprised and afraid at what happened to him. And those in the east are filled with fear.


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"See, I cry, 'Someone is hurting me!' but I get no answer. I call for help, but no one stands for what is right and fair.


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Those who live in my house and my women servants think of me as a stranger. I am like one from another country in their eyes.


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But as for me, I know that the One Who bought me and made me free from sin lives, and that He will stand upon the earth in the end.


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I myself will see Him. With my own eyes I will see Him and not another. My heart becomes weak within me.


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you should be afraid of the sword for yourselves. For anger is punished by the sword, that you may know there is punishment for wrong-doing."


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He must return what he has worked for, and can not eat it. He will not have joy from the riches of his trading.


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For he has taken from the poor and left them with nothing. He has taken houses which he has not built.


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When he fills his stomach, God will send His great anger on him. He will send it on him while he is eating.


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It cuts through his body and comes out of his back. The shining arrow comes out of his liver. Much fear comes upon him.


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Complete darkness is stored up for his riches. A fire not kept going by man will burn him up. It will destroy all that is left in his tent.


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They spend their days with much more than they need. And all at once they go down to the place of the dead.


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Who is the All-powerful, that we should serve Him? What would we have more than we have if we prayed to Him?'


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"How many times is the lamp of the sinful put out, that their trouble comes upon them? How often does God send trouble to them in His anger?


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You say, 'God stores up a man's punishment for his sons.' Let God punish him so that he may know it.


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For what does he care for his house and family after he is dead, when the number of his months is over?


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The earth of the valley will be sweet to him. All men will follow after him, and those who go before him are too many to number.


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Is the All-powerful pleased if you are right and good? Is it of any use to Him if your ways were perfect?


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For you have taken things from your brothers when they did not owe you anything. You have taken all their clothing and they have had nothing to wear.


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You have sent women away with nothing, whose husbands have died. And you have crushed the strength of children who have no parents.


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I have not turned away from the words of His lips. I have stored up the words of His mouth. They are worth more to me than the food I need.


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"Why are times for judging not set up by the All-powerful? And why do those who know Him not see these days?


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They drive away the donkeys that belong to those who have no parents. They take the bull that belongs to a woman whose husband has died, as a promise that she will pay what she owes.


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They gather food in the fields, and gather what they can that is left from the grape-fields owned by the sinful.


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Others take from the breast the child who has no father. They take the child from the poor as a promise that they will pay what they owe.


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They make the poor go about without clothing, making them carry loads of cut grain while they are hungry.


text:
Men from the city cry inside themselves. The souls of those who are hurt cry out. Yet God does not listen to their prayer.


text:
"Then there are those who turn against the light. They do not want to know its ways or stay in its paths.


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The one who kills people gets up early in the morning. He kills the poor and those in need. And during the night he is like a robber.


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The eye of the one who is not faithful in marriage waits for the evening, saying, 'No one will see me.' And he covers his face.


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"They are taken away on the top of the waters. Their part of the earth is cursed. They do not go to their grape-fields.


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Dry weather and heat take away the water from the snow, just as the place of the dead takes away those who have sinned.


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A mother will forget him. The worm is pleased to eat him until he is remembered no more. Sin will be broken like a tree.


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He does wrong to the woman who cannot give birth. And he does no good for the woman whose husband has died.


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But God by His power gives long life to the strong. They rise again, even when they had no hope of life.


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They are given honor for a little while, and then they are gone. They are brought low and gathered up as all others are. They are cut off like the heads of grain.


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By His breath the heavens are made beautiful. His hand cut through the snake as it tried to get away.


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See, these are only a few of the things He does. And how quiet are the words spoken about Him! But who can understand His powerful thunder?"


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I hold on to what is right and good and will not let it go. My heart does not put me to shame for any of my days.


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"May the one who hates me be as the sinful. And may the one who is against me be as those who are not right and good.


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"This is what God gives to a sinful man, the gift that a man who makes it hard for others receives from the All-powerful.


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If he has many sons, they will be killed by the sword. And his children will not have enough bread to eat.


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Those who are left to him will be buried because of disease. And the wives who have lost their husbands will not be able to cry.


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He may have it, but those who are right with God will wear it. And those who are without guilt will divide the silver.


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Man looks into the deepest darkness. And he goes out to the farthest part of the earth to look for rocks in the dark places.


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Men break open deep holes far from where people live, forgotten by travelers. In the holes they hang and move from side to side far from men.


