26 And on the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of 1Berachah, for there they blessed the LORD; therefore the name of that place was called The Valley of Berachah until this day.
27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat in front of them, to go back to Jerusalem with joy, for the LORD had amade them rejoice over their enemies.
28 So they came to Jerusalem, with stringed instruments and harps and trumpets, to the house of the LORD.
29 And athe fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.
30 Then the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his aGod gave him rest all around.
The End of Jehoshaphat’s Reign
31 aSo Jehoshaphat was king over Judah. He 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.
32 And he walked in the way of his father aAsa, and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the LORD.
33 Nevertheless athe 1high places were not taken away, for as yet the people had not bdirected their hearts to the God of their fathers.
34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, indeed they are written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, awhich is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel.
35 After this aJehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, bwho acted very cwickedly.
36 And he allied himself with him ato make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion Geber.
37 But Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works.” aThen the ships were wrecked, so that they were not able to go bto Tarshish.
Jehoram Reigns in Judah
1 And aJehoshaphat 1rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place.
2 He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azaryahu, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.
3 Their father gave them great gifts of silver and gold and precious things, with fortified cities in Judah; but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn.
4 Now when Jehoram 1was established over the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself and killed all his brothers with the sword, and also others of the princes of Israel.
5 aJehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
6 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for he had the daughter of aAhab as a wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.
7 Yet the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the acovenant that He had *made with David, and since He had promised to give a lamp to him and to his bsons forever.
8 aIn his days Edom revolted against Judah’s authority, and made a king over themselves.
9 So Jehoram went out with his officers, and all his chariots with him. And he rose by night and attacked the Edomites who had surrounded him and the captains of the chariots.
10 Thus Edom has been in revolt against Judah’s authority to this day. At that time Libnah revolted against his rule, because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers.
11 Moreover he made 1high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to acommit harlotry, and led Judah astray.
12 And a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying,
Thus says the LORD God of your father David:
Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, or in the ways of Asa king of Judah,
13 but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have amade Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to bplay the harlot like the charlotry of the house of Ahab, and also have dkilled your brothers, those of your father’s household, who were better than yourself,
14 behold, the LORD will strike your people with a serious affliction—your children, your wives, and all your possessions;
15 and you will become very sick with a adisease of your intestines, until your intestines come out by reason of the sickness, day by day.
16 Moreover the aLORD bstirred* up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and the cArabians who were near the Ethiopians.
17 And they came up into Judah and invaded it, and carried away all the possessions that were found in the king’s house, and also ahis sons and his wives, so that there was not a son left to him except 1Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.
18 After all this the LORD struck him ain his intestines with an incurable disease.
19 Then it happened in the course of time, after the end of two years, that his intestines came out because of his sickness; so he died in severe pain. And his people made no 1burning for him, like athe burning for his fathers.
20 He was thirty-two years old when he became king. He reigned in Jerusalem eight years and, to no one’s sorrow, departed. However they buried him in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.
Ahaziah Reigns in Judah
1 Then the inhabitants of Jerusalem made aAhaziah his youngest son king in his place, for the raiders who came with the bArabians into the camp had killed all the colder sons. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, reigned.
2 Ahaziah was 1forty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was aAthaliah the 2granddaughter of Omri.
3 He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother advised him to do wickedly.
4 Therefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD, like the house of Ahab; for they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction.
5 He also followed their advice, and went with 1Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram.
6 aThen he returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds which he had received at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And 1Azariah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.
7 His going to Joram awas God’s occasion for Ahaziah’s 1downfall; for when he arrived, bhe went out with 2Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, cwhom the LORD had *anointed to 3cut off the house of Ahab.
8 And it happened, when Jehu was aexecuting judgment on the house of Ahab, and bfound the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers who served Ahaziah, that he killed them.
9 aThen he searched for Ahaziah; and they caught him (he was hiding in Samaria), and brought him to Jehu. When they had killed him, they buried him, “because,” they said, “he is the son of bJehoshaphat, who csought the LORD with all his heart.” So the house of Ahaziah had no one to assume power over the kingdom.
Athaliah Reigns in Judah
10 aNow when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal heirs of the house of Judah.
11 But 1Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took aJoash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were being murdered, and put him and his nurse in a bedroom. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid him from Athaliah so that she did not kill him.
12 And he was hidden with them in the house of God for six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.
Joash Crowned King of Judah
1 In athe seventh year bJehoiada strengthened himself, and made a covenant with the captains of hundreds: Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, Azariah the son of cObed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri.
2 And they went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah, and the achief fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.
3 Then all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said to them, “Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as the LORD has asaid of the sons of David.
4 “This is what you shall do: One-third of you aentering on the Sabbath, of the priests and the Levites, shall be keeping watch over the doors;
5 “one-third shall be at the king’s house; and one-third at the Gate of the Foundation. All the people shall be in the courts of the house of the LORD.
6 “But let no one come into the house of the LORD except the priests and athose of the Levites who serve. They may go in, for they are holy; but all the people shall keep the watch of the LORD.
7 “And the Levites shall surround the king on all sides, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes into the house, let him be put to death. You are to be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”
8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each man took his men who were to be on duty on the Sabbath, with those who were going off duty on the Sabbath; for Jehoiada the priest had not dismissed athe divisions.
9 And Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains of hundreds the spears and the large and small ashields which had belonged to King David, that were in the temple of God.
10 Then he set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and by the temple, all around the king.
11 And they brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, agave him the 1Testimony, and made him king. Then Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, “Long live the king!”
Death of Athaliah
12 Now when aAthaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people in the temple of the LORD.
13 When she looked, there was the king standing by his pillar at the entrance; and the leaders and the trumpeters were by the king. All the people of the land were rejoicing and *blowing trumpets, also the singers with musical instruments, and athose who led in praise. So Athaliah tore her clothes and said, b“Treason! Treason!”
14 And Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, “Take her outside under guard, and slay with the sword whoever follows her.” For the priest had said, “Do not kill her in the house of the LORD.”
15 So they seized her; and she went by way of the entrance aof the Horse Gate into the king’s house, and they killed her there.
16 Then Jehoiada made a acovenant between himself, the people, and the king, that they should be the LORD’s people.
17 And all the people went to the 1temple of Baal, and tore it down. They broke in pieces its altars and images, and akilled Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.
