Chapter 78

13:11. And they offer holocausts to the Lord, every day, morning and evening, and incense made according to the ordinance of the law, and the loaves are set forth on a most clean table, and there is with us the golden candlestick, and the lamps thereof, to be lighted always in the evening: for we keep the precepts of the Lord our God, whom you have forsaken.

13:12. Therefore God is the leader in our army, and his priests who sound with trumpets, and resound against you: O children of Israel, fight not against the Lord the God of your fathers, for it is not good for you.

13:13. While he spoke these things, Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind him. And while he stood facing the enemies, he encompassed Juda, who perceived it not, with his army.

13:14. And when Juda looked back, they saw the battle coming upon them both before and behind, and they cried to the Lord: and the priests began to sound with the trumpets.

13:15. And all the men of Juda shouted: and behold when they shouted, God terrified Jeroboam, and all Israel that stood against Abia and Juda.

13:16. And the children of Israel fled before Juda, and the Lord delivered them into their hand.

13:17. And Abia and his people slew them with a great slaughter, and there fell wounded of Israel five hundred thousand valiant men.

13:18. And the children of Israel were brought down, at that time, and the children of Juda were exceedingly strengthened, because they had trusted in the Lord the God of their fathers.

13:19. And Abia pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel and her daughters, and Jesana with her daughters, Ephron also and her daughters.

13:20. And Jeroboam was not able to resist any more, in the days of Abia: and the Lord struck him, and he died.

13:21. But Abia, being strengthened in his kingdom, took fourteen wives: and begot two and twenty sons, and sixteen daughters.

13:22. And the rest of the acts of Abia, and of his ways and works, are written diligently in the book of Addo the prophet.

2 Paralipomenon Chapter 14

The reign of Asa: his victory over the Ethiopians.

14:1. And Abia slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead: in his days the land was quiet ten years.

14:2. And Asa did that which was good and pleasing in the sight of his God, and he destroyed the altars of foreign worship, and the high places.

14:3. And broke the statues, and cut down the groves.

14:4. And he commanded Juda to seek the Lord the God of their fathers, and to do the law, and all the commandments.

14:5. And he took away out of all the cities of Juda the altars, and temples, and reigned in peace.

14:6. He built also strong cities in Juda, for he was quiet, and there had no wars risen in his time, the Lord giving peace.

14:7. And he said to Juda: Let us build these cities, and compass them with walls, and fortify them with towers, and gates, and bars, while all is quiet from wars, because we have sought the Lord the God of our fathers, and he hath given us peace round about. So they built, and there was no hinderance in building.

14:8. And Asa had in his army of men that bore shields and spears of Juda three hundred thousand, and of Benjamin that bore shields and drew bows, two hundred and eighty thousand, all these were most valiant men.

14:9. And Zara the Ethiopian came out against them with his army of ten hundred thousand men, and with three hundred chariots: and he came as far as Maresa.

14:10. And Asa went out to meet him, and set his army in array for battle in the vale of Sephata, which is near Maresa:

14:11. And he called upon the Lord God, and said: Lord, there is no difference with thee, whether thou help with few, or with many: help us, O Lord our God: for with confidence in thee, and in thy name we are come against this multitude. O Lord thou art our God, let not man prevail against thee.

14:12. And the Lord terrified the Ethiopians before Asa and Juda: and the Ethiopians fled.

14:13. And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them to Gerara: and the Ethiopians fell even to utter destruction, for the Lord slew them, and his army fought against them, and they were destroyed. And they took abundance of spoils,

14:14. And they took all the cities round about Gerara: for a great fear was come upon all men: and they pillaged the cities, and carried off much booty.

14:15. And they destroyed the sheepcotes, and took an infinite number of cattle, and of camels: and returned to Jerusalem.

2 Paralipomenon Chapter 15

The prophecy of Azarias. Asa's covenant with God. He deposeth his mother.

