1Adonijah Claims the Throne
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.
1King David was now old and well along in years. They piled blankets on him, but he could not get warm.
2Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.
2So his servants said to him, "Let a young virgin be found for my lord the king. Let her attend the king and care for him, and let her lie close beside you, so that my lord the king may be kept warm."
3So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
3So they searched through all the land of Israel for a beautiful young woman, and they found Abishag from Shunem and brought her to the king.
4And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.
4The young woman was very beautiful. She cared for the king and served him, but the king had no sexual relations with her.
5Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
5Meanwhile Adonijah, the son of Haggith, promoted himself and said, "I will be king." He got chariots and horsemen ready, along with fifty men to run ahead of him.
6And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.
6His father had never once upset him by asking, "Why have you done this?" He was also very handsome, and he had been born after Absalom.
7And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.
7He talked things over with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they sided with Adonijah and gave him their support.
8But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.
8But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David's mighty warriors did not go along with Adonijah.
9And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel, and called all his brethren the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah the king’s servants:
9Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened cattle at the stone of Zoheleth near En-rogel, and he invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah who served the king.
10But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.
10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty warriors, or his brother Solomon.
11Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not?
11Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother. "Haven't you heard," he said, "that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and our lord David knows nothing about it?
12Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.
12So come now, let me give you some advice, so you can save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.
13Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign?
13Go in to King David and say to him, 'My lord the king, didn't you swear to your servant that Solomon my son would surely reign after you and sit on your throne? Then why is Adonijah reigning?'
14Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.
14And while you are still there talking with the king, I will come in after you and back up what you have said."
15And Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king.
15So Bathsheba went in to the king in his bedroom. The king was very old, and Abishag from Shunem was taking care of him.
16And Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou?
16Bathsheba bowed low and knelt before the king. The king asked, "What do you want?"
17And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the LORD thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.
17She said to him, "My lord, you swore by the LORD your God to your servant, saying, 'Solomon your son will surely reign after me, and he will sit on my throne.'
18And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not:
18But now, look, Adonijah is reigning, and you, my lord the king, do not know it.
19And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.
19He has sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in great numbers, and he has invited all the king's sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army. But he did not invite your servant Solomon.
20And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
20And now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, waiting for you to tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
21Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.
21Otherwise, when my lord the king is laid to rest with his ancestors, I and my son Solomon will be treated as criminals."
22And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.
22While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived.
23And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.
23The king was told, "Nathan the prophet is here." He came in before the king and bowed down with his face to the ground.
24And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?
24Nathan said, "My lord the king, have you said, 'Adonijah will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne'?
25For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king’s sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah.
25For today he went down and sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in great numbers, and he invited all the king's sons, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. Right now they are eating and drinking with him and shouting, 'Long live King Adonijah!'
26But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.
26But he did not invite me, your servant, or Zadok the priest, or Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, or your servant Solomon.
27Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed it unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?
27Has my lord the king done this without letting your servants know who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?"
28Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king.
28Then King David answered, "Call Bathsheba to me." She came into the king's presence and stood before him.
29And the king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress,
29The king took an oath and said, "As surely as the LORD lives, who has rescued my life from every trouble,
30Even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.
30just as I swore to you by the LORD, the God of Israel, that Solomon your son would reign after me and sit on my throne in my place, that is exactly what I will do today."
31Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.
31Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground and knelt before the king and said, "May my lord King David live forever!"
32And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.
32King David said, "Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada to me." So they came before the king.
33The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:
33The king said to them, "Take your lord's servants with you, have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.
34And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.
34There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. Then blow the trumpet and shout, 'Long live King Solomon!'
35Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.
35Then come back up behind him, and he is to come and sit on my throne, for he will be king in my place. I have appointed him ruler over Israel and over Judah."
36And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the LORD God of my lord the king say so too.
36Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, "Amen! May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, say the same.
37As the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.
37As the LORD has been with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon, and may he make his throne even greater than the throne of my lord King David."
38So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon.
38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down, put Solomon on King David's mule, and brought him to Gihon.
39And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.
39Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet, and all the people shouted, "Long live King Solomon!"
40And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.
40Then all the people followed him back up, playing flutes and celebrating with such joy that the ground shook from the sound.
41And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar?
41Adonijah and all the guests with him heard it just as they were finishing their meal. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked, "Why is the city in such an uproar?"
42And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came; and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for thou art a valiant man, and bringest good tidings.
42While he was still speaking, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, "Come in. You are a worthy man, so you must be bringing good news."
43And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king.
43"Not at all," Jonathan answered Adonijah. "Our lord King David has made Solomon king.
44And the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king’s mule:
44The king sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites with him, and they have put him on the king's mule.
45And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard.
45Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon, and they have come up from there celebrating, so that the whole city is ringing. That is the noise you heard.
46And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom.
46What is more, Solomon is now sitting on the royal throne.
47And moreover the king’s servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed.
47And the king's servants have come to congratulate our lord King David, saying, 'May your God make Solomon's name even more famous than yours, and his throne even greater than your throne.' And the king bowed in worship on his bed.
48And also thus said the king, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.
48The king also said, 'Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has let me see with my own eyes someone sitting on my throne today.'"
49And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way.
49At that, all of Adonijah's guests were terrified. They got up, and every one of them went his own way.
50And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
50Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he got up, went to the altar, and grabbed hold of its horns.
51And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me today that he will not slay his servant with the sword.
51Solomon was told, "Look, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon. He is clinging to the horns of the altar and saying, 'Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.'"
52And Solomon said, If he will shew himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die.
52Solomon said, "If he proves himself an honorable man, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground. But if any evil is found in him, he will die."
53So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon: and Solomon said unto him, Go to thine house.
53So King Solomon sent men to bring him down from the altar. He came and bowed before King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, "Go home."
2David's Last Charge and Solomon's Purge
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,
1When the time of David's death drew near, he gave these instructions to his son Solomon:
2I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;
2"I am about to go the way of everyone on earth. So be strong, and show yourself to be a man.
3And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:
3Keep what the LORD your God has entrusted to you. Walk in his ways, and keep his statutes, his commandments, his judgments, and his testimonies, as they are written in the law of Moses, so that you may succeed in everything you do and everywhere you turn.
4That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.
4Then the LORD will keep the promise he made about me when he said, 'If your descendants watch how they live and walk before me faithfully with all their heart and all their soul, you will never lack a man on the throne of Israel.'
5Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.
5"You also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of Israel's armies, Abner the son of Ner and Amasa the son of Jether. He murdered them, shedding the blood of war in a time of peace, and he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet with that blood.
6Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.
6So deal with him according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.
7But shew kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table: for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother.
7But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai from Gilead, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for they stood by me when I was fleeing from your brother Absalom.
8And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the LORD, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.
8And remember, you have with you Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down a terrible curse on me the day I went to Mahanaim. But when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD, 'I will not put you to death with the sword.'
9Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood.
9Now, though, do not treat him as innocent. You are a wise man, and you will know what to do with him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood."
10So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.
10Then David died and was laid to rest with his ancestors, and he was buried in the city of David.
11And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.
11David had reigned over Israel for forty years: seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
12Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly.
12Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his kingdom was firmly established.
13And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably.
13Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother. She asked, "Do you come in peace?" "In peace," he answered.
14He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said, Say on.
14Then he added, "I have something to say to you." "Say it," she replied.
15And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother’s: for it was his from the LORD.
15He said, "You know that the kingdom was mine, and all Israel looked to me to be their king. But things turned around, and the kingdom has gone to my brother, because it was his from the LORD.
16And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on.
16Now I have one request to make of you. Please do not refuse me." "Say it," she told him.
17And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.
17He said, "Please ask King Solomon, for he will not refuse you, to give me Abishag from Shunem as my wife."
18And Bathsheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king.
18Bathsheba said, "Very well. I will speak to the king for you."
19Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand.
19So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him on Adonijah's behalf. The king stood up to meet her and bowed to her. Then he sat down on his throne and had a seat brought for the king's mother, and she sat at his right hand.
20Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.
20Then she said, "I have one small request to make of you. Please do not refuse me." The king said to her, "Ask, my mother, for I will not refuse you."
21And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife.
21She said, "Let Abishag from Shunem be given to your brother Adonijah as his wife."
22And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.
22King Solomon answered his mother, "Why do you ask for Abishag from Shunem for Adonijah? You might as well ask the kingdom for him too, since he is my older brother, and for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah!"
23Then king Solomon sware by the LORD, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.
23Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, "May God punish me severely, and even more, if Adonijah has not spoken these words at the cost of his own life.
24Now therefore, as the LORD liveth, which hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day.
24And now, as surely as the LORD lives, who has established me and set me on the throne of my father David, and who has built me a royal house as he promised, Adonijah will be put to death today."
25And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died.
25So King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, who struck him down, and he died.
26And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the LORD God before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.
26To Abiathar the priest the king said, "Go to Anathoth, to your own fields. You deserve to die, but I will not put you to death right now, because you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before my father David, and because you shared in all my father's hardships."
27So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD; that he might fulfil the word of the LORD, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.
27So Solomon removed Abiathar from being priest to the LORD, and in doing so he fulfilled the word the LORD had spoken about the family of Eli at Shiloh.
28Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
28The news reached Joab, for Joab had sided with Adonijah, though he had not sided with Absalom. Joab fled to the tabernacle of the LORD and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar.
29And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.
29King Solomon was told that Joab had fled to the tabernacle of the LORD and was there beside the altar. So Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada with the order, "Go and strike him down."
30And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.
30Benaiah went to the tabernacle of the LORD and said to him, "The king says, 'Come out.'" But he answered, "No. I will die here." Benaiah took word back to the king, saying, "This is what Joab said, and this is how he answered me."
31And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.
31The king said to him, "Do as he has said. Strike him down and bury him, and so remove from me and from my father's house the guilt of the innocent blood Joab shed.
32And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.
32The LORD will bring his blood back on his own head, because he attacked two men more righteous and better than himself and killed them with the sword without my father David knowing about it: Abner the son of Ner, commander of Israel's army, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of Judah's army.
33Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the LORD.
33Their blood will come back on the head of Joab and on the heads of his descendants forever. But for David, his descendants, his house, and his throne, there will be peace from the LORD forever."
34So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.
34So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and struck him down and killed him, and he was buried at his own home in the wilderness.
35And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the host: and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar.
35The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his place over the army, and the king put Zadok the priest in Abiathar's place.
36And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Build thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither.
36Then the king sent for Shimei and said to him, "Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there. Do not leave it to go anywhere else.
37For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.
37Know this for certain: the day you go out and cross the Kidron Valley, you will surely die, and your blood will be on your own head."
38And Shimei said unto the king, The saying is good: as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.
38Shimei said to the king, "What you say is fair. Your servant will do just as my lord the king has said." And Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.
39And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath.
39But at the end of three years, two of Shimei's servants ran away to Achish the son of Maachah, king of Gath. Shimei was told, "Look, your servants are in Gath."
40And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants: and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath.
40So Shimei got up, saddled his donkey, and went to Achish in Gath to look for his servants. Shimei went and brought his servants back from Gath.
41And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come again.
41Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had come back.
42And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not make thee to swear by the LORD, and protested unto thee, saying, Know for a certain, on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any whither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word that I have heard is good.
42The king sent for Shimei and said to him, "Didn't I make you swear by the LORD, and warn you solemnly, 'Know for certain that the day you go out and travel anywhere else, you will surely die'? And you said to me, 'What you say is fair.'
43Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the LORD, and the commandment that I have charged thee with?
43Then why haven't you kept your oath to the LORD and the command I gave you?"
44The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father: therefore the LORD shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head;
44The king also said to Shimei, "You know in your own heart all the wrong you did to my father David. So the LORD will bring your wickedness back on your own head.
45And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD for ever.
45But King Solomon will be blessed, and the throne of David will stand secure before the LORD forever."
46So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which went out, and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.
46Then the king gave the order to Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down, and he died. So the kingdom was firmly established in Solomon's hands.
3Solomon Asks for Wisdom
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.
1Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, by marrying Pharaoh's daughter. He brought her to the city of David until he had finished building his own palace, the house of the LORD, and the wall around Jerusalem.
2Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built unto the name of the LORD, until those days.
