Today’s Reading : 2Chronicles 9 – 11  and  Galatians 2  (KJV)

 

 

2Chronicles 9

2Ch 9:1  And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that bore spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

2Ch 9:2  And Solomon told her all her questions: and there was nothing hid from Solomon which he told her not.

2Ch 9:3  And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built,

2Ch 9:4  And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel; his cupbearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent by which he went up into the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.

2Ch 9:5  And she said to the king, It was a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom:

2Ch 9:6  Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard.

2Ch 9:7  Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom.

2Ch 9:8  Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice.

2Ch 9:9  And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave king Solomon.

2Ch 9:10  And the servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, which brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones.

2Ch 9:11  And the king made of the algum trees terraces to the house of the LORD, and to the king's palace, and harps and psalteries for singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah.

2Ch 9:12  And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants.

2Ch 9:13  Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold;

2Ch 9:14  Beside that which chapmen and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.

2Ch 9:15  And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one target.

2Ch 9:16  And three hundred shields made he of beaten gold: three hundred shekels of gold went to one shield. And the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

2Ch 9:17  Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold.

2Ch 9:18  And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and stays on each side of the sitting place, and two lions standing by the stays:

2Ch 9:19  And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was not the like made in any kingdom.

2Ch 9:20  And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold: none were of silver; it was not any thing accounted of in the days of Solomon.

2Ch 9:21  For the king's ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram: every three years once came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

2Ch 9:22  And king Solomon passed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.

2Ch 9:23  And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart.

2Ch 9:24  And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, harness, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.

2Ch 9:25  And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; whom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.

2Ch 9:26  And he reigned over all the kings from the river even unto the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.

2Ch 9:27  And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycamore trees that are in the low plains in abundance.

2Ch 9:28  And they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt, and out of all lands.

2Ch 9:29  Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat?

2Ch 9:30  And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.

2Ch 9:31  And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.

 

 

2Chronicles 10

2Ch 10:1  And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king.

2Ch 10:2  And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.

2Ch 10:3  And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,

2Ch 10:4  Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.

2Ch 10:5  And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people departed.

2Ch 10:6  And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people?

2Ch 10:7  And they spoke unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants forever.

2Ch 10:8  But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.

2Ch 10:9  And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the yoke that thy father did put upon us?

2Ch 10:10  And the young men that were brought up with him spoke unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spoke unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.

2Ch 10:11  For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

2Ch 10:12  So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day.

2Ch 10:13  And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,

2Ch 10:14  And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

2Ch 10:15  So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spoke by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

2Ch 10:16  And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents.

2Ch 10:17  But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

2Ch 10:18  Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

2Ch 10:19  And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

 

 

2Chronicles 11

2Ch 11:1  And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

2Ch 11:2  But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

2Ch 11:3  Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,

2Ch 11:4  Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

2Ch 11:5  And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.

2Ch 11:6  He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

2Ch 11:7  And Beth-zur, and Shoco, and Adullam,

2Ch 11:8  And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

2Ch 11:9  And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

2Ch 11:10  And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities.

2Ch 11:11  And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine.

2Ch 11:12  And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.

2Ch 11:13  And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts.

2Ch 11:14  For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD:

2Ch 11:15  And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.

2Ch 11:16  And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers.

2Ch 11:17  So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.

2Ch 11:18  And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse;

2Ch 11:19  Which bore him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.

2Ch 11:20  And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bore him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

2Ch 11:21  And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begot twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.)

2Ch 11:22  And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king.

2Ch 11:23  And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many wives.

 

 

Galatians 2

Gal 2:1  Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.

Gal 2:2  And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

Gal 2:3  But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:

Gal 2:4  And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

Gal 2:5  To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

Gal 2:6  But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:

Gal 2:7  But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;

Gal 2:8  (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)

Gal 2:9  And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

Gal 2:10  Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

Gal 2:11  But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

Gal 2:12  For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.

Gal 2:13  And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

Gal 2:14  But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

Gal 2:15  We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,

Gal 2:16  Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Gal 2:17  But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

Gal 2:18  For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

Gal 2:19  For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Gal 2:21  I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.