THE HOLY
BIBLE
Douay-Rheims Version
THE
THIRD BOOK OF KINGS
(ALSO KNOWN
AS THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS IN OTHER BIBLES)
The Third Book of Kings, Chapter 1
1 Now king David was old, and advanced in years: and when he was
covered with clothes, he was not warm.
2 His servants therefore said to him: Let us seek for our lord
the king, a young virgin, and let her stand before the king,
and cherish him, and sleep in his bosom, and warm our lord the
king.
3 So they sought a beautiful young woman in all the coasts of
Israel, and they found Abisag a Sunamitess, and brought her to
the king.
4 And the damsel was exceeding beautiful, and she slept with the
king: and served him, but the king did not know her.
5 And Adonias the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying: I will
be king. And he made himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty
men to run before him.
6 Neither did his father rebuke him at any time, saying: Why
hast thou done this? And he also was very beautiful, the next
in birth after Absalom.
7 And he conferred with Joab the son of Sarvia, and with
Abiathar the priest, who furthered Adonias's side.
8 But Sadoc the priest, and Banaias the son of Joiada, and
Nathan the prophet, and Semei, and Rei, and the strength of
David's army was not with Adonias.
9 And Adonias having slain rams and calves, and all fat cattle
by the stone of Zoheleth, which was near the fountain Rogel,
invited all his brethren the king's sons, and all the men of
Juda, the king's servants:
10 But Nathan the prophet, and Banaias, and all the valiant men,
and Solomon his brother, he invited not.
11 And Nathan said to Bethsabee the mother of Solomon: Hast thou
not heard that Adonias the son of Haggith reigneth, and our
lord David knoweth it not?
12 Now then come, take my counsel and save thy life, and the life
of thy son Solomon.
13 Go, and get thee in to king David, and say to him: Didst not
thou, my lord O king, swear to me thy handmaid, saying:
Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my
throne? why then doth Adonias reign?
14 And while thou art yet speaking there with the king, I will
come in after thee, and will fill up thy words.
15 So Bethsabee went in to the king into the chamber: now the
king was very old, and Abisag the Sunamitess ministered to
him.
16 Bethsabee bowed herself, and worshipped the king. And the king
said to her: What is thy will?
17 She answered and said: My lord, thou didst swear to thy
handmaid by the Lord thy God, saying: Solomon thy son shall
reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.
18 And behold now Adonias reigneth, and thou, my lord the king,
knowest nothing of it.
19 He hath killed oxen, and all fat cattle, and many rams, and
invited all the king's sons, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab
the general of the army: but Solomon thy servant he invited
not.
20 And now, my lord O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee,
that thou shouldst tell them, who shall sit on thy throne, my
lord the king, after thee.
21 Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king
sleepeth with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be
counted offenders.
22 As she was yet speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet
came.
23 And they told the king, saying: Nathan the prophet is here.
And when he was come in before the king, and had worshipped,
bowing down to the ground,
24 Nathan said: My lord O king, hast thou said: Let Adonias reign
after me, and let him sit upon my throne?
25 Because he is gone down to day, and hath killed oxen, and
fatlings, and many rams, and invited all the king's sons, and
the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest: and they
are eating and drinking before him, and saying: God save king
Adonias:
26 But me thy servant, and Sadoc the priest, and Banaias the son
of Joiada, and Solomon thy servant he hath not invited.
27 Is this word come out from my lord the king, and hast thou not
told me thy servant who should sit on the throne of my lord
the king after him?
28 And king David answered and said: Call to me Bethsabee. And
when she was come in to the king, and stood before him,
29 The king swore and said: As the Lord liveth, who hath
delivered my soul out of all distress,
30 Even as I swore to thee by the Lord the God of Israel, saying:
Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my
throne in my stead, so will I do this day.
31 And Bethsabee bowing with her face to the earth worshipped the
king, saying: May my lord David live for ever.
32 King David also said: Call me Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the
prophet, and Banaias the son of Joiada. And when they were
come in before the king,
33 He said to them: Take with you the servants of your lord, and
set my son Solomon upon my mule: and bring him to Gihon.
34 And let Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet anoint him
there king over Israel: and you shall sound the trumpet, and
shall say: God save king Solomon.
35 And you shall come up after him, and he shall come, and shall
sit upon my throne, and he shall reign in my stead: and I will
appoint him to be ruler over Israel, and over Juda.
36 And Banaias the son of Joiada answered the king, saying: Amen:
so say the Lord the God of my lord the king.
37 As the Lord hath been with my lord the king, so be he with
Solomon, and make his throne higher than the throne of my lord
king David.
38 So Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet went down, and
Banaias the son of Joiada, and the Cerethi, and Phelethi: and
they set Solomon upon the mule of king David, and brought him
to Gihon.
39 And Sadoc the priest took a horn of oil out of the tabernacle,
and anointed Solomon: and they sounded the trumpet, and all
the people said: God save king Solomon.
40 And all the multitude went up after him, and the people played
with pipes, and rejoiced with a great joy, and the earth rang
with the noise of their cry.
41 And Adonias, and all that were invited by him, heard it, and
now the feast was at an end: Joab also hearing the sound of
the trumpet, said: What meaneth this noise of the city in an
uproar?
42 While he yet spoke, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest
came: and Adonias said to him: Come in, because thou art a
valiant man, and bringest good news.
43 And Jonathan answered Adonias: Not so: for our lord king David
hath appointed Solomon king.
44 And hath sent with him Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the
prophet, and Banaias the son of Joiada, and the Cerethi, and
Phelethi, and they have set him upon the king's mule.
45 And Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet have anointed him
king in Gihon: and they are gone up from thence rejoicing, so
that the city rang again: this is the noise that you have
heard.
46 Moreover Solomon sitteth upon the throne of the kingdom,
47 And the king's servants going in have blessed our lord king
David, saying: May God make the name of Solomon greater than
thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the
king adored in his bed:
48 And he said: Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, who hath
given this day one to sit on my throne, my eyes seeing
49 Then all the guests of Adonias were afraid, and they all arose
and every man went his way.
50 And Adonias fearing Solomon, arose, and went, and took hold on
the horn of the altar.
51 And they told Solomon, saying: Behold Adonias, fearing king
Solomon, hath taken hold of the horn of the altar, saying: Let
king Solomon swear to me this day, that he will not kill his
servant with the sword.
52 And Solomon said: If he be a good man, there shall not so much
as one hair of his head fall to the ground: but if evil be
found in him, he shall die.
53 Then king Solomon sent, and brought him out from the altar:
and going in he worshipped king Solomon: and Solomon said to
him: Go to thy house.
The Third Book of Kings, Chapter 2
1 And the days of David drew nigh that he should die, and he
charged his son Solomon, saying:
2 I am going the way of all flesh: take thou courage, and shew
thyself a man.
3 And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways,
and observe his ceremonies, and his precepts, and judgments,
and testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses: that
thou mayest understand all thou dost, and whithersoever thou
shalt turn thyself :
4 That the Lord may confirm his words, which he hath spoken of
me, saying: If thy children shall take heed to their ways, and
shall walk before me in truth, with all their heart, and with
all their soul, there shall not be taken away from thee a man
on the throne of Israel.
5 Thou knowest also what Joab the son of Sarvia hath done to me,
what he did to the two captains of the army of Israel, to
Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether: whom he
slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of
war on his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes
that were on his feet.
6 Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoary
head go down to hell in peace.
7 But shew kindness to the sons of Berzellai the Galaadite, and
let them eat at thy table: t for they met me when I fled from
the face of Absalom thy brother.
8 Thou hast also with thee Semei the son of Gera the son of
Jemini of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse, when
I went to the camp: but because he came down to meet me when
I passed over the Jordan, and I swore to him by the Lord,
saying: I will not kill thee with a sword:
9 Do not thou hold him guiltless. But thou art a wise man, and
knowest what to do with him, and thou shalt bring down his
grey hairs with blood to hell.
10 So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of
David.
11 And the days that David reigned in Israel, were forty gears:
in Hebron he reigned seven years, in Jerusalem thirty-three.
12 And Solomon sat upon the throne of his father David, and his
kingdom was strengthened exceedingly.
13 And Adonias the son of Haggith came to Bethsabee the mother of
Solomon. And she said to him: Is thy coming peaceable? he
answered: Peaceable.
14 And he added: I have a word to speak with thee. She said to
him: Speak. And he said:
15 Thou knowest that the kingdom was nine, and all Israel had
preferred me to be their king: but the kingdom is transferred,
and is become my brother's: for it was appointed him by the
Lord.
16 Now therefore I ask one petition of thee: turn not away my
face. And she said to him: Say on.
17 And he said: I pray thee speak to king Solomon (for he cannot
deny thee any thing) to give me Abisag the Sunamitess to wife.
18 And Bethsabee said: Well, I will speak for thee to the king.
19 Then Bethsabee came to king Solomon, to speak to him for
Adonias: and the king arose to meet her, and bowed to her, and
sat down upon his throne: and a throne was set for the king's
mother, and she sat on his right hand.
20 And she said to him: I desire one small petition of thee, do
not put me to confusion. And the king said to her: My mother,
ask: for I must not turn away thy face.
21 And she said: Let Abisag the Sunamitess be given to Adonias
thy brother to wife.
22 And king Solomon answered, and said to his mother: Why dost
thou ask Abisag the Sunamitess for Adonias? ask for him also
the kingdom: for he is my elder brother, and hath Abiathar the
priest, and Joab the son of Sarvia.
23 Then king Solomon swore by the Lord, saying: So and so may God
do to me, and add more, if Adonias hath not spoken this word
against his own life.
24 And now as the Lord liveth, who hath established me, and
placed me upon the throne of David my father, and who hath
made me a house, as he promised, Adonias shall be put to death
this day.
25 And king Solomon sent by the hand of Banaias the son of
Joiada, who slew him, and he died.
26 And the king said also to Abiathar the priest: Go to Anathoth
to thy lands, for indeed thou art worthy of death: but I will
not at this time put thee to death, because thou didst carry
the ark of the Lord God before David my father, and hast
endured trouble in all the troubles my father endured.
27 So Solomon cast out Abiathar, from being the priest of the
Lord, that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled, which he
spoke concerning the house of Deli in Silo.
28 And the news came to Joab, because Joab had turned after
Adonias, and had not turned after Solomon: and Joab fled into
the tabernacle of the Lord and laid hold on the horn of the
altar.
29 And it was told king Solomon, that Joab was fled into the
tabernacle of the Lord, and was by the altar: and Solomon sent
Banaias the son of Joiada, saying: Go, kill him.
30 And Banaias came to the tabernacle of the Lord, and said to
him: Thus saith the king: Come forth. And he said: I will not
come forth, but here I will die. Banaias brought word back to
the king, saying: Thus saith Joab, and thus he answered me.
31 And the king said to him: Do as he hath said: and kill him,
and bury him, and thou shalt remove the innocent blood which
hath been shed by Joab, from me, and from the house of my
father.
32 And the Lord shall return his blood upon his own head, because
he murdered two men, just and better than himself: and slew
them with the sword, my father David not knowing it, Abner the
son of Ner, general of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son
of Jether, general of the army of Juda.
33 And their blood shall return the head of Joab, and upon the
head of his seed for ever. But to David and his seed and his
house, and to his throne be peace for ever from the Lord.
34 So Banaias the son of Joiada went up, and setting upon him
slew him, and he was buried in his house in the desert.
35 And the king appointed Banaias the son of Joiada in his room
over the army, and Sadoc the priest he put in the place of
Abiathar.
36 The king also sent, and called for Semei, and said to him:
Build thee a house in Jerusalem, and dwell there: and go not
out from thence any whither.
37 For on what day soever thou shalt go out, and shalt pass over
the brook Cedron, know that thou shalt be put to death: thy
blood shall be upon thy own head:
38 And Semei said to the king: The saying is good : as my lord
the king hath said, so will thy servant do. And Semei dwelt in
Jerusalem, many days.
39 And it came to pass after three years, that the servants of
Semei ran away to Achis the son of Maacha the king of Geth:
and it was told Semei that his servants were gone to Geth.
40 And Semei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Achis to
Geth to seek his servants, and he brought them out of Geth.
41 And it was told Solomon that Semei had gone from Jerusalem to
Geth, and was come back.
42 And sending he called for him, and said to him: Did I not
protest to thee by the Lord, and tell thee before: On what day
soever thou shalt go out and walk abroad any whither, know
that thou shalt die? And thou answeredst me: The word that I
have heard is good.
43 Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the Lord, and the
commandment that I laid upon thee?
44 And the king said to Semei: Thou knowest all the evil, of
which thy heart is conscious, which thou didst to David my
father: the Lord hath returned thy wickedness upon thy own
head:
45 And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David
shall be established before the Lord for ever.
46 So the king commanded Banaias the son of Joiada: and he went
out and struck him, and he died.