2At that time the people were still offering sacrifices at the high places, because no house had yet been built for the name of the LORD.
3And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.
3Solomon loved the LORD and followed the statutes of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places.
4And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.
4The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
5In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
5At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream during the night, and God said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you."
6And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
6Solomon answered, "You showed great mercy to your servant David, my father, because he walked before you in truth, righteousness, and honesty of heart toward you. And you have kept up this great kindness to him by giving him a son to sit on his throne, as he does today.
7And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
7Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, but I am only a young child. I do not know how to go out or come in.
8And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
8Your servant is here among your chosen people, a people so great that they are too many to count or number.
9Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
9So give your servant an understanding heart to govern your people, so that I can tell the difference between good and evil. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"
10And the speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing.
10The LORD was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.
11And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
11So God said to him, "Because you have asked for this, and not for a long life for yourself, or riches for yourself, or the death of your enemies, but for the understanding to judge rightly,
12Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
12I will do what you have asked. I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you before, and no one like you will ever come after you.
13And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.
13I have also given you what you did not ask for, both riches and honor, so that no other king will be your equal for as long as you live.
14And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.
14And if you walk in my ways and keep my statutes and my commandments, as your father David did, I will give you a long life."
15And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.
15Then Solomon woke up and realized it had been a dream. He went to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and gave a feast for all his servants.
16Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.
16Then two women who were prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.
17And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.
17One of the women said, "Oh, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth to a baby while she was there with me.
18And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house.
18Three days after my baby was born, this woman had a baby too. We were alone; there was no one else in the house with us, just the two of us.
19And this woman’s child died in the night; because she overlaid it.
19Then this woman's son died during the night, because she rolled over on him.
20And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.
20So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from beside me while your servant was asleep. She laid him against her chest and laid her dead son against mine.
21And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear.
21When I got up in the morning to nurse my son, he was dead. But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that he was not the son I had given birth to."
22And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the king.
22The other woman said, "No! The living one is my son, and the dead one is yours." But the first said, "No! The dead one is your son, and the living one is mine." And so they argued back and forth in front of the king.
23Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living.
23Then the king said, "This one says, 'My son is the one who is alive, and your son is the dead one,' and the other says, 'No, your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.'"
24And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.
24The king said, "Bring me a sword." So they brought a sword before the king.
25And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.
25Then the king said, "Cut the living child in two, and give half to one woman and half to the other."
26Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.
26At that, the woman whose son was alive spoke up, because her heart ached for her son. "Oh, my lord," she said, "give her the living baby, and please do not kill him!" But the other woman said, "He will be neither mine nor yours. Cut him in two."
27Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.
27Then the king gave his ruling: "Give the living baby to the first woman, and do not kill him. She is his mother."
28And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.
28When all Israel heard of the judgment the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do what was right.
4Solomon's Officials and Wide Renown
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1So king Solomon was king over all Israel.
1So King Solomon ruled as king over all Israel.
2And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the priest,
2These were the leading officials he had: Azariah the son of Zadok was the priest;
3Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.
3Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, were secretaries; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud kept the records;
4And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:
4Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the army; Zadok and Abiathar were the priests;
5And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers: and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king’s friend:
5Azariah the son of Nathan was over the district officers; Zabud the son of Nathan was chief officer and the king's friend;
6And Ahishar was over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute.
6Ahishar was in charge of the palace; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the forced labor.
7And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king and his household: each man his month in a year made provision.
7Solomon also had twelve district officers over all Israel who supplied food for the king and his household. Each one was responsible for the supplies for one month of the year.
8And these are their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim:
8These are their names: the son of Hur, in the hill country of Ephraim;
9The son of Dekar, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Bethshemesh, and Elonbethhanan:
9the son of Dekar, in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan;
10The son of Hesed, in Aruboth; to him pertained Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher:
10the son of Hesed, in Aruboth; Sochoh and all the land of Hepher belonged to him;
11The son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife:
11the son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; he had Taphath, Solomon's daughter, as his wife;
12Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Bethshean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Bethshean to Abelmeholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam:
12Baana the son of Ahilud, who had Taanach and Megiddo and all of Beth-shean, which lies beside Zartanah below Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah and on past Jokneam;
13The son of Geber, in Ramothgilead; to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brasen bars:
13the son of Geber, in Ramoth-gilead; he had the villages of Jair the son of Manasseh in Gilead, and also the region of Argob in Bashan, sixty large cities with walls and bronze bars;
14Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim:
14Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim;
15Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon to wife:
15Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he too married a daughter of Solomon, Basmath;
16Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher and in Aloth:
16Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher and in Aloth;
17Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar:
17Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar;
18Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin:
18Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin;
19Geber the son of Uri was in the country of Gilead, in the country of Sihon king of the Amorites, and of Og king of Bashan; and he was the only officer which was in the land.
19Geber the son of Uri was in the land of Gilead, the country that had belonged to Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan; he was the only officer in that land.
20Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.
20The people of Judah and Israel were as many as the sand on the seashore; they ate and drank and were happy.
21And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.
21Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines and as far as the border of Egypt. They brought him tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.
22And Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,
22Solomon's supplies for a single day were thirty measures of fine flour and sixty measures of meal,
23Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl.
23ten fattened oxen, twenty oxen from the pastures, and a hundred sheep, as well as deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fattened birds.
24For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him.
24For he ruled over the whole region west of the Euphrates, from Tiphsah all the way to Gaza, over all the kings west of the river, and he had peace on every side around him.
25And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.
25All the days of Solomon, Judah and Israel lived in safety, every person under his own vine and his own fig tree, from Dan to Beersheba.
26And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
26Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots and twelve thousand horsemen.
27And those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon’s table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing.
27The district officers supplied food for King Solomon and for everyone who came to his table, each in his own month; they let nothing run short.
28Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.
28They also brought barley and straw for the horses and the swift steeds to wherever it was needed, each man according to his duty.
29And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
29God gave Solomon wisdom and very great understanding, and a breadth of mind as wide as the sand on the seashore.
30And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
30Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.
31For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.
31He was wiser than anyone, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame spread to all the surrounding nations.
32And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.
32He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs numbered a thousand and five.
33And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.
33He spoke about trees, from the cedar of Lebanon down to the hyssop that grows out of the wall. He also spoke about animals, birds, crawling creatures, and fish.
34And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.
34People came from every nation to hear the wisdom of Solomon, sent by all the kings of the earth who had heard how wise he was.
5The Treaty with Hiram of Tyre
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.
1Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon when he heard that Solomon had been anointed king in his father's place, for Hiram had always been a friend to David.
2And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,
2Solomon sent this message back to Hiram:
3Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.
3"You know that my father David could not build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the wars that surrounded him on every side, until the LORD put his enemies under the soles of his feet.
4But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.
4"But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side. There is no enemy and no trouble anywhere.
5And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.
5"So I intend to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, just as the LORD told my father David: 'Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, is the one who will build a house for my name.'
6Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.
6"Now then, give the order to have cedar trees from Lebanon cut for me. My servants will work alongside yours, and I will pay you for your servants whatever wages you set, for you know that none of us can cut timber as skillfully as the Sidonians."
7And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the LORD this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.
7When Hiram heard Solomon's words, he was overjoyed and said, "Blessed be the LORD today, who has given David a wise son to rule this great people."
8And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.
8Then Hiram sent word to Solomon: "I have considered the message you sent me, and I will do everything you want regarding the cedar and cypress timber.
9My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.
9"My servants will bring the logs down from Lebanon to the sea, and I will float them by sea in rafts to whatever place you tell me. There I will have them taken apart, and you can carry them away. In return, you will do what I ask by providing food for my household."
10So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire.
10So Hiram gave Solomon all the cedar and cypress timber he wanted,
11And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.
11and Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat as food for his household and twenty measures of pure oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year after year.
12And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.
12The LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he had promised him. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty together.
13And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.
13King Solomon drafted a workforce from all Israel; the draft numbered thirty thousand men.
14And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy.
14He sent them to Lebanon in shifts of ten thousand a month: one month in Lebanon, then two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the workforce.
15And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains;
15Solomon also had seventy thousand men who carried loads and eighty thousand who cut stone in the hills,
16Beside the chief of Solomon’s officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work.
16besides Solomon's three thousand three hundred chief overseers, who directed the people doing the work.
17And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.
17At the king's command they quarried huge stones, costly stones, cut to shape, to lay the foundation of the house.
18And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.
18Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders, together with the stonecutters, shaped them. So they prepared the timber and the stones for building the house.
6Solomon Builds the Temple
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.
1In the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Zif, which is the second month, he began to build the house of the LORD.
2And the house which king Solomon built for the LORD, the length thereof was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits.
2The house that King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high.
3And the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house; and ten cubits was the breadth thereof before the house.
3The porch in front of the main hall of the house was twenty cubits long, matching the width of the house, and ten cubits deep in front of the house.
4And for the house he made windows of narrow lights.
4He made windows for the house with narrow, framed openings.
5And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle: and he made chambers round about:
5Against the wall of the house he built side rooms all the way around, along the walls of both the main hall and the inner sanctuary; he made side rooms all around.
6The nethermost chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad: for without in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests round about, that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house.
6The lowest story was five cubits wide, the middle one six cubits wide, and the third seven cubits wide, because he made offset ledges on the outside wall of the house all around, so that the beams would not have to be set into the walls of the house.
7And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.
7While the house was being built, it was built of stone finished at the quarry, so that no hammer or axe or any iron tool was heard in the house while it was under construction.
8The door for the middle chamber was in the right side of the house: and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of the middle into the third.
8The entrance to the middle story was on the right side of the house, and winding stairs led up to the middle story, and from the middle to the third.
9So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar.
9So he built the house and finished it, and he roofed the house with beams and boards of cedar.
10And then he built chambers against all the house, five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.
10He built the side rooms against the whole house, each story five cubits high, and they were attached to the house with cedar timbers.
11And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying,
11Then the word of the LORD came to Solomon:
12Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:
12"As for this house you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and carry out my judgments and keep all my commandments and live by them, then I will fulfill through you the promise I made to your father David.
13And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.
13"I will live among the people of Israel, and I will not abandon my people Israel."
14So Solomon built the house, and finished it.
14So Solomon built the house and finished it.
15And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar, both the floor of the house, and the walls of the ceiling: and he covered them on the inside with wood, and covered the floor of the house with planks of fir.
15He lined the inside walls of the house with cedar boards, from the floor of the house up to the ceiling beams; he covered the inside with wood, and he covered the floor of the house with cypress planks.
16And he built twenty cubits on the sides of the house, both the floor and the walls with boards of cedar: he even built them for it within, even for the oracle, even for the most holy place.
16He built a room twenty cubits deep at the rear of the house, with cedar boards from floor to ceiling; he built this inside as the inner sanctuary, the Most Holy Place.
17And the house, that is, the temple before it, was forty cubits long.
17The house itself, that is, the main hall in front of the sanctuary, was forty cubits long.
18And the cedar of the house within was carved with knops and open flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen.
18The cedar inside the house was carved with gourds and open flowers; everything was cedar, and no stone could be seen.
19And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD.
19He prepared the inner sanctuary inside the house to hold the ark of the covenant of the LORD.
20And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of cedar.
20The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high, and he overlaid it with pure gold; he also covered the cedar altar.
21So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold.
21So Solomon overlaid the inside of the house with pure gold, and he hung gold chains across the front of the inner sanctuary, and he overlaid it with gold.
22And the whole house he overlaid with gold, until he had finished all the house: also the whole altar that was by the oracle he overlaid with gold.
22He overlaid the whole house with gold until the entire house was finished; he also overlaid with gold the whole altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary.
23And within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree, each ten cubits high.
23Inside the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits tall.
24And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits.
24One wing of the cherub was five cubits and the other wing of the cherub was five cubits; from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other was ten cubits.
25And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubims were of one measure and one size.
25The other cherub was also ten cubits; both cherubim had the same measurements and the same shape.
26The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub.
26The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was the other cherub.
27And he set the cherubims within the inner house: and they stretched forth the wings of the cherubims, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house.
27He placed the cherubim inside the innermost room of the house, and the wings of the cherubim were spread out, so that the wing of one touched one wall and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall, and their wings touched each other in the middle of the room.
28And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.
28He overlaid the cherubim with gold.