18 Also Jehoiada appointed the oversight of the house of the LORD to the hand of the priests, the Levites, whom David had aassigned in the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as it is written in the bLaw of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was established by David.
19 And he set the agatekeepers at the gates of the house of the LORD, so that no one who was in any way unclean should enter.
20 aThen he took the captains of hundreds, the nobles, the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from the house of the LORD; and they went through the Upper Gate to the king’s house, and set the king on the throne of the kingdom.
21 So all the people of the land rejoiced; and the city was quiet, for they had slain Athaliah with the sword.
Joash Repairs the Temple
1 Joash awas seven years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba.
2 Joash adid what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.
3 And Jehoiada took two wives for him, and he had sons and daughters.
4 Now it happened after this that Joash set his heart on repairing the house of the LORD.
5 Then he gathered the priests and the Levites, and said to them, “Go out to the cities of Judah, and agather from all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that you do it quickly.” However the Levites did not do it quickly.
6 aSo the king called Jehoiada the chief priest, and said to him, “Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and from Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of bMoses the servant of the LORD and of the assembly of Israel, for the ctabernacle of witness?”
7 For athe sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken into the house of God, and had also presented all the bdedicated things of the house of the LORD to the Baals.
8 Then at the king’s command athey made a chest, and set it outside at the gate of the house of the LORD.
9 And they made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to bring to the LORD athe collection that Moses the servant of God had imposed on Israel in the wilderness.
10 Then all the leaders and all the people rejoiced, brought their contributions, and put them into the chest until all had given.
11 So it was, at that time, when the chest was brought to the king’s official by the hand of the Levites, and awhen they saw that there was much money, that the king’s scribe and the high priest’s officer came and emptied the chest, and took it and returned it to its place. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.
12 The king and Jehoiada gave it to those who did the work of the service of the house of the LORD; and they hired masons and carpenters to arepair the house of the LORD, and also those who worked in iron and bronze to restore the house of the LORD.
13 So the workmen labored, and the work was completed by them; they restored the house of God to its original condition and reinforced it.
14 When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada; athey made from it articles for the house of the LORD, articles for serving and offering, spoons and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada.
Apostasy of Joash
15 But Jehoiada grew old and was full of days, and he died; he was one hundred and thirty years old when he died.
16 And they buried him in the City of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God and His house.
17 Now after the death of Jehoiada the leaders of Judah came and bowed down to the king. And the king listened to them.
18 Therefore they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served awooden images and idols; and bwrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of their trespass.
19 Yet He asent prophets to them, to bring them back to the LORD; and they testified against them, but they would not listen.
20 Then the *Spirit of God 1came upon aZechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God: b‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD, so that you cannot prosper? cBecause you have forsaken the LORD, He also has forsaken you.’ ”
21 So they conspired against him, and at the command of the king they astoned him with stones in the court of the house of the LORD.
22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which Jehoiada his 1father had done to him, but killed his son; and as he died, he said, “The LORD look on it, and arepay!”
Death of Joash
23 So it happened in the spring of the year that athe army of Syria came up against him; and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the leaders of the people from among the people, and sent all their 1spoil to the king of Damascus.
24 For the army of the Syrians acame with a small company of men; but the LORD bdelivered a very great army into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they cexecuted judgment against Joash.
25 And when they had withdrawn from him (for they left him severely wounded), ahis own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the 1sons of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed. So he died. And they buried him in the City of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.
26 These are the ones who conspired against him: 1Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of 2Shimrith the Moabitess.
27 Now concerning his sons, and athe many oracles about him, and the repairing of the house of God, indeed they are written in the 1annals of the book of the kings. bThen Amaziah his son reigned in his place.
Amaziah Reigns in Judah
1 Amaziah awas twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
2 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, abut not with a loyal heart.
3 aNow it happened, as soon as the kingdom was established for him, that he executed his servants who had murdered his father the king.
4 However he did not execute their children, but did as it is written in the Law in the Book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, a“The fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall the children be put to death for their fathers; but a person shall die for his own sin.”
The War Against Edom
5 Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together and set over them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, according to their fathers’ houses, throughout all Judah and Benjamin; and he numbered them afrom twenty years old and above, and found them to be three hundred thousand choice men, able to go to war, who could handle spear and shield.
6 He also hired one hundred thousand mighty men of valor from Israel for one hundred talents of silver.
7 But a aman of God came to him, saying, “O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the LORD is not with Israel—not with any of the children of Ephraim.
8 “But if you go, be gone! Be strong in battle! Even so, God shall make you fall before the enemy; for God has apower to help and to overthrow.”
9 Then Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what shall we do about the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?” And the man of God answered, a“The LORD is able to give you much more than this.”
10 So Amaziah discharged the troops that had come to him from Ephraim, to go back home. Therefore their anger was greatly aroused against Judah, and they returned home in great anger.
11 Then Amaziah strengthened himself, and leading his people, he went to athe Valley of Salt and killed ten thousand of the people of Seir.
12 Also the children of Judah took captive ten thousand alive, brought them to the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, so that they all were dashed in pieces.
13 But as for the soldiers of the army which Amaziah had discharged, so that they would not go with him to battle, they raided the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth Horon, killed three thousand in them, and took much 1spoil.
14 Now it was so, after Amaziah came from the slaughter of the Edomites, that ahe brought the gods of the people of Seir, set them up to be bhis gods, and bowed down before them and burned incense to them.
15 Therefore the anger of the LORD was aroused against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, “Why have you sought athe gods of the people, which bcould not rescue their own people from your hand?”
16 So it was, as he talked with him, that the king said to him, “Have we made you the king’s counselor? Cease! Why should you be killed?” Then the prophet ceased, and said, “I know that God has adetermined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not heeded my advice.”
Israel Defeats Judah
17 Now aAmaziah king of Judah asked advice and sent to 1Joash the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face one another in battle.”
18 And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as wife’; and a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle.
19 “Indeed you say that you have defeated the Edomites, and your heart is lifted up to aboast. Stay at home now; why should you meddle with trouble, that you should fall—you and Judah with you?”
20 But Amaziah would not heed, for ait came from God, that He might give them into the hand of their enemies, because they bsought the gods of Edom.
21 So Joash king of Israel went out; and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced one another at aBeth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah.
22 And Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man fled to his tent.
23 Then Joash the king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of aJehoahaz, at Beth Shemesh; and he brought him to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate—four hundred cubits.