The Third Book of Kings, Chapter 3
1 And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon, and he
made affinity with Pharao the king of Egypt: for he took his
daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had
made an end of building his own house, and the house of the
Lord, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.
2 But yet the people sacrificed in the high places: far there
was no temple built to the name of the Lord until that day.
3 And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the precepts of David
his father, only he sacrificed in the high places: and burnt
incense.
4 He went therefore to Gabaon, to sacrifice there: for that was
the great high place: a thousand victims for holocausts did
Solomon offer upon that altar in Gabaon.
5 And the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, saying
: Ask what thou wilt that I should give thee.
6 And Solomon said: Thou hast shewn great mercy to thy servant
David my father, even at, he walked before thee in truth, and
justice, and an upright heart with thee: and thou hast kept
thy great mercy for him, and hast given him a son to sit on
his throne, as it is this day.
7 And now, O Lord God, thou hast made thy servant king instead
of David my father: and I am but a child, and know not how to
go out and come in.
8 And thy servant is in the midst of the people which thou hast
chosen, an immense people, which cannot be numbered nor
counted for multitude.
9 Give therefore to thy servant an understanding heart, to judge
thy people, and discern between good and evil. For who shall
be able to judge this people, thy people which is so numerous?
10 And the word was pleasing to the Lord that Solomon had asked
such a thing.
11 And the Lord said to Solomon: Because thou hast asked this
thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life or riches, nor
the lives of thy enemies, but hast asked for thyself wisdom to
discern judgment,
12 Behold I have done for thee according to thy words, and have
given thee a wise and understanding heart, insomuch that there
hath been no one like thee before thee, nor shall arise after
thee.
13 Yea and the things also which thou didst not ask, I have given
thee: to wit riches and glory, as that no one hath been like
thee among the kings in all days heretofore.
14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, and Beep my precepts, and my
commandments, as thy father walked, I will lengthen thy days.
15 And Solomon awaked, and perceived that it was a dream: and
when he was come to Jerusalem, he stood before the ark of the
covenant of the Lord, and offered holocausts, and sacrificed
victims of peace offerings, and made a great feast for all his
servants.
16 Then there came two women that were harlots, to the king, and
stood before him:
17 And one of them said: I beseech thee, my lord, I and this
woman dwelt in one house, and I was delivered of a child with
her in the chamber.
18 And the third day, after that I was delivered, she also was
delivered, and we were together, and no other person with us
in the house, only we two.
19 And this woman's child died in the night: for in her sleep she
overlaid him.
20 And rising in the dead time of the night, she took my child
from my side, while I thy handmaid was asleep, and laid it in
her bosom: and laid her dead child in my bosom.
21 And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold
it was dead: but considering him more diligently when it was
clear day, I found that it was not mine which I bore.
22 And the other woman answered: It is not so as thou sayest, but
thy child is dead, and mine is alive. On the contrary she
said: Thou liest: for my child liveth, and thy child is dead.
And in this manner they strove before the king.
23 Then said the king: The one saith, My child is alive, and thy
child is dead. And the other answereth: Nay, but thy child is
dead, and mine liveth.
24 The king therefore said: Bring me a sword. And when they had
brought a sword before the king,
25 Divide, said he, the living child in two, and give half to the
one, and half to the other.
26 But the woman whose child was alive, said to the king, (for
her bowels were moved upon her child,) I beseech thee, my
lord, give her the child alive, and do not kill it. But the
other said: Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.
27 The king answered, and said: Give the living child to this
woman, and let it not be killed, for she is the mother
thereof.
28 And all Israel heard the judgment which the king had judged,
and they feared the king, seeing that the wisdom of God was in
him to do judgment.
The Third Book of Kings, Chapter 4
1 And king Solomon reigned over all Israel:
2 And these were the princes which he had: Azarias the son of
Sadoc the priest:
3 Elihoreph, and Ahia, the sons of Sisa, scribes: Josaphat the
son of Ahilud, recorder:
4 Banaias the son of Joiada, over the army: and Sadoc and
Abiathar priests.
5 Azarias the son of Nathan, over them that were about the king:
Zabud, the son of Nathan the priest, the king's friend:
6 And Ahisar governor of the house: and Adoniram the son of Abda
over the tribute.
7 And Solomon had twelve governors over all Israel, who provided
victuals for the king and for his household: for every one
provided necessaries, each man his month in the year.
8 And these are their names: Benhur, in mount Ephraim,
9 Bendecar, in Macces, and in Salebim, and in Bethsames, and in
Elon, and in Bethanan.
10 Benhesed in Aruboth: his was Socho, and all the land of Epher.
11 Benabinadab, to whom belonged all Nephath-Dor, he had Tapheth
the daughter of Solomon to wife.
12 Bana the son of Ahilud, who governed Thanac and Mageddo, and
all Bethsan, which is by Sarthana beneath Jezrael, from
Bethsan unto Abelmehula over against Jecmaan.
13 Bengaber in Ramoth Galaad: he had the towns of Jair the son of
Manasses in Galaad, he was chief in all the country of Argob,
which is in Basan, threescore great cities with walls, and
brazen bolts.
14 Abinadab the son of Addo was chief in Manaim.
15 Achimaas in Nephtali: he also had Basemath the daughter of
Solomon to wife.
16 Baana the son of Husi, in Aser and in Baloth.
17 Josaphat the son of Pharue, in Issachar.
18 Semei the son of Ela in Benjamin.
19 Gaber the son of Uri, in the land of Galaad, in the land of
Sehon the king of the Amorrhites and of Og the king of Basan,
over all that were in that land.
20 Juda and Israel were innumerable, as the sand of the sea in
multitude: eating and drinking, and rejoicing.
21 And Solomon had under him all the kingdoms from the river to
the land of the Philistines,. even to the border of Egypt: and
they brought him presents, and served him, all the days of his
life.
22 And the provision of Solomon for each day was thirty measures
of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,
23 Ten fat oxen and twenty out of the pastures, and a hundred
rams, besides venison of harts, roes, and buffles, and fatted
fowls.
24 For he had all the country which was beyond the river, from
Thaphsa to Gazan, and all the kings of those countries: and he
had peace on every side round about.
25 And Juda and Israel dwelt without any fear, every one under
his vine, and under his fig tree, from Dan to Bersabee, all
the days of Solomon.
26 And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of chariot horses, and
twelve thou- sand for the saddle.
27 And the foresaid governors of the king fed them: and they
furnished the necessaries also for king Solomon's table, with
great care in their time.
28 They brought barley also and straw for the horses, and beasts,
to the place where the king was, according as it was appointed
them.
29 And God gave to Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding
much, and largeness of heart as the sand that is on the sea
shore.
30 And the wisdom of Solomon surpassed the wisdom of all the
Orientals, and of the Egyptians,
31 And he was wiser than all men: wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite,
and Heman, and Chalcol, and Dorda the sons of Mahol, and he
was renowned in all nations round about.
32 Solomon also spoke three thousand parables: and his poems were
a thousand and five.
33 And he treated about trees from the cedar that is in Libanus,
unto the hyssop that cometh out of the wall: and he discoursed
of beasts, and of fowls, and of creeping things, and of
fishes.
34 And they came from all nations to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and from all the kings of the earth, who heard of his wisdom.
The Third Book of Kings, Chapter 5
1 And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon: for he
heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his
father: for Hiram had always been David's friend.
2 And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying:
3 Thou knowest the will of David my father, and that he could
not build a house to the name of the Lord his God, because of
the wars that were round about him, until the Lord put them
under the soles of his feet.
4 But now the Lord my God hath given me rest round about: and
there is no adversary nor evil occurrence.
5 Wherefore I purpose to build a temple to the name of the Lord
my God, as the Lord spoke to David my father, saying: my son,
whom I will set upon the throne in thy piece, he shall build
a house to my name.
6 Give orders therefore that thy servants cut me down cedar
trees out of Libanus, and let my servants be with thy
servants: and I will give thee the hire of thy servants
whatsoever thou wilt ask, for thou knowest how there is not
among my people a man that has skill to hew wood like to the
Sidonians.
7 Now when Hiram had heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced
exceedingly, and said: Blessed be the Lord God this day, who
hath given to David a very wise son over this numerous people.
8 And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying: I have heard all thou hast
desired of me: and I will do all thy desire concerning cedar
trees, and fir trees.
9 My servants shall bring them down from Libanus to the sea: and
I will put them together in floats in the sea, and convey them
to the place, which thou shalt signify to me; and will land
them there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt allow
me necessaries, to furnish food for my household.
10 So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees, and fir trees, according to
all his desire.
11 And Solomon allowed Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat,
for provision for his house, and twenty measures of the purest
oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram every year.
12 And the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, as he promised him: and
there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they two made
a league together.
13 And king Solomon chose workmen cut of all Israel, and the levy
was of thirty thousand men.
14 And he sent them to Libanus, ten thousand every month by
turns, so that two months they were at home: and Adoniram was
over this levy.
15 And Solomon had seventy thousand to carry burdens, and eighty
thousand to hew stones in the mountain:
16 Besides the overseers who were over every work, in number
three thousand, and three hundred that ruled over the people,
and them that did the work.
17 And the king commanded, that they should bring great stones,
costly stones, for the foundation of the temple, and should
square them:
18 And the masons of Solomon, and the masons of Hiram hewed them:
and the Giblians prepared timber and stones to build the
house.
The Third Book of Kings, Chapter 6
1 And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year
after the children of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in
the fourth year of the reign of Solomon over Israel, in the
month Zio (the same is the second month), he began to build a
house to the Lord.
2 And the house, which king Solomon built to the Lord, was
threescore cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and
thirty cubits in height.
3 And there was a porch before the temple of twenty cubits in
length, according to the measure of the breadth of the temple:
and it was ten cubits in breadth before the face of the
temple.
4 And he made in the temple oblique windows.
5 And upon the wall of the temple he built floors round about,
in the walls of the house round about the temple and the
oracle, and he made sides round about.
6 The floor that was underneath, was five cubits in breadth, and
the middle floor was six cubits in breadth, and the third door
was seven cubits in breadth. And he put beams in the house
round about on the outside, that they might not be fastened in
the walls of the temple.
7 And the house, when it was in building, was built of stones
hewed and made ready: so that there was neither hammer nor axe
nor any tool of iron heard in the house when it was in
building.
8 The door for the middle side was on the right hand of the
house : and by winding stairs they went up to the middle room,
and from the middle to the third.
9 So he built the house, and finished it: end he covered the
house with roofs of cedar.
10 And he built a floor over all the house five cubits in height,
and he covered the house with timber of cedar.
11 And the word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying:
12 This house, which thou buildest, if thou wilt walk in my
statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my
commandments, walking in them, I will fulfil my word to thee
which I spoke to David thy father.
13 And I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel, and
will not forsake my people Israel.
14 So Solomon built the house and finished it.
15 And he built the walls of the house on the inside, with boards
of cedar, from the floor of the house to the top of the walls,
and to the roots, he covered it with boards of cedar on the
inside: and he covered the floor of the house with planks of
fir.
16 And he built up twenty cubits with boards of cedar at the
hinder part of the temple, from the floor to the top: and made
the inner house of the oracle to be the holy of holies.
17 And the temple itself before the doors of the oracle was forty
cubits long.
18 And all the house was covered within with cedar, having the
turnings, and the joints thereof artfully wrought and carvings
projecting out: all was covered with boards of cedar: and no
stone could be seen in the wall at all.
19 And he made the oracle in the midst of the house, in the inner
part, to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord.
20 Now the oracle was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits
in breadth, and twenty cubits in height. And he covered and
overlaid it with most pure gold. And the altar also he covered
with cedar.
21 And the house before the oracle he overlaid with most pure
gold, and fastened on the plates with nails of gold.
22 And there was nothing in the temple that was not covered with
gold: the whole altar of the oracle he covered also with gold.
23 And he made in the oracle two cherubims of olive tree, of ten
cubits in height.
24 One wing of the cherub was five cubits, and the other wing of
the cherub was five cubits: that is, in all ten cubits, from
the extremity of one wing to the extremity of the other wing.
26 The second cherub also was ten cubits: and the measure, and
the work was the same in both the cherubims:
26 That is to say, one cherub was ten cubits high, and in like
manner the other cherub.
27 And he set the cherubims in the midst of the inner temple: and
the cherubims stretched forth their wings, and the wing of the
one touched one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched
the other wall: and the other wings in the midst of the temple
touched one another.
28 And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.
29 And all the walls of the temple round about he carved with
divers figures and carvings: and he made in them cherubims and
palm trees, and divers representations, as it were standing
out, and coming forth from the wall.
30 And the floor of the house he also overlaid with gold within
and without.
31 And in the entrance of the oracle he made little doors of
olive tree, and posts of five corners,
32 And two doors of olive tree: and he carved upon them figures
of cherubims, and figures of palm trees, and carvings very
much projecting: and he overlaid them with gold: and he
covered both the cherubims and the palm trees, and the other
things with gold.
