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2 CHRONICLES 25

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Amaziah Reigns in Judah
  25:1 Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, yet not with a whole heart. 3 And as soon as the royal power was firmly his, he killed his servants who had struck down the king his father. 4 But he did not put their children to death, according to what is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses, where the Lord commanded, “Fathers shall not die because of their children, nor children die because of their fathers, but each one shall die for his own sin.” Amaziah’s Victories
5 Then Amaziah assembled the men of Judah and set them by fathers’ houses under commanders of thousands and of hundreds for all Judah and Benjamin. He mustered those twenty years old and upward, and found that they were 300,000 choice men, fit for war, able to handle spear and shield. 6 He hired also 100,000 mighty men of valor from Israel for 100 talents of silver. 7 But a man of God came to him and said, “O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the Lord is not with Israel, with all these Ephraimites. 8 But go, act, be strong for the battle. Why should you suppose that God will cast you down before the enemy? For God has power to help or to cast down.” 9 And Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what shall we do about the hundred talents that I have given to the army of Israel?” The man of God answered, “The Lord is able to give you much more than this.” 10 Then Amaziah discharged the army that had come to him from Ephraim to go home again. And they became very angry with Judah and returned home in fierce anger. 11 But Amaziah took courage and led out his people and went to the Valley of Salt and struck down 10,000 men of Seir. 12 The men of Judah captured another 10,000 alive and took them to the top of a rock and threw them down from the top of the rock, and they were all dashed to pieces. 13 But the men of the army whom Amaziah sent back, not letting them go with him to battle, raided the cities of Judah, from Samaria to Beth-horon, and struck down 3,000 people in them and took much spoil. Amaziah’s Idolatry
14 After Amaziah came from striking down the Edomites, he brought the gods of the men of Seir and set them up as his gods and worshiped them, making offerings to them. 15 Therefore the Lord was angry with Amaziah and sent to him a prophet, who said to him, “Why have you sought the gods of a people who did not deliver their own people from your hand?” 16 But as he was speaking, the king said to him, “Have we made you a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be struck down?” So the prophet stopped, but said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.” Israel Defeats Amaziah
17 Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us look one another in the face.” 18 And Joash the king of Israel sent word to Amaziah king of Judah, “A thistle on Lebanon sent to a cedar on Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son for a wife,’ and a wild beast of Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thistle. 19 You say, ‘See, I have struck down Edom,’ and your heart has lifted you up in boastfulness. But now stay at home. Why should you provoke trouble so that you fall, you and Judah with you?”
    
20 But Amaziah would not listen, for it was of God, in order that he might give them into the hand of their enemies, because they had sought the gods of Edom. 21 So Joash king of Israel went up, and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced one another in battle at Beth-shemesh, which belongs to Judah. 22 And Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man fled to his home. 23 And Joash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem for 400 cubits, from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate. 24 And he seized all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God, in the care of Obed-edom. He seized also the treasuries of the king’s house, also hostages, and he returned to Samaria.
    
25 Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel. 26 Now the rest of the deeds of Amaziah, from first to last, are they not written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel? 27 From the time when he turned away from the Lord they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. But they sent after him to Lachish and put him to death there. 28 And they brought him upon horses, and he was buried with his fathers in the city of David.



2 CHRONICLES 26

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Uzziah Reigns in Judah
  26:1 And all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah. 2 He built Eloth and restored it to Judah, after the king slept with his fathers. 3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. 4 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 5 He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God, and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper.
    
6 He went out and made war against the Philistines and broke through the wall of Gath and the wall of Jabneh and the wall of Ashdod, and he built cities in the territory of Ashdod and elsewhere among the Philistines. 7 God helped him against the Philistines and against the Arabians who lived in Gurbaal and against the Meunites. 8 The Ammonites paid tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread even to the border of Egypt, for he became very strong. 9 Moreover, Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate and at the Valley Gate and at the Angle, and fortified them. 10 And he built towers in the wilderness and cut out many cisterns, for he had large herds, both in the Shephelah and in the plain, and he had farmers and vinedressers in the hills and in the fertile lands, for he loved the soil. 11 Moreover, Uzziah had an army of soldiers, fit for war, in divisions according to the numbers in the muster made by Jeiel the secretary and Maaseiah the officer, under the direction of Hananiah, one of the king’s commanders. 12 The whole number of the heads of fathers’ houses of mighty men of valor was 2,600. 13 Under their command was an army of 307,500, who could make war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. 14 And Uzziah prepared for all the army shields, spears, helmets, coats of mail, bows, and stones for slinging. 15 In Jerusalem he made machines, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and the corners, to shoot arrows and great stones. And his fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong. Uzziah’s Pride and Punishment
16 But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the Lord his God and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 But Azariah the priest went in after him, with eighty priests of the Lord who were men of valor, 18 and they withstood King Uzziah and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for you have done wrong, and it will bring you no honor from the Lord God.” 19 Then Uzziah was angry. Now he had a censer in his hand to burn incense, and when he became angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead in the presence of the priests in the house of the Lord, by the altar of incense. 20 And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and behold, he was leprous in his forehead! And they rushed him out quickly, and he himself hurried to go out, because the Lord had struck him. 21 And King Uzziah was a leper to the day of his death, and being a leper lived in a separate house, for he was excluded from the house of the Lord. And Jotham his son was over the king’s household, governing the people of the land.
    