29And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and without.
29He carved all the walls of the house all around, in both the inner and outer rooms, with carved figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers.
30And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without.
30He overlaid the floor of the house with gold, in both the inner and outer rooms.
31And for the entering of the oracle he made doors of olive tree: the lintel and side posts were a fifth part of the wall.
31For the entrance to the inner sanctuary he made doors of olive wood; the lintel and doorposts took up a fifth of the wall.
32The two doors also were of olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm trees.
32The two doors were of olive wood, and he carved on them cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, spreading the gold over the cherubim and the palm trees.
33So also made he for the door of the temple posts of olive tree, a fourth part of the wall.
33In the same way he made doorposts of olive wood for the entrance to the main hall, taking up a fourth of the wall,
34And the two doors were of fir tree: the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.
34and two doors of cypress wood; the two leaves of the one door folded, and the two leaves of the other door folded.
35And he carved thereon cherubims and palm trees and open flowers: and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work.
35He carved cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers on them and covered them with gold hammered evenly over the carved work.
36And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams.
36He built the inner courtyard with three rows of cut stone and one row of cedar beams.
37In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the LORD laid, in the month Zif:
37The foundation of the house of the LORD was laid in the fourth year, in the month of Zif,
38And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.
38and in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in every part and according to every detail of its plan. So he spent seven years building it.
7Solomon's Palace and the Bronze Work
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house.
1But Solomon spent thirteen years building his own palace before he finished the whole of it.
2He built also the house of the forest of Lebanon; the length thereof was an hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams upon the pillars.
2He built the House of the Forest of Lebanon; it was a hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high, resting on four rows of cedar pillars with cedar beams on top of the pillars.
3And it was covered with cedar above upon the beams, that lay on forty five pillars, fifteen in a row.
3It was roofed with cedar above the beams that rested on the forty-five pillars, fifteen in each row.
4And there were windows in three rows, and light was against light in three ranks.
4There were windows in three rows, window facing window, three levels high.
5And all the doors and posts were square, with the windows: and light was against light in three ranks.
5All the doorways and doorposts had square frames, and window faced window in three levels.
6And he made a porch of pillars; the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth thereof thirty cubits: and the porch was before them: and the other pillars and the thick beam were before them.
6He made a hall of pillars, fifty cubits long and thirty cubits wide, with a porch in front of it, and in front of that were more pillars and a thick beam.
7Then he made a porch for the throne where he might judge, even the porch of judgment: and it was covered with cedar from one side of the floor to the other.
7Then he made the throne hall, the Hall of Judgment, where he would judge cases, and it was paneled with cedar from floor to ceiling.
8And his house where he dwelt had another court within the porch, which was of the like work. Solomon made also an house for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had taken to wife, like unto this porch.
8The palace where he lived, in another courtyard behind the hall, was built the same way. Solomon also built a palace like this hall for Pharaoh's daughter, whom he had married.
9All these were of costly stones, according to the measures of hewed stones, sawed with saws, within and without, even from the foundation unto the coping, and so on the outside toward the great court.
9All these buildings were made of costly stones, cut to size and trimmed with saws inside and out, from the foundation to the eaves, and from the outside all the way to the great courtyard.
10And the foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits.
10The foundation was of costly stones, huge stones, some ten cubits long and some eight cubits long.
11And above were costly stones, after the measures of hewed stones, and cedars.
11Above them were costly stones cut to size, and cedar beams.
12And the great court round about was with three rows of hewed stones, and a row of cedar beams, both for the inner court of the house of the LORD, and for the porch of the house.
12The great courtyard all around had three rows of cut stone and one row of cedar beams, just like the inner courtyard of the house of the LORD and the porch of the house.
13And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre.
13King Solomon sent for Hiram and brought him from Tyre.
14He was a widow’s son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work.
14He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a bronze worker. Hiram was full of wisdom, understanding, and skill for doing every kind of work in bronze. He came to King Solomon and did all his work.
15For he cast two pillars of brass, of eighteen cubits high apiece: and a line of twelve cubits did compass either of them about.
15He cast two bronze pillars, each eighteen cubits tall, and a line twelve cubits long went around each of them.
16And he made two chapiters of molten brass, to set upon the tops of the pillars: the height of the one chapiter was five cubits, and the height of the other chapiter was five cubits:
16He made two capitals of cast bronze to set on the tops of the pillars; each capital was five cubits high, the one and the other alike.
17And nets of checker work, and wreaths of chain work, for the chapiters which were upon the top of the pillars; seven for the one chapiter, and seven for the other chapiter.
17He made nets of lattice work and wreaths of chain work for the capitals on top of the pillars, seven for the one capital and seven for the other.
18And he made the pillars, and two rows round about upon the one network, to cover the chapiters that were upon the top, with pomegranates: and so did he for the other chapiter.
18So he made the pillars, with two rows of pomegranates around each network to cover the capitals on top; he did the same for the other capital.
19And the chapiters that were upon the top of the pillars were of lily work in the porch, four cubits.
19The capitals on top of the pillars in the porch were shaped like lilies, four cubits high.
20And the chapiters upon the two pillars had pomegranates also above, over against the belly which was by the network: and the pomegranates were two hundred in rows round about upon the other chapiter.
20The capitals on the two pillars also had pomegranates above, next to the rounded part beside the network; there were two hundred pomegranates in rows all around on each capital.
21And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz.
21He set up the pillars at the porch of the main hall. He set up the pillar on the right and named it Jachin, and he set up the pillar on the left and named it Boaz.
22And upon the top of the pillars was lily work: so was the work of the pillars finished.
22On top of the pillars was the lily work. So the work on the pillars was finished.
23And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.
23Then he made the cast metal Sea. It was round, ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits high, and a line thirty cubits long went around it.
24And under the brim of it round about there were knops compassing it, ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about: the knops were cast in two rows, when it was cast.
24Under its rim, all the way around, were gourds encircling it, ten to a cubit, going around the Sea; the gourds were cast in two rows when the Sea itself was cast.
25It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward.
25It stood on twelve oxen: three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The Sea rested on top of them, and all their hindquarters faced inward.
26And it was an hand breadth thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand baths.
26It was a handbreadth thick, and its rim was shaped like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held two thousand baths.
27And he made ten bases of brass; four cubits was the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth thereof, and three cubits the height of it.
27He also made ten bronze stands; each stand was four cubits long, four cubits wide, and three cubits high.
28And the work of the bases was on this manner: they had borders, and the borders were between the ledges:
28This is how the stands were made: they had side panels, and the panels were set between the frames.
29And on the borders that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubims: and upon the ledges there was a base above: and beneath the lions and oxen were certain additions made of thin work.
29On the panels between the frames were lions, oxen, and cherubim, and on the frames above was a pedestal; and beneath the lions and oxen were wreaths of hammered work.
30And every base had four brasen wheels, and plates of brass: and the four corners thereof had undersetters: under the laver were undersetters molten, at the side of every addition.
30Each stand had four bronze wheels with bronze axles, and at its four corners were supports; the supports under the basin were cast, with a wreath beside each one.
31And the mouth of it within the chapiter and above was a cubit: but the mouth thereof was round after the work of the base, a cubit and an half: and also upon the mouth of it were gravings with their borders, foursquare, not round.
31Its opening, inside the crown at the top, was one cubit deep; the opening was round like the pedestal's design, a cubit and a half across. Around the opening were carvings, and the panels were square, not round.
32And under the borders were four wheels; and the axletrees of the wheels were joined to the base: and the height of a wheel was a cubit and half a cubit.
32The four wheels were under the panels, and the axles of the wheels were attached to the stand; each wheel was a cubit and a half high.
33And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel: their axletrees, and their naves, and their felloes, and their spokes, were all molten.
33The wheels were made like chariot wheels: their axles, rims, spokes, and hubs were all cast metal.
34And there were four undersetters to the four corners of one base: and the undersetters were of the very base itself.
34There were four supports at the four corners of each stand, and the supports were cast as one piece with the stand itself.
35And in the top of the base was there a round compass of half a cubit high: and on the top of the base the ledges thereof and the borders thereof were of the same.
35At the top of the stand was a round band half a cubit high, and the braces and panels at the top of the stand were cast as one piece with it.
36For on the plates of the ledges thereof, and on the borders thereof, he graved cherubims, lions, and palm trees, according to the proportion of every one, and additions round about.
36On the surfaces of the braces and on the panels he engraved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, wherever there was room for each, with wreaths all around.
37After this manner he made the ten bases: all of them had one casting, one measure, and one size.
37This is how he made the ten stands; all of them were cast alike, the same size and the same shape.
38Then made he ten lavers of brass: one laver contained forty baths: and every laver was four cubits: and upon every one of the ten bases one laver.
38Then he made ten bronze basins; each basin held forty baths and measured four cubits, and there was one basin on each of the ten stands.
39And he put five bases on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house: and he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward over against the south.
39He placed five stands on the right side of the house and five on the left side, and he set the Sea on the right side of the house, toward the southeast.
40And Hiram made the lavers, and the shovels, and the basons. So Hiram made an end of doing all the work that he made king Solomon for the house of the LORD:
40Hiram also made the basins, the shovels, and the sprinkling bowls. So Hiram finished all the work he did for King Solomon on the house of the LORD:
41The two pillars, and the two bowls of the chapiters that were on the top of the two pillars; and the two networks, to cover the two bowls of the chapiters which were upon the top of the pillars;
41the two pillars; the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the two pillars; the two networks covering the two bowls of the capitals on top of the pillars;
42And four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, even two rows of pomegranates for one network, to cover the two bowls of the chapiters that were upon the pillars;
42the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, two rows of pomegranates for each network, covering the two bowls of the capitals on the pillars;
43And the ten bases, and ten lavers on the bases;
43the ten stands and the ten basins on the stands;
44And one sea, and twelve oxen under the sea;
44the one Sea and the twelve oxen under the Sea;
45And the pots, and the shovels, and the basons: and all these vessels, which Hiram made to king Solomon for the house of the LORD, were of bright brass.
45and the pots, the shovels, and the sprinkling bowls. All these things that Hiram made for King Solomon for the house of the LORD were of polished bronze.
46In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarthan.
46The king had them cast in the plain of the Jordan, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarthan.
47And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because they were exceeding many: neither was the weight of the brass found out.
47Solomon left all these things unweighed, because there were so many of them; the weight of the bronze was never determined.
48And Solomon made all the vessels that pertained unto the house of the LORD: the altar of gold, and the table of gold, whereupon the shewbread was,
48Solomon also made all the furnishings that belonged to the house of the LORD: the gold altar; the gold table that held the showbread;
49And the candlesticks of pure gold, five on the right side, and five on the left, before the oracle, with the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs of gold,
49the lampstands of pure gold, five on the right and five on the left in front of the inner sanctuary, with the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs of gold;
50And the bowls, and the snuffers, and the basons, and the spoons, and the censers of pure gold; and the hinges of gold, both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, to wit, of the temple.
50the cups, the wick trimmers, the sprinkling bowls, the dishes, and the fire pans of pure gold; and the gold hinges for the doors of the inner room, the Most Holy Place, and for the doors of the main hall of the temple.
51So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the LORD. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the LORD.
51So all the work that King Solomon did for the house of the LORD was completed. Then Solomon brought in the things his father David had dedicated, the silver, the gold, and the furnishings, and he placed them in the treasuries of the house of the LORD.
8The Ark Brought In and Solomon's Prayer
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.
1Then Solomon gathered the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes, and the leaders of the family lines of the people of Israel, to come to King Solomon in Jerusalem, so that they could bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the city of David, which is Zion.
2And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
2All the men of Israel gathered to King Solomon at the feast in the month of Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
3And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.
3All the elders of Israel came, and the priests lifted the ark.
4And they brought up the ark of the LORD, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those did the priests and the Levites bring up.
4They brought up the ark of the LORD, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites carried them up.
5And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude.
5King Solomon and the whole gathering of Israel that had come to him were with him in front of the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered.
6And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims.
6Then the priests carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, into the inner room of the house, the most holy place, beneath the wings of the cherubim.
7For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
7For the cherubim spread their two wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim covered the ark and its carrying poles from above.
8And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day.
