“ ‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence of yours? 20You say you have strategy and military strength—but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel against me? 21Look now, you are depending on Egypt,† that splintered reed of a staff,† which pierces a man’s hand and wounds him if he leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him. 22And if you say to me, “We are depending on the LORD our God”—isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship before this altar in Jerusalem”?

23“ ‘Come now, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses—if you can put riders on them! 24How can you repulse one officer† of the least of my master’s officials, even though you are depending on Egypt for chariots and horsemen[58]? 25Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this place without word from the LORD?† The LORD himself told me to march against this country and destroy it.’ ”

26Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and Shebna and Joah said to the field commander, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic,† since we understand it. Don’t speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall.”

27But the commander replied, “Was it only to your master and you that my master sent me to say these things, and not to the men sitting on the wall—who, like you, will have to eat their own filth and drink their own urine?”

28Then the commander stood and called out in Hebrew: “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! 29This is what the king says: Do not let Hezekiah deceive† you. He cannot deliver you from my hand. 30Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the LORD when he says, ‘The LORD will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’

31“Do not listen to Hezekiah. This is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then every one of you will eat from his own vine and fig tree† and drink water from his own cistern,† 32until I come and take you to a land like your own, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey. Choose life† and not death!

“Do not listen to Hezekiah, for he is misleading you when he says, ‘The LORD will deliver us.’ 33Has the god† of any nation ever delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? 34Where are the gods of Hamath† and Arpad?† Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah? Have they rescued Samaria from my hand? 35Who of all the gods of these countries has been able to save his land from me? How then can the LORD deliver Jerusalem from my hand?”†

36But the people remained silent and said nothing in reply, because the king had commanded, “Do not answer him.”

37Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary and Joah son of Asaph the recorder went to Hezekiah, with their clothes torn,† and told him what the field commander had said.


2 Kings 19

Jerusalem’s Deliverance Foretold

1When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore† his clothes and put on sackcloth and went into the temple of the LORD. 2He sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary and the leading priests, all wearing sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah† son of Amoz. 3They told him, “This is what Hezekiah says: This day is a day of distress and rebuke and disgrace, as when children come to the point of birth and there is no strength to deliver them. 4It may be that the LORD your God will hear all the words of the field commander, whom his master, the king of Assyria, has sent to ridicule† the living God, and that he will rebuke† him for the words the LORD your God has heard. Therefore pray for the remnant that still survives.”




5When King Hezekiah’s officials came to Isaiah, 6Isaiah said to them, “Tell your master, ‘This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid of what you have heard—those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed† me. 7Listen! I am going to put such a spirit in him that when he hears a certain report, he will return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down with the sword.†’ ”

8When the field commander heard that the king of Assyria had left Lachish,† he withdrew and found the king fighting against Libnah.

9Now Sennacherib received a report that Tirhakah, the Cushite[59] king [of Egypt], was marching out to fight against him. So he again sent messengers to Hezekiah with this word: 10“Say to Hezekiah king of Judah: Do not let the god you depend† on deceive† you when he says, ‘Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.’ 11Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries, destroying them completely. And will you be delivered? 12Did the gods of the nations that were destroyed by my forefathers deliver† them: the gods of Gozan,† Haran,† Rezeph and the people of Eden who were in Tel Assar? 13Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, or of Hena or Ivvah?”†

Hezekiah’s Prayer

14Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD. 15And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: “O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim,† you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 16Give ear,† O LORD, and hear;† open your eyes,† O LORD, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God.

17“It is true, O LORD, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste these nations and their lands. 18They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods† but only wood and stone, fashioned by men’s hands.† 19Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms† on earth may know† that you alone, O LORD, are God.”

Isaiah Prophesies Sennacherib’s Fall

20Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I have heard† your prayer concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria. 21This is the word that the LORD has spoken against him:

“ ‘The Virgin Daughter† of Zion

despises you and mocks† you.

The Daughter of Jerusalem

tosses her head† as you flee.

22Who is it you have insulted and blasphemed?

Against whom have you raised your voice

and lifted your eyes in pride?

Against the Holy One† of Israel!

23By your messengers

you have heaped insults on the Lord.

And you have said,†

“With my many chariots†

I have ascended the heights of the mountains,

the utmost heights of Lebanon.

I have cut down its tallest cedars,

the choicest of its pines.

I have reached its remotest parts,

the finest of its forests.

24I have dug wells in foreign lands

and drunk the water there.

With the soles of my feet

I have dried up all the streams of Egypt.”

25“ ‘Have you not heard?†

Long ago I ordained it.

In days of old I planned† it;

now I have brought it to pass,

that you have turned fortified cities

into piles of stone.†

26Their people, drained of power,

are dismayed† and put to shame.

They are like plants in the field,

like tender green shoots,†

like grass sprouting on the roof,

scorched† before it grows up.

27“ ‘But I know† where you stay

and when you come and go

and how you rage against me.

28Because you rage against me

and your insolence has reached my ears,

I will put my hook† in your nose

and my bit† in your mouth,

and I will make you return†

by the way you came.’

29“This will be the sign† for you, O Hezekiah:

“This year you will eat what grows by itself,†

and the second year what springs from that.

But in the third year sow and reap,

plant vineyards† and eat their fruit.

30Once more a remnant of the house of Judah

will take root† below and bear fruit above.

31For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant,

and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors.

