Each stand had four bronze wheels with bronze axles and four supports. Under the basin the supports were fashioned on each side with wreaths.

Hiram asked, “Why did you give me these cities, my friend?” He called that area the region of Cabul, a name which it has retained to this day.

They even built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.

They divided up the land between them; Ahab went one way and Obadiah went the other.

So he threw a big banquet for them and they ate and drank. Then he sent them back to their master. After that no Syrian raiding parties again invaded the land of Israel.

The priests should receive the silver they need from the treasurers and repair any damage to the temple they discover.”

He followed in the footsteps of his father and worshiped and bowed down to the disgusting idols which his father had worshiped.

They received divine help in fighting them, and the Hagrites and all their allies were handed over to them. They cried out to God during the battle; he responded to their prayers because they trusted in him.

These were the areas where Aaron’s descendants lived: The following belonged to the Kohathite clan, for they received the first allotment:

They were allotted as cities of refuge Shechem and its pasturelands (in the hill country of Ephraim), Gezer and its pasturelands,

They spent three days feasting there with David, for their relatives had given them provisions.

So David again asked God what he should do. This time God told him, “Don’t march up after them; circle around them and come against them in front of the trees.

He told them: “You are the leaders of the Levites’ families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves and bring the ark of the Lord God of Israel up to the place I have prepared for it.

You made Israel your very own nation for all time. You, O Lord, became their God.

then listen from heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land you gave to them and their ancestors.

“But if you people ever turn away from me, fail to obey the regulations and rules I instructed you to keep, and decide to serve and worship other gods,

He wisely placed some of his many sons throughout the regions of Judah and Benjamin in the various fortified cities. He supplied them with abundant provisions and acquired many wives for them.

He said to them: “Listen to me, you Levites! Now consecrate yourselves, so you can consecrate the temple of the Lord God of your ancestors! Remove from the sanctuary what is ceremonially unclean!

In Judah God moved the people to unite and carry out the edict the king and the officers had issued at the Lord’s command.

and she said to them: “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Say this to the man who sent you to me: