Chapter III: Part 3

14:026:023 So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his
fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the
kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son
reigned in his stead.

14:027:001 Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign,
and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name
also was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok.

14:027:002 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD,
according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he
entered not into the temple of the LORD. And the people did
yet corruptly.

14:027:003 He built the high gate of the house of the LORD, and on the
wall of Ophel he built much.

14:027:004 Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the
forests he built castles and towers.

14:027:005 He fought also with the king of the Ammonites, and prevailed
against them. And the children of Ammon gave him the same year
an hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of
wheat, and ten thousand of barley. So much did the children of
Ammon pay unto him, both the second year, and the third.

14:027:006 So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before
the LORD his God.

14:027:007 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his
ways, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel
and Judah.

14:027:008 He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and
reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.

14:027:009 And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the
city of David: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.

14:028:001 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he
reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which
was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father:

14:028:002 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made
also molten images for Baalim.

14:028:003 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom,
and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of
the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of
Israel.

14:028:004 He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and
on the hills, and under every green tree.

14:028:005 Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the
king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great
multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And
he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who
smote him with a great slaughter.

14:028:006 For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and
twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men;
because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.

14:028:007 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's
son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah that
was next to the king.

14:028:008 And the children of Israel carried away captive of their
brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and
took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to
Samaria.

14:028:009 But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and
he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said
unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was
wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and
ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven.

14:028:010 And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and
Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there
not with you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God?

14:028:011 Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which
ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath
of the LORD is upon you.

14:028:012 Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah
the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and
Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai,
stood up against them that came from the war,

14:028:013 And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither:
for whereas we have offended against the LORD already, ye
intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for our
trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.

14:028:014 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the
princes and all the congregation.

14:028:015 And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the
captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among
them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat
and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of
them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm
trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.

14:028:016 At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to
help him.

14:028:017 For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried
away captives.

14:028:018 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low
country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Bethshemesh,
and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages
thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and
the villages thereof: and they dwelt there.

14:028:019 For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel;
for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the
LORD.

14:028:020 And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and
distressed him, but strengthened him not.

14:028:021 For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the LORD, and
out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it
unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not.

14:028:022 And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more
against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz.

14:028:023 For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him:
and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them,
therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But
they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.

14:028:024 And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God,
and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up
the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in
every corner of Jerusalem.

14:028:025 And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn
incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of
his fathers.

14:028:026 Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways, first and last,
behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and
Israel.

14:028:027 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the
city, even in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the
sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son
reigned in his stead.

14:029:001 Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old,
and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his
mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.

14:029:002 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD,
according to all that David his father had done.

14:029:003 He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened
the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them.

14:029:004 And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered
them together into the east street,

14:029:005 And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now
yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your
fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.

14:029:006 For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil
in the eyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and
have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD,
and turned their backs.

14:029:007 Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the
lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings
in the holy place unto the God of Israel.

14:029:008 Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and Jerusalem,
and he hath delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to
hissing, as ye see with your eyes.

14:029:009 For, lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons
and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this.

14:029:010 Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD God
of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us.

14:029:011 My sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen you to
stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister
unto him, and burn incense.

14:029:012 Then the Levites arose, Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the
son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites: and of the sons
of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of
Jehalelel: and of the Gershonites; Joah the son of Zimmah, and
Eden the son of Joah:

14:029:013 And of the sons of Elizaphan; Shimri, and Jeiel: and of the
sons of Asaph; Zechariah, and Mattaniah:

14:029:014 And of the sons of Heman; Jehiel, and Shimei: and of the sons
of Jeduthun; Shemaiah, and Uzziel.

14:029:015 And they gathered their brethren, and sanctified themselves,
and came, according to the commandment of the king, by the
words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD.

14:029:016 And the priests went into the inner part of the house of the
LORD, to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that
they found in the temple of the LORD into the court of the
house of the LORD. And the Levites took it, to carry it out
abroad into the brook Kidron.

14:029:017 Now they began on the first day of the first month to
sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the
porch of the LORD: so they sanctified the house of the LORD in
eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they
made an end.

