¹ And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.² And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my son.³ And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.⁴ Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.⁵ And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.⁶ In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.⁷ And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.⁸ And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.⁹ And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.¹⁰ And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.¹¹ And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.¹² And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.¹³ Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.

¹ In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel.² And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there.³ When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite: and they turned in thither, and said unto him, Who brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this place? and what hast thou here?⁴ And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his priest.⁵ And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.⁶ And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD is your way wherein ye go.⁷ Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no business with any man.⁸ And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What say ye?⁹ And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good: and are ye still? be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land.¹⁰ When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a large land: for God hath given it into your hands; a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth.¹¹ And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with weapons of war.¹² And they went up, and pitched in Kirjathjearim, in Judah: wherefore they called that place Mahanehdan unto this day: behold, it is behind Kirjathjearim.¹³ And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah.¹⁴ Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what ye have to do.¹⁵ And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and saluted him.¹⁶ And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war, which were of the children of Dan, stood by the entering of the gate.¹⁷ And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood in the entering of the gate with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war.¹⁸ And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them, What do ye?¹⁹ And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?²⁰ And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.²¹ So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage before them.²² And when they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men that were in the houses near to Micah's house were gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan.²³ And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?²⁴ And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? and what is this that ye say unto me, What aileth thee?²⁵ And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household.²⁶ And the children of Dan went their way: and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house.²⁷ And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people that were at quiet and secure: and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire.²⁸ And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Zidon, and they had no business with any man; and it was in the valley that lieth by Bethrehob. And they built a city, and dwelt therein.²⁹ And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the first.³⁰ And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.³¹ And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.

¹ And it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.² So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.³ And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.⁴ And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul.⁵ And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him.⁶ And now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.⁷ Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.⁸ But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;⁹ And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.¹⁰ Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.¹¹ And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.¹² And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.¹³ And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met together by the pool of Gibeon: and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.¹⁴ And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.¹⁵ Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, which pertained to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.¹⁶ And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Helkathhazzurim, which is in Gibeon.¹⁷ And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.¹⁸ And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.¹⁹ And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.²⁰ Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am.²¹ And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.²² And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?²³ Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.²⁴ Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.²⁵ And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill.²⁶ Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?²⁷ And Joab said, As God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother.²⁸ So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.²⁹ And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.³⁰ And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel.³¹ But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three hundred and threescore men died.³² And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.

¹ At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick.² And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get thee to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I should be king over this people.³ And take with thee ten loaves, and cracknels, and a cruse of honey, and go to him: he shall tell thee what shall become of the child.⁴ And Jeroboam's wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. But Ahijah could not see; for his eyes were set by reason of his age.⁵ And the LORD said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son; for he is sick: thus and thus shalt thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall feign herself to be another woman.⁶ And it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, that he said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings.⁷ Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel,⁸ And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes;⁹ But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back:¹⁰ Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.¹¹ Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat: for the LORD hath spoken it.¹² Arise thou therefore, get thee to thine own house: and when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die.¹³ And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.¹⁴ Moreover the LORD shall raise him up a king over Israel, who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day: but what? even now.¹⁵ For the LORD shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water, and he shall root up Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river, because they have made their groves, provoking the LORD to anger.¹⁶ And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin.¹⁷ And Jeroboam's wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah: and when she came to the threshold of the door, the child died;¹⁸ And they buried him; and all Israel mourned for him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by the hand of his servant Ahijah the prophet.¹⁹ And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred, and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.²⁰ And the days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty years: and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his stead.²¹ And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.²² And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done.²³ For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.²⁴ And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.²⁵ And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem:²⁶ And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.²⁷ And king Rehoboam made in their stead brasen shields, and committed them unto the hands of the chief of the guard, which kept the door of the king's house.²⁸ And it was so, when the king went into the house of the LORD, that the guard bare them, and brought them back into the guard chamber.²⁹ Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?³⁰ And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.³¹ And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.

¹ Now these were the sons of David, which were born unto him in Hebron; the firstborn Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess:² The third, Absalom the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur: the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith:³ The fifth, Shephatiah of Abital: the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife.⁴ These six were born unto him in Hebron; and there he reigned seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years.⁵ And these were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel:⁶ Ibhar also, and Elishama, and Eliphelet,⁷ And Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia,⁸ And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine.⁹ These were all the sons of David, beside the sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister.¹⁰ And Solomon's son was Rehoboam, Abia his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son,¹¹ Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son,¹² Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son,¹³ Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son,¹⁴ Amon his son, Josiah his son.¹⁵ And the sons of Josiah were, the firstborn Johanan, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum.¹⁶ And the sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son.¹⁷ And the sons of Jeconiah; Assir, Salathiel his son,¹⁸ Malchiram also, and Pedaiah, and Shenazar, Jecamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah.¹⁹ And the sons of Pedaiah were, Zerubbabel, and Shimei: and the sons of Zerubbabel; Meshullam, and Hananiah, and Shelomith their sister:²⁰ And Hashubah, and Ohel, and Berechiah, and Hasadiah, Jushabhesed, five.²¹ And the sons of Hananiah; Pelatiah, and Jesaiah: the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shechaniah.²² And the sons of Shechaniah; Shemaiah: and the sons of Shemaiah; Hattush, and Igeal, and Bariah, and Neariah, and Shaphat, six.²³ And the sons of Neariah; Elioenai, and Hezekiah, and Azrikam, three.²⁴ And the sons of Elioenai were, Hodaiah, and Eliashib, and Pelaiah, and Akkub, and Johanan, and Dalaiah, and Anani, seven.