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There is no need to say anything about coral or crystal because wisdom cannot be paid for with rubies.


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The topaz of Ethiopia cannot be compared to it in worth and it cannot be compared with the worth of pure gold.


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And He said to man, 'See, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. And to turn away from sin is understanding.' "


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because I helped the poor man when he cried for help and the child without parents who had no one to help him.


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Good came to me from the man who was dying. And I made the heart of the woman whose husband had died sing for joy.


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I put on what was right and good, and it clothed me. The right things done were my coat and head-covering.


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My roots go to the water. As the water is on the grass in the early morning, it will be all night on my branches.


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I looked at them with joy when they were not sure of themselves, and the light of my face gave them comfort.


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I decided the way for them and sat as their leader. I lived as a king among his army, and like one who gives comfort to those in sorrow.


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"But now those who are younger than I make fun of me. I thought so little of their fathers that I did not want them with my sheep dogs.


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Because God has made the string of my bow loose and has troubled me, they have thrown off their respect for me.


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Fears come upon me. They go after my honor like the wind. And my wellbeing has passed away like a cloud.


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I go about full of sorrow without comfort. I stand up where the people are gathered and cry out for help.


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Does not trouble come to those who are not right and good? Do not hard times come to those who do wrong?


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If my step has turned from the way, and my heart has followed my eyes, or if my hands have held on to sin,


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For that would be a very sinful thing to do. It would be a sin that would be punished by the judges.


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For that would be a fire that burns at the Place That Destroys. It would dig out all I have planted.


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Did not He Who made me inside my mother make him also? Did not the same One give us life from our mothers?


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"If I have kept what the poor should have or have caused the eyes of the woman whose husband has died to be tired,


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<n>(but from the time I was young, he grew up with me as a father, and I have helped the woman without a husband since I was born,)</n>


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if he has not thanked me for the clothing on his body, and been made warm with the wool of my sheep,


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if I have not done these things, or if I have lifted up my hand against the child who has no parents, because I saw I had help in the gate,


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and have in secret worshiped them in my heart, and have honored them by throwing them a kiss with my hand,


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"Have I been glad when a person who hated me was destroyed? Have I been filled with joy when trouble came to him?


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because I was afraid of all the people, and of families who hated me? Did I keep quiet and not go out of the door?


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If only I had one to hear me! See, here my name is written. Let the All-powerful answer me! May what is against me be written down!


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But Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry. He was angry at Job because he said he was right with God.


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And he was angry at his three friends because they had found no answer, yet they had said that Job was wrong.


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So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite said, "I am young, and you are old. So I did not feel that I should speak. I was afraid to tell you what I think.


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I was careful to listen to you. There was no one who could prove that Job was wrong. None of you could answer his words.


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See, my stomach is like wine that cannot get out. It is ready to break like new wine bottles made of skin.


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For I do not know how to say sweet-sounding words that are not true, for then my Maker would soon take me away.


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In a dream, a special dream of the night, when deep sleep comes upon men, while they sleep in their beds,


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He keeps his soul from going to the place of the dead. And He keeps his life from being destroyed by the sword.


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"If there is an angel, one out of a thousand, to speak with God for him, and to show a man what is right for him,


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then let him be kind to him, and say, 'Save him from going down to the grave. I have found someone to pay the price to make him free.


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Then he will pray to God, and God will be pleased with him. He will see His face with joy. And God will make man right with Him again.


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He will sing to men and say, 'I have sinned and have not done what is right, but He did not punish me.


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"So listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do what is sinful, and from the Allpowerful to do wrong.


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Should one who hates what is right be the one to rule? Will you say that He Who is right and good and strong is guilty?


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Who shows no favor to princes, or thinks of the rich as more important than the poor? They are all the work of His hands.


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In a short time they die. At midnight the people are shaken and pass away. And the powerful are taken away by no human hand.


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When He keeps quiet, who can say He is wrong? When He hides His face, who can see Him? But He is over both nation and man.


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Will God ask what you want to do, when you will not do what He says? You must decide, and not I. So tell what you know.


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To his sin he adds a strong will against God. Making fun he claps his hands among us, and speaks many words against God.' "


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If you have sinned, what does that do to God? If you have done many wrongs, what does that do to Him?


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"People cry out because of their many hard times. They cry for help because of the arm of the powerful.


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Who teaches us more than the animals of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?'


