Revised Version 1885 (RV1885)

1 Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

2 And he did that which was right in the eyes of theLord, but not with a perfect heart.

3 Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established unto him, that he slew his servants which had killed the king his father.

4 But he put not their children to death, but did according to that which is written in the law in the book of Moses, as theLordcommanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers; but every man shall die for his own sin.

5 Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and ordered them according to their fathers’ houses, under captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, even all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered them from twenty years old and upward, and found them three hundred thousand chosen men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield.

6 He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver.

7 But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for theLordis not with Israel,to wit, with all the children of Ephraim.

8 But if thou wilt go, dovaliantly, be strong for the battle: God shall cast thee down before the enemy; for God hath power to help, and to cast down.

9 And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, TheLordis able to give thee much more than this.

10 Then Amaziah separated them,to wit, the army that was come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again: wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in fierce anger.

11 And Amaziah took courage, and led forth his people, and went to the Valley of Salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand.

12 Andotherten thousand did the children of Judah carry away alive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces.

13 But the men of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Beth-horon, and smote of them three thousand, and took much spoil.

14 Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them.

15 Wherefore the anger of theLordwas kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which have not delivered their own people out of thine hand?

16 And it came to pass, as he talked with him, thatthe kingsaid unto him, Have we made thee of the king’s counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.

17 Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.

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 thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon; and trode down the thistle.

19 Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten Edom; and thine heart lifteth thee up to boast: abide now at home; why shouldest thou meddle tothyhurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?

20 But Amaziah would not hear; for it was of God, that he might deliver them into the handof their enemies, because they had sought after the gods of Edom.

21 So Joash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to Judah.

22 And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to his tent.

23 And Joash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.

24 Andhe tookall the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.

25 And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.

26 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?

27 Now from the time that Amaziah did turn away from following theLordthey made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there.

28 And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.

1 And all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah.

2 He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.

3 Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jechiliah of Jerusalem.

4 And he did that which was right in the eyes of theLord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done.

5 And he set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the vision of God: and as long as he sought theLord, God made him to prosper.

6 And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities inthe country ofAshdod, and among the Philistines.

7 And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gur-baal, and the Meunim.

8 And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he waxed exceeding strong.

9 Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turningof the wall, and fortified them.

10 And he built towers in the wilderness, and hewed out many cisterns, for he had much cattle; in the lowland also, and in the plain:and he hadhusbandmen and vinedressers in the mountains and in the fruitful fields; for he loved husbandry.

11 Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their reckoning, made by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king’s captains.

12 The whole number of the heads of fathers’houses, even the mighty men of valour, was two thousand and six hundred.

13 And under their hand was a trained army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.

14 And Uzziah prepared for them, even for all the host, shields, and spears, and helmets, and coats of mail, and bows, and stones for slinging.

15 And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the battlements, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong.

16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up so that he did corruptly, and he trespassed against theLordhis God; for he went into the temple of theLordto burn incense upon the altar of incense.

17 And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of theLord, that were valiant men:

18 and they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It pertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto theLord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from theLordGod.

19 Then Uzziah was wroth; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense; and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy brake forth in his forehead before the priests in the house of theLord, beside the altar of incense.

20 And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out quickly from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because theLordhad smitten him.

21 And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of theLord: and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.

22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.

23 So Uzziah slept 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: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.

1 Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok.

2 And he did that which was right in the eyes of theLord, according to all that his father Uzziah had done: howbeit he entered not into the temple of theLord. And the people did yet corruptly.

3 He built the upper gate of the house of theLord, and on the wall of Ophel he built much.

4 Moreover he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers.

5 He fought also with the king of the children of Ammon, 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 render unto him, in the second year also, and in the third.

6 So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before theLordhis God.

7 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.

8 He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.

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

1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and he did not that which was right in the eyes of theLord, like David his father:

2 but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for the Baalim.

3 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom theLordcast out before the children of Israel.

4 And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

5 Wherefore theLordhis God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away of his a great multitude of 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.

6 For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, all of them valiant men; because they had forsaken theLord, the God of their fathers.

7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king’s son, and Azrikam the ruler of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king.

8 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.

