go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
4 And Benhadad hearkened to king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the store cities of Naphtali. [1]
5 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he stopped building of Ramah, and let his work cease.
6 Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber of it, with which Baasha was building; and he built with it Geba and Mizpah.
7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore hath the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thy hand.
8 Were not the Cushites and the Lubims a huge army, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thy hand. [2]
9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. In this thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. [3]
10 Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing . And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time. [4]
11 And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
12 And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was very grievous : yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.
13 And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.
14 And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and various kinds of spices prepared by the perfumers’ art: and they made a very great burning for him. [5]
CHAP. 17.
1 And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel.
2 And he placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.
3 And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not to Baalim; [6]
4 But sought to the LORD God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.
5 Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat tribute; and he had riches and honour in abundance. [7]
6 And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah. [8]
7 Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, even to Benhail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.
8 And with them he sent Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests.
9 And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.
10 And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. [9]
11 Also some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and tribute silver; and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred male goats.
12 And Jehoshaphat became exceedingly great; and he built in Judah fortresses, and cities of store. [10]
13 And he had much business in the cities of Judah: and the men of war, mighty men of valour, were in Jerusalem.
14 And these are the numbers of them according to the house of their fathers: Of Judah, the captains of thousands; Adnah the chief, and with him mighty men of valour three hundred thousand.
15 And next to him was Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred and eighty thousand. [11]
16 And next to him was Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself to the LORD; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valour.
17 And of Benjamin; Eliada a mighty man of valour, and with him armed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand.
18 And next to him was Jehozabad, and with him an hundred and eighty thousand ready prepared for the war.
19 These waited on the king, besides those whom the king put in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.
CHAP. 18.
1 Now
- ↑ his: Heb. which were his
- ↑ a huge: Heb. in abundance
- ↑ to shew...: or, strongly to hold with them, etc
- ↑ oppressed: Heb. crushed
- ↑ had made: Heb. had digged
- ↑ of...: or, of his father, and of David
- ↑ brought: Heb. gave
- ↑ was...: that is, was encouraged
- ↑ fell: Heb. was
- ↑ castles: or, palaces
- ↑ next...: Heb. at his hand