The zeal† of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

32“Therefore this is what the LORD says concerning the king of Assyria:

“He will not enter this city

or shoot an arrow here.

He will not come before it with shield

or build a siege ramp against it.

33By the way that he came he will return;†

he will not enter this city,

declares the LORD.

34I will defend† this city and save it,

for my sake and for the sake of David† my servant.”

35That night the angel of the LORD† went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies!† 36So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh† and stayed there.

37One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer cut him down with the sword,† and they escaped to the land of Ararat.† And Esarhaddon† his son succeeded him as king.


2 Kings 20

Hezekiah’s Illness

1In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”




2Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, 3“Remember,† O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully† and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

4Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: 5“Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard† your prayer and seen your tears;† I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the LORD. 6I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend† this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’ ”

7Then Isaiah said, “Prepare a poultice of figs.” They did so and applied it to the boil,† and he recovered.

8Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the LORD will heal me and that I will go up to the temple of the LORD on the third day from now?”

9Isaiah answered, “This is the LORD’s sign† to you that the LORD will do what he has promised: Shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or shall it go back ten steps?”

10“It is a simple matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps,” said Hezekiah. “Rather, have it go back ten steps.”

11Then the prophet Isaiah called upon the LORD, and the LORD made the shadow go back† the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.

Envoys From Babylon

12At that time Merodach-Baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent Hezekiah letters and a gift, because he had heard of Hezekiah’s illness. 13Hezekiah received the messengers and showed them all that was in his storehouses—the silver, the gold, the spices and the fine oil—his armory and everything found among his treasures. There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.

14Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked, “What did those men say, and where did they come from?”

“From a distant land,” Hezekiah replied. “They came from Babylon.”

15The prophet asked, “What did they see in your palace?”

“They saw everything in my palace,” Hezekiah said. “There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them.”

16Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD: 17The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your fathers have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon.† Nothing will be left, says the LORD. 18And some of your descendants,† your own flesh and blood, that will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”

19“The word of the LORD you have spoken is good,” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?”

20As for the other events of Hezekiah’s reign, all his achievements and how he made the pool† and the tunnel by which he brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 21Hezekiah rested with his fathers. And Manasseh his son succeeded him as king.


2 Kings 21

Manasseh King of Judah

1Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. His mother’s name was Hephzibah.† 2He did evil† in the eyes of the LORD, following the detestable practices† of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. 3He rebuilt the high places† his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal† and made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the starry hosts† and worshiped them. 4He built altars† in the temple of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem I will put my Name.”† 5In both courts† of the temple of the LORD, he built altars to all the starry hosts. 6He sacrificed his own son† in[60] the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists.† He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, provoking him to anger.




7He took the carved Asherah pole† he had made and put it in the temple, of which the LORD had said to David and to his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name† forever. 8I will not again† make the feet of the Israelites wander from the land I gave their forefathers, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them and will keep the whole Law that my servant Moses† gave them.” 9But the people did not listen. Manasseh led them astray, so that they did more evil† than the nations† the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites.

10The LORD said through his servants the prophets: 11“Manasseh king of Judah has committed these detestable sins. He has done more evil† than the Amorites† who preceded him and has led Judah into sin with his idols. 12Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I am going to bring such disaster† on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle.† 13I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line† used against the house of Ahab. I will wipe† out Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. 14I will forsake† the remnant† of my inheritance and hand them over to their enemies. They will be looted and plundered by all their foes, 15because they have done evil† in my eyes and have provoked† me to anger from the day their forefathers came out of Egypt until this day.”

16Moreover, Manasseh also shed so much innocent blood† that he filled Jerusalem from end to end—besides the sin that he had caused Judah to commit, so that they did evil in the eyes of the LORD.

17As for the other events of Manasseh’s reign, and all he did, including the sin he committed, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 18Manasseh rested with his fathers and was buried in his palace garden,† the garden of Uzza. And Amon his son succeeded him as king.

Amon King of Judah

19Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. His mother’s name was Meshullemeth daughter of Haruz; she was from Jotbah. 20He did evil† in the eyes of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done. 21He walked in all the ways of his father; he worshiped the idols his father had worshiped, and bowed down to them. 22He forsook the LORD, the God of his fathers, and did not walk† in the way of the LORD.

23Amon’s officials conspired against him and assassinated† the king in his palace. 24Then the people of the land killed† all who had plotted against King Amon, and they made Josiah his son king in his place.

25As for the other events of Amon’s reign, and what he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 26He was buried in his grave in the garden† of Uzza. And Josiah his son succeeded him as king.


2 Kings 22

The Book of the Law Found

1Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath.† 2He did what was right† in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right† or to the left.




3In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the secretary, Shaphan† son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the temple of the LORD. He said: 4“Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him get ready the money that has been brought into the temple of the LORD, which the doorkeepers have collected† from the people. 5Have them entrust it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. And have these men pay the workers who repair† the temple of the LORD— 6the carpenters, the builders and the masons. Also have them purchase timber and dressed stone to repair the temple.† 7But they need not account for the money entrusted to them, because they are acting faithfully.”†

8Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law† in the temple of the LORD.” He gave it to Shaphan, who read it. 9Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him: “Your officials have paid out the money that was in the temple of the LORD and have entrusted it to the workers and supervisors at the temple.” 10Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.†

11When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. 12He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam† son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant: 13“Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD’s anger† that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.”

14Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to speak to the prophetess Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District.

