Bible-Reading.comII Chronicles 13
1In the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign, Abijah became king of Judah,
2and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Micaiah daughter of Uriel; she was from Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
3Abijah went into battle with an army of 400,000 chosen men, while Jeroboam drew up in formation against him with 800,000 chosen and mighty men of valor.
4Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim in the hill country of Ephraim and said, “Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel!
5Do you not know that the LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt ?
6Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master.
7Then worthless and wicked men gathered around him to resist Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young, inexperienced, and unable to resist them.
8And now you think you can resist the kingdom of the LORD, which is in the hands of David’s descendants. You are indeed a vast army, and you have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods.
9But did you not drive out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites? And did you not make priests for yourselves as do the peoples of other lands? Now whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of things that are not gods.
10But as for us, the LORD is our God. We have not forsaken Him; the priests who minister to the LORD are sons of Aaron, and the Levites attend to their duties.
11Every morning and every evening they present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the LORD. They set out the rows of showbread on the ceremonially clean table, and every evening they light the lamps of the gold lampstand. We are carrying out the requirements of the LORD our God, while you have forsaken Him.
12Now behold, God Himself is with us as our head, and His priests with their trumpets sound the battle call against you. O children of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers, for you will not succeed.”
13Now Jeroboam had sent troops around to ambush from the rear, so that while he was in front of Judah, the ambush was behind them.
14When Judah turned and discovered that the battle was both before and behind them, they cried out to the LORD. Then the priests blew the trumpets,
15and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. And when they raised the cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.
16So the Israelites fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hands.
17Then Abijah and his people struck them with a mighty blow, and 500,000 chosen men of Israel fell slain.
18Thus the Israelites were subdued at that time, and the men of Judah prevailed because they relied on the LORD, the God of their fathers.
19Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured some cities from him: Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, along with their villages.
20Jeroboam did not again recover his power during the days of Abijah, and the LORD struck him down and he died.
21But Abijah grew strong, married fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
22Now the rest of the acts of Abijah, along with his ways and his words, are written in the Treatise of the Prophet Iddo.
II Chronicles 14
1Then Abijah rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. And his son Asa reigned in his place, and in his days the land was at peace for ten years.
2And Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God.
3He removed the foreign altars and high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and chopped down the Asherah poles.
4He commanded the people of Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandments.
5He also removed the high places and incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and under him the kingdom was at peace.
6Because the land was at peace, Asa built fortified cities in Judah. In those days no one made war with him, because the LORD had given him rest.
7So he said to the people of Judah, “Let us build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, with doors and bars. The land is still ours because we have sought the LORD our God. We have sought Him and He has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered.
8Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah bearing large shields and spears, and 280,000 men from Benjamin bearing small shields and drawing the bow. All these were mighty men of valor.
9Then Zerah the Cushite came against them with an army of 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots, and they advanced as far as Mareshah.
10So Asa marched out against him and lined up in battle formation in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.
11Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God: “O LORD, there is no one besides You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God. Do not let a mere mortal prevail against You.”
12So the LORD struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah, and the Cushites fled.
13Then Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar. The Cushites fell and could not recover, for they were crushed before the LORD and His army. So the people of Judah carried off a great amount of plunder
14and attacked all the cities around Gerar, because the terror of the LORD had fallen upon them. They plundered all the cities, since there was much plunder there.
15They also attacked the tents of the herdsmen and carried off many sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.
II Chronicles 15
1Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded.
2So he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.
3For many years Israel has been without the true God, without a priest to instruct them, and without the law.
4But in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought Him, and He was found by them.
5In those days there was no safety for travelers, because the residents of the lands had many conflicts.
6Nation was crushed by nation, and city by city, for God afflicted them with all kinds of adversity.
7But as for you, be strong; do not be discouraged, for your work will be rewarded.”
8When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of Oded the prophet, he took courage and removed the detestable idols from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He then restored the altar of the LORD that was in front of the portico of the LORD’s temple.
9And he assembled all Judah and Benjamin, along with those from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them, for great numbers had come over to him from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.
10So they gathered together in Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign.
11At that time they sacrificed to the LORD seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep from all the plunder they had brought back.
12Then they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul.
13And whoever would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, would be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman.
14They took an oath to the LORD with a loud voice, with shouting, trumpets, and rams’ horns.
15And all Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they had sworn it with all their heart. They had sought Him earnestly, and He was found by them. So the LORD gave them rest on every side.
16King Asa also removed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made a detestable Asherah pole. Asa chopped down the pole, crushed it, and burned it in the Kidron Valley.