33 And he made in the entrance of the temple posts of olive tree
foursquare:
34 And two doors of fir tree, one of each side : and each door
was double, and so opened with folding leaves.
35 And he carved cherubims, and palm trees, and carved work
standing very much out: and he overlaid all with golden plates
in square work by rule.
36 And he built the inner court with three rows of polished
stones, and one row of beams of cedar.
37 In the fourth year was the house of the Lord founded in the
month Zio:
38 And in the eleventh year in the month Bul (which is the eighth
month) the house was finished in all the works thereof, and in
all the appurtenances thereof: and he was seven years in
building it.
The Third Book of Kings, Chapter 7
1 And Solomon built his own house in thirteen years, and brought
it to perfection.
2 He built also the house of the forest of Libanus, the length
of it was a hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty cubits, and
the height thirty cubits: and four galleries between pillars
of cedar: for he had cut cedar trees into pillars.
3 And he covered the whole vault with boards of cedar, and it
was held up with five and forty pillars. And one row had
fifteen pillars,
4 Set one against another,
5 And looking one upon another, with equal space between the
pillars, and over the pillars were square beams in- all things
equal.
6 And he made a porch of pillars of fifty cubits in length, and
thirty cubits in breadth: and another porch before the greater
porch: and pillars, and chapiters upon the pillars.
7 He made also the porch of the throne, wherein is the seat of
judgment: and covered it with cedar wood from the floor to the
top.
8 And in the midst of the porch, was a small house where he sat
in judgment, of the like work. He made also a house for the
daughter of Pharao (whom Solomon had taken to wife) of the
same work, as this porch,
9 All of costly stones, which were sawed by a certain rule and
measure both within and without: from the foundation to the
top of the walls, and without unto the great court.
10 And the foundations were of costly stones, great stones of ten
cubits or eight cubits:
11 And above there were costly stones, or equal measure, hewed;
and, in like manner, planks of cedar:
12 And the greater court was made round with three rows of hewed
stones, and one row of planks of cedar, moreover also in the
inner court of the house of the Lord, and in the porch of the
house.
13 And king Solomon sent, and brought Hiram from Tyre,
14 The son of a widow woman of the tribe of Nephtali, whose
father was a Tyrian, an artificer in brass, and full of
wisdom, and understanding, and skill to work all work in
brass. And when he was come to king Solomon, he wrought all
his work.
15 And he cast two pillars in brass, each pillar was eighteen
cubits high: and a line of twelve cubits compassed both the
pillars.
16 He made also two chapiters of molten brass, to be set upon the
tops of the pillars: the height of one chapiter was five
cubits, and the height of the other chapiter was five cubits:
17 And a kind of network, and chain work wreathed together with
wonderful art. Both the chapiters of the pillars were cast :
seven rows of nets were on one chapiter, and seven nets on the
other chapiter.
18 And he made the pillars, and two rows round about each network
to cover the chapiters, that were upon the top, with
pomegranates: and in like manner did he to the other chapiter.
19 And the chapiters that were upon the top of the pillars, were
of lily work in the porch, of four cubits.
20 And again other chapiters in the top of the pillars above,
according to the measure of the pillar over against the
network: and of pomegranates there were two hundred in rows
round about the other chapiter.
21 And he set up the two pillars in the porch of the temple: and
when he had set up the pillar on the right hand, he called the
name thereof Jachin: in like manner he set up the second
pillar, and called the name thereof Booz.
22 And upon the tops of the pillars he made lily work: so the
work of the pillars was finished.
23 He made also a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim,
round all about; the height of it was five cubits, and a line
of thirty cubits compassed it round about.
24 And a graven work under the brim of it compassed it, for ten
cubits going about the sea: there were two rows cast of
chamfered sculptures.
25 And it stood upon twelve oxen, of which three looked towards
the north, and three towards the west, and three towards the
south, and three towards the east, and the sea was above upon
them, and their hinder parts were all hid within.
26 And the laver was a handbreadth thick: and the brim thereof
was like the brim of a cup, or the leaf of a crisped lily: it
contained two thousand bates.
27 And he made ten bases of brass, every base was four cubits in
length, and four cubits in breadth, and three cubits high.
28 And the work itself of the bases, was intergraven: and there
were gravings between the joinings.
29 And between the little crowns and the ledges were lions, and
oxen, and cherubims: and in the joinings likewise above: and
under the lions and oxen, as it were bands of brass hanging
down.
30 And every base had four wheels, and axletrees of brass: and at
the four sides were undersetters under the laver molten,
looking one against another.
31 The mouth also of the laver within, was in the top of the
chapiter: and that which appeared without, was of one cubit
all round, and together it was one cubit and a half: and in
the corners of the pillars were divers engravings: and the
spaces between the pillars were square, not round.
32 And the four wheels, which were at the four corners of the
base, were joined one to another under the base: the height of
a wheel was a cubit and a half.
33 And they were such wheels as are used to be made in a chariot:
and their axletrees, and spokes, and strakes, and naves, were
all east.
34 And the four undersetters that were at every corner of each
base, were of the base itself cast and joined together.
35 And in the top of the base there was a round compass of half
a cubit, so wrought that the laver might be set thereon,
having its gravings, and divers sculptures of itself.
36 He engraved also in those plates, which were of brass. and in
the corners, cherubims, and lions, and palm trees, in likeness
of a man standing, so that they seemed not to be engraven, but
added round about.
37 After this manner he made ten bases, of one casting and
measure, and the like graving.
38 He made also ten lavers of brass: one laver contained four
bases, and was of four cubits: and upon every base, in all
ten, he put as many lavers.
39 And he set the ten bases, five on the right side of the
temple, and five on the left: and the sea he put on the right
side of the temple over against the east southward.
40 And Hiram made caldrons, and shovels, and basins, and finished
all the work of king Solomon in the temple of the Lord.
41 The two pillars and the two cords of the chapiters, upon the
chapiters of the pillars: and the two networks, to cover the
two cords, that were upon the top of the pillars.
42 And four hundred pomegranates for the two networks: two rows
of pomegranates for each network, to cover the cords of the
chapiters, which were upon the tops of the pillars.
43 And the ten bases, and the ten lavers on the bases.
44 And one sea, and twelve oxen under the sea.
45 And the caldrons, and the shovels, and the basins. All the
vessels that Hi- ram made for king Solomon for the house of
the Lord, were of fine brass.
46 In the plains of the Jordan did the king cast them in a clay
ground, between Socoth and Sartham.
47 And Solomon placed all the vessels: but for exceeding great
multitude the brass could not be weighed.
48 And Solomon made all the vessels for the house of the Lord:
the altar of gold, and the table of gold, upon which the
leaves of proposition should be set:
49 And the golden candlesticks, five on the right hand, and five
on the left, over against the oracle, of pure gold: and the
flowers like lilies, and the lamps over them of gold: and
golden snuffers,
50 And pots, and fleshhooks, and bowls, and mortars, and censers,
of most pure gold: and the hinges for the doors of the inner
house of the holy of holies, and for the doors of the house of
the temple were of gold.
51 And Solomon finished all the work that he made in the house of
the Lord, and brought in the things that David his father had
dedicated, the silver and the gold, and the vessels, and laid
them up in the treasures of the house of the Lord.
The Third Book of Kings, Chapter 8
1 Then all the ancients of Israel with the princes of the
tribes, and the heads of the families of the children of
Israel were assembled to king Solomon in Jerusalem: that they
might carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the
city of David, that is, out of Sion.
2 And all Israel assembled themselves to king Solomon on the
festival day in the month of Ethanim, the same is the seventh
month.
3 And all the ancients of Israel came, and the priests took up
the ark,
4 And carried the ark of the Lord, and the tabernacle of the
covenant, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, that were in
the tabernacle: and the priests and the Levites carried them.
5 And king Solomon, and all the multitude of Israel, that were
assembled unto him went with him before the ark, and they
sacrificed sheep and oxen that could not be counted or
numbered.
6 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord
into its place, into the oracle of the temple, into the holy
of holies under the wings of the cherubims.
7 For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of
the ark, and covered the art, and the staves thereof above.
8 And whereas the staves stood out, the ends of them were seen
without in the sanctuary before the oracle, but were not seen
farther out, and there they have been unto this day.
9 Now in the ark there was nothing else but the two tables of
stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a
covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of
the land of Egypt.
10 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the
sanctuary, that a cloud filled the house of the Lord,
11 And the priests could not stand to minister because of the
cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the
Lord.
12 Then Solomon said: The Lord said that he would dwell in a
cloud.
13 Building I have built a house for thy dwelling, to be thy most
firm throne for ever.
14 And the king turned his face, and blessed all the assembly of
Israel: for all the assembly of Israel stood.
15 And Solomon said: Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, who
spoke with his mouth to David my father, and with his own
hands hath accomplished it, saying:
16 Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I
chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel, for a house to
be built, that my name might be there: but I chose David to be
over my people Israel.
17 And David my father would have built a house to the name of
the Lord the God of Israel:
18 And the Lord said to David my father: Whereas thou hast
thought in thy heart to build a house to my name, thou hast
done well in having this same thing in thy mind.
19 Nevertheless thou shalt not build me a house, but thy son,
that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build a house
to my name.
20 The Lord hath performed his word which he spoke : and I stand
in the room of David my father, and sit upon the throne of
Israel, as the Lord promised: and have built a house to the
name of the Lord the God of Israel.
21 And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the
covenant of the Lord, which he made with our fathers, when
they came out of the land of Egypt.
22 And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the sight of
the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands towards
heaven;
23 And said: Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in
heaven above, or on earth beneath: who keepest covenant and
mercy with thy servants that have walked before thee with all
their heart.
24 Who hast kept with thy servant David my father what thou hast
promised him: with thy mouth thou didst speak, and with thy
hands thou hast performed, as this day proveth.
25 Now therefore, O Lord God of Israel, keep with thy servant
David my father what thou hast spoken to him, saying: There
shall not be taken away of thee a man in my sight, to sit on
the throne of Israel: yet so that thy children take heed to
their way, that they walk before me as thou hast walked in my
sight.
26 And now, Lord God of Israel, let thy words be established,
which thou hast spoken to thy servant David my father
27 Is it then to be thought that God should indeed dwell upon
earth? for if heaven, and the heavens of heavens cannot
contain thee, how much less this house which I have built?
28 But have regard to the prayer of thy servant, and to his
supplications, O Lord my God: hear the hymn and the prayer,
which thy servant prayeth before thee this day:
29 That thy eyes may be open upon this house night and day: upon
the house of which thou hast said: My name shall be there:
that thou mayest hearken to the prayer, which thy servant
prayeth in this place to thee.
30 That thou mayest hearken to the supplication of thy servant
and of thy people Israel, whatsoever they shall pray for in
this place, and hear them in the place of thy dwelling in
heaven; and when thou hearest, shew them mercy.
31 If any man trespass against his neighbour, and have an oath
upon him, wherewith he is bound: and come because of the oath
before thy altar to thy house,
32 Then hear thou in heaven: and do, and judge thy servants,
condemning the wicked, and bringing his way upon his own head,
and justifying the just, and rewarding him according to his
justice.
33 If thy people Israel shall fly before their enemies, (because
they will sin against thee,) and doing penance, and confessing
to thy name, shall come, and pray, and make supplications to
thee in this house:
34 Then hear thou in heaven, and for- give the sin of thy people
Israel, and bring them back to the land which thou gavest to
their fathers.
35 If heaven shall be shut up, and there shall be no rain,
because of their sins, and they praying in this place, shall
do penance to thy name, and shall be converted from their
sins, by occasion of their afflictions:
36 Then hear thou them in heaven, and forgive the sins of thy
servants, and of thy people Israel: and shew them the good way
wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which
thou hast given to thy people in possession.
37 If a famine arise in the land, or a pestilence, or corrupt
air, or blasting, or locust, or mildew, if their enemy afflict
them besieging the gates, whatsoever plague, whatsoever
infirmity,
38 Whatsoever curse or imprecation shall happen to any man of thy
people Israel: when a man shall know the wound of his own
heart, and shall spread forth his hands in this house,
39 Then hear thou in heaven, in the place of thy dwelling, and
forgive, and do so as to give to every one according to his
ways, as thou shalt see his heart (for thou only knowest the
heart of all the children of men)
40 That they may fear thee all the days that they live upon the
face of the land, which thou hast given to our fathers.
41 Moreover also the stranger, who is not of thy people Israel,
when he shall come out of a far country for thy name's sake,
(for they shall hear every where of thy great name and thy
mighty hand,
42 And thy stretched out arm,) so when he shall come, and shall
pray in this place,
43 Then hear thou in heaven, in the firmament of thy dwelling
place, and do all those things, for which that stranger shall
call upon thee: that all the people of the earth may learn to
fear thy name, as do thy people Israel, and may prove that thy
name is called upon on this house, which I have built.
