Salomon. THE SECOND BOOKE OF PARALIPOMENON. IN HEBREW, DIBRE HAIAMIM. Chap. I. ^note Salomon established in the throne, offereth a thousand hostes of sacrifice, 7. asking wisdome, 12. it is geuen him; with richesse, and temporal glorie, which he asked not. 14. He prouideth manie chariottes and horsemen.

1   Salomon therfore the sonne of Dauid was strengthened in his kingdom, and our Lord was with him, and magnified him on high. ^note

2   And Salomon commanded al Israel, the tribunes, and the centurious, and the dukes, and iudges of al Israel, and the princes of the families:

3   and he went with al the multitude into the Excelse of Gabaon, where was the tabernacle of the couenant of our Lord, which Moyses the seruant of God made, in the wildernesse.

4   For Dauid had brought the Arke of God from Cariathiarim into the place, which he had prepared for it, and where he had pitcht a tabernacle for it, that is, in Ierusalem.

5   The altar also of brasse, which Beseleel the sonne of Vri the sonne of Hur had made was there before the tabernacle of our Lord: which also Salomon sought, and al the assemblie.

6   And Salomon went vp to the altar of brasse, before the tabernacle of the couenant of our Lord, and offered on it a thousand hostes.

7   And behold in that verie night God appeared to him, saying: Aske what thou wilt that I may geue it thee.

8   And Salomon sayd to God: Thou hast done great mercie with my father Dauid: and hast made me king for him.

9   Now therfore Lord God be thy word fulfilled, which thou hast promised to Dauid my father: for thou hast made me king ouer thy people great in number, which is so innumerable as the dust of the earth.

10   Geue me wisdom and intelligence, that I may come in & goe out before thy people: for who can worthely iudge this thy people, which is so great?

11   And God sayd to Salomon: Because this rather hath pleased thy hart, and thou hast not asked riches, and substance, and glorie, nor their liues that hate thee, no nor manie dayes of life:

Salomon. but hast desired wisdom and knowledge, that thou mayst be able to iudge my people, ouer which I haue made thee king.

12   Wisdom and knowledge are geuen thee: and riches, and substance and glorie I wil geue thee, soe that none among the kinges neither before thee, nor after thee shal be like thee.

13   Salomon therfore came from the Excelse of Gabaon into Ierusalem before the tabernacle of couenant, & reigned ouer Israel.

14   And he gathered to him chariotes and horsemen, and there amounted to him a thousand foure hundred chariotes, and twelue thousand horsemen: and he caused them to be in the cities of the chariotes, and with the king in Ierusalem.

15   And the king gaue siluer and gold in Ierusalem ^note as stones, & cedartrees as sycomores, which grow in the champayne in great multitude.

16   And there were horses brought him from Ægypt, and from Coa by the kinges merchantes, which went, and brought by a price,

17   a chariote of foure horses for six hundred peces of siluer, and an horse for an hundred fiftie: in like maner of al the kingdomes of Hetheites, and of the kinges of Syria market was made. Chap. II. ^note Other workemen being prouided to build the Temple, 7. Salomon procureth a cunning artificer from the king of Tyre, and special timber, 16. to be cutte, and sent from thence.

1   And Salomon determined to build a house to the name of our Lord, and a palace for himself.

2   And he numbred seuentie thousand men that caried on their shoulders, and eightie thousand that should hew stones in the mountaynes, and ouerseers of them three thousand six hundred.

3   He sent also to Hiram the king of Tyre, saying: As thou didst with Dauid my father, and didst send him cedar trees, to build him a house, wherin also he dwelt:

4   so doe with me that I may build a house to the name of our Lord my God, that I may consecrate it to burne incense before him, and to perfume with aromatical spices, and to the euerlasting proposition of loaues, and for holocaustes, morning and euening, on the sabbathes also, and the new moones, and the solemnities of our Lord God for euer, which are commanded Israel.

5   For the house which I desire to build, is great: for our God is great aboue al goddes.

6   Who then can be able, to build him a worthie house? if heauen, and the heauens of heauens can not conteyne him: how great am I, that I may build him a

Salomon. house? but to this end only, that incense may be burnt before him.

7   Send me therfore a cunning man, that hath skil to worke in gold, and siluer, brasse, and yron, purple, scarlet, and hyacinth, and that knoweth to make engraued workes with these artificers, which I haue with me in Iewrie, and Ierusalem, whom Dauid my father prepared.

8   But send me also cedar trees, firretrees, and pintrees from Libanus: for I know that thy seruantes haue skil to hew the timber of Libanus, and my seruantes shal be with thy seruantes,

9   that manie trees maybe prepared for me. For the house which I desire to build, is exceding great, and glorious.

10   Moreouer to the workemen, that shal hew the trees, thy seruantes, I wil geue for victuals of wheat twentie thousand cores, and of barley as manie cores, and of wine twentie thousand, oyle also twentie thousand sates

11   And Hiram the king of Tyre by letters, which he sent to Salomon, sayd: Because the Lord loued his people, therfore hath he made thee to reigne ouer it.

12   And he added, saying: Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, that made heauen and earth, who hath geuen to Dauid the king a sonne wise and learned, and of vnderstanding, and prudent, to build a house to the Lord, and a palace for himself.

13   I therfore haue sent thee a man wise and most skilful Hiram, ^note my father,

14   the sonne of a woman of the daughters of Dan, whose father was a Tyrian, who knoweth to worke in gold, and siluer, brasse, and yron, and marble, and in timber, in purple also, and hiacinth, and silke and scarlet: and that knoweth to graue al engrauing, and to deuise wisely whatsoeuer in the worke is necessarie with thy artificers, and with the artificers of my lord Dauid thy father.

15   The wheate therfore, and barley, and oile, and wine, which thou my lord hast promised, send to thy seruantes.

16   And we wil cut downe the trees out of Libanus, as manie as shal be necessarie for thee, and wil conuey them in boates by the sea vnto Ioppe: and it shal be thy part to transport them into Ierusalem.

17   Salomon therfore numbred al the men, that were proselytes in the land of Israel, after the numbering which Dauid his father numbered, and they were found an hundred fiftie three thousand and six hundred.

18   And he made of them seuentie thousand, that should carie burdens on their shoulders, and eightie thousand, that should cut stones out of the mountaynes: and three thousand and six hundred ouerseers of the worke of the people.

Salomon. Chap. III. ^note The Temple is begunne to be built in mount Moria, the fourth yeare of Salomons reigne. 3. the forme wherof is described, and the precious matter, 8. especially of Sancta sanctorum. 14. with a costlie veile, 15. and two excellent pillers before the gate.

1   And Salomon began to build the house of our Lord in Ierusalem, in mount ^note Moria, which had bene shewed to Dauid his father, in the place, which ^note Dauid had prepared in the floore of Ornan the Iebuseite.

2   And he began to build in the second moneth, in the fourth yeare of his kingdom.

3   And these be the fundations, which Salomon layd, to build the house of God, of length in the first measure sixtie cubites, of bredth twentie cubites.

4   But the porch before the front, which was extended in length according to the measure of the bredth of the house, of twentie cubites: moreouer the height was of an hundred twentie cubites: and he did guilt it on the inside with most pure gold.

5   Also the greater house he couered with wodden bordes of firre tree, and he fastened on plates of fine gold throughout: and he graued in it palme trees, and as it were litle chaines embracing one an other.

6   He paued also the floore of the Temple with most precious marble, in much beautie.

7   Moreouer it was most tried gold, of the plates wherof he couered the house, and the beames therof, and the postes, and the walles, and the doores: and he graued cherubs in the walles.

8   He made also the house of Sanctum sanctorum: the length according to the bredth of the house, of twentie cubites: and the bredth likewise of it twentie cubites: and he couered it with plates of gold, as it were six hundred talentes.

9   Yea and he made nailes of gold, so that euerie naile weighed fiftie sicles a peece: the vpper chambers also he couered with gold.

10   He made also in the house of Sanctum sanctorum two Cherubs of statuarie worke: and he couered them with gold.

11   The winges of the cherubs were extended twentie cubites, so that one wing had fiue cubites, and touched the wal of the house: and the other hauing fiue cubites, touched the wing of the other cherub.

12   In like maner the wing of the other cherub, had fiue cubites, and touched the wal: and his other wing of fiue cubites, touched the wing of the other Cherub.

13   Therfore the winges of both the cherubs

Salomon. were spred forth, and were extended twentie cubites: and they stoode vpright on their feete, and their faces were turned to the vtter house.

14   He made also a vele of hyacinth, purple, scarlet, and silke: & woue in it cherubs.

15   Before the doores also of the temple two pillers, which had fiue and thirtie cubites in height: moreouer their heades, of fiue cubites.

16   Moreouer also as it were litle chaynes in the oracle, & he put them to the heades of the pillers: pomegranates also an hundred, which he put between the litle chaynes.

17   The pillers also them selues he put in the entrance of the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left: that, which was on the right hand, he called Iachin: and that on the left hand, Boz. Chap. IIII. ^note The formes of the brasen altar, 2. of the lauatorie (or Sea) with figuers of twelve oxen, 6. of other tenne smal lauatories, 7. tenne candlestickes, 8. tenne tables, and an hundred bassens, a great hal for the Priestes, 10. and other vessel, and ornamentes of the Temple are described.

1   He made also an altar of brasse ^note of twentie cubites in length, and of twentie cubites in bredth, and of ten cubites in height.

2    ^noteA Sea also cast, ten cubites from brimme to brimme, round in compasse: it had fiue cubites in height, and a corde of thirtie cubites did compasse it round about.

3   There was also vnder it the similitude of oxen, and certaine engrauinges of ten cubites on the outside compassed the bealie of the Sea, as it were with two rewes.

4   And the oxen were cast: and the Sea it self was sette vpon the twelue oxen, of the which three looked toward the North, and other three to the West: moreouer other three to the South, and the three that remayned, to the East, hauing the Sea put vpon them: and the hinder partes of the oxen were inward vnder the sea.

5   Moreouer the thicknesse therof had the measure of a palme, and the brimme therof was as it were the brimme of a chalice, or of a crisped lilie: and it held three thousand metretes.

6   He made also ten lauatories: and set fiue on the right hand, and fiue on the left, that they might wash in them al thinges, that they would offer for holocaust: moreouer in the Sea the priestes were washed.

7   And he made also ^note ten golden candlestickes, according to the fashion which they were commanded to be made by: and he set them in the temple, fiue on the right hand, & fiue on the left.

8   Moreouer also ten tables: and he set them in the temple, fiue on

Salomon. the right hand, and fiue on the left. Phials also of gold an hundred.

9   He made also the court of the priestes, and a great hal: and doores in the hal, which he couered with brasse.

10   Moreouer he set the Sea on the right side agaynst the East toward the South.

11   And Hiram made cauldrons, and flesh hookes, and phials: and accomplished al the kinges worke in the house of God:

12   that is to say, two pillers, and the ^note chapiters, and the heades, and asit were certayne litle nettes, which should couer the heades ouer the chapiters.

13   Pomegranates also foure hundred, and two litle nettes, soe that two rewes of the pomegranates were ioyned to ech litle nette, which couered the pommels, and the heades of the pillers.

14   He made feete also, and lauatories, which he put vpon the feete:

15   one sea, also twelue oxen vnder the sea.

16   And the cauldrons, and flesh hookes, and phials. Al the vessels did Hiram his father make for Salomon in the house of our Lord of most pure brasse.

17   In the countrie of Iordan did the king cast them, in a clay ground bewen Socot and Saredatha.

18   And the multitude of vessels was innumerable, so that the weight of the brasse was not knowen.

19   And Salomon made al the vessels of the house of God, and the golden altar, and the tables, & vpon them the loaues of proposition,

20   the candlestickes also with their lampes to giue light before the oracle, according to the rite, of most pure gold:

21   and certayne florishing thinges, and lampes, and golden tonges al were made of most fine gold.

22   The vessels also of perfume and censars, and phials, and litle mortars, of most pure gold. And he graued the doores of the inner temple, that is, in Sancta sanctorum: and the doores of the temple without of gold. And so al the worke was finishd which Salomon made in the house of our Lord. Chap. V. ^note Manie giftes are offered. 4. The Arke is brought with great solennitte into the Temple. 6. Innumerable hostes are offered, 11. with excellent musick, & the Temple is replenished with the glorie of God.

1   Salomon therfore brought in al the thinges, that Dauid his father had vowed, the siluer, and gold, and al the vessels he put in the treasures of the house of God.

2   After which thinges he gathered together al the ancientes of Israel, and al the princes of the tribes, and the heades of families, of the

Salomon. children of Israel into Ierusalem, to bring ^note the Arke of the couenant of our Lord from the Citie of Dauid, which is Sion.

3   There came therfore vnto the king al the men of Israel in the solemne day of the seuenth moneth.

4   And when al the ancientes of Israel were come, the Leuites caried the Arke,

5   and brought it in, and al the furniture of the tabernacle. Moreouer the Priestes, with the Leuites did carrie the vessels of the Sanctuarie, which were in the tabernacle.

6   And king Salomon, and al the assemblie of Israel, and al that were gathered before the Arke, immolated rammes, and oxen without anie number: for so great was the multitude of victimes.

7   And the priestes brought in the Arke of the couenant of our Lord into his place, that is, to the oracle of the temple, into Sancta sanctorum vnder the winges of the cherubs:

8   so that the cherubs spred their winges ouer the place, wherin the Arke was set, and couered the Arke it selfe with his barres.

9   And the heades of the barres, wherwith the Arke was caried, because they were a litle longer, appeared before the oracle: but if a man had beene a litle outward, he could not see them. The Arke therfore was there vntil this present day.

10   And there was nothing in the Arke, but the two tables, which Moyses had put in Horeb, when our Lord gaue the law to the children of Israel coming out of Ægypt.

11   And the Priestes being gone out of the Sanctuarie (for al the priestes that could be found there, were sanctified, neither as yet at that time were the courses, and the order of the ministeries deuided among them)

12   as wel the Leuites as the singing men, that is, both they which were vnder Asaph, and they which were vnder Heman, and they which were vnder Idithun, their sonnes, & brethren reuested with sinne linnen clothes, sounded on cymbals, and psalteries, and harpes, standing at the East side of the Altar, and with them Priestes an hundred twentie, sounding with trumpettes.

13   Therfore al sounding together, both with trumpettes, and voyce, and cymbals, and organes, and with diuerse kind of musical instrumentes, and lifteng vp their voice on high: the sound was heard far of, so that when they began to prayse our Lord, and to say: Confesse to our Lord because he is good, because his mercie is for euer: the house of God was filled with a cloud,

14   that the Priestes could not stand and minister for the darknesse. For the glorie of our Lord had filled the house of God.

Salomon. Chap. VI. Salomon blesseth the people. 4. prayeth to God, geuing thankes for benefites receiued, 16. and requesting continual protection, and that God wil heare the prayers of the people, 32. yea also of strangers that pray in the Temple.

1   Then Salomon sayd: Our Lord promised that he would dwel ^note in darkenesse:

2   and I haue built a house to his name, that he might dwel there for euer.

3   And the king turned his face, and blessed al the multitude of Israel (for al the multitude stood attent) and sayd:

4   Blessed be our Lord the God of Israel, who in worke hath accomplished that, which he spake to Dauid my father, saying:

5   From the day, that I brought my people out of the Land of Aegypt, I chose not a citie of al the tribes of Israel, that a house might be built in it to my name: neither did I choose anie other man, to be Duke in my people Israel.

6   but I chose Ierusalem, that my, name may be in it: and I chose Dauid, that I might appoynt him ouer my people Israel.

7   And wheras Dauid my father had meant to build a house to the name of our Lord the God of Israel,

8   our Lord sayd to him: Because thy wil was this, that thou wouldest build a house to my name, thou hast done wel certes to haue such a wil:

9   how beit thou shalt not build the house, but thy sonne, which shal come out of thy Ioynes, he shal build a house to my name.

10   Our Lord therfore hath accomplished his word, which he spake: and I am risen for Dauid my father, and sit vpon the throne of Israel, as our Lord hath spoken: and haue built a house to the name of our Lord the God of Israel.

11   And I haue put in it the Arke, wherin is the couenant of our Lord, which he made with the children of Israel:

12   He therfore stoode before the Altar of our Lord, ouer agaynst al the multitude of Israel, and stretched forth his handes.

13   For Salomon had made an eminent place of brasse, and had put it in the middes of the ^note Temple, hauing fiue cubites of length, & bredth, & three of height: & he stoode vpon it: & afterward ^note kneeling ouer agaynst al the multitude of Israel, and ^note his handes lifted vp toward heauen,

14   he sayd: Lord God of Israel, there is not the like God to thee in heauen and in earth: which keepest couenant and mercie with thy seruantes, that walke before thee in al their hart:

15   which hast performed to thy seruant Dauid my father what thinges soeuer thou hadst spoken to him and the thinges that

Salomon. by mouth thou hadst promised, in worke thou hast accomplished, as also the present time proueth.

16   Now therfore Lord God of Israel, fulfil to thy seruant my father Dauid, what soeuer thou didst speake to him, saying: There shal not fayle of thee a man before me, to sitte vpon the throne of Israel: yet so if thy children keepe their waies, and walke in my law, as thou also hast walked before me.

17   And now Lord God of Israel, be thy word confirmed, which thou hast spoken to thy seruant Dauid.

18   Is it credible then that God should dwel with men vpon the earth? If heauen and the heauens of heauens doe not take thee, how much more this house, which I haue built?

19   But to this end only it is made, that thou shouldest respect the prayer of thy seruant, and his supplication Lord my God: and mayst heare the prayers, which thy seruant powreth out before thee:

20   that thou open thine eies vpon this house daies & nightes, vpon the place, wherein thou hast promised that thy name should be inuocated,

21   and wouldest heare the prayer, which thy seruant prayeth in it: and mayst heare the prayers of thy seruant, and of thy people Israel. Whosoeuer shal pray in this place, heare out of thy habitation, that is from the heauens, and be propitious.

22   If anie man shal sinne agaynst his neighbour, and come readie to sweare agaynst him, and binde himfelf with a curse before the altar in this house:

23   thou shalt heare from heauen, and shalt doe the iudgement of thy seruantes, so that thou render to the vniust his way vpon his owne head, and reuenge the iust, rewarding him according to his iustice.

24   If thy people Israel shal be ouercome of their enemies, (for they wil sinne to thee) and conuerted shal doe penance, and besech thy name, and pray in this place,

25   thou shalt heare from heauen, and be thou propetious to the sinne of thy people Israel, and reduce them into the land, which thou gauest them, and their fathers.

26   If the heauen being shut, there fal no rayne for the sinnes of the people, and they shal besech thee in this place, and shal confesse to thy name, and shal be conuerted from their sinnes, when thou shalt afflict them,

27   heare from heauen ô Lord, and forgeue the sinnes of thy seruantes and of thy people Israel, and teach them the good way, by the which they may goe: and geue rayne to thy land, which thou hast geuen thy people to possesse.

28   If famine shal arise in the land, and pestilence, rust, and blast, and locust, and bruche, and the

Salomon. enemies, wasting the countries, shal besiege the gates of the citie, and al plague and infirmitie shal presse them:

29   if any of thy people Israel shal pray, knowing their plague and infirmitie, and shal spred forth their handes in ^note this house,

30   thou shalt heare from heauen, to wit, out of thy high habitation, and be thou propitious, and render to euerie one according to his wayes, which thou knowest him to haue in his hart: (for thou onlie knowest the hartes of the children of men:)

31   that they may feare thee, and walke in thy waies al the daies, that they liue vpon the face of the land, which thou hast geuen to our fathers.

32   The Forener also, which is not of thy people Israel, if he come from a far countrie, for thy strong hand, & thy streched out arme, and adore in this place:

33   thou shalt heare from heauen thy most firme habitation, & shalt do al thinges, for the which that pilgrime shal inuocate thee: that al the peoples of the earth may know thy name, and may feare thee, as thy people Israel, and may know, that thy name is inuocated vpon this house, which I haue built.

34   If thy people shal goe forth to warre agaynst their aduersaries, by the way, that thou shalt send them, shal adore thee agaynst the way, wherein is this citie, which thou hast chosen, and the house, which I haue built to thy name:

35   thou shalt from heauen heare their prayers, and petition, and doe thou reuenge.

36   And if they shal sinne to thee (for there is no man that sinneth not) and thou be angrie with them, and deliuer them to the enemies, and they leade them captiue into a farre countrie, or which is neere at the least,

37   and being conuerted in their hart in the land, to the which they were led captiue, shal doe penance, and shal besech thee in the land of their captiuitie, sayng: We haue sinned, we haue done wickedly, we haue delt vniustly:

38   and shal returne to thee in al their hart, and in al their soule, in the land of their captiuitie, to the which they were led, shal adore thee agaynst the way of their land, which thou gauest their fathers, and of the citie, which thou hast chosen, and of the house, which I haue built to thy name:

39   thou shalt heare from heauen, that is, from thy firme habitation their prayers, and doe thou iudgement, and forgeue thy people, although sinneful:

40   for thou art my God: let thine eies, I besech thee, be opened, and let thine eares be attent, to the prayer, that is made in this place.

