1 Kings 4 Cross References - ISV

¹ Solomon’s AdministrationAnd so King Solomon ruled over all of Israel. ² Here’s a list of his officials: Zadok’s son Azariah was priest, ³ Shisha’s sons Elihoreph and Ahijah were his secretaries, Ahilud’s son Jehoshaphat was recorder, ⁴ Jehoiada’s son Benaiah commanded the army, Zadok and Abiathar served as priests, ⁵ Nathan’s son Azariah supervised the governors, Nathan’s son Zabud the priest was the king’s counselor, ⁶ Ahishar supervised palace matters, and Abda’s son Adoniram supervised conscripted labor. ⁷ Solomon also appointed twelve governors over all of Israel, each of whom were responsible for providing one month’s food provisions to the king and to his administration during each year.
⁸ Here’s a list of their names: Ben-hur from the hill country of Ephraim; ⁹ Ben-deker in Makaz, Shaalbim and Beth-shemesh and Elonbeth-hanan; ¹⁰ Ben-hesed served in Arubboth (where he supervised Socoh and all of the territory of Hepher); ¹¹ Ben-abinadab supervised the Dor heights (Solomon’s daughter Taphath was his wife); ¹² Ahilud’s son Baana served Taanach, Megiddo, and all of Beth-shean near Zarethan below Jezreel, including from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah as far as the other side of Jokmeam; ¹³ Ben-geber in Ramoth-gilead, including the towns that belonged to Manasseh’s descendant Jair that are in Gilead; ¹⁴ Iddo’s son Ahinadab served in Mahanaim; ¹⁵ Ahimaaz served in Naphtali (he was married to Solomon’s daughter Basemath); ¹⁶ Hushai’s son Baana served in Asher and Bealoth; ¹⁷ Paruah’s son Jehoshaphat served in Issachar; ¹⁸ Ela’s son Shimei served in Benjamin; ¹⁹ and Uri’s son Geber served in the territory of Gilead, the territory formerly ruled by King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan (he was the only governor over that territory).
²⁰ Solomon’s MagnificenceJudah and Israel became as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They enjoyed abundance, and ate, drank, and rejoiced regularly. ²¹ Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the territory of the Philistines and south to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon throughout his lifetime. ²² Solomon’s daily provisions were 30 kors of fine flour, 60 kors of meal, ²³ ten fattened oxen, 20 pasture-fed cattle, 100 sheep, as well as deer, gazelles, roebucks, and domestic poultry. ²⁴ He ruled over everything west of the Euphrates River from Tiphsah to Gaza, over all of the kings west of the Euphrates River, and he enjoyed peace on all sides around him.
²⁵ Judah and Israel lived safely, and everyone enjoyed their own vine and fig tree from Dan to Beer-sheba through all of Solomon’s life. ²⁶ Solomon owned 40,000 stalls for the horses that drove his chariots, and he employed 12,000 men to drive them. ²⁷ His officers supplied provisions for King Solomon and for everyone who visited King Solomon’s palace, each in their respective month of service responsibility. Nothing ever ran out. ²⁸ They also provided barley and straw for the horses and camels to their respective locations, each consistent with their responsibilities.
²⁹ Solomon’s FameGod gave Solomon wisdom and great discernment. His insights were as numerous as sand on the seashore. ³⁰ Solomon was wiser than any of the eastern leaders and wiser than anyone in Egypt. ³¹ He was wiser than anyone of his day—wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, and wiser than Mahol’s sons Calcol and Darda.
His reputation was known throughout the surrounding nations. ³² Solomon wrote 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs. ³³ He described trees—everything from cedars that grow in Lebanon to hyssop that grows on a garden wall. He described animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. ³⁴ People came from everywhere to hear Solomon’s advice. Every king on the earth heard of his wisdom.

⁵ He reigned over Judah for seven years and six months in Hebron, and he reigned over all of Israel including Judah for 33 years in Jerusalem.

¹³ For the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, I won’t tear away the entire kingdom. I’ll leave one tribe for your son to govern.”

³⁵ but I will take the kingdom away from his son’s control and give ten tribes to you. ³⁶ I’ll give one tribe to his son, so my servant David will always have a light shining in my presence in Jerusalem, the city that I chose for myself and where I have placed my name.

¹⁹ That’s how Israel came to be in rebellion against David’s dynasty to this day.
²⁰ Jeroboam Reigns over Israel
Now when all of Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent for him and invited him to visit their assembly, where they installed him as king over all of Israel. Nobody (with the sole exception of the tribe of Judah) would align with David’s dynasty.

³⁸ All these warriors arrived in battle order at Hebron, fully intending to establish David as king over all Israel. Furthermore, all of the rest of Israel were united in their intent to make David king.

³⁰ Solomon reigned for 40 years in Jerusalem over all of Israel.

¹² A Testimony to an Unwise SearchI, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.

²¹ You are to look for capable men among the people, men who fear God, men of integrity who hate dishonest gain. You are to set these men over them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.

¹⁵ David’s Leaders
David reigned over all of Israel, administering justice and equity to every one of his people. ¹⁶ Zeruiah’s son Joab served in charge of the army, Ahilud’s son Jehoshaphat was his personal archivist, ¹⁷ Ahitub’s son Zadok and Abiathar’s son Ahimelech were priests, Seraiah was his personal secretary, ¹⁸ Jehoida’s son Benaiah supervised the special forces and mercenaries, and David’s sons were priests.

²³ Joab commanded the entire army of Israel, Jehoiada’s son Benaiah commanded the special forces and mercenaries, ²⁴ Adoram supervised conscripted labor, Ahilud’s son Jehoshaphat was the recorder, ²⁵ Sheva was secretary, Zadok and Abiathar were priests, ²⁶ and Ira the Jairite was David’s priest.

⁸ Ahitub fathered Zadok, Zadok fathered Ahimaaz, ⁹ Ahimaaz fathered Azariah, Azariah fathered Johanan, ¹⁰ and Johanan fathered Azariah, who served as priest in the Temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem.

¹⁷ for Levi there was Kemuel’s son Hashabiah; for Aaron there was Zadok;

²⁸ God has appointed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then those who perform miracles, those who have gifts of healing, those who help others, administrators, and those who speak various kinds of languages.

¹⁶ Zeruiah’s son Joab served in charge of the army, Ahilud’s son Jehoshaphat was his personal archivist,

²⁴ Adoram supervised conscripted labor, Ahilud’s son Jehoshaphat was the recorder, ²⁵ Sheva was secretary, Zadok and Abiathar were priests,

⁶ David later erected garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans were placed under servitude to David, to whom they paid tribute.

¹⁵ Zeruiah’s son Joab served in charge of the army, Ahilud’s son Jehoshaphat was his personal archivist,

⁶ “Upon your walls, Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen; all day and all night they won’t remain silent. You who make mention of the LORD, take no rest,

²⁶ The king also told Abiathar the priest, “Go home to Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I won’t kill you today, because you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before my father David and because you shared all the troubles that my father went through.” ²⁷ So Solomon fired Abiathar as the LORD’s priest, thus fulfilling the promise that the LORD had spoken in Shiloh concerning Eli’s household.