17The high places were not removed from Israel, but Asa’s heart was fully devoted all his days.
18And he brought into the house of God the silver and gold articles that he and his father had dedicated.
19And there was no war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.
II Chronicles 16
1In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.
2So Asa withdrew the silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the royal palace, and he sent it with this message to Ben-hadad king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus:
3“Let there be a treaty between me and you, between my father and your father. See, I have sent you silver and gold. Now go and break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.”
4And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, conquering Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.
5When Baasha learned of this, he stopped fortifying Ramah and abandoned his work.
6Then King Asa brought all the men of Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers Baasha had used for building. And with these materials he built up Geba and Mizpah.
7At that time Hanani the seer came to King Asa of Judah and told him, “Because you have relied on the king of Aram and not on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand.
8Were not the Cushites and Libyans a vast army with many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the LORD, He delivered them into your hand.
9For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him. You have acted foolishly in this matter. From now on, therefore, you will be at war.”
10Asa was angry with the seer and became so enraged over this matter that he put the man in prison. And at the same time Asa oppressed some of the people.
11Now the rest of the acts of Asa, from beginning to end, are indeed written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.
12In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady became increasingly severe. Yet even in his illness he did not seek the LORD, but only the physicians.
13So in the forty-first year of his reign, Asa died and rested with his fathers.
14And he was buried in the tomb that he had cut out for himself in the City of David. They laid him on a bier that was full of spices and various blended perfumes; then they made a great fire in his honor.
II Chronicles 17
1Asa’s son Jehoshaphat reigned in his place, and he strengthened himself against Israel.
2He stationed troops in every fortified city of Judah and put garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.
3Now the LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek out the Baals,
4but he sought the God of his father and walked by His commandments rather than the practices of Israel.
5So the LORD established the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought him tribute, so that he had an abundance of riches and honor.
6And his heart took delight in the ways of the LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.
7In the third year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent his officials Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah to teach in the cities of Judah,
8accompanied by certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah—along with the priests Elishama and Jehoram.
9They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the LORD. They went throughout the towns of Judah and taught the people.
10And the dread of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that surrounded Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat.
11Some Philistines also brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat, and the Arabs brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats from their flocks.
12Jehoshaphat grew stronger and stronger, and he built fortresses and store cities in Judah
13and kept vast supplies in the cities of Judah. He also had warriors in Jerusalem who were mighty men of valor.
14These are their numbers according to the houses of their fathers: From Judah, the commanders of thousands: Adnah the commander, and with him 300,000 mighty men of valor;
15next to him, Jehohanan the commander, and with him 280,000;
16and next to him, Amasiah son of Zichri, the volunteer for the LORD, and with him 200,000 mighty men of valor.
17From Benjamin: Eliada, a mighty man of valor, and with him 200,000 armed with bows and shields;
18and next to him, Jehozabad, and with him 180,000 armed for battle.
19These were the men who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.
II Chronicles 18
1Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage.
2And some years later he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria, where Ahab sacrificed many sheep and cattle for him and the people with him, and urged him to march up to Ramoth-gilead.
3Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat replied, “I am like you, and my people are your people; we will join you in the war.”
4But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.”
5So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, four hundred men, and asked them, “Should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up,” they replied, “and God will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
6But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here of whom we can inquire?”
7The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man who can ask the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.
8So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”
9Dressed in royal attire, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them.
10Now Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made for himself iron horns and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are finished off.’”
11And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
12Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah instructed him, “Behold, with one accord the words of the prophets are favorable to the king. So please let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.”
13But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever my God tells me.”
14When Micaiah arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up and triumph,” Micaiah replied, “for they will be given into your hand.”
15But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of the LORD?”
16So Micaiah declared: “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These people have no master; let each one return home in peace.’”
17Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he never prophesies good for me, but only bad?”
18Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right and on His left.
19And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one suggested this, and another that.
20Then a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ ‘By what means?’ asked the LORD.
21And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ ‘You will surely entice him and prevail,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’
22So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours, and the LORD has pronounced disaster against you.”
23Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went up, struck Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go when He departed from me to speak with you?”
24Micaiah replied, “You will soon see, on that day when you go and hide in an inner room.”
25And the king of Israel declared, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son,
26and tell them that this is what the king says: ‘Put this man in prison and feed him only bread and water until I return safely.’”
27But Micaiah replied, “If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Take heed, all you people!”
28So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.
29And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
30Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.”
31When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “This is the king of Israel!” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him.
32And when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.
33However, a certain man drew his bow without taking special aim, and he struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So the king said to his charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!”
34The battle raged throughout that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. And at sunset he died.