14:029:018 Then they went in to Hezekiah the king, and said, We have
cleansed all the house of the LORD, and the altar of burnt
offering, with all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread
table, with all the vessels thereof.

14:029:019 Moreover all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign did
cast away in his transgression, have we prepared and
sanctified, and, behold, they are before the altar of the
LORD.

14:029:020 Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of
the city, and went up to the house of the LORD.

14:029:021 And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven
lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom,
and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the
priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the
LORD.

14:029:022 So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the
blood, and sprinkled it on the altar: likewise, when they had
killed the rams, they sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they
killed also the lambs, and they sprinkled the blood upon the
altar.

14:029:023 And they brought forth the he goats for the sin offering
before the king and the congregation; and they laid their
hands upon them:

14:029:024 And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with
their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all
Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the
sin offering should be made for all Israel.

14:029:025 And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals,
with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment
of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet:
for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets.

14:029:026 And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the
priests with the trumpets.

14:029:027 And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the
altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD
began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments
ordained by David king of Israel.

14:029:028 And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and
the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt
offering was finished.

14:029:029 And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all
that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped.

14:029:030 Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the
Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David,
and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness,
and they bowed their heads and worshipped.

14:029:031 Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated
yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and
thank offerings into the house of the LORD. And the
congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as
many as were of a free heart burnt offerings.

14:029:032 And the number of the burnt offerings, which the congregation
brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, an hundred rams, and
two hundred lambs: all these were for a burnt offering to the
LORD.

14:029:033 And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three
thousand sheep.

14:029:034 But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all
the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did
help them, till the work was ended, and until the other
priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more
upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.

14:029:035 And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat
of the peace offerings, and the drink offerings for every
burnt offering. So the service of the house of the LORD was
set in order.

14:029:036 And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had
prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly.

14:030:001 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters
also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the
house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the
LORD God of Israel.

14:030:002 For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the
congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second
month.

14:030:003 For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests
had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the
people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

14:030:004 And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.

14:030:005 So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout
all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come
to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem:
for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was
written.

14:030:006 So the posts went with the letters from the king and his
princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the
commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn
again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he
will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the
hand of the kings of Assyria.

14:030:007 And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which
trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, who
therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.

14:030:008 Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield
yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which
he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that
the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.

14:030:009 For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your
children shall find compassion before them that lead them
captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the
LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away
his face from you, if ye return unto him.

14:030:010 So the posts passed from city to city through the country of
Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them
to scorn, and mocked them.

14:030:011 Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun
humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

14:030:012 Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do
the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of
the LORD.

14:030:013 And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast
of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great
congregation.

14:030:014 And they arose and took away the altars that were in
Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and
cast them into the brook Kidron.

14:030:015 Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the
second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed,
and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings
into the house of the LORD.

14:030:016 And they stood in their place after their manner, according to
the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the
blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites.

14:030:017 For there were many in the congregation that were not
sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the
killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to
sanctify them unto the LORD.

14:030:018 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and
Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves,
yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written.
But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon
every one

14:030:019 That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his
fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the
purification of the sanctuary.

14:030:020 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.

14:030:021 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept
the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness:
and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day,
singing with loud instruments unto the LORD.

14:030:022 And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that
taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat
throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and
making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.

14:030:023 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days:
and they kept other seven days with gladness.

14:030:024 For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a
thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes
gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand
sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.

14:030:025 And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the
Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and
the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that
dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.

14:030:026 So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of
Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like
in Jerusalem.

14:030:027 Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and
their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy
dwelling place, even unto heaven.

14:031:001 Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present
went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in
pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high
places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in
Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed
them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man
to his possession, into their own cities.

14:031:002 And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the
Levites after their courses, every man according to his
service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for
peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to
praise in the gates of the tents of the LORD.

14:031:003 He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the
burnt offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt
offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and for
the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the
law of the LORD.

14:031:004 Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to
give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they
might be encouraged in the law of the LORD.

14:031:005 And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of
Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and
oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the
tithe of all things brought they in abundantly.

14:031:006 And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in
the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen
and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated
unto the LORD their God, and laid them by heaps.

14:031:007 In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the
heaps, and finished them in the seventh month.

