2 Chronicles 17 Cross References - ISV

¹ Jehoshaphat Succeeds AsaAsa’s son Jehoshaphat succeeded him as king, and he consolidated his authority over Israel ² by placing troops in all of the fortified citadels through Judah and by establishing garrisons throughout the land of Judah and in the cities that his father Asa had captured.
³ The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the example set during his ancestor David’s preliminary years by not pursuing the Baals. ⁴ Instead, Jehoshaphat sought the God of his ancestors and obeyed his commands, unlike Israel. 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. ⁶ He remained committed to following the LORD, and he removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.
⁷ Jehoshaphat Institutes Teaching ProgramsDuring the third year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent his officials Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah to teach throughout the cities of Judah. ⁸ They were accompanied by the descendants of Levi, including Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah. These descendants of Levi were accompanied by the priests Elishama and Jehoram. ⁹ They taught throughout Judah from a copy of the Book of the Law of the LORD that they took with them as they passed through all the cities of Judah, teaching among all the people.
¹⁰ Jehoshaphat’s Military and Economic StabilityBecause they were afraid of the LORD, none of the kingdoms of the lands that surrounded Judah dared go to war against Jehoshaphat. ¹¹ Some of the Philistines brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat, and Arabians brought him flocks of 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats. ¹² As a result, Jehoshaphat grew more and more powerful, and built up fortresses and storage centers throughout Judah. ¹³ He placed a large amount of supplies into storage throughout the cities of Judah and stationed soldiers—all of them valiant men—in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ Here’s how they were mustered, listed according to their ancestral houses and listed by commanders of thousands: Adnah commanded 300,000 elite forces. ¹⁵ Near him was Johanan, commander of 280,000 ¹⁶ and next to him was Zichri’s son Amasiah, who had volunteered to serve the LORD. He commanded 200,000 elite forces. ¹⁷ There was also Eliada from Benjamin, himself a valiant soldier. He was accompanied by 200,000 expert archers bearing shields. ¹⁸ Near him was Jehozabad, who was accompanied by 180,000 soldiers equipped for warfare. ¹⁹ These men served the king, and there were others whom the king garrisoned inside fortified cities throughout all of Judah.

¹⁶ Saul’s son Jonathan got up and went to David at Horesh, and he encouraged him to trust in God.

²⁴ Then Asa died, as had his ancestors, and he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David, his ancestor. His son Jehoshaphat reigned in his place.

⁴¹ Jehoshaphat Reigns over JudahAsa’s son Jehoshaphat became king over Judah during the fourth year of the reign of King Ahab of Israel.

¹⁰ David’s Elite Soldiers
These are the leaders of the elite warriors who were strong supporters of David in his kingdom, along with all of Israel, in keeping with the message from the LORD concerning Israel.

¹ Shishak Invades Judah
At the height of his power, after he had consolidated his rule, Rehoboam abandoned the LORD’s Law, along with all of Israel with him.

⁸ The Ammonites paid tribute to Uzziah, and his reputation extended as far as the border with Egypt as he became stronger and stronger.

⁵ Hezekiah took courage and rebuilt all of the walls that had been broken down. Then he erected watch towers on them, and added another external wall. He fortified the terrace ramparts in the City of David and prepared a large number of weapons and shields.

²⁷ “The king will mourn, the prince will be clothed with desolation, and the hands of the people of the land will tremble. I’ll deal with them according to their behavior and I will judge them by how they’ve judged. Then they’ll learn that I am the LORD.”

⁸ Asaph fathered Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat fathered Joram, Joram fathered Uzziah,

¹⁰ Putting on the Whole Armor of GodFinally, be strong in the Lord, relying on his mighty strength.

⁵ Rehoboam continued to live in Jerusalem and built defensive fortification cities throughout Judah,

¹¹ He also strengthened the fortified cities, assigned officers to them, and stockpiled food, oil, and wine. ¹² He also stockpiled shields and spears in every city and fortified them greatly to secure his rule over Judah and Benjamin.

