Judah and Benjamin; the Loud is with vau, while ye be with him; and if" ye feck him, be will be found of you; but it ye forsake him, he will for&ke you.

j Now for a long season Israel hath tee* without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.

4 But when, they in their trouble did rum unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.

5 And in those times there ivas no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries.

6 And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity.

7 He ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work lhall be rewarded.

8 And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which hehad takenfrom mountEphraim, and renewed the altar of the Lord, that was before the porch of the Lo R D .

9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the Lo R D his God <was with him.

io So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.

11 And they offered unto the Lord the same time, of the spoil luhich they had brought, seven hundred oxen, and seven thousand sheep.

ii And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lor D God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;

Ij That whosoever would not seek the Lor D God of Israel ihould be put to death, whether small or great, whether nun or woman.

*4 And they sware unto the Lord wiih a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.

15 And all Jndah resoiced at the oath: (or they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the Lor D give them rest round about.

»5 q And al (6 concerning Maach.ih the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.

17 But the high places were not taken away out of liraeh nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.

18 And he brought into the house of God the things that hi3 father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.

19 And there was no mire war unto the siveaiul thirtieth yearof the reign of Asa,

CHAP. XVI.

I Asa by the aid as the Syrians, di<aertetk

Baa/ha from building of Kama/:, n He

fetketh not to God. in his disease, but to

the physicians, i ; His death and burial.

IN the six and thirtieth year of the reign os Asa Baafha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramab, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

3 Then Ala brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord, and of the king's house, and sent to Ben-hadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saving,

j There is a league between me and thee, a3 there <was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baalha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.

4 And Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Isiael; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelmaun, and all the store cities of Naphtali.

5 And it came to pass, when Baaflia heard it, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease.

6 Then Ata the king took all Judah j and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baalha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.

7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Ala king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the

kingof Syria, and not relied on theLoRn thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria eseaped out of thine hand.

8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Luhiras a huge host, with very many chariots, and horsemen i yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord, ho delivered them into thine hand.

9Forthe eyes of the Lor D run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in live behalfof/A«« whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou haft done foolishly: therefore from hencefijrth tiion shalt have wars.

lo Then Asa was wroth with the seer, .nd put him in a prison house; for he

•was in a rage with him because of this .'thing. Ana Asa oppressed some of the people the fame time.

ii q And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

12 And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease ixias exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lor n, but to the physicians.

13 tj And Asa slept with his father::, and died in the one and fortieth year of liis reign.

14. And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himlelf in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds osspices prepared bv the apothecaries' ait: and they made a very great burning for him.

CHAP. XVII. 1 Je/10/hapiat reigneth 'well, and prosper.

elk. 7 Hescndeth Lcvitet toteach Judah.

iz His greatness, captains, and armies.

AND Jehostiaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened nimself against Israel.

z And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Ala his father had taken.

3 And the Lord Wis with Jehostiaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim;

4 But sought to the LORD God of his father.andwalkej in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.

5 Therefore the Lord stablislied the kingdom in his. hand; and all Judah brought to Jehostiaphat presents; and he had riches and honour in abundance.

6 And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah.

7 *tj Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, even to Ben-hail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.

8 And with them htsent Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tob-adonijab, Levites; and with them Elifharna and Jehoram, priests.

9 And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the Lord with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.

10 And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that 'were round about Judah, Ib that they made no war against Jehostiaphat.

11 Alfosome of the Philistines brought Jehostiaphat presents, and tribute silver; and the Arabians brought him stocks, ieven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thouland and seven hundred he goats.

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

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

14. And these are the numbers of them according to the house of their fathers; of Judah, thecaptainsof thousands; Adnah the chief, and with him mighty men , of valour three hundred thousand.

15 And next to him nvas Jehohanaa the captain, aud with him two hundred and fourscore thousand.

16 And next him <was Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly ottered himself unto the Lord; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valour.

17 And of Benjamin; Eliada a mighty man os valour, and with him aimed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand.

18 And next him ivas Jehozabad, and with him an hundred and fourscore thousand ready prepared for the war.

19 These waited on the king, beside those whore the king put in the fenced cities throughout all Judah.

CHAP. XVIII. 1 Jehofhaphat goeth "with Ahab against Ramoth-gilead. 4. Ahab seduced by false prophets is stain.

NOW Jehostiaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.

2 And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Sainana. And Ahab killed slieep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he Æa</with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth-gilead.

3 And Ahab kint; of Israel said unto Jehostiaphat kingofjudah, Wiltthou go with me to Ramoth-gilead } And he answered him, I am as thou art, and ray people as tiiy people; and <we 'wilt bt with thee in the war.

4 <j And Jehostiaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to day.

5 Therefore the king of Isiael g»'hf "j ed together of prophets four hundred

33 And a cert fun man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: theretore he did to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the holt; for I am wounded.

34. And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the fun going down he died.

CHAP. XIX.

1 Jehoshaphat i<isiteth his kingdom. 5 His

instructions to the judges.

AND Jeholhaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem.

2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer ■went out to meet him, and laid to king Jeholhaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord! therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord.

3 Nevertheless there arc good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.

4 And Jeholhaphat dwelt at Jerusalem; and he went out again through the people from Beer-fhcba to mount Ephraim, and brought them back unto the Lor D God of their fathers.

5 % And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city,

6 And said to the judges, Take heed ■what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgement.

7 Wherefore now let the fear of the Lor D be upon you; take heed, and do it: for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.

$ Moreover m Jerusalem did Jeholhaphat set of the Levites, and a/"the priests, and of the chief of the fathers of Israel, for the judgement of the Lo R D , and for controversies, when they returned to Jerusalem.

9 And he charged them, saying, Thus stiall ye do in thefearof the Lo R D, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.

1 o And what cause soever (hall come jo you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgements, ye stiall even warn them that they trespass not jigaiost the Lo R D , and so wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren; this do, and ye (hall not trespass.

iiAnd,behold,Amariahthechiefpriest is over you in all matters of the Lor D; and Zebadiah the son of Istimael, the ruler of the house of Judah, fox all the king's matters: also the Levites /hall be officers before you. Deal courageously, and the LorD stiall be with the good.

CHAP. XX. 1 Jehoshaphat prodaimeth a fast. 5 His

prayer. 11 Xhe overthrow of his ene

tnies. 31 His reign.

IT came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehofliaphat to battle.

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

3 And Jeholhaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

4 And Judah gathered themselves together to alk help of the Lord: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.

5 fl And Jeholhaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the nouse of the Lord, before the pew court,

6 And said, O Lor D God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven ? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?

7 Art not thou our God, nuho didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seedof Abraham thy friend forever}

8 And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying, •

9 If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgement, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this houle,) and cry unto thee in our afflic? tion, then, thou wilt hear and help.

jo And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Stir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not;

j 1 Behold, Isayr Aotjj they reward us, to cpme to cast, us out of thy pofTciupn, which thou halt given us. to inherit.

i j O pur God, wilt thou not judge \Uea\l sor we ^ave no mjgltf against