8They pulled the poles forward, so that their ends could be seen from the holy place in front of the inner room, but they could not be seen from outside. And they are there to this day.
9There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
9There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses placed there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the people of Israel after they came out of the land of Egypt.
10And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,
10And when the priests came out of the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD,
11So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.
11so that the priests could not stand to carry out their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.
12Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.
12Then Solomon said, "The LORD has said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.
13I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever.
13I have truly built you a house to dwell in, a settled place for you to live in forever."
14And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation of Israel: (and all the congregation of Israel stood;)
14Then the king turned around and blessed the whole gathering of Israel, while the whole gathering of Israel stood.
15And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,
15He said, "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who spoke with his own mouth to my father David and has fulfilled it with his own hand, saying,
16Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.
16'Since the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house where my name might be; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.'
17And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
17My father David had it in his heart to build a house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
18And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.
18But the LORD said to my father David, 'Because it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well to have it in your heart.
19Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my name.
19Still, you will not build the house; your son, who will be born to you, is the one who will build the house for my name.'
20And the LORD hath performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
20And the LORD has carried out the word he spoke, for I have risen up in the place of my father David and sit on the throne of Israel, just as the LORD promised, and I have built a house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
21And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.
21And there I have set a place for the ark, which holds the covenant of the LORD that he made with our fathers when he brought them out of the land of Egypt."
22And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven:
22Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole gathering of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven.
23And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart:
23He said, "LORD God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on the earth below, who keeps covenant and mercy with your servants who walk before you with all their heart.
24Who hast kept with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him: thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day.
24You have kept what you promised to your servant David, my father; you spoke it with your mouth and have fulfilled it with your hand, as it is today.
25Therefore now, LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that thy children take heed to their way, that they walk before me as thou hast walked before me.
25So now, LORD God of Israel, keep what you promised to your servant David, my father, when you said, 'You will never lack a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, as long as your children watch their way and walk before me as you have walked before me.'
26And now, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father.
26Now, O God of Israel, please let the word you spoke to your servant David, my father, come true.
27But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?
27But will God really dwell on the earth? Look, the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot hold you; how much less this house that I have built!
28Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day:
28Yet give attention to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O LORD my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer that your servant prays before you today,
29That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place.
29so that your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward the place of which you said, 'My name will be there,' and so that you may listen to the prayer your servant makes toward this place.
30And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.
30Listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.
31If any man trespass against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house:
31If anyone wrongs his neighbor and is made to swear an oath, and he comes and swears the oath before your altar in this house,
32Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.
32then hear in heaven, and act, and judge your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing his conduct down on his own head, and clearing the innocent by giving him what his innocence deserves.
33When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house:
33When your people Israel are defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you, and they turn back to you and confess your name and pray and plead with you in this house,
34Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers.
34then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land you gave to their fathers.
35When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them:
35When the sky is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and confess your name and turn from their sin because you have humbled them,
36Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.
36then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel; teach them the good way they should walk in, and send rain on your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.
37If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpiller; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be;
37If there is famine in the land, or plague, blight, mildew, locusts, or grasshoppers; if their enemy besieges them in any of their cities; whatever plague or sickness there may be;
38What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:
38whatever prayer or plea is made by any person, or by all your people Israel, each one knowing the trouble of his own heart, and spreading out his hands toward this house,
39Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)
39then hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to each person according to all his ways, since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of all people),
40That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.
40so that they may fear you all the days they live in the land you gave to our fathers.
41Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name’s sake;
41And as for the foreigner who is not one of your people Israel but comes from a distant country because of your name
42(For they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm;) when he shall come and pray toward this house;
42(for they will hear of your great name, your strong hand, and your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house,
43Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name.
43hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and do everything the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as your people Israel do, and may know that this house I have built is called by your name.
44If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the LORD toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy name:
44If your people go out to battle against their enemy, wherever you send them, and they pray to the LORD toward the city you have chosen and the house I have built for your name,
45Then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.
45then hear their prayer and their plea in heaven, and uphold their cause.
46If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near;
46If they sin against you (for there is no one who does not sin), and you become angry with them and hand them over to an enemy who carries them off as captives to the enemy's land, far away or near,
47Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness;
47yet if they come to their senses in the land where they were taken captive, and repent, and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, "We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly,"
48And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:
48and if they return to you with all their heart and all their soul in the land of the enemies who carried them away, and pray to you toward the land you gave to their fathers, the city you have chosen, and the house I have built for your name,
49Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause,
49then hear their prayer and their plea in heaven, your dwelling place, and uphold their cause,
50And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them:
50and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all the offenses they have committed against you, and make their captors show them compassion, so that they may have compassion on them.
51For they be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron:
51For they are your people and your inheritance, whom you brought out of Egypt, out of the middle of the iron furnace.
52That thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant, and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them in all that they call for unto thee.
52May your eyes be open to the plea of your servant and to the plea of your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to you.
53For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O LORD God.
53For you set them apart from all the peoples of the earth to be your inheritance, as you declared through your servant Moses when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, O LORD God."
54And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.
54When Solomon had finished praying this whole prayer and plea to the LORD, he rose from before the altar of the LORD, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven.
55And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying,
55He stood and blessed the whole gathering of Israel in a loud voice, saying,
56Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.
56"Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel, just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promise he made through his servant Moses.
57The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us:
57May the LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he never leave us or abandon us,
58That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.
58so that he may turn our hearts toward him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.
59And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require:
59And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, so that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as each day requires,
60That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else.
60so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is no other.
61Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
61So let your heart be fully devoted to the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes and keep his commandments, as you do today."
62And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD.
62Then the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifices before the LORD.
63And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the LORD, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD.
63Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD: twenty-two thousand oxen and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD.
64The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD: for there he offered burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings: because the brasen altar that was before the LORD was too little to receive the burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.
64That same day the king set apart the middle of the courtyard in front of the house of the LORD, for there he offered burnt offerings, grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar before the LORD was too small to hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.
65And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the LORD our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days.
65At that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great gathering of people from the entrance of Hamath to the river of Egypt, before the LORD our God, for seven days and then seven more days, fourteen days in all.
66On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.
66On the eighth day he sent the people home. They blessed the king and went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the good the LORD had done for his servant David and for his people Israel.
9God Appears a Second Time
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD, and the king’s house, and all Solomon’s desire which he was pleased to do,
1When Solomon had finished building the house of the LORD and the king's palace, and everything else he had wanted to build,
2That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
2the LORD appeared to Solomon a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon.
3And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
3The LORD said to him, "I have heard your prayer and the plea you made before me. I have set apart this house you have built, to put my name there forever; my eyes and my heart will always be there.
4And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
4And if you walk before me as your father David walked, with a whole heart and with honesty, doing everything I have commanded you, and if you keep my statutes and my judgments,
5Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.
5then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, as I promised your father David when I said, 'You will never lack a man on the throne of Israel.'
6But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
6But if you or your children ever turn away from following me, and do not keep the commandments and statutes I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them,
7Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:
7then I will cut Israel off from the land I have given them, and this house I have set apart for my name I will throw out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a joke among all peoples.
8And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?
8And this house, now so high, will be a shock to everyone who passes by; they will whistle in amazement and say, 'Why has the LORD done this to this land and to this house?'
9And they shall answer, Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the LORD brought upon them all this evil.
9And the answer will be, 'Because they abandoned the LORD their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and took hold of other gods and worshiped them and served them. That is why the LORD has brought all this disaster on them.'"
10And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the LORD, and the king’s house,
10At the end of the twenty years in which Solomon built the two buildings, the house of the LORD and the king's palace,
11(Now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire,) that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.
11(Hiram king of Tyre had supplied Solomon with cedar and cypress timber and with gold, as much as he wanted) King Solomon gave Hiram twenty towns in the land of Galilee.
12And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not.
12Hiram came out from Tyre to see the towns Solomon had given him, but he was not pleased with them.
13And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day.
13He said, "What kind of towns are these you have given me, my brother?" So he named them the land of Cabul, and they are called that to this day.
14And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.
14And Hiram sent the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold.
15And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the LORD, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.
15This is the account of the forced labor that King Solomon raised: it was to build the house of the LORD, his own palace, the Millo, the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer.
16For Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in the city, and given it for a present unto his daughter, Solomon’s wife.
16(Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and captured Gezer, burned it with fire, killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and given it as a wedding gift to his daughter, Solomon's wife.)
17And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether,
17So Solomon rebuilt Gezer, and lower Beth-horon,
18And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land,
18and Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, within the land,
19And all the cities of store that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.
19as well as all the storage towns Solomon had, the towns for his chariots, the towns for his horsemen, and whatever Solomon wanted to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and throughout all the land he ruled.
20And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel,
20As for all the people who were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who were not Israelites,
21Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day.
21their descendants who remained in the land after them, whom the people of Israel had not been able to destroy completely, Solomon drafted them as forced laborers, and so they remain to this day.
22But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but they were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen.
22But Solomon made no slaves of the people of Israel; instead they were his soldiers, his officials, his princes, his captains, and the commanders of his chariots and his horsemen.
23These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomon’s work, five hundred and fifty, which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work.
23These were the chief officers in charge of Solomon's work: five hundred and fifty of them, who supervised the people doing the work.
24But Pharaoh’s daughter came up out of the city of David unto her house which Solomon had built for her: then did he build Millo.
24As soon as Pharaoh's daughter moved up from the city of David to the house Solomon had built for her, he built the Millo.
25And three times in a year did Solomon offer burnt offerings and peace offerings upon the altar which he built unto the LORD, and he burnt incense upon the altar that was before the LORD. So he finished the house.
25Three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar he had built for the LORD, and he burned incense on the altar that stood before the LORD. So he completed the house.
26And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Eziongeber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of Edom.
26King Solomon also built a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom.
27And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.
27And Hiram sent his servants with the fleet, sailors who knew the sea, to serve alongside Solomon's servants.
28And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.
28They sailed to Ophir and brought back four hundred and twenty talents of gold, which they delivered to King Solomon.
10The Queen of Sheba and Solomon's Gold
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.
1When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon's fame, which was tied to the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions.
2And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.
2She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large caravan, with camels carrying spices, a great deal of gold, and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she talked with him about everything on her heart.
3And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.
3Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her.
4And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built,
4When the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house he had built,
5And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.
5and the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the service of his attendants and how they were dressed, his cupbearers, and the stairway by which he went up to the house of the LORD, it took her breath away.
6And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.
6She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own land about your deeds and your wisdom was true.
7Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.
7But I did not believe the words until I came and saw it with my own eyes. And look, not even half was told to me; your wisdom and prosperity go far beyond the report I heard.
8Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.
8How happy your men are, and how happy these servants of yours, who stand before you all the time and hear your wisdom!
9Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.
9Blessed be the LORD your God, who was pleased with you and set you on the throne of Israel. Because the LORD loves Israel forever, he has made you king to carry out judgment and justice."
10And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.
10Then she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, a very large amount of spices, and precious stones. Never again did such a quantity of spices arrive as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
11And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones.
11Hiram's fleet, which carried gold from Ophir, also brought in from Ophir a great quantity of almug wood and precious stones.
12And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the LORD, and for the king’s house, harps also and psalteries for singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day.
12The king used the almug wood to make supports for the house of the LORD and for the king's palace, as well as harps and lyres for the singers. No such almug wood has come or been seen since, to this day.
13And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.
13King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she wanted, whatever she asked for, in addition to what he gave her out of his royal generosity. Then she turned and went back to her own country, she and her servants.
14Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold,
14Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in a single year was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold,
15Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.
15not counting what came from the traders, from the business of the spice merchants, from all the kings of Arabia, and from the governors of the land.
16And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target.
16King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold, with six hundred shekels of gold going into each shield.
17And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pound of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.
17He also made three hundred smaller shields of hammered gold, with three pounds of gold going into each shield, and the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
18Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold.
18The king also made a great throne of ivory and covered it with the finest gold.
19The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays.
19The throne had six steps, and the top of its back was rounded; there were armrests on each side of the seat, and two lions stood beside the armrests.
20And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom.
20Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at each end of every step. Nothing like it had ever been made in any kingdom.
21And all king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.
21All King Solomon's drinking cups were gold, and all the vessels in the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold; none were silver, because silver was considered worth little in Solomon's day.
22For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.