⁸ Asa Institutes ReformsEncouraged by what Oded’s son Azariah the prophet had said in his prophecy, Asa removed the detestable idols from throughout the entire territories of Judah and Benjamin, and from the cities that he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He repaired the LORD’s altar that stood in front of the vestibule of the LORD’s Temple.

² But the LORD was with Joseph. He became a very prosperous man while in the house of his Egyptian master, ³ who could see that the LORD was with Joseph, because the LORD made everything prosper that Joseph did.

²¹ But the LORD was with Joseph. He extended gracious love to him, causing the prison warden to be pleased with Joseph.

¹² Then God said, “I certainly will be with you. And this will be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, all of you will serve God on this mountain.”

¹² Now, go! I myself will help you with your speech, and I’ll teach you what you are to say.”

⁵ No one will be victorious against you for the rest of your life. I’ll be with you just like I was with Moses—I’ll neither fail you nor abandon you.

⁹ I’ve commanded you, haven’t I? Be strong and courageous. Don’t be fearful or discouraged, because the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

¹¹ The Rise of the JudgesSo the Israelis practiced what the LORD considered to be evil by worshiping Canaanite deities.

¹⁸ As a result, whenever the LORD raised up leaders for them, the LORD remained present with their leader, delivering Israel from the control of their enemies during the lifetime of that leader. The LORD was moved with compassion by their groaning that had been caused by those who were oppressing and persecuting them.

¹² The angel of the LORD appeared to him and told him, “The LORD is with you, you valiant warrior!”

³³ Later on, as soon as Gideon was dead, the Israelis again committed spiritual adultery with various Canaanite deities and appointed Baal-berith to be their god.

¹⁰ David became more and more esteemed because the LORD God of the Heavenly Armies was with him.

¹⁵ David’s Leaders
David reigned over all of Israel, administering justice and equity to every one of his people.

⁶ Solomon practiced what the LORD considered to be evil by not fully following the LORD, as had his father David.

³ He practiced the same sins that his father committed before he was born. Unlike his ancestor David, his heart never became devoted to the LORD his God. ⁴ Nevertheless, for the sake of David, the LORD his God maintained a lamp for David in Jerusalem by raising up his son after him so that Jerusalem would be established,

³ He practiced what the LORD considered to be right, but not like his ancestor David did. He acted as his father Joash had done,

² Ahaz was 20 years old when he became king, and he ruled in Jerusalem for sixteen years. He did not practice what the LORD considered to be right, as had his ancestor David.

³ He did what the LORD considered to be right, according to everything that his ancestor David had done.

² He practiced what the LORD considered to be right, living the way his ancestor David had lived, turning neither to the right nor to the left.

¹⁸ “Isn’t the LORD your God with you? Hasn’t he surrounded you with comfort? He has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my control, and the land lies subdued both in the LORD’s presence and before his people.

² Asa Chooses to do What is Right
Asa practiced what the LORD his God considered to be right ³ by removing the foreign altars and high places, tearing down the sacred pillars, cutting down the Asherim, and ⁴ commanding Judah to seek the LORD God of their ancestors and to keep the Law and the commandments. ⁵ He also removed the high places and incense altars from all of the cities of Judah. As a result, the kingdom enjoyed rest under Asa’s leadership.

¹¹ Asa cried out to the LORD his God, telling him, “LORD, there is no one except for you to help between the powerful and the weak. So help us, LORD God, because we’re depending on you and have come against this vast group in your name. LORD, you are our God. Let no mere mortal man defeat you!”

² so he went out to meet Asa and rebuked him: “Listen to me, Asa, Judah, and Benjamin! The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will allow you to find him, but if you abandon him, he will abandon you.