9 But a prophet of theLordwas there, whose name was Oded: and he went out to meet the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because theLord, the God of your fathers, was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage which hath reached up unto heaven.

10 And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you:butare there not even with you trespasses of your own against theLordyour God?

11 Now hear me therefore, and send back the captives, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of theLordis upon you.

12 Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son 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,

13 and said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for ye purpose that which will bring upon us a trespass against theLord, to add unto our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.

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

15 And the men which have been 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, unto their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.

16 At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him.

17 For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives.

18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland, and of the South of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, and Aijalon, and Gederoth, and Soco with the towns thereof, and Timnah with the towns thereof, Gimzo also and the towns thereof: and they dwelt there.

19 For theLordbrought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he had dealt wantonly in Judah, and trespassed sore against theLord.

20 And Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.

21 For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of theLord, and out of the house of the king and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but it helped him not.

22 And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against theLord, this same king Ahaz.

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

24 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 theLord; and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.

25 And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger theLord, the God of his fathers.

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

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

1 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.

2 And he did that which was right in the eyes of theLord, according to all that David his father had done.

3 He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the door of the house of theLord, and repaired them.

4 And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the broad place on the east,

5 and said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites; now sanctify yourselves, and sanctify the house of theLord, the God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.

6 For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the sight of theLordour God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of theLord, and turned their backs.

7 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.

8 Wherefore the wrath of theLordwas upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered them to be tossed to and fro, to be an astonishment, and an hissing, as ye see with your eyes.

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

10 Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with theLord, the God of Israel, that his fierce anger may turn away from us.

11 My sons, be not now negligent: for theLordhath chosen you to stand before him, to minister unto him, and that ye should be his ministers, and burn incense.

12 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 Jehallelel: and of the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah:

13 and of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeuel: and of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah:

14 and of the sons of Heman, Jehuel and Shimei: and of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel.

15 And they gathered their brethren, and sanctified themselves, and went in, according to the commandment of the king by the words of theLord, to cleanse the house of theLord.

16 And the priests went in unto the inner part of the house of theLord, to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of theLordinto the court of the house of theLord. And the Levites took it, to carry it out abroad to the brook Kidron.

17 Now they began on the firstdayof the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of theLord; and they sanctified the house of theLordin eight days: and on the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.

18 Then they went in to Hezekiah the king withinthe palace, and said, We have cleansed all the house of theLord, and the altar of burnt offering, with all the vessels thereof, and the table of shewbread, with all the vessels thereof.

19 Moreover all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign did cast away when he trespassed, have we prepared and sanctified; and, behold, they are before the altar of theLord.

20 Then Hezekiah the king arose early, and gathered the princes of the city, and went up to the house of theLord.

21 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 theLord.

22 So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the altar: and they killed the rams, and sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and sprinkled the blood upon the altar.

23 And they brought near the he-goats for the sin offering before the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them:

24 and the priests killed them, and they made a sin offering with their blood upon the altar, to make atonement for all Israel: for the king commandedthatthe burnt offering and the sin offeringshould be madefor all Israel.

25 And he set the Levites in the house of theLordwith cymbals with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet: for the commandment was of theLordby his prophets.

26 And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.

27 And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar, And when the burnt offering began, the song of theLordbegan also, and the trumpets, together with the instruments of David king of Israel.

28 And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all thiscontinueduntil the burnt offering was finished.

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

30 Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praises unto theLordwith the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.

31 Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto theLord, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of theLord. And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a willing heartbroughtburnt offerings.

32 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 theLord.

33 And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep.

34 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 priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.

35 And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and with the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of theLordwas set in order.

36 And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, because of that which God had prepared for the people: for the thing was done suddenly.

1 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of theLordat Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto theLord, the God of Israel.

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

3 For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

4 And the thing was right in the eyes of the king and of all the congregation.

5 So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto theLord, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem: for they had not kept it in great numbers in such sort as it is written.

6 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 theLord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may return to the remnant that are escaped of you out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.

7 And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against theLord, the God of their fathers, so that he gave them up to desolation, as ye see.

8 Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were; but yield yourselves unto theLord, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever, and serve theLordyour God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you.

9 For if ye turn again unto theLord, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that led them captive, and shall come again into this land: for theLordyour God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.

