Solomon acquired horses from Egypt and from all the lands.

Are you not aware of what I and my predecessors ¹  have done to all the nations of the surrounding lands? Have the gods of the surrounding lands actually been able to rescue their lands from my power? ² 

He appointed judges throughout the land and in each of the fortified cities of Judah. ¹ 

When your people ¹  come to their senses ²  in the land where they are held prisoner, they will repent and beg for your mercy in the land of their imprisonment, admitting, ‘We have sinned and gone astray ³ , we have done evil!’

He remained in hiding in God’s temple ¹  for six years, while Athaliah was ruling over the land.

All the people of the land celebrated, for the city had rest now that they had killed Athaliah. ¹ 

Then Solomon went to Ezion Geber and to Elat on the coast in the land of Edom.

When ¹  I close up the sky ²  so that it doesn’t rain, or command locusts to devour the land’s vegetation, ³  or send a plague among my people,

The people of the land executed all who had conspired against King Amon, and they ¹  made his son Josiah king in his place.

He ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River ¹  to the land of the Philistines as far as the border of Egypt.

The people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem. ¹ 

Then they will honor ¹  you by obeying you ²  throughout their lifetimes as ³  they live on the land you gave to our ancestors.

In those days ¹  no one could travel safely, ²  for total chaos had overtaken all the people of the surrounding lands. ³ 

“The time will come when the land suffers from a famine, a plague, blight, and disease, or a locust ¹  invasion, or when their enemy lays siege to the cities of the land, ²  or when some other type of plague or epidemic occurs.

Our God, you drove out ¹  the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and gave it as a permanent possession ²  to the descendants of your friend ³  Abraham.

Now the Ammonites, Moabites, and men from Mount Seir are coming! ¹  When Israel came from the land of Egypt, you did not allow them to invade these lands. ²  They bypassed them and did not destroy them.

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. ¹ 

Nevertheless you have done some good things; ¹  you removed ²  the Asherah poles from the land and you were determined to follow the Lord.” ³ 

He built fortified cities throughout Judah, for the land was at rest and there was no war during those years; the Lord gave him peace.

When they return to you with all their heart and being ¹  in the land where they are held prisoner and direct their prayers toward the land you gave to their ancestors, your chosen city, and the temple I built for your honor, ²