1 Kings 15:1-24; 2 Chronicles 13; 2 Chronicles 14; 2 Chronicles 15; 2 Chronicles 16

1 Now in the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam, the son of Nabat, Abiam reigned over Juda.

2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem: the name of his mother was Maacha, the daughter of Abessalom.

3 And 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 was the heart of David, his father.

4 But for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:

5 Because David had done that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and had not turned aside from any thing that he commanded him, all the days of his life, except the matter of Urias, the Hethite.

6 But there was war between Roboam and Jeroboam all the time of his life.

7 And the rest of the words of Abiam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda? And there was war between Abiam and Jeroboam.

8 And Abiam slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa, his son, reigned in his stead.

9 So in the twentieth year of Jeroboam, king of Israel, reigned Asa, king of Juda,

10 And he reigned one and forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacha, the daughter of Abessalom.

11 And Asa did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, as did David, his father:

12 And he took away the effeminate out of the land, and removed all the filth of the idols, which his fathers had made.

13 Moreover, he also removed his mother, Maacha, from being the princess in the sacrifices of Priapus, and in the grove which she had consecrated to him: and he destroyed her den, and broke in pieces the filthy idol, and burnt it by the torrent Cedron:

14 But the high places he did not take away. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was perfect with the Lord all his days:

15 And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and he had vowed, into the house of the Lord, silver and gold, and vessels.

16 And there was war between Asa, and Baasa, king of Israel, all their days.

17 And Baasa, king of Israel, went up against Juda, and built Rama, that no man might go out or come in of the side of Asa, king of Juda.

18 Then Asa took all the silver and gold that remained in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered it into the hands of his servants: and sent them to Benadad, son of Tabremon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying:

19 There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: therefore I have sent thee presents of silver and gold: and I desire thee to come, and break thy league with Baasa, king of Israel, that he may depart from me.

20 Benadad, hearkening to king Asa, sent the captains of his army against the cities of Israel, and they smote Ahion, and Dan, and Abeldomum Maacha, and all Cenneroth; that is all the land of Nephthali.

21 And when Baasa had heard this, he left off building Rama, and returned into Thersa.

22 But king Asa sent word into all Juda, saying: Let no man be excused: and they took away the stones from Rama, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasa had been building, and with them king Asa built Gabaa of Benjamin, and Maspha.

23 But the rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his strength, and all that he did, and the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda? But in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.

24 And he slept with his fathers, and was buried with them in the city of David, his father. And Josaphat, his son, reigned in his place.

1 In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam, Abia reigned over Juda.

2 Three years he reigned in Jerusalem, and his mother’s name was Michaia, the daughter of Uriel of Gabaa: and there was war between Abia and Jeroboam.

3 And when Abia had begun battle, and had with him four hundred thousand most valiant and chosen men, Jeroboam put his army in array against him, eight hundred thousand men, who were also chosen and most valiant for war.

4 And Abia stood upon mount Semeron, which was in Ephraim, and said: Hear me, O Jeroboam, and all Israel:

5 Do you not know that the Lord God of Israel gave to David the kingdom over Israel for ever, to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?

6 And Jeroboam the son of Nabat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up: and rebelled against his lord.

7 And there were gathered to him vain men, and children of Belial: and they prevailed against Roboam the son of Solomon: for Roboam was unexperienced, and of a fearful heart, and could not resist them.

8 And now you say that you are able to withstand the kingdom of the Lord, which he possesseth by the sons of David, and you have a great multitude of people, and golden calves, which Jeroboam hath made you for gods.

9 And you have cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites: and you have made you priests, like all the nations of the earth: whosoever cometh and consecrateth his hand with a bullock of the herd, and with seven rams, is made a priest of those who are no gods.

10 But the Lord is our God, whom we forsake not, and the priests who minister to the Lord are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites are in their order.

11 And they offer holocausts to the Lord, every day, morning and evening, and incense made according to the ordinance of the law, and the loaves are set forth on a most clean table, and there is with us the golden candlestick, and the lamps thereof, to be lighted always in the evening: for we keep the precepts of the Lord our God, whom you have forsaken.

12 Therefore God is the leader in our army, and his priests who sound with trumpets, and resound against you: O children of Israel, fight not against the Lord the God of your fathers, for it is not good for you.

13 While he spoke these things, Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind him. And while he stood facing the enemies, he encompassed Juda, who perceived it not, with his army.

14 And when Juda looked back, they saw the battle coming upon them both before and behind, and they cried to the Lord: and the priests began to sound with the trumpets.

15 And all the men of Juda shouted: and behold when they shouted, God terrified Jeroboam, and all Israel that stood against Abia and Juda.

16 And the children of Israel fled before Juda, and the Lord delivered them into their hand.

17 And Abia and his people slew them with a great slaughter, and there fell wounded of Israel five hundred thousand valiant men.

18 And the children of Israel were brought down, at that time, and the children of Juda were exceedingly strengthened, because they had trusted in the Lord the God of their fathers.

19 And Abia pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel and her daughters, and Jesana with her daughters, Ephron also and her daughters.

20 And Jeroboam was not able to resist any more, in the days of Abia: and the Lord struck him, and he died.

21 But Abia, being strengthened in his kingdom, took fourteen wives: and begot two and twenty sons, and sixteen daughters.

22 And the rest of the acts of Abia, and of his ways and works, are written diligently in the book of Addo the prophet.

1 And Abia slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: an Asa his son reigned in his stead: in his days the land was quiet ten years.

2 And Asa did that which was good and pleasing in the sight of his God, and he destroyed the altars of foreign worship, and the high places.