22For the king had a fleet of trading ships at sea along with Hiram's fleet; once every three years the trading ships came in, carrying gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
23So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.
23So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.
24And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
24The whole world sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.
25And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.
25And each one brought his gift: articles of silver, articles of gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules, a set amount year after year.
26And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem.
26Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, which he stationed in the chariot towns and with the king in Jerusalem.
27And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance.
27The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamore trees that grow in the lowlands.
28And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price.
28Solomon's horses were brought from Egypt, along with linen yarn; the king's merchants bought the linen yarn at a set price.
29And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.
29A chariot brought up out of Egypt cost six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse a hundred and fifty; and in the same way, through these merchants, they were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.
11Solomon's Foreign Wives and His Adversaries
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
1But King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with Pharaoh's daughter: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites.
2Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
2They came from the nations the LORD had warned the people of Israel about, saying, "You must not marry into them, and they must not marry into you, because they will surely turn your hearts toward their gods." Yet Solomon clung to these women in love.
3And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
3He had seven hundred wives who were princesses and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned his heart away.
4For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.
4When Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of his father David had been.
5For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
5Solomon followed Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom, the detestable god of the Ammonites.
6And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.
6So Solomon did what was evil in the LORD's sight and did not follow the LORD wholeheartedly, as his father David had done.
7Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.
7Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh, the detestable god of Moab, on the hill east of Jerusalem, and another for Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites.
8And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.
8He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.
9And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,
9The LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice
10And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.
10and had commanded him about this very thing, that he must not follow other gods. But Solomon did not keep what the LORD had commanded.
11Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.
11So the LORD said to Solomon, "Since this is what you have done, and you have not kept my covenant and my laws that I commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant.
12Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.
12Still, for the sake of your father David, I will not do it in your lifetime. I will tear it out of your son's hand.
13Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.
13Yet I will not tear away the whole kingdom. I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen."
14And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king’s seed in Edom.
14Then the LORD raised up an enemy against Solomon: Hadad the Edomite, who was from the royal family of Edom.
15For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom;
15Earlier, when David was in Edom, Joab the commander of the army had gone up to bury the dead, after he had struck down every male in Edom.
16(For six months did Joab remain there with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom:)
16(Joab and all Israel stayed there six months, until he had wiped out every male in Edom.)
17That Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father’s servants with him, to go into Egypt; Hadad being yet a little child.
17But Hadad, who was still a young boy, had fled toward Egypt with some Edomites who had served his father.
18And they arose out of Midian, and came to Paran: and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of Egypt; which gave him an house, and appointed him victuals, and gave him land.
18They set out from Midian and came to Paran. Taking men from Paran with them, they went on to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave Hadad a house, provided him with food, and granted him land.
19And Hadad found great favour in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.
19Hadad found such favor with Pharaoh that Pharaoh gave him the sister of his own wife, Queen Tahpenes, to be his wife.
20And the sister of Tahpenes bare him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh’s house: and Genubath was in Pharaoh’s household among the sons of Pharaoh.
20The sister of Tahpenes bore him a son named Genubath, whom Tahpenes raised in Pharaoh's palace, so Genubath grew up in Pharaoh's household among Pharaoh's own sons.
21And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the host was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may go to mine own country.
21While he was in Egypt, Hadad heard that David had died and that Joab the army commander was dead too. Hadad said to Pharaoh, "Let me leave, so I can go back to my own country."
22Then Pharaoh said unto him, But what hast thou lacked with me, that, behold, thou seekest to go to thine own country? And he answered, Nothing: howbeit let me go in any wise.
22Pharaoh asked him, "What have you lacked here with me, that you now want to go back to your own country?" He answered, "Nothing, but please let me go anyway."
23And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:
23God also raised up another enemy against Solomon: Rezon son of Eliadah, who had run away from his master, Hadadezer king of Zobah.
24And he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew them of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus.
24He gathered men around himself and became the leader of a raiding band after David defeated the forces of Zobah. They went to Damascus, settled there, and ruled in Damascus.
25And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the mischief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria.
25He was an enemy of Israel all through Solomon's reign, adding to the trouble Hadad caused. He hated Israel and ruled over Syria.
26And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon’s servant, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king.
26Jeroboam son of Nebat, an Ephraimite from Zeredah and one of Solomon's officials, also rebelled against the king. His mother's name was Zeruah, and she was a widow.
27And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father.
27This is why he rebelled against the king: Solomon had built the Millo and closed up the gap in the wall of the city of his father David.
28And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.
28Now Jeroboam was a capable and courageous man, and when Solomon saw how hard the young man worked, he put him in charge of all the forced labor of the house of Joseph.
29And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:
29About that time, as Jeroboam was leaving Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh met him on the road. Ahijah was wearing a new cloak, and the two of them were alone in the open country.
30And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:
30Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces.
31And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:
31Then he said to Jeroboam, "Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Look, I am going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon's hand and give ten tribes to you.
32(But he shall have one tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)
32(But he will keep one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.)
33Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.
33I am doing this because they have abandoned me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites. They have not walked in my ways, doing what is right in my eyes and keeping my laws and my rulings, as his father David did.
34Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant’s sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes:
34Yet I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand. I will let him rule all the days of his life for the sake of my servant David, whom I chose because he kept my commandments and my laws.
35But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes.
35But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand and give it to you, ten tribes of it.
36And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.
36To his son I will give one tribe, so that my servant David will always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city I have chosen for myself to put my name there.
37And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.
37As for you, I will take you, and you will rule over everything your heart desires; you will be king over Israel.
38And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.
38And if you listen to everything I command you, walk in my ways, and do what is right in my sight by keeping my laws and my commandments as my servant David did, then I will be with you. I will build you a lasting dynasty, as I built one for David, and I will give Israel to you.
39And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever.
39Because of this I will humble David's descendants, but not forever.'"
40Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.
40So Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam got up and fled to Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and he stayed in Egypt until Solomon died.
41And the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?
41As for the rest of the events of Solomon's reign, all that he did and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?
42And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.
42Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years.
43And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.
43Then Solomon died and was buried in the city of his father David, and his son Rehoboam became king in his place.
12The Kingdom Splits Over the Yoke
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.
1Rehoboam went to Shechem, because all Israel had gathered at Shechem to make him king.
2And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;)
2When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about it, he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon and settled.
3That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,
3So they sent for him. Then Jeroboam and the whole assembly of Israel came to Rehoboam and said,
4Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.
4"Your father put a heavy yoke on us. Now lighten the hard labor your father demanded and the heavy yoke he laid on us, and we will serve you."
5And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.
5He told them, "Go away for three days, then come back to me." So the people left.
6And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?
6King Rehoboam consulted the older men who had served his father Solomon while he was alive. He asked, "How do you advise me to answer these people?"
7And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
7They told him, "If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and give them a favorable answer with kind words, they will be your servants forever."
8But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:
8But he rejected the advice the older men gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and now served him.
9And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?
9He asked them, "What do you advise? How should we answer these people who have said to me, 'Lighten the yoke your father put on us'?"
10And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.
10The young men who had grown up with him replied, "This is what you should say to these people who told you, 'Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter for us.' Tell them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist.
11And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
11My father loaded you with a heavy yoke; I will make your yoke even heavier. My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions.'"
12So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.
12Jeroboam and all the people came back to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had directed when he said, "Come back to me on the third day."
13And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him;
13The king answered the people harshly. He rejected the advice the older men had given him
14And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
14and spoke to them as the young men had advised, saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, and I will make it heavier still. My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions."
15Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
15So the king would not listen to the people, for this turn of events came from the LORD, to fulfill the word the LORD had spoken through Ahijah of Shiloh to Jeroboam son of Nebat.
16So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.
16When all Israel saw that the king would not listen to them, the people answered the king, "What share do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, Israel! Look after your own house, David!" So the Israelites went home to their tents.
17But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
17But Rehoboam still ruled over the Israelites who lived in the towns of Judah.
18Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
18Then King Rehoboam sent out Adoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam hurried to his chariot and escaped to Jerusalem.
19So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
19So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
20And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.
20When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. No one followed the house of David except the tribe of Judah alone.
21And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
21When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he gathered all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand picked fighting men, to go to war against the house of Israel and win the kingdom back for Rehoboam son of Solomon.
22But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
22But the word of God came to Shemaiah, the man of God:
23Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,
23"Speak to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people. Tell them,
24Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD.
24'This is what the LORD says: Do not go up and fight against your brothers, the people of Israel. Every one of you, go home, for this has come from me.'" So they obeyed the word of the LORD and turned back and went home, as the LORD had said.
25Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.
25Then Jeroboam built up Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. From there he went out and built Penuel.
26And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:
26Jeroboam thought to himself, "The kingdom will surely go back to the house of David now.
27If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.
27If these people keep going up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, their hearts will turn back to their master, Rehoboam king of Judah. They will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah."
28Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
28So the king took advice and made two golden calves. He told the people, "It is too much for you to go all the way up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt."
29And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.
29He set one up in Bethel and placed the other in Dan.
30And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.
30And this became a sin, for the people went to worship in front of the one at Bethel and traveled all the way to the one at Dan.
31And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.
31He also built shrines on the high places and appointed priests from all sorts of ordinary people who were not from the tribe of Levi.
32And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.
32Jeroboam established a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival held in Judah, and he offered sacrifices on the altar. He did this in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves he had made, and there in Bethel he stationed the priests of the high places he had set up.
33So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.
33On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a month he had chosen on his own, he offered sacrifices on the altar he had built in Bethel. He established a festival for the people of Israel, and he went up to the altar to burn incense.
13The Man of God and the Lying Prophet
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.
1Just then a man of God from Judah arrived in Bethel by the word of the LORD, while Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.
2And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee.
2By the word of the LORD he cried out against the altar: "Altar, altar! This is what the LORD says: 'A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and human bones will be burned on you.'"
3And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.
3That same day he gave a sign, saying, "This is the sign the LORD has announced: the altar will split apart, and the ashes on it will spill out."
4And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.
4When King Jeroboam heard what the man of God cried out against the altar in Bethel, he stretched out his hand from the altar and said, "Seize him!" But the hand he stretched out against him withered, and he could not pull it back.
5The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.
5The altar also split apart, and the ashes spilled out of it, just as the sign the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.
6And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.
6Then the king said to the man of God, "Please plead with the LORD your God and pray for me, so that my hand may be restored." The man of God pleaded with the LORD, and the king's hand was restored and became as it was before.
7And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward.
7The king said to the man of God, "Come home with me and have something to eat, and I will give you a gift."
8And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place:
8But the man of God answered the king, "Even if you gave me half your house, I would not go with you, and I would not eat bread or drink water in this place.
9For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.
9For I was commanded by the word of the LORD: 'Do not eat bread or drink water, and do not go back by the way you came.'"
10So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel.
10So he left by a different road and did not return by the way he had come to Bethel.
11Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father.
11Now an old prophet was living in Bethel, and his sons came and told him everything the man of God had done in Bethel that day. They also told their father the words he had spoken to the king.
12And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah.
12Their father asked them, "Which way did he go?" His sons had seen which road the man of God from Judah had taken.
13And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon,
13He said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." So they saddled the donkey for him, and he rode off
14And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am.
14after the man of God. He found him sitting under an oak tree and asked him, "Are you the man of God who came from Judah?" He answered, "I am."
15Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread.
15Then the prophet said to him, "Come home with me and eat some bread."
16And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place:
16But he replied, "I cannot turn back and go with you, and I will not eat bread or drink water with you in this place.
17For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.
17For the word of the LORD told me, 'You must not eat bread or drink water there, and you must not return by the way you came.'"
18He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.
18The old prophet said to him, "I am a prophet too, just as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'Bring him back with you to your house, so he can eat bread and drink water.'" But he was lying to him.
19So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.
19So the man of God went back with him, and he ate bread and drank water in his house.
20And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back:
20While they were sitting at the table, the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back,
21And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee,
21and he cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, "This is what the LORD says: 'Because you have defied the word of the LORD and have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you,
22But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the Lord did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.
22but came back and ate bread and drank water in the place where he told you, "Eat no bread and drink no water," your body will not be buried in the tomb of your ancestors.'"
23And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back.
23After the man of God had eaten and drunk, the old prophet saddled the donkey for him, the prophet he had brought back.