22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, from first to last, Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz wrote. 23 And Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the burial field that belonged to the kings, for they said, “He is a leper.” And Jotham his son reigned in his place.



PROVERBS 15

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15:1
A soft answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
2
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
3
The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
keeping watch on the evil and the good.
4
A gentle tongue is a tree of life,
but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
5
A fool despises his father’s instruction,
but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.
6
In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.
7
The lips of the wise spread knowledge;
not so the hearts of fools.
8
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.
9
The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but he loves him who pursues righteousness.
10
There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;
whoever hates reproof will die.
11
Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord;
how much more the hearts of the children of man!
12
A scoffer does not like to be reproved;
he will not go to the wise.
13
A glad heart makes a cheerful face,
but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.
14
The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
15
All the days of the afflicted are evil,
but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.
16
Better is a little with the fear of the Lord
than great treasure and trouble with it.
17
Better is a dinner of herbs where love is
than a fattened ox and hatred with it.
18
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.
19
The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns,
but the path of the upright is a level highway.
20
A wise son makes a glad father,
but a foolish man despises his mother.
21
Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense,
but a man of understanding walks straight ahead.
22
Without counsel plans fail,
but with many advisers they succeed.
23
To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,
and a word in season, how good it is!
24
The path of life leads upward for the prudent,
that he may turn away from Sheol beneath.
25
The Lord tears down the house of the proud
but maintains the widow’s boundaries.
26
The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,
but gracious words are pure.
27
Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household,
but he who hates bribes will live.
28
The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,
but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
29
The Lord is far from the wicked,
but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
30
The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
and good news refreshes the bones.
31
The ear that listens to life-giving reproof
will dwell among the wise.
32
Whoever ignores instruction despises himself,
but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.
33
The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
and humility comes before honor.



PSALM 80

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Restore Us, O God
To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Testimony. Of Asaph, a Psalm.
80:1
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
2
Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
stir up your might
and come to save us!

3
Restore us, O God;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!

4
O Lord God of hosts,
how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
5
You have fed them with the bread of tears
and given them tears to drink in full measure.
6
You make us an object of contention for our neighbors,
and our enemies laugh among themselves.

7
Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!

8
You brought a vine out of Egypt;
you drove out the nations and planted it.
9
You cleared the ground for it;
it took deep root and filled the land.
10
The mountains were covered with its shade,
the mighty cedars with its branches.
11
It sent out its branches to the sea
and its shoots to the River.
12
Why then have you broken down its walls,
so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
13
The boar from the forest ravages it,
and all that move in the field feed on it.

14
Turn again, O God of hosts!
Look down from heaven, and see;
have regard for this vine,
15
the stock that your right hand planted,
and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.
16
They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down;
may they perish at the rebuke of your face!
17
But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
18
Then we shall not turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call upon your name!

19
Restore us, O Lord God of hosts!
Let your face shine, that we may be saved!



PSALM 81

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Oh, That My People Would Listen to Me
To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. Of Asaph.
81:1
Sing aloud to God our strength;
shout for joy to the God of Jacob!
2
Raise a song; sound the tambourine,
the sweet lyre with the harp.
3
Blow the trumpet at the new moon,
at the full moon, on our feast day.

4
For it is a statute for Israel,
a rule of the God of Jacob.
5
He made it a decree in Joseph
when he went out over the land of Egypt.
I hear a language I had not known:
6
“I relieved your shoulder of the burden;
your hands were freed from the basket.
7
In distress you called, and I delivered you;
I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
8
Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!
O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9
There shall be no strange god among you;
you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
10
I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

11
“But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel would not submit to me.
12
So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
to follow their own counsels.
13
Oh, that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
14
I would soon subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes.
15
Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him,
and their fate would last forever.
16
But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat,
and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

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