slain of Israel five hundred whether with many, or with thousand chosen men. them that have no power: help 18 Thus the children of Is- us, O LORD our God; for we rael were brought under at that rest on thee, and in thy name time, and the children of Judah we go against this multitude. prevailed, because they relied O LORD, thou art our God; upon the LORD God of their let not man prevail against fathers. thee. CHAP. XIV. 12 So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. 13 And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, SO Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years. 2 And Asa did that which that they could not recover was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God: 3 For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves: 4 And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. 5 Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him. 9 And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah. 10 Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11 And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, themselves; for they were destroyed before the LORD, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil. 14 And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them. 15 They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem. rael hath been without the true | brought, seven bundred oxen God, and without a teaching and seven thousand sheep. priest, and without law. 4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them. 5 And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries. 6 And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city for God did vex them with all adversity. 7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall he rewarded. 12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; 13 That whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. 14 And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets. 15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and 8 And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy the LORD gave them rest round of Oded the prophet, he took about. courage, and put away the abo 16 And also concerning the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove : and minable idols out of all the Maachah the mother of Asa land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of Asa cut down her idol, and the LORD, that was before the stamped it, and burnt it at the porch of the Lord. brook Kidron. 9 And he gathered all Ju- 18 And he brought into dah and Benjamin, and the the house of God the things strangers with them out of that his father had dedicated, Ephraim and Manasseh, and and that he himself had dediout of Simeon for they fell to dicated, silver, and gold, and him out of Israel in abundance, vessels. when they saw that the LORD his God was with him. 10 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. 19 And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa. CHAP. XVI. IN the six and thirtieth year 11 And they offered unto of the reign of Asa Baasha the LORD the same time, of king of Israel came up against the spoil which they had Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. 2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king's house, and sent to Ben-hadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, 3 There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold: go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me. 4 And Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the store cities of Naphtali. 5 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease. 6 Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah. 7¶And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. 8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and CHAP. XVII. AND Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead. 3 And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; 4 But sought to the LORD God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel. 5 Therefore the LORD stablished the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches and honour in 29 And the king of Israel abundance. said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle. 6 And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah. 7¶ Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, even to Ben-hail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah. 8 And with them he sent Levites, and priests. 9 And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people. 10 And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. CHAP. XVIII. NOW Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab. 2 And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Sa maria. 3 And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth-gilead? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war. 28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. 30 Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save only with the king of Israel. 31 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jeho shaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him. 33 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness; therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded. 34 And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died. CHAP. XIX. AND Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem. 2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that | behold, they be in Hazazonhate the LORD? therefore is tamar, which is En-gedi. wrath upon thee from before 3 And Jehoshaphat feared, the LORD. 3 Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God. : and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD. 4 And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem and he went out 5¶ And Jehoshaphat stood again through the people from in the congregation of Judah Beer-sheba to mount Ephraim, and Jerusalem, in the house of and brought them back unto the LORD, before the new the LORD God of their fathers. court, came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jelioshaphat to battle. 6 And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? 7 Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? 8 And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying, 9 If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help. 2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, 10 And now, behold, the There cometh a great multitude children of Ammon and Moab against thee from beyond the and mount Seir, whom thou sea on this side Syria; and, wouldest not let Israel invade, с с |