The king ordered Hilkiah the high priest, the high-ranking priests, and the guards to bring out of the Lord’s temple all the items that were used in the worship of Baal, Asherah, and all the stars of the sky. The king burned them outside of Jerusalem in the terraces of Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel.

He brought all the priests from the cities of Judah and ruined the high places where the priests had offered sacrifices, from Geba to Beer Sheba. He tore down the high place of the goat idols situated at the entrance of the gate of Joshua, the city official, on the left side of the city gate.

When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, she came to challenge him with difficult questions. She arrived in Jerusalem with a great display of pomp, bringing with her camels carrying spices, a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind.

I also shook out my garment, and I said, “In this way may God shake out from his house and his property every person who does not carry out this matter. In this way may he be shaken out and emptied!” All the assembly replied, “So be it!” and they praised the LORD. Then the people did as they had promised.

Jonadab son of Rechab ordered his descendants not to drink wine. His orders have been carried out. To this day his descendants have drunk no wine because they have obeyed what their ancestor commanded them. But I have spoken to you over and over again, but you have not obeyed me!

Then Ishmael took captive all the people who were still left alive in Mizpah. This included the royal princesses and all the rest of the people in Mizpah that Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard, had put under the authority of Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took all these people captive and set out to cross over to the Ammonites.

The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, ‘You women have confirmed by your actions what you vowed with your lips! You said, “We will certainly carry out our vows to sacrifice and pour out drink offerings to the Queen of Heaven.” Well, then fulfill your vows! Carry them out!’

I brought them to the land which I swore to give them, but whenever they saw any high hill or leafy tree, they offered their sacrifices there and presented the offerings that provoke me to anger. They offered their soothing aroma there and poured out their drink offerings.

God saw that the light was good, so God separated the light from the darkness.

Springs would well up from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground.

The Lord God planted an orchard in the east, in Eden; and there he placed the man he had formed.

Now a river flows from Eden to water the orchard, and from there it divides into four headstreams.

The name of the first is Pishon; it runs through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold.

The name of the second river is Gihon; it runs through the entire land of Cush.

The Lord God took the man and placed him in the orchard in Eden to care for it and to maintain it.

The man replied, “I heard you moving about in the orchard, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.”

So the Lord God expelled him from the orchard in Eden to cultivate the ground from which he had been taken.

Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the first of those who live in tents and keep livestock.

He created them male and female; when they were created, he blessed them and named them “humankind.”

When Adam had lived 130 years he fathered a son in his own likeness, according to his image, and he named him Seth.