 CHAPTER 10 Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. It happened when Jeroboam, the son of Nabot, heard it, for he was in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt. They sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all Israel came, and they spoke to Rehoboam, saying, Your Father made our yoke grievous, now, therefore, make you the grievous service of your Father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us lighter, and we will serve you. He said to them, Come again to me after three days. The people departed. King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel do you give me to return answer to this people? They spoke to him, saying, If you are kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be your servants for ever. But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him. He said to them, What counsel do you give, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke that your father put on us lighter? The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, Thus you shall tell the people who spoke to you, saying, Your Father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter on us. Thus you shall say to them, My little finger is thicker than my father's waist. Now, whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king asked, saying, Come to me again the third day. The king answered them roughly, and King Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, and spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. So the king didn't listen to the people, for it was brought about of God that Yahweh might establish his word, which he spoke by Elijah the Shalonite to Jeroboam the son of Nabat. When all Israel saw that the king didn't listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? Neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to your tents, Israel. Now see to your own house, David. So all Israel departed to their tents. But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over the men subject to forced labour, and the children of Israel stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam made speed to get himself up to his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. So Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day. CHAPTER XI. When Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, one hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam. But the word of Yahweh came to Shamiah, the man of God, saying, Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, Thus says Yahweh, You shall not go up nor fight against your brothers. Return every man to his house, for this thing is of me. So they listened to the words of Yahweh and returned from going against Rehoboam. Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built cities for defense in Judah. He built Bethlehem and Etem and Techoa, Beth-Zur and Soko, Adulum and Gath, and Marisha, and Zif, and Adorum, and Lakish, and Azukah, and Zorah, and Aijalan, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fortified cities. He fortified the strongholds and put captains in them and stores of food and oil and wine. He put shields and spears in every city and made them exceeding strong. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him. The priests and the Levites, who were in all Israel, resorted to him out of all their border. For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem. For Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priests' office to Yahweh, and he appointed him priests for the high places, and for the male goats, and for the calves which he had made. After them, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their hearts to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Yahweh the God of their fathers. So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years, for they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon. Rehoboam took him a wife, Mahalath, the daughter of Jeremiah, the son of David, and of Abahail, the daughter of Ilyab, the son of Jesse, and she bore him sons, Jiyush, and Shemariah, and Zaham. After her he took Makkah, the daughter of Absalom, and she bore him Abijah, and Atai, and Ziza, and Shalameth. Rehoboam loved Makkah, the daughter of Absalom, above all his wives and his concubines, for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Makkah to be chief, the prince among his brothers, for he intended to make him king. He dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the land of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city, and he gave them food and abundance. He sought for them many wives. CHAPTER 12 It happened when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established, and he was strong, that he forsook the law of Yahweh and all Israel with him. It happened in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, that Shishak, king of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem, because they had trespassed against Yahweh, with twelve hundred chariots, and sixty thousand horsemen. The people were without number who came with him out of Egypt, the Lubim, the Sikim, and the Ethiopians. He took the fortified cities which pertain to Judah and came to Jerusalem. Now Shamiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and to the princes of Judah, who were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, Thus says Yahweh, You have forsaken me, and therefore I have also left you in the hand of Shishak. Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves, and they said, Yahweh is righteous. When Yahweh saw that they humbled themselves, the word of Yahweh came to Shamiah, saying, They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. Nevertheless, they shall be his servants, that they may know my service and the service of the kingdoms of the countries. So Shishak, king of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem and took away the treasures of the house of Yahweh and the treasures of the king's house. He took it all away. He also took away the shields of gold which Solomon had made. King Rehoboam made in their place shields of brass and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who kept the door of the king's house. It was so that as often as the king entered into the house of Yahweh, the guard came and bore them and brought them back into the guard room. When he humbled himself, the wrath of Yahweh turned from him, so as not to destroy him altogether, and moreover in Judah there were good things found. So King Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem and reigned, for Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there, and his mother's name was Nama the Ammonitus. He did that which was evil because he didn't set his heart to seek Yahweh. Now, the acts of Rehoboam first and last, aren't they written in the histories of Shamiah the prophet and of Edo the seer after the way of genealogies. There were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. Rehoboam slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David, and Abijah his son reigned in his place. CHAPTER XIII. In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah. He reigned three years in Jerusalem, and his mother's name was Makaya the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. There was a war between Abijah and Jeroboam. Abijah joined battle with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men, and Jeroboam set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, who were mighty men of valor. Abijah stood up on Mount Zemarim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, Hear me, Jeroboam, and all Israel. Ought you not to know that Yahweh, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? Yet Jeroboam, the son of Nibbat, the servant of Solomon, the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord. There were gathered to him worthless men, base fellows, who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted and could not withstand them. Now you think to withstand the kingdom of Yahweh in the hand of the sons of David, and you are great multitude, and there are with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made for gods. Haven't you driven out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and made priests who yourselves after the ways of the peoples of other lands, so that whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams, the same may be a priest of those who are no gods? But as for us, Yahweh is our God, and we have not forsaken him, and we have priests ministering to Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites in their work, and they burn to Yahweh every morning and every evening, burnt offerings and sweet incense. They also set the show-bread in order on the pure table, and the lamp stead of gold with its lamps, to burn every evening, for we keep the instruction of Yahweh our God, but you have forsaken him. Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with the trumpets of alarm to sound an alarm against you. Children of Israel, don't fight against Yahweh, the God of your fathers, for you shall not prosper. But Jeroboam caused an ambush to come about behind them, so they were before Judah, and the ambush was behind them. When Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind them, and they cried to Yahweh, and the priests sounded with the trumpets. Then the men of Judah gave a shout, and as the men of Judah shouted it happened that God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. The children of Israel fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hand. Abijah and his people killed them with a great slaughter, so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on Yahweh, the God of their fathers. Abijah pursued after Jeroboam and took cities from him, Bethel with its towns, and Jehoshanna with its towns, and Ephron with its towns. Jeroboam didn't recover strength again in the days of Abijah. Yahweh struck him, and he died. But Abijah grew mighty and took to himself fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. The rest of the acts of Abijah and his ways and his sayings are written in the commentary of the prophet Edo. CHAPTER XIV. So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet ten years. Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of Yahweh his God, for he took away the foreign alters and the high places, and broke down the pillars, and cut down the Asherim, and commanded Judah to seek Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the son images, and the kingdom was quiet before him. He built fortified cities in Judah, for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because Yahweh had given him rest. For he said to Judah, Let us build these cities, and make walls around them, with towers, gates, and bars. The land is yet before us, because we have sought Yahweh our God, and we have sought him, and he has given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered. Asa had an army that bore bucklers and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand, and out of Benjamin, that bore shields and drew bows, two hundred eighty thousand. All these were mighty men of valor. There came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an army of a million troops, and three hundred chariots, and he came to Marisha. Then Asa went out to meet him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zaphatot at Marisha. Asa cried to Yahweh his God, and said, Yahweh, there is none besides you to help, between the mighty and him who has no strength. Help us, Yahweh our God, for we rely on you, and in your name are we come against this multitude. Yahweh, you are our God. Don't let man prevail against you. So Yahweh struck the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar, and there fell of the Ethiopians so many that they could not recover themselves, for they were destroyed before Yahweh and before his army, and they carried away very much booty. They struck all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of Yahweh came on them, and they despoiled all the cities, for there was much spoil in them. They struck also the tents of livestock, and carried away sheep in abundance and camels, and returned to Jerusalem. CHAPTER XV The Spirit of God came on Azariah, the son of Oded, and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin, Yahweh is with you, while you are with him, and if you seek him he will be found by you, but if you forsake him he will forsake you. Now, for a long time Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law. But when in their distress they turned to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them. In those times there was no peace to him who went out, nor to him who came in, but great troubles were on all the inhabitants of the lands. They were broken in pieces, nation against nation, and city against city, for God troubled them with all adversity. But you be strong and don't let your hands be slack, for your work shall be rewarded. When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominations out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of all the cities which he had taken from the hill country of Ephraim, and he renewed the altar of Yahweh that was before the porch of Yahweh. He gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those who lived with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon, for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that Yahweh his God was with him. So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. They sacrificed to Yahweh in that day of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep. They entered into the covenant to seek Yahweh, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul, and that whoever would not seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. They swore to Yahweh with a loud voice and with shouting and with trumpets and with cornets. All Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought him with their whole desire, and he was found of them, and Yahweh gave them rest all around. Also, Makkah, the mother of Asa the king, he removed from being queen, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah, and Asa cut down her image and made a dust of it, and burnt it at the Brut Kidron. But the high places were not taken away out of Israel, nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days. He brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, gold, and vessels. There was no more war to the five-and-thirtieth year of the reign of Asa. CHAPTER XVI. In the six-and-thirtieth year of the reign of Asa, the Basha, king of Israel, went up against Judah and built Rama, that he might not allow anyone to go out or come in to Asa, king of Judah. Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of Yahweh and out of the king's house, and sent to Ben Hadad, king of Syria, who lived at Damascus, saying, Let there be a treaty between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you silver and gold. Go, break your treaty with Basha, king of Israel, that he may depart from me. Ben Hadad listened to King Asa and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel, and they suck Ijan and Dan and Abel Mame and all the storage cities of Naqtali. It happened when Basha heard of it that he left off building Rama and let his work cease. Then Asa the king took all Judah and they carried away the stones of Rama and its timber, with which Basha had built. And he built therewith Geba and Mizpa. At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa, king of Judah, and said to him, Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on Yahweh your God, therefore is the army of the king of Syria escaped out of your hand. Weren't the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge army, with chariots and horsemen exceeding many? Yet because you relied on Yahweh he delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of Yahweh run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein you have done foolishly, for from henceforth you shall have wars. Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in the prison, for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time. Behold, the acts of Asa, first and last. Behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet. His disease was exceeding great, yet in his disease he didn't seek Yahweh but to the physicians. Asa slept with his fathers and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign. They buried him in his own tombs which he had dug for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odors and various kinds of spices prepared by the perfumer's art, and they made a very great burning for him. CHAPTER XVII. Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place and strengthened himself against Israel. He placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah and set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim which Asa his father had taken. Yahweh was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the first ways of his father David and didn't seek the Baals but sought to the God of his father and walked in his commandments and not after the doings of Israel. Therefore Yahweh established the kingdom in his hand and all Judah brought Jehoshaphat tribute and he had riches and honor and abundance. His heart was lifted up in the ways of Yahweh and furthermore he took away the high places and the Asherim out of Judah. Also in the third year of his reign he sent his princes even Ben-Hale and Obadiah and Zechariah and Nathaniel and Micaiah to teach in the cities of Judah and with them the Levites, even Shimea and Nathania and Zebediah and Asherah and Shemera-Moth and Jehananath and Adonajai and Tobajah and Tobanadajah the Levites and with them Elashama and Jehoram the priests. They taught in Judah having the Book of the Law of Yahweh with them and they went about throughout the cities of Judah and taught among the people. The fear of Yahweh fell on all the kingdoms of the land that were around Judah so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents and silver for tribute. The Arabians also brought him flocks, 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats. Jehoshaphat grew great exceedingly and he built in Judah castles and cities of store. He had many works in the cities of Judah and men of war, mighty men of valor in Jerusalem. This was the numbering of them according to their father's houses. Of Judah the captains of thousands, Adna the captain and with him mighty men of valor three hundred thousand and next to him Jehananath the captain and with him two hundred and eighty thousand and next to him a Messiah the son of Zikri who willingly offered himself to Yahweh and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valor. Of Benjamin Eliadah a mighty man of valor and with him two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield and next to him Jehoshabad and with him one hundred and eighty thousand ready prepared for war. These were those who waited on the king besides those whom the king put in the fortified cities throughout all Judah. CHAPTER XVIII Now Jehoshaphat had riches in honor and abundance and he joined affinity with Ahab. After certain years he went down to Ahab to Zemaria. Ahab killed sheep and cattle for him in abundance and for the people who were with him and moved him to go up with him to Ramath Gilead. Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, will you go with me to Ramath Gilead? He answered him, I am as you are and my people as your people. We will be with you in the war. Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, please inquire first for the word of Yahweh. Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men and said to them, shall we go to Ramath Gilead to battle or shall I forbear? They said, go up, for God will deliver it into the hand of the king. But Jehoshaphat said, isn't there here a prophet of Yahweh besides that we may inquire of him? The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, there is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Yahweh, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. He is Micaiah the son of Imla. Jehoshaphat said, don't let the king say so. Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, get Micaiah the son of Imla quickly. Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, arrayed in their rows, and they were sitting in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them. Zedekiah the son of Chanana made him horns of iron and said, thus says Yahweh, with these Jehoshaphat push the Syrians until they are consumed. All the prophets prophesied so, saying, go up to Ramath Gilead and prosper, for Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king. The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth. Let your word therefore please be like one of theirs and speak good. Micaiah said, as Yahweh lives, what my God says, that I will speak. When he had come to the king, the king said to him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramath Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? He said, go up and prosper, they shall be delivered into your hand. The king said to him, how many times shall I adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of Yahweh? He said, I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. Yahweh said, these have no master, let them return every man to his house in peace. The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, didn't I tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me but evil? Micaiah said, therefore hear the word of Yahweh. I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. Yahweh said, who shall entice Ahab, king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramath Gilead? One spoke, saying in this way, and another, saying in that way. A spirit came out, and stood before Yahweh, and said, I will entice him. Yahweh said to him, how? He said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. He said, you will entice him, and will prevail also. Go forth and do so. Now, therefore behold, Yahweh has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets, and Yahweh has spoken evil concerning you. Then Zedekiah the son of Chennanah came near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, which way did the spirit of Yahweh go for me to speak to you? Micaiah said, Behold, you shall see on that day when you shall go into an inner room to hide yourself. The king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back to Anon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son, and say, thus says the king, put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace. Micaiah said, If you return it all in peace, Yahweh has not spoken by me. He said, Listen, you peoples, all of you! So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself and go into the battle, but you put on your robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself and they went into the battle. Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, except only with the king of Israel. It happened when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they turned around to fight against him. But Jehoshaphat cried out and Yahweh helped him, and God moved them to depart from him. It happened when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel that they turned back from pursuing him. A certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the joints of the armor. Therefore he said to the driver of the chariot, Turn your hand and carry me out of the army, for I am severely wounded. The battle increased that day. However, the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the evening, and about the time of the going down of the sun he died. CHAPTER XIX Josephat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem. Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to the king Jehoshaphat, Should you help the wicked and love those who hate Yahweh? Because of this Roth is on you from before Yahweh. Nevertheless there are good things found in you, in that you have put away the asheroth out of the land and have set your heart to seek God. Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem, and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and brought them back to Yahweh the God of their fathers. He set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, and said to the judges, Consider what you do, for you don't judge for man but for Yahweh, and he is with you in the judgment. Now therefore let the fear of Yahweh be on you. Take heed and do it, for there is no iniquity with Yahweh our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of bribes. Moreover in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed Levites and priests, and of the heads of the fathers' households of Israel, for the judgment of Yahweh and for controversies. They returned to Jerusalem. He commanded them saying, Thus you shall do in the fear of Yahweh faithfully and with a perfect heart. Whenever any controversy shall come to you from your brothers who dwell in their cities, blood between blood, between law and commandment, statues and ordinances, you shall warn them that they not be guilty towards Yahweh, and so wroth come on you and on your brothers. Do this, and you shall not be guilty. Behold, Amoriah the chief priest is over you in all matters of Yahweh, and Zebediah the son of Ishmael. The ruler of the house of Judah, in all the kings matters. Also the Levites shall be officers before you. Deal courageously, and may Yahweh be with the good. CHAPTER XXI. It happened after this that the children of Moab and the children of Ammon, and with them some of the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. Then some came who told Jehoshaphat saying, A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea from Syria. Behold, they are in Hazazan Tamar, that is, N. Getty. Jehoshaphat was alarmed and set himself to seek Yahweh. He proclaimed afast throughout all Judah. Judah gathered themselves together to seek help from Yahweh. They came out of all the cities of Judah to seek Yahweh. Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of Yahweh, before the new court, and he said, Yahweh, the God of our fathers, aren't you God in heaven? Aren't you ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in your hand, so that no one is able to withstand you. Didn't you, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it to the seed of Abraham, your friend forever? They lived in it, and have built you a sanctuary in it for your name, saying, If evil comes on us, the sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house, and before you, for your name is in this house, and cry to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save. Now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seer, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned aside from them and didn't destroy them. Behold, how they reward us to come to cast us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that comes against us. Neither know we what to do, but our eyes are on you. All Judah stood before Yahweh, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. Then the spirit of Yahweh came on Jehazil, the son of Zechariah, the son of Benea, the son of Jeel, the son of Mataniah, the Levite, of the sons of Asaph in the midst of the assembly, and he said, Listen, all Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you king Jehoshaphat. Thus says Yahweh to you. Don't be afraid. Neither be dismayed by reason of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's. Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they are coming up by the ascent of Zees. You shall find them at the end of the valley before the wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight this battle. Set yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Don't be afraid, nor be dismayed. Go out against them tomorrow, for Yahweh is with you. Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before Yahweh, worshiping Yahweh. The Levites of the children of the Cothonites and of the children of the Chorahites stood up to praise Yahweh, the God of Israel, with an exceeding loud voice. They rose early in the morning and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa, and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Listen to me, Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem. Believe in Yahweh, your God, so you shall be established. Believe his prophets, so you shall prosper. When he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who should sing to Yahweh and give praise in holy array, as they went out before the army and say, Give thanks to Yahweh, for his loving kindness endures forever. When they began to sing and to praise, Yahweh sent ambushers against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seer, who had come against Judah, and they were struck. For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seer, utterly to kill and destroy them, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seer, everyone helped to destroy another. When Judah came to the place overlooking the wilderness, they looked at the multitude, and behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and there were none who escaped. When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them in abundance both riches and dead bodies and precious jewels which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away, and they were three days in taking the spoil. It was so much. On the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Barakah, for there they blessed Yahweh. Therefore the name of that place was called the Valley of Barakah to this day. Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem and Jehoshaphat in their forefront, to go again to Jerusalem with joy, for Yahweh had made them to rejoice over their enemies. They came to Jerusalem with stringed instruments and harps and trumpets to the house of Yahweh. The fear of God was on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that Yahweh fought against the enemies of Israel. So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, where his God gave him rest all around. Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah, he was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem, and his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhe. He walked in the way of Asa his father, and didn't turn aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh. However the high places were not taken away, neither as yet had the people set their hearts to the God of their fathers. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the history of Jehu, the son of Hanani, which is inserted in the book of the kings of Israel. After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel. The same did very wickedly, and he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Charshish, and they made the ships in Ezi and Geber. Then Eliezer, the son of Daravahu of Marisha prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because you have joined yourself with Ahaziah, Yahweh has destroyed your works. The ships were broken, so that they were not able to go to Charshish. CHAPTERS XXI-28 For more information, or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The second book of Chronicles from the World English Bible. CHAPTERS XXI-28 Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David, and Jehoram, his son, reigned in his place. He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah and Jehelil, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shep Tatia, and all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. Their father gave them great gifts, of silver and of gold and of precious things, with fortified cities in Judah, but the kingdom he gave to Jehoram, because he was the first born. Now, when Jehoram was risen up over the kingdom of his father, and had strengthened himself, he killed all his brothers with a sword, and various also of the princes of Israel. Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab, for he had the daughter of Ahab as wife, and he did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh. However, Yahweh would not destroy the house of David because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a lamp to him and his children always. In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. Then Jehoram passed over with his captains and all his chariots with him, and he rose up by night and struck the Edomites who surrounded him, along with the captains of the chariots. So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah to this day. Then Libna revolted at the same time from under his hand, because he had forsaken Yahweh, the God of his fathers. Moreover, he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and made the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the prostitute, and led Judah astray. A letter came to him from Elijah the prophet saying, Thus says Yahweh, the God of David, your father. Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat, your father, nor in the ways of Asa, king of Judah, but have walked in the way of the king of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the prostitute, like the house of Ahab did, and also have slain your brothers of your father's house, who were better than yourself. Behold, Yahweh will strike with a great plague your people, and your children, and your wives, and all your substance, and you shall have great sickness by disease of your bowels, until your bowels fall out by reason of the sickness, day by day. Yahweh stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians who are beside the Ethiopians, and they came up against Judah and broke into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and his sons also and his wives, so that there was never a son left him, except Jehoah has, the youngest of his sons. After all this, Yahweh struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease. It happened in process of time, at the end of two years, that his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness, and he died of severe diseases. His people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers. Thirty-two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and he departed without being desired, and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings. The inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, his youngest son, king in his place, for the band of men who came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, reigned. Forty-two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem, and his mother's name was Athalia, the daughter of Omri. He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor to do wickedly. He did that which was evil in the side of Yahweh, as did the house of Ahab, for they were his counselors after the death of his father to his destruction. He walked also after their council, and went with Jehoram, the son of Ahab, king of Israel, to war against Ahaziah, king of Syria, at Ramath Gilead, and the Syrians wounded Joram. He returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which they had given him at Ramah, when he fought against HaZeel, king of Syria. Azaria, the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to see Jehoram, the son of Ahab, in Jezreel, because he was sick. Now the destruction of Ahaziah was of God, in that he went to Jehoram, for when he had come he went out with Jehoram against Jehu, the son of Nimshi, whom Yahweh had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. It happened, when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, that he found the princes of Judah and the sons of the brothers of Ahaziah ministering to Azahiah, and killed them. He sought Azahiah, and they caught him, now he was hiding in Samaria, and they brought him to Jehu, and killed him, and they buried him, for they said, he is the son of Jehoshaphat who sought Yahweh with all his heart. The house of Ahaziah had no power to hold the kingdom. Now, when Athalia, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal seat of the house of Judah. But Jehoshabeth, the daughter of the king, took Joash, the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king's son who were slain, and put him and his nurse in the bedroom. So Jehoshabeth, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoida, the priest, for she was the sister of Ahaziah, hid him from Athalia, so that she didn't kill him. He was with them hidden in the house of God six years, and Athalia reigned over the land. CHAPTER XXIII In the seventh year Jehoida strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah, the son of Jehoam, and Ishmael, the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah, the son of Abid, and Masiah, the son of Adiah, and Elishaphat, the son of Zikri, into covenant with him. They went about in Judah and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the heads of the father's households of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. All the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. He said to them, Hold, the king's son shall reign as Yahweh has spoken concerning the sons of David. This is the thing that you shall do. A third part of you, who come in on the Sabbath, of the priests and the Levites, shall be porters of the thresholds. A third part shall be at the king's house, and a third part at the gate of the foundation. All the people shall be in the courts of Yahweh's house, but let no one come into the house of Yahweh, except the priests, and those who minister of the Levites. They shall come in for they are holy, but all the people shall follow Yahweh's instructions. The Levites shall surround the king every man with his weapons in his hand. Whoever comes into the house let him be slain, be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out. So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoida the priests commanded, and they took every man his men, those who were to come in on the Sabbath, with those who were to go out on the Sabbath, for Jehoida the priests didn't dismiss the shift. Jehoida the priests delivered to the captains of hundreds the spears and bucklers and shields that had been king David's, which were in the house of God. He set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the altar and the house around the king. Then they brought out the king's son and put the crown on him and gave him the testimony and made him king, and Jehoida and his sons anointed him and they said, Long live the king! When Athalia heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of Yahweh, and she looked, and behold the king stood by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpets by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced and blew trumpets. The singers also played musical instruments and led the singing of praise. Then Athalia tore her clothes and said, Treeson, Jehoida the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were set over the army and said to them, Bring her out between the ranks and whoever follows her, let him be slain with the sword. For the priest said, Don't kill her in the Yahweh's house. So they made way for her. She went to the entrance of the horse gate to the king's house, and they killed her there. Jehoida made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king that they should be Yahweh's people. All the people went to the house of Baal and broke it down, and broke his altars and his images and pieces, and killed Matan the priest of Baal before the altars. Jehoida appointed the officers of the house of Yahweh under the hand of the priests, the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of Yahweh, to offer the burnt offerings of Yahweh, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing according to the order of David. He set the porters at the gates of the house of Yahweh that no one who was unclean in anything should enter in. He took the captains of hundreds and the nobles and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of Yahweh, and they came through the upper gate to the king's house, and set the king on the throne of the kingdom. So all the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet. Athalia they had slain with the sword. CHAPTER XXIV. Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem, and his mother's name was Zabiyah of Bershiba. Joash did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh all the days of Jehoida the priest. Jehoida took for him two wives, and he became the father of sons and daughters. It happened after this that Joash intended to restore the house of Yahweh. He gathered together the priests and the Levites and said to them, go out to the cities of Judah and gather money to repair the house of your God from all Israel from year to year. See that you expedite this matter. However, the Levites didn't do it right away. The king called for Jehoida the chief and said to him, why haven't you required of the Levites to bring in the tax of Moses, the servant of Yahweh, and of the assembly of Israel, out of Judah and out of Jerusalem, for the tent of the testimony? For the sons of Athalia, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God, and they also gave all the dedicated things of the house of Yahweh to the Baals. So the king commanded and they made a chest and set it outside the gate of the house of Yahweh. They made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem to bring in for Yahweh the tax that Moses, the servant of God, laid on Israel in the wilderness. All the princes and all the people were joiced and brought in and cast into the chest until they had made an end. It was so that whenever the chest was brought to the king's officers by the hand of the Levites and when they saw that there was much money the king's scribe and the chief priest's officer came and emptied the chest and took it and carried it to its place again. Thus they did day by day and gathered money in abundance. The king and Jehoida gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of Yahweh and they hired masons and carpenters to restore the house of Yahweh and also such as worked iron and brass to repair the house of Yahweh. So the workmen worked and the work of repairing went forward in their hands and they set up the house of God in its state and strengthened it. When they had made an end they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoida of which were made vessels for the house of Yahweh, even vessels with which to minister and to offer, and spoons and vessels of gold and silver. They offered burnt offerings in the house of Yahweh continually all the days of Jehoida. But Jehoida grew old and was full of days and he died, one hundred thirty years old he was when he died. They buried him in the city of David among the kings because he had done good in Israel and toward God and his house. Now after the death of Jehoida came princes of Judah and made obeisance to the king. Then the king listened to them. They forsook the house of Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and served the Ashiram and the idols, and Roth came on Judah and Jerusalem for this their guiltiness. Yet he sent prophets to them to bring them again to Yahweh and they testified against them, but they would not give ear. The Spirit of God came on Zechariah, the son of Jehoida, the priest, and he stood above the people and said to them, thus says God, why do you disobey the commandments of Yahweh that you can't prosper? Because you have forsaken Yahweh he has also forsaken you. They conspired against him and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of Yahweh. Thus Joash the king didn't remember the kindness which Jehoida his father had done to him but killed his son. When he died he said, may Yahweh look at it and repay it. It happened at the end of the year that the army of the Syrians came up against him and they came to Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men and Yahweh delivered a very great army into their hand because they had forsaken Yahweh, the God of their fathers. So they executed judgment on Joash. When they were departed for him, for they left him very sick, his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the son of Jehoida the priest, and killed him on his bed and he died, and they buried him in the city of David but they didn't bury him in the tombs of the kings. These are those who conspired against him. Zabad the son of Shamiath the Ammonitus, and Jehozabad the son of Shemrith the Moabitus. Now concerning his sons and the greatness of the burdens laid on him and the rebuilding of the house of God, behold, they are written in the commentary of the book of the kings. Amaziah his son reigned in his place. CHAPTER XXV. Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem and his mother's name was Jehoidan of Jerusalem. He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh but not with a perfect heart. Now it happened when the kingdom was established to him that he killed his servants who had killed the king his father. But he didn't put their children to death but did according to that which is written in the law in the book of Moses as Yahweh commanded 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. 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 into war who could handle spear and shield. He hired also one hundred thousand mighty men of valor out of Israel for one hundred talents of silver. A man of God came to him saying, O king, don't let the army of Israel go with you, for Yahweh is not with Israel, with all the children of Ephraim. But if you will go take action, be strong for the battle. God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has power to help and to overthrow. 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? The man of God answered, Yahweh is able to give you much more than this. Then Amaziah separated them, the army that had come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again. Therefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah and they returned home in fierce anger. Amaziah took courage and led forth his people and went to the valley of salt and struck ten thousand of the children of Seir. The children of Judah carry away ten thousand alive and brought them to the top of the rock and threw them down from the top of the rock so that they were all broken in pieces. But the men of the army whom Amaziah sent back that they should not go with him to battle fell on the cities of Judah from Samaria even to Bethhorin and struck of them three thousand and took much spoil. Now it happened after that Amaziah had 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 to them. Therefore the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Amaziah and he sent to him a prophet who said to him, Why have you sought after the gods of the people which have not delivered their own people out of your hand? It happened as he talked with him that the king said to him, Have we made you one of the king's counselors? Stop! Why should you be struck down? Then the prophet stopped and said, I know that God has determined to destroy you because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel. Then Amaziah, king of Judah, consulted his advisors 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. Joash, king of Israel, sent to Amaziah, king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son as his wife. And a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thistle. You say to yourself that you have struck Adam and your heart lifts you up to boast. Now, stay at home. Why should you meddle with trouble that you should fall even you and Judah with you? But Amaziah would not listen, for it was of God that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they had sought after the gods of Adam. So Joash, king of Israel, went up. He and Amaziah, king of Judah, looked one another in the face at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah. Judah was defeated by Israel, and they fled, every man to his tent. 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 broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits. He took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God, with Obed Inam, and the treasures of the king's house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria. Amaziah, the king of Joash, king of Judah, lived after the death of Joash, son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, fifteen years. Now, the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, aren't they written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel? Now, from that time that Amaziah turned away from following Yahweh, they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem. He fled to Lakhish, but they sent after him to Lakhish, and killed him there. They brought him on horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah. CHAPTER XXVI. All the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father, Amaziah. He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah. After that the king slept with his fathers. Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem, and his mother's name was Jekhaliyah of Jerusalem. He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 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 Yahweh, God made him to prosper. He went forth and warred against the Philistines, and broke down the Wall of Gath, and the Wall of Jabna, and the Wall of Ashtad, and he built cities in the country of Ashtad and among the Philistines. God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who lived in Gurbawl, and the Minim. The Ammonites gave tribute to Uzziah, and his name spread abroad even to the entrance of Egypt, for he grew exceeding strong. Moreover, Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the Wall, and fortified them. He built towers in the wilderness, and dug out many cisterns, for he had much livestock, in the lowland also, and in the plain, and he had farmers and vineyard keepers in the mountains, and in the fruitful fields, where he loved farming. Moreover, Uzziah had an army of fighting men who went out to war by bands, according to the number of their reckoning, made by Giel, the scribe, and Masiyah, the officer, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains. The whole number of the heads of father's households, even the mighty men of Valor, was two thousand and six hundred. Under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, who made war with mighty power to help the king against the enemy. Uzziah prepared for them, even for all the army, shields and spears, and helmets and coats of mail, and bows and stones for slinging. He made in Jerusalem engines, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and on the battlements, with which to shoot arrows and great stones. His name spread far abroad, for he was marvelously helped, until he was strong. But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, so that he did corruptily, and he trespassed against Yahweh his god, for he went into the temple of Yahweh to burn incense on the altar of incense. As Arayah the priest went in after him, and with him eighty priests of Yahweh, who were valiant men, and they resisted Uzziah the king, and said to him, It isn't for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to Yahweh, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed, neither shall it be for your honor from Yahweh God. Then Uzziah was angry, and he had a censor in his hand to burn incense, and while he was angry with the priests the leprosy broke forth in his forehead before the priests in the house of Yahweh, beside the altar of incense. As Arayah the chief priest and all the priests looked on him, and behold he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out quickly from there, yes, himself hurried also to get out, because Yahweh had struck him. Uzziah the king was a leper to the day of his death, and lived in a separate house, being a leper, for he was cut off from the house of Yahweh, and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land. Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amos, wrote, 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. Jotham his son reigned in his place. CHAPTER 27 Jotham was twenty-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. He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to all that his father Uzziah had done. However, he didn't enter into the temple of Yahweh. The people still did correctly. He built the upper gate of the house of Yahweh, and on the wall of awful he built much. Moreover he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers. He fought also with the king of the children of Ammon, and prevailed against them. The children of Ammon gave him the same year, one hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. The children of Ammon gave that much to him in the second year also, and in the third. So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before Yahweh his God. 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 in Judah. He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and Ahaz his son reigned in his place. CHAPTER XXVIII. Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and he didn't do that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, like David his father, but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and also made molten images for the bowels. Moreover, he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hennom, and burnt his children in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel. He sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places and on the hills, and under every green tree. Therefore Yahweh his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria, and they struck him, and carried away of his a great multitude of captives, and brought them back to Damascus. He was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him with a great slaughter. For Pekka, the son of Remalia, killed in Judah one hundred and twenty thousand in one day, all of them valiant men, as they had forsaken Yahweh, the God of their fathers. Zikri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Masiyah, the king's son, and Azrakam, the ruler of the house, and Elkana, who was next to the king. The children of Israel carried away captive of their brothers two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and also took away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria. But a prophet of Yahweh was there, whose name was Odead, and he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria, and said, Behold, because Yahweh, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage which has reached up to heaven. Now you purpose to keep the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bond-servants and bond-maids for yourself. Aren't there even with you trespasses of your own against Yahweh your God? Now hear me therefore, and send back the captives that you have taken captive from your brothers, for the fierce wrath of Yahweh is on you. Then some of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah, the son of Jonanan, Barakiah, the son of Meschilimoth, and Jezakiah, the son of Shalom, and Amasa, the son of Hadley, stood up against those who came from the war and said to them, You shall not bring in the captives here, for you purpose that which will bring on us a trespass against Yahweh, to add to our sins and to our trespass, for our trespass is great, and there is a fierce wrath against Israel. So the armed men left the captives in the spoil before the princes and all the assembly. The men who have been mentioned by name rose up, and took captives, and with the spoil clothed all who were naked among them, dressed them, gave them scandals, and gave them something to eat and to drink, anointed them, carried all the feeble of them on donkeys, and brought them to Soko, the city of palm trees, to their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria. At that time King Ahaz sent the kings of Assyria to help him. For again the Edomites had come and struck Judah and carried away captives. The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland and of the south of Judah, and had taken Beth Shemesh and Ajalon and Geteroth and Soko with its towns, and Timna with its towns, Gimzo also with its towns, and they lived there. For Yahweh brought Judah low because of Ahaz, king of Israel, for he had dealt wantonly in Judah and trespassed severely against Yahweh. Tilgath Pelnasar, king of Assyria, came to him and distressed him, but didn't strengthen him. For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of Yahweh and out of the house of the kings and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria, but it didn't help him. In the time of his distressed he trespassed yet more against Yahweh, this same king Ahaz. For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, which struck him, and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Assyria helped them, so I will sacrifice to them that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel. 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 Yahweh, and he made him alters in every corner of Jerusalem. In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked to anger Yahweh the God of his fathers. 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. Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem, for they didn't bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel, and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place. CHAPTER XXIX Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem, and his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to all that David his father had done. He, in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of Yahweh and repaired them. He brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the broad place on the east and said to them, Listen to me, you Levites. Now sanctify yourselves and sanctify the house of Yahweh, the God of your fathers, and carry out the filthiness of the holy place. For our fathers have trespassed and done that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of Yahweh and turned their backs. Also they have shut up the doors of the porch and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel. Therefore the wrath of Yahweh was on Judah and Jerusalem, and he has delivered them to be tossed back and forth to be an astonishment and a hissing, hence you see with your eyes. For behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with Yahweh, the God of Israel, that his fierce anger may turn away from us. My sons, don't be negligent now, for Yahweh has chosen you to stand before him, to minister him, and that you should be his ministers and burn incense. Then the Levites arose, Mahath, the son of Amasseh, and Joel, the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites, and of the sons of Marari, Kish, the son of Abdi, and Azariah, the son of Jalalel, and of the Gershonites, Joah, the son of Zima, and Eden, the son of Joah, and of the sons of Elisavon, Shemri and Joel, and of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah, and Matiniah, and of the sons of Hemen, Jehul and Shimi, and of the sons of Jedithon, Shemeah, and Uziel. They gathered their brothers and sanctified themselves, and went in according to the commandment of the King by the words of Yahweh, to cleanse the house of Yahweh. The priests went in to the inner part of the house of Yahweh to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of Yahweh into the court of the house of Yahweh. The Levites took it, to carry it abroad to the Brook Kidron. Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the porch of Yahweh, and they sanctified the house of Yahweh in eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end. Then they went in to Hezekiah, the King, within the palace, and said, We have cleansed all the house of Yahweh and the altar of burnt offering with all its vessels, and the table of show-bread with all its vessels. Moreover all the vessels which King Ahaz in his reign threw away when he trespassed, we have prepared and sanctified, and behold they are before the altar of Yahweh. Then Hezekiah the King arose early, and gathered the princes of the city, and went up to the house of Yahweh. They brought seven bulls, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven male goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. He commanded the priests and the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of Yahweh. So they killed the bulls, and the priests received the blood and sprinkled it on the altar, and they killed the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar. They killed also the lambs and sprinkled the blood on the altar. They brought near the male goats for the sin offering before the king and assembly, and they laid their hands on them, and the priests killed them, and they made a sin offering with their blood on the altar to make atonement for all Israel. For the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel. He set the Levites in the house of Yahweh with symbols, with stringed instruments, 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 Yahweh by his prophets. The Levites stood with the instruments of David and the priests with the trumpets. Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering on the altar. When the burnt offering began, the song of Yahweh began also, and the trumpets, together with the instruments of David, king of Israel. All the assembly worshiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded. All this continued until the burnt offering was finished. When they had made an end of offering, the king and all who were present with him bowed themselves and worshiped. Moreover, Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praises to Yahweh with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. They sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads in worship. Then Hezekiah answered, Now you have consecrated yourselves to Yahweh, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of Yahweh. The assembly brought in sacrifices and thank offerings, and as many, as were of a willing heart, brought in burnt offerings. The number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was seventy bulls, one hundred rams, and two hundred lambs. All these were for a burnt offering to Yahweh. The consecrated things were six hundred head of cattle and three thousand sheep. But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings. Therefore their brothers the Levites helped them until 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. Also the burnt offerings were in abundance with the fad of the peace offerings and with the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of Yahweh was said in order. Hezekiah rejoiced and all the people because of that which God had prepared for the people, for the thing was done suddenly. CHAPTER 30 Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh that they should come to the house of Yahweh at Jerusalem to keep Passover to Yahweh, the God of Israel. For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the assembly in Jerusalem, to keep the Passover in the second month. 