24 And he took all the gold and silver, all the articles that were found in the house of God with aObed-Edom, the treasures of the king’s house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.
Death of Amaziah
25 aAmaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel.
26 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, from first to last, indeed are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?
27 After the time that Amaziah turned away from following the LORD, they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there.
28 Then they brought him on horses and buried him with his fathers in 1the City of Judah.
Uzziah Reigns in Judah
1 Now all the people of Judah took 1Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.
2 He built 1Elath and restored it to Judah, after the king rested with his fathers.
3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.
4 And he did what was aright in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done.
5 aHe sought God in the days of Zechariah, who bhad understanding in the 1visions of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him cprosper.
6 Now he went out and amade war against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath, the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities around Ashdod and among the Philistines.
7 God helped him against athe Philistines, against the Arabians who lived in Gur Baal, and against the Meunites.
8 Also the Ammonites abrought tribute to Uzziah. His fame spread as far as the entrance of Egypt, for he became exceedingly strong.
9 And Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the aCorner Gate, at the Valley Gate, and at the corner buttress of the wall; then he *fortified them.
10 Also he built towers in the desert. He dug many wells, for he had much livestock, both in the lowlands and in the plains; he also had farmers and vinedressers in the mountains and in 1Carmel, for he loved the soil.
11 Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men who went out to war by companies, according to the number on their roll as prepared by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king’s captains.
12 The total number of 1chief officers of the mighty men of valor was two thousand six hundred.
13 And under their authority was an army of three hundred and seven thousand five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.
14 Then Uzziah prepared for them, for the entire army, shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows, and slings to cast stones.
15 And he made devices in Jerusalem, invented by askillful men, to be on the towers and the corners, to shoot arrows and large stones. So his fame spread far and wide, for he was marvelously helped till he became strong.
The Penalty for Uzziah’s Pride
16 But awhen he was strong his heart was blifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God cby entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.
17 So aAzariah the priest went in after him, and with him were eighty priests of the LORD—valiant men.
18 And they withstood King Uzziah, and said to him, “It ais not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the bpriests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed! You shall have no honor from the LORD God.”
19 Then Uzziah became furious; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, aleprosy broke out on his forehead, before the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the incense altar.
20 And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and there, on his forehead, he was leprous; so they thrust him out of that place. Indeed he also ahurried to get out, because the LORD had struck him.
21 aKing Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He dwelt in an bisolated house, because he was a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD. Then Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.
22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, from first to last, the prophet aIsaiah the son of Amoz wrote.
23 aSo Uzziah 1rested with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of burial which belonged to the kings, for they said, “He is a leper.” Then Jotham his son reigned in his place.
Jotham Reigns in Judah
1 Jotham awas twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was 1Jerushah the daughter of Zadok.
2 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah had done (although he did not enter the temple of the LORD). But still athe people acted corruptly.
3 He built the Upper Gate of the house of the LORD, and he built extensively on the wall of aOphel.
4 Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built fortresses and towers.
5 He also fought with the king of the aAmmonites and defeated them. And the people of Ammon gave him in that year one hundred talents of silver, ten thousand kors of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. The people of Ammon paid this to him in the second and third years also.
6 So Jotham became mighty, abecause he prepared his ways before the LORD his God.
7 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars and his ways, indeed they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
8 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.
9 aSo Jotham 1rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. Then bAhaz his son reigned in his place.
Ahaz Reigns in Judah
1 Ahaz awas twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD, as his father David had done.
2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made amolded images for bthe Baals.
3 He burned incense in athe Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and burned bhis children in the cfire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had dcast out before the children of Israel.
4 And he sacrificed and burned incense on the 1high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
Syria and Israel Defeat Judah
5 Therefore athe LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria. They bdefeated him, and carried away a great multitude of them as captives, and brought them to Damascus. Then he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who defeated him with a great slaughter.
6 For aPekah the son of Remaliah killed one hundred and twenty thousand in Judah in one day, all valiant men, bbecause they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.
7 Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king’s son, Azrikam the officer over the house, and Elkanah who was second to the king.
8 And the children of Israel carried away captive of their abrethren two hundred thousand women, sons, and daughters; and they also took away much 1spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.
Israel Returns the Captives
9 But a aprophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded; and he went out before the army that came to Samaria, and said to them: “Look, bbecause the LORD God of your fathers was angry with Judah, He has delivered them into your hand; but you have killed them in a rage that creaches up to heaven.
10 “And now you propose to force the children of Judah and Jerusalem to be your amale and female slaves; but are you not also guilty before the LORD your God?
11 “Now hear me, therefore, and return the captives, whom you have taken captive from your brethren, afor the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you.”
12 Then some of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against those who came from the war,
13 and said to them, “You shall not bring the captives here, for we already have offended the LORD. You intend to add to our sins and to our guilt; for our guilt is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.”
14 So the armed men left the captives and the 1spoil before the leaders and all the assembly.
15 Then the men awho were designated by name rose up and took the captives, and from the 1spoil they clothed all who were naked among them, dressed them and gave them sandals, bgave them food and drink, and anointed them; and they let all the feeble ones ride on donkeys. So they brought them to their brethren at Jericho, cthe city of palm trees. Then they returned to Samaria.
Assyria Refuses to Help Judah
16 aAt the same time King Ahaz sent to the 1kings of Assyria to help him.
17 For again the aEdomites had come, attacked Judah, and carried away captives.
18 aThe Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland and of the South of Judah, and had taken Beth Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Sochoh with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages; and they dwelt there.
19 For the LORD 1brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of aIsrael, for he had bencouraged moral decline in Judah and had been continually unfaithful to the LORD.
20 Also aTiglath-Pileser1 king of Assyria came to him and distressed him, and did not assist him.
21 For Ahaz took part of the treasures from the house of the LORD, from the house of the king, and from the leaders, and he gave it to the king of Assyria; but he did not help him.
Apostasy and Death of Ahaz
22 Now in the time of his distress King Ahaz became increasingly unfaithful to the LORD. This is that King Ahaz.
23 For ahe sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him, saying, “Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, I will sacrifice to them bthat they may help me.” But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel.
24 So Ahaz gathered the articles of the house of God, cut in pieces the articles of the house of God, ashut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and made for himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem.
25 And in every single city of Judah he made 1high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers.
26 aNow the rest of his acts and all his ways, from first to last, indeed they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
27 So Ahaz 1rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem; but they adid not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel. Then Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.