³⁵ The king appointed Jehoiada’s son Benaiah in charge of the army to replace Joab and also appointed Zadok the priest to replace Abiathar.

² he told the prophet Nathan, “Look now, I’m living in a cedar palace, but the Ark of God resides behind a tent curtain.”

¹⁸ Jehoida’s son Benaiah supervised the special forces and mercenaries, and David’s sons were priests.

¹ so the LORD sent Nathan to David.
Nathan’s RebukeNathan approached David and said, “There are two men in the city. One is rich and one is poor. ² The rich man has many flocks and herds, ³ but the poor man had nothing except for one little ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It used to share his food and drink from his own cup. It even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him. ⁴ A traveler arrived to visit the rich man. Because he was unwilling to take an animal from one of his own flocks or herds to prepare for the guest who had come to visit him, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to visit him.”
⁵ David flew into a rage at the man and told Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! ⁶ He will restore the lamb four times its value, because he did this thing, and because he did it without compassion.”
⁷ But Nathan replied to David, “You are the man! This is what the LORD God of Israel says:
“‘I anointed you king—and you became king over Israel.
“‘I delivered you from Saul’s control.
⁸ “‘I gave you your former master’s household.
“‘I placed your former master’s wives right in your arms.
“‘I gave you Israel and Judah.
“‘And if this had been too little, I would have added much more than that to you!
⁹ “‘Why did you despise what the LORD has promised by doing what is detestable in his sight?
“‘You struck down Uriah the Hittite with a battle sword.
“‘You took his wife to be your own.
“‘You killed him with the sword of the Ammonite army.
¹⁰ “‘Therefore the sword will never leave your household, because you have despised me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’
¹¹ “This is what the LORD says:
“‘Listen very carefully!
“‘I’m raising up evil against you right out of your own household.
“‘I’m going to take your wives away from you right before your eyes.
“‘Then I’ll give them to your neighbor.
“‘And then he’s going to have sex with your wives in broad daylight!
¹² “‘What you did in secret I’m going to do right in front of all Israel and in broad daylight as well!’”
¹³ At this point, David told Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
Nathan responded to David, “There’s one other thing: the LORD has forgiven your sin. You won’t die. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, because you have despised the LORD’s enemies with utter contempt, the son born to you will most certainly die.” ¹⁵ Then Nathan went home.
David’s Infant Son DiesAfter this, the LORD afflicted the child that Uriah’s wife had born to David, and the child became very ill.

²⁵ and sent a message written by Nathan the prophet to call his name Jedidiah, for the Lord’s sake.

³⁷ So David’s friend Hushai went back to the city just as Absalom was arriving in Jerusalem.

¹⁶ When David’s friend Hushai the Archite approached Absalom, Hushai greeted Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

³⁷ Please let your servant return so I can die in my own home town near the grave of my father and mother. Meanwhile, here is your servant Chimham! Let him accompany your majesty the king. Please do for him whatever seems best to you.”
³⁸ So the king answered, “Chimham will accompany me, and I’ll do for him whatever seems best to you! I’ll do anything for you that you want!”

²⁶ and Ira the Jairite was David’s priest.

¹⁰ but he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, David’s personal elite forces, or his brother Solomon.
¹¹ Nathan and Bathsheba Confer about Adonijah“Haven’t you heard?” Nathan asked Solomon’s mother Bathsheba. “Haggith’s son Adonijah has become king and David, our true king, isn’t aware of it. ¹² If you listen to me, you’ll save your life and the life of your son Solomon. ¹³ Go right now to King David and ask him, ‘Your majesty, you promised your servant that “Your son Solomon will certainly become king after me and will sit on my throne,” didn’t you? So why has Adonijah become king?’ ¹⁴ Then, while you are still talking to the king, I’ll come in after you and verify your statement.”
¹⁵ So Bathsheba went to the king in his private room. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was attending to him. ¹⁶ Bathsheba knelt and bowed down to the king, and the king asked her, “What do you wish?”
¹⁷ “Your majesty,” she replied, “you promised your servant in the name of the LORD your God, ‘Your son Solomon will certainly become king after me and will sit on my throne.’ ¹⁸ Now look, Adonijah has become king, and your majesty is not aware of it. ¹⁹ Adonijah has sacrificed myriads of oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep, and he has invited all of the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited your servant Solomon. ²⁰ And as for you, your majesty, everyone in Israel is looking to you to tell them who will sit on your majesty’s throne after you. ²¹ Otherwise, as soon as your majesty is laid to rest with his ancestors, my son Solomon and I will be branded as traitors.”
²² While she was still talking to the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. ²³ They informed the king, “Nathan the prophet is here.”
When he had been ushered into the presence of the king, Nathan bowed low in front of the king with his face to the ground ²⁴ and asked, “Your majesty, did you say ‘Adonijah will be king after me and will sit on my throne’? ²⁵ Well now, he went down today and sacrificed lots of oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep, and has invited all the king’s sons, the army commanders, and Abiathar the priest. They’re having a party together and saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ ²⁶ Of course, he never invited me, Zadok the priest, Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, nor your servant Solomon. ²⁷ Were you behind this, your majesty, without letting your servants know who would sit on your majesty’s throne after him?”
²⁸ David Affirms Solomon as King“Call Bathsheba for me,” King David replied. So she came in and stood in front of the king. ²⁹ “As the LORD lives,” the king said with an oath, “who has redeemed me from all sorts of troubles, ³⁰ I certainly did tell you in the name of the LORD God of Israel, ‘Your son Solomon will be king after me and will sit on my throne in my place.’ I’m certainly going to make this happen today!”
³¹ “King David,” Bathsheba said as she bowed low in front of the king with her face to the ground, “your majesty, may you live forever.”
³² “Get me Zadok the priest,” King David said, “along with Nathan the prophet, and Jehoiada’s son Benaiah.” So they were ushered into the king’s presence ³³ and David addressed them. “Take your lord’s servants, have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon. ³⁴ Have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there as king over Israel. Then sound a trumpet and declare ‘Long live King Solomon!’ ³⁵ After this, you are to follow him back here, and he is to come and sit on my throne and take my place as king, because I’ve appointed him to be Commander-in-Chief over Israel and Judah.”
³⁶ “Amen!” replied Jehoiada’s son Benaiah to the king. “May the LORD God of your majesty make this happen! ³⁷ As the LORD has been with your majesty the king, so may he be with Solomon. May he make his throne greater than the throne of your majesty, King David.”
³⁸ Solomon is Anointed KingSo Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, the special forces and mercenaries went out and had Solomon ride the king’s mule all the way to Gihon. ³⁹ Zadok the priest brought from his tent a horn filled with oil and anointed Solomon, a trumpet was sounded, and everybody yelled out, “Long live King Solomon!” ⁴⁰ All the people followed after him, playing on wind pipes and so full of joy that the earth shook because of all the noise!
⁴¹ Right about then, Adonijah and all of his guests were just finishing their meal when they heard all the noise. “Why is the city in such an uproar?” Joab asked as he heard the trumpet sounds.
⁴² While he was still asking that question, Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest arrived, so Adonijah told him, “Come on in, since you’re a worthy man and are bringing us good news!”
⁴³ “No,” Jonathan answered. “Our lord King David has installed Solomon as king. ⁴⁴ The king has sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, the special forces and mercenaries, along with Solomon, who is riding the king’s personal mule. ⁴⁵ Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him in Gihon, and they just left from there rejoicing, and that’s why the city is all in an uproar. That’s the noise that you’ve been hearing! ⁴⁶ Solomon now sits on the royal throne. ⁴⁷ In addition to all of this, the king’s servants have come along to congratulate our lord King David. They’ve been telling David ‘May your God make Solomon’s reputation even more famous than yours, and may he make his throne greater than yours!’ The king has himself bowed in worship on his own bed ⁴⁸ and said ‘Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who has provided someone to sit on my throne today. I’ve seen it with my own eyes!’”
⁴⁹ Terrified, all of Adonijah’s guests jumped up and ran away. ⁵⁰ Afraid of Solomon, Adonijah also jumped up and headed straight for the horns of the altar.
⁵¹ “Hey look!” somebody informed Solomon. “Adonijah is terrified of King Solomon! He’s gone out, grabbed hold of the horns of the altar, and now he’s begging King Solomon, ‘Swear to me that you won’t put your servant to death with a sword!’”
⁵² “If he’s done nothing wrong, not a hair of his head will be harmed,” Solomon replied. “But if we find evil in him, he’s a dead man.”
⁵³ So King Solomon sent for him, and he was brought down from the altar. When he had arrived, he fell on his face in front of King Solomon, so Solomon told him, “Go home!”

