When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability.

邦国因有罪过，君王就多更换；因有聪明知识的人，国必长存。

地上因有罪过，君王就多更换；因聪明和有见识的人，国必长存。

地上因有罪过，君王就多更换；因聪明和有见识的人，国必长存。

国中有罪，君王常换；国有哲士，长治久安。

国家因有过犯，领袖就经常更换；依赖聪明知识俱备的人，国家才可以长存。

国中因有过犯，就有许多首领争权；但靠着有悟性、有知识的人，国就得以长存。

邦國因有罪過，君王就多更換；因有聰明知識的人，國必長存。

地上因有罪過，君王就多更換；因聰明和有見識的人，國必長存。

地上因有罪過，君王就多更換；因聰明和有見識的人，國必長存。

國中有罪，君王常換；國有哲士，長治久安。

國家因有過犯，領袖就經常更換；依賴聰明知識俱備的人，國家才可以長存。

邦國因有罪過、人君就多更換；因有明達和知識的人、國必長久存立。

國中因有過犯，就有許多首領爭權；但靠著有悟性、有知識的人，國就得以長存。

國有罪惡、則主迭更、人有明哲、則邦恆存、

國亂則主迭更、民良則邦永治。

邦亂則多主迭更、有一明哲具知識者、可長治國、

When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers, but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.

A country has many rulers when its people don’t obey. But an understanding ruler knows how to keep order.

When a land transgresses, it has many rulers, but with a man of understanding and knowledge, its stability will long continue.

When a land is in rebellion, it has many rulers, but with a discerning and knowledgeable person, it endures.

Due to a wrongdoing of a land its leaders are many, But by a person of understanding and knowledge, so it endures.

Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes; But by a man of understanding and knowledge Right will be prolonged.

For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof; But by men of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.

When a land is in rebellion, it has many rulers, but with a discerning and knowledgeable person, it endures.

For the transgression of a land many[ are] the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding[ and] knowledge the state[ thereof] shall be prolonged.

When a country is rebellious it has many princes, but by someone who is discerning and knowledgeable order is maintained.

In rebellion, a land has many rulers, but order is maintained by a man of understanding and knowledge.

But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives.This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting.God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors.So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh— the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt.

In my anger I gave you kings, and in my fury I took them away.

Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities. Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls and a restorer of homes.

Then the people of the land took Josiah’s son Jehoahaz and made him the next king in Jerusalem.Jehoahaz was twenty three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months.Then he was deposed by the king of Egypt, who demanded that Judah pay 7,500 pounds of silver and 75 pounds of gold as tribute.The king of Egypt then installed Eliakim, the brother of Jehoahaz, as the next king of Judah and Jerusalem, and he changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim. Then Neco took Jehoahaz to Egypt as a prisoner.Jehoiakim was twenty five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord his God.Then King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and captured it, and he bound Jehoiakim in bronze chains and led him away to Babylon.Nebuchadnezzar also took some of the treasures from the Temple of the Lord, and he placed them in his palace in Babylon.The rest of the events in Jehoiakim’s reign, including all the evil things he did and everything found against him, are recorded in The Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. Then his son Jehoiachin became the next king.Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months and ten days. Jehoiachin did what was evil in the Lord’s sight.In the spring of the year King Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin to Babylon. Many treasures from the Temple of the Lord were also taken to Babylon at that time. And Nebuchadnezzar installed Jehoiachin’s uncle, Zedekiah, as the next king in Judah and Jerusalem.Zedekiah was twenty one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years.But Zedekiah did what was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and he refused to humble himself when the prophet Jeremiah spoke to him directly from the Lord.

Elah son of Baasha began to rule over Israel in the twenty sixth year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He reigned in the city of Tirzah for two years.Then Zimri, who commanded half of the royal chariots, made plans to kill him. One day in Tirzah, Elah was getting drunk at the home of Arza, the supervisor of the palace.Zimri walked in and struck him down and killed him. This happened in the twenty seventh year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. Then Zimri became the next king.Zimri immediately killed the entire royal family of Baasha, leaving him not even a single male child. He even destroyed distant relatives and friends.So Zimri destroyed the dynasty of Baasha as the Lord had promised through the prophet Jehu.This happened because of all the sins Baasha and his son Elah had committed, and because of the sins they led Israel to commit. They provoked the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, with their worthless idols.The rest of the events in Elah’s reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.Zimri began to rule over Israel in the twenty seventh year of King Asa’s reign in Judah, but his reign in Tirzah lasted only seven days. The army of Israel was then attacking the Philistine town of Gibbethon.When they heard that Zimri had committed treason and had assassinated the king, that very day they chose Omri, commander of the army, as the new king of Israel.So Omri led the entire army of Israel up from Gibbethon to attack Tirzah, Israel’s capital.When Zimri saw that the city had been taken, he went into the citadel of the palace and burned it down over himself and died in the flames.For he, too, had done what was evil in the Lord’s sight. He followed the example of Jeroboam in all the sins he had committed and led Israel to commit.The rest of the events in Zimri’s reign and his conspiracy are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.But now the people of Israel were split into two factions. Half the people tried to make Tibni son of Ginath their king, while the other half supported Omri.But Omri’s supporters defeated the supporters of Tibni. So Tibni was killed, and Omri became the next king.Omri began to rule over Israel in the thirty first year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He reigned twelve years in all, six of them in Tirzah.Then Omri bought the hill now known as Samaria from its owner, Shemer, for 150 pounds of silver. He built a city on it and called the city Samaria in honor of Shemer.But Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, even more than any of the kings before him.He followed the example of Jeroboam son of Nebat in all the sins he had committed and led Israel to commit. The people provoked the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, with their worthless idols.The rest of the events in Omri’s reign, the extent of his power, and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.When Omri died, he was buried in Samaria. Then his son Ahab became the next king.Ahab son of Omri began to rule over Israel in the thirty eighth year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria twenty two years.

