But Manasseh misled the people of<n id="1" /> Judah and the residents of Jerusalem so that they sinned more than the nations whom the <sc>Lordsc> had destroyed ahead of the Israelites.p>

They gave money to the craftsmen and builders to buy chiseled stone and wood for the braces and rafters of the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into disrepair.<n id="1" />

Hilkiah informed Shaphan the scribe, &#8220;I found the law scroll in the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple.&#8221; Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan.

They melted down the silver in the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple<n id="1" /> and handed it over to the supervisors of the construction foremen.&#8221;

and she said to them: &#8220;This is what the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel says: &#8216;Say this to the man who sent you to me:

Say this to the king of Judah, who sent you to seek an oracle from the <sc>Lordsc>: &#8220;This is what the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel says concerning the words you have heard:

He made all who were in Jerusalem and Benjamin agree to it.<n id="1" /> The residents of Jerusalem acted in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.

All the leaders of the priests and people became more unfaithful and committed the same horrible sins practiced by the nations.<n id="1" /> They defiled the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.p>

This took place to fulfill the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s message delivered through Jeremiah.<n id="1" /> The land experienced<n id="2" /> its sabbatical years;<n id="3" /> it remained desolate for seventy years,<n id="4" /> as prophesied.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="bodytext">God said to Solomon, &#8220;Because you desire this,<n id="1" /> and did not ask for riches, wealth, and honor, or for vengeance on your enemies,<n id="2" /> and because you did not ask for long life,<n id="3" /> but requested wisdom and discernment so you can make judicial decisions for my people over whom I have made you king,

Now, O <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel, keep the promise you made to your servant, my father David, when you said, &#8216;You will never fail to have a successor ruling before me on the throne of Israel,<n id="1" /> provided that your descendants watch their step and obey my law as you have done.&#8217;<n id="2" />

Then listen from your heavenly dwelling place and answer all the prayers of the foreigners.<n id="1" /> Then all the nations of the earth will acknowledge your reputation,<n id="2" /> obey<n id="3" /> you like your people Israel do, and recognize that this temple I built belongs to you.<n id="4" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon,<n id="1" /> she came to challenge<n id="2" /> him<n id="3" /> with difficult questions.<n id="4" /> She arrived in Jerusalem<n id="5" /> with a great display of pomp,<n id="6" /> bringing with her camels carrying spices,<n id="7" /> a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind.

The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, &#8220;There is still one man through whom we can seek the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s will.<n id="1" /> But I despise<n id="2" /> him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but always<n id="3" /> disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah.<n id="4" /> Jehoshaphat said, &#8220;The king should not say such things!&#8221;

Whenever the Levites brought the chest to the royal accountant and they saw there was a lot of silver, the royal scribe and the accountant of the high priest emptied the chest and then took it back to its place. They went through this routine every day and collected a large amount of silver.p>

King Joash of Israel sent this message back to King Amaziah of Judah, &#8220;A thorn bush in Lebanon sent this message to a cedar in Lebanon, &#8216;Give your daughter to my son as a wife.&#8217; Then a wild animal of Lebanon came by and trampled down the thorn bush.<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">When all this was over, the Israelites<n id="1" /> who were in the cities of Judah went out and smashed the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherah poles, and demolished<n id="2" /> all the high places and altars throughout Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh.<n id="3" /> Then all the Israelites returned to their own homes in their cities.<n id="4" />p>

&#8220;Go, seek an oracle from<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> for me and those who remain in Israel and Judah. Find out about<n id="2" /> the words of this scroll that has been discovered. For the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s fury has been ignited against us,<n id="3" /> because our ancestors<n id="4" /> have not obeyed the word of the <sc>Lordsc> by doing all that this scroll instructs!&#8221;<n id="5" />p>

we will get all the timber you need from Lebanon<n id="1" /> and bring it<n id="2" /> in raft-like bundles<n id="3" /> by sea to Joppa. You can then haul it on up to Jerusalem.&#8221;p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">Solomon began building the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple in Jerusalem<n id="1" /> on Mount Moriah, where the <sc>Lordsc> had appeared to his father David. This was the place that David prepared at the threshing floor of Ornan<n id="2" /> the Jebusite.