⁷ Solomon also appointed twelve governors over all of Israel, each of whom were responsible for providing one month’s food provisions to the king and to his administration during each year.

³³ Ahithophel served as an advisor to the king, Hushai the Archite was the king’s trusted associate,

¹¹ Whoever loves purity and gracious speech will gain the king as his friend.

²³ One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus kept loving, had been sitting very close to him.

¹⁴ You are my friends, if you do what I command you. ¹⁵ I don’t call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing. But I’ve called you friends, because I’ve made known to you everything that I’ve heard from my Father.

²³ And so the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” And so he was called God’s friend.

²⁴ Adoram supervised conscripted labor, Ahilud’s son Jehoshaphat was the recorder,

¹³ Conscripted Labor for the Building ProgramKing Solomon conscripted laborers from throughout Israel. The work force numbered 30,000 men. ¹⁴ He sent 10,000 men to Lebanon in shifts lasting one month. They worked one month in Lebanon for every two months they worked at home. Adoniram was placed in charge of the conscripted labor.

¹⁵ Solomon’s Other Accomplishments
Here is a summary of the conscripted labor that King Solomon required to build the LORD’s Temple, his royal palace, the terrace ramparts in the City of David, the wall of Jerusalem, Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer.

¹⁸ King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was in charge of conscripted labor, but all of Israel stoned him to death, and King Rehoboam had to jump in his chariot and flee back in a hurry to Jerusalem.

¹ Military DivisionsThe Israelis, according to the number of the leaders of their families, the officers of groups of thousands and groups of hundreds, and their leaders who served the king on behalf of the army divisions of 24,000 soldiers on duty month by month throughout the year, consisted of the following.
² Zabdiel’s son Jashobeam was responsible for the first division of 24,000 soldiers for the first month. ³ A descendant of Perez, he was chief of all the commanders of the army for the first month.
⁴ Dodai the Ahohite was responsible for the division of the second month. Mikloth served as chief officer of his division, consisting of 24,000 soldiers.
⁵ Jehoiada’s son Benaiah the priest was commander of the third division for the third month, consisting of 24,000 soldiers. ⁶ This was the same Benaiah who was one of the elite men of the Thirty and in command of the Thirty. His son Ammizabad was responsible for his division.
⁷ Joab’s brother Asahel was fourth for the fourth month, assisted by his son Zebadiah, with 24,000 soldiers in his division.
⁸ The fifth commander for the fifth month was Shamhuth the Izrahite. His division consisted of 24,000 soldiers.
⁹ Ikkesh’s son Ira from Tekoa was sixth for the sixth month; there were 24,000 soldiers in his division.
¹⁰ Helez the Pelonite, an Ephraimite, was seventh for the seventh month; 24,000 soldiers served in his division.
¹¹ Sibbecai the Hushathite, a Zerahite, was eighth for the eighth month; 24,000 soldiers served in his division.
¹² Abiezer from Anathoth, a descendant of Benjamin, was ninth for the ninth month; 24,000 soldiers served in his division.
¹³ Mahari from Netophah, a Zerahite, was tenth for the tenth month; 24,000 soldiers served in his division.
¹⁴ Benaiah from Pirathon, an Ephraimite, was eleventh for the eleventh month; 24,000 soldiers served in his division.
¹⁵ Heldai the Netophathite, from Othniel, was twelfth for the twelfth month; 24,000 soldiers served in his division.

³³ The Death of Eleazar the PriestLater, Aaron’s son Eleazar also died, and they buried him at Gibeah, which belonged to his son Phinehas, and which had been given to him in the mountainous region of Ephraim.

¹ Micah’s Descent into IdolatryA man named Micah lived in the mountainous region of the territory of Ephraim.

¹ The Levite’s MistressNow it happened in those days, before there was a king in Israel, that a certain male descendant of Levi, who lived in a remote part of the mountainous region of Ephraim, took a mistress for himself from Bethlehem in the territory of Judah.

⁴² Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah,

¹⁶ Ain with its pasture lands, Juttah with its pasture lands, and Beth-shemesh with its pasture lands, for a total of nine cities from these two tribes.

³⁵ Furthermore, the Amorites continued to inhabit Mount Heres in Aijalon and Shaalbim. Eventually, however, after the tribe of Joseph had become strong, the Amorites were subjected to conscripted labor.

¹² The cows took a straight path along the road to Beth-shemesh. They stayed on the highway, lowing as they went, and did not turn to the right or the left. The Philistine lords followed them as far as the border of Beth-shemesh.

²⁰ The men of Beth-shemesh asked themselves, “Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God? And to whom will the Ark go from here?”

¹⁷ The king of Tappuach: 1
The king of Hepher: 1

³⁵ Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,

² Now allotments were made with respect to the remaining descendants of Manasseh according to their families: for the descendants of Abiezer, the descendants of Helek, the descendants of Asriel, the descendants of Shechem, the descendants of Hepher, and the descendants of Shemida—the male descendants of Joseph’s son Manasseh, according to their families.

² and to the kings in the north, in the hill country, in the plain south of Chinnereth, in the Shephelah, and in the hills of Dor toward the west,

²³ The king of Dor in the Dor heights: 1
The king of various gentiles in Gilgal: 1

¹¹ In Issachar and Asher, Manasseh held Beth-shean and its towns, Ibleam and its towns, the inhabitants of En-dor and its towns, the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns, and the three coastal districts.

²⁷ Unconquered TerritoriesThe army of the tribe of Manasseh did not conquer Beth-shean and its villages, Taanach and its villages, the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages. Instead, the Canaanites continued to live in that land.

¹⁶ the water flowing downstream from above stood still in a single location, a great distance away at Adam, a city near Zarethan. The water that flowed south toward the sea in the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho.

¹⁹ “Kings came to fight, then battled the kings of Canaan at Taanach near the waters of Megiddo. They took no silver as the spoils of war.

¹⁰ They put Saul’s weapons in the temple of Asherah and fastened his corpse to the wall of Beth-shan.

¹² every valiant soldier got up, traveled all night, and removed Saul’s body and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan. Then they went to Jabesh and cremated the bodies there.

⁴⁶ The king had them cast in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan in the Jordan plain.

⁴⁶ After Ahab had left, the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah, and he tucked his mantle into his belt and outran Ahab in a race to the city gate of Jezreel.

¹⁶ anoint Nimshi’s son Jehu as king over Israel, and anoint Shaphat’s son Elisha from Abel-meholah as a prophet to replace you.

²⁹ During his reign, Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, marched out toward the Euphrates River to meet the king of Assyria. King Josiah went out to engage him in battle, but Pharaoh Neco killed him at Megiddo as soon as he saw him. ³⁰ Josiah’s servants drove his corpse in a chariot from Megiddo to Jerusalem and buried him in a tomb made for him.
Jehoahaz is Anointed KingThe people of the land took Josiah’s son Jehoahaz, anointed him, and installed him as king in his father’s place.

⁶⁸ Jokmeam with its surrounding suburbs, Beth-horon with its surrounding suburbs,

⁴¹ Manasseh’s son Jair captured their towns and renamed them Havvoth-jair.

⁴ Then we captured all his cities at that time. There was not a city left that we didn’t capture from them—60 cities in all from the region of Argob, which is part of the kingdom of Og in Bashan.

⁸ “So at that time, we took control from the two Amorite kings the territory east of the Jordan from Wadi Arnon to Mount Hermon.

¹³ The remainder of Gilead and Bashan of the kingdom of Og, I’ve given to the half-tribe of Manasseh. (The whole region of Argob—that is, all of Bashan—is called the land of the Rephaim.) ¹⁴ Manasseh’s son Jair captured all the Argob region as far as the territory of the descendants of Geshur and the descendants of Maacath. Bashan was named after him; that’s why it is called Havvoth-jair to this day.

⁴³ Bezer in the desert plain for the descendants of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead for the descendants of Gad, and Golan in Bashan for the descendants of Manasseh.

⁸ East of Jericho beyond the Jordan River, they reserved Bezer in the wilderness on the plain from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh.

³⁸ From the tribe of Gad were allocated Ramoth in Gilead with its pasture lands, to serve as a city of refuge for the unintentional killer, Mahanaim with its pasture lands,

³ The king of Israel asked his servants, “Were you aware that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, but we aren’t doing anything to remove it from the control of the king of Aram?”

¹ Jehu Anointed King of IsraelElisha called one of the members of the Guild of Prophets and told him, “Get ready to run, take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead.

¹⁴ Joram (Also Known as Jehoram) is Assassinated
Meanwhile, Jehoshaphat’s son Jehu, the grandson of Nimshi, had been conspiring against Joram while Joram and all the army of Israel had been defending Ramoth-gilead against King Hazael from Aram.

¹² Many bulls have surrounded me; the vicious bulls of Bashan have encircled me.

¹⁵ The mountain of God is as the mountain of Bashan; a mountain of many peaks is Mount Bashan.

² As he was watching them, Jacob said, “This must be God’s camp,” so he named that place Mahanaim.

²⁶ from Heshbon as far as Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, from Mahanaim as far as the border of Debir,

⁸ Abner’s Rebellion and the Battle at GibeonMeanwhile, Ner’s son Abner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Saul’s son Ish-bosheth and brought him to Mahanaim.

²⁴ David Receives Supplies in the WildernessLater, David arrived at Mahanaim. Absalom and all of the Israelis who supported him crossed the Jordan River.

²⁷ When David arrived at Mahanaim, Shobi (Nahash’s son from the Ammonite town of Rabbah), Makir (Ammiel’s son from Lo-debar), and Barzillai (from Rogelim in Gilead) were already there.

³² Naphtali’s AllocationThe sixth lottery went to the tribe of Naphtali according to its families. ³³ The territorial boundary proceeded from Heleph, the oak in Zaanannim, and Adami-nekeb, and Jabneel as far as Lakkum, terminating at the Jordan River. ³⁴ There the boundary proceeded west to Aznoth-tabor and then to Hukkok, reaching Zebulun at the south, Asher on the west, and Judah on the east at the Jordan River. ³⁵ Also included were the fortress towns of Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth, ³⁶ Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, ³⁷ Kedesh, Edrei, En-hazor, ³⁸ Iron, Migdal-el, Horem, Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh, for a total of nineteen towns and their villages. ³⁹ These towns and villages comprised the inheritance of the tribe of Naphtali according to its families.

¹⁸ David told Saul, “Who am I and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel that I should be the king’s son-in-law?”

²⁷ The king also asked Zadok the priest, “Aren’t you a seer, too? Go back to the city in comfort, along with your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan.

¹¹ Ben-abinadab supervised the Dor heights (Solomon’s daughter Taphath was his wife);

²⁴ Asher’s AllocationThe fifth lottery went to the tribe of Asher according to its families. ²⁵ The territorial boundary included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, ²⁶ Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal, and on the west Carmel and Shihor-libnath, ²⁷ then proceeded east to Beth-dagon. It proceeded to Zebulun and the Iphtah-el Valley, turned north to Beth-emek and Neiel, then proceeded north to Cabul, ²⁸ Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah as far as Great Sidon. ²⁹ There the boundary turned toward Ramah, reaching to the fortress city of Tyre and turned to Hosah, where it terminated at the Mediterranean Sea. Also included were Mahalab, Achzib, ³⁰ Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob, for a total of 22 towns and villages. ³¹ These towns and villages are the inheritance of the tribe of Asher according to its families.

³² Hushai Serves as a SpyJust as David was coming to the top of the Mount of Olives where God was being worshipped, there was Hushai the Archite to meet him, with his coat ripped and dust all over his head!

¹⁷ Issachar’s AllocationThe fourth lottery went to the tribe of Issachar according to its families. ¹⁸ The territorial allotment included Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem, ¹⁹ Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, ²⁰ Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, ²¹ Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, Beth-pazzez, ²² with the boundary including Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh. The boundary terminated at the Jordan River, for a total of sixteen towns and villages. ²³ These towns and villages comprise the inheritance of the tribe of Issachar, according to its families.

²⁰ The Jordan River formed its boundary on the east. This is the inheritance for the tribe of Benjamin according to its families, boundary by boundary around the entire territory.
²¹ The towns belonging to the tribe of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz, ²² Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, ²³ Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, ²⁴ Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, and Geba, for a total of twelve towns and villages. ²⁵ Also included were Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, ²⁶ Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah, ²⁷ Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, ²⁸ Zela, Haeleph, Jebus (also known as Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath-jearim, for a total of fourteen towns and villages. This is the inheritance of the tribe of Benjamin according to their families.

⁸ but Zadok the priest, Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s personal elite forces would have nothing to do with Adonijah.

¹³ the family of the house of Levi by itself with their wives by themselves, the family of Shimei by itself with their wives by themselves—

²¹ Israel Conquers the AmoritesLater, Israel sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, who conveyed this request: ²² “Permit us to pass through your land. We won’t trespass in your fields or vineyards. We won’t drink water from any well, and we’ll only travel along the King’s Highway until we’ve passed through your territory.”
²³ Instead of letting Israel pass through his territory, Sihon mustered his entire army and marched out to meet them in the wilderness. He arrived at Jahaz and attacked Israel. ²⁴ But Israel defeated him in battle and took possession of all his lands from Arnon to Jabbok, including the Ammonites, even though the border of the Ammonites was strong. ²⁵ So Israel captured all of those cities, occupied all the Amorite cities in Heshbon, and all its towns. ²⁶ Heshbon was the capital city of Sihon, king of the Amorites, who fought against the previous king of Moab and captured all his land from his capital city to Arnon. ²⁷ Therefore the ones who speak in proverbs say: Come to Heshbon and let it be built! Let the city of Sihon be established! ²⁸ A fire has gone out from Heshbon, and a flame from the city of Sihon. It consumed Ar of Moab and the lords of the high places who lived in Arnon. ²⁹ Woe to you, Moab! You are destroyed, you people of Chemosh! He has given up his sons as fugitives and his daughters have gone into captivity to Sihon, king of the Amorites. ³⁰ We’ve fired at them. Heshbon has perished as far as Dibon. We’ve destroyed them as far as Nophah even as far as Medeba.
³¹ So Israel lived in Amorite territory.
³² Israel Conquers BashanThen Moses sent out explorers to scout Jazer. They captured its towns and drove out the Amorites who were there. ³³ Then they turned toward Bashan. However, Og, the king of Bashan, mustered his army and went out to attack them at Edrei. ³⁴ The LORD told Moses, “You are not to fear him, because I’m going to deliver him, his entire army, and his land into your control. Do to him just what you’ve done to Sihon, king of the Amorites, who used to live in Heshbon.” ³⁵ So they attacked him, his sons, and his entire army, until there wasn’t even a single survivor left. Then they took possession of his land.

²⁶ Israel Defeats Sihon, King of Heshbon“I sent messengers from the desert of Kedemoth to King Sihon of Heshbon with this message of peace:

⁹ Specifically included was from Aroer on the banks of the Wadi Arnon, and the town that lies in the middle of the valley, including all the plains from Medeba to Dibon, ¹⁰ all the cities pertaining to King Sihon of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, as far as the boundary of the Ammonite territory, ¹¹ Gilead and the region belonging to the descendants of Geshur and Maacath, including all of Mount Hermon, and all of Bashan as far as Salecah. ¹² Also included was the entire kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei. (He was the sole survivor left of the Rephaim.) Although Moses had defeated these people and driven them out,

¹⁶ I’ll make your descendants as plentiful as the specks of dust of the earth, so that if one could count the specks of dust of the earth, then your descendants could also be counted.

⁵ Then the LORD took him outside. “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if you can!” he said. “Your descendants will be that numerous.”

¹⁷ I will certainly bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in heaven and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the gates of their enemies.

¹² Now, you promised me that ‘I’m certainly going to cause things to go well with you, and I’m going to make your offspring as numerous as the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.’”

¹⁶ David Defeats the AmalekitesThe Egyptian led him to the camp, and there the Amalekites were spread out over the whole area, eating, drinking, and celebrating with the great amount of spoil they had taken from the territory belonging to the Philistines and to Judah.

⁸ Your servant lives in the midst of your people that you have chosen, a great people that is too numerous to be counted.

³⁹ They spent three days eating and drinking with David, since their relatives had supplied provisions for them.

¹⁸ While this messenger was still speaking, another came and announced, “Your children were celebrating in their oldest brother’s house

³ May the mountains bring prosperity to the people and the hills bring righteousness. ⁴ May he defend the afflicted of the people and deliver the children of the poor, but crush the oppressor. ⁵ May they fear you as long as the sun and moon shine— from generation to generation. ⁶ May he be like the rain that descends on mown grass, like showers sprinkling on the ground. ⁷ The righteous will flourish at the proper time and peace will prevail until the moon is no more.

²⁸ A large population is a king’s glory, but a shortage of people is a ruler’s ruin.

²⁴ The Central Point of LifeThe only worthwhile thing for a human being is to eat, drink, and enjoy life’s goodness that he finds in what he accomplishes. This, I observed, is also from the hand of God himself,

¹³ But look! There is joy and festivity, slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep, eating meat and drinking wine. “Let us eat and drink, you say, because we die tomorrow.”

⁴ Instead, each man will sit in the shade of his grape vines and beneath the shade of his fig tree,” since the LORD of the Heavenly Armies has spoken.

¹⁰ At that time,’ declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, ‘you will invite each of your neighbors to join you under the vine and fig tree.’”

¹⁵ The LORD of the Heavenly Armies will defend them; they will devour and conquer those who sling stones. They will drink and be boisterous like those who are drunk. They will be filled to the brim with blood, like the corners of the altar.

⁴⁶ United in purpose, they went to the Temple every day, ate at each other’s homes, and shared their food with glad and humble hearts.

¹⁸ That very day the LORD made this covenant with Abram: “I’m giving this land to your descendants, from the river of Egypt to the great Euphrates River—

³¹ “I’ll set your borders from the Reed Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the River, bringing the inhabitants of the land under your control, and you are to drive them out ahead of you.

²⁴ Every place upon which the soles of your feet tread will be yours as boundaries—from the desert to Lebanon and from the River (that is, from the Euphrates) to the Mediterranean Sea.

⁴ Your territorial border will extend from the wilderness to the Lebanon Mountains, to the river—that great River Euphrates—all the land of the Hittites—as far as the Mediterranean Sea where the sun sets.

²⁷ But some troublemakers said, “How can this man deliver us?” They despised him and did not bring him a gift. But Saul remained silent.
The Ammonites Threaten Jabesh-gilead²⁸Meanwhile, Nahash, king of the Ammonites, had been severely oppressing the descendants of Gad and descendants of Reuben, gouging out their right eyes and not allowing Israel to have a deliverer. No one was left among the Israelis across the Jordan whose right eye Nahash, king of the Ammonites, had not gouged out. However, 7,000 men had escaped from the Ammonites and entered Jabesh-gilead.

²⁴ He ruled over everything west of the Euphrates River from Tiphsah to Gaza, over all of the kings west of the Euphrates River, and he enjoyed peace on all sides around him.

³ King Shalmaneser of Assyria attacked him, and Hoshea became his servant and paid tribute to him.

²⁶ King Solomon ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River west to the land of the Philistines and as far south as the boundary with Egypt.
²⁷ The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and made cedar trees as abundant as sycamore trees in the Shephelah. ²⁸ They also kept bringing horses to Solomon from Egypt and from all of the surrounding countries.
²⁹ The Death of Solomon
Now the rest of Solomon’s accomplishments, from first to last, are written in the records of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer pertaining to Nebat’s son Jeroboam, are they not? ³⁰ Solomon reigned for 40 years in Jerusalem over all of Israel. ³¹ Then Solomon died, as had his ancestors, and his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.

⁵ Therefore the LORD secured Jehoshaphat’s kingdom under his control, with all of Judah paying him tribute, and Jehoshaphat became very wealthy and greatly respected.