Hezekiah Reigns in Judah
1 Hezekiah abecame king when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was 1Abijah the daughter of Zechariah.
2 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done.
Hezekiah Cleanses the Temple
3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he aopened the doors of the house of the LORD and repaired them.
4 Then he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them in the East Square,
5 and said to them: “Hear me, Levites! Now 1sanctify yourselves, asanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry out the rubbish from the holy place.
6 “For our fathers have trespassed and done evil in the eyes of the LORD our God; they have forsaken Him, have aturned their faces away from the 1dwelling place of the LORD, and turned their backs on Him.
7 a“They have also shut up the doors of the vestibule, put out the lamps, and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel.
8 “Therefore the awrath of the LORD fell upon Judah and Jerusalem, and He has bgiven them up to trouble, to desolation, and to cjeering, as you see with your deyes.
9 “For indeed, because of this aour fathers have fallen by the sword; and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity.
10 “Now it is in my heart to make aa covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that His fierce wrath may turn away from us.
11 “My sons, do not be negligent now, for the LORD has achosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, and that you should minister to Him and burn incense.”
12 Then these Levites arose: aMahath the son of Amasai and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the bKohathites; of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; of the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah and Eden the son of Joah;
13 of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeiel; of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah;
14 of the sons of Heman, Jehiel and Shimei; and of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel.
15 And they gathered their brethren, asanctified1 themselves, and went according to the commandment of the king, at the words of the LORD, bto cleanse the house of the LORD.
16 Then the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD to cleanse it, and brought out all the debris that they found in the temple of the LORD to the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it out and carried it to the Brook aKidron.
17 Now they began to 1sanctify on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the vestibule of the LORD. So they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished.
18 Then they went in to King Hezekiah and said, “We have *cleansed all the house of the LORD, the altar of burnt offerings with all its articles, and the table of the showbread with all its articles.
19 “Moreover all the articles which King Ahaz in his reign had acast aside in his transgression we have prepared and 1sanctified; and there they are, before the altar of the LORD.”
Hezekiah Restores Temple Worship
20 Then King Hezekiah rose early, gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD.
21 And they brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats for a asin* offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary, and for Judah. Then he commanded the priests, the sons of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of the LORD.
22 So they killed the bulls, and the priests received the blood and asprinkled it on the altar. Likewise they killed the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar. They also killed the lambs and sprinkled the blood on the altar.
23 Then they brought out the male goats for the sin offering before the king and the assembly, and they laid their ahands on them.
24 And the priests killed them; and they presented their blood on the altar as a sin offering ato make an atonement for all Israel, for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering be made for all Israel.
25 aAnd he stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with stringed instruments, and with harps, baccording to the commandment of David, of cGad the king’s seer, and of Nathan the prophet; dfor thus was the commandment of the LORD by His prophets.
26 The Levites stood with the instruments aof David, and the priests with bthe trumpets.
27 Then Hezekiah commanded them to offer the burnt offering on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, athe song of the LORD also began, with the trumpets and with the instruments of David king of Israel.
28 So all the assembly worshiped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.
29 And when they had finished offering, athe king and all who were present with him bowed and worshiped.
30 Moreover King Hezekiah and the leaders commanded the Levites to sing praise to the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped.
31 Then Hezekiah answered and said, “Now that you have consecrated yourselves to the LORD, come near, and bring sacrifices and athank offerings into the house of the LORD.” So the assembly brought in sacrifices and thank offerings, and as many as were of a bwilling heart brought burnt offerings.
32 And the number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was seventy bulls, one hundred rams, and two hundred lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD.
33 The consecrated things were six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep.
34 But the priests were too few, so that they could not skin all the burnt offerings; therefore atheir brethren the Levites helped them until the work was ended and until the other priests had 1sanctified themselves, bfor the Levites were cmore diligent in dsanctifying themselves than the priests.
35 Also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with athe fat of the peace offerings and with bthe drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order.
36 Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced that God had prepared the people, since the events took place so suddenly.
Hezekiah Keeps the Passover
1 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to the LORD God of Israel.
2 For the king and his leaders and all the assembly in Jerusalem had agreed to keep the Passover in the second amonth.
3 For they could not keep it aat 1the regular time, bbecause a sufficient number of priests had not consecrated themselves, nor had the people gathered together at Jerusalem.
4 And the matter pleased the king and all the assembly.
5 So they 1resolved to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem, since they had not done it for a long time in the prescribed manner.
6 Then the arunners went throughout all Israel and Judah with the letters from the king and his leaders, and spoke according to the command of the king: “Children of Israel, breturn to the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; then He will return to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of cthe kings of dAssyria.
7 “And do not be alike your fathers and your brethren, who trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, so that He bgave them up to cdesolation, as you see.
8 “Now do not be astiff-necked,1 as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the LORD; and enter His sanctuary, which He has sanctified forever, and serve the LORD your God, bthat the fierceness of His wrath may turn away from you.
9 “For if you return to the LORD, your brethren and your children will be treated with acompassion by those who lead them captive, so that they may come back to this land; for the LORD your God is bgracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you creturn to Him.”
10 So the runners passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun; but athey *laughed at them and mocked them.
11 Nevertheless asome from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.
12 Also athe hand of God was on Judah to give them singleness of heart to obey the command of the king and the leaders, bat the word of the LORD.
13 Now many people, a very great assembly, gathered at Jerusalem to keep the Feast of aUnleavened Bread in the second month.
14 They arose and took away the aaltars that were in Jerusalem, and they took away all the incense altars and cast them into the Brook bKidron.
15 Then they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites 1were aashamed, and 2sanctified themselves, and brought the burnt offerings to the house of the LORD.
16 They stood in their aplace 1according to their custom, according to the Law of Moses the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood received from the hand of the Levites.
17 For there were many in the assembly who had not 1sanctified themselves; atherefore the Levites had charge of the slaughter of the Passover lambs for everyone who was not clean, to sanctify them to the LORD.
18 For a multitude of the people, amany from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, byet they ate the Passover contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good LORD provide atonement for everyone
19 “who aprepares his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.”
20 And the LORD listened to Hezekiah and healed the people.
21 So the children of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept athe Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness; and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing to the LORD, accompanied by loud instruments.
22 And Hezekiah gave encouragement to all the Levites awho taught the good knowledge of the LORD; and they ate throughout the *feast seven days, offering peace offerings and bmaking confession to the LORD God of their fathers.