15She said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me, 16‘This is what the LORD says: I am going to bring disaster† on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book† the king of Judah has read. 17Because they have forsaken† me and burned incense to other gods and provoked me to anger by all the idols their hands have made,[61] my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.’ 18Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire† of the LORD, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: 19Because your heart was responsive and you humbled† yourself before the LORD when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people, that they would become accursed† and laid waste,† and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the LORD. 20Therefore I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be buried in peace.† Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.’ ”

So they took her answer back to the king.


2 Kings 23

Josiah Renews the Covenant

1Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 2He went up to the temple of the LORD with the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read† in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the LORD. 3The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant† in the presence of the LORD—to follow† the LORD and keep his commands, regulations and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.




4The king ordered Hilkiah the high priest, the priests next in rank and the doorkeepers† to remove† from the temple of the LORD all the articles made for Baal and Asherah and all the starry hosts. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron Valley and took the ashes to Bethel. 5He did away with the pagan priests appointed by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the towns of Judah and on those around Jerusalem—those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations and to all the starry hosts.† 6He took the Asherah pole from the temple of the LORD to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem and burned it there. He ground it to powder and scattered the dust over the graves of the common people.† 7He also tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes,† which were in the temple of the LORD and where women did weaving for Asherah.

8Josiah brought all the priests from the towns of Judah and desecrated the high places, from Geba† to Beersheba, where the priests had burned incense. He broke down the shrines[62] at the gates—at the entrance to the Gate of Joshua, the city governor, which is on the left of the city gate. 9Although the priests of the high places did not serve† at the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, they ate unleavened bread with their fellow priests.

10He desecrated Topheth,† which was in the Valley of Ben Hinnom,† so no one could use it to sacrifice his son† or daughter in[63] the fire to Molech. 11He removed from the entrance to the temple of the LORD the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun. They were in the court near the room of an official named Nathan-Melech. Josiah then burned the chariots dedicated to the sun.†

12He pulled down the altars the kings of Judah had erected on the roof† near the upper room of Ahaz, and the altars Manasseh had built in the two courts† of the temple of the LORD. He removed them from there, smashed them to pieces and threw the rubble into the Kidron Valley. 13The king also desecrated the high places that were east of Jerusalem on the south of the Hill of Corruption—the ones Solomon† king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the vile goddess of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the vile god of Moab, and for Molech[64] the detestable god of the people of Ammon. 14Josiah smashed† the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles and covered the sites with human bones.

15Even the altar† at Bethel, the high place made by Jeroboam† son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin—even that altar and high place he demolished. He burned the high place and ground it to powder, and burned the Asherah pole also. 16Then Josiah† looked around, and when he saw the tombs that were there on the hillside, he had the bones removed from them and burned on the altar to defile it, in accordance with the word of the LORD proclaimed by the man of God who foretold these things.

17The king asked, “What is that tombstone I see?”

The men of the city said, “It marks the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and pronounced against the altar of Bethel the very things you have done to it.”

18“Leave it alone,” he said. “Don’t let anyone disturb his bones†.” So they spared his bones and those of the prophet who had come from Samaria.

19Just as he had done at Bethel, Josiah removed and defiled all the shrines at the high places that the kings of Israel had built in the towns of Samaria that had provoked the LORD to anger. 20Josiah slaughtered† all the priests of those high places on the altars and burned human bones† on them. Then he went back to Jerusalem.

21The king gave this order to all the people: “Celebrate the Passover† to the LORD your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.” 22Not since the days of the judges who led Israel, nor throughout the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah, had any such Passover been observed. 23But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, this Passover was celebrated to the LORD in Jerusalem.

24Furthermore, Josiah got rid of the mediums and spiritists,† the household gods,† the idols and all the other detestable things seen in Judah and Jerusalem. This he did to fulfill the requirements of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had discovered in the temple of the LORD. 25Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned† to the LORD as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.

26Nevertheless, the LORD did not turn away from the heat of his fierce anger, which burned against Judah because of all that Manasseh† had done to provoke him to anger. 27So the LORD said, “I will remove† Judah also from my presence† as I removed Israel, and I will reject Jerusalem, the city I chose, and this temple, about which I said, ‘There shall my Name be.’[65] ”

28As for the other events of Josiah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?

29While Josiah was king, Pharaoh Neco† king of Egypt went up to the Euphrates River to help the king of Assyria. King Josiah marched out to meet him in battle, but Neco faced him and killed him at Megiddo.† 30Josiah’s servants brought his body in a chariot† from Megiddo to Jerusalem and buried him in his own tomb. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah and anointed him and made him king in place of his father.

Jehoahaz King of Judah

31Jehoahaz† was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother’s name was Hamutal† daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah. 32He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as his fathers had done. 33Pharaoh Neco put him in chains at Riblah† in the land of Hamath[66] † so that he might not reign in Jerusalem, and he imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents[67] of silver and a talent[68] of gold. 34Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim† son of Josiah king in place of his father Josiah and changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz and carried him off to Egypt, and there he died.† 35Jehoiakim paid Pharaoh Neco the silver and gold he demanded. In order to do so, he taxed the land and exacted the silver and gold from the people of the land according to their assessments.†

Jehoiakim King of Judah

36Jehoiakim† was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Zebidah daughter of Pedaiah; she was from Rumah. 37And he did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as his fathers had done.