44 If thy people go out to war against their enemies, by what way
soever thou shalt send them, they shall pray to thee towards
the way of the city, which thou hast chosen, and towards the
house, which I have built to thy name:
45 And then hear thou in heaven their prayers, and their
supplications, and do judgment for them.
46 But if they sin against thee (for there is no man who sinneth
not) and thou being angry deliver them up to their enemies, so
that they be led away captives into the land of their enemies
far or near;
47 Then if they do penance in their heart in the place of
captivity, and being converted make supplication to thee in
their captivity, saying: We have sinned, we have done
unjustly, we have committed wickedness:
48 And return to thee with all their heart, and all their soul,
in the land of their enemies, to which they had been led
captives: and pray to thee towards the way of their land,
which thou gavest to their fathers, and of the city which thou
hast chosen, and of the temple which I have built to thy name:
49 Then hear thou in heaven, in the firmament of thy throne,
their prayers, and their supplications, and do judgment for
them:
50 And forgive thy people, that have sinned against thee, and all
their iniquities, by which they have transgressed against
thee: and give them mercy before them that have made them
captives, that they may have compassion on them.
51 For they are thy people, and thy inheritance, whom thou hast
brought out of the land of Egypt, from the midst of the
furnace of iron.
52 That thy eyes may be open to the supplication of thy servant,
and of thy people Israel, to hear them in all things for which
they shall call upon thee.
53 For thou hast separated them to thyself for an inheritance
from among all the people of the earth, as thou hast spoken by
Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of
Egypt, O Lord God.
54 And it came to pass, when Solomon had made an end of praying
all this prayer and supplication to the Lord, that he rose
from before the altar of the Lord: for he had fixed both knees
on the ground, and had spread his hands towards heaven.
55 And he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a,
loud voice, saying:
56 Blessed be the Lord, who hath given rest to his people Israel,
according to all that he promised: there hath not failed so
much as one word of all the good things that he promised by
his servant Moses.
57 The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers, and
not leave us, nor cast us off:
58 But may he incline our hearts to himself, that we may walk in
all his ways, and keep his commandments, and his ceremonies,
and all his judgments which he commanded our fathers.
59 And let these my words, wherewith I have prayed before the
Lord, he nigh unto the Lord our God day and night, that he may
do judgment for his servant, and for his people Israel day by
day:
60 That all the people of the earth may know, that the Lord he is
God, and there is no other besides him.
61 Let our hearts also be perfect with the Lord our God, that we
may walk in his statutes, and keep his commandments, as at
this day.
62 And the king, and all Israel him, offered victims before the
Lord.
63 And Solomon slew victims of peace offerings, which he
sacrificed to the Lord, two and twenty thousand oxen, and
hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king, and the
children of Israel dedicated the temple of the Lord.
64 In that day the king sanctified the middle of the court that
was before the house of the Lord: for there he offered the
holocaust, and sacrifice, and fat of the peace offerings:
because the brazen altar that was before the Lord, was too
little to receive the holocaust, and sacrifice, and fat of the
peace offerings.
65 And Solomon made at the same time a solemn feast, and all
Israel with him, a great multitude from the entrance of Emath
to the river of Egypt, before the Lord our God, seven days and
seven days, that is, fourteen days.
66 And on the eighth day he sent away the people: and they
blessed the king, and went to their dwellings rejoicing, and
glad in heart for all the good things that the Lord had done
for David his servant, and for Israel his people.
The Third Book of Kings, Chapter 9
1 And it came to pass when Solomon had finished the building of
the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and all that he
desired, and was pleased to do,
2 That the Lord appeared to him the second time, as he had
appeared to him in Gabaon.
3 And the Lord said to him: I have heard thy prayer and thy
supplication, which thou hast made before me: I have
sanctified this house, which thou hast built, to put my name
there for ever, and my eyes and my heart shall be there
always.
4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as thy father walked, in
simplicity of heart, and in uprightness: and wilt do all that
I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my ordinances and my
judgments,
5 I will establish the throne of thy kingdom over Israel for
ever, as I promised David thy father, saying: There shall not
fail a man of thy race upon the throne of Israel.
6 But if you and your children revolting shall turn away from
following me, and will not keep my commandments, and my
ceremonies, which I have set before you, but will go and
worship strange gods, and adore them:
7 I will take away Israel from the face of the land which I have
given them; and the temple which I have sanctified to my name,
I will cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb,
and a byword among all people.
8 And this house shall be made an example of: every one that
shall pass by it, shall be astonished, and shall hiss, and
say: Why hath the Lord done thus to this land, and to this
house:
9 And they shall answer: Because they forsook the Lord their
God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and
followed strange gods, and adored them, and worshipped them:
therefore hath the Lord brought upon them all this evil.
10 And when twenty years were ended after Solomon had built the
two houses, that is, the house of the Lord, and the house of
the king,
11 (Hiram the king of Tyre furnishing Solomon with cedar trees
and fir trees, and gold according to all he had need of.) then
Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.
12 And Hiram came out of Tyre, to see the towns which Solomon had
given him, and they pleased him not,
13 And he said: Are these the cities which thou hast given me,
brother? And he called them the land of Chabul, unto this day.
14 And Hiram sent to king Solomon a hundred and twenty talents of
gold.
15 This is the sum of the expenses, which king Solomon offered to
build the house of the Lord, and his own house, and Mello, and
the wall of Jerusalem, and Heser, and Mageddo, and Gazer.
16 Pharao the king of Egypt came up and took Gazer, and burnt it
with fire: and slew the Chanaanite that dwelt in the city, and
gave it for a dowry to his daughter, Solomon's wife.
17 So Solomon built: Gazer, and Beth-horon the nether,
18 And Baalath, and Palmira in the land of the wilderness.
19 And all the towns that belonged to himself, and were not
walled, he fortified, the cities also of the chariots, and the
cities of the horsemen, and whatsoever he had a mind to build
in Jerusalem, and in Libanus, and in all the land of his
dominion.
20 All the people that were left of the Amorrhites, and Hethites,
and Pherezites, and Hevites, and Jebusites, that are not of
the children of Israel:
21 Their children, that were left in the land, to wit, such as
the children of Israel had not been able to destroy, Solomon
made tributary unto this day.
22 But of the children of Israel Solomon made not any to be
bondmen, but they were men of war, and his servants, and his
princes, and captains, and overseers of the chariots and
horses.
23 And there were five hundred and fifty chief officers set over
all the works of Solomon, and they had people under them, and
had charge over the appointed works.
24 And the daughter of Pharao came up out of the city of David to
her house, which Solomon had built for her: then did he build
Mello.
25 Solomon also offered three times every year holocausts, and
victims of peace offerings upon the altar which he had built
to the Lord, and he burnt incense before the Lord: and the
temple was finished.
26 And king Solomon made a fleet in Asiongaber, which is by
Ailath on the shore of the Red Sea in the land of Edom.
27 And Hiram sent his servants in the fleet, sailors that had
knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.
28 And they came to Ophir, and they brought from thence to king
Solomon four hundred and twenty talents of gold.
The Third Book of Kings, Chapter 10
1 And the queen of Saba, having; heard of the fame of Solomon in
the name of the Lord, came to try him with hard questions.
2 And entering into Jerusalem with a great train, and riches,
and camels that carried spices, and an immense quantity of
gold, and precious stones, she came to king Solomon, and spoke
to him all that she had in her heart.
3 And Solomon informed her of all the things she proposed to
him: there was not any word the king was ignorant of, and
which he could not answer her.
4 And when the queen of Saba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, and
the house which he had built,
5 And the meat of his table, and the apartments of his servants,
and the order of his ministers, and their apparel, and the
cupbearers, and the holocausts, which he offered in the house
of the Lord: she had no longer any spirit in her,
6 And she said to the king: The report is true, which I heard in
my own country,
7 Concerning thy words, and concerning thy wisdom. And I did not
believe them that told me, till I came myself, and saw with my
own eyes, and have found that the half hath not been told me:
thy wisdom and thy works, exceed the fame which I heard.
8 Blessed are thy men, and blessed are thy servants, who stand
before thee always, and hear thy wisdom.
9 Blessed be the Lord thy God, whom thou hast pleased, and who
hath set thee upon the throne of Israel, because the Lord hath
loved Israel for ever, and hath appointed thee king, to do
judgment and justice.
10 And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold,
and of spices a very great store, and precious stones: there
was brought no more such abundance of spices as these which
the queen of Saba gave to king Solomon.
11 (The navy also of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir,
brought from Ophir great plenty of thyine trees, and precious
stones.
12 And the king made of the thyine trees the rails of the house
of the Lord, and of the king's house, and citterns and harps
for singers: there were no such thyine trees as these brought,
nor seen unto this day.)
13 And king Solomon gave the queen of Saba all that she desired,
and asked of him: besides what he offered he himself of his
royal bounty. And she returned, and went to her own country
with her servants.
14 And the weight of the gold that was brought to Solomon every
year, was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold:
15 Besides that which the men brought him that were over the
tributes, and the merchants, and they that sold by retail, and
all the kings of Arabia, and the governors of the country.
16 And Solomon made two hundred shields of the purest gold: he
allowed six hundred sides of gold for the plates of one
shield.
17 And three hundred targets of fine gold: three hundred pounds
of gold covered one target: and the king put them in the house
of the forest of Libanus.
18 King Solomon also made a great throne of ivory: and overlaid
it with the finest gold.
19 It had six steps: and the top of the throne was round behind:
and there were two hands on either side holding the seat: and
two lions stood, one at each hand.
20 And twelve little lions stood upon the six steps on the one
side and on the other: there was no such work made in any
kingdom.
21 Moreover all the vessels, out of which king Solomon drank,
were of gold: and all the furniture of the house of the forest
of Libanus was of most pure gold: there was no silver, nor was
any account made of it in the days of Solomon:
22 For the king's navy, once in three years, went with the navy
of Hiram by sea to Tharsis, and brought from thence gold, and
silver, and elephants' teeth, and apes, and peacocks.
23 And king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in
riches, and wisdom.
24 And all the earth desired to see Solomon's face, to hear his
wisdom, which God had given in his heart.
25 And every one brought him presents, vessels of silver and of
gold, garments and armour, and spices, and horses and mules
every year.
26 And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen, and he
had a thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand
horseman: and he bestowed them in fenced cities, and with the
king in Jerusalem.
27 And he made silver to be as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones:
and cedars to be as common as sycamores which grow in the
plains.
28 And horses were brought for Solomon out of Egypt, and Coa: for
the king's merchants brought them out of Coa, and bought them
at a set price.
29 And a chariot of four horses came out of Egypt, for six
hundred sides of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty.
And after this manner did all the kings of the Hethites, and
of Syria, sell horses.
The Third Book of Kings, Chapter 11
1 And king Solomon loved many strange women besides the daughter
of Pharao, and women of Moab, and of Ammon, and of Edom, and
of Sidon, and of the Hethites:
2 Of the nations concerning which the Lord said to the children
of Israel: You shall not go in unto them, neither shall any of
them come in to yours: for they will most certainly turn away
your heart to follow their gods. And to these was Solomon
joined with a most ardent love.
3 And he had seven hundred wives as queens, and three hundred
concubines: and the women turned away his heart.
4 And when he was now old, his heart was turned away by women to
follow strange gods: and his heart was not perfect with the
Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.
5 But Solomon worshipped Astarthe the goddess of the Sidonians,
and Moloch the idol of the ammonites.
6 And Solomon did that which was net pleasing before the Lord,
and did not fully follow the Lord, as David his father.
7 Then Solomon built a temple for Chamos the idol of Moab, on
the hill that is over against Jerusalem, and for Moloch the
idol of the children of Ammon.
8 And he did in this manner for all his wives that were
strangers, who burnt incense, and offered sacrifice to their
gods.
9 And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his mind was
turned away from the Lord the God of Israel, who had appeared
to him twice,
10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should
not follow strange gods: but he kept not the things which the
Lord commanded him.
11 The Lord therefore said to Solomon: Because thou hast done
this, and hast not kept my covenant, and my precepts, which I
have commanded thee, I will divide and rend thy kingdom, and
will give it to thy servant.
12 Nevertheless in thy days I will not do it, for David thy
father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.
13 Neither will I take away the whole kingdom, but I will give
one tribe to thy son for the sake of David my servant, and
Jerusalem which I have chosen.
14 And the Lord raised up an adversary to Solomon, Adad the
Edomite of the king's seed, in Edom.
15 For when David was in Edom, and Joab the general of the army
was gone up to bury them that were slain, and had killed every
male in Edom,
16 (For Joab remained there six months with all Israel, till he
had slain every male in Edom,)
17 Then Adad fled, he and certain Edomites, of his father's
servants with him, to go into Egypt: and Adad was then a
little boy.