23 Then the whole *assembly agreed to keep the feast aanother seven days, and they kept it another seven days with gladness.
24 For Hezekiah king of Judah agave to the assembly a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep, and the leaders gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep; and a great number of priests bsanctified1 themselves.
25 The whole assembly of Judah rejoiced, also the priests and Levites, all the assembly that came from Israel, the sojourners awho came from the land of Israel, and those who dwelt in Judah.
26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of aSolomon the son of David, king of Israel, there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem.
27 Then the priests, the Levites, arose and ablessed the people, and their voice was heard; and their prayer came up to bHis holy dwelling place, to heaven.
The Reforms of Hezekiah
1 Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah and abroke the sacred pillars in pieces, cut down the wooden images, and threw down the 1high places and the altars—from all Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh—until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned to their own cities, every man to his *possession.
2 And Hezekiah appointed athe divisions of the priests and the Levites according to their divisions, each man according to his service, the priests and Levites bfor burnt offerings and peace offerings, to serve, to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the 1camp of the LORD.
3 The king also appointed a 1portion of his apossessions2 for the burnt offerings: for the morning and evening burnt offerings, the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths and the New Moons and the set feasts, as it is written in the bLaw of the LORD.
4 Moreover he commanded the people who dwelt in Jerusalem to contribute asupport1 for the priests and the Levites, that they might devote themselves to bthe Law of the LORD.
5 As soon as the commandment was circulated, the children of Israel brought in abundance athe firstfruits of grain and wine, oil and honey, and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly the btithe of everything.
6 And the children of Israel and Judah, who dwelt in the cities of Judah, brought the tithe of oxen and sheep; also the atithe of holy things which were consecrated to the LORD their God they laid in heaps.
7 In the third month they began laying them in heaps, and they finished in the seventh month.
8 And when Hezekiah and the leaders came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD and His people Israel.
9 Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps.
10 And Azariah the chief priest, from the ahouse of Zadok, answered him and said, b“Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat and have plenty left, for the LORD has blessed His people; and what is left is this great cabundance.”
11 Now Hezekiah commanded them to prepare arooms1 in the house of the LORD, and they prepared them.
12 Then they faithfully brought in the offerings, the tithes, and the dedicated things; aCononiah the Levite had charge of them, and Shimei his brother was the next.
13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the commandment of Hezekiah the king and Azariah the aruler of the house of God.
14 Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the East Gate, was over the afreewill offerings to God, to distribute the offerings of the LORD and the most holy things.
15 And under him were aEden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, his faithful assistants in bthe cities of the priests, to distribute callotments to their brethren by divisions, to the great as well as the small.
16 Besides those males from three years old and up who were written in the genealogy, they distributed to everyone who entered the house of the LORD his daily portion for the work of his service, by his division,
17 and to the priests who were written in the genealogy according to their father’s house, and to the Levites afrom twenty years old and up according to their work, by their divisions,
18 and to all who were written in the genealogy—their little ones and their wives, their sons and daughters, the whole company of them—for in their faithfulness they 1sanctified themselves in holiness.
19 Also for the sons of Aaron the priests, who were in athe fields of the common-lands of their cities, in every single city, there were men who were bdesignated by name to distribute portions to all the males among the priests and to all who were listed by genealogies among the Levites.
20 Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he adid what was good and right and true before the LORD his God.
21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he aprospered.
Sennacherib Boasts Against the LORD
1 After athese deeds of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered Judah; he encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them over to himself.
2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, and that his purpose was to make war against Jerusalem,
3 he consulted with his leaders and 1commanders to stop the water from the springs which were outside the city; and they helped him.
4 Thus many people gathered together who stopped all the asprings and the brook that ran through the land, saying, “Why should the 1kings of Assyria come and find much water?”
5 And ahe strengthened himself, bbuilt up all the wall that was broken, raised it up to the towers, and built another wall outside; also he repaired 1the cMillo in the City of David, and made 2weapons and shields in abundance.
6 Then he set military captains over the people, gathered them together to him in the open square of the city gate, and agave them encouragement, saying,
7 a“Be strong and courageous; bdo not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for cthere are more with us than with him.
8 “With him is an aarm of flesh; but bwith us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
9 aAfter this Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem (but he and all the forces with him laid siege against Lachish), to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah who were in Jerusalem, saying,
10 a“Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria: ‘In what do you trust, that you remain under siege in Jerusalem?
11 ‘Does not Hezekiah persuade you to give yourselves over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, a“The LORD our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of Assyria”?
12 a‘Has not the same Hezekiah taken away His high places and His altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, “You shall worship before one altar and burn incense on bit”?
13 ‘Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of other lands? aWere the gods of the nations of those lands in any way able to deliver their lands out of my hand?
14 ‘Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed that could deliver his people from my hand, that your God should be *able to deliver you from my ahand?
15 ‘Now therefore, ado not let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade you like this, and do not believe him; for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my hand?’ ”
16 Furthermore, his servants spoke against the LORD God and against His servant Hezekiah.
17 He also wrote letters to revile the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, a“As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my bhand.”
18 aThen they called out with a loud voice in 1Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them and trouble them, that they might take the city.
19 And they spoke against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth—athe work of men’s hands.
Sennacherib’s Defeat and Death
20 aNow because of this King Hezekiah and bthe prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, prayed and cried out to heaven.
21 aThen the LORD sent an angel who cut down every mighty man of valor, leader, and captain in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned bshamefaced to his own land. And when he had gone into the temple of his god, some of his own offspring struck him down with the sword there.
22 Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and 1guided them on every side.
23 And many brought gifts to the LORD at Jerusalem, and apresents1 to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was bexalted in the sight of all nations thereafter.
Hezekiah Humbles Himself
24 aIn those days Hezekiah was sick and near death, and he prayed to the LORD; and He spoke to him and gave him a sign.
25 But Hezekiah adid not repay according to the favor shown him, for bhis heart was lifted up; ctherefore wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem.
26 aThen Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them bin the days of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah’s Wealth and Honor
27 Hezekiah had very great riches and honor. And he made himself treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of desirable items;
28 storehouses for the harvest of grain, wine, and oil; and stalls for all kinds of livestock, and 1folds for flocks.
29 Moreover he provided cities for himself, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance; for aGod had given him very much property.