15:1. And the spirit of God came upon Azarias the son of Oded,

15:2. And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: Hear ye me, Asa, and all Juda and Benjamin: The Lord is with you, because you have been with him. If you seek him, you shall find: but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.

15:3. And many days shall pass in Israel, without the true God, and without a priest a teacher, and without the law.

15:4. And when in their distress they shall return to the Lord the God of Israel, and shall seek him, they shall find him.

15:5. At that time there shall be no peace to him that goeth out and cometh in, but terrors on every side among all the inhabitants of the earth.

15:6. For nation shall fight against nation, and city against city, for the Lord will trouble them with all distress.

15:7. Do you therefore take courage, and let not your hands be weakened: for there shall be a reward for your work.

15:8. And when Asa had heard the words, and the prophecy of Azarias the son of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and took away the idols out of all the land of Juda, and out of Benjamin, and out of the cities of mount Ephraim, which he had taken, and he dedicated the altar of the Lord, which was before the porch of the Lord.

15:9. And he gathered together all Juda and Benjamin, and the strangers with them of Ephraim, and Manasses, and Simeon: for many were come over to him out of Israel, seeing that the Lord his God was with him.

15:10. And when they were come to Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa,

15:11. They sacrificed to the Lord in that day of the spoils, and of the prey, that they had brought, seven hundred oxen, and seven thousand rams.

15:12. And he went in to confirm as usual the covenant, that they should seek the Lord the God of their fathers with all their heart, and with all their soul.

15:13. And if any one, said he, seek not the Lord the God of Israel, let him die, whether little or great, man or woman.

15:14. And they swore to the Lord with a loud voice with joyful shouting, and with sound of trumpet, and sound of cornets,

15:15. All that were in Juda with a curse: for with all their heart they swore, and with all their will they sought him, and they found him, and the Lord gave them rest round about.

15:16. Moreover Maacha the mother of king Asa he deposed from the royal authority, because she had made in a grove an idol of Priapus: and he entirely destroyed it, and breaking it into pieces, burnt it at the torrent Cedron.

15:17. But high places were left in Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.

15:18. And the things which his father had vowed, and he himself had vowed, he brought into the house of the Lord, gold and silver, and vessels of divers uses.

15:19. And there was no war unto the five and thirtieth year of the kingdom of Asa.

2 Paralipomenon Chapter 16

Asa is reproved for seeking help from the Syrians: his last acts and death.

16:1. And in the six and thirtieth year of his kingdom, Baasa the king of Israel came up against Juda, and built a wall about Rama, that no one might safely go out or come in of the kingdom of Asa.

Six and thirtieth year of his kingdom... That is, of the kingdom of Juda, taking the date of it from the beginning of the reign of Reboam.

16:2. Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord, and of the king's treasures, and sent to Benadad king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying:

16:3. There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father, wherefore I have sent thee silver and gold, that thou mayst break thy league with Baasa king of Israel, and make him depart from me.

16:4. And when Benadad heard this, he sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel: and they took Ahion, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the walled cities of Nephtali.

16:5. And when Baasa heard of it, he left off the building of Rama, and interrupted his work.

16:6. Then king Asa took all Juda, and they carried away from Rama the stones, and the timber that Baasa had prepared for the building: and he built with them Gabaa, and Maspha.

16:7. At that time Hanani the prophet came to Asa king of Juda, and said to him: Because thou hast had confidence in the king of Syria, and not in the Lord thy God, therefore hath the army of the king of Syria escaped out of thy hand.

16:8. Were not the Ethiopians, and the Libyans much more numerous in chariots, and horsemen, and an exceeding great multitude: yet because thou trustedst in the Lord, he delivered them into thy hand?

16:9. For the eyes of the Lord behold all the earth, and give strength to those who with a perfect heart trust in him. Wherefore thou hast done foolishly, and for this cause from this time wars shall arise against thee.

16:10. And Asa was angry with the seer, and commanded him to be put in prison: for he was greatly enraged because of this thing: and he put to death many of the people at that time.