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How much less when you say you do not see Him, that your trial is before Him, and you must wait for Him!


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He does not turn His eyes away from those who are right with Him. He puts them on the throne with kings and they are honored forever.


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If they hear and serve Him, the rest of their days will be filled with what they need and their years with peace.


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"But those who do not know God keep anger in their heart. They do not cry for help when He puts them in chains.


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They die when they are young. And their life ends among those who sell the use of their bodies in the houses of the false gods.


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He led you from being close to trouble to a wide place where you were free with your table full of food.


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Be careful or anger will tempt you to laugh at the truth. Do not take pay in secret for wrong-doing and be turned aside.


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His voice sounds after it. He thunders with His great and powerful voice. And He does not hold back the lightning when His voice is heard.


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It changes its path and turns around by His leading, doing whatever He tells it to do on the earth where people live.


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Do you know how the clouds are set in heaven, the great works of Him Who is perfect in understanding?


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"Now men cannot look on the light when it is bright in the sky, when the wind has passed and made it clear.


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We cannot come near the All-powerful. He is lifted high with power. And He is right and fair and good and will not make it hard for us.


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Who decided how big it was to be, since you know? Who looked to see if it was as big as it should be?


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"Have you ever in your life told the morning when to come, and caused the first light of day to know its place,


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Can you lead the groups of stars out at the right times? Can you lead the stars of the Bear with her young?


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Can you number the months that they carry their young? Or do you know the time when their young are born?


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Their young ones become strong. They grow up in the open field. They leave and do not return to them.


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Will the wild ox be willing to serve you? Will he stay through the night by the food you give him to eat?


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She is bad in the way she acts toward her young, as if they were not hers. Her work of giving birth is for nothing, for she does not care.


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Do you make him jump like the locust? The powerful noise he makes with his nostrils fills men with fear.


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He hits his foot against the ground in the valley, and has joy in his strength. He goes out to meet the battle.


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He runs fast over the ground with shaking and anger. He cannot stand still at the sound of the horn.


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When the horn sounds, he laughs without fear. He smells the battle from far away. He hears the thunder of the captains, and the war cry.


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"Will one who finds fault not agree with the All-powerful? He who speaks strong words against God, let him answer."


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Will you say what I decide is wrong? Will you say that I have done wrong, that you may be made right?


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If a river flows over, he is not afraid. He is sure of himself even if the Jordan rushes against his mouth.


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Who has given Me everything, that I should pay him back? Whatever is under the whole heaven is Mine.


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'Who is this that hides words of wisdom without much learning?' I have said things that I did not understand, things too great for me, which I did not know.


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After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My anger burns against you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.


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So now take seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job. Give a burnt gift for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will hear his prayer and not punish you for being foolish, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has."


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So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, did what the Lord told them. And the Lord heard Job's prayer.


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The Lord returned to Job all the things that he had lost, when he prayed for his friends. The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.


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Then all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before came to him, and ate bread with him in his house. They showed pity and comforted him for all the trouble the Lord had brought upon him. Each one gave him one piece of money and a gold ring.


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The Lord brought more good to Job in his later years than in his beginning. He had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 2,000 oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys.


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No women were found in all the land who were as beautiful as Job's daughters. And their father gave them a share among their brothers.


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Happy is the man who does not walk in the way sinful men tell him to, or stand in the path of sinners, or sit with those who laugh at the truth.


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This man is like a tree planted by rivers of water, which gives its fruit at the right time and its leaf never dries up. Whatever he does will work out well for him.


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So the sinful will not stand. They will be told they are guilty and have to suffer for it. Sinners will not stand with those who are right with God.


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For the Lord knows the way of those who are right with Him. But the way of the sinful will be lost from God forever.


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The kings of the earth stand in a line ready to fight, and all the leaders are against the Lord and against His Chosen One.


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I will make known the words of the Lord. He said to Me, "You are My Son. Today I have become Your Father.


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Kiss the Son. Be afraid that He may be angry and destroy you in the way. For His anger is quick. Happy are all who put their trust in Him.


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Rise up, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For You have hit on the face all those who hate me, and you have broken the teeth of the sinful.


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Answer me when I call, O my God Who is right and good! You have made a way for me when I needed help. Be kind to me, and hear my prayer.


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O sons of men, how long will you turn my honor into shame? How long will you love what is of no use, and run after lies?


