¹Now three years passed without war between Syria and Israel. ²Then it came to pass, in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went down to visit the king of Israel. ³And the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, but we hesitate to take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?” ⁴So he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight at Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” ⁵Also Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire for the word of the Lᴏʀᴅ today.” ⁶Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to fight, or shall I refrain?” So they said, “Go up, for the Lᴏʀᴅ will deliver it into the hand of the king.” ⁷And Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the Lᴏʀᴅ here, that we may inquire of Him?” ⁸So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lᴏʀᴅ; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say such things!” ⁹Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Bring Micaiah the son of Imlah quickly!” ¹⁰The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, having put on their robes, sat each on his throne, at a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. ¹¹Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made horns of iron for himself; and he said, “Thus says the Lᴏʀᴅ: ‘With these you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.’ ” ¹²And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the Lᴏʀᴅ will deliver it into the king’s hand.” ¹³Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement.” ¹⁴And Micaiah said, “As the Lᴏʀᴅ lives, whatever the Lᴏʀᴅ says to me, that I will speak.” ¹⁵Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall we refrain?” And he answered him, “Go and prosper, for the Lᴏʀᴅ will deliver it into the hand of the king!” ¹⁶So the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lᴏʀᴅ?” ¹⁷Then he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lᴏʀᴅ said, ‘These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.’ ” ¹⁸And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?” ¹⁹Then Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lᴏʀᴅ: I saw the Lᴏʀᴅ sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left. ²⁰And the Lᴏʀᴅ said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. ²¹Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lᴏʀᴅ, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’ ²²The Lᴏʀᴅ said to him, ‘In what way?’ So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the Lᴏʀᴅ said, ‘You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.’ ²³Therefore look! The Lᴏʀᴅ has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lᴏʀᴅ has declared disaster against you.” ²⁴Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, “Which way did the spirit from the Lᴏʀᴅ go from me to speak to you?” ²⁵And Micaiah said, “Indeed, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide!” ²⁶So the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son; ²⁷and say, ‘Thus says the king: “Put this fellow in prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I come in peace.” ’ ” ²⁸But Micaiah said, “If you ever return in peace, the Lᴏʀᴅ has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Take heed, all you people!” ²⁹So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. ³⁰And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle; but you put on your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle. ³¹Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, “Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel.” ³²So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, “Surely it is the king of Israel!” Therefore they turned aside to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat cried out. ³³And it happened, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. ³⁴Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded.” ³⁵The battle increased that day; and the king was propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrians, and died at evening. The blood ran out from the wound onto the floor of the chariot. ³⁶Then, as the sun was going down, a shout went throughout the army, saying, “Every man to his city, and every man to his own country!” ³⁷So the king died, and was brought to Samaria. And they buried the king in Samaria. ³⁸Then someone washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood while the harlots bathed, according to the word of the Lᴏʀᴅ which He had spoken. ³⁹Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, the ivory house which he built and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? ⁴⁰So Ahab rested with his fathers. Then Ahaziah his son reigned in his place. ⁴¹Jehoshaphat the son of Asa had become king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. ⁴²Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. ⁴³And he walked in all the ways of his father Asa. He did not turn aside from them, doing what was right in the eyes of the Lᴏʀᴅ. Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for the people offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. ⁴⁴Also Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel. ⁴⁵Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, the might that he showed, and how he made war, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? ⁴⁶And the rest of the perverted persons, who remained in the days of his father Asa, he banished from the land. ⁴⁷There was then no king in Edom, only a deputy of the king. ⁴⁸Jehoshaphat made merchant ships to go to Ophir for gold; but they never sailed, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion Geber. ⁴⁹Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat would not. ⁵⁰And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place. ⁵¹Ahaziah the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel. ⁵²He did evil in the sight of the Lᴏʀᴅ, and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin; ⁵³for he served Baal and worshiped him, and provoked the Lᴏʀᴅ God of Israel to anger, according to all that his father had done.

¹But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. ²For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. ³For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. ⁴But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. ⁵You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. ⁶Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. ⁷For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. ⁸But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. ⁹For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. ¹¹Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. ¹²And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, ¹³and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves. ¹⁴Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. ¹⁵See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. ¹⁶Rejoice always, ¹⁷pray without ceasing, ¹⁸in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ¹⁹Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰Do not despise prophecies. ²¹Test all things; hold fast what is good. ²²Abstain from every form of evil. ²³Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. ²⁵Brethren, pray for us. ²⁶Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. ²⁷I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren. ²⁸The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