41   Now therfore arise Lord God in thy rest, thou and the Arke of thy strength: Let

Salomon. thy Priestes Lord God put on saluation, & thy Saintes reioyse in good thinges.

42   Lord God turne not away from the face of thy Christ: remember the mercies of Dauid thy seruant. Chap. VII. Fire from heauen deuoureth the holocaustes, and glorie replenisheth the Temple. 5. More sacrifices are offered, 8. and the Temple is dedicated, with seven daies solemnitie, the eight day collection is made. 12. God signifieth that he hath heard Salomons prayer. 17. conditionally (as it was made) if they serue him, 19. otherwise he wil punish them.

1   And when Salomon had finished to poure out his prayers, fyre descended from heauen, and deuoured the holocaustes and victimes: and the maiestie of our Lord filled the house.

2   Neither could the Priestes enter into the Temple of our Lord, because the maiestie of our Lord had filled the temple of our Lord.

3   Yea and al the children of Israel sawe the fyre descending, and the glorie of our Lord vpon the house: and falling flat on the earth vpon the pauement paued with stone, they adored, and praysed our Lord: Because he is good, because his mercie is for euer.

4   And the king and al the people immolated victimes before our Lord.

5   King Salomon therfore killed hostes, of oxen twentie two thousand, of rammes an hundred twentie thousand: and the king and al the people dedicated the house of God.

6   And the Priestes stood in their offices: and the Leuites with the instrumentes of the songues of our Lord, which Dauid the king made to prayse our Lord: Because his mercie is for euer, singing ^note the hymnes of Dauid by their handes: moreouer the Priestes sounded with trumpettes before them, and al Israel stood.

7   Salomon also sanctified the middes of the court before the temple of our Lord: for he had offered there the holocaustes, and the fatte of the pacifiques: because the brasen altar, which he had made, could not susteyne the holocaustes and the sacrifices and the fatte.

8   Salomon therfore made a solemnitie at that time seuen daies, and al Israel with him, an assemblie verie great, from the entrance of Emath to the Torrent of Aegypt.

9   And he made in the eight day an assemblie, because he had dedicated the altar seuen daies, and had celebrated the solemnitie seuen daies.

10   Therfore in the three and twenteth day of the seuenth moneth, he dismist the people to their tabernacles,

Salomon. reioysing and being glad for the good, that our Lord had done to Dauid, and Salomon, and Israel his people.

11   And Salomon accomplished the house of our Lord, and the house of the king, and al that he had disposed in his hart to do, in the house of our Lord, and in his owne house, and he prospered.

12   And our Lord appeared to him by night, and sayd: I haue heard thy prayer, and haue chosen this place to me for a house of sacrifice.

13   If I shal shut heauen, and rayne fal not, and shal bid and command the locust to deuoure the land, and shal send pestilence into my people:

14   and my people being conuerted, vpon whom my name is inuocated, shal besech me, and seeke out my face, and shal doe penance from their most wicked waies: I also wil heare from heauen, and wil be propitious to their sinnes, and wil saue their land.

15   Mine eies also shal be opened, and mine eares erected to his prayer, that shal pray in this place.

16   For I haue chosen, and haue sanctified this place, that my name may be there for euer, and mine eies and my hart may remaine there al daies.

17   Thou also if thou walke before me, as Dauid thy father walked, and shalt doe according to al thinges, which I haue commanded thee, and shalt keepe my iustices and iudgementes:

18   I wil rayse vp the throne of thy kingdom, as I promised to Dauid thy father, saying: There shal not be taken away of thy stocke a man, that shal be prince in Israel.

19   But if you shal be turned away, and shal forsake my iustices, and my preceptes, which I haue proposed to you, and going shal serue strange goddes, and adore them,

20   I wil plucke you out of my land, which I haue geuen you: and this house, which I haue sanctified to my name, I wil cast away from my face, and wil deliuer it for a parable, and an exemple to al peoples.

21   And this house shal be for a prouerbe to al passengers, and they shal say being astonyshed: Why hath the Lord done so to this land, and to this house?

22   And they shal answer: Because they forsooke the Lord the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the Land of Aegypt, and tooke hold of strange goddes, and adored them, and worshipped them: therfore are al these euils come vpon them. Chap. VIII. Salomon buildeth diuers cities, 7. maketh the residue of the Chananites tributarie. 12. offereth the ordinarie hostes of sacrifices in the solemne feastes.

Salomon. 14. disposeth the Priestes and Leuites in their offices, as Dauid had ordained: 17. and sendeth shippes to fetch gold from Ophir.

1   And twentie yeares being complete after that Salomon built the house of our Lord and his owne house:

2   he built the cities, which Hiram had geuen to Salomon, and made the children of Israel dwel there.

3   He went also into Emath Suba, and obteyned it.

4   And he built Palmira in the desert, and he built other cities very wel fensed in Emath.

5   And he built Beth horon the vpper, and Beth horon the nether, walled cities hauing gates and barrigates and lockes.

6   Balaath also and al the strongest cities that were Salomons, and al the cities of the chariotes, and the cities of the horsemen. Al thinges whatsoeuer Salomon would, & disposed, he built in Ierusalem and in Libanus, and in al the land of his dominion.

7   Al the people that was leaft of the Hetheites, and Amorrheites, and Pherezeites, and Heueites, and Iebuseites, which were not of the stocke of Israel,

8   of their children: and of the posteritie, which the children of Israel had not slaine, Salomon subdewed to be tributaries, vntil this day.

9   Moreouer of the children of Israel he sette not to serue the kinges workes: for they were men of warre, and the chiefe captaines, and princes of his chariotes and horsemen.

10   And al the princes of king Salomons armie were two hundred fiftie, which taught the people.

11   But the daughter of Pharao he remoued from the citie of Dauid, into the house, which he had built for her. For the king sayd: My wife shal not dwel in the house of Dauid the king of Israel, ^note because it is sanctified: because the Arke of our Lord is entered into it.

12   Then Salomon offered holocaustes to our Lord vpon the altar of our Lord, which he had built before the porch,

13   that euerie day there might be offering on it, according to the precept of Moyses, in the Sabbathes, and in the Calendes, and in the festiual daies thrise a yere, that is to say, in the Solemnitie of Azymes, and in the Solemnitie of weekes, and in the Solemnitie of tabernacles.

14   And he appoynted according to the disposition of Dauid his father the offices of the Priestes in their ministeries: & the Leuites in their order that they should prayse, and minister before the Priestes according to the rite of euerie day: & the porters in their diuisions by gate and gate: (for so Dauid the man of God had

Salomon. commanded.

15   Neither did they trangresse of the kinges commandementes as wel the Priestes as the Leuites, touching al thinges, that he had commanded, and in the custodies of the treasures.

16   Salomon had al expenses prepared, from the day that he founded the house of our Lord, vntil the day wherein he perfitted it.

17   Then went Salomon into Asiongaber, and into Ailath to the coast of the Red sea, which is in the Land of Edom.

18   And Hiram sent vnto him by the handes of his seruantes, shippes, and cunning mariners, and they went with Salomons seruantes into Ophir, and they tooke from thence foure hundred fiftie talentes of gold, and brought it to king Salomon. Chap. IX. ^note The Queene of Saba admireth Salomons wisdom, 9. giueth, and receiueth presents. 13. Of the great store of treasure which is yearely brought in, 13. king Salomon maketh pretious armour, 17. a throne, 20. and plate. 24. Other kinges send him giftes, so he abundeth in glorie, and riches. 29. After fourtie yeares reigne he dieth, and his sonne Roboam succedeth.

1   The queene of Saba also, when she had heard the fame of Salomon, came to proue him in hard propositions in Ierusalem, with great riches, and camels, which caried spices, and very much gold, and pretious stones. And when she was come to Salomon, she spake to him what thinges soeuer were in her hart.

2   And Salomon expounded to her al thinges that she propounded: neither was there anie thing, that he made not playne vnto her.

3   Who after she saw, to witte, the wisedom of Salomon, and the house which he had built,

4   moreouer also the meates of his table, and the habitations of his seruantes, and the offices of his ministers, and their garmentes, the cupbearers also, and their garmentes, and the victimes, which he immolated in the house of our Lord: there was no spirit in her anie longer, she was soe astonied.

5   And she sayd to the king: The word is true, which I heard in my countrie of thy vertues and wisdom.

6   I did not beleue them that told it, vntil my self was come, and mine eies had seene, and I had proued scarce the half part of thy wisedom to haue beene told me: thou hast passed the fame with thy vertues.

7   Blessed are thy men, and blessed are thy seruantes, which assist before thee at al time, and heare thy wisedom.

8   Be the Lord thy God blessed, who

Salomon. would ordayne thee ouer his throne, king ^note of the Lord thy God. Because God loueth Israel, and wil preserue it for euer: therfore hath he sette thee king ouer it, to doe iudgementes and iustice.

9   And she gaue to the king an hundred twentie talentes of gold, and spices exceding much, and most pretious stones: there were not such spices, as these, which the Queene of Saba gaue to King Salomon.

10   But the seruantes of Hiram also with the seruantes of Salomon brought gold from Ophir, and Thymtrees, and most pretious stones:

11   wherof the king made, to witte, of the Thymtrees, stayers in the house of our Lord, and in the kinges house, harpes also and psalteries for the singing men: neuer were there seene such trees in the Land of Iuda.

12   And king Salomon gaue to the Queene of Saba al thinges that she would, and that she asked, and manie moe thinges then she brought to him: who returning, went into her countrie with her seruantes.

13   And the weight of the gold, that was brought to Salomon euerie yeare was six hundred sixtie six talentes of gold:

14   beside that summe, which the legates of diuers nations, and the merchantes were accustomed to bring, and al the kinges of Arabia, and the Dukes of the landes, which brought gold and siluer to Salomon.

15   King Salomon therfore made two hundred golden speares, of the summe of six hundred peces of gold, which were spent in euerie speare:

16   also three hundred golden shieldes of three hundred peces of gold, with which euerie shield was couered: and the king put them in the armarie, which was besette with a wood.

17   The king also made a great throne of iuorie, and couered it with most fyne gold.

18   Six steppes also, wherwith the going vp was to the throne, and a foote stoole of gold, and two litle armes on either side, and two lions standing by the litle armes,

19   yea and other twelue litle lions standing vpon the steppes on both sides: there was not such a throne in al kingdomes.

20   Al the vessels also of the kinges table were of gold, and the vessels of the house of the forest of Libanus of most pure gold. For siluer in those daies was reputed for nothing.

21   For the kinges shippes went into Tharsis with the seruantes of Hiram, once in three yeares: and they brought from thence gold and siluer, and yuorie, and apes, and pecockes.

22   Salomon therfore was magnified aboue al the kinges of the earth for riches and glorie.

Roboam.

23   And al the kinges of the earth desired to see Salomons face, that they might heare the wisedom, which God had geuen in his hart.

24   And they brought him giftes, vessels of siluer, and gold, and garmentes, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, euerie yeare.

25   Salomon also had fourtie thousand horses in the stables, and of chariotes, and horsemen twelue thousand, and he placed them in the cities of the chariotes, and where the king was in Ierusalem.

26   He exercised also authoritie ouer al the kinges from the riuer Euphrates vnto the land of the Philisthines, and vnto the borders of Ægypt.

27   And he made so great plentie of siluer in Ierusalem as it were of stones: and of cedres so great a multitude as of sicomores, which grow in the champayne.

28   And horses were brought him out of Ægypt, and al countries.

29   But the rest of of the workes of Salomon the first and the last are writen in the wordes of Nathan the Prophet, and in the bookes of Ahias the Silonite, in the Vision also of Addo the Seer, agayast Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat.

30   And Salomon reigned in Ierusalem ouer al Israel fourtie yeares.

31   And he ^note slept with his fathers: and they buried him in the citie of Dauid: and Roboam his sonne reigned for him. Chap. X. ^note Roboam requested by Ieroboam and the people to lighten their yoke of seruice, 6. leauing the counsel of the ancient, and folowing young counsellers, threatneth to pre&esset;e the people. 16. wherupen manie reuolt from him.

1   And Roboam went forth into Sichem: for thither al Israel was assembled, to make him king. ^note

2   Which when Ieraboam the sonne of Nabat had heard, who was in Aegypt (for he was fled thither from Salomon) forthwith he returned.

3   And they called him, & he came with al Israel & spake to Roboam, saying:

4   Thy father pressed vs with a most hard yoke, do thou command lighter thinges then thy father, who layd vpon vs a heauie seruitude, and ease thou a litle of the burden, that we may serue thee.

5   Who sayd: After three daies returne ye to me. And when the people was gone,

6   he tooke counsel with the Ancientes, which stoode before his father Salomon, whiles he yet liued, saying: What counsel geue you, that I may answer the people?

7   Who sayd to him: If thou wilt please this people, and pacifie them with

Roboam. wordes of clemencie, they wil serue thee at al times.

8   But he forsooke the counsel of the Ancientes, and began to treat with yongmen, that had beene brought vp with him, and were in his trayne.

9   And he sayd to them: What semeth to you? or what shal I answer this people, which hath sayd to me: Ease the yoke which thy father layd vpon vs?

10   But they answered as yongmen, and brought vp with him in delicanesse, and sayd: Thus shalt thou speake to the people, that sayd to thee: Thy father aggrauated our yoke, doe thou ease it: and thus shalt thou answer them: My least finger is thicker then the loynes of my father.

11   My father layd vpon yow an heauie yoke, and I wil adde a greater weight: my father bette you with scourges, but I wil beate you with scorpions.

12   Ieroboam therfore came, and al the people to Roboam the third day, as he had commanded them.

13   And the king answered rough wordes, leauing the counsel of the Ancientes:

14   and he spake according to the yongmens wil: My father layd vpon you a heauie yoke, which I wil make heauier: my father bette you with scourges, but I wil beate you with scorpions.

15   And he condescended not to the peoples requestes: for it was the wil of God, that his word should be accomplished, which he had spoken by the hand of Ahias the Silonite to Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat.

16   And al the people when the king spake rough wordes, sayd thus vnto him: We haue no part in Dauid, nor inheritance in the sonne of Isai. Returne into thy tabernacles ô Israel, and do thou feede thy house Dauid. And Israel went into their tabernacles.

17   But ouer the children of Israel, that dwelt in the cities of Iuda, Roboam reigned.

18   And king Roboam sent Aduram, who was ouer the tributes, and the children of Israel stoned him, and he died: moreouer king Roboam made hast to get vp into his chariote, and fled into Ierusalem.

19   And Israel reuolted from the house of Dauid vntil this day. Chap. XI. Roboam intending by force to reduce al Israel to his subiection, is warned by a Prophet to cease from that enterprise. 5. He maketh walles about diuers cities, 11. furnisheth them with victuals, and munition, 13. Priestes, Leuites, and manie others repaire to Ierusalem, because Ieroboam maketh a new religion, and new priestes, 18. Roboam taketh manie wiues, and concubines. 22. preferreth Abias aboue al his other sonnes.

Roboam.

1   And Roboam came into Ierusalem, and called together al the house of Iuda and Beniamin, an hundred fourescore thousand chosen men and warriers, to fight agaynst Israel, and to conuert his kingdom vnto him.

2   And the word of our Lord came to Semeias the man of God, saying:

3   Speake to Roboam the sonne of Salomon the king of Iuda, and to al Israel, that is in Iuda and Beniamin:

4   Thus sayth our Lord: You shal not goe vp, neither shal you fight agaynst your brethren: let euerie man returne into his house, because this thing is done by my wil. Who when they had heard the word of our Lord, returned, neither went they forward agaynst Ieroboam.

5   And Roboam dwelt in Ierusalem, and built walled cities in Iuda.

6   And he built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Thecue,

7   Bethsur also, and Socho, & Odollam,

8   moreouer also Geth, and Maresa, and Ziph,

9   yea and Aduram, and Lachis, and Azeca,

10   Saraa also, and Aialon, and Hebron, which were in Iuda and Beniamin, most fensed cities.

11   And when he had inclosed them with walles, he put in them princes, and store houses of victuals, that is, of oile and wine.

12   Yea and in euerie citie he made armories of shieldes and speares, and he strengthened them with great diligence, and reigned ouer Iuda and Beniamin.

13   And the Priestes and Leuites, that were in al Israel, came to him out of al their seates,

14    ^noteleauing their suburbes, and their possessious, and passing to Iuda, and Ierusalem, because Ieroboam had cast them of, and their posteritie: that they should not execute the priesthood of our Lord.

15   Who made vnto him selfe priestes of the excelses, and of diuels, and of the calues which he had made.

16   Yea and of al the tribes of Israel, whosoeuer had geuen their hart to seeke our Lord the God of Israel, came into Ierusalem to immolate their victims before our Lord the God of their fathers.

17   And they strenghened the kingdom of Iuda, and established Roboam the sonne of Salomon for three yeares: for they walked in the waies of Dauid and Salomon, onlie three yeares.

18   And Roboam tooke to wife Mahalath, the daughter of Ierimoth the sonne of Dauid: Abihail also the daughter of Eliab the sonne of Isai,

19   who bare him sonnes Iehus, and Somorias, and Zoom.

20   After this woman also he tooke Maacha the daughter of Absalom, who bare him Abia, and Ethai, and Ziza, and Salomith.

21   And Roboam loued Maacha the daughter of Absalom aboue al his wiues,

Roboam. and concubines: for he had maried eightene wiues, and threescore concubines: and he begat eight and twentie sonnes, and threescore daughters.

22   But he appoynted for head Abias the sonne of Maacha duke ouer al his brethren: for he meant to make him king,

23   because he was wiser, and mightier aboue al his sonnes, and in al the costes of Iuda, and of Beniamin, and in al the walled cities: and he gaue them much meate, and he desired manie wiues. Chap. XII. For the sinnes of Roboam, and the people manie strong cities, also Ierusalem; are taken and spoyled by the king of Ægypt. 8. They repent, and the Ægyptians depart, 9. but carie away the treasures. 13. Roboam dieth, and his sonne Abias reigneth.

1   And when the kingdom of Roboam was strengthened and fortified, he forsooke the law of our Lord, and al Israel with him.

2   And in the fifth yeare of the kingdom of Roboam, came vp Sesac the king of Ægypt into Ierusalem (because they had sinned to our Lord)

3   with a thousand two hundred chariotes, and threescore thousand horsemen: neither was anie number of the common people, that came with him out of Ægypt, to witte, Lybians, and Troglodytes, and Æthiopians.

4   And he tooke the most sensed cities in Iuda, and came ouer vnto Ierusalem.

5   And Semeias the prophete went to Roboam, and to the princes of Iuda, that were gathered together in Ierusalem, fleing from Sesac, and he sayd to them: Thus sayth our Lord: You haue leaft me, and I haue leaft you in the hand of Sesac.

6   And the princes of Israel, and the king, being astonied, sayd: Our Lord is iust.

7   And when our Lord had seene that they were humbled, the word of our Lord came to Semeias, saying: Because they are humbled, I wil not destroy them, and I wil geue them a litle ayde, and my furie shal not droppe vpon Ierusalem by the hand of Sesac.

8   But yet they shal serue him, that they may know the distance of my seruice, and of the seruice of the kingdom of the earth.

9   Therfore Sesac the king of Æpypt retyred from Ierusalem, taking away the treasures of the house of our Lord, and of the kinges house, and he tooke al thinges with him, and the golden shieldes that Salomon had made,

10   for the which the king made brasen ones, and deliuered them to the princes of the shieldbearers, which kept the

Abias. entrance of the palace.

11   And when the king entred into the house of our Lord, the shieldbearers came, and tooke them, & brought them backe agayne to their armorie.

12   But yet because they were humbled, the wrath of our Lord was turned away from them, neither were they vtterly destroyed: for in Iuda there were found good workes.

13   King Roboam therfore was strengthened in Ierusalem, & reigned: one and fourtie yeares old was he when he beganne to reigne, and he reigned seuentene yeares in Ierusalem, the citie, which our Lord chose, to confirme his name there, out of al the tribes of Israel: and the name of his mother was Naama an Ammonite.

14   And he did euil, and prepared not his hart to seke our Lord.

15   But the workes of Roboam the first and the last are writen in the Bookes of Semeias the Prophete, and of Addo the Seer, and diligently expounded: and Roboam and Ietoboam fought one agaynst the other al their daies.

16   And Roboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the citie of Dauid. And Abias his sonne reigned for him. Chap. XIII. ^note Abias maketh warre agaynst Ieroboam. 4. exhorteth the people of Israel for iustice, and religions sake to returne to him. 13. In the meane time Ieroboam inuironeth him with forces, but by Gods a&esset;istance Abias preuaileth. 21. and reigneth securely.

