King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and assigned them to the officers of the royal guard who protected the entrance to the royal palace.

So when Rehoboam humbled himself, the Lord relented from his anger and did not annihilate him; Judah experienced some good things.

The king said to him, “How many times must I make you solemnly promise in the name of the Lord to tell me only the truth?”

Say, ‘This is what the king says: “Put this man in prison. Give him only a little bread and water until I return safely.”’”

While the battle raged throughout the day, the king stood propped up in his chariot opposite the Syrians. He died in the evening as the sun was setting.

Nevertheless you have done some good things; you removed the Asherah poles from the land and you were determined to follow the Lord.”

Then some Levites, from the Kohathites and Korahites, got up and loudly praised the Lord God of Israel.

They abandoned the temple of the Lord God of their ancestors, and worshiped the Asherah poles and idols. Because of this sinful activity, God was angry with Judah and Jerusalem.

Now listen to me! Send back those you have seized from your brothers, for the Lord is very angry at you!”

everyone who has determined to follow God, the Lord God of his ancestors, even if he is not ceremonially clean according to the standards of the temple.”

Slaughter the Passover lambs, consecrate yourselves, and make preparations for your countrymen to do what the Lord commanded through Moses.”

They slaughtered the Passover lambs and the priests splashed the blood, while the Levites skinned the animals.

They searched for their records in the genealogical materials, but did not find them. They were therefore excluded from the priesthood.

They were hiring advisers to oppose them, so as to frustrate their plans, throughout the time of King Cyrus of Persia until the reign of King Darius of Persia.

and the rest of nations whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and other places in Trans-Euphrates.

(This is a copy of the letter they sent to him:) “To King Artaxerxes, from your servants in Trans-Euphrates:

Then Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-Bozenai, and their colleagues acted accordingly – with precision, just as Darius the king had given instructions.

When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and my robe and ripped out some of the hair from my head and beard. Then I sat down, quite devastated.

When I heard these things I sat down abruptly, crying and mourning for several days. I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

After him the Levites worked – Rehum son of Bani and after him Hashabiah, head of half the district of Keilah, for his district.