⁸ Asa Institutes ReformsEncouraged by what Oded’s son Azariah the prophet had said in his prophecy, Asa removed the detestable idols from throughout the entire territories of Judah and Benjamin, and from the cities that he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He repaired the LORD’s altar that stood in front of the vestibule of the LORD’s Temple. ⁹ Then he gathered together all of Judah, Benjamin, and people from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who were living among them, since many people had defected to him from Israel when they learned that the LORD his God was with him. ¹⁰ They all assembled in Jerusalem during the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign. ¹¹ They sacrificed to the LORD that day 700 oxen and 7,000 sheep from the spoil that they had brought with them. ¹² They also entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their ancestors with all their heart and soul, ¹³ and they further agreed that whoever would refuse to seek the LORD God of Israel was to be executed, whether important or unimportant, man or woman.

⁷ The LORD of the heavenly armies is with us; our refuge is the God of Jacob. Interlude

¹¹ The LORD of the heavenly armies is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Interlude

¹ A Song of Ascents
The LORD Lives in Zion LORD, remember in David’s favor all of his troubles; ² how he swore an oath to the LORD, vowing to the Mighty One of Jacob, ³ “I will not enter my house, or lie down on my bed, ⁴ or let myself go to sleep or even take a nap, ⁵ until I locate a place for the LORD, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

¹⁰ Take counsel together, but it will all be for nothing; go ahead and talk, but it will all be for nothing, for God is with us.”

¹⁰ Don’t be afraid, because I’m with you; don’t be anxious, because I am your God. I keep on strengthening you; I’m truly helping you. I’m surely upholding you with my victorious right hand.”

²³ Israel’s Passion for Sin“How can you say, ‘I’m not defiled. I haven’t gone after the Baals.’? Look at what you’ve done in the valley. Know what you have done. You are a swift young camel galloping aimlessly;

²³ “See, a virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel,”
which means, “God with us.”

²⁰ because where two or three have come together in my name, I am there among them.”

²⁰ teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you. And remember, I am with you each and every day until the end of the age.”

²² May the Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with all of you! Amen.

²⁸ So the king sought some advice and then built two golden calves and announced, “It’s too difficult for you to travel to Jerusalem. So here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!”

³⁰ Doing this was sinful, because the people traveled as far as Dan to appear before one of their idols.

³³ Then, on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, he went up to burn incense on the altar that he had set up in Bethel, thus beginning the festival that he had made up out of his own heart for the Israelis.

³³ Despite everything that happened, Jeroboam never did repent of his evil practices. Instead, he appointed even more people to act as priests for the high places. Anyone who wanted to be a priest was ordained to be a priest in the high places. ³⁴ This practice became so sinful that the LORD decided to erase Jeroboam’s dynasty, thus eliminating it from the face of the earth.

³¹ In fact, as if it were nothing for him to live like Nebat’s son Jeroboam, Ahab married Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of Sidon. Then he went out to serve Baal and worship him. ³² He built an altar for Baal in a temple for Baal that he constructed in Samaria. ³³ Ahab also erected an Asherah, doing more to provoke the LORD God of Israel than all of the kings of Israel who had reigned before him.

¹⁸ He lived his life like the kings of Israel did, following the example of Ahab’s household when he married Ahab’s daughter and practiced what was evil in the LORD’s presence.

¹⁹ But Judah, too, did not keep the commands of the LORD their God. Instead, they lived the lifestyle that Israel had chosen,

⁷ I thought, ‘After she has done all these things, she will return to me.’ But she didn’t return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw this. ⁸ I saw that even though I had sent unfaithful Israel away for all her adulteries and had given her a divorce decree, her treacherous sister Judah didn’t fear, and she, too, committed adultery.

¹⁵ “Even though you prostitute yourself, Israel— let not Judah incur guilt— don’t go to Gilgal, or visit Beth-aven, or swear an oath using the LORD’s name.

⁶ Both of them were righteous before God, having lived blamelessly according to all of the commandments and regulations of the Lord.

¹² We comforted and encouraged you, urging you to live in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

¹ Instructions on the Way Christians Should LiveNow then, brothers, you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God, as in fact you are doing. We ask and encourage you in the Lord to do so even more.

² Now Abram had become quite wealthy in livestock, silver, and gold.