1   In the eightenth yeare of king Ieroboam, reigned Abias ouer Iuda.

2   Three yeares reigned he in Ierusalem, and his mothers name was Michaia, the daughter of Vriel of Gabaa: there was warre betwen Abias and Ieroboam.

3   And when Abias had begun battel, and had most warlike men, & of chosen ones four hundreth thousand: Ieroboam put his armie in aray on the contrarie side, eight hundreth thousand men, who them selues also were chosen men, and most valiant to battels.

4   Abias therfore stood vpon mount Semeron, which was in Ephraim, and sayd: Heare Ieroboam, and al Israel:

5   Are you ignorant that our Lord the God of Israel gaue the kingdom to Dauid ouer Israel for euer, to him and his children as a ^note couenant of salt?

6   And there rose vp Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat, the seruant of Salomon the sonne of Dauid: and rebelled agaynst his lord.

7   And there were gathered to him al the most vayne men, and the children of Belial: and they preuayled agaynst Roboam the sonne of

Abias. Salomon: moreouer Roboam was rude, and of a fearful hart, and could not resist them.

8   Now therfore you say that you are able to resist the kingdom of our Lord, which he possesseth by the children of Dauid, and you haue a great multitude of people, and golden calues, which Ieroboam hath made you for goddes.

9   And you haue cast out the Priestes of of our Lord, the children of Aaron, and the Leuites: and you haue made you priestes, as al the peoples of the earth: who soeuer shal come & consecrate his hand in a bullock of oxen, and in seuen rammes, is made the priest of them that are not goddes,

10   But our Lord is God, whom we forsake not, and the Priestes do minister to our Lord of the children of Aaron, and the Leuites are in their order.

11   Holocaustes also they do offer to our Lord, euerie day morning and euening, and incense made according to the preceptes of the law, and the loaues are set forth on a most cleane table, and there is with vs the golden condlesticke, and the lampes therof, that they may be lighted alwaies at euening: for we keepe the preceptes of the Lord our God, whom you haue forsaken.

12   Therfore in our host God is the prince, and his Priestes, which sound with trumpettes, and resound agaynst you: children of Israel fight not agaynst our Lord the God of your fathers, because it is not expedient for you.

13   He speaking these thinges, Ieroboam endeuoured to entrappe him behind. And when he stood ouer agaynst the enemies, he compassed Iuda vnwitting with his armie.

14   And Iudas looking backe, saw the battel at hand before and behind, and cryed to our Lord: and the Priestes begane to sound with trumpettes.

15   And al the men of Iuda made a shout: and behold they crying, God terrified Ieroboam, and al Israel that stood agaynst Abias and Iuda.

16   And the children of Israel fled from Iuda, and our Lord deliuered them into their hand.

17   Abias therfore and his people stroke them with a great slaughter, and there fel wounded of Israel fiue hundreth thousand valiant men.

18   And the children of Israel were humbled, at that time, and the children of Iuda excedingly encouraged because they had trusted in our Lord the God of their fathers.

19   And Abias pursewed Ieroboam fleing, and he tooke his cities, Bethel and her daughters, and Iesana with her daughters, Ephron also and her daughters.

20   Neither was Ieroboam able to resist anie more, in the daies of Abias: whom our Lord stroke, and he died.

Asa.

21   Therfore Abias, his empire being strengthened, tooke fourtene wiues: and he begat two and twentie sonnes, and sixtene daughters.

22   But the rest of the wordes of Abias, and of his waies and wordes, are writen diligently in the Booke of Addo the Prophete. Chap. XIIII. Abias dieth, and his sonne Asa reigneth, destroyeth idolataie, 6. for tifieth his cities, 9. and ouercometh, by Gods special helpe, the Aethiopian, armie of a million of men.

1   And Abias slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the Citie of Dauid: and Asa his sonne reigned for him, in whose daies the land was quiet tenne yeares.

2   And Asa did that which was good and pleasing in the sight of his God, and he ouerthrew the altars of ^note strange seruice, and the excelses,

3   and brake the statues, and cut downe the groues.

4   And he commanded Iuda that they should seeke our Lord the God of their fathers, and should doe the law, and al the commandementes.

5   And he tooke away out of al the cities of Iuda the altars, and temples, & reigned in peace.

6   He built also fensed cities in Iuda, because he was quiet, and there had no battels risen in his time, our Lord geuing peace.

7   And he sayd to Iuda: Let vs build these cities, and compasse them with walles, and strengthen them with towers, and gates, and lockes, whiles thinges are quiet from battels, because we haue sought out Lord the God of our fathers, and he hath geuen vs peace round about. They therfore did build, and there was no impediment in building.

8   And Asa had in his armie of them that caried shieldes and speares, of Iuda three hundred thousand: and of Beniamin shieldbearers and archers, two hundred eightie thousand, al these were most valiant men.

9   And Zara the Ethiopian with his armie issued forth agaynst them, tenne hundred thousand, and with three hundred chariotes: and he came as far as Maresa.

10   Moreouer Asa went on to meete him, and set his armie in aray to battel in the vale Sephata, which is neere Maresa.

11   And he inuocated our Lord God, and sayd: Lord there is no difference with thee, whether thou helpe in few, or in manie: helpe vs ô Lord our God: for hauing confidence in thee, and in thy name we are come agaynst this multitude. Lord, thou art our God, let not man preuaile agaynst thee.

12   Our Lord

Asa. therfore tertified the Æthiopians before Asa and Iuda: and the Æthiopians fled.

13   And Asa pursewed them, and the people that was with him, vnto Gerara: and the Æthiopians fel to vtter destruction, because our Lord killing them, and his armie fighting they were destroyed. They tooke therfore manie spoiles,

14   and they stroke al the cities round about Gerara: for great terrour had inuaded al men: and they spoyled the cities, and caried away much praye.

15   Yea and destroying the sheepecotes of sheepe, they tooke an infinite multitude of cattel, and of camels: and returned into Ierusalem. Chap. XV. Azarias prophecieth that Israel shal lack the true God, Priestes, and the law, a long time. 8. which king Asa hearing most seriously destroyeth idolatrie. 12. maketh couenant and oath to serue God. 16. And deposeth his mother for offering sacrifice to Priapus.

1   And Azarias the sonne of Oded, the Spirit of God coming vpon him,

2   went out to meete Asa, and sayd to him: Heare ye me Asa, and al Iuda and Beniamin: Our Lord is with you, ^note because you haue beene with him. If you wil seeke him, you shal finde: but if you forsake him, he wil forsake you.

3   And manie daies shal passe in Israel without the true God, and without Priest a teacher, and without the Law.

4   And when they shal returne in their distresse to our Lord the God of Israel, and shal seeke him, they shal finde him.

5   At that time there shal not be peace to him that goeth out and cometh in, but terrours on euerie side in the inhabiters of the earth.

6   for nation shal fight agaynst nation, and citie agaynst citie, because our Lord wil truble them with al distresse.

7   You therfore take courage, and let not your handes be dissolued: for there shal be reward to your worke.

8   Which when Asa had heard, to witte, the wordes, and the prophecie of Azarias the sonne of Oded the prophete, he tooke courage, and tooke away the Idols out of al the land of Iuda, and out of Beniamin, and out of the cities, which he had taken, of mount Ephraim, and he dedicated the altar of our Lord, which was before the porche of our Lord.

9   And he gathered together al Iuda and Beniamin, and the strangers with them of Ephraim, and of Manasses, and of Simeon: for manie were fled to him of Israel, seing that our Lord his God was with him.

10   And when they were come into Ierusalem the third

Asa. moneth, in the fiftenth yeare of the reigne of Asa,

11   they immolated to our Lord in that day of the spoiles, & the praie, that they had brought, oxen seuen hundred, and rammes seuen thousand.

12   And he went in after the maner to establish the couenant, that they should seeke our Lord the God of their fathers in al their hart, and in al their soul.

13   And if anie man, quoth he, shal not seeke our Lord the God of Israel, let him die, from the least to the greatest, from man vnto woman.

14   And they sware to our Lord with a lowd voyce in iubilation, and in noyse of trumpet, and sound of shaulmes,

15   al that were in Iuda with execration: for in al their hart did they sweare, and with al their wil did they seeke him, and found him, & our Lord gaue them rest round about,

16   Yea and Maacha the mother of king Asa he deposed from the royal empyre, because she had made in a groue the idol of Priapus: which he wholy destroyed, and breaking into peeces, burnt it in the Torrent cedron.

17   But the ^note Excelses were leaft in Israel: neuerthelesse the hart of Asa was perfect al his daies.

18   And those thinges which his father had vowed, and him self, he brought into the house of our Lord, gold and siluer, and of vessels diuers furniture.

19   And there was no warre vnto the fiue and thirteth yeare of the reigne of Asa. Chap. XVI. ^note Agaynst the king of Israel, king Asa procureth helpe of the Assyrians, 7. which a prophet reprouing is put in fetters. 11. Asa dieth, with disease of his feete, and is buried with pompe.

1   And in the six and thirteth yeare of his reigne, came vp Baasa the king of Israel into Iuda, and with a wall compassed Rama, that none could safely goe out and come in of the kingdom of Asa.

2   Asa therfore brought forth siluer and gold, out of the treasures house of our Lord, and of the kinges treasures, and he sent to Benadad the king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying:

3   There is league betwen me & thee, my father also and thy father had concord, wherfore I haue sent thee siluer and gold, that breaking the league, which thou hast with Baasa the king of Israel, thou make him retire from me.

4   Which being knowen, Benadad sent the princes of his hostes to the cities of Israel: who stroke Ahion, and Dan, and Ablemaim, and al the walled cities of Nephthali.

5   which when Baasa had heard, he ceased to build

Asa. Iosaphat. Rama, and intermitted his worke.

6   Moreouer Asa the king tooke al Iuda, and caried away the stones out of Rama, and the timber that Baasa had prepared for the building: and he built of them Gabaa, & Maspha.

7   At that time came Hanani the prophete to Asa the king of Iuda, and sayd to him: Because thou hast had confidence in the king of Syria, and not in our Lord thy God, therfore hath the armie of the king of Syria escaped out of thy hand.

8   Were not the Æthiopians, and Libyians manie moe in chariotes, and horsemen, and a multitude exceding great: whom, when thou didst beleue in our Lord, he deliuered into thy hand?

9   For the eies of our Lord behold al the earth, and geue strength to them, that with perfect hart beleue in him. Thou therfore hast done foolyshly, & for this cause from this present time shal battels arise agaynst thee.

10   And Asa being angrie agaynst the Seer, commanded him to be cast into fetters: for he tooke indignation excedingly vpon this thing: and he slewe of the people at that time verie manie.

11   But the workes of Asa the first & the last are writen in the Booke of the kinges of Iuda and Israel.

12   Asa also fel sicke in the nine and thirteth yeare of his reigne, of a most vehement ^note payne of his feete, and neither in his infirmitie did he seeke our Lord, but rather trusted in the arte of Phisitians.

13   And he slept with his fathers: and he died the one and fourteth yeare of his reigne.

14   And they buried him in his sepulchre, which he had digged for himself in the Citie of Dauid: and they layd him vpon his bed ful of spices and odoriferous oyntementes, which were made by the arte of apothecaries, and they burnt it ouer him with exceding ambition. Chap. XVII. Iosaphat succeding in the kingdom preuaileth in battel agaynst the king of Israel. 6. destroyeth Idolaters, and sendeth Priestes and Leuites to instruct the people. 11. The Philistians and Arabians send presentes to king Iosaphat. 13. the leaders of the armie and souldiars are numbred.

1   And Iosaphat his sonne reigned for him, & grew strong agaynst Israel.

2   And he appoynted numbers of souldiars in al the cities of Iuda, that were compassed with walles. And he placed garrisons in the land of Iuda, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.

3   And our Lord was with Iosaphat, because he walked in the first waies

Iosaphat. of Dauid his father: and he trusted not in Baalim,

4   but in the God of his father, and went forward in his preceptes, and not according to the sinnes of Israel.

5   And our Lord confirmed the kingdom in his hand, and al Iuda gaue giftes to Iosaphat: and there grew to him infinite riches, and much glorie.

6   And when his hart had taken courage ^note for the waies of our Lord, he tooke away also the Excelses and groues out of Iuda.

7   And in the third yeare of his kingdom, he sent of his princes Benhail, and Abdias, and Zacharias, and Nathanael, and Micheas, that they should teach in the cities of Iuda:

8   and with them Leuites, Semeias, and Nathanias, and Zabadias, Asael also, and Semiramoth, and Ionathan, and Adonias and Tobias, and Thobadonias Leuites, and with them Elisama, and Ioram Priestes.

9   And they taught the people in Iuda, hauing the booke of the law of our Lord: and they went about al the cities of Iuda, and instructed the people.

10   Therfore the dread of our Lord came vpon al the kingdomes of the landes, that were round about Iuda, neither durst they make battel agaynst Iosaphat.

11   Yea and the Philistians brought giftes to Iosaphat, and tribute of siluer, the Arabians also brought cattel, of rammes seuen thousand seuen hundred, and buckegoates as manie.

12   Iosaphat therfore grewe, and was magnified on high: and he built in Iuda houses like to toures, and walled cities.

13   And he prepared manie workes in the cities of Iuda: there were also men of warre, and valiant in Ierusalem,

14   of whom this is the number by the houses and families of euerie one: In Iuda princes of the armie, Ednas duke, and with him most valiant men three hundred thousand.

15   After him Iohanan the prince, and with him two hundred eightie thousand.

16   After him also Amasias the sonne of Zechri, consecrated to our Lord, and with him two hundred thousand of valiant men.

17   Him followed Eliada valiant to battels, and with him of them that held bow & shield two hundred thousand.

18   After this man also Iozabad, and with him an hundred eightie thousand readie souldiars.

19   Al these were at the hand of the king, beside others, whom he had put in walled cities, in al Iuda. Chap. XVIII. Iosaphat ioyned in affinitie with wicked Achab king of Israel, goeth with him against Ramoth Galaad, four hundred false prophetes promising victorie.

Iosaphat. 14. Micheas prophecying the contrarie, 25. is put in prison. 28. Achab (notwithstanding he changeth his attire, and leaueth Iosaphat in danger) 33. is slaine.

1   Iosaphat therfore was rich and verie glorious, and was ioyned in affinitie to Achab.

2   And he went downe to him after certaine yeares into Samaria: at whose coming Achab killed muttons, and oxen very manie for him and the people that came with him: and he perswaded him to goe vp into Ramoth Galaad.

3   And Achab the king of Israel sayd to Iosaphat the king of Iuda: Come with me into Ramoth Galaad. To whom he answered: As I am thou also: as thy people; so my people also: and ^note we wil be with thee in battel.

4   Iosaphat sayd to the king of Israel: Consult I besech thee presently the word of our Lord.

5   Therfore the king of Israel gathered together of the prophetes four hundred men, and sayd to them: Shal we goe into Ramoth Galaad to fight, or sitte stil? But they sayd: Goe vp, say they, and God wil deliuer it into thy hand.

6   And Iosaphat sayd: Is there not here a prophete of our Lord, that we may enquire also of him?

7   And the king of Israel sayd to Iosaphat: There is one man, of whom we may aske the wil of our Lord: but I hate him, because he doth not prophecie me good, but euil at al times: and it is Micheas the sonne of Iemla. And Iosaphat sayd: Speake not in this maner ô king.

8   The king of Israel therfore called one of the Eunuches, and sayd to him: Cal quickly Micheas the sonne of Iemla.

9   Moreouer the king of Israel, and Iosaphat the king of Iuda, both sate in their thrones, clothed with kinglie attyre, and they sate in the court beside the gate of Samaria, and al the prophetes prophecied before them.

10   But Sedecias the sonne of Chanaana made him hornes of yron, and sayd: Thus sayth our Lord: With these shalt thou strike Syria, til thou destroy it.

11   And al the prophetes in like manner prophecied, and sayd: Goe vp into Ramoth Galaad, and thou shalt prosper, and our Lord wil deliuer them into the kinges hand.

12   And the messenger that went to cal Micheas, sayd to him: Behold the wordes of al the prophetes with one mouth tel the king good thinges: I besech thee therfore that thy word also dissent not from them, and that thou speake prosperous thinges.

13   To whom Micheas answered: Our Lord liueth, whatsoeuer my God shal say to

Iosaphat. me, that wil I speake.

14   He therfore came to the king. To whom the king sayd: Micheas, shal we goe into Ramoth Galaad to fight, or sit stil? To whom he answered ^note Goe ye vp: for al thinges shal fal out prosperous, and the enemies shal be deliuered into your handes.

15   And the king sayd: Agayne, and agayne I adiure thee, that thou speake not to me, but that which is true in the name of our Lord.

16   But he sayd: I saw al Israel disperst in the mountaynes, as sheepe without a shepheard: and our Lord sayd: These haue no maisters: let euerie man returne into his house in peace.

17   And the king of Israel sayd to Iosaphat: did I not tel thee that this man did not prophecie me anie good, but these thinges that be euil?

18   But he sayd: Heare ye therfore the word of our Lord: I saw our Lord sitting in his throne, and al the host of heauen assisting him on the right hand and on the left.

19   And our Lord sayd: who shal deceiue Achab the king of Israel, that he may goe vp and fal in Ramoth Galaad. And when one sayd in this maner, and an other otherwise:

20   there came forth a spirit, and stood before our Lord, and sayd: I wil deceiue him. To whom our Lord sayd: wherin wilt thou deceiue him.

21   But he answered: I wil goe forth, and wil be a lying spirit in the mouth of al his prophetes. And our Lord sayd: Thou shalt deceiue, and shalt preuaile: goe forth, and doe so.

22   Now therfore, behold our Lord hath geuen the spirit of lying in the mouth of al thy prophetes, and our Lord hath spoken of thee euil thinges.

23   And Sedecias the sonne of Chanaana came, and stroke the cheeke of Micheas, and sayd: Which way passed the spirit of our Lord from me, that it should speake to thee.

24   And Micheas sayd: Thou thy self shalt see in that day, when thou shalt enter into chamber out of chamber, to be hid.

25   And the king of Israel commanded, saying: Take Micheas, and lead him to Amon the gouernour of the citie, and to Ioab the sonne of Amelech.

26   And you shal say: Thus sayth the king: Cast this felow into prison, and giue him a litle bread, and a litle water, til I returne in peace.

27   And Micheas sayd: If thou returne in peace, our Lord hath not spoken in me, & he sayd: Heare al ye peoples.

28   Therfore the king of Israel, and Iosaphat the king of Iuda went vp into Ramoth Galaad.

29   And the king of Israel sayd to Iosaphat: I wil change my habite, and so I wil goe to the fight, but be thou clothed with thine owne garmentes. And

Iosaphat. the king of Israel changing his habit came to the battel.

30   And the king of Syria had commanded the captaynes of his horsemen saying: Fight not agaynst the least, or agaynst the greatest, but agaynst the king of Israel only.

31   Therfore when the princes of the horsemen saw Iosaphat, they sayd: This is the king of Israel. And they compassed him fighting: but he cried to our Lord, and he holpe him, and turned them away from him.

32   For when the captaynes of the horsemen faw, that is was not the king of Israel, they leaft him.

33   And it chanced that one of the people shot an arrow at aduenture, and stroke the king of Israel betwen the necke and the shoulders, and he sayd to his cocher: Turne thy hand, and carie me out of the battel, because I am wounded.

34   And the fight was ended in that day: moreouer the king of Israel stood in his chariote agaynst the Syrians vntil euening, and died at the sunne sette. Chap. XIX. Iosaphat being reproued by a prophet for yelding help to Achab, 5. appoynteth Iudges in seueral cities, admonishing them to doe iustice. 8. exhorteth Priestes and Leuites to execute their sunctious carefully. 11. Amarias High Priest directing and ruling in thinges belonging to God, Zabedias general captayne gouerneth the kinges affayres.

1   And Iosaphat the king of Iuda returned into his house peaceably, into Ierusalem.

2   Whom Iehu the sonne of Hanani the Seer mette, and sayd to him: ^note To the impious man thou geuest ayde, and to them that hate our Lord thou art ioyned in frendship, and therfore thou didst deserue in deed the wrath of our Lord:

3   but good workes are found in thee, for that thou hast taken away the groues out of the land of Iuda, and hast prepared thy hart to seeke our Lord the God of thy fathers.

4   Iosaphat therfore dwelt in Ierusalem: and he went forth to the people agayne from Bersabee vnto mount Ephraim, and recalled them to our Lord the God of their fathers.

5   And he appoynted iudges of the land in al the fensed cities of Iuda, in euerie place,

6   and commanding the iudges, he sayd: Take heede what you doe: for you exercise not the iudgement of man, but of our Lord: and whatsoeuer you shal iudge, it shal redound to you.

7   Let the feare of our Lord be with you, and with diligence doe al thinges: for there is no iniquitie with the Lord our God, nor acception

Iosaphat. of personnes, nor desyre of giftes.

8   In Ierusalem also Iosaphat appoynted Leuites, and Priestes, and princes of families of Israel, that they should iudge the iudgement and cause of our Lord to the inhabitantes therof.