24And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase.
24As he went on his way, a lion met him on the road and killed him. His body was left lying on the road, with the donkey standing beside it, and the lion standing beside the body too.
25And, behold, men passed by, and saw the carcase cast in the way, and the lion standing by the carcase: and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt.
25Some men passing by saw the body lying in the road and the lion standing next to it, and they went and reported it in the town where the old prophet lived.
26And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the LORD: therefore the LORD hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake unto him.
26When the prophet who had brought him back from his journey heard about it, he said, "It is the man of God who defied the word of the LORD. That is why the LORD gave him over to the lion, which tore him apart and killed him, just as the LORD had told him."
27And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him.
27Then he said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." And they saddled it.
28And he went and found his carcase cast in the way, and the ass and the lion standing by the carcase: the lion had not eaten the carcase, nor torn the ass.
28He went and found the body lying in the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside it. The lion had not eaten the body or attacked the donkey.
29And the prophet took up the carcase of the man of God, and laid it upon the ass, and brought it back: and the old prophet came to the city, to mourn and to bury him.
29The prophet picked up the body of the man of God, laid it on the donkey, and carried it back. The old prophet came into the town to mourn for him and bury him.
30And he laid his carcase in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother!
30He laid the body in his own tomb, and they mourned over him, crying, "Oh, my brother!"
31And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spake to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones:
31After burying him, he said to his sons, "When I die, bury me in the tomb where the man of God is buried. Lay my bones next to his bones.
32For the saying which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass.
32For the message he cried out by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel, and against all the shrines on the high places in the towns of Samaria, will certainly come true."
33After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places.
33Even after this, Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way. Again he appointed priests for the high places from all sorts of ordinary people; anyone who wanted to be a priest, he consecrated, and that man became one of the priests of the high places.
34And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth.
34This became the sin of the house of Jeroboam that led to its downfall and its destruction from the face of the earth.
14Ahijah's Word Against Jeroboam's House
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick.
1At that time Abijah son of Jeroboam became sick.
2And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get thee to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I should be king over this people.
2Jeroboam said to his wife, "Please get up and disguise yourself so that no one will recognize you as Jeroboam's wife, and go to Shiloh. Ahijah the prophet is there, the one who told me I would be king over this people.
3And take with thee ten loaves, and cracknels, and a cruse of honey, and go to him: he shall tell thee what shall become of the child.
3Take with you ten loaves of bread, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy."
4And Jeroboam’s wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. But Ahijah could not see; for his eyes were set by reason of his age.
4Jeroboam's wife did as he said. She got up, went to Shiloh, and came to Ahijah's house. Now Ahijah could not see, because his eyes had grown dim with age.
5And the LORD said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son; for he is sick: thus and thus shalt thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall feign herself to be another woman.
5But the LORD had told Ahijah, "Jeroboam's wife is coming to ask you about her son, because he is sick. This is what you are to say to her. When she comes in, she will pretend to be someone else."
6And it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, that he said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings.
6So when Ahijah heard her footsteps as she came in at the door, he said, "Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why are you pretending to be someone else? I have been sent to you with hard news.
7Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel,
7Go and tell Jeroboam, 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I lifted you up from among the people and made you leader over my people Israel.
8And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes;
8I tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you. But you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me with all his heart, doing only what was right in my eyes.
9But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back:
9You have done more evil than all who came before you. You have gone and made yourself other gods and metal idols to provoke me to anger, and you have thrown me behind your back.
10Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.
10So I am going to bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam. I will cut off from Jeroboam every male in Israel, whether slave or free, and I will sweep away what is left of the house of Jeroboam the way a man sweeps away dung, until it is all gone.
11Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat: for the LORD hath spoken it.
11Anyone from Jeroboam's family who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the open country will be eaten by the birds of the sky. The LORD has spoken it.'
12Arise thou therefore, get thee to thine own house: and when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die.
12Now get up and go home. The moment your feet enter the city, the boy will die.
13And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.
13All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He is the only one of Jeroboam's family who will be given a proper burial, because in him alone of Jeroboam's house the LORD, the God of Israel, has found something good.
14Moreover the LORD shall raise him up a king over Israel, who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day: but what? even now.
14And the LORD will raise up a king over Israel who will cut off the house of Jeroboam. This is the day! What am I saying? It is already here.
15For the LORD shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water, and he shall root up Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river, because they have made their groves, provoking the LORD to anger.
15The LORD will strike Israel so that it sways like a reed in the water. He will uproot Israel from this good land he gave to their ancestors and scatter them beyond the River, because they have made their sacred poles and provoked the LORD to anger.
16And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin.
16He will give Israel up because of the sins Jeroboam committed and the sins he led Israel to commit."
17And Jeroboam’s wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah: and when she came to the threshold of the door, the child died;
17Then Jeroboam's wife got up and left, and she came to Tirzah. As she stepped across the threshold of the house, the boy died.
18And they buried him; and all Israel mourned for him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by the hand of his servant Ahijah the prophet.
18They buried him, and all Israel mourned for him, just as the LORD had said through his servant Ahijah the prophet.
19And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred, and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
19The rest of the events of Jeroboam's reign, his wars and how he ruled, are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
20And the days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty years: and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his stead.
20Jeroboam reigned for twenty-two years. Then he died, and his son Nadab became king in his place.
21And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess.
21Rehoboam son of Solomon reigned in Judah. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there. His mother's name was Naamah, an Ammonite.
22And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done.
22Judah did what was evil in the LORD's sight. By the sins they committed they stirred up his jealousy more than all their ancestors had done.
23For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.
23They too built high places, sacred stones, and sacred poles for themselves on every high hill and under every leafy tree.
24And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
24There were even male shrine prostitutes in the land. The people did all the detestable things of the nations the LORD had driven out before the people of Israel.
25And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem:
25In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem.
26And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.
26He carried off the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king's palace. He took everything, including all the gold shields Solomon had made.
27And king Rehoboam made in their stead brasen shields, and committed them unto the hands of the chief of the guard, which kept the door of the king’s house.
27King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and handed them over to the commanders of the guard who kept watch at the entrance to the king's palace.
28And it was so, when the king went into the house of the LORD, that the guard bare them, and brought them back into the guard chamber.
28Whenever the king went into the house of the LORD, the guards carried the shields, and afterward they returned them to the guardroom.
29Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
29As for the rest of the events of Rehoboam's reign and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
30And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.
30There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.
31And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.
31Rehoboam died and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. His mother's name was Naamah, an Ammonite. And his son Abijam became king in his place.
15Abijam, Asa, Nadab, and Baasha
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.
1In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijam became king over Judah.
2Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
2He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
3And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.
3He followed all the sins his father had committed before him, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God the way the heart of his ancestor David had been.
4Nevertheless for David’s sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:
4Even so, for David's sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, raising up his son after him and keeping Jerusalem secure,
5Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
5because David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not turned aside from anything he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
6And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.
6There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam as long as he lived.
7Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.
7The rest of what Abijam did, and everything he accomplished, are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah. There was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.
8And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.
8Abijam died and rested with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city of David. His son Asa became king in his place.
9And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.
9In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king over Judah.
10And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
10He reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His grandmother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
11And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.
11Asa did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as his ancestor David had done.
12And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.
12He drove the shrine prostitutes out of the land and removed all the idols his fathers had made.
13And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.
13He even removed his grandmother Maachah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a disgusting idol for a sacred grove. Asa cut down her idol and burned it at the Kidron brook.
14But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.
14The high places were not taken away, yet Asa's heart was fully devoted to the LORD all his life.
15And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the LORD, silver, and gold, and vessels.
15He brought into the house of the LORD the things his father had dedicated and the things he himself had dedicated: silver, gold, and sacred vessels.
16And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
16There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns.
17And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
17Baasha king of Israel marched against Judah and fortified Ramah, so that no one could go in or out to Asa king of Judah.
18Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
18Then Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and of the king's palace and handed it over to his servants. King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who lived in Damascus, with this message:
19There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
19"There is a treaty between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Look, I have sent you a gift of silver and gold. Come and break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me."
20So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.
20Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel. He struck Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maachah, all Chinnereth, and all the land of Naphtali.
21And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah.
21When Baasha heard about it, he stopped fortifying Ramah and stayed in Tirzah.
22Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.
22Then King Asa issued an order to all Judah, and no one was excused. They carried away the stones and timber Baasha had been using to build Ramah, and King Asa used them to build Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah.
23The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.
23The rest of all that Asa did, all his power, everything he accomplished, and the cities he built are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah. But in his old age he suffered from a disease in his feet.
24And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.
24Asa died and rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of his ancestor David. His son Jehoshaphat became king in his place.
25And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years.
25Nadab son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years.
26And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.
26He did evil in the sight of the LORD, walking in the way of his father and in the sin by which he had led Israel into sin.
27And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon.
27Baasha son of Ahijah, from the tribe of Issachar, plotted against him, and Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon, a Philistine town, while Nadab and all Israel were besieging Gibbethon.
28Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead.
28Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa king of Judah and became king in his place.
29And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according unto the saying of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite:
29As soon as he was king, he struck down the whole family of Jeroboam. He did not leave Jeroboam a single living soul, but wiped them all out, just as the LORD had said through his servant Ahijah of Shiloh.
30Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger.
30This happened because of the sins Jeroboam had committed and had led Israel to commit, and because he had provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger.
31Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
31The rest of what Nadab did, and everything he accomplished, are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
32And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
32There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns.
33In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four years.
33In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king over all Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned twenty-four years.
34And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.
34He did evil in the sight of the LORD, walking in the way of Jeroboam and in the sin by which he had led Israel into sin.
16Five Kings of Israel and the Rise of Ahab
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying,
1Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu son of Hanani against Baasha:
2Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins;
2"I lifted you up out of the dust and made you ruler over my people Israel, but you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and led my people Israel into sin, provoking me to anger with their sins.
3Behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his house; and will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
3So I am going to sweep away Baasha and his family, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat.
4Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat.
4Anyone of Baasha's family who dies in the city, the dogs will eat, and anyone of his who dies in the open country, the birds of the sky will eat."
5Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
5The rest of what Baasha did, his accomplishments and his power, are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
6So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead.
6Baasha died and rested with his ancestors and was buried in Tirzah. His son Elah became king in his place.
7And also by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the LORD against Baasha, and against his house, even for all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, in provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam; and because he killed him.
7The word of the LORD had also come through the prophet Jehu son of Hanani against Baasha and his family, both for all the evil he had done in the LORD's sight, provoking him to anger with the work of his hands and becoming like the house of Jeroboam, and because he had destroyed that house.
8In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years.
8In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah son of Baasha became king over Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned two years.
9And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza steward of his house in Tirzah.
9His officer Zimri, commander of half his chariots, plotted against him. Elah was in Tirzah, getting drunk in the house of Arza, who was in charge of the palace there.
10And Zimri went in and smote him, and killed him, in the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his stead.
10Zimri came in, struck him, and killed him, in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and he became king in his place.
11And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends.
11As soon as he began to reign and sat on his throne, he killed the whole family of Baasha. He did not leave him a single male, whether relative or friend.
12Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the prophet,
12So Zimri destroyed the whole family of Baasha, just as the LORD had said against Baasha through the prophet Jehu,
13For all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, by which they sinned, and by which they made Israel to sin, in provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.
13because of all the sins Baasha and his son Elah had committed and had led Israel to commit, provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their worthless idols.
14Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
14The rest of what Elah did, and everything he accomplished, are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
15In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. And the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.
15In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. The army was camped against Gibbethon, a Philistine town.
16And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath conspired, and hath also slain the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp.
16When the troops in the camp heard that Zimri had plotted against the king and killed him, all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that very day in the camp.
17And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.
17Omri and all Israel with him went up from Gibbethon and laid siege to Tirzah.
18And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the king’s house, and burnt the king’s house over him with fire, and died,
18When Zimri saw that the city had been taken, he went into the fortress of the king's palace, set the palace on fire around himself, and died.
19For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the LORD, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin.
19This was because of the sins he had committed, doing evil in the sight of the LORD, walking in the way of Jeroboam and in the sin he committed that led Israel into sin.
20Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he wrought, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
20The rest of what Zimri did, and the plot he carried out, are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
21Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri.
