He was still talking to them when<n id="1" /> the messenger approached<n id="2" /> and said, &#8220;Look, the <sc>Lordsc> is responsible for this disaster!<n id="3" /> Why should I continue to wait for the <sc>Lordsc> to help?&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">Jehoiada then drew up a covenant between the <sc>Lordsc> and the king and people, stipulating that they should be loyal to the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">The king ordered all the people, &#8220;Observe the Passover of the <sc>Lordsc> your God, as prescribed in this scroll of the covenant.&#8221;

He appointed some of the Levites to serve before the ark of the <sc>Lordsc>, to offer prayers, songs of thanks, and hymns to the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel.

<p class="poetry">May the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel be praised,p> <p class="poetry">in the future and forevermore.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Then all the people said, &#8220;We agree!<n id="2" /> Praise the <sc>Lordsc>!&#8221;p>

regularly offering burnt sacrifices to the <sc>Lordsc> on the altar for burnt sacrifice, morning and evening, according to what is prescribed in the law of the <sc>Lordsc> which he charged Israel to observe.<n id="1" />

Joining them were Heman, Jeduthun, and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the <sc>Lordsc>. (For his loyal love endures!)<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">So the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s messenger told Gad to instruct David to go up and build<n id="1" /> an altar for the <sc>Lordsc> on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

David built there an altar to the <sc>Lordsc> and offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings.<n id="1" /> He called out to the <sc>Lordsc>, and the <sc>Lordsc><n id="2" /> responded by sending fire from the sky and consuming the burnt sacrifice on the altar.

and whenever burnt sacrifices were offered to the <sc>Lordsc> on the Sabbath and at new moon festivals and assemblies. A designated number were to serve before the <sc>Lordsc> regularly in accordance with regulations.<n id="1" />

for gold and silver items, and for all the work of the craftsmen. Who else wants to contribute to the <sc>Lordsc> today?&#8221;p>

The people were delighted with their donations, for they contributed to the <sc>Lordsc> with a willing attitude;<n id="1" /> King David was also very happy.<n id="2" />p>

They held a feast<n id="1" /> before the <sc>Lordsc> that day and celebrated.<n id="2" />p> <p class="bodytext">Then they designated Solomon, David&#8217;s son, as king a second time;<n id="3" /> before the <sc>Lordsc> they anointed him as ruler and Zadok as priest.

The Levites even left their pasturelands and their property behind and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons prohibited them from serving as the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s priests.

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" />

At that time<n id="1" /> they sacrificed to the <sc>Lordsc> some of the plunder they had brought back, including 700 head of cattle and 7,000 sheep.<n id="2" />

Anyone who would not seek the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel would be executed, whether they were young or old,<n id="1" /> male or female.

He told the judges, &#8220;Be careful what you do,<n id="1" /> for you are not judging for men, but for the <sc>Lordsc>, who will be with you when you make judicial decisions.

<p class="bodytext">Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face toward the ground, and all the people of Judah<n id="1" /> and the residents of Jerusalem fell down before the <sc>Lordsc> and worshiped him.<n id="2" />

Then some Levites, from the Kohathites and Korahites, got up and loudly praised the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel.<n id="1" />p>