18 And they arose out of Madian, and came into Pharan, and they
took men with them from Pharan, and went into Egypt to Pharao
the king of Egypt: who gave him a house, and appointed him
victuals, and assigned him land.
19 And Adad found great favour before Pharao, insomuch that he
gave him to wife, the own sister of his wife Taphnes the
queen.
20 And the sister of Taphnes bore him his son Genubath, and
Taphnes brought him up in the house of Pharao: and Genubath
dwelt with Pharao among his children.
21 And when Adad heard in Egypt that David slept with his
fathers, and that Joab the general of the army was dead, he
add to Pharao: Let me depart, that I may go to my own country.
22 And Pharao said to him: Why, what is wanting to thee with me,
that thou seekest to go to thy own country? But he answered:
Nothing: yet I beseech thee to let me go.
23 God also raised up against him an adversary, Razon the son of
Eliada, 'who had fled from his master Adarezer the king of
Soba:
24 And he gathered men against him, and he became a captain of
robbers, when David slew them of Soba: and they went to
Damascus, and dwelt there, and they made him king in Damascus.
25 And he was an adversary to Israel, all the days of Solomon:
and this is the evil of Adad, and his hatred against Israel,
and he reigned in Syria.
26 Jeroboam also the son of Nabat an Ephrathite of Sareda, a
servant of Solomon, whose mother was named Sarua, a widow
woman, lifted up his hand against the king.
27 And this is the cause of his rebellion against him, for
Solomon built Mello, and filled up the breach of the city of
David his father.
28 And Jeroboam was a valiant and mighty man: and Solomon seeing
him a young man ingenious and industrious, made him chief over
the tributes of all the house of Joseph.
29 So it came to paste at that time, that Jeroboam went out of
Jerusalem, and the prophet Ahias the Silonite, clad with a new
garment, found him in the way: and they two were alone in the
held.
30 And Ahias taking his new garment, wherewith he was clad,
divided it into twelve parts:
31 And he said to Jeroboam: Take to thee ten pieces: for thus
saith the Lord the God of Israel: Behold I will rend the
kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give thee ten
tribes.
32 But one tribe shall remain to him for the sake of my servant
David, and Jerusalem the city, which I have chosen out of all
the tribes of Israel:
33 Because he hath forsaken me, and hath adored Astarthe the
goddess of the Sidonians, and Chamos the god of Moab, and
Moloch the god of the children of Ammon: and hath not walked
in my ways, to do justice before me, and to keep my precepts,
and judgments as did David his father.
34 Yet I will not take away all the kingdom out of his hand, but
I will make him prince all the days of his life, for David my
servant's sake, whom I chose, who kept my commandments and my
precepts.
35 But I will take away the kingdom out of his son's hand and
will give thee ten tribes:
36 And to his son I will give one tribe, that there may remain a
lamp for my servant David before me always in Jerusalem the
city which I have chosen, that my name might be there.
37 And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign over all that thy
soul desireth, and thou shalt be king over Israel.
38 If then thou wilt hearken to all that I shall command thee,
and wilt walk in my ways, and do what is right before me,
keeping my commandments and my precepts, as David my servant
did: I will be with thee, and will build thee up a faithful
house, as I built a house for David, and I will deliver Israel
to thee:
39 And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but yet not for
ever.
40 Solomon therefore sought to kill Jeroboam: but he arose, and
fled into Egypt to Sesac the king of Egypt, and was in Egypt
till the death of Solomon.
41 And the rest of the words of Solomon, and all that he did, and
his wisdom: behold they are all written in the book of the
words of the days of Solomon.
42 And the days that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all
Israel, were forty years.
43 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city
of David his father, and Roboam his son reigned in his stead.
The Third Book of Kings, Chapter 12
1 And Roboam went to Sichem: for thither were all Israel come
together to make him king.
2 But Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who was yet in Egypt, a
fugitive from the face of king Solomon, hearing of his death,
returned out of Egypt.
3 And they sent and called him: and Jeroboam came, and all the
multitude of Israel, and they spoke to Roboam, saying:
4 Thy father laid a grievous yoke upon us: now therefore do thou
take off a little of the grievous service of thy father, and
of his most heavy yoke, which he put upon us, and we will
serve thee.
5 And he said to them: Go till the third day, and come to me
again. And when the people was gone,
6 King Roboam took counsel with the old men, that stood before
Solomon his father while he yet lived, and he said: What
counsel do you give me, that I may answer this people?
7 They said to him: If thou wilt yield to this people to day,
and condescend to them, and grant their petition, and wilt
speak gentle words to them, they will be thy servants always.
8 But he left the counsel of the old men, which they had given
him, and consulted with the young men, that had been brought
up with him, and stood before him.
9 And he said to them: What counsel do you give me, that I may
answer this people, who have said to me: Make the yoke which
thy father put upon us lighter?
10 And the young men that had been brought up with him, said:
Thus shalt thou speak to this people, who have spoken to thee,
saying: Thy father made our yoke heavy, do thou ease us. Thou
shalt say to them: My little finger is thicker than the back
of my father.
11 And now my father put a, heavy yoke upon you, but I will add
to your yoke: my father beat you with whips, but I will beat
you with scorpions.
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Roboam the third day,
as the king had appointed, saying: Come to me again the third
day.
13 And the king answered the people roughly, leaving the counsel
of the old men, which they had given him,
14 And he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young
men, saying: My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to
your yoke: my father beat you with whips, but I will beat you
with scorpions.
15 And the king condescended not to the people: for the Lord was
turned away from him, to make good his word, which he had
spoken in the hand of Ahias the Silonite, to Jeroboam the son
of Nabat.
16 Then the people seeing that the king would not hearken to
them, answered him, saying : What portion have we in David? or
what inheritance in the son of Isai? Go home to thy dwellings,
O Israel, now David look to thy own house. So Israel departed
to their dwellings.
17 But as for all the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities
of Juda, Roboam reigned over them.
18 Then king Roboam sent Aduram, who was over the tribute: and
all Israel stoned him, and he died. Wherefore king Roboam made
haste to get him up into his chariot, and he fled to
Jerusalem:
19 And Israel revolted from the house of David, unto this day.
20 And it came to pass when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was
come again, that they gathered an assembly, and sent and
called him, and made him king over all Israel, and there was
none that followed the house of David but the tribe of Juda
only.
21 And Roboam came to Jerusalem, and gathered together all the
house of Juda, and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred four-
score thousand chosen men for war, to fight against the house
of Israel and to bring the kingdom again under Roboam the son
of Solomon.
22 But the word of the Lord came to Semeias the man of God,
saying:
23 Speak to Roboam the son of Solomon, the king of Juda, and to
all the house of Juda, and Benjamin, and the rest of the
people, saying:
24 Thus saith the Lord: You shall not go up nor fight against
your brethren the children of Israel: let every man return to
his house, for this thing is from me. They hearkened to the
word of the Lord, and returned from their journey, as the Lord
had commanded them.
25 And Jeroboam built Sichem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt there,
and going out from thence he built Phanuel.
26 And Jeroboam said in his heart: Now shall the kingdom return
to the house of David,
27 If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the
Lord at Jerusalem: and the heart of this people will turn to
their lord Roboam the king of Juda, and they will kill me, and
return to him.
28 And finding out a device he made two golden calves, and said
to them: Go ye up no more to Jerusalem: Behold thy gods, O
Israel, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt.
29 And he set the one in Bethel, and the other in Dan:
30 And this thing became an occasion of sin: for the people went
to adore the calf as far as Dan.
31 And he made temples in the high places, and priests of the
lowest of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.
32 And he appointed a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth
day of the month, after the manner of the feast that was
celebrated in Juda. And going up to the altar, he did in like
manner in Bethel, to sacrifice to the calves, which he had
made : and he placed in Bethel priests of the high places,
which he had made.
33 And he went up to the altar, which he had built in Bethel, on
the fifteenth day of the eighth month, which he had devised of
his own heart: and he ordained a feast to the children of
Israel, and went upon the altar to burn incense.
The Third Book of Kings, Chapter 13
1 And behold there came a man of God out of Juda, by the word of
the Lord to Bethel, when Jeroboam was standing upon the altar,
and burning incense.
2 And he cried out against the altar in the word of the Lord,
and said: O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord: Behold a child
shall be born to the house of David, Josias by name, and he
shall immolate upon thee the priests of the high places, who
now burn incense upon thee, and he shall burn men's bones upon
thee.
3 And he gave a sign the same day, saying: This shall be the
sign, that the Lord hath spoken: Behold the altar shall be
rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.
4 And when the king had heard the word of the man of God, which
he had cried out against the altar in Bethel, he stretched
forth his hand from the altar, saying: Lay hold on him. And
his hand which he stretched forth against him withered: and he
was not able to draw it back again to him.
5 The altar also was rent, and the ashes were poured out from
the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had
given before in the word of the Lord.
6 And the king said to the man of God: Entreat the face of the
Lord thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to
me. And the man of God besought the face of the Lord, and the
king's hand was restored to him, and it became as it was
before.
7 And the king said to the man of God: Come home with me to
dine, and I will make thee presents.
8 And the man of God answered the king: If thou wouldst give me
half thy house I will not go with thee, nor eat bread, nor
drink water in this place:
9 For so it was enjoined me by the word of the Lord commanding
me: Thou shalt not eat bread nor drink water, nor return by
the same way that thou camest.
10 So he departed by another way, and returned not by the way
that he came into Bethel.
11 Now a certain old prophet dwelt in Bethel, and his sons came
to him and told him all the works that the man of God had done
that day in Bethel: and they told their father the words which
he had spoken to the king.
12 And their father said to them: What way went he? His sons
shewed him the way by which the man of God went, who came out
of Juda.
13 And he said to his sons: Saddle me the ass. And when they had
saddled him, he got up,
14 And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under a
turpentine tree: and he said to him: Art thou the man of God
that camest from Juda? He answered: I am.
15 And he said to him: Come home with me, to eat bread.
16 But he said: I must not return, nor go with thee, neither will
I eat bread, nor drink water in this place :
17 Because the Lord spoke to me in the word of the Lord, saying:
Thou shalt not eat bread, and thou shalt not drink water
there, nor return by the way thou wentest.
18 He said to him: I also am a prophet like unto thee: and an
angel spoke to me in the word of the Lord, saying: Bring him
back with thee into thy house, that he may eat bread, and
drink water. He deceived him,
19 And brought him back with him: so he ate bread and drank water
in his house.
20 And as they sat at table, the word of the Lord came to the
prophet that brought him back:
21 And he cried out to the man of God who came out of Juda,
saying : Thus saith the Lord: Because thou hast not been
obedient to the Lord, and hast not kept the commandment which
the Lord thy God commanded thee,
22 And hast returned and eaten bread, and drunk water in the
place wherein he commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat
bread, nor drink water, thy dead body shall not be brought
into the sepulchre of thy fathers.
23 And when he had eaten and drunk, he saddled his ass for the
prophet, whom he had brought back.
24 And when he was gone, a lion found him in the way, and killed
him, and his body was cast in the way: and the ass stood by
him, and the lion stood by the dead body.
25 And behold, men passing by saw the dead body cast in the way,
and the lion standing by the body. And they came and told it
in the city, wherein that old prophet dwelt.
26 And when that prophet, who had brought him back out of the
way, heard of it, he said: It is the man of God, that was
disobedient to the mouth of the Lord, and the Lord hath
delivered him to the lion, and he hath torn him, and killed
him according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke to him.
27 And he said to his sons: Saddle me an ass. And when they had
saddled it,
28 And he was gone, he found the dead body cast in the way, and
the ass and the lion standing by the carcass: the lion had not
eaten of the dead body, nor hurt the ass.
29 And the prophet took up the body of the man of God, and laid
it upon the ass, and going back brought it into the city of
the old prophet, to mourn for him.
30 And he laid his dead body in his own sepulchre: and they
mourned over him, saying: Alas! alas ! my brother.
31 And when they had mourned over him, he said to his sons: When
I am dead, bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God is
buried: lay my bones beside his bones.
32 For assuredly the word shall come to pass which he hath
foretold in the word of the Lord against the altar that is in
Bethel: and against all the temples of the high places, that
are in the cities of Samaria.
33 After these words Jeroboam came not back from his wicked way:
but on the contrary he made of the meanest of the people
priests of the high places: whosoever would, he filled his
hand, and he was made a priest of the high places.
34 And for this cause did the house of Jeroboam sin, and was cut
off and destroyed from the face of the earth.
The Third Book of Kings, Chapter 14
1 At that time Abia the son of Jeroboam fell sick.
2 And Jeroboam said to his wife: Arise, and change thy dress,
that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam, and go to
Silo, where Ahias the prophet is, who told me, that I should
reign over this people.
3 Take also with thee ten leaves, and cracknels, and a pot of
honey, and go to him: for he will tell thee what shall become
of this child.