16:11. But the works of Asa the first and last are written in the book of the kings of Juda and Israel.

16:12. And Asa fell sick in the nine and thirtieth year of his reign, of a most violent pain in his feet, and yet in his illness he did not seek the Lord, but rather trusted in the skill of physicians.

16:13. And he slept with his fathers: and he died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.

16:14. And they buried him in his own sepulchre, which he had made for himself in the city of David: and they laid him on his bed full of spices and odoriferous ointments, which were made by the art of the perfumers, and they burnt them over him with very great pomp.

2 Paralipomenon Chapter 17

Josaphat's reign: his care for the instruction of his people: his numerous forces.

17:1. And Josaphat his son reigned in his stead, and grew strong against Israel.

17:2. And he placed numbers of soldiers in all the fortified cities of Juda. And he put garrisons in the land of Juda, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.

17:3. And the Lord was with Josaphat, because he walked in the first ways of David his father: and trusted not in Baalim,

17:4. But in the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not according to the sins of Israel.

17:5. And the Lord established the kingdom in his hand, and all Juda brought presents to Josaphat: and he acquired immense riches, and much glory.

17:6. And when his heart had taken courage for the ways of the Lord, he took away also the high places and the groves out of Juda.

17:7. And in the third year of his reign, he sent of his princes Benhail, and Abdias, and Zacharias, and Nathanael, and Micheas, to teach in the cites of Juda:

17:8. And with them the Levites, Semeias, and Nathanias, and Zabadias, and Asael, and Semiramoth, and Jonathan, and Adonias, and Tobias, and Thobadonias Levites, and with them Elisama, and Joram priests.

17:9. And they taught the people in Juda, having with them the book of the law of the Lord: and they went about all the cities of Juda, and instructed the people.

17:10. And the fear of the Lord came upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Juda, and they durst not make war against Josaphat.

17:11. The Philistines also brought presents to Josaphat, and tribute in silver, and the Arabians brought him cattle, seven thousand seven hundred rams, and as many he-goats.

17:12. And Josaphat grew, and became exceeding great: and he built in Juda houses like towers, and walled cities.

17:13. And he prepared many works in the cities of Juda: and he had warriors, and valiant men in Jerusalem.

17:14. Of whom this is the number of the houses and families of every one: in Juda captains of the army, Ednas the chief, and with him three hundred thousand most valiant men.

17:15. After him Johanan the captain, and with him two hundred and eighty thousand.

17:16. And after him was Amasias the son of Zechri, consecrated to the Lord, and with him were two hundred thousand valiant men.

17:17. After him was Eliada valiant in battle, and with him two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield.

17:18. After him also was Jozabad, and with him a hundred and eighty thousand ready for war.

17:19. All these were at the hand of the king, beside others, whom he had put in the walled cities, in all Juda.

2 Paralipomenon Chapter 18

Josaphat accompanies Achab in his expedition against Ramoth; where Achab is slain, as Micheas had foretold.

18:1. Now Josaphat was rich and very glorious, and was joined by affinity to Achab.

18:2. And he went down to him after some years to Samaria: and Achab at his coming killed sheep and oxen in abundance for him and the people that came with him: and he persuaded him to go up to Ramoth Galaad.

18:3. And Achab king of Israel said to Josaphat king of Juda: Come with me to Ramoth Galaad. And he answered him: Thou art as I am, and my people as thy people, and we will be with thee in the war.

18:4. And Josaphat said to the king of Israel: Inquire, I beseech thee, at present the word of the Lord.

18:5. So the king of Israel gathered together of the prophets four hundred men, and he said to them: Shall we go to Ramoth Galaad to fight, or shall we forbear? But they said: Go up, and God will deliver into the king's hand.

18:6. And Josaphat said: Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may inquire also of him?

18:7. And the king of Israel said to Josaphat: There is one man, of whom we may ask the will of the Lord: but I hate him, for he never prophesieth good to me, but always evil: and it is Micheas the son of Jemla. And Josaphat said: Speak not thus, O king.