9   And he commanded them, saying: Thus shal you doe in the feare of our Lord faithfully, and with a perfect hart.

10   Euerie cause, that shal come to you of your brethren, that dwel in their cities, betwen kinred and kinred, whersoeuer there is question of the law, of the commandement, of ceremonies, of iustifications: shew it them, that they sinne not agaynst our Lord, and lest there come wrath vpon you and your brethren: so doing therfore you shal not sinne.

11   And ^note Amarias the priest and your Bishop shal be chiefe in these thinges, which pertayn to God: moreouer Zabadias the sonne of Ismahel, who is the prince in the house of Iuda, shal be ouer those workes, which pertayne to the kinges office: and you haue maisters the Leuites before you, take courage, and doe diligently, and our Lord wil be with the good. Chap. XX. ^note The Ammonites, Moabites, and Syrians ioynning forces agaynst Iosaphat, 3. he seeketh Gods helpe by publique prayer and fasting. 14. A Prophet fortelleth that God wil fight for them: 20. so they singing praises to God, the enemies kil ech other. 24. Iosaphat with his men gather verie great spoiles. 30. reigneth in peace, 35. but his nauie perisheth, for his societee with wicked Ochozias.

1   After these thinges were the children of Moab gathered together, and the children of Ammon, and with them of the Ammonites, to fight agaynst Iosaphat.

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

3   And Iosaphat being frighted with feare, he tooke him wholy to besech our Lord, and he ^note proclamed a fast to al Iuda.

4   And Iudas was gathered together to pray to our Lord: yea and al ^note came out of their cities to besech him.

5   And when Iosaphat stood in the middes of the assemblie of Iuda, and Ierusalem in the house of our Lord before the new court,

6   he sayd: Lord God of our fathers, thou art God in heauen, and rulest ouer al the kingdomes of Nations, in thy hand is strength and might, neither

Iosaphat. can anie man resist thee.

7   Didst not thou our God kil al the inhabitantes of this land before thy people Israel, and gauest it to the seed of Abraham thy frend for euer?

8   And they dwelt in it, & built in it a Sanctuarie to thy name, saying:

9   If euils fal vpon vs, the sword of iudgement, pestilence, & famine, we wil stand before this house in thy sight, wherein thy name is inuocated: & we wil crie to thee in our tribulations, and thou shalt heare, and saue vs.

10   Now therfore behold the children of Ammon, and mount Seir, by whom thou didst not grant Israel to passe, when they came out of Ægypt, but they declined from them, & slew them not:

11   doe the contrarie, and endeuoure to cast vs out of the possession, which thou hast deliuired to vs.

12   Our God, wilt not thou therfore iudge them? In vs in deed there is not so great strength, that we can resist this multitude, which cometh violently vpon vs. But whereas we are ignorant what we ought to doe, this onlie we haue least, that we direct our eies to thee.

13   And al Iuda stood before our Lord with their litle ones, and wiues, and their children.

14   And there was Iahaziel the sonne of Zacharias, the sonne of Banaias, the sonne of Iehiel, the sonne of Mathanias, a Leuite of the children of Asaph, vpon whom the spirit of our Lord came in the middes of the multitude,

15   and he sayd: Attend ye al Iuda, and you that dwel in Ierusalem, and thou king Iosaphat: thus sayth our Lord to you: Feare not, neither dread ye this multitude: for it is not your battel, but Gods.

16   To morrow you shal goe downe agaynst them: for they wil come vp by the steepe named Sis, and you shal find them in the vtmost part of the torrent, which is agaynst the wildernesse of Ieruel.

17   It shal not be you that shal fight, but onlie stand confidently, and you shal see the helpe of our Lord ouer you, ô Iuda, and Ierusalem: feare not, neither dreade ye: to morrow you shal goe out agaynst them, and our Lord wil be with you.

18   Iosaphat therfore, and Iuda, and al the inhabitantes of Ierusalem fel flat on the earth before our Lord, and adored him.

19   Moreouer the Leuites of the children of Caath, and of the children of Core praysed our Lord the God of Israel with a lowd voice, on high.

20   And when they had risen earely in the morning, they went forth by the desert of Thecua: and they being gone forth, Iosaphat standing in the middes of them, sayd: Heare me ye men of Iuda, and al the inhabiters of Ierusalem: ^note beleue in the Lord

Iosaphat. your God, and you shal be secure: beleue his prophetes, and al thinges shal fal our prosperous.

21   He gaue counsel also to the people, and appoynted the singing men of our Lord, that they should prayse him in their companies, and should goe before the host, and with agreable voice should say: Confesse to our Lord, because his mercie is foreuer.

22   And when they began to sing prayses, our Lord turned their embushementes vpon themselues, to witte, of the children of Ammon, and of Moab, and of mount Seir, who were gone forth to fight agaynst Iuda, and were striken.

23   For the children of Ammon, and of Moab, rose together agaynst the inhabitantes of mount Seir, to kil and destroy them: and when they had in worke atcheued this, being turned also agaynst themselues, they fel wounded one of an other.

24   Moreouer Iuda when they were come to the watch place, that looketh to the desert, saw a far of al the countrie abrode ful of dead bodies, and that none remayned aliue that could escape death.

25   Iosaphat therfore came, and al the people with him to take away the spoiles of the dead, and they found among the dead bodies, diuerse stusse, garments also, and most pretious vessels: and they spoiled it, soe that they could not carie al thinges, not in three dayes take a Way the spoiles for the greatnesse of the praye.

26   And in the fourth day they were assembled in the Vale of blessing: for because there they had blessed our Lord, they called that place the Vale of blessing vntil this present day.

27   And euerie man of Iuda returned, and the inhabitantes of Ierusalem, and Iosaphat before them into Ierusalem with great ioy, because our Lord had geuen them ioy of their enemies.

28   And they entered into Ierusalem with psalteries, and harpes, and trumpettes into the house of our Lord.

29   And the dread of our Lord fel vpon al the kingdomes of the landes when they heard that our Lord had fought agaynst the enemies of Israel.

30   And the kidgdom of Iosaphat was quiet and God gaue him peace round about.

31   Iosaphat therfore reigned ouer Iuda, and he was fiue and thirtie yeares old when he begane to reigne: and he reigned fiue and twentie yeares in Ierusalem: and the name of his mother was Azuba the daughter of Selahi.

32   And he walked in the way of his father Asa, neither declined he from it, doing the thinges that were pleasing before our Lord.

33   But ^note yet the excelses he tooke not away, and as yet the people had not directed their hart to

Iosaphat. Ioram. our Lord the God of their fathers.

34   But the rest of the actes of Iosaphat, the first and the last are writen in the wordes of Iehu the sonne of Hanani, which he disposed into the Bookes of the kinges of Israel.

35   After these thinges Iosaphat the king of Iuda entered frendshipe with Ochozias the king of Israel, whose workes were most impious.

36   And he was partaker to make shippes, which should goe into Tharsis: and they made a nauie in Asiongaber.

37   And Eliezer the sonne of Dodau of Maresa prophecied to Iosaphat, saying: Because thou hast had a league with Ochozias, our Lord hath strooken thy workes, and the shippes are broken, neither could they goe into Tharsis. Chap: XXI. ^note Iosaphat dieth, and Ioram succeding killeth his owne brethren, and some other chiefe men. 6. reigneth wickedly. 8. Edom, and Lobna reuols from him. 12. Elias by letters forwarneth him of plagues, 16. which falling vpon him, he dieth after two yeares languishing, and horrible disease.

1   And Iosaphat slept with his fathers, & was buried with them in the Citie of Dauid: and Ioram his sonne reigned for him.

2   Who had brethren the sonnes of Iosaphat, Azarias, and Iahiel, and Zacharias, and Azarias, and Michael, and Saphatias. al these were the sonnes of Iosaphat the king of Iuda.

3   And their father gaue them manie giftes of siluer, and of gold, and pensions, with the most fensed cities in Iuda: but the kingdom he deliuered to Ioram, because he was the first begotten.

4   And Ioram rose ouer the kingdom of his fathet: and when he had established himself, he slew al his brethren with the sword, and certain of the princes of Israel.

5   Two and thirtie yeare old was Ioram when he began to reigne: and he reigned eight yeares in Ierusalem.

6   And he walked in the waies of the kinges of Israel, as the house of Achab had done: for Achabs daughter was his wife, and he did euil in the sight of our Lord.

7   But our Lord would not destroy the house of Dauid for the couenant, which he had made with him: and because he had promised that he would geue him a lampe, and to his sonnes for euer.

8   In those daies Edom rebelled, from being subiect to Iuda, and made them selues a king.

9   And when Ioram had passed with his princes, and al the horsemen, that were with him, he rose in the night,

Ioram. and stroke Edom, which had compassed him, and al the captaynes of his horsemen.

10   But yet Edom rebelled, from being vnder the dominion of Iuda vntil this day: at that time Lobna also reuolted, from being vnder his hand. For he had forsaken our Lord the God of their fathers:

11   moreouer he built also excelses in the cities of Iuda, and he made the inhabitantes of Ierusalem to fornicate, and Iuda to transgresse.

12   And there were letters brought him ^note from Elias the prophete, in which was Writen: Thus sayth our Lord the God of Dauid thy father: Because thou hast not walked in the waies of Iosaphat thy father, & in the waies of Asa the king of Iuda,

13   but hast gone by the waies of the kinges of Israel, and hast made Iuda to fornicate, and the inhabitantes of Ierusalem, hauing imitated the fornication of the house of Achab, moreouer also hast killed thy brethren, the house of thy father, better men then thou:

14   behold our Lord wil strike thee with a great plague with al thy people, and children, and thy wiues, and al thy substance.

15   And thou shalt be sicke of a very sore disease of thy bealie, til thy vital partes come forth by litle and litle euerie day.

16   Our Lord therfore raised vp agaynst Ioram the spirit of the Philisthianes, and of the Arabians, which are borderers to the Æthiopians.

17   and they went vp into the Land of Iuda, and wasted it, and they spoyled al the substance, that was found in the kinges house, moreouer also his sonnes, and wiues: neither was there a sonne left him but Ioachaz, who was the yongest.

18   And beside al these thinges our Lord stroke him with an incurable disease of the bealie.

19   And when day succeded day, and the spaces of times passed about, the circuite of two yeares was complete: and soe being wasted with a long comsumption, soe that he voyded euen his very bowels, he was ridde of the disease, and of his life together. And he died in an exceding vile infirmitie, & the people made him not exequies according to the maner of burning, as they had done to his anceters.

20   He was two and thirtie yeares old, when he began to reigne, and he reigned eight yeares in Ierusalem. And he walked not rightly, and they buried him in the Citie of Dauid: but yet not in the sepulchre of the kinges. Chap. XXII. ^note Ochozias reigning one yeare, 13. is slaine together with Ioram king of Israel, by king Iebu. 10. Athalia killeth the kinges children (onlie Ioas being saued by his aunt) and vsurpeth the kingdom six yeares.

Ochozias.

1   And the inhabitantes of Ierusalem made Ochozias his least sonne, king for him: for al the elders, that had bene before him, the rouers of the Arabians had slayne, which inuaded the campe: and Ochozias the sonne of Ioram the king of Iuda reigned.

2   Two and ^note fourtie yeares old was Ocohzias when he began to reigne, and he reigned one yeare in Ierusalem, and the name of his mother was Athalia the daughter of ^note Amri.

3   But he also went by the waies of the house of Achab: for his mother forced him to doe impiously.

4   He therfore did euil in the sight of our Lord, as the house of Achab: for they were his counselers after the death of his father, to his destruction.

5   And he walked in their counsels. And he went forth with Ioram the sonne of Achab king of Israel, into battel agaynst Hazael king of Syria, into Ramoth Galaad: and the Syrians wounded Ioram.

6   Who returned to be cured into Iezrael: for he had taken manie woundes in the foresayd battel. Therfore Ochozias the sonne of Ioram king of Iuda, went downe te visit Ioram the sonne of Achab in Iezrael being sicke.

7   For it was the wil of God agaynst Ochozias, that he should come to Ioram: and when he was come he should goe out also against Iehu the sonne of Namsi, whom our Lord anoynted to destroy the house of Achab.

8   When Iehu therfore ouerthrew the house of Achab, he found the princes of Iuda, and the sonne of the brethren of Ochozias, which serued him, and he slewe them.

9   Searching also for Ochozias himself, he tooke him lying hid in Samaria: and being brought vnto him, he killed him, and they buried him: because he was the sonne of Iosaphat, who had sought our Lord in al his hart ^note neither was there anie more hope that anie should reigne of the stocke of Ochozias.

10   For Athalia his mother, seing that her sonne was dead, arose, and sleu al the kinges stocke of the house of Ioram.

11   Sauing that Iosabeth the kinges daughter tooke Ioas the sonne of Ochozias, and stole him out of the middes of the kinges sonnes, when they were slayne. and she hid thim with his nource in the bedde chamber: and Iosabeth that hid him, was the daughter of king Ioram, the wife of Ioiada the high priest, the sister of Ochozias, and therfore Athalia did not kil him.

12   He therfore was with them in the house of God six yeares, in the which Athalia reigned ouer the Land.

Ioas. Chap. XXIII. ^note Ioiada the Hiegh priest annoynteth and crowneth Ioas king. 12. causeth Athalia to be slaine, 16. idolatrie to be destroyed. 18. and Gods seruice adnanced.

1   And in the seuenth yeare Ioiada taking courage, tooke the centurions, to witte, Azarias the sonne of Ieroham, and Ismahel the sonne of Iohanan, Azarias also the sonne of Obed, and Maasias the sonne of Adaias, and Elisaphat the sonne of Zechri: and made a couenant with them.

2   Who going about Iuda, gathered together the Leuites out of al the cities of Iuda, and the princes of the families of Israel, and they came into Ierusalem.

3   Therfore al the multitude made a couenant with the king in the house of God: and Ioiada sayd to them: Behold the kinges sonne shal reigne, as our Lord hath spoken, vpon the sonnes of Dauid.

4   This ^note therfore is the thing which you shal doe.

5   The third part of you that come to the ^note Sabbath of the Priestes, and of Leuites, and of porters shal be in the gates: and a third part at the kinges house: and a third at the gate, which is called of the Fundation: but let al the rest of the common people be in the courtes of the house of our Lord.

6   Neither let anie other enter into the house of our Lord, but the Priestes, and they that minister of the Leuites: let them onlie goe in, because they are sanctified and let al the rest of the multitude obserue the watches of our Lord.

7   And let the Leuites enuiron the king, hauing euerie one their weapons: (and if anie other shal enter into the temple, let him be slayne) and let them be with the king both coming in, and going out.

8   The Leuites therfore, & al Iuda did according to al thinges, which ^note Ioiada the high Priest had commanded; and they tooke euerie one the men that were vnder them, and came by the order of the Sabbath, with them that had fulfilled the Sabbath, and were to goe forth. For Ioiada the high Priest permitted not the companies to depart, which were accustomed to succede one an other euerie weeke.

9   And Ioiada the Priest gaue to the centurions the speares, and the shieldes, and targattes of king Dauid, which he had consecrated in the house of our Lord.

10   And he appoynted al the people of them that held weapons on the right side of the temple, vnto the left syde of the temple, before the altar, and the temple, round about the

Ioas. king.

11   And they brought forth the kinges sonne, and put the crowne vpon him, and the testimonie, and gaue the law to be in his hand, & they made him king: Ioiada also the high Priest, and his sonnes annoynted him: and they wished him wel, and said: God saue the king.

12   Which thing when Athalia had heard, to witte, the voice of them that ranne and praysed the king, the went in vnto the people, into the temple of our Lord.

13   And when she had seene the king standing vpon the steppe in the entrance, and the princes, and the companies about him, and al the people of the land reioysing, and sounding with trumpettes, and playing on instrumentes of diuerse kind, and the voice of them that praysed, she rent her garmentes, and sayd: Treason, treason.

14   And Ioiada the high Priest going forth to the centurions, and captaines of the armie, sayd to them: Bring her forth without the precinct of the temple, and let her be killed with the sword without. And the Priest commanded that she should not be killed in the house of our Lord.

15   And they layd handes vpon her necke: and when she was entred within the gate of the horses of the kinges house, they killed her there.

16   And Ioiada made a couenant betwen himself, and al the people, and the king, that they would be the people of our Lord.

17   Al the people therfore entred into the house of Baal, and destroyed it: and they brake his altars and ^note his ^note images: Mathan also the priest of Baal they slewe before the altars.

18   And Ioiada appoynted ouerseers in the house of our Lord, vnder the handes of the Priestes, & the Leuites, which Dauid distributed in the house of our Lord: that they should offer holocaustes to our Lord, as it is writen in the law of Moyses, in ioy and songes, according to the disposition of Dauid.

19   He appoynted also porters in the gates of the house of our Lord, that the vncleane in anie thing should not enter in.

20   And he tooke the centurions, and the most valiant men and princes of the people, and al the common people of the land, and they made the king to goe downe from the house of our Lord, & to enter by the middes of the vpper gate into the kinges house, and placed him in the royal throne.

21   And al the people of the land reioysed, & the citie was quiet: moreouer Athalia was slayne with the sword. Chap. XXIIII. ^note Ioas reigning piously, so long as Ioiada liueth, causeth the Temple to be repayred, 14. and new sacred ve&esset;els to be made. 15. Ioiada an hundred thirtie

Ioas. yeares old dieth. 17. Ioas falleth to idolatrie: 20. causeth Zacharias to be slayne in the court of the Temple. 23. A few Syrians kil the chief men about the king, and carie away great prayes. 25. Ioas is slayne by his owne men, and his sonne Amasias reigneth.

1   Seven yeares old was Ioas when he began to reigne: and he reigned fourty yeares in Ierusalem, the name of his mother was Sebia of Bersabee.

2   And he did that which is good before our Lord al the dayes of Ioiada the Priest.

3   And Ioiada tooke for him two wiues, of whom he begat sonnes & daughters.

4   After which thinges it pleased Ioas to repayre the house of our Lord.

5   And he assembled the Priestes, and the Leuites, and sayd to them: Goe ye forth to the cities of Iuda, and gather of al Israel money for the reparation of the temple of your God, yeare by yeare, and doe this in hast: moreouer the Leuites did negligently.

6   And the king called Ioiada the prince, and sayd to him: why hast thou had no care to constrayne the Leuites to bring in out of Iuda and Ierusalem the money, that was ^note appointed of Moyses the seruant of our Lord, that al the multitude of Israel should bring it in into the tabernacle of testimonie?

7   For the most impious Athalia, and her children haue destroyed the house of God, and of al thinges that had bene sanctified in the temple of our Lord, they adorned the temple of Baalim.

8   The king therfore commanded and they made a chest: and set it by the gate of our Lord on the out side.

9   And it was proclaymed in Iuda and Ierusalem, that euery man should bring the price to our Lord, which Moyses the seruant of God appoynted ouer al Israel, in the desert.

10   And al the princes reioysed, and al the people: and going in they contributed into the chest of our Lord, and cast in so that it was filled.

11   And when it was time that they should bring the chest before the king by the handes of Leuites (for they saw much money) the kinges Scribe went in, and he whom the high priest had appoynted: & they powred out the money that was in the chest, & recaried it to his place: and so did they from day to day, and there was gathered infinite money.

12   Which the king and Ioiada gaue to them, that ouersaw the workes of the house of our Lord: but they hired with it hewers of stones, and artificers of al workes, to repayre the house of our Lord: smithes also of yron and brasse, that that which began to fal, might be vpholden.

13   And

Ioas. they that wrought did industriously, and the breach of the walles was closed by their handes, and they raysed the house of our Lord into the old state, and made it stand firmely.

14   And when they had accomplished al the workes, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Ioiada: of the which were made vessels of the temple to the ministerie, and for holocaustes, phials also, and other vessels of gold and siluer: and holocaustes were offered in the house of our Lord continually al the daies of Ioiada.

15   But Ioiada became old being ful of dayes, and died when he was an hundred and thirtie yeares old.

16   And they buried him in the citie of Dauid with the kinges, because he had done good with Israel, and with his house.

17   And after that Ioiada was dead, the princes of Iuda went in, and adored the king, who being altered by their seruiceablenesse, agreed to them.

18   And they forsooke the temple of our Lord the God of their fathers, and serued groues, and sculptilles, and there came wrath agaynst Iuda, and Ierusalem for this sinne.

19   And he sent them prophetes, that they should returne to our Lord, whom protesting they would not heare.

20   The spirit of God therfore inuested Zacharias the sonne of Ioiada the Priest, & he stood in the sight of the people, and sayd to them: Thus sayth our Lord God: Why transgresse you the precept of our Lord, which thing shal not profit you, & haue forsaken our Lord, that he should forsake you?

21   Who being gathered agaynst him, they threw stones according to the kinges commandement, in the court of the house of our Lord.

22   And Ioas the king did not remember the mercie, that Ioiada his father had done with him, but he killed his sonne. Who when he died, sayd: Our Lord see, and require it.