4 Jeroboam's wife did as he told her: and rising up went to
Silo, and came to the house of Ahias: but he could not see,
for his eyes were dim by reason of his age.
5 And the Lord said to Ahias: Behold the wife of Jeroboam cometh
in, to consult thee concerning her son that is sick: thus and
thus shalt thou speak to her. So when she was coming in, and
made as if she were another woman,
6 Ahias heard the sound of her feet coming in at the door, and
said: Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam: why dost thou feign
thyself to be another? But I am sent to thee with heavy
tidings.
7 Go, and tell Jeroboam: Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel:
Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made
thee prince over my people Israel:
8 And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it
to thee, and thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept
my commandments, and followed me with all his heart, doing
that which was well pleasing in my sight:
9 But hast done evil above all that were before thee, and hast
made thee strange gods and molten gods, to provoke me to
anger, and hast cast me behind thy back:
10 Therefore behold I will bring evils upon the house of
Jeroboam, and will cut of from Jeroboam him that pisseth
against the wall, and him that is shut up, and the last in
Israel: and I will sweep away the remnant of the house of
Jeroboam, as dung is swept away till all be clean.
11 Them that shall die of Jeroboam in the city, the dogs shall
eat: and them that shall die in the field, the birds of the
air shall devour: for the Lord hath spoken it.
12 Arise thou therefore, and go to thy house: and when thy feet
shall be entering into the city, the child shall die,
13 And all Israel shall mourn for him, and shall bury him: for he
only of Jeroboam shall be laid in a sepulchre, be- cause in
his regard there is found a good word from the Lord the God of
Israel, in the house of Jeroboam.
14 And the Lord hath appointed himself a king over Israel, who
shall cut off the house of Jeroboam in this day, and in this
time:
15 And the Lord God shall strike Israel as a reed is shaken in
the water: and he shall root up Israel out of this good land,
which he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond
the river: because they have made to themselves groves, to
provoke the Lord.
16 And the Lord shall give up Israel for the sins of Jeroboam,
who hath sinned, and made Israel to sin.
17 And the wife of Jeroboam arose, and departed, and came to
Thersa: and when she was coming in to the threshold of the
house, the child died;
18 And they buried him. And all Israel mourned for him according
to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by the hand of his
servant Ahias the prophet.
19 And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he fought, and how
he reigned, behold they are written in the book of the words
of the days of the kings of Israel.
20 And the days that Jeroboam reigned, were two and twenty years:
and he slept with his fathers: and Nadab his son reigned in
his stead.
21 And Roboam the son of Solomon reigned in Juda: Roboam was one
and forty years old when he began to reign: and he reigned
seventeen years in Jerusalem the city, which the Lord chose
out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there. And his
mother's name wee Naama an Ammonitess.
22 And Juda did evil in the sight of the Lord, and provoked him
above all that their fathers had done, in their sins which
they committed.
23 For they also built them altars, and statues, and groves upon
every high hill and under every green tree:
24 There were also the effeminate in the land, and they did
according to all the abominations of the people whom the Lord
had destroyed before the face of the children of Israel.
25 And in the fifth year of the reign of Roboam, Sesac king of
Egypt came up against Jerusalem.
26 And he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and
the king's treasures, and carried all off: as also the shields
of gold which Solomon had made.
27 And Roboam made shields of brass instead of them, and
delivered them into the. hand of the captains of the
shieldbearers, and of them that kept watch before the gate of
the king's house.
28 And when the king went into the house of the Lord, they whose
office it was to go before him, carried them: and afterwards
they brought them back to the armoury of the shieldbearers.
29 Now the rest of the sets of Roboam, end all that he did,
behold they are written in the book of the words of the days
of the kings of Juda.
30 And there was war between Roboam and Jeroboam always.
31 And Roboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with them in
the city of David: and his mother's name was Naama an
Ammonitess: and Abiam his son reigned in his stead.
The Third Book of Kings, Chapter 15
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: end 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 end 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 he
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 Nephtali.
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 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.
25 But Nadab the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel the second
year of Asa king of Juda: and he reigned over Israel two
years.
26 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the
ways of his father, and in his sins, wherewith he made Israel
to sin.
27 And Baasa the son of Ahias of the house of Issachar, conspired
against him, and slew him in Gebbethon, which is a city of the
Philistines: for Nadab and all Israel besieged Gebbethon.
28 So Baasa slew him in the third year of Asa king of Juda, and
reigned in his place.
29 And when he was king he cut off all the house of Jeroboam: he
left not so much as one soul of his seed, till he had utterly
destroyed him, according to the word of the Lord, which he had
spoken in the hand of Ahias the Silonite:
30 Because of the sin of Jeroboam, which he had sinned, and
wherewith he had made Israel to sin, and for the offence,
wherewith he provoked the Lord the God of Israel.
31 But the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are
they not written in the book of the words of the days of the
kings of Israel?
32 And there was war between Asa and Baasa the king of Israel all
their days.
33 In the third year of Asa king of Juda, Baasa the son of Ahias
reigned over all Israel, in Thersa, four and twenty years.
34 And he did evil before the Lord, and walked in the ways of
Jeroboam, and in his sins, wherewith he made Israel to sin.
The Third Book of Kings, Chapter 16
1 Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu the son of Hanani
against Baasa, saying :
2 Forasmuch as I have exalted thee out of the dust, and made
thee prince over my people Israel, and thou hast walked in the
way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to
provoke me to anger with their sins:
3 Behold, I will cut down the posterity of Baasa, and the
posterity of his house, and I will make thy house as the house
of Jeroboam the son of Nabat.
4 Him that dieth of Baasa in the city, the dogs shall eat: and
him that dieth of his in the country, the fowls of the air
shall devour.
5 But the rest of the acts of Baasa and all that he did, and his
battles, are they not written in the book of the words of the
days of the kings of Israel?
6 So Baasa slept with his fathers, and was buried in Thersa: and
Ela his son reigned in his stead.
7 And when the word of the Lord came in the hand of Jehu the son
of Hanani the prophet, against Baasa, and against his house,
and against all the evil that he had done before the Lord, to
provoke him to anger by the works of his hands, to become as
the house of Jeroboam: for this cause he slew him, that is to
say, Jehu the son of Hanani, the prophet.
8 In the six and twentieth year of Asa king of Juda, Ela the son
of Baasa reigned over Israel in Thersa two years.
9 And his servant Zambri, who was captain of half the horsemen,
rebelled against him: now Ela was drinking in Thersa, and
drunk in the house of Arsa the governor of Thersa.
10 And Zambri rushing in, struck him and slew him in the seven
and twentieth year of Asa king of Juda, and he reigned in his
stead.
11 And when he was king and sat upon his throne, he slew all the
house of Baasa, and he left not one thereof to piss against a
wall, and all his kinsfolks and friends.
12 And Zambri destroyed all the house of Baasa, according to the
word of the Lord, that he had spoken to Baasa in the hand of
Jehu the prophet,
13 For all the sins of Baasa, and the sins of Ela his son, who
sinned, and made Israel to sin, provoking the Lord the God of
Israel with their vanities.
14 But the rest of the acts of Ela, and all that he did, are they
not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings
of Israel?
15 In the seven and twentieth year of Asa king of Juda, Zambri
reigned seven days in Thersa: now the army was besieging
Gebbethon a city of the Philistines.
16 And when they heard that Zambri had rebelled, and slain the
king, all Israel made Amri their king, who was general over
Israel in the camp that day.
17 And Amri went up, and all Israel with him from Gebbethon, and
they besieged Thersa.
18 And Zambri seeing that the city was about to be taken, went
into the palace and burnt himself with the king's house: and
he died
19 In his sins, which he had sinned, doing evil before the Lord,
and walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin, wherewith
he made Israel to sin.
20 But the rest of the acts of Zambri, and of his conspiracy and
tyranny, are they not written in the book of the words of the
days of the kings of Israel?
21 Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: one
half of the people followed Thebni the son of Gineth, to make
him king: and one half followed Amri.
22 But the people that were with Amri, prevailed over the people
that followed Thebni the son of Gineth: and Thebni died, and
Amri reigned.
23 In the one and thirtieth year of Asa king of Juda, Amri
reigned over Israel twelve years: in Thersa he reigned six
years.
24 And he bought the hill of Samaria of Semer for two talents of
silver: and he built upon it, and he called the city which he
built Samaria, after the name of Semer the owner of the hill.
25 And Amri did evil in the sight of the Lord, and acted wickedly
above all that were before him.
26 And he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, and
in his sins wherewith he made Israel to sin: to provoke the
Lord the God of Israel to anger with their vanities.
27 Now the rest of the acts of Amri, and the battles he fought,
are they not written in the book of the words of the days of
the kings of Israel?
28 And d Amri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria,
and Achab his son reigned in his stead.
29 Now Achab the son of Amri reigned over Israel in the eight and
thirtieth year of Asa king of Juda. And Achab the son of Amri
reigned over Israel in Samaria two and twenty years.
30 And Achab the son of Amri did evil in the sight of the Lord
above all that were before him.
31 Nor was it enough for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the
son of Nabat: but he also took to wife Jezabel daughter of
Ethbaal king of the Sidonians. And he went, and served Baal,
and adored him.
32 And he set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal, which
he had built in Samaria,
33 And he planted a grove: and Achab did more to provoke the Lord
the God of Israel, than all the kings of Israel that were
before him.
34 In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho: in Abiram his
firstborn he laid its foundations: and in his youngest son
Segub he set up the gates thereof: according to the word of
the Lord, which he spoke in the hand of Josue the son of Nun.
The Third Book of Kings, Chapter 17
1 And Elias the Thesbite of the inhabitants of Galaad said to
Achab: As the Lord liveth the God of Israel, in whose sight I
stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but
according to the words of my mouth.
2 And the word of the Lord came to him, saying:
3 Get thee hence, and go towards the east and hide thyself by
the torrent of Carith, which is over against the Jordan,
4 And there thou shalt drink of the torrent: and I have
commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
5 So he went, and did according to the word of the Lord: and
going, he dwelt by the torrent Carith, which is over against
the Jordan.
6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and
bread and flesh in the evening, and he drank of tile torrent.
7 But after some time the torrent was dried up, for it had not
rained upon the earth.
8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying:
9 Arise, and go to Sarephta of the Sidonians, and dwell there:
for I have commanded a widow woman there to feed thee.
10 He arose, and went to Sarephta. And when he was come to the
gate of the city, he saw the widow woman gathering sticks, and
he called her, and said to her: Give me a little water in a
vessel, that I may drink.
11 And when she was going to fetch it he called after her,
saying: Bring me also, I beseech thee, a morsel of bread in
thy hand.
12 And she answered: As the Lord thy God liveth, I have no bread,
but only a handful of meal in a pot, and a little oil in a
cruse: behold I am gathering two sticks that I may go in and
dress it, for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
13 And Elias said to her: Fear not, but go, and do as thou hast
said: but first make for me of the same meal a little hearth
cake, and bring it to me: and after make for thyself and thy
son.
14 For thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: The pot of meal
shall not waste, nor the cruse of oil be diminished, until the
day wherein the Lord will give rain upon the face of the
earth.
15 She went and did according to the word of Elias: and he ate,
and she, and her house: and from that day
16 The pot of meal wasted not, and the cruse of oil was not
diminished, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke
in the hand of Elias.
17 And it came to pass after this that the son of the woman, the
mistress of the house, fell sick, and the sickness was very
grievous, so that there was no breath left in him.
18 And she said to Elias: What have I to do with thee, thou man
of God? art thou come to me that my iniquities should be
remembered, and that thou shouldst kill my son?
19 And Elias said to her: Give me thy son. And he took him out of
her bosom, and carried him into the upper chamber where he
abode, and laid him upon his own bed.
20 And he cried to the Lord, and said: O Lord my God, hast thou
afflicted also the widow, with whom I am after a so
maintained, so as to kill her son?
21 And he stretched, and measured himself upon the child three
times, and cried to the Lord, and said: O Lord my God, let the
soul of this child, I beseech thee, return into his body.
22 And the Lord heard the voice of Elias: and the soul of the
child returned into him, and he revived.
23 And Elias took the child, and brought him down from the upper
chamber to the house below, and delivered him to his mother,
and said to her: Behold thy son liveth.
24 And the woman said to Elias: Now, by this I know that thou art
a man of God, and the word of the Lord in thy mouth is true.
The Third Book of Kings, Chapter 18
1 After many days the word of the Lord came to Elias, in the
third year, saying: Go and shew thyself to Achab, that I may
give rain upon the face of the earth.
2 And Elias went to shew himself to Achab, and there was a
grievous famine in Samaria.
3 And Achab called Abdias the governor of his house: now Abdias
feared the Lord very much.
4 For when Jezabel killed the prophets of the Lord, he took a
hundred prophets and hid them by fifty and fifty in caves, and
fed them with bread and water.