18:8. And the king of Israel called one of the eunuchs, and said to him: Call quickly Micheas the son of Jemla.

18:9. Now the king of Israel, and Josaphat king of Juda, both sat on their thrones, clothed in royal robes, and they sat in the open court by the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets prophesied before them.

18:10. And Sedecias the son of Chanaana made him horns of iron, and said: Thus saith the Lord: With these shalt thou push Syria, till thou destroy it.

18:11. And all the prophets prophesied in like manner, and said: Go up to Ramoth Galaad, and thou shalt prosper, and the Lord will deliver them into the king's hand.

18:12. And the messenger that went to call Micheas, said to him: Behold the words of all the prophets with one mouth declare good to the king: I beseech thee therefore let not thy word disagree with them, and speak thou also good success.

18:13. And Micheas answered him: As the Lord liveth, whatsoever my God shall say to me, that will I speak.

18:14. So he came to the king: and the king said to him: Micheas, shall we go to Ramoth Galaad to fight, or forbear? And he answered him: Go up, for all shall succeed prosperously, and the enemies shall be delivered into your hands.

18:15. And the king said: I adjure thee again and again to say nothing but the truth to me, in the name of the Lord.

18:16. Then he said: I saw all Israel scattered in the mountains, like sheep without a shepherd: and the Lord said: These have no masters: let every man return to his own house in peace.

18:17. And the king of Israel said to Josaphat: Did I not tell thee that this man would not prophesy me any good, but evil?

18:18. Then he said: Hear ye therefore the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing by him on the right hand and on the left,

18:19. And the Lord said: Who shall deceive Achab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall in Ramoth Galaad? And when one spoke in this manner, and another otherwise:

Who shall deceive, etc... See the annotations, 3 Kings 22.

18:20. There came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said: I will deceive him. And the Lord said to him: By what means wilt thou deceive him?

18:21. And he answered: I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said: Thou shalt deceive, and shalt prevail: go out, and do so.

18:22. Now therefore behold the Lord hath put a spirit of lying in the mouth of all thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil against thee.

18:23. And Sedecias the son of Chanaana came, and struck Micheas on the cheek and said: Which way went the spirit of the Lord from me, to speak to thee?

18:24. And Micheas said: Thou thyself shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go in from chamber to chamber, to hide thyself.

18:25. And the king of Israel commanded, saying: Take Micheas, and carry him to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joas the son of Amelech,

18:26. And say: Thus saith the king: Put this fellow in prison, and give him bread and water in a small quantity till I return in peace.

18:27. And Micheas said: If thou return in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me. And he said: Hear, all ye people.

18:28. So the king of Israel and Josaphat king of Juda went up to Ramoth Galaad.

18:29. And the king of Israel said to Josaphat: I will change my dress, and so I will go to the battle, but put thou on thy own garments. And the king of Israel having changed his dress, went to the battle.

18:30. Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his cavalry, saying: Fight ye not with small, or great, but with the king of Israel only.

18:31. So when the captains of the cavalry saw Josaphat, they said: This is the king of Israel. And they surrounded him to attack him: but he cried to the Lord, and he helped him, and turned them away from him.

18:32. For when the captains of the cavalry saw, that he was not the king of Israel, they left him.

18:33. And it happened that one of the people shot an arrow at a venture, and struck the king of Israel between the neck and the shoulders, and he said to his chariot man: Turn thy hand, and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded.

18:34. And the fight was ended that day: but the king of Israel stood in his chariot against the Syrians until the evening, and died at the sunset.

2 Paralipomenon Chapter 19

Josaphat's charge to the judges and to the Levites.

19:1. And Josaphat king of Juda returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem.

