Then he turned from those who were nearby to someone else and asked the same question, but they gave him the same answer as before.

He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal he had built in Samaria.

In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel’s territory. Hazael attacked their eastern border.

In those days the Lord prompted King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah to attack Judah.

Serving beside him was his fellow Levite Asaph, son of Berechiah, son of Shimea,

Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to play the lyres according to the sheminith style, as led by the director;

He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth, and honor. His son Solomon succeeded him.

At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus they filed an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

So we worked on, with half holding spears, from dawn till dusk.

When the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

Are God’s consolations too trivial for you; or a word spoken in gentleness to you?

The wicked turn aside from birth; liars go astray as soon as they are born.

The oppressed look on – let them rejoice! You who seek God, may you be encouraged!

I will appoint him to be my firstborn son, the most exalted of the earth’s kings.

Your instructions are totally reliable; all your just regulations endure.

Look, we heard about it in Ephrathah, we found it in the territory of Jaar.

Wisdom is supreme – so acquire wisdom, and whatever you acquire, acquire understanding!

Starting a quarrel is like letting out water; stop it before strife breaks out!

Remove falsehood and lies far from me; do not give me poverty or riches, feed me with my allotted portion of bread,

At the beginning his words are foolish and at the end his talk is wicked madness,