²³ Many brought gifts to the LORD in Jerusalem and brought presents to King Hezekiah of Judah. As a result, he was exalted in the opinion of all nations thereafter.

²⁰ Powerful kings have reigned over Jerusalem, including ruling over all lands beyond the Euphrates River. Furthermore, taxes, tribute, and tolls have been paid to them.

²⁹ Because of your Temple in Jerusalem, kings bring tribute to you.

⁸ May he rule from sea to sea, from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. ⁹ May the nomads bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust. ¹⁰ May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring gifts, and may the kings of Sheba and Seba offer tribute. ¹¹ May all kings bow down to him, and all nations serve him.

¹¹ Let everyone who surrounds the LORD your God make a vow and fulfill it to the Awesome One.

¹⁷ I fed 150 Jews and officials every day, not counting those who came from the nations around us. ¹⁸ Our daily requirements were one ox and six choice sheep, along with various kinds of poultry prepared for me. Every ten days there was a delivery of an abundant supply of wine. Despite all this, I refused the governor’s allotment, because demands on the people were heavy.

¹⁹ The Canaanite border extended south from Sidon toward Gerar as far as Gaza, and east toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.

¹ Samson’s Troubles in GazaSometime later, Samson went to Gaza, saw a prostitute there, and went in to have sex with her.

²¹ Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the territory of the Philistines and south to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon throughout his lifetime.

⁴ But now the LORD has given me rest all around, since I have neither foreign adversaries nor domestic crises.

⁹ But look! A son born to you will live comfortably, because I will give him rest from all his enemies that surround him on every side, since his name will be “Solomon”—I will give peace and quiet for Israel during his lifetime.

³ May the mountains bring prosperity to the people and the hills bring righteousness.

⁷ The righteous will flourish at the proper time and peace will prevail until the moon is no more. ⁸ May he rule from sea to sea, from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.

¹¹ May all kings bow down to him, and all nations serve him.

⁷ Of the growth of his government and peace there will be no end. He will rule over his kingdom, sitting on the throne of David, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies will accomplish this.

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to people who enjoy his favor!”

¹ The Messiah is Superior to MelchizedekNow this man Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the Most High God, met Abraham and blessed him when he was returning from defeating the kings. ² Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything. In the first place, his name means “king of righteousness,” and then he is also king of Salem, that is, “king of peace.”

¹ The Israelis Attack the Tribe of BenjaminThen the entire Israeli nation—from Dan to Beer-sheba, including the territory of Gilead—came out for war. The army assembled as one united force to God at Mizpah.

¹¹ So here’s my advice: Muster everybody from one end of the country to the other! You’ll have an army in number like the sand on the seashore! Then you’ll go into battle!

¹⁵ That very morning, the LORD sent a pestilence to Israel until the conclusion of the time designated, and 70,000 men died from Dan to Beer-sheba.

³¹ Don’t listen to Hezekiah, because this is what the king of Assyria says: “Make peace with me and come out to me! Each of you will eat from his own vine. Each will eat from his own fig tree. And each of you will drink water from his own cistern

¹⁸ Then violence will no longer be heard in your land, nor devastation or destruction within your borders; but you’ll call your walls ‘Salvation’, and your gates ‘Praise’.

⁵ “The time is coming,” declares the LORD, “when I’ll raise up a righteous branch for David. He will be a king who rules wisely, and he will administer justice and righteousness in the land. ⁶ In his time Judah will be delivered and Israel will dwell in safety. This is the name by which he will be known: ‘The LORD Our Righteousness.’

¹⁵ In those days and at that time I’ll cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he will uphold justice and righteousness in the land. ¹⁶ At that time Judah will be delivered and Jerusalem will dwell in safety. And this is the name people will call it, “The LORD is Our Righteousness.”’

¹¹ and boasting, “I’m going to invade a land comprised of open country that is at rest, its people living confidently, all of whose inhabitants will be living securely, with neither fortification nor bars on their doors.

¹⁶ Only he must not amass horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt to obtain more horses. For the LORD said you must never return that way again.

⁴ David captured 1,000 of his chariots, 1,700 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. David hamstrung all the chariot horses except for enough to supply 100 chariots.

²⁵ Everyone kept on bringing gifts on an annual basis, including items made of silver and gold, garments, myrrh, spices, horses, and mules. ²⁶ Solomon accumulated chariots and cavalry. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 cavalry soldiers. He stationed them in various chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

¹⁴ Solomon amassed both chariots and horsemen: he owned 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, stationing them in armories and with the king in Jerusalem.

²⁵ Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, along with 12,000 cavalry soldiers. He stationed them in various chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

⁷ Some boast in chariots, others in horses; but we will boast in the name of the LORD our God.

¹⁰ He wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king’s signet ring. He sent the letters by couriers on horseback, riding steeds especially bred for the king.

¹⁴ The couriers, mounted on the royal steeds, left quickly, urged on by the king’s command. The edict was also issued in Susa the capital.

¹³ “You inhabitants of Lachish, harness your chariot to your swiftest steed— the daughter of Zion has begun to sin— because within you the transgressions of Israel were revealed.

⁴⁹ Joseph stored up so much grain—like sand on the seashore in so much abundance!—that he stopped keeping records because it was proving to be impossible to measure how much they were gathering.

¹² The Midianites, the Amalekites, and certain groups from the east lay encamped in the valley, as thick as locusts. The number of their camels couldn’t be calculated—they seemed as numerous as the sand on the seashore.

¹² look how I’m going to do precisely what you asked. I’m giving you a wise and discerning mind, so that there will have been no one like you before you and no one will arise after you like you.

²⁸ When this decision that the king had handed down was announced, everybody in Israel was amazed at the king, because they all saw that God’s wisdom was in him, enabling him to administer justice.

²⁰ Solomon’s MagnificenceJudah and Israel became as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They enjoyed abundance, and ate, drank, and rejoiced regularly.

²³ As a result, King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in regards to wealth and wisdom. ²⁴ All the earth continued to seek audiences with Solomon so they could hear the wise things that God had put in his heart.

¹⁰ Give me wisdom now, so I may go in and out among this people, because who can rule this great people that belongs to you?
¹¹ God told Solomon, “Since you had this in mind, to ask neither to focus on riches, wealth, honor, or the lives of those who hate you, nor have you requested a long life, but instead you have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself, so that you may rule my people over whom I have established you as king, ¹² wisdom and knowledge have been granted to you. Furthermore, I will give you riches, wealth, and honor—such as none of the kings owned who lived before you and none after you are to ever attain their equal.”

³⁴ Give me understanding and I will observe your instruction. I will keep it with all of my heart.

⁶ For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

¹⁶ I told myself, “I have become greater and wiser than anyone who ruled before me in Jerusalem—yes, I have acquired a great deal of wisdom and knowledge.”

²⁶ After all, to the person who is good in God’s sight, he gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner he gives the troublesome task of acquiring and accumulating in order to leave it to someone who is good in the sight of God. This also is pointless and chasing after the wind.

⁵ Then you will look and be radiant; your heart will swell with joy, because the abundance of the seas will be diverted to you, and the riches of the nations will come to you.

²² As the heavenly bodies cannot be counted, and the sands of the sea cannot be measured, so I’ll multiply the descendants of my servant David and the descendants of Levi who serve me.’”

⁹ “They all come to oppress— hordes of them, their faces pressing onward— they take prisoners as numerous as the desert sand!

⁵ Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to everyone generously without a rebuke, and it will be given to him.

¹⁷ Every generous act of giving and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father who made the heavenly lights, in whom there is no inconsistency or shifting shadow.

¹⁷ However, the wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, willing to yield, full of compassion and good deeds, and without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.

⁶ While he was still alive, Abraham gave gifts to his concubines and sent them to the east country in order to keep them away from his son Isaac.

³ His livestock included 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and many servants. Indeed, the man’s stature greatly exceeded that of many people who lived in the East.

¹¹ A Rebuke to Egypt’s LeadersZoan’s princes are nothing but fools; the wisest advisors of Pharaoh give stupid advice. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I’m a descendant of wise men, a descendant of ancient kings”? ¹² Where are your wise men now? Let them tell you, let them make known what the LORD has planned against Egypt.

²⁰ In every matter of wisdom or understanding that the king discussed with them, he found them ten times superior to all the astrologers and enchanters in his entire palace.

⁷ Then the diviners, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers came in, and I told them the dream. But they could not reveal its interpretation to me.

¹¹ There’s a man in your kingdom in whom dwells the spirit of the holy gods. During your grandfather’s reign, he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom, like that of the gods. Your grandfather, King Nebuchadnezzar—your kingly predecessor—appointed him to be chief administrator over the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, ¹² because he was found to have an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, and understanding, along with an ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. His name is Daniel, whom the king renamed Belteshazzar. Call for Daniel, and he will reveal the meaning of the writing.”

¹ The Visit of the Wise MenAfter Jesus had been born in Bethlehem of Judea during the reign of King Herod, wise men arrived in Jerusalem from the east

¹⁶ The Massacre of the InfantsHerod flew into a rage when he learned that he had been tricked by the wise men, so he ordered the execution of all the male children in Bethlehem and all its neighboring regions, who were two years old and younger, according to the time that he had determined from the wise men.

²² So Moses learned all the wisdom of the Egyptians and became a great man, both in words and in deeds.

⁷ As soon as Hiram received the message from Solomon, he became so ecstatic that he exclaimed, “Blessed be the LORD today, who has given David a wise son to rule this great people!” Then he sent this message to Solomon:

¹ The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon
When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon’s reputation with the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions.

⁶ “Everything I heard about your wisdom and what you have to say is true!” she gasped,

⁶ Zerah had five sons in all: Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Dara.

³³ These are the men who served, including their descendants: From the descendants of Kohath, there was Heman the singer, who had been fathered by Joel, who had been fathered by Samuel,

¹⁷ So the descendants of Levi appointed Joel’s son Heman, his relative Berechiah’s son Asaph, as well as certain relatives of Merari’s sons, including Kushaiah’s son Ethan,

¹⁹ The singers included Heman, Asaph, and Ethan (who played bronze cymbals).

²³ All the kings of the earth continued to seek audiences with Solomon so they could hear the wise things that God had put in his heart.

¹ A song. A psalm by the descendants of Korah. According to Machalath Leannoth. An instruction by Heman the Ezrahite.
A Cry for Help LORD, God of my salvation, by day and by night I cry out before you.

¹ An instruction. By Ethan, the Ezrahite
God’s Covenant with David I will sing forever about the gracious love of the LORD; from generation to generation I will declare your faithfulness with my mouth. ² I will declare that your gracious love was established forever; in the heavens itself, you have established your faithfulness. ³ I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have made a promise to David, my servant. ⁴ “I will establish your dynasty forever, and I will lift up one who will build your throne from generation to generation.” Interlude ⁵ Even the heavens praise your awesome deeds, LORD, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones. ⁶ For who in the skies compares to the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the divine beings? ⁷ God is feared in the council of the holy ones, revered by all those around him. ⁸ LORD God of the Heavenly Armies, who is as mighty as you, LORD? Your faithfulness surrounds you. ⁹ You rule over the majestic sea; when its waves surge, you calm them. ¹⁰ You crushed the proud one to death; with your powerful arm you scattered your enemies. ¹¹ Heaven and the earth belong to you, the world and everything it contains— you established them. ¹² The north and south—you created them; Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name. ¹³ Your arm is strong; your hand is mighty; indeed, your right hand is victorious. ¹⁴ Righteousness and justice make up the foundation of your throne; gracious love and truth meet before you. ¹⁵ How happy are the people who can worship joyfully! LORD, they walk in the light of your presence. ¹⁶ In your name they rejoice all day long; they exult in your justice. ¹⁷ For you are their strength’s grandeur; by your favor you exalted our power. ¹⁸ Indeed, our shield belongs to the LORD, and our king to the Holy One of Israel.
¹⁹ God’s Describes His AnointedYou spoke to your faithful ones through a vision: “I will set a helper over a warrior. I will raise up a chosen one from the people. ²⁰ I have found my servant David; I have anointed him with my sacred oil, ²¹ with whom my power will be firmly established; for my arm will strengthen him. ²² No enemy will deceive him; no wicked person will afflict him. ²³ I will crush his enemies before him and strike those who hate him. ²⁴ My faithfulness and gracious love will be with him, and in my name his power will be exalted. ²⁵ I will place his hand over the sea, and his right hand over the rivers. ²⁶ He will announce to me ‘You are my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.’ ²⁷ “Indeed, I myself made him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. ²⁸ I will show my gracious love toward him forever, since my covenant is securely established with him. ²⁹ I will establish his dynasty forever, and his throne as long as heaven endures. ³⁰ “But if his sons abandon my laws and do not follow my ordinances, ³¹ if they profane my statutes; and do not keep my commands, ³² then I will punish their disobedience with a rod and their iniquity with lashes. ³³ But I will not cut off my gracious love from him, and I will not stop being faithful. ³⁴ I will not dishonor my covenant, because I will not change what I have spoken. ³⁵ I have sworn by my holiness once for all: I will not lie to David. ³⁶ His dynasty will last forever and his throne will be like the sun before me. ³⁷ It will be established forever like the moon, a faithful witness in the sky.” Interlude
³⁸ A Commitment to PersevereBut you have spurned, rejected, and became angry with your anointed one. ³⁹ You have dishonored the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown on the ground. ⁴⁰ You have broken through all his walls; you have laid his fortresses in ruin. ⁴¹ All who pass by on their way plunder him; he has become a reproach to his neighbors. ⁴² You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries; you have caused all of his enemies to rejoice. ⁴³ Moreover, you have turned back the edge of his sword and did not support him in battle. ⁴⁴ You have caused his splendor to cease and cast down his throne to the ground. ⁴⁵ You have caused the days of his youth to be cut short; you have covered him with shame. Interlude ⁴⁶ How long, LORD, will you hide yourself? Forever? Will your anger continuously burn like fire? ⁴⁷ Remember how short my lifetime is! How powerless have you created all human beings! ⁴⁸ What valiant man can live and not see death? Who can deliver himself from the power of Sheol. Interlude ⁴⁹ Where is your gracious love of old, Lord, that in your faithfulness you promised to David? ⁵⁰ Remember, Lord, the reproach of your servant! I carry inside me all the insults of many people, ⁵¹ when your enemies reproached you, LORD, when they reproached the footsteps of your anointed. ⁵² Blessed is the LORD forever! Amen and amen!