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Know that the Lord has set apart him who is God-like for Himself. The Lord hears when I call to Him.


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In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice. In the morning I will lay my prayers before You and will look up.


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But as for me, by Your great loving-kindness, I will come into Your house. At Your holy house I will put my face to the ground before You in love and fear.


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O Lord, lead me in what is right and good, because of the ones who hate me. Make Your way straight in front of me.


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For in their talk there is no truth. Their hearts destroy. Their mouths are like an open grave. With their tongues, they say sweet-sounding words that are not true.


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Hold them guilty, O God! Let them fall by their own plans. Throw them out because of their many sins. For they have fought against You.


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But let all who put their trust in You be glad. Let them sing with joy forever. You make a covering for them, that all who love Your name may be glad in You.


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For You will make those happy who do what is right, O Lord. You will cover them all around with Your favor.


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I am tired of crying inside myself. All night long my pillow is wet with tears. I flood my bed with them.


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All those who hate me will be ashamed and worried. They will turn away. They will be put to shame right away.


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O Lord my God, in You I have put my trust. Save me from all those who come for me, and keep me safe.


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if I have done wrong to him who was at peace with me, or without a reason have robbed him who worked against me,


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let him who hates me come for me and catch me. Let him break me under his feet until I die, and lay my honor in the dust.


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Rise up in Your anger, O Lord. Rise up against the anger of those who hate me. Awake, my God, and help me. Prove what is right.


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May the Lord judge which people are guilty or not. O Lord, judge in my favor if I am right with You, and if I am without blame.


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Let the sins of the sinful stop. But build up those who are right with You. For the God Who is right and good tests both the hearts and the minds.


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If a man is not sorry for his sins and will not turn from them, God will make His sword sharp. He will string His bow and make it ready.


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I will give thanks to the Lord because He is right and good. I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.


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O Lord, our Lord, how great is Your name in all the earth. You have set Your shining-greatness above the heavens.


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Out of the mouth of children and babies, You have built up strength because of those who hate You, and to quiet those who fight against You.


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When I look up and think about Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in their place,


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I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart. I will tell of all the great things You have done.


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You have spoken sharp words to the nations and have destroyed the sinful. You have thrown out their name forever and ever.


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Those who fight against You are finished forever. You have destroyed their cities. They will be remembered no more.


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Those who know Your name will put their trust in You. For You, O Lord, have never left alone those who look for You.


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For He Who punishes for the blood of another remembers them. He does not forget the cry of those who suffer.


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Have pity on me, O Lord! See how I suffer from those who hate me, You Who have lifted me up from the gates of death,


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that I may tell of all Your praises in the gates of the people of Zion. There I will be full of joy because You save.


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The nations have fallen into the hole they have dug. Their own feet have been caught in the net they have hidden.


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The Lord has made Himself known. He is fair in His Law. The sinful trap themselves by the work of their own hands.


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Rise up, O Lord! Do not let man win the fight against You. Let the nations come to You and be judged.


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The sinful man is proud of the desires of his heart. He praises those who want everything but he speaks against the Lord.


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His ways always go well for him. Your laws are too high for him to see. He laughs at those who hate him.


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With his mouth he swears and lies. He makes it hard for other people. Trouble and sin are under his tongue.


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He lies hidden in the towns, waiting to kill those who are not guilty. His eyes are always watching for the weak.


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He lies in wait like a hidden lion. He lies in wait to catch the weak, and they become caught in his net.


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But You have seen it. You look upon trouble and suffering, to take it into Your hands. The suffering man gives himself to You. You are the Helper of the one who has no father.


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O Lord, You have heard the prayers of those who have no pride. You will give strength to their heart, and You will listen to them.


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In this way, You will do the right thing for those without a father and those who suffer, so that man who is of the earth will no longer make them afraid.


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For look, the sinful raise their bow. They make their arrow ready on the string to shoot in the dark against the pure in heart.


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The Lord is in His holy house. The Lord's throne is in heaven. His eyes see as He tests the sons of men.


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The Lord tests and proves those who are right and good and those who are sinful. And His soul hates the one who loves to hurt others.


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He will send down fire upon the sinful. Fire and sulphur and burning wind will be the cup they will drink.


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For the Lord is right and good. He loves what is right and good. And those who are right with Him will see His face.


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Help, Lord! For God-like men are here no more. The faithful can no longer be seen among the sons of men.


