<p class="bodytext">Solomon addressed all Israel, including those who commanded units of a thousand and a hundred, the judges, and all the leaders of all Israel who were heads of families.

Then the king turned around<n id="1" /> and pronounced a blessing over the whole Israelite assembly as they stood there.<n id="2" />

Those among all the Israelite tribes who were determined to worship the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel followed them to Jerusalem<n id="1" /> to sacrifice to the <sc>Lordsc> God of their ancestors.<n id="2" />

Don&#8217;t you realize that the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel has given David and his dynasty lasting dominion over Israel by a formal agreement?<n id="1" />

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, &#8220;I will disguise myself and then enter<n id="1" /> the battle; but you wear your royal attire.&#8221; So the king of Israel disguised himself and they entered the battle.

Then the priests slaughtered them. They offered their blood as a sin offering on the altar to make atonement for all Israel, because the king had decreed<n id="1" /> that the burnt sacrifice and sin offering were for all Israel.p>

The celebration included<n id="1" /> the entire assembly of Judah, the priests, the Levites, the entire assembly of those who came from Israel, the resident foreigners who came from the land of Israel, and the residents of Judah.

When all Israel&#8217;s elders had arrived, the Levites lifted the ark.

Solomon ruled over all Israel from Jerusalem<n id="1" /> for forty years.

(Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah.)

So Israel has been in rebellion against the Davidic dynasty to this very day.p>

The leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, &#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> is just.&#8221;<n id="1" />

The Israelites fled from before the Judahite army,<n id="1" /> and God handed them over to the men of Judah.<n id="2" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">His son Jehoshaphat replaced him as king and solidified his rule over Israel.<n id="1" />

Judah was defeated by Israel, and each man ran back home.<n id="1" />

He followed in the footsteps of<n id="1" /> the kings of Israel; he also made images of the Baals.

Messengers<n id="1" /> delivered the letters from the king and his officials throughout Israel and Judah.p> <p class="bodytext">This royal edict read:<n id="2" /> &#8220;O Israelites, return to the <sc>Lordsc> God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so he may return<n id="3" /> to you who have been spared from the kings of Assyria.<n id="4" />

A Passover like this had not been observed in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel had observed a Passover like the one celebrated by Josiah, the priests, the Levites, all the people of Judah and Israel who were there, and the residents of Jerusalem.

<p class="bodytext">When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, the people answered the king, &#8220;We have no portion in David &#8211; no share in the son of Jesse!<n id="1" /> Return to your homes, O Israel!<n id="2" /> Now, look after your own dynasty, O David!&#8221;<n id="3" /> So all Israel returned to their homes.<n id="4" />

He told the Levites, who instructed all Israel about things consecrated to the <sc>Lordsc>, &#8220;Place the holy ark in the temple which King Solomon son of David of Israel built. Don&#8217;t carry it on your shoulders. Now serve the <sc>Lordsc> your God and his people Israel!