23   And when a yeare was come about, the armie of Syria came vp against him: & it came into Iuda & Ierusalem, & slewe al the princes of the people, and al the pray they sent to the king into Damascus.

24   And wheras there was come a very smal number of the Syrians, our Lord deliuered into their handes an infinit multitude, for that they had forsaken our Lord the God of their fathers: on Ioas also they exercised ignomious iudgementes.

25   And departing they left him in great diseases: and his seruantes rose agaynst him, ^note for reuenge of the bloud of the sonne of Ioiada the priest, & they slewe him in his bed, & he dyed: and they buried him in the Citie of Dauid, but not in the kinges sepulchres.

26   And

Amasias. there conspired against him Zabad the sonne of Semmaath an Ammonitesse, & Iozabad the sonne of Semarith a Moabitesse.

27   Moreouer his children, and the summe of money, which was gathered vnder him, & the repayring of the house of God are writen more diligently in the Booke of kinges: and Amasias his sonne reigned for him. Chap. XXV. ^note Amasias killeth those that slew his father. 5. Besides his owne people, hyreth souldiars of Israel, but by aduise of a Prophete dismisseth them, 11. and with his owne owerthroweth the Idumeans, whose idols taken in battel (13. the dismissed souldiars in the meane time spoyling his countrie) he adoreth. 15. Contemning admonition, 17. and prouoking the king of Israel to warre, 22. is taken in battel and spoyled. 27. Fearing treason in Ierusalem fleeth, and is slaine in Lachis.

1   Five and twentie yeares old was Amasias when he began to reigne, and he reigned nine and twentie yeares in Ierusalem, the name of his mother was Ioaden of Ierusalem.

2   And he did good in the sight of our Lord: but yet not in a perfect hart.

3   And when he saw his kingdom strengthned, he put to death the seruantes, that had slayne the king his father,

4   but their children he slew not, as it is writen in the Booke of the law of Moyses, where our Lord commanded, saying. The fathers shal not be slayne for the children, nor the children for their fathers, but euerie one shal die in his owne sinne.

5   Amasias therfore gathered together Iuda, and appoynted them by families, and tribunes, and centurions in al Iuda, and Beniamin: and he numbred from twentie yeares vpward, and found three hundred thousand of yong men that went forth to battel, and held speare and shielde.

6   He hyred also for wages of Israel an hundred thousand strong men, for an hundred talentes of siluer.

7   But a man of God came to him, and sayd: O king, let not the host of Israel goe forth with thee, for our Lord is not with Israel, and al the children of Ephraim:

8   and if thou thinke that battels consist in the force of an armie, God wil make thee to be ouercome of the enemies: for it perteyneth to God both to helpe, and to put to flight.

9   And Amasias sayd to the man of God: What shal become then of the hundred talentes, which I haue geuen the souldiars of Israel? And the man of God answered him: Our Lord hath wherby he is able to

Amasias. geue thee much more then this.

10   Amasias therfore seperated the host, that came to him out of Ephraim, that they should returne into their place: but they being wrath excedingly agaynst Iuda, returned into their countrie.

11   Moreouer Amasias brought forth his people confidently, and went into the Vale of salt pittes, and stroke the children of Seir, ten thousand.

12   And other ten thousand men did the children of Iuda take, and bring to the steepe of a certaine rocke, and cast them down headlong from the toppe, who burst in sunder euerie one.

13   But that armie which Amasias had sent backe, from going with him to battel, was spred in the cities of Iuda, from Samaria vnto Bethhoron, & killing three thousand tooke away a great praye.

14   But Amasias after the slaughter of the Idumeans, sette vp the goddes of the children of Seir, which he had brought thence, for his goddes, and adored them, and burnt incense to them.

15   For which thing our Lord being angrie against Amasias, sent a prophete vnto him, which should say to him: Why hast thou adored goddes, that haue not deliuered their owne people out of thy hand?

16   And when he spake these thinges, he answered him: Art thou the kinges counseler? be quiet, lest I kil thee. And the prophet departing, sayd: I know that God is minded to kil thee, because thou hast done this euil, and besides hast not agreed to my counsel.

17   Therfore Amasias the king of Iuda taking verie il counsel, sent to Ioas the sonne of Ioachaz the sonne of Iehu, the king of Israel, saying: Come, let vs see one an other.

18   But he sent backe the messengers, saying: A thistle that is in Libanus sent to a cedar of Libanus, saying: Geue thy daughter to my sonne to wife: & behold the beastes that were in the wood of Libanus passed, and trode downe the thistle.

19   Thou hast sayd: I haue stroken Edom, and therfore thy hart is extolled into pryde, sitte in thy house, why dost thou prouoke euil against thee, that both thou mayest fal, and Iuda with thee.

20   Amasias would not heare, because it was our Lordes wil, that he should be deliuered into the handes of the enemies ^note for the goddes of Edom.

21   Ioas therfore the king of Israel went vp, and they gaue themselues one the sight of the other: and Amasias the king of Iuda was in Bethsames of Iuda:

22   and Iuda fel before Israel, and fled into their tabernacles.

23   Moreouer Amasias the king of Iuda, the sonne of Ioas, the sonne of Ioachaz, did take Ioas09Q0191

Ozias. the king of Israel in Bethsames, & brought him into Ierusalem: and destroyed the wal therof from the gate of Ephraim, to the gate of the corner, foure hundred cubites.

24   Al the gold also, and siluer, and al the vessels, that he found in the house of God, and with Obededom in the treasures also of the kinges house, moreouer he brought backe the sonnes of the hostages into Samaria.

25   And Amasias the sonne of Ioas the king of Iuda liued, after that Ioas died the sonne of Ioachaz the king of Israel, fiftene yeares.

26   But the rest of the wordes of Amasias the first and the last are Writen in the Booke of the kinges of Iuda and Israel.

27   Who after he reuolted from our Lord, they lay in waite agaynst him in Ierusalem. And when he had fled into Lachis, they sent, and slew him there.

28   And carying him backe vpon horses, buried him with his fathers in the Citie of Dauid. Chap. XXVI. Ozias seruing God, 6. preuaileth in battel against the Philistians, Arabians, and Ammonites. 9. prospereth in honour and wealth. 16. Then waxing proud offereth incense on the altar, is striken with leprosie, expelled out of the Temple, and citie. 20. and his sonne Ioathan ruleth the kingdom.

1   And al the people of Iuda made his sonne Ozias sixtene yeares old, king for Amasias his father.

2   He built Ailath, and restored it to the dominion of Iuda, after that the king slept with his fathers.

3   Sixtene yeares old was Ozias when he began to reigne, and he reigned two and fiftie yeares in Ierusalem, the name of his mother was Iechelia of Ierusalem.

4   And he did that which was right in the eies of our Lord, according to al thinges, which Amasias his father had done.

5   And he sought our Lord in the daies of Zacharias that vnderstood and saw God: and when he sought our Lord, ^notehe directed him in al thinges.

6   Moreouer he went forth, and fought against the Philisthijms, and destroyed the wal of Geth, and the wal of Iabinia, and the wal of Azotus: he built also townes in Azotus, and among the Philisthijms.

7   And God did helpe him against the Philisthijms, and against the Arabians, that dwelt in Garbaal, and against the Ammonites.

8   And the Ammonites gaue giftes to Ozias: and his name was renowmed vnto the entrance of Ægypt for his often victories.

9   And Ozias built towers in Ierusalem ouer the gate of the corner, and ouer the gate of the valley, and the

Ozias. rest, in the same side of the wal, and strengthened them.

10   He built towers also in the wildernesse, and digged manie cesternes, because he had much cattel as wel in the champaine, as in the vastitie of the desert: he had also vineyardes & dressers of vines in the mountaynes, and in Carmel: for he was a man geuen to husbandrie.

11   And the host of his warriers, which went forth to battels, was vnder the hand of Iehiel the scribe, & Maasias the doctor, and vnder the hand of Hananias, who was of the kinges dukes.

12   And al the number of the princes by families of valiant men, was two thousand six hundred.

13   And vnder them al the host of three hundred & seuen thousand fiue hundred: which were apt to battels, and fought for the king against the aduersaries.

14   Ozias also prepared for them, that is to say, for al the armie, shildes, and speares, and helmettes, and coates of mayle, and bowes, and slinges to cast stones.

15   And he made in Ierusalem engines of diuerse kind, which he placed in the towers, and in the corners of the walles, to shoote arrowes, and great stones: and his name went forth farre, for that our Lord did ayde him, and had strengthned him.

16   But when he was strengthned, his hart was eleuated to his destruction, and he neglected our Lord his God: and entering into the temple of our Lord: he would burne ^note incense vpon the altar of incense.

17   And incontinent Azarias the Priest going in after him, & with him the Priestes of our Lord eightie, most valiant men,

18   they resisted the king, and sayd: It is not thy office Ozias, to burne incense to our Lord, but of the Priestes, that is, of the children of Aaron, which are consecrated to this kind of ministerie: goe out of the Sanctuarie, contemne not: because this thing shal not be reputed to thee for glorie of our Lord God.

19   And Ozias being angrie, and holding in his hand the censar to burne incense, threatned the Priestes. And forthwith there rose a leprosie in his forehead before the Priestes, in the house of our Lord vpon the altar of incense.

20   And when Azarias the high Priest had beheld him, and al the rest of the Priestes, they saw the leprosie in his forehead, and in hast they thrust him out. Yea and him self being sore afrayd, made hast to goe out, because he felt by and by the plague of our Lord.

21   Ozias therfore the king was a leper vntil the day of his death, and he dwelt in a house apart ful of the leprosie, for the which he had bene cast out of the house of our Lord.

Ioathan. Moreouer Ioathan his sonne gouerned the kinges house, and iudged the people of the land.

22   But the rest of the wordes of Ozias the first and the last wrote Isaias the sonne of Amos, the prophet.

23   And Ozias slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the ^note kings sepulchres field, because he was a leper: and Ioathan his sonne reigned for him. Chap. XXVII. ^note Ioathan a godlie king, 5. preuaileth in battel against the Ammonites. 7. dieth, and his sonne Achaz succedeth.

1   Five and twentie yeares old was Ioathan when he began to reigne, and he reigned sixtene yeares in Ierusalem: the name of his mother was Ierusa the daugter of Sadoc.

2   And he did that which was right before our Lord, according to al thinges, which Ozias his father had done, sauing that he entered not into the temple of our Lord, and as yet the people did sinne.

3   He built the high gate of the house of our Lord, and in the wal of Ophel he built manie thinges.

4   Cities also he built in the mountaynes of Iuda, and castelles and towres in the forrestes.

5   He fought agaynst the king of the children of Ammon, and ouercame them, and the children of Ammon gaue him at that time an hundred talentes of siluer, and tenne thousand cores of wheate, and as manie cores of barley: the children of Ammon gaue him these thinges in the second and third yeare.

6   And Ioathan was strengthened, because he had directed his waies before our Lord his God.

7   But the rest of the wordes of Ioathan, and al his battels, and workes, are writen in the Booke of the kinges of Israel and Iuda.

8   He was fiue and twentie yeares old when he began to reigne, and he reigned sixtene yeares in Ierusalem.

9   And Ioathan slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the Citie of Dauid: and Achaz his sonne reigned for him. Chap. XXVIII. ^note For his great wickednes Achaz is taken in battel, his countrie spoyled, and manie slayne by the kinges of Syria, and Israel. 9. yet God suffereth not the kingdom to be subdued. 16. Then requiring helpe of the A&esset;yrians, 17. is spoyled by the Idumeans, Philisthians, and A&esset;yrians. 22. After al which plagues he committeth more idolatrie. 26. dieth, and his sonne Ezechias reigneth.

Achaz.

1   Twentie yeares old was Achaz when he began to reigne, & he reigned sixtene yeares in Ierusalem: he did not right in the sight of our Lord as Dauid his father.

2   but walked in the wayes of the kinges of Israel, moreouer also he did cast statues to Baalim.

3   He it is that burnt incense to the Valebenennom, and he consecrated his sonnes in fire according to the rite of the nations, which our Lord slewe in the coming of the children of Israel.

4   He sacrified also, & burnt incense in the excelses, & on hilles, and vnder euerie tree ful of grene leaues.

5   And our Lord his God deliuered him into the handes of the king of Syria, who stroke him, and tooke a great praye out of his kingdom, & brought into Damascus: to the handes also of the king of Israel was he deliuered, and striken with a great plague.

6   And Phacee the sonne of Romelia slewe of Iuda an hundred twentie thousand in one day, al men of warre: for that they had forsaken our Lord the God of their fathers.

7   At that time Zechri a mightie man of Ephraim, slewe Maasias the kinges sonne, and Ezricam the gouernour of his house, Elcana also second from the king.

8   And the children of Israel tooke of their brethren two hundred thousand of wemen, of boyes, and of wenches, and an infinite praye: and they brought it into Samaria.

9   At that time there was a Prophete of our Lord, named Oded: who going forth to meete the armie coming into Samaria, sayd to them: Behold our Lord the God of your fathers being angrie against Iuda, hath deliuered them into your handes, and you haue slayne them cruelly, so that your crueltie did reach to heauen.

10   Moreouer the children of Iuda and Ierusalem you wil subdue vnto you for bondmen and bondwemen, which nedeth not to be done: for you haue sinned hereupon to our Lord your God.

11   But heare ye my counsel, and carie backe the captiues, that you haue brought of your brethren, because the great furie of our Lord hangeth ouer you.

12   There stood therfore princes of the children of Ephraim, Azarias the sonne of Iohanan, Barachias the sonne of Mosollomoth, Ezechias the sonne of Sellum, and Amasa the sonne of Hadali, against them that came out of the battel,

13   and they sayd to them: You shal not bring in the captiues hither, lest we sinne to our Lord. Why wil you adde vpon our sinnes, and heape vp old offences? for it is a great sinne, and the anger of the furie of our Lord hangeth ouer Israel.

Achaz.

14   And the men of warre dismist the pray, & al the thinges that they had taken, before the princes and al the multitude.

15   And the men, whom we mentioned aboue, stood and taking the captiues, and al that were naked they clothed and shod them, with the spoyles: and when they had clothed and refreshed them with meate and drinke, and annoynted them because of their labour, and had looked carefully to them: as manie as could not walke, and were of a weake bodie, they set on beastes, and brought them to Iericho the Citie of palme trees to their brethren, and themselues returned into Samaria.

16   At that time king Achaz sent to the king of the Assyrians asking helpe. And the Idumeans came and stroke manie of Iuda, and tooke a great praye.

18   The Philisthijms also were spred abroad by the cities of the champayne, and toward the South of Iuda: and they tooke Bethsames, & Aialon, and Gaderoth, Socho also, & Thamnan, and Gamzo, with their villages, and dwelt in them.

19   For our Lord had humbled Iuda because of Achaz the king of Iuda, for that he had made it naked of helpe, and had contemned our Lord.

20   And he brought agaynst him Theglathphalnasar the king of the Assyrians, who also afflicted him, and spoyled him no man resisting.

21   Therfore Achaz spoyling the house of our Lord, and the house of the kinges, and of the princes gaue giftes to the king of the Assyrians, and yet it did nothing profite him.

22   Moreouer also in the time of his distresse he increased contempte agaynst our Lord, king Achaz himself by himself,

23   immolated victimes to the goddes of Damascus that stroke him, and sayd: The goddes of the kinges of Syria doe helpe them, whom I wil pacifie with hostes, and they wil ayde me, wheras on the contrarie part they were his ruine, and al Israels. ^note

24   Achaz therfore hauing spoyled al the vessels of the house of God, and broken them shut the gates of the temple of God, and made him altars in al the corners of Ierusalem.

25   In al the cities also of Iuda he built altars to burne frankincense, and he prouoked to wrath our Lord the God of his fathers.

26   But the rest of his wordes, al his workes the first and the last are writen in the Booke of the kinges of Iuda and Israel.

27   And Achaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the Citie of Ierusalem: for they receiued him not into the sepulchres of the kinges of Israel. And Ezechias his sonne reigned for him.

Ezechias. Chap. XXIX. ^note Ezechias repayreth the Temple, and diuine seruice. 5. Zelously exhorteth offenders to repentance. 12. the Temple is purified in sixtene daies. 18. the king and nobles offer hostes, which the Priestes immolate. 25. with solemne musick (ordained by king Dauid) and great ioy of al the people.

1   Therfore Ezechias began to reigne, when he was fiue and twentie yeares old, and he reigned nine and twentie yeares in Ierusalem: the name of his mother was Abia, the daughter of Zacharias.

2   And he did that which was pleasing in the sight of our Lord, according to al thinges that Dauid his father had done.

3   He in the first yeare and moneth of his reigne opened the doores of the house of our Lord, and repayred them.

4   And he brought the Priestes and the Leuites, and assembled them in the East streate.

5   And he sayd to them: Heare me ye Leuites, and be sanctified, cleanse the house of our Lord the God of your fathers, and take away al vncleannes out of the Sanctuarie.

6   Our fathers haue sinned and done euil in the sight of our Lord God, forsaking him: they haue turned a way their faces from the tabernacle of our Lord, and geuen the backe.

7   They haue shut the doores, that were in the porch, and put out the lampes, and haue not burnt incense, and haue not offered holocaustes in the Sanctuarie of the God of Israel.

8   Therfore was the furie of our Lord stirred vp vpon Iuda and Ierusalem, and he hath deliuered them into commotion, and into destruction, & to be hissed at, as your selues see with your eyes.

9   Behold, our fathers haue fallen by the swordes, our sonnes, and our daughters, and wiues are led captiue for this wickednesse.

10   Now therfore it pleaseth me that we make a couenant with our Lord the God of Israel, and he wil turne away the furie of his wrath from vs.

11   My children be not negligent: our Lord hath chosen you to stand before him, and to minister to him, and to worshipe him, and to burne incense to him.

12   The Leuites therfore arose: Mabath the sonne of Amasai, and Ioel the sonne of Azarias, of the children of Caath: moreouer the children of Merari, Cis the sonne of Abdi, and Azarias the sonne of Ialaleel. And of the children of Gerson, Ioah the sonne of Zemma, and Eden the sonne of Ioah.

13   But of the children of Elisaphan, Samri, and Iahiel. Also of the children of Asaph, Zacharias, and Mathanias.

Ezechias.

14   Moreouer also of the children of Heman, Iahiel, & Semei: yea and of the children of Idithum, Semeias, and Oziel.

15   And they gathered together their brethren, and were sanctified, and went in according to the commandment of the king, and the precept of our Lord, to purge the house of God.

16   The Priestes also going into the Temple of our Lord to sanctifie it, brought out al vncleannes, which they found within the entrance of the house of our Lord, which the Leuites tooke, and caried to the Torrent cedron without.

17   And they began to clense it the first day of the first moneth, and in the eight day of the same moneth they entred into the porche of the temple of our Lord, and they purged the temple in eight dayes, and in the sixtenth day of the same moneth, they accomplished that which they began.

18   They entered in also to Ezechias the king, and sayd to him: We haue sanctified al the house of our Lord, and the altar of holocaust, and the vessels therof, moreouer also the table of proposition with al the vessels therof,

19   and al the furniture of the temple, which king Achaz in his reigne had polluted, after that he transgressed; and behold al thinges are set forth before the altat of our Lord.

20   and Ezechias the king rising early, assembled al the princes of the citie, and went vp into the house of our Lord:

21   and they offered together seuen oxen, and seuen rammes, seuen lambes, and seuen buckgoates for sinne, for the kingdom, for the sanctuarie, for Iuda, and he sayd to the Priestes the children of Aaron, that they should offer them vpon the altar of our Lord.

22   They killed therfore the oxen, and the Priestes tooke the bloud, and powred it vpon the altar, they killed also the rammes, and their bloud they powred also vpon the altar, and they immolated the lambes, and powred the bloud vpon the altar.

23   They brought the buckgoates for sinne before the king, and the whole multitude, and they put their handes vpon them:

24   and the Priestes immolated them, and sprinkled their bloud on the altar for an expiation of al Israel: for the king had commanded for al Israel, that holocaust should be made, and for sinne.

25   He appoynted also the Leuites in the house of our Lord with cymbals, and psalteries, and harpes according to the disposition of Dauid the king, and of Gad the Seer, and of Nathan the Prophete: for it was the precept of our Lord by the hand of his prophetes.

26   And the

Ezechias. Leuites stoode, holding the instrumentes of Dauid, and the Priestes trumpettes.

27   And Ezechias commanded that they should offer holocaustes vpon the altar: and when holocaustes were offered, they began to sing prayses to our Lord, and to sound with trumpettes, and on diuerse instrumentes, which Dauid the king of Israel had prepared for to sound.

28   And al the multitude adoring, the singing men, and they that held the trumpettes, were in their office, whiles the holocaust was accomplished.

29   And when the oblation was ended, the king bowed, and al that were with him, and adored.

30   And Ezechias, and the princes commanded the Leuites, that they should prayse our Lord in the wordes of Dauid, and Asaph the Seer: who praysed him with great ioy, and bowing the knee adored.