¹ In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.² Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king's house, and sent to Benhadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,³ There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.⁴ And Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.⁵ And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease.⁶ Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.⁷ And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.⁸ Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thine hand.⁹ For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.¹⁰ Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.¹¹ 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 was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.¹³ And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.¹⁴ And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art: and they made a very great burning for him.

¹ And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel.² 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 Asa his father had taken.³ And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, 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, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.⁵ Therefore the LORD stablished the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat 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 Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, even to Benhail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.⁸ And with them he sent Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, Levites; and with them Elishama 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, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat.¹¹ Also some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and tribute silver; and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he goats.¹² And Jehoshaphat 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, were in Jerusalem.¹⁴ And these are the numbers of them according to the house of their fathers: Of Judah, the captains of thousands; Adnah the chief, and with him mighty men of valour three hundred thousand.¹⁵ And next to him was Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred and fourscore thousand.¹⁶ And next him was Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself unto the LORD; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valour.¹⁷ And of Benjamin; Eliada a mighty man of valour, and with him armed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand.¹⁸ And next him was Jehozabad, and with him an hundred and fourscore thousand ready prepared for the war.¹⁹ These waited on the king, beside those whom the king put in the fenced cities throughout all Judah.

¹ And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities.² And the people blessed all the men, that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.³ Now these are the chief of the province that dwelt in Jerusalem: but in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in his possession in their cities, to wit, Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants.⁴ And at Jerusalem dwelt certain of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin. Of the children of Judah; Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalaleel, of the children of Perez;⁵ And Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Colhozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of Shiloni.⁶ All the sons of Perez that dwelt at Jerusalem were four hundred threescore and eight valiant men.⁷ And these are the sons of Benjamin; Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jesaiah.⁸ And after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty and eight.⁹ And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer: and Judah the son of Senuah was second over the city.¹⁰ Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin.¹¹ Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, was the ruler of the house of God.¹² And their brethren that did the work of the house were eight hundred twenty and two: and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashur, the son of Malchiah.¹³ And his brethren, chief of the fathers, two hundred forty and two: and Amashai the son of Azareel, the son of Ahasai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer,¹⁴ And their brethren, mighty men of valour, an hundred twenty and eight: and their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of one of the great men.¹⁵ Also of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hashub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni;¹⁶ And Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chief of the Levites, had the oversight of the outward business of the house of God.¹⁷ And Mattaniah the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, was the principal to begin the thanksgiving in prayer: and Bakbukiah the second among his brethren, and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.¹⁸ All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred fourscore and four.¹⁹ Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren that kept the gates, were an hundred seventy and two.²⁰ And the residue of Israel, of the priests, and the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance.²¹ But the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel: and Ziha and Gispa were over the Nethinims.²² The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micha. Of the sons of Asaph, the singers were over the business of the house of God.²³ For it was the king's commandment concerning them, that a certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day.²⁴ And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabeel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king's hand in all matters concerning the people.²⁵ And for the villages, with their fields, some of the children of Judah dwelt at Kirjatharba, and in the villages thereof, and at Dibon, and in the villages thereof, and at Jekabzeel, and in the villages thereof,²⁶ And at Jeshua, and at Moladah, and at Bethphelet,²⁷ And at Hazarshual, and at Beersheba, and in the villages thereof,²⁸ And at Ziklag, and at Mekonah, and in the villages thereof,²⁹ And at Enrimmon, and at Zareah, and at Jarmuth,³⁰ Zanoah, Adullam, and in their villages, at Lachish, and the fields thereof, at Azekah, and in the villages thereof. And they dwelt from Beersheba unto the valley of Hinnom.³¹ The children also of Benjamin from Geba dwelt at Michmash, and Aija, and Bethel, and in their villages.³² And at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,³³ Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,³⁴ Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,³⁵ Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen.³⁶ And of the Levites were divisions in Judah, and in Benjamin.