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"Because of the suffering of the weak, and because of the cries of the poor, I will now rise up," says the Lord. "I will keep him safe as he has wanted to be."


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The words of the Lord are pure words. They are like silver that has been made pure seven times in a stove of earth.


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How long must I plan what to do in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long will those who hate me rise above me?


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Or the one who hates me will say, "I have power over him." And those who hate me will be happy when I am shaken.


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The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are sinful and their actions are sinful. There is no one who does good.


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The Lord has looked down from heaven on the sons of men, to see if there are any who understand and look for God.


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They have all turned aside. Together they have become bad. There is no one who does good, not even one.


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Will those who sin never learn? They eat up my people like they eat bread. They do not call on the Lord.


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O, that it would come out of Zion that Israel would be saved! When the Lord returns His people to their land, Jacob will be full of joy and Israel will be glad.


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He looks down upon a sinful person, but honors those who fear the Lord. He keeps his promises even if it may hurt him.


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He gives money to be used without being paid for its use. And he does not take money to hurt those who are not guilty. He who does these things will never be shaken.


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Those who have traded for another god bring many troubles on themselves. I will not take part in their altar gifts of blood. And I will not take their names upon my lips.


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I will give honor and thanks to the Lord, Who has told me what to do. Yes, even at night my mind teaches me.


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You will show me the way of life. Being with You is to be full of joy. In Your right hand there is happiness forever.


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You have tested my heart. You have visited me during the night. You have tested me and have found nothing wrong. I have decided that my mouth will not sin.


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As for the actions of men, by the word of Your lips, I have kept myself from the paths of those who want to hurt others.


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Show Your great loving-kindness. You save by Your right hand the people that come to You for help from those who hate them.


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They have followed our every step and are all around us. They are watching for a way to bring us down to the ground.


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O Lord, save me by Your hand from such men. Their riches are in this life. Their stomach is filled with what you have stored for them. Their children are filled. Let them leave some for their babies.


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The Lord is my rock, and my safe place, and the One Who takes me out of trouble. My God is my rock, in Whom I am safe. He is my safe-covering, my saving strength, and my strong tower.


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I called to the Lord in my trouble. I cried to God for help. He heard my voice from His holy house. My cry for help came into His ears.


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Smoke went out from His nose and the fire that kept coming from His mouth burned everything around it.


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Then the deep part of the sea could be seen. And the deep part of the earth was opened up, because of Your sharp words, O Lord, because of the powerful breath from Your nose.


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He took me away from the powerful one who fights against me, and from those who hated me. They were too strong for me.


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To the faithful, You show Yourself faithful. To those without blame, You show Yourself without blame.


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As for God, His way is perfect. The Word of the Lord has stood the test. He is a covering for all who go to Him for a safe place.


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You have also given me the covering that saves me. Your right hand holds me up. And Your care has made me great.


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I went after those who fight against me, and caught them. And I did not return until they were destroyed.


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They cried for help, but there was no one to save. They cried to the Lord, but He did not answer them.


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You have taken me away from the fighting of the people. You have made me the leader of nations. People whom I have not known will serve me.


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These people from other lands lose their strength of heart. And they come shaking from behind their walls.


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He saves me from those who hate me. Yes, You lift me above those who rise up against me. You save me from those who want to hurt me.


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He gives His king great power over trouble. And He shows loving-kindness to His chosen one, to David, and to his children after him forever.


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The heavens are telling of the greatness of God and the great open spaces above show the work of His hands.


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Their sound has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them He has placed a tent for the sun.


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It is as a man soon to be married coming out of his room and as a strong man who is happy to run his race.


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Its rising is from one end of the heavens, and it makes its way to the other end. Nothing is hidden from its heat.


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The Law of the Lord is perfect, giving new strength to the soul. The Law He has made known is sure, making the child-like wise.


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The Laws of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The Word of the Lord is pure, giving light to the eyes.


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The Word of the Lord is worth more than gold, even more than much fine gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey straight from the comb.


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And keep your servant from sinning by going my own way. Do not let these sins rule over me. Then I will be without blame. And I will not be found guilty of big sins.


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Let the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing in Your eyes, O Lord, my Rock and the One Who saves me.


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May He remember all your gifts of grain given on the altar in worship. And may He be pleased with your burnt gifts.


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We will sing for joy when you win. In the name of our God we will lift up our flags. May the Lord give you all the things you ask Him for.