14:031:008 And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they
blessed the LORD, and his people Israel.

14:031:009 Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites
concerning the heaps.

14:031:010 And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered
him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings
into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat, and
have left plenty: for the LORD hath blessed his people; and
that which is left is this great store.

14:031:011 Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of
the LORD; and they prepared them,

14:031:012 And brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated
things faithfully: over which Cononiah the Levite was ruler,
and Shimei his brother was the next.

14:031:013 And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth,
and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and
Benaiah, were overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei
his brother, at the commandment of Hezekiah the king, and
Azariah the ruler of the house of God.

14:031:014 And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter toward the
east, was over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute
the oblations of the LORD, and the most holy things.

14:031:015 And next him were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and
Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the
priests, in their set office, to give to their brethren by
courses, as well to the great as to the small:

14:031:016 Beside their genealogy of males, from three years old and
upward, even unto every one that entereth into the house of
the LORD, his daily portion for their service in their charges
according to their courses;

14:031:017 Both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of their
fathers, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in
their charges by their courses;

14:031:018 And to the genealogy of all their little ones, their wives,
and their sons, and their daughters, through all the
congregation: for in their set office they sanctified
themselves in holiness:

14:031:019 Also of the sons of Aaron the priests, which were in the
fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every several city,
the men that were expressed by name, to give portions to all
the males among the priests, and to all that were reckoned by
genealogies among the Levites.

14:031:020 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that
which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God.

14:031:021 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of
God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God,
he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

14:032:001 After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib
king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped
against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for
himself.

14:032:002 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he
was purposed to fight against Jerusalem,

14:032:003 He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop
the waters of the fountains which were without the city: and
they did help him.

14:032:004 So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all
the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the
land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find
much water?

14:032:005 Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that
was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall
without, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made
darts and shields in abundance.

14:032:006 And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them
together to him in the street of the gate of the city, and
spake comfortably to them, saying,

14:032:007 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the
king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him:
for there be more with us than with him:

14:032:008 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God
to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested
themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

14:032:009 After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants
to Jerusalem, (but he himself laid siege against Lachish, and
all his power with him,) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto
all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying,

14:032:010 Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust,
that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?

14:032:011 Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die
by famine and by thirst, saying, The LORD our God shall
deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

14:032:012 Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his
altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall
worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it?

14:032:013 Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the
people of other lands? were the gods of the nations of those
lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand?

14:032:014 Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my
fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out
of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out
of mine hand?

14:032:015 Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you
on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any
nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine
hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall
your God deliver you out of mine hand?

14:032:016 And his servants spake yet more against the LORD God, and
against his servant Hezekiah.

14:032:017 He wrote also letters to rail on the LORD God of Israel, and
to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of
other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand,
so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of
mine hand.

14:032:018 Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' speech unto the
people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them,
and to trouble them; that they might take the city.

14:032:019 And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the
gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of the
hands of man.

14:032:020 And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah
the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.

14:032:021 And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men
of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the
king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own
land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they
that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the
sword.

14:032:022 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 other, and guided them on every side.

14:032:023 And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem, and
presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified
in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.

14:032:024 In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed unto
the LORD: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign.

14:032:025 But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done
unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was
wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.

14:032:026 Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his
heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the
wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

14:032:027 And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour: and he made
himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious
stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of
pleasant jewels;

14:032:028 Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil;
and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks.

14:032:029 Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and
herds in abundance: for God had given him substance very much.

14:032:030 This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of
Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the
city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.

14:032:031 Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of
Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was
done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know
all that was in his heart.

14:032:032 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness,
behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet,
the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and
Israel.

14:032:033 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in
the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all
Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his
death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.

14:033:001 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he
reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:

14:033:002 But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like
unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast
out before the children of Israel.

14:033:003 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father
had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made
groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served
them.

14:033:004 Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the
LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.

14:033:005 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two
courts of the house of the LORD.

14:033:006 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the
valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used
enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar
spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of
the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

14:033:007 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the
house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon
his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen
before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:

14:033:008 Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of
the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they
will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according
to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the
hand of Moses.

14:033:009 So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to
err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had
destroyed before the children of Israel.