31   But Ezechias added these wordes also: You haue filled your handes to our Lord, come, and offer victimes, and prayses in the house of our Lord. Al the multitude therfore offered hostes, and prayses, and holocaustes with a deuout minde.

32   Moreouer the number of the holocaustes, which the multitude offered, was thls, oxen seuentie, rammes an hundred, lambes two hundred.

33   And they sanctified to our Lord oxen six hunered, & sheepe three thousand.

34   But the Priestes were few, neither could they suffise to draw of the skinnes of the holocaustes: wherfore the Leuites also their brethren holpe them, til the worke was accomplished, and the Priestes were sanctified, for the Leuites are sanctified with an easier rite, then the Priestes.

35   There were holocaustes therfore verie many, the fatte of pacifiques, and the libamentes of the holocaustes: and the seruice of the house of our Lord was accomplished.

36   And Ezechias reioysed, and al the people, because the ministerie of our Lord was accomplished. For it pleased them that the thing should be done of a soden. Chap. XXX. Ezechias by messengers and letters exhorteth the people both of Iuda and Israel, to make Pæsch in Ierusalem. 11. which some of Israel, and al Iuda performe, 18. the fourtenth day of the second moneth, though al could not be purified according to the law. 23. they make an other feast of Azimes seuen dayes mere, the king and princes geuing hostes to the people.

1   Ezechias also sent to al Israel and Iuda: and he wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasses, that they should come

Ezechias. to the house of our Lord in Ierusalem, and should make a Phase to our Lord the God of Israel.

2   Counsel therfore being taken of the king and the princes, and of al the assemblie of Ierusalem, they decreed to make the Phase the second moneth.

3   For they could not make it in his time . because the Priestes that might suffise, had not bene sanctified, and the people had not as yet bene gathered into Ierusalem.

4   And the word pleased the king, and al the multitude.

5   And they decreed to send messengers into al Israel from Bersabee vnto dan, that they should come, and make the Phase to our Lord the God of Israel in Ierusalem: for manie had not made it as is prescribed by the law.

6   And the postes went forth with letters of commandement from the king, and his princes, into al Israel and Iuda, according to that, which the king had commanded, proclaming: Children of Israel returne ye to our Lord the God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Israel: and he wil returne to the remnant, that hath escaped the hand of the king of the Assyrians.

7   Become not as your fathers, and brethren, which haue reuolted from our Lord the God of their fathers, who hath deliuered them into destruction, as your selues see.

8   Harden not your neckes, as your fathers: geue handes to our Lord, and come to his Sanctuarie, which he hath sanctified for euer: serue our Lord the God of your fathers, and the wrath of his furie shal be turned away from you.

9   For if you shal returne to our Lord: your brethren, and children shal haue mercie before their Lordes, that haue led them captiue, and they shal returne into this land: for our Lord your God is merciful, and wil not turne away his face from you, if you shal returne to him.

10   Therfore the postes went forward spedely from citie to citie, through the land of Ephraim, and of Manasses, as farre as Zabulon, they mocking and skorning them.

11   Neuerthelesse certayne men of Aser, and Manasses, and Zabulon, condescending to the counsel, came to Ierusalem.

12   But the hand of God was in Iuda, to geue them one hart to doe the word of our Lord, according to the precept of the king and of the princes.

13   And much people was gathered into Ierusalem to make the solemnitie of Azimes in the second moneth:

14   And rising they destroyed the altars that were in Ierusalem, and ouerthrowing al thinges wherin incense was burnt to idols, they threw it into the Torrent cedron.

15   And they immolated

Ezechias. the Phase the fourtenth day of the second moneth. The Priestes also and the Leuites at length being sanctified offered holocaustes in the house of our Lord. And they stoode in their order according to the disposition, & law of Moyses the man of God: but the Priestes receiued the bloud to be powred out of the handes of the Leuites,

17   because a great multitude Was not sanctified: & therfore the Leuites immolated the Phase for them, that came not in time to be sanctified to our Lord.

18   For a great part of the people of Ephraim, and Manasses, and Issachar, and Zabulon, that had not bene sanctified, did eate the Phase, not according to that which is writen: and Ezechias prayed for them, saying: Our good Lord wil be merciful,

19   to al them, ^note that in al their hart seeke our Lord the God of their fathers: and wil not impute it to them that they are not sanctified.

20   Whom our Lord heard, and was pacified to the people.

21   And the children of Israel, that were found in Ierusalem, made the solemnitie of Azimes seuen daies in great ioy, praysing our Lord euerie day. The Leuites also and the Priestes by instrumentes, that agreed to their office.

22   And Ezechias spake to the hart of al the Leuites, that had good vnderstanding concerning our Lord: and they did eate during the seuen daies of the solemnitie, immolating victimes of pacifiques, and praysing our Lord the God of their fathers.

23   And it pleased the whole multitude to celebrate it ^note other seuen daies: which also they did with great ioy.

24   For Ezechias the king of Iuda had geuen the multitude a thousand oxen, and seuen thousand sheepe: but the princes had geuen the people oxen a thousand, & sheepe ten thousand: there was sanctified therfore a verie great multitude of Priestes.

25   And al the multitude of Iuda was ful of mirth, as wel of the Priestes and Leuites, as of al the assemblie, that came out of Israel; of the proselites also of the land of Israel, and them that dwelt in Iuda.

26   And there was made a great solemnitie in Ierusalem, such as had not bene in that citie from the dayes of Salomon the sonne of Dauid the king of Israel.

27   And the Priestes & the Leuites rose vp blessing the people: & their voice was heard: and their prayer came into the holie habitation of heauen. Chap. XXXI. Idoles being destroyed in al Iuda and part of Israel, Priestes and Leuites freely execute their functions. 4. Tithes and first fruictes are payed in such abundance, 15. that they are put in store houses, and distributed by officers.

Ezechias.

1   And when these thinges had bene ritely celebrated, al Israel that was found in the cities of Iuda, went forth, and they brake the idols, and cut downe the groues, ouerthrew the excelses, and destroyed the altars, not onlie out of al Iuda and Beniamin, but out of Ephraim also and Manasses, til they vtterly destroyed them: and al the children of Israel returned into their possessions and cities.

2   And Ezechias appoynted companies of Priestes, and of Leuites, by their diuisions, euerie man in his owne office, to witte, as wel of the Priestes, as of the Leuites, for the holocaustes, and pacifiques, that they should minister, and ^note confesse, and sing in the gates of the campe of our Lord.

3   And the kinges part was, that of his proper substance holocaust should be offered, morning alwaies and euening, in the Sabbathes also, and the Calendes and in other solennites, as it is writen in the law of Moyses.

4   He commanded also the people that dwelt in Ierusaiem, to geue portions to the Priestes, and the Leuites, that they might attend the law of our Lord.

5   Which when it was noysed in the eares of the multitude, the children of Israel offered very manie first fruites of corne, of wine, and of oyle, of honie also: and of al thinges, which the ground bringeth forth, they offered tithes.

6   Yea and the children of Israel and Iuda, that dwelt in the cities of Iuda, offered tithes of oxen, and sheepe, and tithes of sanctified thinges, which they had vowed to our Lord their God: and carying them al, made manie heapes.

7   The third moneth they began to lay the fundations of the heapes, and in the seuenth moneth they finished them.

8   And when Ezechias, and his princes came in, they saw the heapes, and blessed our Lord, and the people of Israel.

9   And Ezechias asked the Priestes and the Leuites, why the heapes lay so:

10   Azarias the high Priest of the stocke of Sadoc answered him, saying: Since first fruites began to be offered in the house of our Lord, we haue eaten, and haue bene ful, and very much hath remayned, because our Lord hath blessed his people: and of the remaynes this is the abundance, which thou seest.

11   Ezechias therfore commanded that storehouses should be prepared in the house of our Lord. Which when they had done,

12   they brought in as wel the first fruites, as the tithes, and watsoeuer they had vowed, faythfully. And the ouerseer of them was Chonenias a Leuite, and Semeihis brother

Ezechias. the second,

13   after whom Iahiel, and Azarias, and Nahath, and Asael, and Ierimoth, Iosabad also, and Eliel, and Iesmachias, and Mahath, and Banaias, ouerseers vnder the hand of Chonenias, and Semei his brother, by the commandment of Ezechias the king, and Azarias the high Priest of the house of God, to whom al thinges apperteyned.

14   But Core the sonne of Iemna a Leuite, and porter of the east gate, was ouerseer of those thinges, which were voluntarily offered to our Lord, and of the first fruites and the thinges consecrated for Sancta sanctorum.

15   And vnder his charge Eden, and Beniamin, Iesue, and Semeias, Amarias also, and Sechenias, in the cities of the Priestes, that they should faithfnlly distribute to their brethren portions, to the lesser and greater:

16   sauing the men children from three yeares and aboue, to al that entered into the temple of our Lord, and whatsoeuer day by day was profitable in the ministerie, and the obseruances according to their diuisions,

17   to the Priestes by families, and to the Leuites from the twentith yeare and vpward, by the orders and companies,

18   and to al the multitude, as wel their wiues, as their children of both sex, meates were geuen faithfully of these thinges, that had bene sanctified.

19   Yea and of the children of Aaron by the fildes and the suburbes of euerie citie, there were men ordayned, that should distribute portions, to al the male sexe, of the Priestes and the Leuites.

20   Ezechias therfore did al thinges which we haue sayd in al Iuda: and wrought good and right, and truth before our Lord his God,

21   in al the seruice of the ministerie of the house of our Lord, according to the law and the ceremonies, willing to seeke his God in al his hart, and he did it and prospered. Chap. XXXII. Sennacherib king of Assyria inuading Iuda, king Ezechias encorageth the people, and prouideth to defend the countrie. 9. the Assyrians threaten the people, and blaspheme God. 20. Ezechias and Isaias pray. 21. An Angel destroyeth the Assyrians armie, so their king retiring home, is slayne in his idols temple, by his owne sonnes. 22. Ezechias reigneth in peace, 24. falleth into deadlie sicknes, but miraculously recouereth, offendeth in pryde, and repenteth. 27. is exceding rich, which he imprudently sheweth to strangers: 32. dieth, and Manasses succedeth.

1   After which thinges, and ^note this maner of truth, came Sennacherib the king of the Assyrians, and entering

Ezechias. into Iuda, besieged the fensed cities, desirous to take them.

2   Which when Ezechias had sene, to witte, that Sennacherib was come, and the whole force of the battel to be turned agaynst Ierusalem,

3   taking counsel with the princes, and the most valiant men, to stoppe vp the heades of the fountaynes, that were without the citie: and the sentence of them al decreing this,

4   he gathered a very great multitude, & they stopped vp al the fountaynes, and the riuer, that ranne in the middes of the land, saying: Lest the kinges of the Assyrians come, and finde abundance of waters.

5   He built also doing industriously euerie wall that had bene destroyed, and built towers vpon them, and an other wall without: and he repayred Mello in the citie of Dauid, and made armour and shildes of al sortes:

6   And he appointed princes of warryers in the armie: and he called them al together in the streate of the gate of the citie, and spake to their hart, saying:

7   Doe manfully, and take courage: feare not, neither dread ye the king of the Assyrians, and al the multitude, that is with him: for there are manie moe with vs, then with him.

8   For with him is an arme of flesh: with vs the Lord our God, which is our helper, and fighteth for vs. And the people was encouraged with these maner of wordes of Ezechias the king of Iuda.

9   Which thinges after they were done, Sennacherib the king of the Assyrians sent his seruantes to Ierusalem (for himself with al his armie beseiged Lachis) to Ezechias the king of Iuda, & to al the people, that was in the citie, saying:

10   Thus sayth Sennacherib the king of the Assyrians: In whom hauing affiance, doe you sitte besieged in Ierusalem?

11   Hath Ezechias deceiued you, to deliuer you to death in hunger and thirst, affirming that the Lord your God can deliuer you from the hand of the king of the Assyrians?

12   Why, is not this Ezechias, that hath destroyed his excelses, and altars, and hath commanded Iuda & Ierusalem, saying: Before one altar you shal adore, and on it you shal burne incense?

13   Are you ignorant what thinges I haue done, and my fathers to al the peoples of the landes? haue the goddes of nations, and of al landes bene able to deliuer their countrie out of my hand?

14   Who is there of al the goddes of the nations, which my fathers wasted, that could deliuer his people out of my hand, that your God also can deliuer you out of this hand?

15   Let not therfore Ezechias deceiue you, nor delude you

Ezechias. with vayne persuasion, neither beleue ye him. For if no god of al nations and kingdomes, could deliuer his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers, consequently neither shal your God be able to deliuer you out of my hand.

16   Yea and manie other thinges did his seruantes speake, agaynst our Lord God, and agaynst Ezechias his seruant.

17   Letters also he wrote ful of blasphemie against our Lord the God of Israel, and he spake agaynst him: as the goddes of their nations could not deliuer their people out of my hand, so the God also of Ezechias can not deliuer his people out of this hand.

18   Moreouer also with a lowd crie, in the Iewes tongue, he sounded against the people, that sate on the walles of Ierusalem, that he might terrifie them, and take the citie.

19   And he spake agaynst the God of Ierusalem, as agaynst the goddes of the peoples of the earth, the workes of mens handes.

20   Ezechias therfore the king, and Isaias the prophet the sonne of Amos, prayed agaynst this blasphemie, and cried out euen to heauen.

21   And our Lord sent an Angel, which stroke euerie strong man, and warryer, and prince of the armie of the king of the Assyrians: and he returned with ignominie into his countrie. And when he was entered into the house of his God, his sonnes that were come forth of his wombe, slewe him with the sword.

22   And our Lord saued Ezechias and the inhabitantes of Ierusalem, out of the hand of Sennacherib the king of the Assyrians, and out of the hand of al, & gaue them rest round about.

23   Manie also brought hostes, and sacrifices to our Lord into Ierusalem, and giftes to Ezechias the king of Iuda: who was exalted after these thinges before al nations.

24   In those daies Ezechias was sick euen to death, and he prayed our Lord: and he heard him, and gaue him a signe.

25   But not according to the benefites, which he receiued, did he recompense, ^note because his hart was eleuated: and wrath came agaynst him, and agaynst Iuda and Ierusalem.

26   And he was humbled afterward, because his hart had bene exalted, both he and the inhabitantes of Ierusalem: and therfore the wrath of our Lord came not vpon them in the daies of Ezechias.

27   And Ezechias was rich, and glorious excedingly and gathered to himself great treasures of siluer and of gold, and of pretious stone, of spices, and of armour of al kinde, and of vessels of great price.

28   Storehouses also of corne, of wyne, and of oyle, and stalles of al beastes, and

Manasses. foldes of cattel,

29   and six cities he built to him self: for he had flockes of sheepe, and of heardes innumerable, because our Lord had geuen him substance exceding much.

30   The same is Ezechias, that stopped the vpper fountaine of the waters of Gihon, and turned them away vnderneth toward the West of the Citie of Dauid: in al his workes he did prosperously what he would.

31   But yet in the embassie of the princes of Babylon, that were sent to him, to aske of the wonder, that had chanced vpon the earth, God leift him that he might be tempted, and al thinges might be made knowen, that were in his hart.

32   But the rest of the wordes of Ezechias, and of his mercies are writen in the vision of Isaias the sonne of Amos the prophete, and in the booke of the kinges of Iuda & Israel.

33   And Ezechias slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefe sepulchres of the children of Dauid: and al Iuda celebrated his funeralles, & al the inhabitantes of Ierusalem: and Manasses his sonne reigned for him. Chap. XXXIII. ^note Manasses for his manifold wickednes is led captiue into Babylon. 12. repenteth in prison, is restored to his kingdom, and destroyeth idolatrie: 18. dieth, 21. & Amon succeding, 24. is slayne by his seruantes, and Iosias reigneth.

1   Twelve yeares old was Manasses when he began to reigne, and he reigned fiftie fiue yeares in Ierusalem.

2   And he did euil before our Lord, according to al the abominations of the nations, which our Lord ouerthrew before the children of Israel:

3   and being turned, he reedified the excelses which Ezechias his father had destroyed: and he built altars to Baalim, and made groues, and he adored al the host of heauen, and worshipped it.

4   He built also altars in the house of our Lord, wherof our Lord had sayd: In Ierusalem shal my name be for euer.

5   And he built them to al the host of heauen in the two courtes of the house of our Lord.

6   And he made his sonnes to passe through fyre, to the Valebenennom: he obserued dreames, folowed southsayings, gaue him self to magike artes, he had with him magicians, & inchaunters: and he wrought manie euils before our Lord, to prouoke him.

7   Also a grauen, and a molten signe he put in the house of God, wherof our Lord spake to Dauid, and to Salomon his sonne, saying: In this house, and in Ierusalem, which I haue chosen al the tribes of Israel, Wil I put my

Manasses. Amon. name for euer,

8   And I wil not make the foote of Israel to moue out of the land, which I haue deliuered to their fathers: yet so if they shal obserue to doe that I haue commanded them, and al the law, and the ceremonies, and iudgementes by the hand of Moyses.

9   Manasses therfore seduced Iuda, and the inhabitantes of Ierusalem, that they did euil aboue al the nations, which our Lord had ouerthrowen before the face of the children of Israel.

10   And our Lord spake to him, and to his people, and they would not attend.

11   Therfore he brought vpon them the princes of the host of the king of the Assyrians: and they tooke Manasses, & led him bound with chaynes, and fetters into Babylon.

12   Who after that he was in distresse, prayed our Lord his God: and did penance excedingly before the God of his fathers.

13   And he desired him, and besought him earnestly: ^note and he heard his prayer, and brought him agayne to Ierusalem into his kingdom, and Manasses knew that our Lord he was God.

14   After these thinges he built a wal without the citie of Dauid, on the west of Gihon in the valley, from the entrance of the fish gate round about vnto Ophel, and raysed it excedingly: and he appoynted princes of the host in al the fensed cities of Iuda:

15   and he tooke away strange goddes, and the idol out of the house of our Lord: the altars also which he had made in the mount of the house of our Lord, and in Ierusalem, and he threw al without the citie.

16   Moreouer he reedified the altar of our Lord, and immolated vpon it victimes, and pacifiques, and prayse: and he commanded Iuda to serue our Lord the God of Israel.

17   Neuerthelesse as yet the people immolated in the excelses to our Lord their God.

18   But the rest of the actes of Manasses: and his obsecration to his God: the wordes also of the Seers, that spake to him in the name of our Lord the God of Israel, are conteyned in the wordes of the kinges of Israel.

19   His ^note prayer also, and his obtayning, and al his sinnes, and contempt, the places also wherein he built excelses, and made groues, and statues before he did penance, are writen in the wordes of Hozai.

20   Manasses therfore slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his house: & his sonne Amon reigned for him.

21   Ammon was two and twentie yeares old when he began to reigne, and he reigned two yeares in Ierusalem.

22   And he did euil in the sight of our Lord, as Manasses his father had done: and he immolated to al the idols, which

Iosias. Manasses his father had made, and serued them.

23   And he did not reuerence the face our Lord, as Manasses his father did reuerence it, and he committed farre greater sinnes.

24   And when his seruantes had conspired agaynst him, they slewe him in his owne house.

25   Moreouer the rest of the multitude of the people, hauing slaine them that stroke Amon, made Iosias his sonne king for him. Chap. XXXIIII. ^note Iosias destroyeth idolatrie. 8. repaireth the Temple. 14. The booke of the law found in the Temple is redde before him. 19. wherby vnderstanding the sinnes of the people, 23. a prophete foresheweth their punishment, 26. but not in his daies. 29. He reneweth the couenant betwen God and the people.

1   Eight yeares old was Iosias when he began to reigne, & he reigned thirtie and one yeares in Ierusalem.

2   And he did that which was right in the sight of our Lord, and walked in the waies of Dauid his father: he declined not neither to the right hand, nor to the left.

3   And in the eight yeare of his reigne, when he was yet a child, he began to seeke the God of his father Dauid: and the twelfth yeare after he began to reigne, he cleansed Iuda and Ierusalem from excelses, and groues, and idols, & sculptils.

4   And they destroyed before him the altars of Baalim, and the idols, that had bene set vpon them, they destroyed: the groues also and sculptils he cut downe and brake in peeces: and ouer their tombes, that were accustomed to immolate vnto them, he strawed the fragmentes.

5   Moreouer the bones of the Priestes he burnt on the altars of the idols, and he clensed Iuda and Ierusalem.

6   Yea and in the cities of Manasses, and of Ephraim, and of Simeon, vnto Nepthali he ouerthrew al.

7   And when he had destroyed the altars, and the groues, and had broken the idols into peces, and had ouerthrowen al profane temples out of al the land of Israel, he returned into Ierusalem.

8   Therfore in the eightenth yeare of his reigne, the land now clensed, and the temple of our Lord, he sent Saphan the sonne of Eselias, and Maasias the gouernour of the citie, and Ioha the sonne of Ioachaz Commenter, that they should repayre the house of our Lord his God.