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Now I know that the Lord saves His chosen one. He will answer him from His holy heaven, with the saving power of His right hand.


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You have given him the desire of his heart. You have not kept from him anything that he has asked for.


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For the king trusts in the Lord. Because of the loving-kindness of the Most High, he will not be shaken.


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You will make them like a stove of fire in the time of Your anger. The Lord will eat them up in His anger. And the fire will destroy them.


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My God, my God, why have You left me alone? Why are You so far from helping me, and from the words I cry inside myself?


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"He trusts in the Lord. Let the Lord help him. Let the Lord take him out of trouble, because he is happy in Him."


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I am poured out like water. And all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like a melted candle within me.


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My strength is dried up like a piece of a broken clay pot. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. And You lay me in the dust of death.


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For dogs have gathered around me. A group of sinful men stand around me. They have cut through my hands and feet.


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I will make Your name known to my brothers. In the center of the meeting of worship I will praise You.


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You who fear the Lord, give Him praise. All you children of Jacob, honor Him. Fear Him, all you children of Israel.


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For He has not turned away from the suffering of the one in pain or trouble. He has not hidden His face from him. But He has heard his cry for help.


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My praise will be from You in the big meeting of worship. I will keep my promises to Him in front of those who fear Him.


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Those who suffer will eat and have enough. Those who look for the Lord will praise Him. May your heart live forever!


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All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord. All the families of the nations will worship before Him.


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All the proud ones of the earth will eat and worship. All who go down to the dust will fall to their knees before Him, even he who cannot keep his soul alive.


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He makes me strong again. He leads me in the way of living right with Himself which brings honor to His name.


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Yes, even if I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not be afraid of anything, because You are with me. You have a walking stick with which to guide and one with which to help. These comfort me.


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You are making a table of food ready for me in front of those who hate me. You have poured oil on my head. I have everything I need.


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For sure, You will give me goodness and loving-kindness all the days of my life. Then I will live with You in Your house forever.


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He who has clean hands and a pure heart. He who has not lifted up his soul to what is not true, and has not made false promises.


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Lift up your heads, O gates. And be lifted up, O doors that last forever. And the King of shining-greatness will come in.


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Lift up your heads, O gates. Lift them up, O doors that last for-ever and the King of shining-greatness will come in.


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Yes, let no one who hopes in You be put to shame. But put to shame those who hurt others without a reason.


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Do not remember my sins from when I was young, or my sinful ways. By Your loving-kindness remember me for You are good, O Lord.


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O Lord, stand by me for I have lived my life without blame. I have trusted in the Lord without changing.


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I do not sit with men who lie about the truth. I would not be seen with those who pretend to be someone they are not.


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The Lord is my light and the One Who saves me. Whom should I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life. Of whom should I be afraid?


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Even if an army gathers against me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if war rises against me, I will be sure of You.


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One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I will look for: that I may live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to look upon the beauty of the Lord, and to worship in His holy house.


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For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His holy tent. In the secret place of His tent He will hide me. He will set me high upon a rock.


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Then my head will be lifted up above all those around me who hate me. I will give gifts in His holy tent with a loud voice of joy. I will sing. Yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.


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Do not hide Your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger. You have been my Helper. Do not turn away from me or leave me alone, O God Who saves me!


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Do not give me over to the desire of those who hate me. For people who tell lies about me rise against me, and breathe a desire to hurt me.


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I would have been without hope if I had not believed that I would see the lovingkindness of the Lord in the land of the living.


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O Lord, to You I call. O my Rock, listen to me. If You will not hear me, I will be like those who have gone down to the grave.


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Hear my cry for loving-kindness as I call to You for help, and when I lift up my hands to Your holy place.


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Do not drag me away with the sinful and with those who do bad things. They speak peace with their neighbors, while sin is in their hearts.


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Pay them for their work and for the sins they do. Pay them for the works of their hands. Give them what they have earned.


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They do not think about the works of the Lord and what His hands have done. So He will pull them down and not build them up again.


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The Lord is my strength and my safe cover. My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. So my heart is full of joy. I will thank Him with my song.


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The voice of the Lord is upon the waters. The God of shining-greatness thunders. The Lord is over many waters.


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The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth, and tears away the leaves of the trees. And in His holy house everything says, "Honor to God!"


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I will lift You up, O Lord, for You have lifted me up. You have not let those who hate me stand over me in joy.