14:033:010 And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they
would not hearken.

14:033:011 Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host
of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns,
and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

14:033:012 And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God,
and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,

14:033:013 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard
his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his
kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.

14:033:014 Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on
the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in
at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up
a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced
cities of Judah.

14:033:015 And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of 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 cast
them out of the city.

14:033:016 And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon
peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to
serve the LORD God of Israel.

14:033:017 Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high
places, yet unto the LORD their God only.

14:033:018 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his
God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name
of the LORD God of Israel, behold, they are written in the
book of the kings of Israel.

14:033:019 His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his
sins, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high
places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was
humbled: behold, they are written among the sayings of the
seers.

14:033:020 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his
own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

14:033:021 Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and
reigned two years in Jerusalem.

14:033:022 But he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as
did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto all the
carved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served
them;

14:033:023 And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his
father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.

14:033:024 And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his
own house.

14:033:025 But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired
against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his
son king in his stead.

14:034:001 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he
reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.

14:034:002 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and
walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither
to the right hand, nor to the left.

14:034:003 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young,
he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the
twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the
high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the
molten images.

14:034:004 And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and
the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the
groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake
in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the
graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.

14:034:005 And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and
cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.

14:034:006 And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and
Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about.

14:034:007 And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had
beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the
idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to
Jerusalem.

14:034:008 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged
the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah,
and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of
Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.

14:034:009 And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered
the money that was brought into the house of God, which the
Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of
Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of
all Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem.

14:034:010 And they put it in the hand of the workmen that had the
oversight of the house of the LORD, and they gave it to the
workmen that wrought in the house of the LORD, to repair and
amend the house:

14:034:011 Even to the artificers and builders gave they it, to buy hewn
stone, and timber for couplings, and to floor the houses which
the kings of Judah had destroyed.

14:034:012 And the men did the work faithfully: and the overseers of them
were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari;
and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to
set it forward; and other of the Levites, all that could skill
of instruments of musick.

14:034:013 Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and were overseers
of all that wrought the work in any manner of service: and of
the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters.

14:034:014 And when they brought out the money that was brought into the
house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law
of the LORD given by Moses.

14:034:015 And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have
found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And
Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.

14:034:016 And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king
word back again, saying, All that was committed to thy
servants, they do it.

14:034:017 And they have gathered together the money that was found in
the house of the LORD, and have delivered it into the hand of
the overseers, and to the hand of the workmen.

14:034:018 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the
priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the
king.

14:034:019 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the
law, that he rent his clothes.

14:034:020 And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan,
and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah
a servant of the king's, saying,

14:034:021 Go, enquire of the LORD for me, and for them that are left in
Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is
found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out
upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the
LORD, to do after all that is written in this book.

14:034:022 And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went to
Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath,
the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in
Jerusalem in the college:) and they spake to her to that
effect.

14:034:023 And she answered them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell
ye the man that sent you to me,

14:034:024 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this
place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses
that are written in the book which they have read before the
king of Judah:

14:034:025 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto
other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the
works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out
upon this place, and shall not be quenched.

14:034:026 And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the
LORD, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of
Israel concerning the words which thou hast heard;

14:034:027 Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself
before God, when thou heardest his words against this place,
and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself
before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I
have even heard thee also, saith the LORD.

14:034:028 Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be
gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see
all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the
inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again.

14:034:029 Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of
Judah and Jerusalem.

14:034:030 And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the
men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the
priests, and the Levites, and all the people, great and small:
and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the
covenant that was found in the house of the LORD.

14:034:031 And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before
the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his
commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all
his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the
covenant which are written in this book.

14:034:032 And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin
to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according
to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.

14:034:033 And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the
countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made
all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the
LORD their God. And all his days they departed not from
following the LORD, the God of their fathers.

14:035:001 Moreover Josiah kept a passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem:
and they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the
first month.

14:035:002 And he set the priests in their charges, and encouraged them
to the service of the house of the LORD,

14:035:003 And said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, which were
holy unto the LORD, Put the holy ark in the house which
Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; it shall
not be a burden upon your shoulders: serve now the LORD your
God, and his people Israel,

14:035:004 And prepare yourselves by the houses of your fathers, after
your courses, according to the writing of David king of
Israel, and according to the writing of Solomon his son.