19:2. And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer met him, and said to him: Thou helpest the ungodly, and thou art joined in friendship with them that hate the Lord, and therefore thou didst deserve indeed the wrath of the Lord:

19:3. But good works are found in thee, because thou hast taken away the groves out of the land of Juda, and hast prepared thy heart to seek the Lord the God of thy fathers.

19:4. And Josaphat dwelt at Jerusalem: and he went out again to the people from Bersabee to mount Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord the God of their fathers.

19:5. And he set judges of the land in all the fenced cities of Juda, in every place.

19:6. And charging the judges, he said: Take heed what you do: for you exercise not the judgment of man, but of the Lord: and whatsoever you judge, it shall redound to you.

19:7. Let the fear of the Lord be with you, and do all things with diligence: for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor desire of gifts.

19:8. In Jerusalem also Josaphat appointed Levites, and priests and chiefs of the families of Israel, to judge the judgment and the cause of the Lord for the inhabitants thereof.

19:9. And he charged them, saying, Thus shall you do in the fear of the Lord faithfully, and with a perfect heart.

19:10. Every cause that shall come to you of your brethren, that dwell in their cities, between kindred and kindred, wheresoever there is question concerning the law, the commandment, the ceremonies, the justifications: shew it them, that they may not sin against the Lord, and that wrath may not come upon you and your brethren: and so doing you shall not sin.

19:11. And Amarias the priest your high priest shall be chief in the things which regard God: and Zabadias the son of Ismahel, who is ruler in the house of Juda, shall be over those matters which belong to the king's office: and you have before you the Levites for masters, take courage and do diligently, and the Lord will be with you in good things.

2 Paralipomenon Chapter 20

The Ammonites, Moabites, and Syrians combine against Josaphat: he seeketh God's help by public prayer and fasting. A prophet foretelleth that God will fight for his people: the enemies destroy one another. Josaphat with his men gathereth the spoils. He reigneth in peace, but his navy perisheth, for his society with wicked Ochozias.

20:1. After this the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them of the Ammonites, were gathered together to fight against Josaphat.

20:2. And there came messengers, and told Josaphat, saying: There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea, and out of Syria, and behold they are in Asasonthamar, which is Engaddi.

20:3. And Josaphat being seized with fear betook himself wholly to pray to the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Juda.

20:4. And Juda gathered themselves together to pray to the Lord: and all came out of their cities to make supplication to him.

20:5. And Josaphat stood in the midst of the assembly of Juda, and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord before the new court,

20:6. And said: O Lord God of our fathers, thou art God in heaven, and rulest over all the kingdoms and nations, in thy hand is strength and power, and no one can resist thee.

20:7. Didst not thou our God kill all the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?

20:8. And they dwelt in it, and built in it a sanctuary to thy name, saying:

20:9. If evils fall upon us, the sword of judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand in thy presence before this house, in which thy name is called upon: and we will cry to thee in our afflictions, and thou wilt hear, and save us.

20:10. Now therefore behold the children of Ammon, and of Moab, and mount Seir, through whose lands thou didst not allow Israel to pass, when they came out of Egypt, but they turned aside from them, and slew them not,

20:11. Do the contrary, and endeavour to cast us out of the possession which thou hast delivered to us.

20:12. O our God, wilt thou not then judge them? as for us we have not strength enough, to be able to resist this multitude, which cometh violently upon us. But as we know not what to do, we can only turn our eyes to thee.

20:13. And all Juda stood before the Lord with their little ones, and their wives, and their children.

20:14. And Jahaziel the son of Zacharias, the son of Banaias, the son of Jehiel, the son of Mathanias, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, was there, upon whom the spirit of the Lord came in the midst of the multitude,

20:15. And he said: Attend ye, all Juda, and you that dwell in Jerusalem, and thou king Josaphat: Thus saith the Lord to you: Fear ye not, and be not dismayed at this multitude: for the battle is not yours, but God's.

20:16. To morrow you shall go down against them: for they will come up by the ascent named Sis, and you shall find them at the head of the torrent, which is over against the wilderness of Jeruel.