2 Kings 24

1During Jehoiakim’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar† king of Babylon invaded the land, and Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years. But then he changed his mind and rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar. 2The LORD sent Babylonian,[69] Aramean,† Moabite and Ammonite raiders against him. He sent them to destroy† Judah, in accordance with the word of the LORD proclaimed by his servants the prophets. 3Surely these things happened to Judah according to the LORD’s command,† in order to remove them from his presence because of the sins of Manasseh† and all he had done, 4including the shedding of innocent blood.† For he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD was not willing to forgive.




5As for the other events of Jehoiakim’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 6Jehoiakim rested† with his fathers. And Jehoiachin his son succeeded him as king.

7The king of Egypt† did not march out from his own country again, because the king of Babylon† had taken all his territory, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Euphrates River.

Jehoiachin King of Judah

8Jehoiachin† was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother’s name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan; she was from Jerusalem. 9He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father had done.

10At that time the officers of Nebuchadnezzar† king of Babylon advanced on Jerusalem and laid siege to it, 11and Nebuchadnezzar himself came up to the city while his officers were besieging it. 12Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his attendants, his nobles and his officials all surrendered† to him.

In the eighth year of the reign of the king of Babylon, he took Jehoiachin prisoner. 13As the LORD had declared,† Nebuchadnezzar removed all the treasures† from the temple of the LORD and from the royal palace, and took away all the gold articles† that Solomon† king of Israel had made for the temple of the LORD. 14He carried into exile† all Jerusalem: all the officers and fighting men, and all the craftsmen and artisans—a total of ten thousand. Only the poorest† people of the land were left.

15Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin captive to Babylon. He also took from Jerusalem to Babylon the king’s mother,† his wives, his officials and the leading men† of the land. 16The king of Babylon also deported to Babylon the entire force of seven thousand fighting men, strong and fit for war, and a thousand craftsmen and artisans.† 17He made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah.†

Zedekiah King of Judah

18Zedekiah† was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal† daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah. 19He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as Jehoiakim had done. 20It was because of the LORD’s anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah, and in the end he thrust† them from his presence.

The Fall of Jerusalem

Now Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.


2 Kings 25

1So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar† king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. He encamped outside the city and built siege works† all around it. 2The city was kept under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 3By the ninth day of the [fourth][70] month the famine† in the city had become so severe that there was no food for the people to eat. 4Then the city wall was broken through,† and the whole army fled at night through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden, though the Babylonians[71] were surrounding† the city. They fled toward the Arabah,[72] 5but the Babylonian[73] army pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered,† 6and he was captured.† He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah,† where sentence was pronounced on him. 7They killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon.†




8On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, an official of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 9He set fire† to the temple of the LORD, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down.† 10The whole Babylonian army, under the commander of the imperial guard, broke down the walls† around Jerusalem. 11Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile† the people who remained in the city, along with the rest of the populace and those who had gone over to the king of Babylon.† 12But the commander left behind some of the poorest people† of the land to work the vineyards and fields.

13The Babylonians broke up the bronze pillars, the movable stands and the bronze Sea that were at the temple of the LORD and they carried the bronze to Babylon. 14They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, dishes and all the bronze articles† used in the temple service. 15The commander of the imperial guard took away the censers and sprinkling bowls—all that were made of pure gold or silver.

16The bronze from the two pillars, the Sea and the movable stands, which Solomon had made for the temple of the LORD, was more than could be weighed. 17Each pillar† was twenty-seven feet[74] high. The bronze capital on top of one pillar was four and a half feet[75] high and was decorated with a network and pomegranates of bronze all around. The other pillar, with its network, was similar.

18The commander of the guard took as prisoners Seraiah† the chief priest, Zephaniah† the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers. 19Of those still in the city, he took the officer in charge of the fighting men and five royal advisers. He also took the secretary who was chief officer in charge of conscripting the people of the land and sixty of his men who were found in the city. 20Nebuzaradan the commander took them all and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 21There at Riblah, in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed.

So Judah went into captivity, away from her land.†

22Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon appointed Gedaliah† son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to be over the people he had left behind in Judah. 23When all the army officers and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah as governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite, and their men. 24Gedaliah took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid of the Babylonian officials,” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.”

25In the seventh month, however, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was of royal blood, came with ten men and assassinated Gedaliah and also the men of Judah and the Babylonians who were with him at Mizpah. 26At this, all the people from the least to the greatest, together with the army officers, fled to Egypt† for fear of the Babylonians.

Jehoiachin Released

27In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the year Evil-Merodach[76] became king of Babylon, he released Jehoiachin† from prison on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month. 28He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honor† higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. 29So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king’s table.† 30Day by day the king gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance as long as he lived.†

1 CHRONICLES

Author, Place and Date of Writing

According to the Jewish Talmud Ezra the scribe wrote Chronicles. Its division into two books, 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles, first appears in the Septuagint. Because the book of Ezra begins where 2 Chronicles leaves off (cf. 2Ch 36:22–23; Ezr 1:1–3a), many scholars believe that the same person authored/compiled 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah. All of these books emphasize genealogies, the centrality of Jerusalem, God’s temple and sacrifice. However, other scholars discount the single-author theory, arguing that the differences between Chronicles and Ezra outweigh the similarities.

The original book of Chronicles, written in Jerusalem during the fifth century B.C., describes events that happened much earlier. Clearly, the Chronicler made use of earlier Biblical sources, such as the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Lamentations. Other, nonbiblical sources are also cited (cf. 1Ch 29:29; 2Ch 9:29; 24:27).