¹³ He became very wealthy and lived a life of wealth, becoming more and more wealthy. ¹⁴ He owned so many sheep, cattle, and servants that the Philistines eventually became envious of him.

¹³ when your cattle and oxen multiply, when your silver and gold increase, ¹⁴ then you will become arrogant. You’ll neglect the LORD your God,

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.

²⁵ “And now, LORD God, let what you have spoken concerning your servant and his household be done—and let it be done just as you’ve promised. ²⁶ May your name be made great forever with the result that it is said that the LORD of the Heavenly Armies is God over Israel, and that the household of your servant David may be established before you.

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 “Now as for you, if you commune with me like your father did, with an upright heart of integrity and doing everything that I’ve commanded you and keeping my statutes and ordinances, ⁵ then I’ll make your royal throne secure forever, just as I agreed to do so for your father David when I said, ‘You are to not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’

²⁵ Everyone kept on bringing gifts on an annual basis, including items made of silver and gold, garments, myrrh, spices, horses, and mules.

²⁷ The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and made cedar trees as abundant as sycamore trees in the Shephelah.

¹⁵ The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and made cedar trees as plentiful as sycamore trees that grow in the Shephelah.

²⁷ The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and made cedar trees as abundant as sycamore trees in the Shephelah.

¹ Jehoshaphat Allies with Ahab
After Jehoshaphat had become wealthy and was enjoying abundant honor, he allied himself to Ahab.

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.

²⁷ Hezekiah’s Wealth and Accomplishments
Hezekiah received immense wealth and honor. He built treasuries for himself to store silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and all sorts of valuable items, ²⁸ along with storage facilities for grain, wine, oil, stalls for all sorts of cattle, and sheepfolds for his flocks. ²⁹ He also built cities for himself and stored up flocks and herds in abundance, because God had given him great riches.

¹² The LORD blessed Job during the latter part of his life more than the former, since he owned 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 teams of oxen and 1,000 female donkeys.

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

¹⁰ May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring gifts, and may the kings of Sheba and Seba offer tribute.

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

¹ A Solomonic Song of Ascents
God’s Blessing in the Family Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor uselessly. Unless the LORD guards the city, its security forces keep watch uselessly.

¹² If your sons keep my covenant and my statutes that I will teach them, then their sons will also sit on your throne forever.”

¹¹ After they went into the house and saw the child with his mother Mary, they fell down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasure sacks and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

³³ But first be concerned about God’s kingdom and his righteousness, and all of these things will be provided for you as well.

¹⁰ After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you by the Messiah Jesus to his eternal glory, will restore you, establish you, strengthen you, and support you.

⁴⁷ Servitude and Bondage“Because you didn’t serve the LORD your God joyfully and wholeheartedly, despite the abundance of everything you have,

⁴³ He lived like his father Asa and never abandoned that life. He did what the LORD considered to be right. Nevertheless, the high places were not demolished, and the people continued to sacrifice and burn incense on the high places.

³ by removing the foreign altars and high places, tearing down the sacred pillars, cutting down the Asherim, and

¹⁷ Nevertheless, the high places were not removed from Israel, even though Asa’s heart was blameless all of his life.

³ Nevertheless, a few good things have been found in you, in that you have removed the Asheroth from the land and you have disciplined yourself to seek God.”

³³ However, the high places were not removed, since the people had not yet directed their hearts to the God of their ancestors.

¹ Idols are Eliminated from Judah
At the conclusion of all of these activities, everybody in Israel who was in attendance traveled throughout the cities of Judah, broke down the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherim, and broke down the high places and altars throughout the territories of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh until they had eliminated all of them. Then the people of Israel went back to their cities and back to their work.

³ In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his ancestor David. In the twelfth year of his reign, he began to remove the high places, Asherim, carved images, and cast images from Judah and Jerusalem.
⁴ They tore down the altars of Baals in his presence. He chopped down the incense altars that stood high above them. He broke into pieces the Asherim, the carved images, and the cast images, ground them to dust, and scattered the residue on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. ⁵ He burned the bones of the priests on their altars, thus purging Judah and Jerusalem. ⁶ In the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, and as far as Naphtali and their surrounding ruins, ⁷ he also tore down altars, destroyed the Asherim and the carved images, grinding them into dust, and chopped down all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.

