Jehoshaphat's Kingdom Established

17¹ And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel. ² And he placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken. ³ And Jehovah was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto the Baalim, ⁴ but sought to the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel. ⁵ Therefore Jehovah established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat tribute; and he had riches and honor in abundance. ⁶ And his heart was lifted up in the ways of Jehovah: and furthermore he took away the high places and the Asherim out of Judah. ⁷ Also in the third year of his reign he sent his princes, even Ben-hail, and Obadiah, and Zechariah, and Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah; ⁸ and with them the Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah, the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests. ⁹ And they taught in Judah, having the book of the law of Jehovah with them; and they went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught among the people.

¹⁰ And the fear of Jehovah fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. ¹¹ And some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and silver for tribute; the Arabians also brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he-goats. ¹² And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Judah castles and cities of store. ¹³ And he had many works in the cities of Judah; and men of war, mighty men of valor, in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And this was the numbering of them according to their fathers' houses: Of Judah, the captains of thousands: Adnah the captain, and with him mighty men of valor three hundred thousand; ¹⁵ and next to him Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred and fourscore thousand; ¹⁶ and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself unto Jehovah; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valor. ¹⁷ And of Benjamin: Eliada a mighty man of valor, and with him two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield; ¹⁸ and next to him Jehozabad and with him a hundred and fourscore thousand ready prepared for war. ¹⁹ These were they that waited on the king, besides those whom the king put in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.

Solomon Builds the House of the LORD

3¹ Then Solomon began to build the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem on mount Moriah, where [Jehovah] appeared unto David his father, which he made ready in the place that David had appointed, in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite. ² And he began to build in the second [day] of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign. ³ Now these are the foundations which Solomon laid for the building of the house of God. The length by cubits after the first measure was threescore cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits. ⁴ And the porch that was before [the house], the length of it, according to the breadth of the house, was twenty cubits, and the height a hundred and twenty; and he overlaid it within with pure gold. ⁵ And the greater house he ceiled with fir-wood, which he overlaid with fine gold, and wrought thereon palm-trees and chains. ⁶ And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty: and the gold was gold of Parvaim. ⁷ He overlaid also the house, the beams, the thresholds, and the walls thereof, and the doors thereof, with gold; and graved cherubim on the walls. ⁸ And he made the most holy house: the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house, was twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits; and he overlaid it with fine gold, amounting to six hundred talents. ⁹ And the weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. And he overlaid the upper chambers with gold.

¹⁰ And in the most holy house he made two cherubim of image work; and they overlaid them with gold. ¹¹ And the wings of the cherubim were twenty cubits long: the wing of the one [cherub] was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house; and the other wing was [likewise] five cubits, reaching to the wing of the other cherub. ¹² And the wing of the other cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house; and the other wing was five cubits [also], joining to the wing of the other cherub. ¹³ The wings of these cherubim spread themselves forth twenty cubits: and they stood on their feet, and their faces were toward the house. ¹⁴ And he made the veil of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought cherubim thereon.

The Two Pillars

¹⁵ Also he made before the house two pillars of thirty and five cubits high, and the capital that was on the top of each of them was five cubits. ¹⁶ And he made chains in the oracle, and put [them] on the tops of the pillars; and he made a hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains. ¹⁷ And he set up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left; and called the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.