He was buried in the tomb he had carved out in the City of David.<n id="1" /> They laid him to rest on a bier covered with spices and assorted mixtures of ointments. They made a huge bonfire to honor him.<n id="2" />p>

You have kept your word to your servant, my father David;<n id="1" /> this very day you have fulfilled what you promised.<n id="2" />

listen from heaven and make a just decision about your servants&#8217; claims. Condemn the guilty party, declare the other innocent, and give both of them what they deserve.<n id="1" />p>

the <sc>Lordsc> appeared to Solomon at night and said to him: &#8220;I have answered<n id="1" /> your prayer and chosen this place to be my temple where sacrifices are to be made.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">Rehoboam married<n id="1" /> Mahalath the daughter of David&#8217;s son Jerimoth and of<n id="2" /> Abihail, the daughter of Jesse&#8217;s son Eliab.

He later married Maacah the daughter of Absalom. She bore to him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.

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" />

Abijah&#8217;s power grew; he had<n id="1" /> fourteen wives and fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.p>

<p class="bodytext">He built fortified cities throughout Judah, for the land was at rest and there was no war during those years; the <sc>Lordsc> gave him peace.

The <sc>Lordsc> made his kingdom secure;<n id="1" /> all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he became very wealthy and greatly respected.<n id="2" />

Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made iron horns and said, &#8220;This is what the <sc>Lordsc> says, &#8216;With these you will gore Syria until they are destroyed!&#8217;&#8221;

He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel, just as Ahab&#8217;s dynasty had done, for he married Ahab&#8217;s daughter.<n id="1" /> He did evil in the sight of<n id="2" /> the <sc>Lordsc>.

Ahaz gathered riches<n id="1" /> from the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple, the royal palace, and the officials and gave them to the king of Assyria, but that did not help.p>

My sons, do not be negligent now, for the <sc>Lordsc> has chosen you to serve in his presence and offer sacrifices.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Hezekiah was very wealthy and greatly respected. He made storehouses for his silver, gold, precious stones, spices, and all his other valuable possessions.<n id="1" />

When he prayed to the <sc>Lordsc>,<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc><n id="2" /> responded to him<n id="3" /> and answered favorably<n id="4" /> his cry for mercy. The <sc>Lordsc><n id="5" /> brought him back to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh realized that the <sc>Lordsc> is the true God.p>

He deported to Babylon all who escaped the sword. They served him and his sons until the Persian kingdom rose to power.

<p class="bodytext">He launched a military campaign<n id="1" /> against the king of the Ammonites and defeated them. That year the Ammonites paid him 100 talents<n id="2" /> of silver, 10,000 kors<n id="3" /> of wheat, and 10,000 kors<n id="4" /> of barley. The Ammonites also paid this same amount of annual tribute the next two years.<n id="5" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">Solomon accumulated<n id="1" /> chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem.<n id="2" />

Look, I am ready to build a temple to honor<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> my God and to dedicate it to him in order to burn fragrant incense before him, to set out the bread that is regularly displayed,<n id="2" /> and to offer burnt sacrifices each morning and evening, and on Sabbaths, new moon festivals, and at other times appointed by the <sc>Lordsc> our God. This is something Israel must do on a permanent basis.<n id="3" />