Day 195 of 730

¹The inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his place; for the band of men who came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.

²Forty-two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.

³He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab; for his mother was his counselor to do wickedly.

⁴He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as did the house of Ahab; for they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction.

⁵He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead: and the Syrians wounded Joram.

⁶He returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which they had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

⁷Now the destruction of Ahaziah was of God, in that he went to Joram: for when he had come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.

⁸It happened, when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, that he found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brothers of Ahaziah, ministering to Ahaziah, and killed them.

⁹He sought Ahaziah, and they caught him (now he was hiding in Samaria), and they brought him to Jehu, and killed him; and they buried him, for they said, "He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart." The house of Ahaziah had no power to hold the kingdom.

¹⁰Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal family of the house of Judah.

¹¹But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king's sons who were slain, and put him and his nurse in the bedroom. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid him from Athaliah, so that she did not kill him.

¹²He was with them hidden in God's house six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land.

¹In the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him.

²They went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the heads of fathers' households of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.

³All the assembly made a covenant with the king in God's house. He said to them, "Behold, the king's son shall reign, as the Lord has spoken concerning the sons of David.

⁴This is the thing that you shall do. A third part of you, who come in on the Sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the thresholds.

⁵A third part shall be at the king's house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation. All the people shall be in the courts of the Lord's house.

⁶But let no one come into the house of the Lord, except the priests, and those who minister of the Levites. They shall come in, for they are holy, but all the people shall follow the Lord's instructions.

⁷The Levites shall surround the king, every man with his weapons in his hand. Whoever comes into the house, let him be slain. Be with the king when he comes in, and when he goes out."

⁸So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men, those who were to come in on the Sabbath; with those who were to go out on the Sabbath; for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss the shift.

⁹Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds the spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king David's, which were in God's house.

¹⁰He set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the altar and the house, around the king.

¹¹Then they brought out the king's son, and put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony, and made him king: and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him; and they said, "Long live the king!"

¹²When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the Lord:

¹³and she looked, and, behold, the king stood by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew trumpets; the singers also played musical instruments, and led the singing of praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes, and said, "Treason! Treason!"

¹⁴Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, "Bring her out between the ranks; and whoever follows her, let him be slain with the sword." For the priest said, "Do not kill her in the Lord's house."

¹⁵So they made way for her. She went to the entrance of the horse gate to the king's house; and they killed her there.

¹⁶Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, and all the people, and the king, that they should be the Lord's people.

¹⁷All the people went to the house of Baal, and broke it down, and broke his altars and his images in pieces, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

¹⁸Jehoiada appointed the officers of the house of the Lord under the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of the Lord, to offer the burnt offerings of the Lord, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, according to the order of David.

¹⁹He set the porters at the gates of the house of the Lord, that no one who was unclean in anything should enter in.

²⁰He took the captains of hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of the Lord: and they came through the upper gate to the king's house, and set the king on the throne of the kingdom.

²¹So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. Athaliah they had slain with the sword.

¹My heart overflows with a noble theme. I recite my verses for the king. My tongue is like the pen of a skillful writer.

²You are the most excellent of the sons of men. Grace has anointed your lips, therefore God has blessed you forever.

³Gird your sword on your thigh, mighty one: your splendor and your majesty.

⁴In your majesty ride on victoriously on behalf of truth, humility, and righteousness. Let your right hand display awesome deeds.

⁵Your arrows are sharp. The nations fall under you, with arrows in the heart of the king's enemies.

⁶Your throne, God, is forever and ever. A scepter of equity is the scepter of your kingdom.

⁷You have loved righteousness, and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.

⁸All your garments smell like myrrh, aloes, and cassia. Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made you glad.

⁹Kings' daughters are among your honorable women. At your right hand the queen stands in gold of Ophir.

¹⁰Listen, daughter, consider, and turn your ear. Forget your own people, and also your father's house.

¹¹So the king will desire your beauty, honor him, for he is your lord.

¹²The daughter of Tyre comes with a gift. The rich among the people entreat your favor.

¹³The princess inside is all glorious. Her clothing is interwoven with gold.

¹⁴She shall be led to the king in embroidered work. The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to you.

¹⁵With gladness and rejoicing they shall be led. They shall enter into the king's palace.

¹⁶Your sons will take the place of your fathers. You shall make them princes in all the earth.

¹⁷I will make your name to be remembered in all generations. Therefore the peoples shall give you thanks forever and ever.

¹Wisdom has built her house. She has carved out her seven pillars.

²She has prepared her meat. She has mixed her wine. She has also set her table.

³She has sent out her maidens. She cries from the highest places of the city:

⁴"Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!" As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,

⁵"Come, eat some of my bread, Drink some of the wine which I have mixed!

⁶Leave your simple ways, and live. Walk in the way of understanding."

⁷He who corrects a mocker invites insult. He who reproves a wicked man invites abuse.

⁸Do not reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you. Reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

⁹Instruct a wise man, and he will be still wiser. Teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

¹⁰The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

¹¹For by me your days will be multiplied. The years of your life will be increased.

¹²If you are wise, you are wise for yourself. If you mock, you alone will bear it.

¹³The foolish woman is loud, Undisciplined, and knows nothing.

¹⁴She sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,

¹⁵To call to those who pass by, who go straight on their ways,

¹⁶"Whoever is simple, let him turn in here." as for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,

¹⁷"Stolen water is sweet. Food eaten in secret is pleasant."

¹⁸But he doesn't know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.