21Then the people of Israel split into two groups. Half of the people followed Tibni son of Ginath to make him king, and half followed Omri.
22But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.
22But the people who followed Omri proved stronger than those who followed Tibni son of Ginath. So Tibni died, and Omri became king.
23In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah.
23In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri became king over Israel, and he reigned twelve years, six of them in Tirzah.
24And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria.
24He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver and built a city on the hill. He named the city he built Samaria, after Shemer, the owner of the hill.
25But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all that were before him.
25But Omri did evil in the eyes of the LORD and acted worse than all who came before him.
26For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.
26He walked in all the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat and in the sin by which he had led Israel into sin, provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their worthless idols.
27Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he shewed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
27The rest of what Omri did, and the power he showed, are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
28So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.
28Omri died and rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. His son Ahab became king in his place.
29And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.
29In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king over Israel, and Ahab son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.
30And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.
30Ahab son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who came before him.
31And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.
31As if it were a small thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, he married Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him.
32And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.
32He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he had built in Samaria.
33And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.
33Ahab also made a sacred grove, and he did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel before him.
34In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.
34In his days Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram, his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of Segub, his youngest son, just as the LORD had said through Joshua son of Nun.
17Elijah, the Ravens, and the Widow of Zarephath
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
1Now Elijah the Tishbite, one of the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As surely as the LORD God of Israel lives, the God I serve, there will be no dew or rain these next years except at my word."
2And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
2Then the word of the LORD came to him:
3Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
3"Leave this place, turn east, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, east of the Jordan.
4And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
4You will drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there."
5So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
5So he went and did what the LORD had said. He went and lived by the brook Cherith, east of the Jordan.
6And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
6The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
7And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
7After a while the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
8And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
8Then the word of the LORD came to him:
9Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.
9"Get up and go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there. I have commanded a widow there to provide for you."
10So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
10So he got up and went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and said, "Please bring me a little water in a cup so I can drink."
11And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.
11As she was going to get it, he called after her, "And please bring me a piece of bread in your hand."
12And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
12She said, "As surely as the LORD your God lives, I have no bread, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. Look, I am gathering a couple of sticks so I can go home and cook it for me and my son, so that we can eat it and then die."
13And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.
13Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go and do as you said, but first make me a small loaf from it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son.
14For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.
14For this is what the LORD God of Israel says: The jar of flour will not run out, and the jug of oil will not run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth."
15And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
15She went and did what Elijah told her, and she and he and her household had food for many days.
16And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.
16The jar of flour did not run out, and the jug of oil did not run dry, just as the LORD had said through Elijah.
17And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.
17Some time later, the son of the woman who owned the house became sick. His illness grew so severe that there was no breath left in him.
18And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?
18She said to Elijah, "What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come here to remind me of my sin and kill my son?"
19And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.
19He said to her, "Give me your son." He took him from her arms, carried him up to the upstairs room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed.
20And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?
20Then he cried out to the LORD, "O LORD my God, have you brought disaster even on this widow who has taken me in, by killing her son?"
21And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again.
21He stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the LORD, "O LORD my God, I beg you, let this child's life come back into him."
22And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
22The LORD heard Elijah's voice, and the child's life came back into him, and he lived again.
23And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.
23Elijah took the child, brought him down from the upstairs room into the house, and gave him to his mother. Elijah said, "Look, your son is alive."
24And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.
24The woman said to Elijah, "Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is true."
18Elijah and the Prophets of Baal on Carmel
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.
1A long time passed, and in the third year the word of the LORD came to Elijah: "Go and show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth."
2And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.
2So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. The famine in Samaria was severe.
3And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly:
3Ahab called for Obadiah, who was in charge of his palace. (Now Obadiah deeply feared the LORD.
4For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)
4When Jezebel was killing off the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and supplied them with bread and water.)
5And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.
5Ahab said to Obadiah, "Go through the land to all the springs and all the streams. Maybe we can find grass to keep the horses and mules alive, so we don't lose all the animals."
6So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
6So they divided the land between them to cover it. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
7And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah?
7As Obadiah was on the road, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized him, fell face down, and said, "Is it really you, my lord Elijah?"
8And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.
8He answered, "It is. Go tell your master, 'Elijah is here.'"
9And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?
9Obadiah said, "What sin have I committed, that you would hand your servant over to Ahab to be killed?
10As the LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.
10As surely as the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to look for you. And when they said, 'He is not here,' he made that kingdom or nation swear an oath that they could not find you.
11And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.
11And now you tell me, 'Go tell your master, Elijah is here.'
12And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth.
12As soon as I leave you, the Spirit of the LORD will carry you off to who knows where. Then when I go and tell Ahab and he can't find you, he will kill me. Yet I, your servant, have feared the LORD from my youth.
13Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the LORD’s prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
13Wasn't my lord told what I did when Jezebel was killing the prophets of the LORD, how I hid a hundred of the LORD's prophets, fifty to a cave, and supplied them with bread and water?
14And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me.
14And now you say, 'Go tell your master, Elijah is here.' He will kill me!"
15And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day.
15Elijah said, "As surely as the LORD of hosts lives, the God I serve, I will certainly show myself to him today."
16So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
16So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
17And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?
17When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, "Is that you, the one who brings trouble on Israel?"
18And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.
18He answered, "I have not brought trouble on Israel. You and your father's family have, by abandoning the commandments of the LORD and following the Baals.
19Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table.
19Now send word and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of the grove who eat at Jezebel's table."
20So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.
20So Ahab sent word to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets at Mount Carmel.
21And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
21Elijah went before all the people and said, "How long will you keep limping between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is, follow him." The people did not answer him a word.
22Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
22Then Elijah said to the people, "I am the only prophet of the LORD left, but Baal has four hundred fifty prophets.
23Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:
23Let them give us two bulls. Let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood without lighting a fire under it. I will prepare the other bull, lay it on the wood, and light no fire under it.
24And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.
24Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The God who answers by fire, he is God." All the people answered, "That is a fair proposal."
25And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.
25Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your gods, but light no fire under it."
26And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.
26They took the bull that was given to them and prepared it, and they called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, shouting, "O Baal, answer us!" But there was no voice and no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.
27And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.
27At noon Elijah began to mock them. "Shout louder!" he said. "He is a god, after all. Maybe he is deep in thought, or busy, or off on a trip. Or maybe he is asleep and needs to be woken up."
28And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
28So they shouted louder and, as was their custom, cut themselves with swords and spears until blood poured out over them.
29And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
29Midday passed, and they kept on raving until the time of the evening sacrifice, but there was no voice, no one answered, and no one paid any attention.
30And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.
30Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come closer to me." All the people came closer, and he repaired the altar of the LORD, which had been torn down.
31And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:
31Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, "Israel will be your name."
32And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
32With the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold two measures of seed.
33And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.
33He arranged the wood, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. Then he said, "Fill four large jars with water and pour it over the offering and the wood."
34And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.
34"Do it again," he said, and they did it again. "Do it a third time," he said, and they did it a third time.
35And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.
35The water ran all around the altar, and he filled the trench with water too.
36And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.
36At the time of the evening sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and said, "LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.
37Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.
37Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so that these people will know that you, LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back to you."
38Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
38Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water in the trench.
39And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.
39When all the people saw it, they fell face down and cried, "The LORD, he is God! The LORD, he is God!"
40And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.
40Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal. Don't let a single one of them get away." They seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon brook and killed them there.
41And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.
41Then Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain coming."
42So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,
42So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground, and put his face between his knees.
43And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.
43He said to his servant, "Go up now and look toward the sea." He went up and looked and said, "There is nothing there." Elijah said, "Go back," seven times.
44And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.
44The seventh time the servant said, "Look, a little cloud the size of a man's hand is rising out of the sea." Elijah said, "Go up and tell Ahab, 'Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.'"
45And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.
45Meanwhile the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and a heavy rain began to fall. Ahab rode off and went to Jezreel.
46And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
46The hand of the LORD came on Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to the entrance of Jezreel.
19Elijah at Horeb and the Call of Elisha
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
1Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
2Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
2Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods do the same to me, and even more, if by this time tomorrow I have not made your life like the life of one of them."
3And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
3When he saw that, he got up and ran for his life. He came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.
4But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
4But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. He asked that he might die. "It is enough," he said. "Now, O LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors."
5And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
5As he lay sleeping under the broom tree, an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat."
6And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
6He looked, and there by his head was a loaf baked on hot stones and a jug of water. He ate and drank and lay down again.
7And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.
7The angel of the LORD came back a second time, touched him, and said, "Get up and eat, because the journey is too much for you."
8And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
8So he got up and ate and drank, and on the strength of that food he traveled forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.
9And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
9There he went into a cave and spent the night. Then the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
10And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
10He answered, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts, because the people of Israel have abandoned your covenant, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are trying to take my life."
11And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
11He said, "Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And the LORD passed by. A great and powerful wind tore through the mountains and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
12And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
12After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a quiet, gentle voice.
13And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?
13When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak, went out, and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice came to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
14And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
14He answered, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts, because the people of Israel have abandoned your covenant, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are trying to take my life."
15And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:
15The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came, to the wilderness of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.
16And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.
16Anoint Jehu son of Nimshi to be king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat, from Abel-meholah, to be prophet in your place.
17And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.
17Whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill, and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill.
18Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
18Yet I have kept seven thousand in Israel for myself, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him."
19So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.
19So Elijah left there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen ahead of him, and he himself was with the twelfth pair. Elijah walked past him and threw his cloak over him.
20And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?
20Elisha left the oxen and ran after Elijah. "Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye," he said, "and then I will follow you." Elijah said to him, "Go back. What have I done to you?"
21And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.
21So Elisha turned back from him, took his pair of oxen and slaughtered them, cooked the meat over a fire made from the plowing gear, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he got up, followed Elijah, and became his helper.
20Ahab's Wars with Ben-hadad of Syria
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1And Benhadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots; and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it.
1Ben-hadad king of Syria gathered his whole army together, and thirty-two kings were with him, along with horses and chariots. He marched up and laid siege to Samaria and made war against it.
2And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Benhadad,
2He sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, "This is what Ben-hadad says:
3Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine.
3'Your silver and your gold belong to me, and so do your wives and your children, the finest of them.'"
4And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have.
4The king of Israel answered, "Just as you say, my lord the king. I am yours, and so is everything I have."
5And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Benhadad, saying, Although I have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children;
5The messengers came back again and said, "This is what Ben-hadad says: 'I sent you word that you must hand over to me your silver and your gold, your wives and your children.
6Yet I will send my servants unto thee to morrow about this time, and they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away.
6But tomorrow about this time I will send my servants to you, and they will search your house and the houses of your servants, and whatever they find that you value they will take in their hands and carry away.'"
7Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not.
7Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, "Look, I beg you, and see how this man is looking for trouble. He sent to me for my wives and my children, my silver and my gold, and I did not refuse him."
8And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent.
8All the elders and all the people said to him, "Do not listen to him, and do not agree."
9Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Benhadad, Tell my lord the king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and brought him word again.
9So he said to Ben-hadad's messengers, "Tell my lord the king, 'Everything you first demanded of your servant I will do, but this I cannot do.'" The messengers left and carried the answer back to him.
10And Benhadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.
10Then Ben-hadad sent word to him: "May the gods do the same to me, and worse, if the dust of Samaria is enough to give a handful to each of the people who follow me."
11And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.
11The king of Israel answered, "Tell him this: the man strapping on his armor should not boast like the man taking it off."
12And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city.
12When Ben-hadad heard this message, he was drinking with the kings in their tents, and he said to his servants, "Get into position." So they took up their positions against the city.
13And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.
13Just then a prophet came to Ahab king of Israel and said, "This is what the LORD says: 'Do you see this whole huge army? Watch: today I will hand it over to you, and you will know that I am the LORD.'"
14And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou.
14Ahab asked, "By whom?" He said, "This is what the LORD says: 'By the young men who serve the district governors.'" Then Ahab asked, "Who will open the battle?" He answered, "You will."
15Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he numbered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand.
15So Ahab counted the young men who served the district governors, and there were two hundred thirty-two. After them he counted all the people, all the Israelites, and there were seven thousand.
16And they went out at noon. But Benhadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him.