²⁴ His fame spread throughout Syria, and people brought to him everyone who was sick—those afflicted with various diseases and pains, the demon-possessed, the epileptics, and the paralyzed—and he healed them.

⁴² The queen of the south will stand up and condemn the people living today, because she came from so far away to hear the wisdom of Solomon. But look! Something greater than Solomon is here!”

³¹ The queen of the south will stand up at the judgment and condemn the people living today, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. But look, something greater than Solomon is here!

³ In him are stored all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

¹ Introduction and PurposeThe proverbs of David’s son Solomon, king of Israel. ² These proverbs are for gaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; ³ for acquiring the discipline that produces wise behavior, righteousness, justice, and upright living; ⁴ for giving prudence to the naïve, and knowledge and discretion to the young. ⁵ Let the wise listen and increase their learning; let the person of understanding receive guidance ⁶ in understanding proverbs, clever sayings, words of the wise, and their riddles.
⁷ The Major ThemeThe fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
⁸ The Minor ThemeMy son, listen to your father’s instruction, and do not let go of your mother’s teaching. ⁹ They will be a graceful wreath for your head and a chain for your neck.
¹⁰ Avoid Evil CounselMy son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. ¹¹ If they say, “Come with us! Let’s lie in wait for blood; let’s ambush some innocent person for no reason at all. ¹² Let’s swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those who go down into the Pit. ¹³ We’ll find all kinds of valuable wealth, and we’ll fill our houses with spoil. ¹⁴ Throw your lot in with us, and all of us will have one purse.” ¹⁵ My son, do not go along with them, and keep your feet away from their paths! ¹⁶ For they run toward evil; these enticers shed blood without hesitation. ¹⁷ Look, it is useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds, ¹⁸ but these people lie in wait for their own blood. They ambush only themselves. ¹⁹ Such is the way of all those who seek illicit gain— it takes away the lives of those who possess it.
²⁰ The Benefits of Choosing WisdomWisdom cries out in the street; she raises her voice in the public squares. ²¹ She calls out at the busiest part of the noisy streets, and at the entrance to the gates of the city she utters her words: ²² “You naïve ones, how long will you love naiveté? And how long will scoffers delight in scoffing or fools hate knowledge?” ²³ Return to my correction! Look, I will pour out my spirit on you, and I will make my words known to you.
²⁴ The Consequences of Refusing Wisdom“Because I called out to you and you refused to respond— I appealed, but no one paid attention— ²⁵ because you neglected all my advice and did not want my correction, ²⁶ I will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when what you fear comes, ²⁷ when what you dread comes like a storm, and your calamity comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. ²⁸ “Then they will call out to me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. ²⁹ “Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD; ³⁰ they did not want my advice, and they rejected all my correction. ³¹ They will eat the fruit of their way, and they will be filled with their own devices.

⁹ ConclusionsMoreover, besides being wise himself, the Teacher taught people what he had learned by listening, making inquiries, and composing many proverbs.

¹ Title The Most Beautiful Song by Solomon.
² The Loved OneLet him kiss me over and over again! Your love is better than wine. ³ The fragrance of your perfumed oil is wonderful. Your name is perfume poured out. Therefore the young women love you. ⁴ Take me with you! Let’s run away! Let the king bring me into his private chambers.
The Young Women The daughters of Jerusalem will rejoice and be happy for you. We will value your love more than wine. They love you appropriately.
⁵ The Loved OneThe daughters of Jerusalem, I’m dark and lovely like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon. ⁶ Don’t stare at me because I’m dark; the sun has tanned me. My mother’s sons were angry with me. They made me the caretaker of the vineyards, but I didn’t take care of my own vineyard. ⁷ Tell me, you whom I love, where do you graze your flock? Where do you make your flock lie down at noon? Why should I be considered a veiled woman beside the flocks of your companions?
⁸ The LoverIf you don’t know, most beautiful of women, go out after the flock and graze your young goats beside the shepherd’s tents. ⁹ My darling, I compare you to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots. ¹⁰ Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels.
¹¹ The Young WomenWe will make ornaments of gold for you, accented with silver.
¹² The Loved OneWhile the king was sitting at his table, my perfume sent forth its fragrance. ¹³ My beloved is to me a pouch of myrrh that lies between my breasts all night. ¹⁴ My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms in the vineyards of En-gedi.
¹⁵ The LoverLook at you! You are beautiful, my darling. Look at you! You are so beautiful. Your eyes are doves.
¹⁶ The Loved OneLook at you! You are handsome, my beloved, truly lovely. How lush is our couch. ¹⁷ The beams of our house are cedar, our rafters are pine.

³⁵ This was to fulfill what was declared by the prophet when he said, “I will open my mouth to speak in parables. I will declare what has been hidden since the creation of the world.”

²⁰ Then God said, “Let the oceans swarm with living creatures, and let flying creatures soar above the earth throughout the sky!” ²¹ So God created every kind of magnificent marine creature, every kind of living marine crawler with which the waters swarmed, and every kind of flying creature. And God saw how good it was. ²² God blessed them by saying, “Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the oceans. Let the birds multiply throughout the earth!” ²³ The twilight and the dawn were the fifth day.
²⁴ Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth each kind of living creature, each kind of livestock and crawling thing, and each kind of earth’s animals!” And that is what happened: ²⁵ God made each kind of the earth’s animals, along with every kind of livestock and crawling thing. And God saw how good it was.

²² Take a bundle of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and apply some of the blood in the basin to the lintel and the two doorposts. None of you is to go out of the doorway of his house until morning,

¹⁸ A clean person is to take some hyssop, dip it in water, and then sprinkle it on the tent, on every vessel, and on whoever was there (that is, on whoever touched the bones, the killed person, or the dead body, including whoever dug the grave).

⁶ They’re spread out like valleys, like gardens along river banks, like aloe planted by the LORD, or like cedars beside water.

²³ By your messengers you have insulted the LORD. You have claimed, “With my many chariots I ascended the heights of the mountains, including the remotest regions of Lebanon; I cut down its tall cedars and the best of its cypress trees. I entered its most remote lodging place and its most fruitful forest.

⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

¹² The righteous will flourish like palm trees; they will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

¹⁹ For after every commandment in the Law had been spoken to all the people by Moses, he took the blood of calves and goats, together with some water, scarlet wool, and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people,

¹ The Queen of Sheba Visits Jerusalem
When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon’s reputation, she traveled to Jerusalem and tested him with difficult questions. She brought along a large retinue, camels laden with spices, and lots of gold and precious stones. Upon her arrival, she spoke with Solomon about everything that was on her mind.

² “It will come about in the last days that the mountain that is the LORD’s Temple will be established as the highest of mountains, and will be raised above the hills; all the nations will stream to it.

²³ “This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: ‘In the future, ten men speaking all the languages of the nations will grab hold of one Jewish person by the hem of his garment and say, “Let us go up to Jerusalem with you, because we heard that God is with you.”’”