Audience

The primary audience of 1 and 2 Chronicles was made up of the exiled Jews who had returned to Israel after the Babylonian captivity. The house of David had been dethroned and the nation, Jerusalem and the temple destroyed. The Jews needed to reestablish a sense of the continuity of the past with the present: God was still interested in them, his covenants with them remained in force, and his promises to King David still held meaning for them. Subsequent generations that read 1 and 2 Chronicles were reminded that, as God is faithful to his covenant promises, they also needed to remain faithful.

Cultural Facts and Highlights

God’s chosen people had experienced great hardship as a result of their sinfulness and resulting exile. Now, having returned to their home territory, they had the opportunity to start over—to obey God’s covenant and to receive his blessings.

Timeline

As You Read

It may seem as though the author of 1 Chronicles simply repeated historical facts recorded previously in Samuel and Kings concerning such people as David and Solomon. Remember, though, that the author of 1 Chronicles wanted to emphasize God’s covenant faithfulness and to encourage his readers to obey God. Yes, the long genealogies and details concerning the army, Levitical priesthood and temple service preparations can seem tedious, but allow yourself to look more deeply, paying particular attention to the manner in which the author traced God’s working throughout sacred history. Note in particular how consistently he presented the line of David as the chosen lineage of Messianic kings (cf. ch. 17).

Israel had serious planning to do now that the temple of God—the center of her worship—was about to be built. The author took this seriously: It is as though he were proclaiming, “The Jerusalem temple is the true house of God, and the Levitical priesthood is the only legitimate temple ministry.” In that light, notice how much attention David, Solomon and others paid to the details of the temple’s construction and the joy they experienced in the renewed opportunity to make sacrifices to God (cf. chs. 28–29).

Did You Know?


Themes

First Chronicles includes the following themes:

  1. The Davidic covenant. The genealogies in 1:1–9:44 emphasize the tribes of Judah and Benjamin because Chronicles is primarily concerned with the Davidic dynasty. God promised David that one day his descendant would rule an everlasting kingdom (17:7–14), and Chronicles demonstrates God’s continuing faithfulness to that promise.
  2. Preparations for temple worship. Meticulous emphasis is placed upon the detailed preparations David made for construction of the temple by his son Solomon. David brought the ark back to Jerusalem (15:1–16:3) and appointed Levites to attend it (16:4–38). After discovering the temple site (21:18–22:1) he began gathering and stockpiling building materials (22:2–5) and organized the priests and Levites for future temple service (23:2–26:32). David then charged his son Solomon with the building of the temple (22:6–16; 28:9–10) and ordered Israel’s leaders to help with its construction (22:17–19; 28:1–8). Near the end of his life David passed on to Solomon the detailed blueprints for the temple that he had received from God (28:11–19) and called the people to bring voluntary offerings for its construction (29:1–9). The temple building project was David’s dream, and he provided “all [his] resources” (29:2) for its construction.

Outline

I. Genealogies: From Creation to Restoration (1–9)

II. The Reign of David (10–26)

A. Saul’s Death and David’s Rise to Power (10–12)

B. Return of the Ark (13)

C. David’s Reign Established (14–17)

D. David’s Victories and Census (18–21)

E. Plans for Temple Construction and Organization (22–26)

III. Kingdom Organization and Staffing (27)

IV. Preparations for the Temple; Solomon’s Coronation; David’s Death (28–29)

Historical Records From Adam to Abraham

To Noah’s Sons


1 Chronicles 1

1Adam,† Seth, Enosh, 2Kenan,† Mahalalel,† Jared,† 3Enoch,† Methuselah,† Lamech,† Noah.†




4The sons of Noah:[1] †

Shem, Ham and Japheth.†

The Japhethites

5The sons[2] of Japheth:

Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech and Tiras.

6The sons of Gomer:

Ashkenaz, Riphath[3] and Togarmah.

7The sons of Javan:

Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittim and the Rodanim.

The Hamites

8The sons of Ham:

Cush, Mizraim,[4] Put and Canaan.

9The sons of Cush:

Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raamah and Sabteca.

The sons of Raamah:

Sheba and Dedan.

10Cush was the father[5] of

Nimrod, who grew to be a mighty warrior on earth.

11Mizraim was the father of

the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites, 12Pathrusites, Casluhites (from whom the Philistines came) and Caphtorites.

13Canaan was the father of

Sidon his firstborn,[6] and of the Hittites, 14Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, 15Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, 16Arvadites, Zemarites and Hamathites.

The Semites

17The sons of Shem:




Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud and Aram.

The sons of Aram:[7]

Uz, Hul, Gether and Meshech.

18Arphaxad was the father of Shelah,

and Shelah the father of Eber.

19Two sons were born to Eber:

One was named Peleg,[8] because in his time the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan.

20Joktan was the father of

Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 21Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 22Obal,[9] Abimael, Sheba, 23Ophir, Havilah and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan.

24Shem,† Arphaxad,[10] Shelah,

25Eber, Peleg, Reu,

26Serug, Nahor, Terah

27and Abram (that is, Abraham).

The Family of Abraham

28The sons of Abraham:

Isaac and Ishmael.

Descendants of Hagar

29These were their descendants:

Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 30Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, 31Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael.

Descendants of Keturah

32The sons born to Keturah, Abraham’s concubine:†

Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah.

