He told David,<n id="1" /> &#8216;Since the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from all the tribes of Israel to build a temple in which to live.<n id="2" /> Nor did I choose a man as leader of my people Israel.

The <sc>Lordsc> has kept the promise he made. I have taken my father David&#8217;s place and have occupied the throne of Israel, as the <sc>Lordsc> promised. I have built this temple for the honor of the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel

<p class="bodytext">But a prophet<n id="1" /> visited him and said: &#8220;O king, the Israelite troops must not go with you, for the <sc>Lordsc> is not with Israel or any of the Ephraimites.<n id="2" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">Hezekiah sent messages throughout Israel and Judah; he even wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, summoning them to come to the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple in Jerusalem<n id="1" /> and observe a Passover celebration for the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel.

So they sent an edict<n id="1" /> throughout Israel from Beer Sheba to Dan, summoning the people<n id="2" /> to come and observe a Passover for the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel in Jerusalem, for they had not observed it on a nationwide scale as prescribed in the law.<n id="3" />

Messengers<n id="1" /> delivered the letters from the king and his officials throughout Israel and Judah.p> <p class="bodytext">This royal edict read:<n id="2" /> &#8220;O Israelites, return to the <sc>Lordsc> God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so he may return<n id="3" /> to you who have been spared from the kings of Assyria.<n id="4" />

<p class="bodytext">The rest of the events of Manasseh&#8217;s reign, including his prayer to his God and the words the prophets<n id="1" /> spoke to him in the name of the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel, are recorded<n id="2" /> in the Annals of the Kings of Israel.

Now King Solomon and all the Israelites who had assembled with him went on ahead of the ark and sacrificed more sheep and cattle than could be counted or numbered.<n id="1" />p>

There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets Moses had placed there in Horeb.<n id="1" /> (It was there that<n id="2" /> the <sc>Lordsc> made an agreement with the Israelites after he brought them out of the land of Egypt.)p>

He said, &#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel is worthy of praise because he has fulfilled<n id="1" /> what he promised<n id="2" /> my father David.

and set up in it a place for the ark containing the covenant the <sc>Lordsc> made with the Israelites.&#8221;p>

and prayed:<n id="1" /> &#8220;O <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven or on earth! You maintain covenantal loyalty<n id="2" /> to your servants who obey you with sincerity.<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;If your people Israel are defeated by an enemy<n id="1" /> because they sinned against you, then if they come back to you, renew their allegiance to you,<n id="2" /> and pray for your help<n id="3" /> before you in this temple,

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.<n id="1" />p>

Solomon rebuilt the cities that Huram<n id="1" /> had given him and settled Israelites there.

Their descendants remained in the land (the Israelites were unable to wipe them out). Solomon conscripted them for his work crews and they continue in that role to this very day.<n id="1" />

Solomon did not assign Israelites to these work crews;<n id="1" /> the Israelites served as his soldiers, officers, charioteers, and commanders of his chariot forces.<n id="2" />

&#8220;Say this to King Rehoboam son of Solomon of Judah and to all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin,

<p class="bodytext">Abijah ascended Mount Zemaraim, in the Ephraimite hill country, and said: &#8220;Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel!

and the men of Judah gave<n id="1" /> the battle cry. As the men of Judah gave the battle cry, the <sc>Lordsc> struck down Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.