14:035:005 And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the
families of the fathers of your brethren the people, and after
the division of the families of the Levites.

14:035:006 So kill the passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare
your brethren, that they may do according to the word of the
LORD by the hand of Moses.

14:035:007 And Josiah gave to the people, of the flock, lambs and kids,
all for the passover offerings, for all that were present, to
the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks:
these were of the king's substance.

14:035:008 And his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the
priests, and to the Levites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel,
rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the
passover offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle
and three hundred oxen.

14:035:009 Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethaneel, his brethren, and
Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave
unto the Levites for passover offerings five thousand small
cattle, and five hundred oxen.

14:035:010 So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their
place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the
king's commandment.

14:035:011 And they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled the
blood from their hands, and the Levites flayed them.

14:035:012 And they removed the burnt offerings, that they might give
according to the divisions of the families of the people, to
offer unto the LORD, as it is written in the book of Moses.
And so did they with the oxen.

14:035:013 And they roasted the passover with fire according to the
ordinance: but the other holy offerings sod they in pots, and
in caldrons, and in pans, and divided them speedily among all
the people.

14:035:014 And afterward they made ready for themselves, and for the
priests: because the priests the sons of Aaron were busied in
offering of burnt offerings and the fat until night; therefore
the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the
sons of Aaron.

14:035:015 And the singers the sons of Asaph were in their place,
according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman,
and Jeduthun the king's seer; and the porters waited at every
gate; they might not depart from their service; for their
brethren the Levites prepared for them.

14:035:016 So all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day, to
keep the passover, and to offer burnt offerings upon the altar
of the LORD, according to the commandment of king Josiah.

14:035:017 And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover
at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.

14:035:018 And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the
days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of
Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests,
and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present,
and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

14:035:019 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this
passover kept.

14:035:020 After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho
king of Egypt came up to fight against Charchemish by
Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him.

14:035:021 But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with
thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day,
but against the house wherewith I have war: for God commanded
me to make haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, who is
with me, that he destroy thee not.

14:035:022 Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but
disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened
not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to
fight in the valley of Megiddo.

14:035:023 And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his
servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded.

14:035:024 His servants therefore took him out of that chariot, and put
him in the second chariot that he had; and they brought him to
Jerusalem, and he died, and was buried in one of the
sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned
for Josiah.

14:035:025 And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and
the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to
this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold,
they are written in the lamentations.

14:035:026 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his goodness,
according to that which was written in the law of the LORD,

14:035:027 And his deeds, first and last, behold, they are written in the
book of the kings of Israel and Judah.

14:036:001 Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah,
and made him king in his father's stead in Jerusalem.

14:036:002 Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to
reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.

14:036:003 And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem, and condemned
the land in an hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

14:036:004 And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah
and Jerusalem, and turned his name to Jehoiakim. And Necho
took Jehoahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.

14:036:005 Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to
reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did
that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God.

14:036:006 Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound
him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.

14:036:007 Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the
LORD to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.

14:036:008 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations
which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they
are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah: and
Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.

14:036:009 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he
reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did
that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.

14:036:010 And when the year was expired, king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and
brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house
of the LORD, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and
Jerusalem.

14:036:011 Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign,
and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.

14:036:012 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his
God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet
speaking from the mouth of the LORD.

14:036:013 And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made
him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his
heart from turning unto the LORD God of Israel.

14:036:014 Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people,
transgressed very much after all the abominations of the
heathen; and polluted the house of the LORD which he had
hallowed in Jerusalem.

14:036:015 And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his
messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had
compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:

14:036:016 But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words,
and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose
against his people, till there was no remedy.

14:036:017 Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who
slew their young men with the sword in the house of their
sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old
man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his
hand.

14:036:018 And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and
the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of
the king, and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon.

14:036:019 And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of
Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and
destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.

14:036:020 And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to
Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until
the reign of the kingdom of Persia:

14:036:021 To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until
the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay
desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.

14:036:022 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word
of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be
accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of
Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his
kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

14:036:023 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth
hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me
to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is
there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with
him, and let him go up.