¹ Furthermore Elihu answered and said,² Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.³ For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat.⁴ Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good.⁵ For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment.⁶ Should I lie against my right? my wound is incurable without transgression.⁷ What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water?⁸ Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.⁹ For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.¹⁰ Therefore hearken unto me ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.¹¹ For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.¹² Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.¹³ Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?¹⁴ If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;¹⁵ All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.¹⁶ If now thou hast understanding, hear this: hearken to the voice of my words.¹⁷ Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?¹⁸ Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly?¹⁹ How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.²⁰ In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be taken away without hand.²¹ For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.²² There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.²³ For he will not lay upon man more than right; that he should enter into judgment with God.²⁴ He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead.²⁵ Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.²⁶ He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others;²⁷ Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways:²⁸ So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.²⁹ When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only:³⁰ That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.³¹ Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more:³² That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.³³ Should it be according to thy mind? he will recompense it, whether thou refuse, or whether thou choose; and not I: therefore speak what thou knowest.³⁴ Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken unto me.³⁵ Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom.³⁶ My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because of his answers for wicked men.³⁷ For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.

¹ And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory.² And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.³ And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.⁴ And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,⁵ And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.⁶ And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.⁷ And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.⁸ If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.⁹ Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.¹⁰ And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.¹¹ And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.¹² And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.¹³ I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.¹⁴ And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?¹⁵ Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.¹⁶ For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children's: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.¹⁷ Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;¹⁸ And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.¹⁹ And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's.²⁰ And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.²¹ So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.²² And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.²³ And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.²⁴ And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.²⁵ Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.²⁶ And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?²⁷ Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?²⁸ And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.²⁹ It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.³⁰ And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?³¹ And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.³² With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.³³ And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.³⁴ Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.³⁵ And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched but found not the images.³⁶ And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?³⁷ Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.³⁸ This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.³⁹ That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.⁴⁰ Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.⁴¹ Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.⁴² Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.⁴³ And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?⁴⁴ Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.⁴⁵ And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.⁴⁶ And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.⁴⁷ And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.⁴⁸ And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;⁴⁹ And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.⁵⁰ If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee.⁵¹ And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee:⁵² This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm.⁵³ The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.⁵⁴ Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.⁵⁵ And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.

¹ And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it.² A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of the same.³ And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.⁴ And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it, by the two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal.⁵ And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.⁶ And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.⁷ And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.⁸ And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.⁹ Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.¹⁰ And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.¹¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,¹² When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.¹³ This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD.¹⁴ Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD.¹⁵ The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.¹⁶ And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.¹⁷ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,¹⁸ Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.¹⁹ For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:²⁰ When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD:²¹ So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.²² Moreover the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,²³ Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels,²⁴ And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin:²⁵ And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil.²⁶ And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony,²⁷ And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense,²⁸ And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot.²⁹ And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.³⁰ And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office.³¹ And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations.³² Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you.³³ Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people.³⁴ And the LORD said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight:³⁵ And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy:³⁶ And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.³⁷ And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the LORD.³⁸ Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people.

¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,² Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers,³ From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.⁴ This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy things:⁵ And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it:⁶ And shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof.⁷ And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover withal: and the continual bread shall be thereon:⁸ And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put in the staves thereof.⁹ And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it:¹⁰ And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put it upon a bar.¹¹ And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put to the staves thereof:¹² And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put them on a bar:¹³ And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon:¹⁴ And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, even the censers, the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the basons, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers' skins, and put to the staves of it.¹⁵ And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.¹⁶ And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof.¹⁷ And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying,¹⁸ Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites:¹⁹ But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden:²⁰ But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.²¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,²² Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families;²³ From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.²⁴ This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens:²⁵ And they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of the congregation, his covering, and the covering of the badgers' skins that is above upon it, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,²⁶ And the hangings of the court, and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and all that is made for them: so shall they serve.²⁷ At the appointment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burdens, and in all their service: and ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their burdens.²⁸ This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation: and their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.²⁹ As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them after their families, by the house of their fathers;³⁰ From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them, every one that entereth into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of the congregation.³¹ And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof,³² And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their instruments, and with all their service: and by name ye shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden.³³ This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tabernacle of the congregation, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.³⁴ And Moses and Aaron and the chief of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites after their families, and after the house of their fathers,³⁵ From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation:³⁶ And those that were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty.³⁷ These were they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, which Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.³⁸ And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, throughout their families, and by the house of their fathers,³⁹ From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation,⁴⁰ Even those that were numbered of them, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, were two thousand and six hundred and thirty.⁴¹ These are they that were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, of all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, whom Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD.⁴² And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers,⁴³ From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation,⁴⁴ Even those that were numbered of them after their families, were three thousand and two hundred.⁴⁵ These be those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.⁴⁶ All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the chief of Israel numbered, after their families, and after the house of their fathers,⁴⁷ From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that came to do the service of the ministry, and the service of the burden in the tabernacle of the congregation.⁴⁸ Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore,⁴⁹ According to the commandment of the LORD they were numbered by the hand of Moses, every one according to his service, and according to his burden: thus were they numbered of him, as the LORD commanded Moses.