<p class="bodytext">&#8220;The time will come when<n id="1" /> the skies<n id="2" /> are shut up tightly and no rain falls because your people<n id="3" /> sinned against you. When they direct their prayers toward this place, renew their allegiance to you,<n id="4" /> and turn away from their sin because you punish<n id="5" /> them,

the food in his banquet hall,<n id="1" /> his servants and attendants<n id="2" /> in their robes, his cupbearers in their robes, and his burnt sacrifices which he presented in the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple,<n id="3" /> she was amazed.<n id="4" />

I did not believe these things until I came and saw them with my own eyes. Indeed, I didn&#8217;t hear even half the story!<n id="1" /> Your wisdom surpasses what was reported to me.

She gave the king 120 talents<n id="1" /> of gold and a very large quantity of spices and precious gems. The quantity of spices the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon has never been matched.<n id="2" />

With the timber the king made steps<n id="1" /> for the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple and royal palace as well as stringed instruments<n id="2" /> for the musicians. No one had seen anything like them in the land of Judah prior to that.<n id="3" />)

The king refused to listen to the people, because God was instigating this turn of events<n id="1" /> so that he might bring to pass the prophetic announcement he had made<n id="2" /> through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.p>

&#8216;The <sc>Lordsc> says this: &#8220;Do not attack and make war with your brothers. Each of you go home, for I have caused this to happen.&#8221;&#8217;&#8221;<n id="1" /> They obeyed the <sc>Lordsc> and called off the attack against Jeroboam.<n id="2" />p>

When the <sc>Lordsc> saw that they humbled themselves, he gave this message to Shemaiah:<n id="1" /> &#8220;They have humbled themselves, so I will not destroy them. I will deliver them soon.<n id="2" /> My anger will not be unleashed against<n id="3" /> Jerusalem through<n id="4" /> Shishak.

Lawless good-for-nothing men<n id="1" /> gathered around him and conspired<n id="2" /> against Rehoboam son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was an inexperienced young man<n id="3" /> and could not resist them.

<p class="bodytext">At that time Hanani the prophet<n id="1" /> visited King Asa of Judah and said to him: &#8220;Because you relied on the king of Syria and did not rely on the <sc>Lordsc> your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand.

Now the Ammonites, Moabites, and men from Mount Seir are coming!<n id="1" /> When Israel came from the land of Egypt, you did not allow them to invade these lands.<n id="2" /> They bypassed them and did not destroy them.

Eliezer son of Dodavahu from Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, &#8220;Because<n id="1" /> you made an alliance with Ahaziah, the <sc>Lordsc> will shatter what you have made.&#8221; The ships were wrecked and unable to go to sea.<n id="2" />p>

But the <sc>Lordsc> was unwilling to destroy David&#8217;s dynasty<n id="1" /> because of the promise<n id="2" /> he had made to give David a perpetual dynasty.<n id="3" />p>

They attacked Judah and swept through it.<n id="1" /> They carried off everything they found in the royal palace,<n id="2" /> including his sons and wives. None of his sons was left, except for his youngest, Ahaziah.

After about two years his intestines came out because of the disease, so that he died a very painful death.<n id="1" /> His people did not make a bonfire to honor him, as they had done for his ancestors.<n id="2" />p>

He assembled the priests and Levites and ordered them, &#8220;Go out to the cities of Judah and collect the annual quota of silver from all Israel for repairs on the temple of your God. Be quick about it!&#8221; But the Levites delayed.p>

God&#8217;s Spirit energized<n id="1" /> Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood up before the people and said to them, &#8220;This is what God says: &#8216;Why are you violating the commands of the <sc>Lordsc>? You will not be prosperous! Because you have rejected the <sc>Lordsc>, he has rejected you!&#8217;&#8221;

When they withdrew, they left Joash<n id="1" /> badly wounded. His servants plotted against him because of what he had done to<n id="2" /> the son<n id="3" /> of Jehoiada the priest. They murdered him on his bed. Thus<n id="4" /> he died and was buried in the City of David,<n id="5" /> but not in the tombs of the kings.

While he was speaking, Amaziah<n id="1" /> said to him, &#8220;Did we appoint you to be a royal counselor? Stop prophesying or else you will be killed!&#8221;<n id="2" /> So the prophet stopped, but added, &#8220;I know that the <sc>Lordsc> has decided<n id="3" /> to destroy you, because you have done this thing and refused to listen to my advice.&#8221;p>

They confronted<n id="1" /> King Uzziah and said to him, &#8220;It is not proper for you, Uzziah, to offer incense to the <sc>Lordsc>. That is the responsibility of the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who are consecrated to offer incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have disobeyed<n id="2" /> and the <sc>Lordsc> God will not honor you!&#8221;