16They marched out at noon, while Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the tents with the kings, the thirty-two kings who had come to help him.
17And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Benhadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out of Samaria.
17The young men who served the district governors went out first. Ben-hadad sent scouts, and they reported to him, "Men have come out of Samaria."
18And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.
18He said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; and if they have come out for war, take them alive."
19So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city, and the army which followed them.
19So these young men who served the district governors came out of the city, with the army following behind them.
20And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled; and Israel pursued them: and Benhadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with the horsemen.
20Each one struck down his opponent, and the Syrians fled with Israel chasing after them. Ben-hadad king of Syria escaped on a horse along with some horsemen.
21And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.
21The king of Israel went out and struck down the horses and chariots, and he killed the Syrians in a great slaughter.
22And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee.
22Then the prophet came to the king of Israel and said to him, "Go and build up your strength, and think carefully about what you should do, because when the year turns, the king of Syria will come up against you again."
23And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.
23Meanwhile the servants of the king of Syria said to him, "Their gods are gods of the hills; that is why they were stronger than we were. But if we fight them on the plain, we will surely be stronger than they are.
24And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their rooms:
24And do this: remove each of the kings from his post and put commanders in their places.
25And number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so.
25Then raise an army like the one you lost, horse for horse and chariot for chariot, and we will fight them on the plain, and we will surely be stronger than they are." He listened to their advice and did so.
26And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Benhadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.
26When the year turned, Ben-hadad counted the Syrians and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.
27And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and went against them: and the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country.
27The Israelites were also counted, and all were present, and they went out to meet them. The Israelites camped opposite them like two little flocks of goats, while the Syrians filled the countryside.
28And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
28A man of God came and spoke to the king of Israel: "This is what the LORD says: 'Because the Syrians have said that the LORD is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will hand this whole huge army over to you, and you will know that I am the LORD.'"
29And they pitched one over against the other seven days. And so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day.
29They camped facing each other for seven days, and on the seventh day the battle began. The Israelites struck down a hundred thousand Syrian foot soldiers in a single day.
30But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left. And Benhadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.
30The rest fled into the city of Aphek, and there a wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the men who were left. Ben-hadad fled too, and came into the city and hid in an inner room.
31And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life.
31His servants said to him, "Listen, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Please let us put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads and go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will spare your life."
32So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Benhadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother.
32So they tied sackcloth around their waists and put ropes on their heads and came to the king of Israel and said, "Your servant Ben-hadad says, 'Please let me live.'" He replied, "Is he still alive? He is my brother."
33Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch it: and they said, Thy brother Benhadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Benhadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.
33The men were watching closely for any sign from him, and they quickly seized on his word and said, "Yes, your brother Ben-hadad." Then he said, "Go and bring him." So Ben-hadad came out to him, and Ahab had him come up into his chariot.
34And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took from thy father, I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away.
34Ben-hadad said to him, "I will give back the cities my father took from your father, and you may set up your own market streets in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria." Ahab said, "On those terms I will let you go." So he made a covenant with him and sent him away.
35And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour in the word of the LORD, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him.
35Now one of the sons of the prophets said to his companion, by the word of the LORD, "Please strike me." But the man refused to strike him.
36Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him.
36Then he said to him, "Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, as soon as you leave me a lion will kill you." And as soon as the man left him, a lion found him and killed him.
37Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him.
37Then he found another man and said, "Please strike me." The man struck him, and the blow wounded him.
38So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face.
38So the prophet went and waited for the king by the road, disguising himself with ashes on his face.
39And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver.
39As the king passed by, he called out to the king, "Your servant went out into the thick of the battle, and a man turned aside and brought me a prisoner and said, 'Guard this man. If he goes missing for any reason, your life will be taken for his life, or else you will pay a talent of silver.'
40And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it.
40But while your servant was busy here and there, he disappeared." The king of Israel said to him, "That is your sentence, then. You have decided it yourself."
41And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.
41Then he quickly wiped the ashes from his face, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.
42And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.
42He said to the king, "This is what the LORD says: 'Because you let go a man I had marked for complete destruction, your life will go for his life, and your people for his people.'"
43And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.
43And the king of Israel went home sullen and angry, and came to Samaria.
21Naboth's Vineyard
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
1Some time after this, there was a matter concerning Naboth of Jezreel, who had a vineyard in Jezreel next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
2And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.
2Ahab said to Naboth, "Give me your vineyard so I can make it a vegetable garden, since it is right beside my house. I will give you a better vineyard in exchange, or, if you prefer, I will pay you what it is worth in money."
3And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.
3But Naboth said to Ahab, "The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers."
4And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.
4Ahab went home sullen and angry because of what Naboth of Jezreel had said to him, for he had said, "I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers." He lay down on his bed, turned his face to the wall, and refused to eat.
5But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?
5His wife Jezebel came in to him and asked, "Why are you so downcast that you will not eat?"
6And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard.
6He told her, "Because I spoke to Naboth of Jezreel and said, 'Give me your vineyard for money, or, if you like, I will give you another vineyard for it.' And he answered, 'I will not give you my vineyard.'"
7And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
7His wife Jezebel said to him, "Is this how you rule the kingdom of Israel? Get up and eat, and cheer up. I will get you the vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel."
8So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.
8So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth's city.
9And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:
9In the letters she wrote: "Announce a fast, and seat Naboth in a place of honor among the people.
10And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.
10Then seat two worthless men across from him to testify against him and say, 'You cursed God and the king.' Then take him out and stone him to death."
11And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them.
11The men of his city, the elders and nobles who lived there, did just as Jezebel had directed them in the letters she had sent.
12They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.
12They announced a fast and seated Naboth in a place of honor among the people.
13And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.
13Two worthless men came in and sat across from him, and these worthless men testified against Naboth in front of the people, saying, "Naboth cursed God and the king." So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.
14Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.
14Then they sent word to Jezebel: "Naboth has been stoned and is dead."
15And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.
15When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, she said to Ahab, "Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel, which he refused to sell you, because Naboth is no longer alive. He is dead."
16And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.
16When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to the vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel to take possession of it.
17And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
17Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite:
18Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.
18"Get up and go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He is in Naboth's vineyard right now; he has gone down there to take it over.
19And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.
19Say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: Have you murdered a man and taken his property too?' Then say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: In the very place where the dogs licked up Naboth's blood, the dogs will lick up your blood as well.'"
20And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.
20Ahab said to Elijah, "So you have found me, my enemy!" He answered, "I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the LORD.
21Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,
21'Watch: I will bring disaster on you. I will sweep away your descendants and cut off from Ahab every male, slave or free, in Israel.
22And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.
22I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, because of the way you have provoked me to anger and led Israel into sin.'
23And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.
23And about Jezebel the LORD also says, 'The dogs will eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.'
24Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.
24Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs will eat, and anyone who dies in the open country the birds of the sky will eat."
25But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
25There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do what was wicked in the sight of the LORD, urged on by his wife Jezebel.
26And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
26He acted in the most detestable way by going after idols, just as the Amorites had done, whom the LORD drove out before the Israelites.
27And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.
27When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his body, and fasted. He slept in sackcloth and went about quietly.
28And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
28Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite:
29Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.
29"Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his lifetime; I will bring it on his house in the days of his son."
22Micaiah's Vision and the Death of Ahab
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.
1For three years there was no war between Syria and Israel.
2And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.
2In the third year, Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to visit the king of Israel.
3And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?
3The king of Israel had said to his servants, "You know that Ramoth in Gilead belongs to us, yet we are sitting still and doing nothing to take it back from the king of Syria."
4And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.
4So he asked Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to fight at Ramoth-gilead?" Jehoshaphat answered the king of Israel, "I am with you; my people are your people, and my horses are your horses."
5And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.
5But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "First, please, ask what the LORD has to say today."
6Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
6So the king of Israel brought the prophets together, about four hundred men, and asked them, "Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I hold back?" They said, "Go up, for the LORD will hand it over to the king."
7And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him?
7But Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here whom we could ask?"
8And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
8The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man, Micaiah son of Imlah, through whom we could ask the LORD. But I hate him, because he never prophesies anything good about me, only bad." Jehoshaphat said, "The king should not say such a thing."
9Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.
9Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, "Bring Micaiah son of Imlah here quickly."
10And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
10The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were each sitting on his throne, dressed in their royal robes, in an open space by the entrance to the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them.
11And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.
11Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made himself iron horns, and he said, "This is what the LORD says: 'With these you will gore the Syrians until you have finished them off.'"
12And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the king’s hand.
12All the prophets were prophesying the same thing: "Go up to Ramoth-gilead and succeed, for the LORD will hand it over to the king."
13And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good.
13The messenger who had gone to call Micaiah said to him, "Look, the prophets are all speaking with one voice, promising the king good news. Please let your word agree with theirs and say something good."
14And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.
14But Micaiah said, "As surely as the LORD lives, I will say only what the LORD tells me."
15So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
15When he came to the king, the king asked him, "Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we hold back?" He answered, "Go and succeed, for the LORD will hand it over to the king."
16And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD?
16The king said to him, "How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?"
17And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.
17Then he said, "I saw all Israel scattered across the hills like sheep with no shepherd, and the LORD said, 'These people have no master. Let each of them go home in peace.'"
18And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?
18The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell you that he would prophesy nothing good about me, only bad?"
19And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
19Micaiah went on, "So hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, with the whole army of heaven standing around him on his right and on his left.
20And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.
20The LORD said, 'Who will lure Ahab into going up to Ramoth-gilead so that he falls there?' One suggested one thing, and another suggested something else.
21And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him.
21Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, 'I will lure him.'
22And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.
22The LORD asked him, 'How?' He said, 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.' The LORD said, 'You will lure him, and you will succeed. Go and do it.'
23Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.
23So now, see: the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has decreed disaster for you."
24But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?
24Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah walked up and slapped Micaiah on the cheek and said, "Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go when he left me to speak to you?"
25And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.
25Micaiah said, "You will find out on the day you go into an inner room to hide yourself."
26And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son;
26The king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king's son,
27And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.
27and say, 'This is what the king says: Put this fellow in prison and give him nothing but bread and water, and little of that, until I come back safely.'"
28And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.
28Micaiah said, "If you ever come back safely, then the LORD has not spoken through me." And he added, "Listen, all you people!"
29So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.
29So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.
30And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.
30The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself and go into the battle, but you wear your royal robes." So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into the battle.
31But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.
31Now the king of Syria had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, "Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel."
32And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.
32When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "That must be the king of Israel." So they turned to attack him, and Jehoshaphat cried out.
33And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.
33When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they stopped chasing him.
34And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.
34But a certain man drew his bow without aiming at anyone in particular, and his arrow struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. The king said to his chariot driver, "Turn around and get me out of the fighting, because I am wounded."
35And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot.
35The battle raged on all that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians. He died in the evening, and the blood from his wound ran down onto the floor of the chariot.
36And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country.
36As the sun was going down, a cry went through the army: "Every man to his own city, and every man to his own country!"
37So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.
37So the king died and was brought to Samaria, and they buried the king in Samaria.
38And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake.
38They washed the chariot at the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood, and they washed his armor, just as the LORD had said.
39Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
39The rest of the story of Ahab, everything he did, the ivory palace he built and all the cities he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
40So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.
40So Ahab rested with his fathers, and his son Ahaziah became king in his place.
41And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.
41Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king of Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.
42Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
42Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.
43And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.
43He walked in all the ways of his father Asa and did not turn aside from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. Even so, the high places were not removed, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.
44And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.
44Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.
45Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he shewed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
45The rest of the story of Jehoshaphat, the power he showed and the wars he fought, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
46And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land.
46He cleared out of the land the male shrine prostitutes who were still left from the days of his father Asa.
47There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king.
47At that time there was no king in Edom; a deputy ruled as king.
48Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not; for the ships were broken at Eziongeber.
48Jehoshaphat built a fleet of trading ships to sail to Ophir for gold, but they never sailed, because the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber.
49Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.
49Then Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, "Let my men sail with your men in the ships." But Jehoshaphat refused.
50And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.
50Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his ancestor, and his son Jehoram became king in his place.
51Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.
51Ahaziah son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years.
52And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin:
52He did evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of his father and his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who led Israel into sin.
53For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.
53He served Baal and worshiped him, and he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger, just as his father had done.