The sons of Jokshan:

Sheba and Dedan.†

33The sons of Midian:

Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida and Eldaah.

All these were descendants of Keturah.

Descendants of Sarah

34Abraham† was the father of Isaac.†

The sons of Isaac:

Esau and Israel.†

Esau’s Sons

35The sons of Esau:†

Eliphaz, Reuel,† Jeush, Jalam and Korah.

36The sons of Eliphaz:

Teman, Omar, Zepho,[11] Gatam and Kenaz;

by Timna: Amalek.[12] †

37The sons of Reuel:†

Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah.

The People of Seir in Edom

38The sons of Seir:

Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer and Dishan.

39The sons of Lotan:

Hori and Homam. Timna was Lotan’s sister.

40The sons of Shobal:

Alvan,[13] Manahath, Ebal, Shepho and Onam.

The sons of Zibeon:

Aiah and Anah.†

41The son of Anah:

Dishon.

The sons of Dishon:

Hemdan,[14] Eshban, Ithran and Keran.

42The sons of Ezer:

Bilhan, Zaavan and Akan.[15]

The sons of Dishan[16]:

Uz and Aran.

The Rulers of Edom

43These were the kings who reigned in Edom before any Israelite king reigned[17]:

Bela son of Beor, whose city was named Dinhabah.

44When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah succeeded him as king.

45When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites† succeeded him as king.

46When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, succeeded him as king. His city was named Avith.

47When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah succeeded him as king.

48When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth on the river[18] succeeded him as king.

49When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan son of Acbor succeeded him as king.

50When Baal-Hanan died, Hadad succeeded him as king. His city was named Pau,[19] and his wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-Zahab. 51Hadad also died.

The chiefs of Edom were:

Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, 52Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, 53Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, 54Magdiel and Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom.


1 Chronicles 2

Israel’s Sons

1These were the sons of Israel:




Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, 2Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

Judah

To Hezron’s Sons

3The sons of Judah:†

Er, Onan and Shelah.† These three were born to him by a Canaanite woman, the daughter of Shua.† Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so the LORD put him to death.† 4Tamar,† Judah’s daughter-in-law,† bore him Perez† and Zerah. Judah had five sons in all.

5The sons of Perez:†

Hezron† and Hamul.

6The sons of Zerah:

Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol and Darda[20]—five in all.

7The son of Carmi:

Achar,[21] † who brought trouble on Israel by violating the ban on taking devoted things.[22] †

8The son of Ethan:

Azariah.

9The sons born to Hezron† were:

Jerahmeel, Ram and Caleb.[23]

From Ram Son of Hezron

10Ram† was the father of

Amminadab†, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon,† the leader of the people of Judah. 11Nahshon was the father of Salmon,[24] Salmon the father of Boaz, 12Boaz† the father of Obed and Obed the father of Jesse.†

13Jesse† was the father of

Eliab† his firstborn; the second son was Abinadab, the third Shimea, 14the fourth Nethanel, the fifth Raddai, 15the sixth Ozem and the seventh David. 16Their sisters were Zeruiah† and Abigail. Zeruiah’s† three sons were Abishai, Joab† and Asahel. 17Abigail was the mother of Amasa,† whose father was Jether the Ishmaelite.

Caleb Son of Hezron

18Caleb son of Hezron had children by his wife Azubah (and by Jerioth). These were her sons: Jesher, Shobab and Ardon. 19When Azubah died, Caleb† married Ephrath, who bore him Hur. 20Hur was the father of Uri, and Uri the father of Bezalel.†




21Later, Hezron lay with the daughter of Makir the father of Gilead† (he had married her when he was sixty years old), and she bore him Segub. 22Segub was the father of Jair, who controlled twenty-three towns in Gilead. 23(But Geshur and Aram captured Havvoth Jair,[25] † as well as Kenath† with its surrounding settlements—sixty towns.) All these were descendants of Makir the father of Gilead.

24After Hezron died in Caleb Ephrathah, Abijah the wife of Hezron bore him Ashhur† the father[26] of Tekoa.

Jerahmeel Son of Hezron

25The sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron:

Ram his firstborn, Bunah, Oren, Ozem and[27] Ahijah. 26Jerahmeel had another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam.

27The sons of Ram the firstborn of Jerahmeel:

Maaz, Jamin and Eker.

28The sons of Onam:

Shammai and Jada.

The sons of Shammai:

Nadab and Abishur.

29Abishur’s wife was named Abihail, who bore him Ahban and Molid.

30The sons of Nadab:

Seled and Appaim. Seled died without children.

31The son of Appaim:

Ishi, who was the father of Sheshan.

Sheshan was the father of Ahlai.

32The sons of Jada, Shammai’s brother:

Jether and Jonathan. Jether died without children.

33The sons of Jonathan:

Peleth and Zaza.

These were the descendants of Jerahmeel.

34Sheshan had no sons—only daughters.

He had an Egyptian servant named Jarha. 35Sheshan gave his daughter in marriage to his servant Jarha, and she bore him Attai.

36Attai was the father of Nathan,

Nathan the father of Zabad,†

37Zabad the father of Ephlal,

Ephlal the father of Obed,

38Obed the father of Jehu,

Jehu the father of Azariah,

39Azariah the father of Helez,

Helez the father of Eleasah,

40Eleasah the father of Sismai,

Sismai the father of Shallum,

41Shallum the father of Jekamiah,

and Jekamiah the father of Elishama.