¹Nebuchadnezzar the king, To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. ²I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me. ³How great are His signs, And how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And His dominion is from generation to generation. ⁴I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace. ⁵I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. ⁶Therefore I issued a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. ⁷Then the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in, and I told them the dream; but they did not make known to me its interpretation. ⁸But at last Daniel came before me (his name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god; in him is the Spirit of the Holy God), and I told the dream before him, saying: ⁹“Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you, and no secret troubles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation. ¹⁰“These were the visions of my head while on my bed: “I was looking, and behold, A tree in the midst of the earth, And its height was great. ¹¹The tree grew and became strong; Its height reached to the heavens, And it could be seen to the ends of all the earth. ¹²Its leaves were lovely, Its fruit abundant, And in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, The birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches, And all flesh was fed from it. ¹³“I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven. ¹⁴He cried aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts get out from under it, And the birds from its branches. ¹⁵Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth, Bound with a band of iron and bronze, In the tender grass of the field. Let it be wet with the dew of heaven, And let him graze with the beasts On the grass of the earth. ¹⁶Let his heart be changed from that of a man, Let him be given the heart of a beast, And let seven times pass over him. ¹⁷‘This decision is by the decree of the watchers, And the sentence by the word of the holy ones, In order that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, Gives it to whomever He will, And sets over it the lowest of men.’ ¹⁸“This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for the Spirit of the Holy God is in you.” ¹⁹Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for a time, and his thoughts troubled him. So the king spoke, and said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream concern those who hate you, and its interpretation concern your enemies! ²⁰The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong, whose height reached to the heavens and which could be seen by all the earth, ²¹whose leaves were lovely and its fruit abundant, in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the heaven had their home— ²²it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens, and your dominion to the end of the earth. ²³And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field; let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him’; ²⁴this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: ²⁵They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses. ²⁶And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules. ²⁷Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity.” ²⁸All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. ²⁹At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. ³⁰The king spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?” ³¹While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! ³²And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.” ³³That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws. ³⁴And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation. ³⁵All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, “What have You done?” ³⁶At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. ³⁷Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.

¹A Song. A Psalm of David. O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. ²Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn. ³I will praise You, O Lᴏʀᴅ, among the peoples, And I will sing praises to You among the nations. ⁴For Your mercy is great above the heavens, And Your truth reaches to the clouds. ⁵Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, And Your glory above all the earth; ⁶That Your beloved may be delivered, Save with Your right hand, and hear me. ⁷God has spoken in His holiness: “I will rejoice; I will divide Shechem And measure out the Valley of Succoth. ⁸Gilead is Mine; Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim also is the helmet for My head; Judah is My lawgiver. ⁹Moab is My washpot; Over Edom I will cast My shoe; Over Philistia I will triumph.” ¹⁰Who will bring me into the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom? ¹¹Is it not You, O God, who cast us off? And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies? ¹²Give us help from trouble, For the help of man is useless. ¹³Through God we will do valiantly, For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.

¹To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Do not keep silent, O God of my praise! ²For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful Have opened against me; They have spoken against me with a lying tongue. ³They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, And fought against me without a cause. ⁴In return for my love they are my accusers, But I give myself to prayer. ⁵Thus they have rewarded me evil for good, And hatred for my love. ⁶Set a wicked man over him, And let an accuser stand at his right hand. ⁷When he is judged, let him be found guilty, And let his prayer become sin. ⁸Let his days be few, And let another take his office. ⁹Let his children be fatherless, And his wife a widow. ¹⁰Let his children continually be vagabonds, and beg; Let them seek their bread also from their desolate places. ¹¹Let the creditor seize all that he has, And let strangers plunder his labor. ¹²Let there be none to extend mercy to him, Nor let there be any to favor his fatherless children. ¹³Let his posterity be cut off, And in the generation following let their name be blotted out. ¹⁴Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lᴏʀᴅ, And let not the sin of his mother be blotted out. ¹⁵Let them be continually before the Lᴏʀᴅ, That He may cut off the memory of them from the earth; ¹⁶Because he did not remember to show mercy, But persecuted the poor and needy man, That he might even slay the broken in heart. ¹⁷As he loved cursing, so let it come to him; As he did not delight in blessing, so let it be far from him. ¹⁸As he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment, So let it enter his body like water, And like oil into his bones. ¹⁹Let it be to him like the garment which covers him, And for a belt with which he girds himself continually. ²⁰Let this be the Lᴏʀᴅ’s reward to my accusers, And to those who speak evil against my person. ²¹But You, O God the Lᴏʀᴅ, Deal with me for Your name’s sake; Because Your mercy is good, deliver me. ²²For I am poor and needy, And my heart is wounded within me. ²³I am gone like a shadow when it lengthens; I am shaken off like a locust. ²⁴My knees are weak through fasting, And my flesh is feeble from lack of fatness. ²⁵I also have become a reproach to them; When they look at me, they shake their heads. ²⁶Help me, O Lᴏʀᴅ my God! Oh, save me according to Your mercy, ²⁷That they may know that this is Your hand— That You, Lord, have done it! ²⁸Let them curse, but You bless; When they arise, let them be ashamed, But let Your servant rejoice. ²⁹Let my accusers be clothed with shame, And let them cover themselves with their own disgrace as with a mantle. ³⁰I will greatly praise the Lᴏʀᴅ with my mouth; Yes, I will praise Him among the multitude. ³¹For He shall stand at the right hand of the poor, To save him from those who condemn him.