²⁶ “Then you’ll take delight in the Almighty; and will turn your face toward God.

²¹ because I have kept the ways of the LORD, and I have not wickedly departed from my God; ²² because all his judgments were always before me, and I did not cast off his statutes.

¹ Alef
Living in the Law of God How blessed are those whose life is blameless, who walk in the Law of the LORD!

⁵ They will sing about the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD!

⁹ Concluding CounselWhoever is wise, let him understand these things. Whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right: the righteous follow his example, but the rebellious stumble in them.

¹⁰ and said, “You’re full of every form of deception and trickery, you son of the devil, you enemy of all that is right! You’ll never stop perverting the straight ways of the Lord, will you?

⁵ See! I taught you the statutes and the ordinances, just as the LORD God commanded. Therefore, observe them when you enter the land you are about to possess.

¹⁰ They will teach your ordinances to Jacob, and your Law to Israel. They will offer incense as a pleasant aroma to you and a whole burnt offering upon your altar.

³ Israel lived for years without the true God, priests to teach them, and the Law,

²² Hezekiah encouraged all the descendants of Levi who demonstrated significant insight in their service to the LORD, so they all participated in the festival meals for seven days, all the while sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the LORD God of their ancestors.

³ He addressed the descendants of Levi who were teaching all Israel and who had consecrated themselves to the LORD, telling them: “Put the holy ark in the Temple that Solomon, the son of Israel’s King David, built. It will no longer be a burden on their shoulders. Now go serve the LORD your God and his people Israel.

⁷ Furthermore, Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the descendants of Levi taught the Law to the people while the people remained standing. ⁸ They read from the Book of the Law of God, distinctly communicating its meaning, so they could understand the reading.

¹³ The Festival of Tents is Reinstituted
The next day, the heads of the families of all the people were gathered together, along with the priests and the descendants of Levi, to meet with Ezra the scribe in order to understand the words of the Law. ¹⁴ They found written in the Law that the LORD had commanded through Moses that the Israelis were to live in tents during the festival scheduled for the seventh month.

³ While they stood there, they read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for one fourth of the day, and they confessed and worshipped the LORD their God for another fourth of the day.

¹¹ Come, children, listen to me, and I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

¹³ Then I will teach transgressors about your ways, and sinners will turn to you.

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

⁹ ConclusionsMoreover, besides being wise himself, the Teacher taught people what he had learned by listening, making inquiries, and composing many proverbs. ¹⁰ The Teacher searched to find appropriate expressions, and what is written here is right and truthful.

²³ “Oh, yes! Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens will be your nursing mothers. They will bow to you with their faces to the ground, and lick the dust from your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.

²³ Jesus Ministers to Many People
Then he went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every illness among the people.

² He began teaching them many things in parables. While he was teaching them he said,

⁴³ But he told them, “I have to proclaim the good news about the kingdom of God in other cities, because I was sent to do that also.” ⁴⁴ So he continued to preach in the synagogues of Galilee.

¹ IntroductionIn my first book, Theophilus, I wrote about everything Jesus did and taught from the beginning,

⁸ In Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat also appointed certain descendants of Levi, priests, and family leaders of Israel to render verdicts for the LORD and to decide difficult cases. Their offices were in Jerusalem.

¹ Ezra’s Return to Jerusalem
After all of this, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Seraiah’s son Ezra (who was the grandson of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, ² son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, ³ son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, ⁴ son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, ⁵ son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest) ⁶ left Babylon. He was a skillful scribe of the Law of Moses that the LORD God of Israel had given. And the king granted him everything he had requested because the hand of the LORD his God was upon him.

⁷ For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he’s the messenger of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.