Then King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to God in heaven.And the Lord sent an angel who destroyed the Assyrian army with all its commanders and officers. So Sennacherib was forced to return home in disgrace to his own land. And when he entered the temple of his god, some of his own sons killed him there with a sword.That is how the Lord rescued Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from King Sennacherib of Assyria and from all the others who threatened them. So there was peace throughout the land.From then on King Hezekiah became highly respected among all the surrounding nations, and many gifts for the Lord arrived at Jerusalem, with valuable presents for King Hezekiah, too.About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill. He prayed to the Lord, who healed him and gave him a miraculous sign.But Hezekiah did not respond appropriately to the kindness shown him, and he became proud. So the Lord’s anger came against him and against Judah and Jerusalem.Then Hezekiah humbled himself and repented of his pride, as did the people of Jerusalem. So the Lord’s anger did not fall on them during Hezekiah’s lifetime.

The Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, will take away from Jerusalem and Judah everything they depend on: every bit of bread and every drop of water,all their heroes and soldiers, judges and prophets, fortune tellers and elders,army officers and high officials, advisers, skilled sorcerers, and astrologers.I will make boys their leaders, and toddlers their rulers.People will oppress each other— man against man, neighbor against neighbor. Young people will insult their elders, and vulgar people will sneer at the honorable.In those days a man will say to his brother,“ Since you have a coat, you be our leader! Take charge of this heap of ruins!”But he will reply,“ No! I can’t help. I don’t have any extra food or clothes. Don’t put me in charge!”

Zechariah son of Jeroboam II began to rule over Israel in the thirty eighth year of King Uzziah’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria six months.Zechariah did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, as his ancestors had done. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.Then Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against Zechariah, assassinated him in public, and became the next king.The rest of the events in Zechariah’s reign are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.So the Lord’s message to Jehu came true:“ Your descendants will be kings of Israel down to the fourth generation.”Shallum son of Jabesh began to rule over Israel in the thirty ninth year of King Uzziah’s reign in Judah. Shallum reigned in Samaria only one month.Then Menahem son of Gadi went to Samaria from Tirzah and assassinated him, and he became the next king.The rest of the events in Shallum’s reign, including his conspiracy, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.At that time Menahem destroyed the town of Tappuah and all the surrounding countryside as far as Tirzah, because its citizens refused to surrender the town. He killed the entire population and ripped open the pregnant women.Menahem son of Gadi began to rule over Israel in the thirty ninth year of King Uzziah’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria ten years.But Menahem did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. During his entire reign, he refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.Then King Tiglath pileser of Assyria invaded the land. But Menahem paid him thirty seven tons of silver to gain his support in tightening his grip on royal power.Menahem extorted the money from the rich of Israel, demanding that each of them pay fifty pieces of silver to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned from attacking Israel and did not stay in the land.The rest of the events in Menahem’s reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.When Menahem died, his son Pekahiah became the next king.Pekahiah son of Menahem began to rule over Israel in the fiftieth year of King Uzziah’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria two years.But Pekahiah did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.Then Pekah son of Remaliah, the commander of Pekahiah’s army, conspired against him. With fifty men from Gilead, Pekah assassinated the king, along with Argob and Arieh, in the citadel of the palace at Samaria. And Pekah reigned in his place.The rest of the events in Pekahiah’s reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.Pekah son of Remaliah began to rule over Israel in the fifty second year of King Uzziah’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria twenty years.But Pekah did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.During Pekah’s reign, King Tiglath pileser of Assyria attacked Israel again, and he captured the towns of Ijon, Abel beth maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, and Hazor. He also conquered the regions of Gilead, Galilee, and all of Naphtali, and he took the people to Assyria as captives.Then Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah and assassinated him. He began to rule over Israel in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah.The rest of the events in Pekah’s reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.

“‘ King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper.’

You will succeed in whatever you choose to do, and light will shine on the road ahead of you.If people are in trouble and you say,‘ Help them,’ God will save them.Even sinners will be rescued; they will be rescued because your hands are pure.”

Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of King Asa’s reign in Judah, and he became the next king of Israel.

A poor, wise man knew how to save the town, and so it was rescued. But afterward no one thought to thank him.

Nadab son of Jeroboam began to rule over Israel in the second year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Israel two years.