the book of the Law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.

10 T 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. 11 Also some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and tribute silver, and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he goats.

12 And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly, and he built in Judah castles, and cities of store.

13 And he had much business in the cities of Judah: and the men of war, mighty men of valour, were in Jerusalern.

14 And these are the numbers of them according to the house of their fathers: Of Judah, the captains of thousands, Adnah the chief, and with him mighty men of valour, three hundred thousand. 15 And next to him was Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred and fourscore thousand.

16 And next him was Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself unto the LORD, and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valour. 17 And of Benjamin, Eliada a mighty man of valour, and with him, armed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand.

18 And next him was Jehozabad, and with him a hundred and fourscore thousand, ready prepared for the war. 19 These waited on the king, besides those whom the king put in the fenced cities throughout all Judah.

OW riches and

Ahab's prophets.

my people as thy people, and we will be with thee in the war.

4

And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.

5 Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up, for God will deliver it into the king's hand. 6 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a Prophet of the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him?

7 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him, for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

8 And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.

9 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat, either of them on his throne, clothed in their robes, and they sat in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets prophesied before them.

10 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah, had made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the LORD, With these thou shalt push Syria, until they be consumed.

11 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

12 And the messenger that went to call Micaiah, spake to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one assent: let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good. 13 And Micaiah said, As the LORD

affinity with Ahab.

2 And after certain years, he went down to Ahab to Samaria: and Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead.

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

will I speak.

14 And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? and he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.

15 And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee, that thou say nothing but the truth to me, in the name of the LORD?

it for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.

8 Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites, and of the Priests, and of the chief of the fathers of Israel, for the judgment of the LORD, and for controversies, when they returned to Jerusalem.

9 And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the LORD faithfully, and with a perfect heart.

10 And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between Law and Commandment, Sta. tutes and Judgments, ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the LORD, and so wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and ye shall not trespass.

11 And behold, Amariah the chief Priest is over you in all matters of the LORD, and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, for all the King's matters: also the Levites shall be officers before you. Deal courageously, and the LORD shall be with the good.

IT

CHAP. XX.

Jehoshaphat proclaimeth a fast. T 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 Jehoshaphat to battle.

2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria, and behold, they be in Hazazon-Tamar, which is Engedi.

3 And Jehoshaphat feared, 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.

5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the Congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD before the new Court,

6 And said, O LORD God of our fa. thers, 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?

and prayer.

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 houso) and cry unto thee in our afflic. tion, then thou wilt hear and help.

10 And now behold, the children of Ammon, and Moab, and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel in. vade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not:

11 Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.

12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us? neither know we what to do; but our eyes are upon thee.

13 And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives and their children.

14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the Congregation:

15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you; Be not afraid, nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.

16 To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz, and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.

17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle; set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them, for the LORD will be with you. 18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head, with his face to the ground: and all Ju. dah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.

God fighteth

20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall you be established; believe his Prophets, so shall ye prosper.

21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed Singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army; and to say, Praise the LORD, for his mercy endureth for ever. 22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambush ments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah, and they were smitten.

23 For the children of Ammon and Moab, stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and de. stroy them and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

24 And when Judah came toward the watch-tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abun dance both riches with the dead bodies,

and precious jewels (which they stripped

off for themselves) more than they could carry away and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much. 26 And on the fourth day they as sembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called the valley of Berachah unto this day.

27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy: for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies. 28 And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries, and harps, and trumpets, unto the house of the LORD.

29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they

30 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet; for his God gave him rest round

about.

31

And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he 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.

32 And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and departed not from it, do. ing that which was right in the sight of the LORD.

33 Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.

34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehosh. aphat first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani; who is mentioned in the book of the Kings of Israel.

35 And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly :

36 And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Ezion-Geber. 37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah, prophesied against Jeho shaphat, saying; Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken thy works: and the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

CHAP. XXI.

Jehoram slayeth his brethren.

NOW Jehoshaphat slept with his fa

thers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Jeho. ram his son reigned in his stead.

2 And he had brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah: all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.

3 And their father gave them great gifts of silver and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Ju. dah: but the kingdom gave he to Je. horam, because he was the first born.

4 Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the Princes of Israel.

5 Jehoram was thirty and two years

old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

6 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD.

7 Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised, to give a light to him and to his sons for ever. 8 In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king.

9 Then Jehoram went forth with his Princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him in, and the captains of the chariots.

10 So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. The same time also did Libnah revolt from under his hand, because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers. 11 Moreover, he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah thereto.

12 And there came a writing to him from Elijah the Prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah:

13 But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father's house, which were better than thyself:

14 Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods.

15 And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out, by reason of the sickness day by day.

16 Moreover, the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians.

17 And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and his sons also and his

Ahaziah wicked:

| wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.

18 And after all this, the LORD smote him in his bowels, with an incurable disease.

19 And it came to pass, that in process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers. 20 Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired howbeit, they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.

AN

CHAP. XXII.

Ahaziah reigneth wickedly.

ND the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son, king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp, had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.

2 Forty and two years old was Aha. ziah, when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem: his mother's name also was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.

3 He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly.

4 Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD, like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his father, to his destruction.

5 He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel, to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead: and the Syrians smote Joram.

6 And he returned to be healed in Jezreel, because of the wounds which were given him at Ramah when he fought with Hazael king of Syria. And Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah, went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab at Jezreel, because he was sick.

7 And the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to Joram: For when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.

8 And it came to pass, that when