⁴ “Listen, Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. ⁵ You are to love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. ⁶ Let these words that I’m commanding you today be always on your heart. ⁷ Teach them repeatedly to your children. Talk about them while sitting in your house or walking on the road, and as you lie down or get up. ⁸ Tie them as reminders on your forearm, bind them on your forehead, ⁹ and write them on the door frames of your house and on your gates.”

¹¹ when all of Israel comes to appear in the presence of the LORD your God at the place that he’ll choose, read this Law aloud to them. ¹² Gather the people—the men, women, children, and the foreigners that live in your cities—so they may hear and fear the LORD your God, and so they may be careful to obey the words contained in this Law. ¹³ Their children who don’t know will hear and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the land that you are crossing the Jordan River to possess.”

⁷ Only be strong and very courageous to ensure that you obey all the instructions that my servant Moses gave you—turn neither to the right nor to the left from it—so that you may succeed wherever you go. ⁸ This set of instructions is not to cease being a part of your conversations. Meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to carry out everything that’s written in it, for then you’ll prosper and succeed.

⁷ Furthermore, Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the descendants of Levi taught the Law to the people while the people remained standing.

²⁰ for instruction and for testimony? Surely they are speaking like this because the truth hasn’t dawned on them.

²³ So when they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, because I tell all of you with certainty that you will not have gone through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

¹ When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he left there to teach and preach in their home towns.

² “Why do your disciples disregard the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands when they eat.”
³ But he answered them, “Why do you also disregard the commandment of God because of your tradition? ⁴ Because God said, ‘You are to honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever curses father or mother must certainly be put to death.’ ⁵ But you say, ‘Whoever tells his father or his mother, “Whatever support you might have received from me has been given to God,” ⁶ does not have to honor his father.’ Because of your tradition, then, you have disregarded the authority of God’s word. ⁷ You hypocrites! How well did Isaiah prophesy of you when he said, ⁸ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. ⁹ Their worship of me is empty, because they teach human rules as doctrines.’”

¹⁹ Therefore, as you go, disciple people in all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you. And remember, I am with you each and every day until the end of the age.”

¹⁷ the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written, ¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; he has anointed me to tell the good news to the poor. He has sent me to announce release to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set oppressed people free, ¹⁹ and to announce the year of the Lord’s favor.”

³⁹ You examine the Scriptures carefully because you suppose that in them you have eternal life. Yet they testify about me.

⁴⁶ because if you believed Moses, you would believe me, since he wrote about me.

⁴⁰ But Philip found himself at Azotus. As he was passing through that region, he kept proclaiming the good news in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

¹⁵ After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders asked them, “Brothers, if you have any message of encouragement for the people, you may speak.”

²¹ After all, Moses has had people to proclaim him in every city for generations, and on every Sabbath his books are read aloud in the synagogues.”

²³ So they set a day to meet with Paul and came out in large numbers to see him where he was staying.
From morning until evening, he continued to explain the kingdom of God to them, trying to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets.

² There are all kinds of advantages! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the utterances of God.

¹¹ Whoever speaks must speak God’s words. Whoever serves must serve with the strength that God supplies, so that in every way God may be glorified through Jesus, the Messiah. Glory and power belong to him forever and ever! Amen.

⁵ As they set out on their journey, because the people who lived in the cities around them feared God, they did not pursue Jacob’s sons.

¹⁴ “The people heard and they quaked, anguish has seized the inhabitants of Philistia. ¹⁵ Then the chiefs of Edom were terrified, the nobles of Moab trembled uncontrollably, and all the inhabitants of Canaan melted away. ¹⁶ Dread and fear have fallen on them, because of the strength of your arm. They have become silent as a stone, until your people pass by, LORD, until this people you acquired pass by.

²⁴ since I’m going to drive out nations before you, and enlarge your borders, and no one will covet your land, when you go up to appear in the presence of the LORD your God three times a year.

⁹ “I’m really convinced that the LORD has given you the land,” she said, “because we’re overwhelmed with fear of you. All the other inhabitants of the land are demoralized at your presence, ¹⁰ because we heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Reed Sea right in front of you as you were coming out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan River—to Sihon and Og—whom you completely destroyed. ¹¹ When we heard these reports, we all became terrified and discouraged because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath.

