The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

And they are gathered to Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa,

and sacrifice to Jehovah on that day from the spoil they have brought in — oxen seven hundred, and sheep seven thousand,

and they enter into a covenant to seek Jehovah, God of their fathers, with all their heart, and with all their soul,

and every one who doth not seek for Jehovah, God of Israel, is put to death, from small unto great, from man unto woman.

And they swear to Jehovah with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets,

and rejoice do all Judah concerning the oath, for with all their heart they have sworn, and with all their good-will they have sought Him, and He is found of them, and Jehovah giveth rest to them round about.

And also Maachah, mother of Asa the king — he hath removed her from [being] mistress, in that she hath made for a shrine a horrible thing, and Asa cutteth down her horrible thing, and beateth [it] small, and burneth [it] by the brook Kidron:

yet the high places have not turned aside from Israel; only, the heart of Asa hath been perfect all his days.

And he bringeth in the sanctified things of his father, and his own sanctified things, to the house of God, silver, and gold, and vessels.

And war hath not been till the thirty and fifth year of the reign of Asa.

In the thirty and sixth year of the reign of Asa, come up hath Baasha king of Israel, against Judah, and buildeth Ramah, so as not to permit any going out and coming in to Asa king of Judah.

And Asa bringeth out silver and gold from the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and of the house of the king, and sendeth unto Ben-Hadad king of Aram, who is dwelling in Damascus, saying,

'A covenant [is] between me and thee, and between my father and thy father, lo, I have sent to thee silver and gold; go, break thy covenant with Baasha king of Israel, and he doth go up from off me.'

And Ben-Hadad hearkeneth unto king Asa, and sendeth the heads of the forces that he hath unto cities of Israel, and they smite Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-Maim, and all the stores, cities of Naphtali.

And it cometh to pass, at Baasha's hearing, that he ceaseth from building Ramah, and letteth his work rest;

and Asa the king hath taken all Judah, and they bear away the stones of Ramah, and its wood, that Baasha hath built, and he buildeth with them Geba and Mizpah.

And at that time hath Hanani the seer come in unto Asa king of Judah, and saith unto him, 'Because of thy leaning on the king of Aram, and thou hast not leaned on Jehovah thy God, therefore hath the force of the king of Aram escaped from thy hand.

Did not the Cushim and the Lubim become a very great force for multitude, for chariot, and for horsemen? and in thy leaning on Jehovah He gave them into thy hand,

for Jehovah — His eyes go to and fro in all the earth, to show Himself strong [for] a people whose heart [is] perfect towards Him; thou hast been foolish concerning this, because — henceforth there are with thee wars.'

And Asa is angry at the seer, and giveth him to the house of torture, for [he is] in a rage with him for this; and Asa oppresseth [some] of the people at that time.

And lo, the matters of Asa, the first and the last, lo, they are written on the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

And Asa is diseased — in the thirty and ninth year of his reign — in his feet, till his disease is excessive, and also in his disease he hath not sought Jehovah, but among physicians.

And Asa lieth with his fathers, and dieth in the forty and first year of his reign,

and they bury him in [one of] his graves, that he had prepared for himself in the city of David, and they cause him to lie on a bed that [one] hath filled [with] spices, and divers kinds of mixtures, with perfumed work; and they burn for him a burning — very great.

And Jehoshaphat his son reigneth in his stead, and he strengtheneth himself against Israel,

and putteth a force in all the fenced cities of Judah, and putteth garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim that Asa his father had captured.

And Jehovah is with Jehoshaphat, for he hath walked in the first ways of David his father, and hath not sought to Baalim,

for to the God of his father he hath sought, and in His commands he hath walked, and not according to the work of Israel.

And Jehovah doth establish the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah give a present to Jehoshaphat, and he hath riches and honour in abundance,

and his heart is high in the ways of Jehovah, and again he hath turned aside the high places and the shrines out of Judah.

And in the third year of his reign he hath sent for his heads, for Ben-Hail, and for Obadiah, and for Zechariah, and for Nethaneel, and for Michaiah, to teach in cities of Judah,

and with them the Levites, Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijath, and Tob-Adonijah, the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests.

And they teach in Judah, and with them [is] the Book of the Law of Jehovah, and they go round about into all cities of Judah, and teach among the people.

And here is a fear of Jehovah on all kingdoms of the lands that [are] round about Judah, and they have not fought with Jehoshaphat;

and of the Philistines they are bringing in to Jehoshaphat a present, and tribute silver; also, the Arabians are bringing to him a flock, rams seven thousand an seven hundred, and he-goats seven thousand and seven hundred.

And Jehoshaphat is going on and becoming very great, and he buildeth in Judah palaces and cities of store,

and he hath much work in cities of Judah; and men of war, mighty of valour, [are] in Jerusalem.