30 aThis same Hezekiah also stopped the water outlet of Upper Gihon, and 1brought* the water by tunnel to the west side of the City of David. Hezekiah bprospered in all his works.
31 However, regarding the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, whom they asent to him to inquire about the *wonder that was done in the land, God withdrew from him, in order to btest* him, that He might know all that was in his heart.
Death of Hezekiah
32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, indeed they are written in athe vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the bbook of the kings of Judah and Israel.
33 aSo Hezekiah 1rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the upper tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bhonored him at his death. Then Manasseh his son reigned in his place.
Manasseh Reigns in Judah
1 Manasseh awas twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem.
2 But he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the aabominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
3 For he rebuilt the 1high places which Hezekiah his father had abroken down; he raised up altars for the Baals, and bmade wooden images; and he worshiped call 2the host of heaven and served them.
4 He also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, a“In Jerusalem shall My name be forever.”
5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven ain the two courts of the house of the LORD.
6 aAlso he caused his sons to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom; he practiced bsoothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and cconsulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger.
7 aHe even set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the 1house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, b“In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever;
8 a“and I will not again remove the foot of Israel from the land which I have appointed for your fathers—only if they are careful to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.”
9 So Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.
Manasseh Restored After Repentance
10 And the LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they would not 1listen.
11 aTherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with 1hooks, bbound him with 2bronze fetters, and carried him off to Babylon.
12 Now when he was in affliction, he implored the LORD his God, and ahumbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
13 and prayed to Him; and He areceived his entreaty, heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh bknew that the LORD was God.
14 After this he built a wall outside the City of David on the west side of aGihon, in the valley, as far as the entrance of the Fish Gate; and it benclosed Ophel, and he raised it to a very great height. Then he put military captains in all the fortified cities of Judah.
15 He took away athe foreign gods and the idol from the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the LORD and in Jerusalem; and he cast them out of the city.
16 He also repaired the altar of the LORD, sacrificed peace offerings and athank offerings on it, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel.
17 aNevertheless the people still sacrificed on the 1high places, but only to the LORD their God.
Death of Manasseh
18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, his prayer to his God, and the words of athe seers who spoke to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, indeed they are written in the 1book of the kings of Israel.
19 Also his prayer and how God received his entreaty, and all his sin and trespass, and the sites where he built 1high places and set up wooden images and carved images, before he was humbled, indeed they are written among the sayings of 2Hozai.
20 aSo Manasseh rested with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house. Then his son Amon reigned in his place.
Amon’s Reign and Death
21 aAmon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem.
22 But he did evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done; for Amon sacrificed to all the carved images which his father Manasseh had made, and served them.
23 And he did not humble himself before the LORD, aas his father Manasseh had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.
24 aThen his servants conspired against him, and bkilled him in his own house.
25 But the people of the land executed all those who had conspired against King Amon. Then the people of the land made his son Josiah king in his place.
Josiah Reigns in Judah
1 Josiah awas eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.
2 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still ayoung, he began to bseek the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began cto purge Judah and Jerusalem dof the 1high places, the wooden images, the carved images, and the molded images.
4 aThey broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and the incense altars which were above them he cut down; and the wooden images, the carved images, and the molded images he broke in pieces, and made dust of them band scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.
5 He also aburned the bones of the priests on their baltars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.
6 And so he did in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali and all around, with 1axes.
7 When he had broken down the altars and the wooden images, had abeaten the carved images into powder, and cut down all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.
Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law
8 aIn the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the 1temple, he sent bShaphan the son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the cgovernor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the *house of the LORD his God.
9 When they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered athe money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites who kept the doors had gathered from the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, from all the bremnant of Israel, from all Judah and Benjamin, and which they had brought back to Jerusalem.
10 Then they put it in the hand of the foremen who had the oversight of the house of the LORD; and they gave it to the workmen who worked in the house of the LORD, to repair and restore the house.
11 They gave it to the craftsmen and builders to buy hewn stone and timber for beams, and to floor the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed.
12 And the men did the work faithfully. Their overseers were Jahath and Obadiah the Levites, of the sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to supervise. Others of the Levites, all of whom were skillful with instruments of music,
13 were aover the burden bearers and were overseers of all who did work in any kind of service. bAnd some of the Levites were scribes, officers, and gatekeepers.
14 Now when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest afound the Book of the Law of the LORD given by Moses.
15 Then Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD.” And Hilkiah gave the abook to Shaphan.
16 So Shaphan carried the book to the king, bringing the king word, saying, “All that was committed to your servants they are doing.
17 “And they have 1gathered the money that was found in the house of the LORD, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers and the workmen.”
18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king.
19 Thus it happened, when the king heard the words of the Law, that he tore his clothes.
20 Then the king commanded Hilkiah, aAhikam the son of Shaphan, 1Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king, saying,
21 “Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for those who are left in Israel and Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found; for great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not akept the word of the LORD, to do according to all that is written in this book.”
22 So Hilkiah and those the king had appointed went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of 1Tokhath, the son of 2Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. (She dwelt in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter.) And they spoke to her to that effect.
23 Then she answered them, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘Tell the man who sent you to Me,
24 “Thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will abring calamity on this place and on its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the bbook which they have read before the king of Judah,
25 ‘because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might *provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. Therefore My wrath will be poured out on this place, and not be quenched.’ ” ’
26 “But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, in this manner you shall speak to him, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel: “Concerning the words which you have heard—
27 “because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you,” says the aLORD.
28 “Surely I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place and its inhabitants.” ’ ” So they brought back word to the king.
Josiah Restores True Worship
29 aThen the king sent and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
30 The king went up to the house of the LORD, with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem—the priests and the Levites, and all the people, great and small. And he aread in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant which had been found in the house of the LORD.
31 Then the king astood in bhis place and made a ccovenant before the LORD, to follow the LORD, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book.
32 And he made all who were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin take a stand. So the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.
33 Thus Josiah removed all the aabominations from all the country that belonged to the children of Israel, and made all who were present in Israel 1diligently serve the LORD their God. bAll his days they did not depart from following the LORD God of their fathers.
Josiah Keeps the Passover
1 Now aJosiah kept a Passover to the LORD in Jerusalem, and they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the bfourteenth day of the first month.
2 And he set the priests in their aduties and bencouraged them for the service of the house of the LORD.
3 Then he said to the Levites awho taught all Israel, who were holy to the LORD: b“Put the holy ark cin the house which Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, built. dIt shall no longer be a burden on your shoulders. Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel.