10 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.

11 Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

12 Also in Judah was the hand of God to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the king and of the princes by the word of theLord.

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

14 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.

15 Then they killed the passover on the fourteenthdayof the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought burnt offerings into the house of theLord.

16 And they stood in their place after their order, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood,which they receivedof the hand of the Levites.

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

18 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 is written. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, The goodLordpardon every one

19 that setteth his heart to seek God, theLord, the God of his fathers, thoughhe benotcleansedaccording to the purification of the sanctuary.

20 And theLordhearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.

21 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 theLordday by day,singingwith loud instruments unto theLord.

22 And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that were well skilledin the serviceof theLord. So they did eat throughout the feast for the seven days, offering sacrifices of peace offerings, and making confession to theLord, the God of their fathers.

23 And the whole congregation took counsel to keep other seven days: and they keptotherseven days with gladness.

24 For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation for offerings 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.

25 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.

26 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.

27 Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy habitation, even unto heaven.

1 Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake in pieces the pillars, and hewed down the Asherim, and brake down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.

2 And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the camp of theLord.

3 He appointedalso 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 theLord.

4 Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the law of theLord.

5 And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel gave 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.

6 And 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 dedicated things which were consecrated unto theLordtheir God, and laid them by heaps.

7 In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month.

8 And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed theLord, and his people Israel.

9 Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps.

10 And Azariah the chief priest, of the house of Zadok, answered him and said, Sincethe peoplebegan to bring the oblations into the house of theLord, we have eaten and had enough, and have left plenty: for theLordhath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.

11 Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of theLord; and they prepared them.

12 And they brought in the oblations and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully: and over them Conaniah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was second.

13 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 Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by the appointment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God.

14 And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter at the eastgate, was over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute the oblations of theLord, and the most holy things.

15 And under 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:

16 beside them that were reckoned by genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even every one that entered into the house of theLord, as the duty of every day required, for their service in their charges according to their courses;

17 and them that were reckoned by genealogy of the priests by their fathers’ houses, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their charges by their courses;

18 and them that were reckoned by 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:

19 Also for the sons of Aaron the priests, which were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every several city; there were men that were expressed by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all that were reckoned by genealogy among the Levites.

20 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah; and he wrought that which was good and right and faithful before theLordhis God.

21 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.

1 After these things, and this faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself.

2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem,

3 he took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were without the city; and they helped him.

4 So there was gathered much people together, and they stopped all the fountains, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?

5 And he took courage, and built up all the wall that was broken down, and raised it up to the towers, and the other wall without, and strengthened Millointhe city of David, and made weapons and shields in abundance.

6 And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the broad place at the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them, saying,

7 Be strong and of a good courage, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there is a greater with us than with him:

8 with him is an arm of flesh; but with us is theLordour God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

9 After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, (now he was before Lachish, and all his power with him,) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying,

10 Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide the siege in Jerusalem?

11 Doth not Hezekiah persuade you, to give you over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, TheLordour God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

12 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 upon it shall ye burn incense?

13 Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands any ways able to deliver their land out of mine hand?

14 Who was there among all the gods of those nations which 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?

15 Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither believe ye 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?

16 And his servants spake yet more against theLordGod, and against his servant Hezekiah.

17 He wrote also letters, to rail on theLord, the God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of the lands which have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand.

18 And they cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city.

19 And they spake of the God of Jerusalem, as of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men’s hands.

20 And Hezekiah the king, and Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz, prayed because of this, and cried to heaven.

21 And theLordsent 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.

22 Thus theLordsaved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of allother, and guided them on every side.

23 And many brought gifts unto theLordto Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.

24 In those days Hezekiah was sick even unto death: and he prayed unto theLord; and he spake unto him, and gave him a sign.

25 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.

26 Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of theLordcame not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

27 And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour: and he provided him treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of goodly vessels;

28 storehouses also for the increase of corn and wine and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and flocks in folds.

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

30 This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper spring of the waters of Gihon, and brought them straight down on the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.

31 Howbeit inthe business ofthe ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to inquire 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.

32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his good deeds, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz, in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

33 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the ascent 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.

