Bible in a Year.

On day 165, we follow the ups and downs of the reigns of Judah and Israel. 1 Kings 15-16 and 2 Chronicles 16-17 highlight the faithfulness and failings of the kings, showing how obedience to God determines prosperity or decline. Song of Solomon 4 celebrates love and attraction, reflecting the beauty and intimacy that should be present in both human relationships and spiritual experience.

Chapter 15

1. Now in the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, Abiam reigned over Juda.

2. He reigned three years in Jerusalem: the name of his mother was Maacha the daughter of Abessalom.

3. And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: end his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.

4. But for David's sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:

5. Because David had done that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and had not turned aside from any thing that he commanded him, all the days of his life, except the matter of Urias the Hethite.

6. But there was war between Roboam and Jeroboam all the time of his life.

7. And the rest of the words of Abiam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda? And there was war between Abiam and Jeroboam.

8. And Abiam slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and Asa his son reigned in his stead.

9. So in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, reigned Asa king of Juda,

10. And he reigned one end forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Maacha, the daughter of Abessalom.

11. And Asa did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, as did David his father:

12. And he took away the effeminate out of the land, and he removed all the filth of the idols, which his fathers had made.

13. Moreover he also removed his mother Maacha, from being the princess in the sacrifices of Priapus, and in the grove which she had consecrated to him: and he destroyed her den, and broke in pieces the filthy idol, and burnt it by the torrent Cedron:

14. But the high places he did not take away. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect with the Lord all his days:

15. And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and he had vowed, into the house of the Lord, silver and gold, and vessels.

16. And there was war between Asa, and Baasa king of Israel all their days.

17. And Baasa king of Israel went up against Juda, and built Rama, that no man might go out or come in, of the side of Asa king of Juda.

18. Then Asa took all the silver and gold that remained in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king's house, and delivered it into the hands of his servants : and sent them to Benadad son of Tabremon the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying:

19. There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: therefore I have sent thee presents of silver and gold: and I desire thee to come, and break thy league with Baasa king of Israel, that he may depart from me.

20. Benadad hearkening to king Asa, sent the captains of his army against the cities of Israel, and they smote Ahion, and Dan, and Abeldomum Maacha, and all Cenneroth, that is all the land of Nephtali.

21. And when Baasa had heard this, he left off building Rama, and returned into Thersa.

22. But king Asa sent word into all Juda, saying: Let no man be excused: and they took away the stones from Rama, and the timber thereof wherewith Baasa had been building, and with them Asa built Gabaa of Benjamin, and Maspha.

23. But the rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his strength, and all that he did and the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda? But in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.

24. And he slept with his fathers, and was buried with them in the city of David his father. And Josaphat his son reigned in his place.

25. But Nadab the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel the second year of Asa king of Juda: and he reigned over Israel two years.

26. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of his father, and in his sins, wherewith he made Israel to sin.

27. And Baasa the son of Ahias of the house of Issachar, conspired against him, and slew him in Gebbethon, which is a city of the Philistines: for Nadab and all Israel besieged Gebbethon.

28. So Baasa slew him in the third year of Asa king of Juda, and reigned in his place.

29. And when he was king he cut off all the house of Jeroboam: he left not so much as one soul of his seed, till he had utterly destroyed him, according to the word of the Lord, which he had spoken in the hand of Ahias the Silonite:

30. Because of the sin of Jeroboam, which he had sinned, and wherewith he had made Israel to sin, and for the offence, wherewith he provoked the Lord the God of Israel.

31. But the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?

32. And there was war between Asa and Baasa the king of Israel all their days.

33. In the third year of Asa king of Juda, Baasa the son of Ahias reigned over all Israel, in Thersa, four and twenty years.

34. And he did evil before the Lord, and walked in the ways of Jeroboam, and in his sins, wherewith he made Israel to sin.

Chapter 16

1. Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasa, saying :

2. Forasmuch as I have exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel, and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins:

3. Behold, I will cut down the posterity of Baasa, and the posterity of his house, and I will make thy house as the house of Jeroboam the son of Nabat.

4. Him that dieth of Baasa in the city, the dogs shall eat: and him that dieth of his in the country, the fowls of the air shall devour.

5. But the rest of the acts of Baasa and all that he did, and his battles, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?

6. So Baasa slept with his fathers, and was buried in Thersa: and Ela his son reigned in his stead.

7. And when the word of the Lord came in the hand of Jehu the son of Hanani the prophet, against Baasa, and against his house, and against all the evil that he had done before the Lord, to provoke him to anger by the works of his hands, to become as the house of Jeroboam: for this cause he slew him, that is to say, Jehu the son of Hanani, the prophet.