4 “Prepare yourselves aaccording to your fathers’ 1houses, according to your divisions, following the bwritten instruction of David king of Israel and the cwritten instruction of Solomon his son.
5 “And astand in the holy place according to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of your brethren the lay people, and according to the division of the father’s house of the Levites.
6 “So slaughter the Passover offerings, aconsecrate yourselves, and prepare them for your brethren, that they may do according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.”
7 Then Josiah agave the lay people lambs and young goats from the flock, all for Passover offerings for all who were present, to the number of thirty thousand, as well as three thousand cattle; these were from the king’s bpossessions.
8 And his aleaders gave willingly to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave to the priests for the Passover offerings two thousand six hundred from the flock, and three hundred cattle.
9 Also aConaniah, his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave to the Levites for Passover offerings five thousand from the flock and five hundred cattle.
10 So the service was prepared, and the priests astood in their places, and the bLevites in their divisions, according to the king’s command.
11 And they slaughtered the Passover offerings; and the priests asprinkled the blood with their hands, while the Levites bskinned the animals.
12 Then they removed the burnt offerings that they might give them to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of the lay people, to offer to the LORD, as it is written ain the Book of Moses. And so they did with the cattle.
13 Also they aroasted the Passover offerings with fire according to the ordinance; but the other holy offerings they bboiled in pots, in caldrons, and in pans, and divided them quickly among all the lay people.
14 Then afterward they prepared portions for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the sons of Aaron, were busy in offering burnt offerings and fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared portions for themselves and for the priests, the sons of Aaron.
15 And the singers, the sons of Asaph, were in their places, according to the acommand of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer. Also the gatekeepers bwere at each gate; they did not have to leave their position, because their brethren the Levites prepared portions for them.
16 So all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day, to keep the Passover and to offer burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD, according to the command of King Josiah.
17 And the children of Israel who were present kept the Passover at that time, and the Feast of aUnleavened Bread for seven days.
18 aThere had been no Passover kept in Israel like that since the days of Samuel the prophet; and none of the kings of Israel had kept such a Passover as Josiah kept, with the priests and the Levites, all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
19 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah this Passover was kept.
Josiah Dies in Battle
20 aAfter all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against bCarchemish by the Euphrates; and Josiah went out against him.
21 But he sent messengers to him, saying, “What have I to do with you, king of Judah? I have not come against you this day, but against the house with which I have war; for God commanded me to make haste. Refrain from meddling with God, who is with me, lest He destroy you.”
22 Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but adisguised himself so that he might fight with him, and did not heed the words of Necho from the mouth of God. So he came to fight in the Valley of Megiddo.
23 And the archers shot King Josiah; and the king said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am severely wounded.”
24 aHis servants therefore took him out of that chariot and put him in the second chariot that he had, and they brought him to Jerusalem. So he died, and was buried in one of the tombs of his fathers. And ball Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.
25 Jeremiah also alamented for bJosiah. And to this day call the singing men and the singing women speak of Josiah in their lamentations. dThey made it a custom in Israel; and indeed they are written in the Laments.
26 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his goodness, according to what was written in the Law of the LORD,
27 and his deeds from first to last, indeed they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
The Reign and Captivity of Jehoahaz
1 Then athe people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem.
2 1Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.
3 Now the king of Egypt deposed him at Jerusalem; and he imposed on the land a tribute of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.
4 Then the king of Egypt made 1Jehoahaz’s brother Eliakim king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. And Necho took 2Jehoahaz his brother and carried him off to Egypt.
The Reign and Captivity of Jehoiakim
5 aJehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And he did bevil in the sight of the LORD his God.
6 aNebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against him, and bound him in 1bronze fetters to bcarry him off to Babylon.
7 aNebuchadnezzar also carried off some of the articles from the house of the LORD to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.
8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, the abominations which he did, and what was found against him, indeed they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. Then 1Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place.
The Reign and Captivity of Jehoiachin
9 aJehoiachin was 1eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months and ten days. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD.
10 At the turn of the year aKing Nebuchadnezzar summoned him and took him to Babylon, bwith the costly articles from the house of the LORD, and made cZedekiah,1 2Jehoiakim’s brother, king over Judah and Jerusalem.
Zedekiah Reigns in Judah
11 aZedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.
12 He did evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and adid not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the LORD.
13 And he also arebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear an oath by God; but he bstiffened his neck and hardened his heart against *turning to the LORD God of Israel.
14 Moreover all the leaders of the priests and the people transgressed more and more, according to all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the house of the LORD which He had consecrated in Jerusalem.
The Fall of Jerusalem
15 aAnd the LORD God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place.
16 But athey mocked the messengers of God, bdespised His words, and cscoffed at His prophets, until the dwrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no *remedy.
17 aTherefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who bkilled their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand.
18 aAnd all the articles from the house of God, great and small, the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king and of his leaders, all these he took to Babylon.
19 aThen they burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious possessions.
20 And athose who escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon, bwhere they became servants to him and his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia,
21 to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of aJeremiah, until the land bhad enjoyed her Sabbaths. As long as she lay desolate cshe *kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.
The Proclamation of Cyrus
22 aNow in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of bJeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD *stirred up the spirit of cCyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,
23 aThus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a 1house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is among you of all His people? May the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up!
1:1–12 1 and 2 Chr. do not record Solomon’s execution of Adonijah, Joab, or Shimei, nor the expulsion of Abiathar. Read the text and notes of 1 Kin. 2:13–46. Instead, the chronicler moves directly from the death of David (1 Chr. 29:26–30) to Solomon’s request for wisdom (1:1–12). 1 and 2 Chr. were originally one scroll, not two books. For a fuller account of Solomon’s request for wisdom and the Lord’s response, read the text and notes of 1 Kin. 3:1–15. See also 1 Kin. 3:16–28 for a colorful illustration of the wisdom that God gave Solomon. On vv. 1–6, read the text and notes of 1 Chr. 16:1–6.
1:3–6 According to Deut. 12:13, 14, burnt offerings were only to be offered in “the place where the LORD your God chooses.” These verses explain why it was acceptable for Solomon to offer a thousand burnt offerings at Gibeon: because the tabernacle (v. 3) and the bronze altar (v. 6) were there.