1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem,

2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of theLord, after the abominations of the heathen, whom theLordcast out before the children of Israel.

3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; and he reared up altars for the Baalim, and made Asheroth, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

4 And he built altars in the house of theLord, whereof theLordsaid, In Jerusalem shall my name be forever.

5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of theLord.

6 He also made his Children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: and he practised augury, and used enchantments, and practised sorcery, and dealt with them that had familiar spirits, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of theLord, to provoke him to anger.

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

8 neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from off the land which I have appointed for your fathers; if only they will observe to do all that I have commanded them, even all the law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.

9 And Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, so that they did evil more than did the nations, whom theLorddestroyed before the children of Israel.

10 And theLordspake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they gave no heed.

11 Wherefore theLordbrought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh in chains, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

12 And when he was in distress, he besought theLordhis God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.

13 And he prayed unto him; and he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that theLordhe was God.

14 Now after this he built an outer wall to the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate; and he compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height: and he put valiant captains in all the fenced cities of Judah.

15 And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of theLord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of theLord, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.

16 And he built up the altar of theLord, and offered thereon sacrifices of peace offerings and of thanksgiving, and commanded Judah to serve theLord, the God of Israel.

17 Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, but only unto theLordtheir God.

18 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 theLord, the God of Israel, behold, they are written among the acts of the kings of Israel.

19 His prayer also, and howGodwas entreated of him, and all his sin and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up the Asherim and the graven images, before he humbled himself: behold, they are written in the history of Hozai.

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

21 Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned two years in Jerusalem.

22 And he did that which was evil in the sight of theLord, as did Manasseh his father: and Amon sacrificed unto all the graven images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them.

23 And he humbled not himself before theLord, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but this same Amon trespassed more and more.

24 And his servants conspired against him, and put him to death in his own house.

25 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.

1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem.

2 And he did that which was right in the eyes of theLord, and walked in the ways of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.

3 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 Asherim, and the graven images, and the molten images.

4 And they brake down the altars of the Baalim in his presence; and the sun-images, that were on high above them, he hewed down; and the Asherim, and the graven images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the gravesof themthat had sacrificed unto them.

5 And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and purged Judah and Jerusalem.

6 Andso did hein the cities of Manasseh and Ephraim and Simeon, even unto Napthali, in their ruins round about.

7 And he brake down the altars, and beat the Asherim and the graven images into powder, and hewed down all the sun-images throughout all the land of Israel, and returned to Jerusalem.

8 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 theLordhis God.

9 And they came to Hilkiah the high priest, and delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites, the keepers of the door, had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin, and of the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

10 And they delivered it into the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of theLord; and the workmen that wrought in the house of theLordgave it to amend and repair the house;

11 even to the carpenters and to the builders gave they it, to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to make beams for the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed.

12 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: andother ofthe Levites, all that could skill of instruments of music.

13 Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and set forward all that did the work in every manner of service: and of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters.

14 And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of theLord, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of theLordgiven by Moses.

15 And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of theLord. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.

16 And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and moreover brought the king word again, saying, All that was committed to thy servants, they do it.

17 And they have emptied out the money that was found in the house of theLord, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and into the hand of the workmen.

18 And Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read therein before the king.

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

20 And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying,

21 Go ye, inquire of theLordfor 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 theLordthat is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of theLord, to do according unto all that is written in this book.

22 So Hilkiah, and they whom the kinghad commanded, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the second quarter;) and they spake to her to that effect.

23 And she said unto them, Thus saith theLord, the God of Israel: tell ye the man that sent you unto me,

24 Thus saith theLord, 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:

25 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 is my wrath poured out upon this place, and it shall not be quenched.

26 But unto the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of theLord, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith theLord, the God of Israel: As touching the words which thou hast heard,

27 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 hast humbled thyself before me, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith theLord.

28 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 thereof. And they brought the king word again.

29 Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

30 And the king went up to the house of theLord, and all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, both 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 theLord.

31 And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before theLord, to walk after theLord, 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 that were written in this book.

32 And he caused all that were found in Jerusalem and Benjamin to standto it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.

33 And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were found in Israel to serve, even to serve theLordtheir God. All his days they departed not from following theLord, the God of their fathers.