The Clans of Caleb

42The sons of Caleb† the brother of Jerahmeel:

Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph, and his son Mareshah,[28] who was the father of Hebron.

43The sons of Hebron:

Korah, Tappuah, Rekem and Shema. 44Shema was the father of Raham, and Raham the father of Jorkeam. Rekem was the father of Shammai. 45The son of Shammai was Maon†, and Maon was the father of Beth Zur.†

46Caleb’s concubine Ephah was the mother of Haran, Moza and Gazez. Haran was the father of Gazez.

47The sons of Jahdai:

Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah and Shaaph.

48Caleb’s concubine Maacah was the mother of Sheber and Tirhanah. 49She also gave birth to Shaaph the father of Madmannah† and to Sheva the father of Macbenah and Gibea. Caleb’s daughter was Acsah.† 50These were the descendants of Caleb.

The sons of Hur† the firstborn of Ephrathah:

Shobal the father of Kiriath Jearim,† 51Salma the father of Bethlehem, and Hareph the father of Beth Gader.

52The descendants of Shobal the father of Kiriath Jearim were:

Haroeh, half the Manahathites, 53and the clans of Kiriath Jearim: the Ithrites,† Puthites, Shumathites and Mishraites. From these descended the Zorathites and Eshtaolites.

54The descendants of Salma:

Bethlehem, the Netophathites,† Atroth Beth Joab, half the Manahathites, the Zorites, 55and the clans of scribes[29] who lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, Shimeathites and Sucathites. These are the Kenites† who came from Hammath,† the father of the house of Recab.[30] †

The Sons of David


1 Chronicles 3

1These were the sons of David† born to him in Hebron:

The firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel;†

the second, Daniel the son of Abigail† of Carmel;

2the third, Absalom the son of Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

the fourth, Adonijah† the son of Haggith;

3the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;

and the sixth, Ithream, by his wife Eglah.

4These six were born to David in Hebron,† where he reigned seven years and six months.†

David reigned in Jerusalem thirty-three years, 5and these were the children born to him there:

Shammua,[31] Shobab, Nathan and Solomon. These four were by Bathsheba[32] † daughter of Ammiel. 6There were also Ibhar, Elishua,[33] Eliphelet, 7Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 8Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet—nine in all. 9All these were the sons of David, besides his sons by his concubines. And Tamar† was their sister.†

The Kings of Judah

10Solomon’s son was Rehoboam,†

Abijah his son,

Asa his son,

Jehoshaphat† his son,

11Jehoram[34] † his son,

Ahaziah† his son,

Joash† his son,

12Amaziah† his son,

Azariah his son,

Jotham† his son,

13Ahaz† his son,

Hezekiah† his son,

Manasseh† his son,

14Amon† his son,

Josiah† his son.

15The sons of Josiah:

Johanan the firstborn,

Jehoiakim† the second son,

Zedekiah† the third,

Shallum† the fourth.

16The successors of Jehoiakim:

Jehoiachin[35] † his son,

and Zedekiah.†

The Royal Line After the Exile

17The descendants of Jehoiachin the captive:

Shealtiel† his son, 18Malkiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar,† Jekamiah, Hoshama and Nedabiah.†

19The sons of Pedaiah:

Zerubbabel† and Shimei.

The sons of Zerubbabel:

Meshullam and Hananiah.

Shelomith was their sister.

20There were also five others:

Hashubah, Ohel, Berekiah, Hasadiah and Jushab-Hesed.

21The descendants of Hananiah:

Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, and the sons of Rephaiah, of Arnan, of Obadiah and of Shecaniah.

22The descendants of Shecaniah:

Shemaiah and his sons:

Hattush,† Igal, Bariah, Neariah and Shaphat—six in all.

23The sons of Neariah:

Elioenai, Hizkiah and Azrikam—three in all.

24The sons of Elioenai:

Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah and Anani—seven in all.

Other Clans of Judah


1 Chronicles 4

1The descendants of Judah:†

Perez, Hezron,† Carmi, Hur and Shobal.

2Reaiah son of Shobal was the father of Jahath, and Jahath the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the clans of the Zorathites.

3These were the sons[36] of Etam:

Jezreel, Ishma and Idbash. Their sister was named Hazzelelponi. 4Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah.

These were the descendants of Hur,† the firstborn of Ephrathah and father[37] of Bethlehem.†

5Ashhur† the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.

6Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni and Haahashtari. These were the descendants of Naarah.

7The sons of Helah:

Zereth, Zohar, Ethnan, 8and Koz, who was the father of Anub and Hazzobebah and of the clans of Aharhel son of Harum.

9Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez,[38] saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” 10Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.

11Kelub, Shuhah’s brother, was the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton. 12Eshton was the father of Beth Rapha, Paseah and Tehinnah the father of Ir Nahash.[39] These were the men of Recah.

13The sons of Kenaz:

Othniel† and Seraiah.

The sons of Othniel:

Hathath and Meonothai.[40] 14Meonothai was the father of Ophrah.

Seraiah was the father of Joab,

the father of Ge Harashim.[41] It was called this because its people were craftsmen.

15The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh:

Iru, Elah and Naam.

The son of Elah:

Kenaz.

16The sons of Jehallelel:

Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria and Asarel.

17The sons of Ezrah:

Jether, Mered, Epher and Jalon. One of Mered’s wives gave birth to Miriam,† Shammai and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa. 18(His Judean wife gave birth to Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah.†) These were the children of Pharaoh’s daughter Bithiah, whom Mered had married.