¹⁴ They attacked all the cities that surrounded Gerar, because fear of the LORD had overwhelmed them. The Israelis spoiled all the cities, because there was a lot to plunder in them.

⁹ The LORD’s eyes keep on roaming throughout the earth, looking for those whose hearts completely belong to him, so that he may strongly support them. But because you have acted foolishly in this, from now on you will have wars.”

⁷ When a person’s ways please the LORD, even his enemies will be at peace with him.

² David also conquered Moab, then measured them with a cord, making them lie down on the ground. He executed everyone measured out in each two lengths’ measurement of the cord, but spared the ones measured out by every third length. Then the Moabites were placed under servitude to David, and made to pay tribute.

⁴ Moab Rebels against IsraelMeanwhile, Moab’s king Mesha was a sheep breeder. He used to pay 100,000 lambs and the wool from 100,000 rams to the king of Israel as tribute.

¹⁴ not including revenue from traders and merchants. In addition, all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the nation brought gold and silver to Solomon.

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.

²⁵ and the LORD exalted Solomon magnificently in the sight of all Israel, bestowing upon him royal majesty such as had not been given to any king in Israel before him.

² During this time, he also rebuilt the towns that Hiram had restored to him, and he settled Israelis in them. ³ After this, Solomon traveled to Hamath-zobah and captured it. ⁴ Then he rebuilt Tadmor in the desert, along with supply centers that he had built in Hamath. ⁵ He also built upper and lower Beth-horon as fortified cities, installing walls, gates, and bars, ⁶ and he rebuilt Baalath and its supply centers that belonged to Solomon, along with all the cities that he utilized to garrison his chariots and cavalry forces. Solomon was pleased also to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in every territory that he controlled.

⁵ Rehoboam continued to live in Jerusalem and built defensive fortification cities throughout Judah, ⁶ including Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, ⁷ Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, ⁸ Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, ⁹ Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, ¹⁰ Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These were all fortified cities throughout Judah and Benjamin.

⁶ Asa built fortified cities throughout Judah while the land lay undisturbed, because the LORD had given him peace so that no one went to war against him during those years. ⁷ He had told Judah, “Let’s build up these cities, surrounding them with walls, towers, gates, and bars. The land still belongs to us, because we have kept on seeking the LORD our God. We have sought him out, and he has given us rest all around us.” So the people built and prospered.

⁶ Uzziah’s Initial SuccessesOne time Uzziah went out and battled the Philistines. He tore down the walls of Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod, and built cities in the Ashdod area among the Philistines. ⁷ God helped Uzziah defeat the Philistines, the Arabians who lived in Gur-baal, and the Meunites. ⁸ The Ammonites paid tribute to Uzziah, and his reputation extended as far as the border with Egypt as he became stronger and stronger. ⁹ Uzziah also built towers in Jerusalem, at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate, and at the Angle and fortified them.

⁴ He also built cities in the hill country of Judah, along with fortresses and guard towers in the forests.

²⁵ Civic LeadersAdiel’s son Azmaveth was responsible for the king’s treasuries. Uzziah’s son Jonathan was in charge of treasuries located in the country, in cities, in villages, and in towers. ²⁶ Chelub’s son Ezri supervised the field workers who tilled the soil. ²⁷ Shimei the Ramathite supervised the vineyards. In charge over the produce of the vineyards for the wine cellars was Zabdi the Shiphmite. ²⁸ Baal-hanan the Gederite supervised the olive and sycamore trees in the Shephelah. Joash supervised the oil reserves. ²⁹ Shitrai the Sharonite supervised the herds that were pastured in Sharon. Adlai’s son Shaphat supervised the herds in the valleys. ³⁰ Obil the Ishmaelite supervised the camels. Jehdeiah the Meronothite supervised the donkeys. Jaziz the Hagrite supervised the flocks. ³¹ All of these served as stewards over King David’s property.