9   Who came to Helcias the high priest: and taking of him the money, which had bene brought into the house of our Lord, and which the Leuites and porters had gathered together of Manasses, and

Iosias. Ephraim, and of al the remnant of Israel, of al Iuda also, and Beniamin, and the inhabiters of Ierusalem,

10   they deliuered in their handes, that ouersaw the workemen in the house of our Lord, that they should repayre the temple, and mend al weake partes.

11   But they gaue it to the artificers, and to the masons, that they should bye stones out of the quarries, and timber for the ioyntures of the building, and for making the roofe of the house, which the kinges of Iuda had destroyed.

12   Who did al thinges faithfully. And the ouerseers of the workemen were Iahath & Abdias of the children of Merari, Zacharias and Mosollam of the children of Caath, which vrged the worke: al Leuites skilful to sing on instrumentes.

13   But ouer them, that caried burdens to diuerse vses, were scribes, and masters of the Leuites, and porters.

14   And when they caried forth the money, that had bene brought into the temple of our Lord, Helcias the Priest found the Booke of the law of our Lord, ^note by the hand of Moyses.

15   And he sayd to Saphan the Scribe: I haue found the booke of the law in the house of our Lord: and deliuered it to him.

16   But he brought in the volume to the king, and told him, saying: Al thinges, which thou gauest into the hand of thy seruantes, loe are accomplished.

17   The siluer that was found in the house of our Lord, they haue gathered into a masse: and it was geuen to the ouerseers of the artificers, and of them that make diuerse workes.

18   Moreouer Helcias the Priest deliuered me this booke. Which when he had read in the kinges presence,

19   and he had heard the wordes of the law, he rent his garmentes:

20   and he commanded Helcias, and Ahicam the sonne of Saphan, and Abdon the sonne of Micha, Saphan also the scribe, and Asaa the kinges seruant, saying:

21   Goe, and pray our Lord for me, and for the remnant of Israel, and Iuda, concerning al the wordes of this Booke, which is found: for the great furie of our Lord hath distilled vpon vs, for that our fathers haue not kept the wordes of our Lord, to doe al thinges, that are writen in this volume.

22   Helcias therfore went, and they that were sent together by the king, to Olda a prophetesse, the wife of Sellum the sonne of Thecuath, the sonne of Hasra keeper of the garmentes: who dwelt in Ierusalem in the second part: and they spake to her the wordes, which we haue aboue mentioned.

23   But she answered them: Thus sayth our Lord the God of Israel: Tel

Iosias. the man, that sent you to me:

24   Thus sayth our Lord: Behold I wil bring euils vpon this place, and vpon the inhabitantes therof, and al the curses, that are writen in this Booke, which they redde before the king of Iuda.

25   Because they haue forsaken me, and haue sacrificed to strange goddes, that they might prouoke me to wrath in al the workes of their handes, therfore shal my furie droppe vpon this place, & shal not be extinguished.

26   But to the king of Iuda that sent you to beseche our Lord, thus speake ye: Thus sayth our Lord the God of Israel: Because thou hast heard the wordes of this volume,

27   and thy hart is mollified, and thou art humbled in the sight of our Lord for these thinges, which are spoken against this place, and the inhabitantes of Ierusalem, and reuerencing my face, hast rent thy garmentes, and wept before me: I also haue heard thee, sayth our Lord.

28    ^noteFor now wil I gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be brought into thy graue in peace: neither shal thyne eies see al the euil that I wil bring in vpon this place, and vpon the inhabitantes therof. They therfore reported to the king al thinges that she had sayd.

29   But he calling together al the ancientes of Iuda and Ierusalem,

30   went vp into the house of our Lord, and al the men of Iuda, and the inhabitantes of Ierusalem, Priestes and Leuites, and al the people from the least to the greatest. In whose hearing in the house of our Lord, the king read al the wordes of the volume.

31   And standing on his tribunal seate, he made a couenant before our Lord, that he would walke after him, and keepe his preceptes, and testimonies, and iustifications in al his hart, and in al his soule, and would do the thinges that were writen in that volume, which he had read.

32   He adiured also vpon this al that were found in Ierusalem, and Beniamin: and the inhabitantes of Ierusalem did according to the couenant, of our Lord the God of their fathers.

33   Iosias therfore tooke away al abominations of al the countries of the children of Israel: and made al, that were left in Israel, to serue our Lord their God. Al his daies they reuolted not from our Lord the God of their fathers. Chap. XXXV. ^note Iosias celebrateth a most Solemne Pasch. 20. Is slaine by the king of Ægypt, al Iuda lamenting him, 25. most specially Ieremias.

Iosias.

1   And Iosias made in Ierusalem ^note a Phase to our Lord, which was immolated the fourtenth day of the first moneth.

2   And he appoynted the Priestes in their offices, and exhorted them that they would minister in the house of our Lord.

3   To the Leuites also, at whose instruction al Israel was sanctified to our Lord, he spake: Put the Arke in the Sanctuarie of the temple, which Salomon built the sonne of Dauid the king of Israel, for you shal carie it no more: but now minister to our Lord your God, and to his people Israel.

4   And prepare your selues by your houses, and kinredes in the diuisions of euerie one, as Dauid the king of Israel commanded, and Salomon his sonne described.

5   And minister ye in the Sanctuarie by families and Leuitical companies,

6   and being sanctified immolate the Phase, prepare also your brethren, that they may doe according to the wordes, which our Lord spake in the hand of Moyses.

7   Moreouer Iosias gaue to al the people, that was found there in the solemnitie of the Phase, lambes and kiddes of the flockes, and of the rest of the cattel thirtie thousand, of oxen also three thousand, al these thinges of the kinges substance.

8   His dukes also voluntarily offered that which they vowed, as wel to the people, as to the Priestes and the Leuites. Moreouer Helcias, and Zacharias, and Iahiel princes of the house of our Lord, gaue to the Priestes to make the Phase cattel one with an other two thousand six hundred, and oxen three hundred.

9   And Chonenias, and Semeias, also Nathanael, his brethren, moreouer Hasabias, and Iehiel, and Iozabad princes of the Leuites, gaue to the rest of the Leuites to celebrate the Phase fiue thousand sheepe, and oxen fiue hundred.

10   And the ministerie was prepared, and the Priestes stood in their office: the Leuites also in companies, according to the kinges commandement.

11   And the Phase was immolated: and Priestes sprinkled the blood with their hand, and the Leuites drew of the skinnes of the holocaustes:

12   and they seperated them to geue them by the houses and families of euerie one, and to be offered to our Lord, as it is writen in the Booke of Moyses, of oxen also they did in like maner.

13   And they rosted the Phase vpon fyre, according to that which is writen in the law: but the pacifique hostes they boyled in caudrons, and kettles, and portes, and in hast they distributed it to al the people.

14   And for themselues, and for

Iosias. the Priestes they prepared afterward: for in oblation of holocaustes and of fatte the Priestes were occupied vntil night: wherfore the Leuites prepared for themselues, and for the Priestes the children of Aaron last.

15   Moreouer the singing men the children of Asaph stood in their order, according to the precept of Dauid, and Asaph, and Heman, and Idithun the prophetes of the king: and the porters watched at euerie gate, so that they departed not a moment from the ministerie: for the which cause also their brethren the Leuites prepared meates for them.

16   Therfore al the seruice of our Lord was ritely accomplished that day, so that they made the Phase, and offered holocaustes vpon the altar of our Lord, according to the precept of king Iosias.

17   And the children of Israel that were found there, made the Phase at that time, and the solemnitie of Azymes seuen daies.

18   There was not a Phase like to this in Israel, from the daies of Samuel the prophete: neither did anie of al the kinges of Israel make a Phase as Iosias, to the Priestes, and the Leuites, and to al Iuda, and Israel that was found, and to the inhabitantes of Ierusalem.

19   In the eightenth yeare of the kingdom of Iosias was this Phase celebrated.

20   After that Iosias had repayred the temple, came vp Nechao the king of Ægypt to fight in Charcamis beside Euphrates: and Iosias went forth to meete him.

21   But he sending messengers vnto him, sayd: What haue I to doe with thee king of Iuda? I come not agaynst thee this day, but I fight agaynst an other house, to the which God hath commanded me to goe in hast: leaue to doe agaynst God, who is with me, lest he kil thee.

22    ^noteIosias would not returne, but prepared battel agaynst him, neither did he agree to the wordes of Nechao from the mouth of God, but went forward to fight in the fielde of Mageddo.

23   And there being wounded of the Archers, he sayd to his seruantes: Carie me out of the battel, because I am sore wounded.

24   Who remoued him from one chariote into an other chariote, that folowed him after the maner of kinges, and they caried him away into Ierusalem, & he died, and was buried in the monument of his fathers, and al Iuda and Ierusalem ^note mourned for him.

25   Ieremie most of al: whose lamentations al the singing men and singing wemen repeate vntil this present day vpon Iosias, and it is growen as it were a law in Israel: Behold it is sayd to be writen in the lamentations.

26   But the rest of the wordes

Ioachaz. Ioakim. Ioachim. Sedecias. of Iosias & of his mercies: which are commanded by the law of our Lord:

27   his workes also the first and the last, are writen in the Booke of the kinges of Iuda and Israel. Chap. XXXVI. ^note Ioachaz reigneth three monethes. 4. His brother Eliakim (named Ioakim) eleven yeares, 9. his sonne Ioachin three monethes, 11. his vncle Sedecias eleuen yeares. 14. Most Priestes, and people contemning the admonitions of Prophetes, 17. manie are slaine by the Chaldees, the Temple and Ierusalem spoiled and burnt. 20. The sayd kinges succe&esset;iuely, and people are caryed captiue into Babylon. 22. After seuentie yeares Cyrus king of Persia, releaseth the captiuitie, and geueth leaue to reedifie the Temple.

1   The people therfore of the land tooke Ioachaz the sonne of Iosias, and made him king for his father in Ierusalem.

2   Three and twentie yeares old was Ioachaz, when he began to reigne, and he reigned three monethes in Ierusalem.

3   And the king of Ægypt when he came into Ierusalem, deposed him, and condemned the land in an hundred talentes of siluer, and a talent of gold.

4   And he made Eliakim ^notehis brother king for him, ouer Iuda and Ierusalem: and he turned his name Ioakim: but he tooke Ioachaz himself with him, and caried him away into Ægypt.

5   Fiue and twentie yeares old was Ioakim when he began to reigne, and he reigned eleuen yeares in Ierusalem: and he did euil before our Lord his God.

6   Agaynst him came vp Nabuchodonosor the king of the Chaldees, and brought him bound in chaynes into Babylon.

7   Whither he transported also the vessels of our Lord, and put them in his temple.

8   But the rest of the wordes of Ioakim, and of his abominations, which he wrought, and the thinges that were found in him, are conteyned in the Booke of the kinges of Iuda and Israel. And Ioachin his sonne reigned for him.

9   Eight yeares old was Ioachin when he began to reigne, and he reigned three monethes and ten dayes in Ierusalem, and he did euil in the sight of our Lord.

10   And when the compasse of a yeare was come about, Nabuchodonosor the king sent some, that brought him in to Babylon, the most precious vessels of the house of our Lord being caried away withal: But he made Sedecias his vncle king ouer Iuda and Ierusalem.

11   One & twentie yeares old was Sedecias when he began to reigne: & he reigned eleuen yeares in Ierusalem.

12   And he did euil in the eies

Captiuitie of Iuda. of our Lord his God, neither did he reuerence the face of Ieremie the prophet speaking to him from the mouth of our Lord

13   He reuolted also from king Nabuchodonosor, who had adiured him by God: & he hardened his necke & his hart, that he would not returne to our Lord the God of Israel.

14   Yea & al the chiefe of the Priestes, and the people transgressed vnlawfully according to al the abominations of the Gentiles: and they polluted the house of our Lord, which he had sanctified to him in Ierusalem.

15   And our Lord the God of their fathers sent to them, by the hand of his messengers, rysing by night, and daily admonishing them: for that he spared his people and his habitation.

16   But they mocked the messengers of God, and litle estemed his wordes, and scorned the prophetes, vntil the furie of our Lord ascended vpon his people, and there was no amendment.

17   For he brought vpon them the king of the Chaldees, and slewe their yong men with the sword in the house of his sanctuarie, he pitied not yong man, and virgin, and old man, no neither him that stouped for age, but he deliuered al into his handes.

18   And al the vessels of the house of our Lord, as wel greater as lesser, and the treasures of the temple, and of the king, and the princes he transported into Babylon.

19   The enemies set fyre on the house of God, and destroyed the wal of Ierusalem, al the towres they burnt, and what soeuer was pretious, they destroyed.

20   If anie man escaped the sword, being led into Babylon he serued the king and his sonnes, til the king of the Persians reigned.

21   That the word of our Lord by the mouth of Ieremie might be accomplished, and the land might celebrate their Sabbathes: for al the daies of the desolation she kept a Sabbath, til the seuentie yeares were expyred.

22   But in ^note the first yeare of Cyrus king of Persians, to fulfil the word of our Lord, which he had spoken by the mouth of Ieremie, our Lord raysed vp the spirit of Cyrus king of the Persians: who commanded to be proclaymed in al his kingdom, yea by writing, saying:

23   Thus sayth Cyrus king of the Persians: Al kingdomes of the earth hath the Lord the God of heauen geuen me, and he hath commanded me that I should build him a house in Ierusalem, which is in Iewrie: who of you is there in al his people? The Lord his God be with him, and let him goe vp.

From the fundation of the Temple, to the captiuitie in Babylon. The space of 430. yeares. ^note

Albeit there were greater Schismes, Heresies, and more reuoltes from Gods law and seruice in this fifth age, then in the former: Yet the true Church and Religion continued stil, and were no lesse conspicuous then before. ^note VVhich being clere and euident, touching manie principal Articles, we wil here only remitte the reader to some special places, for confirmation therof: neither wil we be prolixe, in declaring other pointes denied, or called into controuersie at this time, by the impugners of Catholique Religion.

Beleefe in one God appeareth plainly in building, adorning, & dedicating the Temple with so great solemnitie of the Priestes, Leuites, and al the Tribes, and particularly by king Salomons prayer. 3. Reg. 7. & 8. 2. Paral. 2. & c. ^note Also Prouerb. 8. Eccle. 12. Isaie. 41. 44. 45. ^note The Mysterie of the B. Trinitie, Prouer. 12. Isaiæ. 6. 48. 49. Ose. 11. Ioel. 2. ^note Of Christ our Redemer. Isaie. 7. 8. 9. 11. 28. 53. Ierem. 23. 30. 33. Ezech. 17. 34. 37. Dan. 7. 9. Osee. 6. 11. 14. Ioel. 2. Sophon. 2. Aggæi. 2. Zachar. 2. &c. ^note Sacrifices, Sacramentes, & other Rites the same as before. But more frequent Prophecies, that they should be changed into better, and perfecter by Christ. Prou. 9. Isai. 12. 52. 55. 61. In the meane time for more signification of the singular vertue of Christs Sacramentes, the effect of penitential workes is often recorded. For example, wicked Achab by hairecloth, fasting, and other humiliation escaped part of his deserued punishment. 3. Reg. 21. ^note Manasses recouered Gods fauoure, and his temporal kingdom. 2. Par. 33. VVho yet was punished in his posteritie. 4. Reg. 23. And the Niniuites by such penance auoided destruction. Ione. 3. Yea nothing is more frequent in the Prophetes then preaching of penance. Isa. 1. 2. 3. 30. Iere. 3. 18. & c. and others, al ascribing the cause of plagues, and afflictions to the want of repentance. And false Prophetes condemned of errour and false doctrine, for promising the people peace, and securitie in their sinnes. Ierem. 14. Lamen. 2. ^note Besides abstinence from diuers sortes of meates, counted vncleane (Isaiæ 66.) and ordinarie fastes, according to the law, other fastes were appointed sometimes, vpon occasions requiring, not only to subdue, and mortifie the flesh, but also to obtaine mercie at Gods handes in special distresses. 2. Par. 20. Ioel. 1. 2. Ione 3. ^note Elias fasting fourtie dayes, 3. Reg. 19. prefigured Christs fast. VVhich the Church imitateth in Lent of fourtie daies, according to humane habilitie, for the fastes of Christ, Elias, and Moyses were miraculous. ^note

To the Feastes instituted before, was added the Dedication of the

Temple. 3. Reg. 7. 2, Par. 3. ^note Which was built in Mount Moria, 2. Par. 3. the special place designed long before for this purpose, when Abraham was directed thither by God, & was there readie to sacrifice his sonne Isaac. Gen. 22. where Dauid also offered sacrifice. 2. Reg. 24. 1. Par. 21. ^note

This being the onlie ordinarie place for Sacrifice, there were for other vses of daylie prayer reading, preaching, and hearing the word of God other Synagogues built (as it were Parish churches) in great number: in Ierusalem it self foure hundred and foure score, and manie more in the whole kingdom, as the Hebrew Traditions testifie. ^{note note} Of al which places, especially of the Temple, there was venerable respect had. For which cause when Ioiada the High Priest gaue order to kil Athalia, he suffered it not to be donne in the Temple, but commanded first to draw her forth. 4. Reg. 11. 2. Par. 23. And as peculiar places, so special Psalmes, and Hymnes were appointed for diuers purposes and occasions. 2. Par. 20. ^note

The ministerie of Angeles was very vsual in this time. One was sent to comforte and direct Elias the prophet in his afflictions. 3. Reg. 19. 4. Reg. 1. ^note An Angel stroke the Assyrians whole campe, 4. Reg. 19. 2. Par. 32. Also the Intercession of Angels is so euident, Tobiæ 12. Raphael offering Tobias prayer to God, that Protestants haue no other refuge to auoide this point of faith, but by denying the Booke to be Canonical Scripture.

Honour of other Sainctes, and their Intercession is proued a Maiori. For so much as honour was religiously exhibited to spiritual power and excellencie, in men yet liuing in this world. ^note So a Noble man adored Elias the Prophet, being farre greater then he in ciuil, and worldlie respectes. 3. Reg. 18. Eliseus also was adored by his disciples, not for anie worldlie authoritie or eminence, but for his spiritual power and superioritie amongst them. 4. Reg. 2. Likewise al Prophetes, and Priestes were religiously honored for their holie and spiritual functions. 3. Reg. 13. Much more Sainctes are rightly honored being immortal, and in eternal glorie. It appeareth also that Elias, seuen yeares after that he was translated from humane conuersation (when Eliseus was chiefe Prophet. 4. Reg. 3. which was in or before the eightenth yeare of Iosaphat, who reigned fiue and twentie. 3. Reg. 22.) had care of Ioram, and his kingdom, admonishing him by letters of Gods wrath, against him and his people for their sinnes. 2. Par. 21. And the Scripture saieth often, that God spared and protected Ierusalem, and the kingdom of Iuda for Dauids sake. 3. Reg. 11. 15. 4. Reg. 8. 19. 20. 2. Par. 6. 21. Isa. 37. we haue also example of Sainctes Reliques in the cloke of Elias. 4. Reg. 2. in Eliseus bones, 4. Reg. 13. and in an other Prophetes bodie buried in Bethel. ^note VVhich Iosias would not suffer to be touched. 4. Reg. 23. ^note Images were conserued in the Temple, 3. Reg. 7. as before in the Tabernacle: when idolartie was most destroyed.

3. Reg. 15. 4. Reg. 23. yea an abuse rising of the brasen serp&ebar;t, for which Ezechias destroyed it 4. Reg. 18. yet he touched not the Images of Cherubins in the Temple. VVhich none but Infideles sought to destroy. And Osee the Prophet (ch. 3) bewayleth the want of Theraphim or Images amongst other sacred thinges, Sacrifice, Altar, and Ephod. VVherby the ancient Rabbins proue very wel, that Images of Angels (and the same of other Sainctes) are not contrarie to the Decalogue, but the images of Idoles. Good workes were rewarded, and bad punished, 3. Reg. 9 and the whole historie of this age testifieth the same. ^note VVhere by the way may be obserued, that some inst men fel from their iustice, as Salomon 1. Par. 28. 3. Reg. 11. Ioas, 4. Reg. 12. 2. Par. 24. Ozias, 2. Paral. 26. Others from wickednes returned to pietie. as Manasses 4. Reg. 23. 2. Par. 33. the multitude of the people very often much folowing the disposition of their kinges. ^note Special State of life not commanded by the law, was voluntarily professed, and obserued by some Prophetes, and their disciples, called the children of Prophetes. Keping particular Rules, and wearing distinct habite. 4. Reg. 1. 2. 4. ^note The orders of Nazarites, and Rechabites instituted before, continued stil. Amos. 2. Ierem. 35. stil which were very examplar figures of Religious State, and Orders in the new Testament, and perpetual chastitie of clergie men embraced by such, as folow Euangelical counsailes. proposed, and not commanded by our Sauiour. To which S. Paul likewise exhorteth, though there be no precept therof to anie, before they bind themselues.

