⁷ Then the king of Israel sent for all the responsible men of the land, and said, Now will you take note and see the evil purpose of this man: he sent for my wives and my children, my silver and my gold, and I did not keep them back.

⁷ But the king of Israel, after reading the letter, was greatly troubled and said, Am I God, to give death and life? why does this man send a leper to me to be made well? is it not clear that he is looking for a cause of war?

¹³ Their throat is like an open place of death; with their tongues they have said what is not true: the poison of snakes is under their lips:

¹⁴ Whose mouth is full of curses and bitter words:

¹⁵ Their feet are quick in running after blood;

¹⁶ Destruction and trouble are in their ways;

¹⁷ And of the way of peace they have no knowledge:

¹⁸ There is no fear of God before their eyes.

²⁷ And as for these two kings, their hearts will be fixed on doing evil and they will say false words at one table; but it will come to nothing: for the end will be at the time fixed.

² For the purposes of their hearts are destruction, and their lips are talking of trouble.

²⁷ He who, with all his heart, goes after what is good is searching for grace; but he who is looking for trouble will get it.

¹⁴ When there is no helping suggestion the people will have a fall, but with a number of wise guides they will be safe.

¹⁴ His mind is ever designing evil: he lets loose violent acts.

² For their hearts are full of evil designs; and they are ever making ready causes of war.

³ How long will you go on designing evil against a man? running against him as against a broken wall, which is on the point of falling?

⁴ He gives thought to evil on his bed; he takes a way which is not good; he is not a hater of evil.

¹⁴ That man is a worker of evil; the seed of wrongdoing has given birth to deceit.

³⁵ Evil has made them with child, and they give birth to trouble; and the fruit of their body is shame for themselves.

¹ And David got together at Jerusalem all the rulers of Israel, the chiefs of the tribes and the captains of the divisions waiting on the king in turn, and the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds and the controllers of all the goods and property of the king and his sons, with the unsexed servants and the great men of war.

¹ Then David had discussions with the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds and with every chief.

¹ Then Solomon sent for all the responsible men of Israel, and all the chiefs of the tribes, and the heads of families of the children of Israel, to come to him in Jerusalem to take the ark of the Lord's agreement up out of the town of David, which is Zion.