5 And Achab said to Abdias: Go into the land unto all fountains
of waters, and into all valleys, to see if we can find grass,
and save the horses and mules, that the beasts may not utterly
perish.
6 And they divided the countries between them, that they might
go round about them: Achab went one way, and Abdias another
way by himself.
7 And as Abdias was in the way, Elias met him: and he knew him,
and fell on his face, and said: Art thou my lord Elias?
8 And he answered: I am. Go, and tell thy master: Elias is here.
9 And he said: What have I sinned, that thou wouldst deliver me
thy servant into the hand of Achab, that he should kill me?
10 As the Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom,
whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee : and when all
answered: He is not here: he took an oath of every kingdom and
nation, because thou wast not found.
11 And now thou sayest to me: Go, and tell thy master: Elias is
here.
12 And when I am gone from thee, the spirit of the Lord will
carry thee into a place that I know not: and I shall go in and
tell Achab, and he not finding thee, will kill me: but thy
servant feareth the Lord from his infancy.
13 Hath it not been told thee, my lord, what I did when Jezabel
killed the prophets of the Lord, how I hid a hundred men of
the prophets of the Lord, by fifty and fifty in caves, and fed
them with bread and water?
14 And now thou sayest: Go, and tell thy master: Elias is here:
that he may kill me.
15 And Elias said: As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whose face
I stand, this day I will shew myself unto him.
16 Abdias therefore went to meet Achab, and told him: and Achab
came to meet Elias.
17 And when he had seen him, he said: Art thou he that troublest
Israel?
18 And he said: I have not troubled Israel, but thou and thy
father's house, who have forsaken the commandments of the
Lord, and have followed Baalim.
19 Nevertheless send now, and gather unto me all Israel, unto
mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty,
and the prophets of the groves four hundred, who eat at
Jezabel's table.
20 Achab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered
together the prophets unto mount Carmel.
21 And Elias coming to all the people, said: How long do you halt
between two sides? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if
Baal, then follow him. And the people did not answer him a
word.
22 And Elias said again to the people: I only remain a prophet of
the Lord: but the prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty
men.
23 Let two bullocks be given us, and let them choose one bullock
for themselves, and cut it in pieces and lay it upon wood, but
put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay
it on wood, and put no fire under it.
24 Call ye on the names of your gods, and I will call on the name
of my Lord: and the God that shall answer by fire, let him be
God. And all the people answering said: A very good proposal.
25 Then Elias said to the prophets of Baal: Choose you one
bullock and dress it first, because you are many: and call on
the names of your gods, but put no fire under.
26 And they took the bullock which he gave them, and dressed it:
and they called on the name of Baal from morning even till
noon, saying: O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any
that answered: and they leaped over the altar that they had
made.
27 And when it was now noon, Elias jested at them, saying: Cry
with a louder voice: for he is a God, and perhaps he is
talking, or is in an inn, or on a journey, or perhaps he is
asleep, and must be awaked.
28 So they cried with a loud voice, and cut themselves after
their manner with knives and lancets, till they were all
covered with blood.
29 And after midday was past, and while they were prophesying,
the time was come of offering sacrifice, and there was no
voice heard, nor did any one answer, nor regard them as they
prayed:
30 Elias said to all the people: Come se unto me. And the people
coming near unto him, he repaired the altar of the Lord, that
was broken down:
31 And he took twelve stones according to the number of the
tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord
came, saying: Israel shall be thy name.
32 And he built with the stones an altar to the name of the Lord:
and he made a trench for water, of the breadth of two furrows
round about the altar.
33 And he laid the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces,
and laid it upon the wood.
34 And he said: Fill four buckets with water, and pour it upon
the burnt offering, and upon the wood. And again he said: Do
the same the second time. And when they had done it the second
time, he said: Do the same also the third time. And they did
so the third time.
35 And the water run round about the altar, and the trench was
filled with water.
36 And when it was now time to offer the holocaust, Elias the
prophet came near and said: O Lord God of Abraham, and Isaac,
and Israel, shew this day that thou art the God of Israel, and
I thy servant, and that according to thy commandment I have
done all these things.
37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me: that this people may learn, that
thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart
again.
38 Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the holocaust,
and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the
water that was in the trench.
39 And when all the people saw this, they fell on their faces,
and they said: The Lord he is God, the Lord he is God.
40 And Elias said to them: Take the prophets of Baal, and let not
one of them escape. And when they had taken them, Elias
brought them down to the torrent Cison, and killed them there.
41 And Elias said to Achab: Go up, eat, and drink: for there is
a sound of abundance of rain.
42 Achab went up to eat and drink: and Elias went up to the top
of Carmel, and casting himself down upon the earth put his
face between his knees,
43 And he said to his servant: Go up, and look toward the sea.
And he went up, and looked, and said: There is nothing. And
again he said to him: Return seven times.
44 And at the seventh time, behold, a little cloud arose out of
the sea like a man's foot. And he said: Go up and say to
Achab: Prepare thy chariot and go down, lest the rain prevent
thee.
45 And while he turned himself this way and that way, behold the
heavens grew dark, with clouds, and wind, and there fell a
great rain. And Achab getting up went away to Jezrahel:
46 And the hand of the Lord was upon Elias, and he girded up his
loins and ran before Achab, till he came to Jezrahel.
The Third Book of Kings, Chapter 19
1 And Achab told Jezabel all that Elias had done, and how he had
slain all the prophets with the sword.
2 And Jezabel sent a messenger to Elias, saying: Such and such
things may the gods do to me, and add still more, if by this
hour to morrow I make not thy life as the life of one of them.
3 Then Elias was afraid, and rising up he went whithersoever he
had a mind: and he came to Bersabee of Juda, and left his
servant there,
4 And he went forward, one day's journey into the desert. And
when he was there, and sat under a juniper tree, he requested
for his soul that he might die, and said: It is enough for me,
Lord, take away my soul: for I am no better than my fathers.
5 And he cast himself down, end slept in the shadow of the
juniper tree: and behold an angel of the Lord touched him, and
said to him: Arise and eat.
6 He looked, and behold there was at his head a hearth cake, and
a vessel of water: and he ate and drank, and he fell asleep
again.
7 And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and
touched him, and said to him: Arise, eat: for thou hast yet a
great way to go.
8 And he arose, and ate, and drank, and walked in the strength
of that food forty days and forty nights, unto the mount of
God, Horeb.
9 And when he was come thither, he abode in a cave: and behold
the word of the Lord came unto him, and he said to him: What
dost thou here, Elias?
10 And he answered: With zeal have I been zealous for the Lord
God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy
covenant: they have thrown down thy altars, they have slain
thy prophets with the sword, and I alone am left, and they
seek my life to take it away.
11 And he said to him: Go forth, and stand upon the mount before
the Lord: and behold the Lord passeth, and a great and strong
wind before the Lord over throwing the mountains, and breaking
the rocks in pieces: the Lord is not in the wind, and after
the wind an earthquake: the Lord is not in the earthquake.
12 And after the earthquake a fire: the Lord is not in the fire,
and after the fire a whistling of a gentle air.
13 And when Elias heard it, he covered his face with his mantle,
and coming forth stood in the entering in of the cave, and
behold a voice unto him, saying: What dost thou here, Elias?
And he answered:
14 With zeal have I been zealous for the Lord God of hosts:
because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant:
they have destroyed thy altars, they have slain thy prophets
with the sword, and I alone am left, and they seek my life to
take it away.
15 And the Lord said to him: Go, and return on thy way through
the desert to Damascus: and when thou art come thither, thou
shalt anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.
16 And thou shalt anoint Jehu the son of Namsi to be king over
Israel: and Eliseus the son of Saphat, of Abelmeula, thou
shalt anoint to be prophet in thy room.
17 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall escape the
sword of Hazael, shall be slain by Jehu: and whosoever shall
escape the sword of Jehu, shall be slain by Eliseus.
18 And I will leave me seven thousand men in Israel, whose knees
have not been bowed before Baal, and every mouth that hath not
worshipped him kissing the hands.
19 And Elias departing from thence, found Eliseus the son of
Saphat, ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen: and he was one of
them that were ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen: and when
Elias came up to him, he cast his mantle upon him.
20 And he forthwith left the oxen and ran after Elias, and said:
Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I
will follow thee. And he said to him: Go, and return back: for
that which was my part, I have done to thee.
21 And returning back from him, he took a yoke of oxen, and
killed them, and boiled the flesh with the plough of the oxen,
and gave to the people, and they ate: and rising up he went
away, and followed Elias, and ministered to him.
The Third Book of Kings, Chapter 20
1 And Benadad, king of Syria, gathered together all his host,
and there were two and thirty kings with him, and horses, and
chariots: and going up, he fought against Samaria, and
besieged it.
2 And, sending messengers to Achab king of Israel into the city,
3 He said: Thus saith Benadad: Thy silver, and thy gold is mine:
and thy wives, and thy goodliest children are mine.
4 And the king of Israel answered: According to thy word, my
lord 0 king, I am thine, and all that I have.
5 And the messengers came again, and said: Thus saith Benadad,
who sent us unto thee: Thy silver, and thy gold, and thy
wives, and thy children thou shalt deliver up to me.
6 To morrow therefore at this same hour I will send my servants
to thee, and they shall search thy house, and the houses of
thy servants: and all that pleaseth them, they shall put in
their hands, and take away.
7 And the king of Israel called all the ancients of the land,
and said: Mark, and see that he layeth snares for us. For he
sent to me for my wives, and for my children, and for my
silver and gold: and I said not nay.
8 And all the ancients, and all the people said to him: Hearken
not to him, nor consent to him.
9 Wherefore he answered the messengers of Benadad: Tell my lord
the king: All that thou didst send for to me thy servant at
first, I will do: but this thing I cannot do.
10 And the messengers returning brought him word. And he sent
again and said: Such and such things may the gods do to me,
and more may they add, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice
for handfuls for all the people that follow me.
11 And the king of Israel answering, said: Tell him: Let not the
girded boast himself as the ungirded.
12 And it came to pass, when Benadad heard this word, that he and
the kings were drinking in pavilions, and he said to his
servants: Beset the city. And they beset it.
13 And behold a prophet coming to Achab king of Israel, said to
him: Thus saith the Lord: Hast thou seen all this exceeding
great multitude, behold I will deliver them into thy hand this
day: that thou mayest know that I am the Lord.
14 And Achab said: By whom? And he said to him: Thus saith the
Lord: By the servants of the princes of the provinces. And he
said: Who shall begin to fight? And he said: Thou.
15 So he mustered the servants of the princes of the provinces,
and he found the number of two hundred and thirty-two: and he
mustered after them the people, all the children of Israel,
seven thousand:
16 And they went out at noon. But Benadad was drinking himself
drunk in his pavilion, and the two and thirty kings with him,
who were come to help him.
17 And the servants of the princes of the provinces went out
first. And Benadad sent. And they told him, saying: There are
men come out of Samaria.
18 And he said: Whether they come for peace, take them alive: or
whether they come to fight, take them alive.
19 So the servants of the princes of the provinces went out, and
the rest of the army followed:
20 And every one slew the man that came against him: and the
Syrians fled, and Israel pursued after them. And Benadad king
of Syria fled away on horseback with his horsemen.
21 But the king of Israel going out overthrew the horses and
chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.
22 (And a prophet coming to the king of Israel, said to him: Go,
and strengthen thyself, and know, and see what thou dost: for
the next year the king of Syria will come up against thee.)
23 But the servants of the king of Syria said to him: Their gods
are gods of the hills, therefore they have overcome us: but it
is better that we should fight against them in the plains, and
we shall overcome them.
24 Do thou therefore this thing: Remove all the kings from thy
army, and put captains in their stead:
25 And make up the number of soldiers that have been slain of
thine, and horses according to the former horses, and chariots
according to the chariots which thou hadst before: and we will
fight against them in the plains, and thou shalt see that we
shall overcome them. He believed their counsel and did so.
26 Wherefore at the return of the year, p Benadad mustered the
Syrians, ancient up to Aphec, to fight against Israel.
27 And the children of Israel were mustered, and taking victuals
went out on the other side, and camped over against them, like
two little hocks of goats: but the Syrians filled the land.
28 (And a man of God coming, said to the king of Israel: Thus
saith the Lord: Because the Syrians have said: The Lord is God
of the hills, but is not God of the valleys: I will deliver
all this great multitude into thy hand, and you shall know
that I am the Lord.)
29 And both sides set their armies in array one against the other
seven days, and on the seventh day the battle was fought: and
the children of Israel slew of the Syrians a hundred thousand
footmen in one day.
30 And they that remained fled to Aphec, into the city: and the
wall fell upon seven and twenty thousand men, that were left.
And Benadad fleeing went into the city, into a chamber that
was within a chamber.
31 And his servants said to him: Behold, we have heard that the
kings of the house of Israel are merciful: so let us put
sackcloth on our loins, and ropes on our heads, and go out to
the king of Israel: perhaps he will save our lives.