19The sons of Hodiah’s wife, the sister of Naham:

the father of Keilah† the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maacathite.†

20The sons of Shimon:

Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-Hanan and Tilon.

The descendants of Ishi:

Zoheth and Ben-Zoheth.

21The sons of Shelah† son of Judah:

Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah and the clans of the linen workers at Beth Ashbea, 22Jokim, the men of Cozeba, and Joash and Saraph, who ruled in Moab and Jashubi Lehem. (These records are from ancient times.) 23They were the potters who lived at Netaim and Gederah; they stayed there and worked for the king.

Simeon

24The descendants of Simeon:†

Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib,† Zerah and Shaul;

25Shallum was Shaul’s son, Mibsam his son and Mishma his son.

26The descendants of Mishma:

Hammuel his son, Zaccur his son and Shimei his son.

27Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children; so their entire clan did not become as numerous as the people of Judah. 28They lived in Beersheba,† Moladah,† Hazar Shual, 29Bilhah, Ezem,† Tolad, 30Bethuel, Hormah,† Ziklag, 31Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri and Shaaraim.† These were their towns until the reign of David. 32Their surrounding villages were Etam, Ain,† Rimmon, Token and Ashan†—five towns— 33and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath.[42] These were their settlements. And they kept a genealogical record.

34Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah, 35Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel, 36also Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, 37and Ziza son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah.

38The men listed above by name were leaders of their clans. Their families increased greatly, 39and they went to the outskirts of Gedor† to the east of the valley in search of pasture for their flocks. 40They found rich, good pasture, and the land was spacious, peaceful and quiet.† Some Hamites had lived there formerly.

41The men whose names were listed came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. They attacked the Hamites in their dwellings and also the Meunites† who were there and completely destroyed[43] them, as is evident to this day. Then they settled in their place, because there was pasture for their flocks. 42And five hundred of these Simeonites, led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, invaded the hill country of Seir.† 43They killed the remaining Amalekites† who had escaped, and they have lived there to this day.


1 Chronicles 5

Reuben

1The sons of Reuben† the firstborn of Israel (he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father’s marriage bed,† his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph† son of Israel;† so he could not be listed in the genealogical record in accordance with his birthright,† 2and though Judah† was the strongest of his brothers and a ruler† came from him, the rights of the firstborn† belonged to Joseph)— 3the sons of Reuben† the firstborn of Israel:

Hanoch, Pallu,† Hezron and Carmi.

4The descendants of Joel:

Shemaiah his son, Gog his son,

Shimei his son, 5Micah his son,

Reaiah his son, Baal his son,

6and Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-Pileser[44] † king of Assyria took into exile. Beerah was a leader of the Reubenites.

7Their relatives by clans,† listed according to their genealogical records:

Jeiel the chief, Zechariah, 8and Bela son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel. They settled in the area from Aroer† to Nebo and Baal Meon. 9To the east they occupied the land up to the edge of the desert that extends to the Euphrates River, because their livestock had increased in Gilead.†

10During Saul’s reign they waged war against the Hagrites†, who were defeated at their hands; they occupied the dwellings of the Hagrites throughout the entire region east of Gilead.

Gad

11The Gadites† lived next to them in Bashan, as far as Salecah:†

12Joel was the chief, Shapham the second, then Janai and Shaphat, in Bashan.

13Their relatives, by families, were:

Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia and Eber—seven in all.

14These were the sons of Abihail son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz.

15Ahi son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, was head of their family.

16The Gadites lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its outlying villages, and on all the pasturelands of Sharon as far as they extended.

17All these were entered in the genealogical records during the reigns of Jotham† king of Judah and Jeroboam† king of Israel.

18The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men ready for military service†—able-bodied men who could handle shield and sword, who could use a bow, and who were trained for battle. 19They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur,† Naphish and Nodab. 20They were helped† in fighting them, and God handed the Hagrites and all their allies over to them, because they cried† out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted† in him. 21They seized the livestock of the Hagrites—fifty thousand camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep and two thousand donkeys. They also took one hundred thousand people captive, 22and many others fell slain, because the battle† was God’s. And they occupied the land until the exile.†

The Half-Tribe of Manasseh

23The people of the half-tribe of Manasseh were numerous; they settled in the land from Bashan to Baal Hermon, that is, to Senir (Mount Hermon).†

24These were the heads of their families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah and Jahdiel. They were brave warriors, famous men, and heads of their families. 25But they were unfaithful† to the God of their fathers and prostituted† themselves to the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. 26So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul† king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-Pileser† king of Assyria), who took the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. He took them to Halah,† Habor, Hara and the river of Gozan, where they are to this day.


1 Chronicles 6

Levi

1The sons of Levi:†




Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

2The sons of Kohath:

Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.

3The children of Amram:

Aaron, Moses and Miriam.

The sons of Aaron:

Nadab, Abihu,† Eleazar and Ithamar.

4Eleazar was the father of Phinehas,

Phinehas the father of Abishua,

5Abishua the father of Bukki,

Bukki the father of Uzzi,

6Uzzi the father of Zerahiah,

Zerahiah the father of Meraioth,

7Meraioth the father of Amariah,

Amariah the father of Ahitub,

8Ahitub the father of Zadok,†

Zadok the father of Ahimaaz,

9Ahimaaz the father of Azariah,

Azariah the father of Johanan,