8. In the six and twentieth year of Asa king of Juda, Ela the son of Baasa reigned over Israel in Thersa two years.

9. And his servant Zambri, who was captain of half the horsemen, rebelled against him: now Ela was drinking in Thersa, and drunk in the house of Arsa the governor of Thersa.

10. And Zambri rushing in, struck him and slew him in the seven and twentieth year of Asa king of Juda, and he reigned in his stead.

11. And when he was king and sat upon his throne, he slew all the house of Baasa, and he left not one thereof to piss against a wall, and all his kinsfolks and friends.

12. And Zambri destroyed all the house of Baasa, according to the word of the Lord, that he had spoken to Baasa in the hand of Jehu the prophet,

13. For all the sins of Baasa, and the sins of Ela his son, who sinned, and made Israel to sin, provoking the Lord the God of Israel with their vanities.

14. But the rest of the acts of Ela, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?

15. In the seven and twentieth year of Asa king of Juda, Zambri reigned seven days in Thersa: now the army was besieging Gebbethon a city of the Philistines.

16. And when they heard that Zambri had rebelled, and slain the king, all Israel made Amri their king, who was general over Israel in the camp that day.

17. And Amri went up, and all Israel with him from Gebbethon, and they besieged Thersa.

18. And Zambri seeing that the city was about to be taken, went into the palace and burnt himself with the king's house: and he died

19. In his sins, which he had sinned, doing evil before the Lord, and walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin, wherewith he made Israel to sin.

20. But the rest of the acts of Zambri, and of his conspiracy and tyranny, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?

21. Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: one half of the people followed Thebni the son of Gineth, to make him king: and one half followed Amri.

22. But the people that were with Amri, prevailed over the people that followed Thebni the son of Gineth: and Thebni died, and Amri reigned.

23. In the one and thirtieth year of Asa king of Juda, Amri reigned over Israel twelve years: in Thersa he reigned six years.

24. And he bought the hill of Samaria of Semer for two talents of silver: and he built upon it, and he called the city which he built Samaria, after the name of Semer the owner of the hill.

25. And Amri did evil in the sight of the Lord, and acted wickedly above all that were before him.

26. And he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, and in his sins wherewith he made Israel to sin: to provoke the Lord the God of Israel to anger with their vanities.

27. Now the rest of the acts of Amri, and the battles he fought, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?

28. And d Amri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria, and Achab his son reigned in his stead.

29. Now Achab the son of Amri reigned over Israel in the eight and thirtieth year of Asa king of Juda. And Achab the son of Amri reigned over Israel in Samaria two and twenty years.

30. And Achab the son of Amri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him.

31. Nor was it enough for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat: but he also took to wife Jezabel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians. And he went, and served Baal, and adored him.

32. And he set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal, which he had built in Samaria,

33. And he planted a grove: and Achab did more to provoke the Lord the God of Israel, than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

34. In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho: in Abiram his firstborn he laid its foundations: and in his youngest son Segub he set up the gates thereof: according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke in the hand of Josue the son of Nun.

Chapter 16

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chapter 17

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. How beautiful art thou, my love, how beautiful art thou! thy eyes are doves' eyes, besides what is hid within. Thy hair is as flocks of goats, which Come up from mount Galaad.

2. Thy teeth as flocks of sheep, that are shorn which come up from the washing, all with twins, and there is none barren among them.

3. Thy lips are as a scarlet lace: and thy speech sweet. Thy cheeks are as a piece of a pomegranate, besides that which lieth hid within.

4. Thy neck, is as the tower of David, which is built with bulwarks: a thousand bucklers hang upon it, all the armour of valiant men.

5. Thy two breasts like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies.

6. Till the day break, and the shadows retire, I will go to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.

7. Thou art all fair, O my love, and there is not a spot in thee.

8. Come from Libanus, my spouse, come from Libanus, come: thou shalt be crowned from the top of Amana, from the top of Sanir and Hermon, from the dens of the lions, from the mountains of the leopards.

9. Thou hast wounded my heart, my sister, my spouse, thou hast wounded my heart with one of thy eyes, and with one hair of thy neck.

10. How beautiful are thy breasts, my sister, my spouse! thy breasts are more beautiful than wine, and the sweet smell of thy ointments above all aromatical spices.

11. Thy lips, my spouse, are as a dropping honeycomb, honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments, as the smell of frankincense.

12. My sister, my spouse, is a garden enclosed, a garden enclosed, a fountain sealed up.

13. Thy plants are a paradise of pomegranates with the fruits of the orchard. Cypress with spikenard.

14. Spikenard and saffron, sweet cane and cinnamon, with all the trees of Libanus, myrrh and aloes with all the chief perfumes.

15. The fountain of gardens: the well of living waters, which run with a strong stream from Libanus.

16. Arise, O north wind, and come, O south wind, blow through my garden, and let the aromatical spices thereof flow.