Exequies for the dead were continually kept, as the sacred historie witnesseth, recording where and with what solennitie the kinges were buried. which would be ouerlong & nedeles to recite: the like is also writen of some Prophetes. 3. Reg. 13. 4. Reg. 23. ^note Holie Tobias by example, and fatherlie admonition exhorted his sonne, to do workes of mercie, not only to the liuing, but also to the dead. Put thy bread, and thy wine vpon the sepulture of the iust. c. 4. Isaias, ch. 57. as the Iewes both vnderstood and practised, prayed, that peace be geuen to the iust, in his couch, or resting place after his death. Of the general Resurrection, Elias translation is a figure, who yet liuing sheweth, that God can and wil restore al men to life againe in their bodies, after death, as he conserueth him, and Enoch in their mortal bodies without corruption. ^note Ezechiel also prophecieth of the Resurrection of the dead, applying it mystically to spiritual resurrection, and restauration of Israel to former state. ch. 37. Of the last Iudgment, and eternal glorie to the good, and euerlasting paine to the wicked, Salomon agreably to the doctrin of other Prophetes, discourseth in his booke of Ecclesiastes, namely ch. 3. 11. and in the last concludeth thus. ^{note note} Let vs al together heare the end of speaking: Feare God, and obserue his commandmentes:

for this is euerie man (or, to this end man is created) and God wil bring, into Iudgement al thinges, that are done, for euerie errour (or obscure thing) whether it be good or euil.

Neither were these and other pointes of Faith and Religion interrupted, but stil beleued and professed in the Church alwaies visible and incontaminate, notwithstanding some boughes and branches became vnftructful, and rotten: others brake of and were separated from this vine. ^note For when Salomon falling to luxurie, multiplying manie wiues and concubines, was by them seduced and brought to spiritual fornication, and idolatrie, making altars, & offering sacrifices to Idoles, the Priestes, Prophetes, and people generally perseuered in Gods law & seruice. 3. Reg. 11. ^note After whose death Ieroboam his seruant, of the tribe of Ephraim, possessing Tenne Tribes (called the kingdom of Israel) to maintaine his new state, fearing that if the people resorted to Ierusalem, for religions sake, they would depart from him, and returne to the right heyres of Dauid and Salomon, made an egregious Schisme; setting vp two golden calues in Bethel, and Dan. 3. Reg. 12. made temples, altares, and priestes to serue them, al opposite to Gods ordinance. But not only the other Two Tribes, called the kingdom of Iuda, but also the greatest part of Israel, especially Priestes, Leuites, and deuoutest people, repayred stil to Ierusalem, not yelding to that schisme and idolatrie. 2. Par. 11. Moreouer God raised vp and sent special Prophetes, to confirme the weake and recal the seduced.

For Ieroboam had no sowner sette vp his new altar in Bethel, and begunne to offer incense vpon it, but a Prophet came out of Iuda, in the word of our Lord: and cried against that altar, foretelling that wheras for that present, they burnt frankineense vpon it, the time should come, when the false priestes should be burned there, confirming by present miracles that which he auerred in wordes, the kings hand suddanly withering, & restored againe by the prophets prayer, and the new altar cleuing in sunder, that the ashes fel out. 3. Reg. 13. ^{note note} Further an other Prophet called Ahias foreshewed the destruction and vtter extirpation of Ieroboams familie, for his enormious wickednes, and namely (which is most often inculcate) for making Israel to sinne, by deuising and setting abroch a new religious. 3. Reg. 14. which ruine happened very shortly. For himself reigning twentie two yeares (3. Reg. 14.) one of his sonnes died presently according to the Prophets word. v. 18. ^note An other called Nadab succeding to his father, reigned only two yeares, and vvas slaine together with their whole race and kindred, by Baasa of the tribe of I&esset;achar. 3. Reg. 15. ^note Likewise Baasa folowing the bad steppes of Ieroboam was forewarned by Iehu a Prophet, that his house should also be destroyed. And accordingly when he had reigned foure and

twentie yeares, his sonne Ela reigning but two yeares, was slaine by his seruant Zambri, and al his kinred destroyed. ^note VVhich Zambri reigned but seuen dayes. For being forthwith besieged by Amri, of the tribe of Beniamin, he desperatly burned him self together with the kinges palace. Neither did Amri then possesse the kingdome with peace. For he being chosen king by the armie only, whereof he was general, an other part of the people chose & folowed Thebni. Wherof arose ciuil Warre betwen the Antikinges, continuing three yeares: til Thebni died, and so Amri reigned alone, but wickedly as his predece&esset;ors, twelue yeares in al. Then succeeded his sonne Achab most wicked. Who maried Iezabel a Sydonian, & by her was perswaded to worshippe Baal. 3. Reg. 16. To him notwithstanding God sent manie admonitions by sundrie Prophetes, and bestovved great benefites vpon him, wherupon he did some notorious penitential workes; but not perseuering in anie good thing, returned to his wickednes. 3. Reg. 10. And finally beleuing false prophetes, and persecuting Micheas for prophecying the truth, was slaine in battel when he thought him self most secure. 3. Reg. 22. hauing reigned twentie two yeares. 3. Reg. 16. His sonne Ochozias reigning but two yeares fel through a window, and died of the hurt. 4. Reg. 1. His other sonne Ioram, after twelue yeares was slaine by Iehu of an other familie: who then dispatched Iezabel, and leauing her in the streete, the dogges did eate her carcasse. ^note He also caused seuentie sonnes of Ioram to be slaine, and vtterly destroyed al Achabs house. 4. Reg. 10. For which seruice he was established in the kingdome, for foure generations, v. 30. So himselfe reigning twentie eight yeares, 3. Reg. 10. after him reigned succe&esset;iuely his sonne Ioachaz seuenetene yeares, his sonne Ioas, sixtene yeares. 4. Reg. 13. his sonne Ieroboam one and fourtie yeares. Lastlie his sonne Zacharias, vvhom his seruant Sellum of an other race, killed when he had reigned but six monethes. 4. Reg. 15. ^note And after one moneth Sellum vvas slaine by Manahen of an other progenie. VVho reigned tenne yeares. Then his sonne Phaceia reigning two yeares, was slaine by Phacee of an other generation. He reigning twentie yeares, manie of his people were carried captiue into Assiria, and himselfe was slaine by Osee of an other kindred. 4. Reg. 15. ^note Finallie the Assirians taking Samaria by three yeares siege, in the ninth yeare of Osee possessed the kingdome of Israel, and led al the principal persons captiues into A&esset;iria: about two hundred fourtie two yeares after that Ieroboam first reigned ouer the Ten Tribes. Thus there were in al ninetene kinges. Besides Thebni, who onlie reigned in part against an other. Of which the first Ieroboam, and Iehu were aduanced by Gods ordinance, for punishment of others. Amri was chosen by the armie, the rest of the people chosing Thebni. Six inuaded by mere force, killing their predece&esset;ors. The rest succeeded, by such titles as their fathers had. And though some were better some worse then others, al were wicked, and at last ouerthrowen.

Contrariwise in the kingdome of Iuda standing after the seperation of tenne tribes about foure hundred yeares, though some kinges were wicked, yet some were good; and in them al God preserued Dauids seede, by the line of Salomon, in this direct succe&esset;ion: Roboam, Abias, Asa, Iosaphat, Ioram, Ochozias, Ioas (in whose infancie, his grandmother Athalia vsurped the kingdome six yeares) Amasias, Ozias, Ioathan, Achaz, Ezechias, Manasses, Amon, Iosias, Ioachaz (hitherto the sonne euer succeeding his father) then Ioakim (brother of Ioachaz) Ioachin otherwise called Iechonias, sonne of Ioachaz. ^note And finallie his Vncle Sedecias; who was carried captiue into babilon. But Iechonias by Gods special prouidence, was fauored and exalted by a new king of Babilon. whither he was led captiue before. In whose line Dauids ofspring continued though not with title of kinges, yet in eminent state, and estimation. As resteth to be noted in the sixth age of the world.

The progenie also of Aaron continued in their office and function of Priesthood, with succession of High Priestes; as before from Aaron to Sadoc, partly in the line of Eleazar, partlie of Ithamar, both Aarons sonnes; so from Sadoc, by the like succe&esset;ion of both families. ^note For of Eleazar is recorded this Genealogie 1. Parol. 6. Sadoc, Achimaas, Azarias, Iohanan, Azarias, Amarias, Achitob, Sadoc, Sellum, Helcias, Azarias, Zaraias, and Iosedech. vvho vvas High Priest in the captiuitie. (v. 15.) being caried into Babilon in the first transmigration vvith king Iechonias, before the general captiuitie of al, as it seemeth 4. Reg. 24. his father Zaraias yet liuing, vvho vvas slaine nine yeares after by Nabuchadonosor, 4. Reg. 25. And amongst these there vvere some High Priests of Ithamars line. Towitte, Ioram, Ioiada (4. Reg. 11. 2. Par. 23.) Ioathan, Vrias, (4. Reg. 16.) and some others; or els some of the abouementioned, had other names. recited by Iosephus. lib. 10. cap. 11. Antiq. and Nicephorus lib. 2. cap. 4. Hist. Eccles.

Moreouer besides this ordinarie succe&esset;ion of Priestes, there vvas an extraordinarie mission of Prophetes: to supply more fullie the office of preaching the truth, and admonishing offenders. ^note And these God inspired and sent, most especiallie when and where errors sprong, and sinnes most abounded: geuing them extraordinarie grace and most excellent vertues, to conterpoise the enormities of vvicked men. Such vvere in the times of Achab and Iezabel, in the kingdome of Israel, besides manie others, the two famous great Prophets Elias, & Eliseus. vvhose admirable liues and holie conuersation vvere a mirrour to the vvorld, and great terrour to the vvicked, VVhose vvorkes and miracles meruelouslie confirmed the vvel disposed, encouraged the weake, conuerted manie transgressors, confounded false Prophets, iustified their ovvne preaching, and much glorified God. ^{note note} Elias. 1. shutte the

heauen, that it rayned not in three yeares. 2. was fedde by rauens. 3. Multiplied a poore vvidovves meale & oile. 4. Raised her dead sonne to life (3. Reg. 17.) 5. Brought fire from heauen, to burne his sacrifice: thereby confounding foure hundred and fifty false prophets of Baal. 6. By prayer procured rayne. (3. –Reg. 18.) 7. Fasted vvithout eating or drincking fourtie daies and nightes together. (3. Reg. 19.) 8. Procured fire from heauen, which deuoured two insolent captaines, and their hundred men (4. Reg. 1.) 9. Diuided the riuer of Iordan vvith his cloke, that himselfe and Eliseus passed ouer the drie chanel. 10. VVas assumpted in a firie chariote into some place, vvhere he yet liueth. And parting avvay obtained of God, the like duble spirit (of prophecie and miracles) to Eliseus. In like maner Eliseus. 1. diuided Iordan againe by Elias cloke, and so returned to his disciples. ^note 2. Amended the bitternes of certaine waters, by casting in salte. 3. Boies being cursed by him, for deriding him, were forthvvith torne by beares (4. Reg. 2.) 4. He procured water without rayne, for three kinges in the campe (4. Reg. 3.) 5. Multiplied a poore vvidovves oile. 6. By his prayers a barren woman became frutefull. 7. He raised her sonne from death. 8. Made the bitter broth of his disciples sweete. 9. Fedde manie with few loaues (4. Reg. 4.) 10. Cured Naaman of leprosie. 11. Stroke Giezi with the same (4. Reg. 5.) 12. Made yron to swimme. 13. Knewe the secret counsels of the Syrian king. 14. Made one see horsemen, and firie chariotes, which to others were inuisible. 15. Made the Syrianes blinde, that vvere sent to apprehend him, and so ledde them into Samaria. 16. Forshewed vnexpected plentie of corne the next day, VVith the death of a great man, that would not beleue it. (4. Reg. 7.) 17. And after his death an other mans dead bodie, touching his bones reuiued. 4. Reg. 13.

Other Prophets vvrought also miracles, but these for example may suffice to shevve, that God preserued religion also in the kingdome of Israel. VVhich himselfe further testified, euen in most desolate times, vvhen Elias lamented, that he vvas leift alone (3. Reg. 19.) ^note For God ansvvered, that seuen thousand (meaning therby a great multitude) had not bowed their knees to Baal, not so much as in outvvard shevve conformed themselues to infidelitie, or idolatrie. Iehu in his time, destroyed all the worshippers of Baal. (4. Reg. 10.) But none at anie time could wholy destroy true Israelites. For God would not suffer it. 4. Reg. 14. v. 27.

Yea notvvithstanding diuers notorious heresies vvere preached, & folovved in that kingdome of the Tenne tribes, yet al did not fall, nor embrace them. ^note Ieroboam not onlie made and set vp golden calues, but also taught, that they vvere Gods, saying: Behold thy goddes, O Israel, which brought thee out of the land of Ægypt. 3. Reg. 12. making temples,

altars, and imaginarie priestes, which were not of the children of Leui. ^note Also a feast the fiftenth day of the moneth, after the similitude of the solemnitie, that was celebrated in Iuda. Al which the holie Scripture saith: He fourged of his owne hart. The very propertie of Archeretickes. ^note But the true Priestes, Leuites, and manie others, that had geuen their hart to seke our Lord, went into Ierusalem, to immolate theire victimes before our Lord the God of their fathers. 2 Par. 11. Yea Naaman a stranger of Syria, and a Neophite in religion, taught by his example, that none may yeld conformitie, nor otherwise communicate with Infideles, then Gods Priests, or Prophetes approue for lawful. 4. Reg. 5.

Vnto this heresie of Ieroboam Achab, by Iezabels perswasion, added the worshipping of Baal, as God. 3. Reg. 16. making both temple and altar to him in Samaria. ^note Ieroboams priests seruing fitly this purpose. Though al the former heretikes no more agreed to this new heresie, then Lutherans now admitte of Caluinisme. For Iehu a Ieroboamite destroyed al Iezabilits that he could by a stratageme gette together. 4. Reg. 10. v. 28. 29. Much lesse did al Israel serue Baal.

Againe after that Salmanazar king of A&esset;yria had taken Samaria, and placed there a new people, 4. Reg. 17. they learning the rites of the Israelits religion, mixed their Paganisme therewith, and made a new heresie, or rather manie new heresies. ^note For being diuers nations they had in seueral conuenticles, their particular goddes, and so manie diuers Sects. The Babylonians, Cutheites, Emathites, Heueites, and Sapharuaimites. 4. Reg. 17. But as the Priestes, which taught them rites of true religion, allowed not of this mixture, so doubtles some people harkened to their admonitions, and kept religion simply and sincerely. And at this very time of the Tenne tribes captiuitie, holie Tobias who was carried captiue with the rest, neither before nor after the captiuitie, leift the law of God. ^note But went to Ierusalem (when others serued Ieroboams golden calues) to the Temple of our Lord, and there adored the Lord God of Israel. And in captiuitie bestowed himselfe in workes of mercie, towardes the liuing and dead of his nation. Tob. 1.

As for the kingdom of Iuda, it was more free from heresies. ^note For very few or none of those kinges that fell to other gro&esset;e enormities, yea to manifest idolatrie, became heretikes, as is probablie collected by that Isaias the Prophet being sent to Achaz, admonished him, conuersed and dealt with him, as with one that beleued wholly and solely true religion: assuring him that God would protect Ierusalem, bidding him not to feare the two smoking firebrandes, in the wrath of Rasin king of Syria, and of Phacee king of Israel. Isa. 7. ^note Further bidding him aske a signe of God, he answered,

though frovvardlie, yet not as an infidel: I wil not aske: and I wil not tempt our Lord. ^note Yea though Vrias the High Priest by commandment of the same king (4. Reg. 16.) made a new altar in place of Gods Altar, yet he erred not in faith, nor in doctrine, as teaching in Moyses chayre, but in fact onelie, and of frailtie for feare of the king, as the king offended in his externall act, to slatter the king of Syria. And in this case God sent Isaias to admonish the king, which Vrias neglected, or durst not do. ^note Likwise Ioram (4. Reg. 8 2. Par. 21.) Ochozias (2. Par. 22.) Ioas in the latter part of his life, 2. Par. 24. Manasses in the former part of his reigne (4. Reg. 2. 2. Par 33.) and some other kinges of Iuda committing idolatrie, and making others to fall with them, either were not wholie peruerted, or at least drew not al with them, For not onlie Prophets, in whose hand (or ministerie) God spake, and reproued these sinnes, but manie others kept their Zele of true religion. as appeared in their promptnes to serue God, when by good kinges Asa, Iosaphat, Ezechias, Iosias and others, they were exhorted, or admitted so to do. 4. Reg. 18. 23. 2. Par. 15. 17. 29. 30. 31. 33. 34. &c.

Finally wheras diuers good princes disposed, thinges belonging to Diuine seruice in the temple, correcting faultes, and punishing offenders in that behalfe, (3. Reg. 15. 4. Reg. 18. 23.) they did the same without preiudice of the High Priestes supremacie in spirituall causes, and their godlie actes make nothing for the English Paradox of Laiheadshippe. ^note For superior authoritie, and ordinarie povvre is not proued by factes good or euil, but rather by Gods ordinance and institution. For as the factes of vsurpers make no lawfull prescription; so neither the factes of good men, do change Gods general ordinance and law: But are done either by waie of execution, or sometimes by dispensation. Often also by commi&esset;ion and special inspiration of God. As king Dauid by dispensation did eate the holie bread, which was ordained for Priests onlie. 1. Reg. 21. ^note He disposed of Priestes and Leuites offices about the Arke of God. Par. 15. 19. by way of execution according to the law. And of the like offices in the Temple (when it should be built) 1. Par. 23. 24. 25. 26. by diuine inspiration. And Salomon by commi&esset;ion from God deposed Abiathar the High Priest, from his office and put Sadoc in his place. 3. Reg. 2. VVherefore albeit good kinges did excellentlie well in calling together the Priestes, and disposing them in their offices, for execution of Gods seruice, yea in commanding what they should do 4. Reg. 18. 19. 22. and in punishing Priestes (4. Reg. 23.) yet they did such thinges as Gods Commissioners, not as ordinarie Superiors in spiritual causes, and still the ordinarie subordination made by the law, Deut. 17. Num. 27. stood firme and inuiolable, the High Priest supreme Iudge of all doubtes in faith, causes, and quarels in religion, when other subordinate inferior Iudges varied in their iudgmentes. Of which offices Malachias the Prophet (cap. 2.)

admonished Priestes in his time, that wheras they were negligent, not performing their dutie, their sinne was the greater, for that their authoritie stil remained, and the perpetual Rule of the lavv, that the lippes of the Priest shal kepe knowlege, and they (other men generally) shal require the law of his mouth, because he is the Angel of the Lord of hostes. ^note And al Princes & others were to receiue the law at the priestes h&abar;d of the Leuitical Tribe. ^note This vvas the vvarrant of stabilitie in truth of the Synagogue in the old Testament. Much more the Church and Spouse of Christ, vvhose excellencie and singular priuileges Salomon describeth in his canticle of canticles, hath such vvarrant. Of this spouse al the Prophets write, & that more plainlie then of Christ himselfe, forseing more aduersaries bending their forces against her, as S. Augustine obserueth, then against Christ her head. And the same holie father in manie places teacheth, that she neither perisheth, nor loseth her beutie, for the mixture of euil members, in respect of whom she is blacke, but fayre in respect of the good, Cantic. 1. Notwithstanding therfore sinners remaining within the Church, schismatikes and heretickes breaking from the Church, stil she remaineth the pillar and firmament of truth, the virgin daughter of Sion. THE ARGVMENT OF THE bookes of Esdras. ^note

Esdras a holie Priest and Scribe, of the stocke of Aaron, by the line of Eleazar, vvriteth the historie of Gods people, in, and presently after their captiuitie in Babilon: vvhich Nehemias an other godlie Priest prosecuteth, vvhose booke is also called the second of Esdras, because in the Hebrevv and Greke they are but one booke, relating the acts of them both. ^note The other two books called the third and fourth of Esdras, touching the same matter, are not in the Hebrew, nor receiued into the Canon of holie Scripture, though the Greke Church hold the third booke as Canonicall, and placeth it first, because it conteyneth thinges donne before the other.

In the two here folowing, vvhich are vndoubtedly holie Scripture S. Ierom sayth, that Esdras and Nehemias (to witte the Helper, and Comforter from God) restored the Temple, and built the walles of the citie; adding that al the troope of the people returning into their countrie, also the description of Priestes, Leuites, Israelites, Proselites, and the workes of walles and towres diuided by seueral families, aliud in cortice præferunt, aliud in medulla retinent, shew one thing in the barke, kepe an other thing in the marrow: signifying that this historie hath both a literal, and a mystical sense. ^note According to the letter, this first booke shevveth the reduction of Gods people from Babylon; In the first six chapters. ^note In the other foure, their instruction by Esdras after their returne.

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