<t /><p class="bodytext">In the second year of Asa&#8217;s reign over Judah, Jeroboam&#8217;s son Nadab became the king of Israel; he ruled Israel for two years.

<p class="bodytext">In the thirty-first year of Asa&#8217;s reign over Judah, Omri became king over Israel. He ruled for twelve years, six of them in Tirzah.

Then Elijah took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of tribes that descended from Jacob, to whom the <sc>Lordsc> had said, &#8220;Israel will be your new<n id="1" /> name.&#8221;<n id="2" />

When he turned around and saw them, he called God&#8217;s judgment down on them.<n id="1" /> Two female bears came out of the woods and ripped forty-two of the boys to pieces.

<t /><p class="bodytext">In the eighteenth year of King Jehoshaphat&#8217;s reign over Judah, Ahab&#8217;s son Jehoram became king over Israel in Samaria;<n id="1" /> he ruled for twelve years.

So the king of Israel sent a message to the place the prophet had pointed out, warning it<n id="1" /> to be on its guard. This happened on several occasions.<n id="2" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">In the twelfth year of the reign of Israel&#8217;s King Joram, son of Ahab, Jehoram&#8217;s son Ahaziah became king over Judah.

<t /><p class="bodytext">In the second year of the reign of Israel&#8217;s King Joash son of Joahaz,<n id="1" /> Joash&#8217;s<n id="2" /> son Amaziah became king over Judah.

<t /><p class="bodytext">In the second year of the reign of Israel&#8217;s King Pekah son of Remaliah, Uzziah&#8217;s son Jotham became king over Judah.

<t /><p class="bodytext">In the twelfth year of King Ahaz&#8217;s reign over Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria<n id="1" /> for nine years.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned for fifty-five years in Jerusalem.<n id="1" /> His mother<n id="2" /> was Hephzibah.

<p class="bodytext">The clans of Merari&#8217;s descendants were allotted twelve cities within the territory of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.<n id="1" />p>

Each of the pillars was about 27 feet<n id="1" /> high, about 18 feet<n id="2" /> in circumference, three inches<n id="3" /> thick, and hollow.

<p class="bodytext">Then he went into the inner sanctuary and measured the jambs of the entrance as 3½ feet,<n id="1" /> the entrance as 10½ feet,<n id="2" /> and the width of the entrance as 12¼ feet<n id="3" />

<p class="poetry">People from<n id="1" /> two or three cities staggered into one city to get<n id="2" /> water,p> <p class="poetry">but remained thirsty.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Still you did not come back to me.&#8221;p> <p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> is speaking!p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month of Darius&#8217; second year,<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> spoke again to the prophet Haggai:<n id="2" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">In the eighth month of Darius&#8217;<n id="1" /> second year,<n id="2" /> the word of the <sc>Lordsc> came to the prophet Zechariah,<n id="3" /> son of Berechiah son of Iddo, as follows:p>

The stones are to be for the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, according to the number of<n id="1" /> their names. Each name according to the twelve tribes is to be like<n id="2" /> the engravings of a seal.p>

Instruct them, &#8216;Pick up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests<n id="1" /> stand firmly, and carry them over with you and put them in the place where you camp tonight.&#8217;&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">They assigned to the Gershonite clans of the Levites the following cities:<n id="1" /> from the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter) and Beeshtarah, along with the grazing areas of each &#8211; a total of two cities;