1:10–12 See section 2 of Truth-In-Action at the end of 2 Chr.
1:13–17 Read the text and notes of 1 Kin. 4 for further details on the prosperity, strength, and wisdom of Solomon’s reign.
2:1–18 Read the text and notes of 1 Kin. 5 for a similar description of Solomon’s preparations for the building of the temple.
2:6 See section 1 of Truth-In-Action at the end of 2 Chr.
3:1–17 A more explicit account of the temple’s construction is given in 1 Kin. 6:1–38; 7:15–22.
4:1—5:1 Read the text and notes of 1 Kin. 7:23–51 to gain a better understanding of the furnishings of the temple.
5:2—6:11 A similar account of the ark’s being brought into the temple and Solomon’s ensuing speech can be found in 1 Kin. 8:1–21.
5:13, 14 Cloud: This is possibly a reference to the Holy Spirit. Read the text and note of 1 Kin. 8:10, 11, and Introduction to 2 Chronicles: The Holy Spirit at Work.
6:12–42 Much can be learned from Solomon’s prayer. Read the text and notes of 1 Kin. 8:22–61 for insights on Solomon’s prayer.
6:18 See section 1 of Truth-In-Action at the end of 2 Chr.
6:20–40 See section 3 of Truth-In-Action at the end of 2 Chr.
7:1–22 These events are also recorded in 1 Kin. 8:62—9:9.
7:13, 14 See section 3 of Truth-In-Action at the end of 2 Chr.
7:14 This is probably the most well-known and best-loved verse in 2 Chr. In the account of God’s second appearance to Solomon in 1 Kin. 9:1–9, this promise is not mentioned. This verse, perhaps more than any other single verse in all Scripture, sets forth the stipulations for Israel to experience God’s blessing. It would have special significance to the original recipients, who had actually experienced the truth of the principle God had spoken to Solomon. A twofold condition, with a threefold result, is extended to God’s chosen people (those called by His name). If they will humble themselves (turn from their sin) and seek His face in prayer, then God will hear, forgive, and heal. God effects His sovereign purposes in concert with the prayers of His children (Phil. 1:9; James 5:16).
8:1–18 A parallel account of this chapter is in 1 Kin. 9:1–28. On v. 14, read the text and notes of 1 Chr. 23—26.
9:1–12 For clarification on the queen of Sheba’s visit, read the text and notes of 1 Kin. 10:1–13.
9:13–28 The perspective of the Books of Kings on Solomon’s wealth can be found in 1 Kin. 10:14–29.
9:25 Four thousand stalls: See the note on 1 Kin. 4:26 for the discrepancy with that verse.
9:29–31 The chronicler is again selective in his recording of history, omitting events that are not necessary to his purpose. 1 Kin. records how before his death, Solomon’s heart was turned from the Lord. Because of this God raised up Hadad, Rezon, and Jeroboam as adversaries. Read the text and notes of 1 Kin. 11:1–40 for an explanation of these events.
10:1—11:4 These verses begin the last major section of 2 Chr. (see outline), discussing the rulers of the southern kingdom of Judah. 2 Chr. does not record the reigns of the rulers of the northern kingdom of Israel. The author and the people of Judah regarded only the descendants of David as the true kings of Israel. For this reason, 2 Chr. frequently refers to Judah as “Israel,” whereas in Kings “Israel” refers to the northern kingdom and “Judah” refers to the southern kingdom. The successor to Solomon was Rehoboam. Read the text and notes of 1 Kin. 12:1–24.
11:5–17 Read the text and notes of 1 Kin. 12:25–33 for an explanation as to why Rehoboam strengthened his defenses and why the priests and Levites moved to Judah.
11:18–23 1 Kin. does not list the family of Rehoboam.
12:1–16 Read the text and notes of 1 Kin. 14:21–31.
13:1–22 In 1 Kin., only eight verses are given to record the reign of Abijah (read the text and notes on 1 Kin. 15:1–8). 2 Chr. gives a fuller account to highlight worship and explain the reason for Judah’s victory over Jeroboam. A covenant of salt (v. 5) refers to a ceremony or ritual that ratified a treaty. As a preservative, salt symbolized faith and loyalty.
14:1–15 The reign of Asa is condensed in 1 Kin. 15:9–24, yet 2 Chr. gives three chapters to the discussion of Asa’s reign. Unique to 2 Chr. is its mention of the battle with Zerah (v. 9). Zerah was from Ethiopia and was probably a ruler from Egypt or Arabia. It is noteworthy that Zerah’s army is the largest army mentioned in the OT. Consequently, Zerah’s defeat was the greatest military victory in Israel’s history.
15:1 On the Spirit of God, read the text and note of 1 Chr. 12:18.
15:1–19 The reforms of Asa are mentioned in 1 Kin. 15:9–24; but the prophecy of Azariah (vv. 1–7), which set the reforms in motion, is not. On Asherah (v. 16), see note on 1 Kin. 18:19.
15:2–4 See section 2 of Truth-In-Action at the end of 2 Chr.
16:1–14 Asa’s war with Baasha king of Israel and the treaty with Ben-Hadad king of Syria are both recorded in 1 Kin. 15:9–24. However, neither the prophecy of Hanani concerning Asa’s demise nor the illness that led to his death are mentioned in 1 Kin. Though he was a good king, in his later years he departed from his dedication to the Lord.
16:9 See section 2 of Truth-In-Action at the end of 2 Chr.
16:12 The disease in Asa’s feet is thought to have been gout or gangrene. The physicians were probably sorcerers or medicine-men who operated with curses and magic, which is why they should not have been sought. To his shame, Asa is remembered as one who did not seek the LORD.
16:14 The great burning refers to the burning of spices for burial, not to cremation.
17:1–19 2 Chr. gives a more detailed and systematic account of the reign of Jehoshaphat than does 1 Kin. However, 2 Kin. records Jehoshaphat’s ill-fated coalition with Ahab’s son Jehoram, and the miraculous story of the valley of ditches (2 Kin. 3), whereas 2 Chr. does not. Read the text and notes of 1 Kin. 22:1–50 to compare with 2 Chr. 17—20. As Judah’s fourth king, Jehoshaphat was apparently a force to be reckoned with (vv. 2, 10–19) because of his army, fortresses, and holdings. One of his prominent achievements (not noted in 1 Kin.) was his implementing teams of teachers to instruct in the Law (vv. 8, 9).