And these [are] their numbers, for the house of their fathers: Of Judah, heads of thousands, Adnah the head, and with him mighty ones of valour, three hundred chiefs.

And at his hand [is] Jehohanan the head, and with him two hundred and eighty chiefs.

And at his hand [is] Amasiah son of Zichri, who is willingly offering himself to Jehovah, and with him two hundred chiefs, mighty of valour.

And of Benjamin: mighty of valour, Eliada, and with him, armed with bow and shield, two hundred chiefs.

And at his hand [is] Jehozabad, and with him a hundred and eighty chiefs, armed ones of the host.

These [are] those serving the king, apart from those whom the king put in the cities of fortress, in all Judah.

And Jehoshaphat hath riches and honour in abundance, and joineth affinity to Ahab,

and goeth down at the end of [certain] years unto Ahab to Samaria, and Ahab sacrificeth for him sheep and oxen in abundance, and for the people who [are] with him, and persuadeth him to go up unto Ramoth-Gilead.

And Ahab king of Israel saith unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, 'Dost thou go with me [to] Ramoth-Gilead?' And he saith to him, 'As I — so thou, and as thy people — my people, even with thee in battle.'

And Jehoshaphat saith unto the king of Israel, 'Seek, I pray thee, this day, the word of Jehovah.'

And the king of Israel gathereth the prophets, four hundred men, and saith unto them, 'Do we go unto Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or do I forbear?' And they say, 'Go up, and God doth give [it] into the hand of the king.'

And Jehoshaphat saith, 'Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah still, and we seek from him?'

And the king of Israel saith unto Jehoshaphat, 'Still — one man to seek Jehovah from him, and I — I have hated him, for he is not prophesying concerning me of good, but all his days of evil, he [is] Micaiah son of Imlah;' and Jehoshaphat saith, 'Let not the king say so.'

And the king of Israel calleth unto a certain officer, and saith, 'Hasten Micaiah son of Imlah.'

And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah are sitting, each on his throne, clothed with garments, and they are sitting in a threshing-floor at the opening of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets are prophesying before them.

And Zedekiah son of Chenaanah maketh for himself horns of iron, and saith, 'Thus said Jehovah,

With these thou dost push Aram till thou hast consumed them.' And all the prophets are prophesying so, saying, 'Go up [to] Ramath-Gilead and prosper, and Jehovah hath given [it] into the hand of the king.'

And the messenger who hath gone to call for Micaiah hath spoken unto him, saying, 'Lo, the words of the prophets — one mouth — [are] good towards the king, and let, I pray thee, thy word be like one of theirs: and thou hast spoken good.'

And Micaiah saith 'Jehovah liveth, surely that which my God saith, it I speak.'

And he cometh in unto the king, and the king saith unto him, 'Micaiah, do we go unto Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or do I forbear?' And he saith, 'Go ye up, and prosper, and they are given into your hand.'

And the king saith unto him, 'How many times am I adjuring thee, that thou speak unto me only truth in the name of Jehovah?'

And he saith, 'I have seen all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd, and Jehovah saith, There are no masters to these, they turn back each to his house in peace.'

And the king of Israel saith unto Jehoshaphat, 'Did I not say unto thee, He doth not prophesy concerning me good, but rather of evil?'

And he saith, 'Therefore, hear ye a word of Jehovah: I have seen Jehovah sitting on His throne, and all the host of the heavens standing on His right and His left;

and Jehovah saith, Who doth entice Ahab king of Israel, and he doth go up and fall in Ramoth-Gilead? And this speaker saith thus, and that speaker thus.

And go out doth the spirit, and stand before Jehovah, and saith, I do entice him; and Jehovah saith unto him, With what?

and he saith, I go out, and have become a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of all his prophets. And He saith, Thou dost entice, and also, thou art able; go out and do so.

And, now, lo, Jehovah hath put a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of these thy prophets, and Jehovah hath spoken concerning thee — evil.'

And Zedekiah son of Chenaanah cometh nigh, and smiteth Micaiah on the cheek, and saith, 'Where [is] this — the way the Spirit of Jehovah passed over from me to speak with thee?'

And Micaiah saith, 'Lo, thou dost see in that day, that thou dost enter into the innermost chamber to be hidden.'

And the king of Israel saith, 'Take ye Micaiah, and turn him back unto Amon head of the city, and unto Joash son of the king,

and ye have said, Thus said the king, Put ye this [one] in the house of restraint, and cause him to eat bread of oppression, and water of oppression, till my return in peace.'

And Micaiah saith, 'If thou dost certainly return in peace, Jehovah hath not spoken by me;' and he saith, 'Hear ye, O peoples, all of them!'