3 And broke the statues, and cut down the groves.

4 And he commanded Juda to seek the Lord the God of their fathers, and to do the law, and all the commandments.

5 And he took away out of all the cities of Juda the altars, and temples, and reigned in peace.

6 He built also strong cities in Juda, for he was quiet, and there had no wars risen in his time, the Lord giving peace.

7 And he said to Juda: Let us build these cities, and compass them with walls, and fortify them with towers, and gates, and bars, while all is quiet from wars, because we have sought the Lord the God of our fathers, and he hath given us peace round about. So they built, and there was no hinderance in building.

8 And Asa had in his army of men that bore shields and spears of Juda three hundred thousand, and of Benjamin that bore shields and drew bows, two hundred and eighty thousand, all these were most valiant men.

9 And Zara the Ethiopian came out against them with his army of ten hundred thousand men, and with three hundred chariots: and he came as far as Maresa.

10 And Asa went out to meet him, and set his army in array for battle in the vale of Sephata, which is near Maresa:

11 And he called upon the Lord God, and said: Lord, there is no difference with thee, whether thou help with few, or with many: help us, O Lord our God: for with confidence in thee, and in thy name we are come against this multitude. O Lord thou art our God, let not man prevail against thee.

12 And the Lord terrified the Ethiopians before Asa and Juda: and the Ethiopians fled.

13 And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them to Gerara: and the Ethiopians fell even to utter destruction, for the Lord slew them, and his army fought against them, and they were destroyed. And they took abundance of spoils,

14 And they took all the cities round about Gerara: for a great fear was come upon all men: and they pillaged the cities, and carried off much booty.

15 And they destroyed the sheepcotes, and took an infinite number of cattle, and of camels: and returned to Jerusalem.

1 And the spirit of God came upon Azarias the son of Oded,

2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: Hear ye me, Asa, and all Juda and Benjamin: The Lord is with you, because you have been with him. If you seek him, you shall find: but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.

3 And many days shall pass in Israel, without the true God, and without a priest a teacher, and without the law.

4 And when in their distress they shall return to the Lord the God of Israel, and shall seek him, they shall find him.

5 At that time there shall be no peace to him that goeth out and cometh in, but terrors on every side among all the inhabitants of the earth.

6 For nation shall fight against nation, and city against city, for the Lord will trouble them with all distress.

7 Do you therefore take courage, and let not your hands be weakened: for there shall be a reward for your work.

8 And when Asa had heard the words, and the prophecy of Azarias the son of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and took away the idols out of all the land of Juda, and out of Benjamin, and out of the cities of mount Ephraim, which he had taken, and he dedicated the altar of the Lord, which was before the porch of the Lord.

9 And he gathered together all Juda and Benjamin, and the strangers with them of Ephraim, and Manasses, and Simeon: for many were come over to him out of Israel, seeing that the Lord his God was with him.

10 And when they were come to Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa,

11 They sacrificed to the Lord in that day of the spoils, and of the prey, that they had brought, seven hundred oxen, and seven thousand rams.

12 And he went in to confirm as usual the covenant, that they should seek the Lord the God of their fathers with all their heart, and with all their soul.

13 And if any one, said he, seek not the Lord the God of Israel, let him die, whether little or great, man or woman.

14 And they swore to the Lord with a loud voice with joyful shouting, and with sound of trumpet, and sound of cornets,

15 All that were in Juda with a curse: for with all their heart they swore, and with all their will they sought him, and they found him, and the Lord gave them rest round about.

16 Moreover Maacha the mother of king Asa he deposed from the royal authority, because she had made in a grove an idol of Priapus: and he entirely destroyed it, and breaking it into pieces, burnt it at the torrent Cedron.

17 But high places were left in Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.

18 And the things which his father had vowed, and he himself had vowed, he brought into the house of the Lord, gold and silver, and vessels of divers uses.

19 And there was no war unto the five and thirtieth year of the kingdom of Asa.

1 And in the six and thirtieth year of his kingdom, Baasa the king of Israel came up against Juda, and built a wall about Rama, that no one might safely go out or come in of the kingdom of Asa.

2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord, and of the king’s treasures, and sent to Benadad king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying:

3 There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father, wherefore I have sent thee silver and gold, that thou mayst break thy league with Baasa king of Israel, and make him depart from me.

4 And when Benadad heard this, he sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel: and they took Ahion, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the walled cities of Nephtali.

5 And when Baasa heard of it, he left off the building of Rama, and interrupted his work.

6 Then king Asa took all Juda, and they carried away from Rama the stones, and the timber that Baasa had prepared for the building: and he built with them Gabaa, and Maspha.

7 At that time Hanani the prophet came to Asa king of Juda, and said to him: Because thou hast had confidence in the king of Syria, and not in the Lord thy God, therefore hath the army of the king of Syria escaped out of thy hand.

8 Were not the Ethiopians, and the Libyans much more numerous in chariots, and horsemen, and an exceeding great multitude: yet because thou trustedst in the Lord, he delivered them into thy hand?

9 For the eyes of the Lord behold all the earth, and give strength to those who with a perfect heart trust in him. Wherefore thou hast done foolishly, and for this cause from this time wars shall arise against thee.

10 And Asa was angry with the seer, and commanded him to be put in prison: for he was greatly enraged because of this thing: and he put to death many of the people at that time.

11 But the works of Asa the first and last are written in the book of the kings of Juda and Israel.

12 And Asa fell sick in the nine and thirtieth year of his reign, of a most violent pain in his feet, and yet in his illness he did not seek the Lord, but rather trusted in the skill of physicians.

13 And he slept with his fathers: and he died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.

14 And they buried him in his own sepulchre, which he had made for himself in the city of David: and they laid him on his bed full of spices and odoriferous ointments, which were made by the art of the perfumers, and they burnt them over him with very great pomp.