Then some Levites, from the Kohathites and Korahites, got up and loudly praised the Lord God of Israel. ¹ 

The priests and Levites got up and pronounced blessings on the people. The Lord responded favorably to them ¹  as their prayers reached his holy dwelling place in heaven.

But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his warnings, ¹  and ridiculed his prophets. ²  Finally the Lord got very angry at his people and there was no one who could prevent his judgment. ³ 

When all the Israelites saw the fire come down and the Lord’s splendor over the temple, they got on their knees with their faces downward toward the pavement. They worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, ¹  “Certainly he is good; certainly his loyal love endures!”

Solomon had made a bronze platform and had placed it in the middle of the enclosure. It was seven and one-half feet ¹  long, seven and one-half feet ²  wide, and four and one-half feet ³  high. He stood on it and then got down on his knees in front of the entire assembly of Israel. He spread out his hands toward the sky,

Jehoiada chose two wives for him who gave him sons and daughters.

Early the next morning King Hezekiah assembled the city officials and went up to the Lord’s temple.

Solomon acquired horses from Egypt and from all the lands.

The king summoned all the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem. ¹ 

They paid 600 silver pieces for each chariot from Egypt, and 150 silver pieces for each horse. They also sold chariots and horses to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Syria. ¹ 

Solomon acquired his horses from Egypt ¹  and from Que; the king’s traders purchased them from Que.

He hired 100,000 Israelite warriors for a hundred talents ¹  of silver.

Uzziah ¹  built up Elat and restored it to Judah after King Amaziah ²  had passed away. ³ 

He brought in the priests and Levites and assembled them in the square on the east side.

He built royal cities ¹  and owned a large number of sheep and cattle, for God gave him a huge amount of possessions.

Solomon accumulated ¹  chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem. ² 

besides what he collected from the merchants ¹  and traders. All the Arabian kings and the governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon.

Whenever the king visited the Lord’s temple, the royal guards carried them and then brought them back to the guardroom. ¹ 

That day ¹  the Israelites were defeated; the men of Judah prevailed because they relied on the Lord God of their ancestors.

They assembled their brothers and consecrated themselves. Then they went in to purify the Lord’s temple, just as the king had ordered, in accordance with the word ¹  of the Lord.