¹⁰ He also built watchtowers in the wilderness and had many cisterns hewed out, since he also possessed large herds, both in the Shephelah and in the midland plains. He had many farmers and vinedressers throughout the hills and fertile lands because he loved farming.
¹¹ Uzziah kept a standing army, equipped for battle, garrisoned in divisions according to an organizational structure devised by his royal secretary Jeiel and his officer Maaseiah, who reported to Hananiah, one of the king’s commanders. ¹² The number of senior leaders of the ancestral houses of his elite forces numbered 2,600. ¹³ Uzziah commanded an army of 307,500 who could fight formidably on behalf of the king against any enemy. ¹⁴ In addition, Uzziah equipped the entire army with shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows, and stones for use in slings. ¹⁵ He also had various siege engines built by skilled designers and placed them on the towers and on the corner ramparts that could fire arrows and very large stones. His reputation spread far and wide, and he was marvelously assisted until he grew very strong.

² I’ll make a great nation of your descendants, I’ll bless you, and I’ll make your reputation great, so that you will be a blessing.

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.”

² “Take a census of the entire Israeli community, numbering them by their tribes and by ancestral houses. List the names of every male one-by-one,

¹⁸ They assembled the entire community together during the second month. Then they recorded their ancestries, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as well as the names of the men 20 years old and above individually,

¹ Rehoboam Reigns over Judah Only
When Rehoboam returned to Jerusalem, he gathered together 180,000 specially chosen soldiers from the households of Judah and Benjamin to fight against Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.

³ Abijah started the battle with an army of 400,000 specially chosen valiant soldiers, but Jeroboam opposed him with 800,000 specially chosen valiant soldiers.

⁸ Asa kept a standing army of 300,000 soldiers from Judah equipped with large shields and spears, as well as 280,000 soldiers from Benjamin, also bearing shields and wielding bows. All of them were valiant soldiers.

¹³ Uzziah commanded an army of 307,500 who could fight formidably on behalf of the king against any enemy.

² “When hair grows long in Israel, when the people give themselves willingly, bless the LORD!

⁹ My heart is for the commanders of Israel, to those who work willingly among the people. Bless the LORD!

⁹ Then the people rejoiced because they had given voluntarily, since with a devoted heart they had freely given to the LORD.
David’s Praise to GodKing David also rejoiced greatly.

¹⁴ But who am I, and who are my people, that we make such voluntary offerings as these? For all things come from you, and from your own hand we are giving to you.

¹⁷ And I know, God, that it is you who searches the heart and you who finds pleasure in righteousness. With a righteous heart I have freely given all these things, and now I have seen all of these people of yours giving freely and joyfully to you!

³ Your soldiers are willing volunteers on your day of battle; in majestic holiness, from the womb, from the dawn, the dew of your youth belongs to you.

³ I can testify that by their own free will they have given to the utmost of their ability, yes, even beyond their ability. ⁴ They begged us earnestly for the privilege of participating in this ministry to the saints. ⁵ We did not expect that! They gave themselves to the Lord first and then to us, since this was God’s will.

¹² For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what you have, not according to what you do not have.

²¹ Mountains of Gilboa, let no dew or rain fall on you, and may none of your fields be filled with plenty, because in that place the shield of the valiant ones was defiled, the shield of Saul without an anointing with oil. ²² From the blood of the slain, from the blood of the valiant, Jonathan’s bow would not retreat nor would Saul’s sword return empty.

¹² He also stockpiled shields and spears in every city and fortified them greatly to secure his rule over Judah and Benjamin.

²³ Rehoboam was wise to distribute some his children throughout all of the territories of Judah and Benjamin, placing them in all of the fortified cities. He allotted them abundant supplies of food and sought many wives for them.

² by placing troops in all of the fortified citadels through Judah and by establishing garrisons throughout the land of Judah and in the cities that his father Asa had captured.

¹² As a result, Jehoshaphat grew more and more powerful, and built up fortresses and storage centers throughout Judah.