שָׁם

Solomon rebuilt the cities Hiram had given him and settled Israelites there.

So Hiram sent him ships captained by his servants, along with crews of experienced sailors. They went with Solomon’s servants to Ophir and acquired from there 450 talents of gold, which they delivered to King Solomon.

Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom.

Thus King Rehoboam established himself in Jerusalem and reigned. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the LORD had chosen from all the tribes of Israel in which to put His Name. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite.

On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, where they blessed the LORD. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Beracah to this day.

So they seized Athaliah as she reached the entrance of the Horse Gate on the palace grounds, and there they put her to death.

From the time that Amaziah turned from following the LORD, a conspiracy was formed against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. But men were sent after him to Lachish, and they killed him there.

When Azariah the chief priest and all the priests turned to him and saw his leprous forehead, they rushed him out. Indeed, he himself hurried to get out, because the LORD had afflicted him.

But a prophet of the LORD named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army that returned to Samaria. “Look,” he said to them, “because of His wrath against Judah, the LORD, the God of your fathers, has delivered them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches up to heaven.

The Philistines had also raided the cities of the foothills and the Negev of Judah, capturing and occupying Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, and Gederoth, as well as Soco, Timnah, and Gimzo with their villages.

…and the LORD sent an angel who annihilated every mighty man of valor and every leader and commander in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he entered the temple of his god, some of his own sons struck him down with the sword.

And let every survivor, wherever he lives, be assisted by the men of that region with silver, gold, goods, and livestock, along with a freewill offering for the house of God in Jerusalem.’”

Now I assembled these exiles at the canal that flows to Ahava, and we camped there three days. And when I searched among the people and priests, I found no Levites there.

And there by the Ahava Canal I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.

So we arrived at Jerusalem and rested there for three days.

Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and walked to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. And while he stayed there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.

And they told me, “The remnant who survived the exile are there in the province, in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”

…but if you return to Me and keep and practice My commandments, then even if your exiles have been banished to the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for My Name.’

After I had arrived in Jerusalem and had been there three days,

Wherever you hear the sound of the horn, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!”

Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of the wall, and all my servants were gathered there for the work; we did not acquire any land.

For the Israelites and the Levites are to bring the contributions of grain, new wine, and oil to the storerooms where the articles of the sanctuary are kept and where the ministering priests, the gatekeepers, and the singers stay. Thus we will not neglect the house of our God.”

…and had prepared for Tobiah a large room where they had previously stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the temple articles, and the tithes of grain, new wine, and oil prescribed for the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, along with the contributions for the priests.

Then I ordered that the rooms be purified, and I had the articles of the house of God restored to them, along with the grain offerings and frankincense.

…saying: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.”

There the wicked cease from raging, and there the weary find rest.

Both small and great are there, and the slave is freed from his master.

Then an upright man could reason with Him, and I would be delivered forever from my Judge.

There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity can hide.

There they cry out, but He does not answer, because of the pride of evil men.

From there he spies out food; his eyes see it from afar.

His young ones feast on blood; and where the slain are, there he is.”

The hills yield him their produce, while all the beasts of the field play nearby.

There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is in the company of the righteous.

There the evildoers lie fallen, thrown down and unable to rise.

Trembling seized them there, anguish like a woman in labor.

There they are, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to fear. For God has scattered the bones of those who besieged you. You put them to shame, for God has despised them.

He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the waters on foot; there we rejoiced in Him.

There is Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them, the princes of Judah in their company, the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.

For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah, that they may dwell there and possess it.

There He shattered the flaming arrows, the shield and sword and weapons of war. Selah

“I will mention Rahab and Babylon among those who know Me—along with Philistia, Tyre, and Cush—when I say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’”

The LORD will record in the register of the peoples: “This one was born in Zion.” Selah

…where the birds build their nests; the stork makes her home in the cypresses.

Here is the sea, vast and wide, teeming with creatures beyond number, living things both great and small.

There the ships pass, and Leviathan, which You formed to frolic there.

He causes the hungry to settle there, that they may establish a city in which to dwell.