And the king of Israel goeth up, and Jehoshaphat king of Judah, unto Ramoth-Gilead;

and the king of Israel saith unto Jehoshaphat to disguise himself, and to go into battle, 'And thou, put on thy garments.' And the king of Israel disguiseth himself, and they go into battle.

And the king of Aram hath commanded the heads of the charioteers whom he hath, saying, 'Ye do not fight with small or with great, except with the king of Israel by himself.'

And it cometh to pass at the heads of the charioteers seeing Jehoshaphat, that they have said, 'The king of Israel he is,' and they turn round against him to fight, and Jehoshaphat crieth out, and Jehovah hath helped him, and God enticeth them from him,

yea, it cometh to pass, at the heads of the charioteers seeing that it hath not been the king of Israel — they turn back from after him.

And a man hath drawn with a bow, in his simplicity, and smiteth the king of Israel between the joinings and the coat of mail, and he saith to the charioteer, 'Turn thy hand, and thou hast brought me out of the camp, for I have become sick.'

And the battle increaseth on that day, and the king of Israel hath been stayed up in the chariot over-against Aram till the evening, and he dieth at the time of the going in of the sun.

And Jehoshaphat king of Judah turneth back unto his house in peace to Jerusalem,

and go out unto his presence doth Jehu son of Hanani, the seer, and saith unto king Jehoshaphat, 'To give help to the wicked, and to those hating Jehovah, dost thou love? and for this against thee [is] wrath from before Jehovah,

but good things have been found with thee, for thou hast put away the shrines out of the land, and hast prepared thy heart to seek God.'

And Jehoshaphat dwelleth in Jerusalem, and he turneth back and goeth out among the people from Beer-Sheba unto the hill-country of Ephraim, and bringeth them back unto Jehovah, God of their fathers.

And he establisheth judges in the land, in all the fenced cities of Judah, for every city,

and saith unto the judges, 'See what ye are doing — for not for man do ye judge, but for Jehovah, who [is] with you in the matter of judgment;

and now, let fear of Jehovah be upon you, observe and do, for there is not with Jehovah our God perverseness, and acceptance of faces, and taking of a bribe.'

And also in Jerusalem hath Jehoshaphat appointed of the Levites, and of the priests, and of the heads of the fathers of Israel, for the judgment of Jehovah, and for strife; and they turn back to Jerusalem,

and he layeth a charge upon them, saying, 'Thus do ye do in the fear of Jehovah, in faithfulness, and with a perfect heart,

and any strife that cometh in unto you of your brethren who are dwelling in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and command, statutes, and judgments, then ye have warned them and they become not guilty before Jehovah, and wrath hath not been on you and on your brethren; thus do ye do, and ye are not guilty.

'And, lo, Amariah the head priest [is] over you for every matter of Jehovah, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the house of Judah, [is] for every matter of the king, and officers the Levites [are] before you; be strong and do, and Jehovah is with the good.'

And it cometh to pass after this, the sons of Moab have come in, and the sons of Ammon, and with them of the peoples, against Jehoshaphat to battle.

And they come in and declare to Jehoshaphat, saying, 'Come against thee hath a great multitude from beyond the sea, from Aram, and lo, they [are] in Hazezon-Tamar — it [is] En-Gedi.'

And Jehoshaphat feareth, and setteth his face to seek to Jehovah, and proclaimeth a fast over all Judah;

and Judah is gathered to inquire of Jehovah; also, from all the cities of Judah they have come in to seek Jehovah.

And Jehoshaphat standeth in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of Jehovah, at the front of the new court,

and saith, 'O Jehovah, God of our fathers, art not Thou — God in the heavens? yea, Thou art ruling over all kingdoms of the nations, and in Thy hand [is] power and might, and there is none with Thee to station himself.

'Art not Thou our God? Thou hast dispossessed the inhabitants of this land from before Thy people Israel, and dost give it to the seed of Abraham Thy friend to the age,

and they dwell in it, and build to Thee in it a sanctuary for Thy name, saying,

If evil doth come upon us — sword, judgment, and pestilence, and famine — we stand before this house, and before Thee, for Thy name [is] in this house, and cry unto Thee out of our distress, and Thou dost hear and save.

'And now, lo, sons of Ammon, and Moab, and mount Seir, whom Thou didst not grant to Israel to go in against in their coming out of the land of Egypt, for they turned aside from off them and destroyed them not,

and lo, they are recompensing to us — to come in to drive us out of Thy possession, that Thou hast caused us to possess.

'O our God, dost Thou not execute judgment upon them? for there is no power in us before this great multitude that hath come against us, and we know not what we do, but on Thee [are] our eyes.'