32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on
their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said to him:
Thy servant Benadad saith: I beseech thee let me have my life.
And he said: If he be yet alive he is my brother.
33 The men took this for a sign: and in haste caught the word out
of his mouth, and said: Thy brother Benadad. And he said to
them: Go, and bring him to me. Then Benadad came out to him,
and he lifted him up into his chariot.
34 And he said to him: The cities which my father took from thy
father, I will restore: and do thou make thee streets in
Damascus, as my father made in Samaria, and having made a
league I will depart from thee. So he made a league with him,
and let him go.
35 Then a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his
companion in the word of the Lord: Strike me. But he would not
strike.
36 Then he said to him: Because thou wouldst not hearken to the
word of the Lord, behold then shalt depart from me, and a lion
shall slay thee. And when he was gone a little from him, a
lion found him, and slew him.
37 Then he found another man, and said to him: Strike me. And he
struck him, and wounded him.
38 So the prophet went, and met the king in the way, and
disguised himself by sprinkling dust on his face and his eyes.
39 And as the king passed by, he cried to the king, and said: Thy
servant went out to fight hand to hand: and when a certain man
was run away, one brought him to me, and said: Keep this man:
and if he shall slip away, thy life shall be for his life, or
thou shalt pay a talent of silver.
40 And whilst I in a hurry turned this way and that, on a sudden
he was not to be seen. And the king of Israel said to him:
This is thy judgment, which thyself hast decreed.
41 But he forthwith wiped off the dust from his face, and the
king of Israel knew him, that he was one of the prophets.
42 And he said to him: Thus saith the Lord: Because thou hast let
go out of thy hand a mall worthy of death, thy life shall be
for his life, and thy people for his people.
43 And the king of Israel returned to his house, slighting to
hear, and raging came into Samaria.
The Third Book of Kings, Chapter 21
1 And after these things, Naboth the Jezrahelite, who was in
Jezrahel, had at that time a vineyard near the palace of Achab
king of Samaria.
2 And Achab spoke to Naboth, saying: Give me thy vineyard, that
I may make me a garden of herbs, because it is nigh, and
adjoining to my house, and I will give thee for it a better
vineyard: or if thou think it more convenient for thee, I will
give thee the worth of it in money.
3 Naboth answered him: The Lord be merciful to me, and not let
me give thee the inheritance of my fathers.
4 And Achab came into his house angry and fretting, because of
the word that Naboth the Jezrahelite had spoken to him,
saying: I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers.
And casting himself upon his bed, he turned away his face to
the wall, and would eat no bread.
5 And Jezabel his wife went in to him, and said to him: What is
the matter that thy soul is so grieved? and why eatest thou no
bread ?
6 And he answered her: I spoke to Naboth the Jezrahelite, and
said to him: Give me thy vineyard, and take money for it: or
if it please thee, I will give thee a better vineyard for it.
And he said: I will not give thee my vineyard.
7 Then Jezabel his wife said to him: Thou art of great authority
indeed, and governest well the kingdom of Israel. Arise, and
eat bread, and be of good cheer, I will give thee the vineyard
of Naboth the Jezrahelite.
8 So she wrote letter's in Achab's name, and sealed them with
his ring, and sent them to the ancients, and the chief men
that were in his city, and that dwelt with Naboth.
9 And this was the tenor of the letters: Proclaim a fast, and
make Naboth sit among the chief of the people,
10 And suborn two men, sons of Belial against him, and let them
bear false witness: that he hath blasphemed God and the king:
and then carry him out, and stone him, and so let him die.
11 And the men of his city, the ancients and nobles, that dwelt
with him in the city, did as Jezabel had commanded them, and
as it was written in the letters which she had sent to them:
12 They proclaimed a fast, and made Naboth sit among the chief of
the people.
13 And bringing two men, sons of the devil, they made them sit
against him: and they, like men of the devil, bore witness
against him before the people, saying: Naboth hath blasphemed
God and the king: wherefore they brought him forth without the
city, and stoned him to death.
14 And they sent to Jezabel, saying: Naboth is stoned, and is
dead.
15 And it came to pass when Jezabel heard that Naboth was stoned,
and dead, that she said to Achab: Arise and take possession of
the vineyard of Naboth the Jezrahelite, who would not agree
with thee, and give it thee for money: for Naboth is not
alive, but dead.
16 And when Achab heard this, to wit, that Naboth was dead, he
arose, and went down to the vineyard of Naboth the
Jezrahelite, to take possession of it.
17 And the word of the Lord came to Elias the Thesbite, saying:
18 Arise, and go down to meet Achab king of Israel, who is in
Samaria: behold he is going down to the vineyard of Naboth, to
take possession of it:
19 And thou shalt speak to him, saying: Thus saith the Lord: Thou
hast slain, moreover also thou hast taken possession. And
after these words thou shalt add: Thus saith the Lord: In this
place, wherein the dogs have licked the blood of Naboth, they
shall lick thy blood also.
20 And Achab said to Elias: Hast thou found me thy enemy? He
said: I have found thee, because thou art sold, to do evil in
the sight of the Lord.
21 Behold I will bring evil upon thee, and I will cut down thy
posterity, and I will kill of Achab him that pisseth against
the wall, and him that is shut up, and the last in Israel.
22 And I will make thy house like the t house of Jeroboam the son
of Nabat, and like the house of Baasa the son of Ahias: for
what thou hast done, to provoke me to anger, and for making
Israel to sin.
23 And of Jezabel also the Lord spoke, saying: The dogs shall eat
Jezabel in the field of Jezrahel.
24 If Achab die in the city, the dogs shall eat him: but if he
die in the field, the birds of the air shall eat him.
25 Now there was not such another as Achab, who was sold to do
evil in the sight of the Lord: for his wife Jezabel set him
on,
26 And he became abominable, insomuch that he followed the idols
which the Amorrhites had made, whom the Lord destroyed before
the face of the children of Israel.
27 And when Achab had heard these words, he rent his garments,
and put haircloth upon his flesh, and fasted and slept in
sackcloth, and walked with his head cast down.
28 And the word of the Lord came to Elias the Thesbite, saying:
29 Hast thou not seen Achab humbled before me? therefore, because
he hath humbled himself for my sake, I will not bring the evil
in his days, but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon
his house.
The Third Book of Kings, Chapter 22
1 And there passed three years without war between Syria and
Israel.
2 And in the third year, Josaphat king of Juda came down to the
king of Israel.
3 (And the king of Israel said to his servants: Know ye not-that
Ramoth Galaad is ours, and we neglect to take it out of the
hand of the king of Syria?)
4 And he said to Josaphat: Wilt thou come with me to battle to
Ramoth Galaad?
5 And Josaphat said to the king of Israel: As I am, so art thou:
my people and thy people are one: and my horsemen, thy
horsemen. And Josaphat said to the king of Israel: Inquire, I
beseech thee, this day, the word of the Lord.
6 Then the king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four
hundred men, and he said to them: Shall I go to Ramoth Galaad
to fight, or shall I forbear? They answered: Go up, and the
Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.
7 And Josaphat said: Is there not here some prophet of the Lord,
that we may inquire by him?
8 And the king of Israel said to Josaphat: There is one man
left, by whom we may inquire of the Lord: Micheas the son of
Jemla; but I hate him, for he doth not prophesy good to me,
but evil. And Josaphat said: Speak not so, O king.
9 Then the king of Israel called an eunuch, and said to him:
Make haste, and bring hither Micheas the son of Jemla.
10 Then the king of Israel, and Josaphat king of Juda, sat each
on his throne clothed with royal robes, in a court by the
entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets
prophesied before them.
11 And Sedecias the son of Chanaana made himself horns of iron,
and said: Thus saith the Lord: With these shalt thou push
Syria, till thou destroy it.
12 And all the prophets prophesied in like manner, saying: Go up
to Ramoth Galaad, and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it
into the king's hands.
13 And the messenger, that went to call Micheas, spoke to him,
saying: Behold the words of the prophets with one month
declare good things to the king: let thy word therefore be
like to theirs, and speak that which is good.
14 But Micheas said to him: As the Lord liveth, whatsoever the
Lord shall say to me, that will I speak.
15 So he came to the king, and the king said to him: Micheas,
shall we go to Ramoth Galaad to battle, or shall we forbear?
He answered him: Go up, and prosper, and the Lord shall
deliver it into the king's hands.
16 But the king said to him: I adjure thee again and again, that
thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the
Lord.
17 And he said: I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, like
sheep that have no shepherd: and the Lord said: These have no
master: let every man of them return to his house in peace.
18 (Then the king of Israel said to Josaphat: Did I not tell
thee, that he prophesieth no good to me, but always evil ?)
19 And he added and said: Hear thou therefore the word of the
Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the army
of heaven standing by him on the right hand and on the left:
20 And the Lord said: Who shall deceive Achab king of Israel,
that he may go up, and fall at Ramoth Galaad? And one spoke
words of this manner, and another otherwise.
21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and
said: I will deceive him. And the Lord said to him: By what
means?
22 And he said: I will go forth, and be a lying spirit in the
mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said: Thou shalt
deceive him, and shalt prevail: a go forth, and do so.
23 Now therefore behold the Lord hath given a lying spirit in the
mouth of all thy prophets that are here, and the Lord hath
spoken evil against thee.
24 And Sedecias the son of Chanaana came, and struck Micheas on
the cheek, and said: Hath then the spirit of the Lord left me,
and spoken to thee?
25 And Micheas said: Thou shalt see in the day when thou shalt go
into a chamber within a chamber to hide thyself.
26 And the king of Israel said: Take Micheas, and let him abide
with Ammon the governor of the city, and with Joas the son of
Amalech.
27 And tell them: Thus saith the king: Put this man in prison,
and feed him with bread of affliction, and water of distress,
till I return in peace.
28 And Micheas said: If thou return in peace, the Lord hath not
spoken by me. And he said: Hear, all ye people.
29 So the king of Israel, and Josaphat king of Juda went up to
Ramoth Galaad.
30 And the king of Israel said to Josaphat: Take armour, and go
into the battle, and put on thy own garments. But the king of
Israel changed his dress, and went into the battle.
31 And the king of Syria had commanded the two and thirty
captains of the chariots, saying: You shall not fight against
any, small or great, but against the king of Israel only.
32 So when the captains of the chariots saw Josaphat, they
suspected that he was the king of Israel, and making a violent
assault they fought against him: and Josaphat cried out.
33 And the captains of the chariots perceived that he was not the
king of and they turned away from him.
34 And a certain man bent his bow, shooting at a venture, and
chanced to strike the king of Israel between the lungs and the
stomach. But he said to the driver of his chariot: Turn thy
hand, and carry me out of the army, for I am grievously
wounded.
35 And the battle was fought that day, and the king of Israel
stood in his chariot against the Syrians, and he died in the
evening: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of
the chariot.
36 And the herald proclaimed through all the army before the sun
set, saying: Let every man return to his own city, and to his
own country.
37 And the king died, b and was carried into Samaria: and they
buried the king in Samaria.
38 And they washed his chariot in the pool of Samaria, and the
dogs licked up his blood, and they washed the reins, according
to the word of the Lord which he had spoken.
39 But the rest of the acts of Achab, and all that he did, and
the house of ivory that he made, and all the cities that he
built, are they not written in the book of the words of the
days of the kings of Israel?
40 So Achab slept with his fathers, and Ochozias his son reigned
in his stead.
41 But Josaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Juda in the
fourth year of Achab king of Israel.
42 He was five and thirty years old when he began to reign, and
he reigned five and twenty years in Jerusalem: the name of his
mother was Azuba the daughter of Salai.
43 And he walked in all the way of Asa his father, and he
declined not from it: and he did that which was right in the
sight of the Lord.
44 Nevertheless he took not away the high places: for as Set the
people offered sacrifices and burnt incense in the high
places.
45 And Josaphat had peace with the king of Israel.
46 But the rest of the acts of Josaphat, and his works which he
did, and his bat- ties, are they not written in the book of
the words of the days of the kings of Juda?
47 And the remnant also of the effeminate, who remained in the
days of Asa his father, he took out of the land.
48 And there was then no king appointed in Edom.
49 But king Josaphat made navies on the sea, to sail into Ophir
for gold: but they could not go, for the ships were broken in
Asiongaber.
50 Then Ochozias the ton of Achab said to Josaphat: Let my
servants go with thy servants in the ships. And Josaphat would
not.
51 And Josaphat slept with his fathers. and was buried with them
in the city of David his father: and Joram his son reigned in
his stead.
52 And Ochozias the son of Achab began to reign over Israel in
Samaria, in the seventeenth gear of Josaphat king of Juda, and
he reigned over Israel two years,
53 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the
way of his father and his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam
the son of Nabat, who made Israel to sin.
54 He served also Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked the Lord
the God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.
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