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 at Jerusalem. The thing was right in the eyes of the king and of all the assembly. So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to Yahweh, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem, for they had not kept it in great numbers in such sort as it is written. So the couriers went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, You children of Israel, turn again to Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may return to the remnant that have escaped of you out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. Don't be like your fathers and like your brothers who trespassed against Yahweh, the God of their fathers, so that he gave them up to desolation as you see. Now, don't be stiff-net as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to Yahweh and enter into his sanctuary, which he has sanctified forever, and serve Yahweh your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you. For if you turn again to Yahweh, your brothers and your children shall find compassion before those who led them captive, and shall come again into this land, for Yahweh your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you if you return to him. So the couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, even to Zebulun, but they ridiculed them and mocked them. Nevertheless, certain men of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. Also on Judah came the hand of God to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes by the word of Yahweh. Many people assembled at Jerusalem to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great assembly. 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-kedron. 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 burnt offerings into the house of Yahweh. 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 received of the hand of the Levites. For there were many in the assembly who had not sanctified themselves, therefore the Levites were in charge of killing the Passover's for everyone who was not clean, to sanctify them to Yahweh. For a multitude of people, even many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than it is written. For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, May the good Yahweh pardon everyone who sets his heart to seek God, Yahweh, the God of his fathers, even if they aren't clean, according to the purification of the sanctuary. Yahweh listened to Hezekiah and healed the people. The children of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests praised Yahweh day by day, singing with loud instruments to Yahweh. Hezekiah spoke comfortably to all the Levites who had good understanding in the service of Yahweh. So they ate throughout the Feast for seven days, offering sacrifices of peace offerings, and making confession to Yahweh, the God of their fathers. The whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days, and they kept another seven days with gladness. For Hezekiah, King of Judah, gave to the assembly for offerings one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep, and the princes gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep, and a great number of priests sanctified themselves. All the assembly of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the assembly who came out of Israel, and the foreigners who came out of the land of Israel, and who lived in Judah, rejoiced. So there was a great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon, the sons of David, King of Israel, there was not the like in Jerusalem. 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 to heaven. CHAPTER 31 Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, and broke in pieces the pillars, and cut down the Asherim, and broke 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, unto their own cities. Hezekiah pointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites after their divisions, 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 Yahweh. He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, 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 Yahweh. Moreover he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the law of Yahweh. As soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel gave in abundance the first fruits of grain, new wine and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field, and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. The children of Israel and Judah, who lived in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of cattle and sheep, and the tithe of all dedicated things which were consecrated to Yahweh their God, and laid them by heaps. In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed Yahweh and his people Israel. Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. Azariah, the chief priests, of the house of Zadok, answered him and said, Since people began to bring the offerings into the house of Yahweh, we have eaten and had enough, and have plenty, for Yahweh has blessed his people, and that which is left is this great store. Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare rooms in the house of Yahweh, and they prepared them. They brought in the offerings and the tithes, and the dedicated things faithfully, and over them Conaniah the Levite was ruler, and Shimi his brother was second. Jeheil and Azaziah, and Nehath, and Asahil, and Jeremoth, and Josabad, and Eliel, and Isimacchia, and Mahath, and Benea were overseers under the hand of Conaniah and Shimi his brother by the appointment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God. Korah the son of Imna the Levite, the porter at the east gate, was over the free will offerings of God, to distribute the offerings of Yahweh and the most holy things. Under him were Eden, and Manianmen, and Jeshua, and Shimea, Amariah, and Sekaniah in the cities of the priests in their office of trust, to give to their brothers by divisions, as well to the great as to the small. Besides those who were reckoned by genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even everyone who entered into the house of Yahweh, as the duty of every day required, for their service in their offices according to their divisions, and those who were reckoned by genealogy of the priests by their fathers' houses, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their offices by their divisions, and those who were reckoned by genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation, for in their office of trust they sanctified themselves in holiness. Also for the sons of Aaron the priests, who were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every city, there were men who were mentioned by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all who were reckoned by genealogy among the Levites. Hezekiah did so throughout all Judah, and he worked that which was good and right and faithful before Yahweh his God. 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. CHAPTER XXXII After these things and this faithfulness, Senechoreb, king of Assyria, came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fortified cities, and thought to win them for himself. When Hezekiah saw that Senechoreb had come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem, he took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the springs which were outside of the city, and they helped him. So many people gathered together, and they stopped all the springs, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water? He took courage, and built up all the wall that was broken down, and raised it up to the towers, and the other wall outside, and strengthened Milo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields and abundance. 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 spoke comfortably to them, saying, Be strong and courageous, don't be afraid nor dismayed, for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude who is with him, for there is a greater with us than with them. With him is an army of flesh, but with us is Yahweh our God to help us and fight our battles. The people rested themselves on the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah. After this, Senecharib, king of Assyria, sent his servants to Jerusalem. Now he was before Lakish, and all his power with him, to Hezekiah, king of Judah, and to Judah, who were at Jerusalem, saying, Thus says Senecharib, king of Assyria, in whom do you trust that you remain under siege in Jerusalem? Doesn't Hezekiah persuade you to give you over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, Yahweh our God will deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Hasn't the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, You shall worship before one altar, and on it you shall burn incense? Don't you know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands in any way able to deliver their land out of my hand? Who was there among all the gods of these nations which my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand? Now, therefore, don't let Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you in this way. Neither believe him, for no God of any nation or any kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you out of my hand? His servant spoke yet more against Yahweh, God, and against his servant Hezekiah. He also wrote letters insulting Yahweh, 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 my hand, so shall the God of Hezekiah not deliver his people out of my hand. They cried with a loud voice in the Jews language to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall to frighten them and to trouble them, but they might take the city. They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as of the gods of the peoples of the earth which are the work of men's hands. Hezekiah the king and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amos, prayed because of this and cried to heaven. Yahweh sent an angel who cut off all the mighty men of Valor and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame aface to his own land. When he had come into the house of his God, those who came forth from his own bowels killed him there with the sword. Thus Yahweh saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hands of Senecharib, the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side. Many brought gifts to Yahweh to Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah, king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from thence forth. In those days Hezekiah was sick even to death, and he prayed to Yahweh, and he spoke to him, and gave him a sign. But Hezekiah didn't render again according to the benefit done him, for his heart was lifted up. Therefore there was wrath on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of Yahweh didn't come on them in the days of Hezekiah. Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honor, and he provided him treasuries for silver and for gold and for precious stones and for spices and for shields, and for all kinds of goodly vessels, storehouses also for the increase of grain and new wine and oil, and stalls for all kinds of animals, and flocks and folds. Moreover he provided him cities and possessions of flocks and herds and abundance, for God had given him very much substance. This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper spring of the waters of Gihan, and brought them straight down on the west side of the city of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his works. However, concerning the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent to 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. 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 Amos, in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the ascent of the tombs of the sons of David, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. Manasseh his son reigned in his place. Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. He did that which was evil in the side of Yahweh, after the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel. For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for the balls, and made asheroth, and worshipped all the army of the sky and served them. He built altars in the house of Yahweh, of which Yahweh said, My name shall be in Jerusalem for ever. He built altars for all the army of the sky in the two courts of the house of Yahweh. He also made his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and he practised sorcery and used enchantments, and practised sorcery, and dealt with those who had familiar spirits and with wizards. He worked much evil in the side of Yahweh to provoke him to anger. He set the engraved 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, I will put My name for ever. 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 given by Moses. Manasseh seduced Judah in the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that they did more evil than the nations whom Yahweh destroyed before the children of Israel did. Yahweh spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they gave no heed. Therefore Yahweh brought on them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains and bound him with fetters and carried him to Babylon. When he was in distress he begged Yahweh his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. He prayed to him, and he was entreated by him and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that Yahweh was God. Now, after this he built an outer wall to the city of David on the west side of Gihan in the valley, even to the entrance at the fish gate, when he encircled Opthal with it, and raised it up to a very great height, and he put valiant captains in all the fortified cities of Judah. He took away the foreign gods and the idol out of the house of Yahweh, and all the altars that he had built in the mountain of the house of Yahweh, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city. He built up the altar of Yahweh and offered thereon sacrifices of peace offerings and of thanksgiving, and commanded Judah to serve Yahweh, the God of Israel. For the less the people sacrificed still in the high places, but only to Yahweh their God. Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of Yahweh the God of Israel, behold, they are written among the acts of the kings of Israel. His prayer also, and how God was entreated of him, and all his sin and his trespass, and the places in which he built high places, and set up the Asheram and the engraved images before he humbled himself, behold, they are written in the history of Hosea. So Manasseh slept with his fathers and they buried him in his own house, and Amon his son reigned in his place. Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as did Manasseh his father, and Amon sacrificed to all the engraved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them. He didn't humble himself before Yahweh, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself, but this same Amon trespassed more and more. His servants conspired against him and put him to death in his own house. But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against King Amon, and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place. CHAPTER 34 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, and walked in the ways of David his father, and didn't turn aside to the right hand or to the left. 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 engraved images and the molten images. They broke down the altars of the balls in his presence, and the incense altars that were on high above them he cut down, and the Asherim, and the engraved images and the molten images he broke in pieces and made dust of them, and strewed it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. He burnt the bones of the priests on their altars, and purged Judah and Jerusalem. He did this in the cities of Manasseh and Ephraim and Simeon, even to Naphtali, around in their ruins. He broke down the altars, and beat the Asherim and the engraved images into powder, and cut down all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel, and returned to Jerusalem. Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the house, he sent Shafen, the son of Azalea, and Messiah, the governor of the city, and Joah, the son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the house of Yahweh his God. 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 threshold, 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. They delivered it into the hand of the workmen who had the oversight of the house of Yahweh, and the workmen who labored in the house of Yahweh gave it to mend and repair the house. Even to the carpenters and to the builders gave they it, to buy cutstone and timber for couplings, and to make beams for the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed. The men did the work faithfully, and their overseers were Jehath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Morari, and Zechariah and Mesulim, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward, and others of the Levites, all who were skillful with instruments of music. Also they were over the bears of burdens, and set forward all who did the work in every kind of service, and of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters. When they brought out the money that was brought into the house of Yahweh, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of Yahweh given by Moses. Hilkiah answered Shaffin the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of Yahweh. Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaffin. Shaffin carried the book to the king, and, moreover, brought back word to the king, saying, All that was committed to your servants they are doing. They have emptied out the money that was found in the house of Yahweh, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and into the hand of the workmen. Shaffin the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest has delivered me a book. Shaffin read therein before the king. It happened when the king had heard the words of the law that he tore his clothes. The king commanded Hilkiah and Ahikam the son of Shaffin, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaffin the scribe, and Azeah the king's servant, saying, Go, inquire of Yahweh for me, and for those who are left in Israel and Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found, for great is the wrath of Yahweh that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of Yahweh to do according to all that is written in this book. So Hilkiah, and they whom the king had commanded, went to Hulda the prophetess, the wife of Shulam the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasra, keeper of the wardrobe. Now she lived in Jerusalem in the second quarter, and they spoke to her to that effect. She said to them, Thus says Yahweh the God of Israel, Tell the man who sent you to me, Thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will bring evil on this place, and on its inhabitants, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah. Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands. Therefore is my wrath poured out on this place, and it shall not be quenched. But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of Yahweh, thus you shall tell him. Thus says Yahweh the God of Israel. As touching the words which you have heard, because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God, when you heard his words against this place, and against its inhabitants, and have humbled yourself before me, and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, says Yahweh. Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace. Neither shall your eyes see all the evil that I will bring on this place, and on its inhabitants. They brought back word to the king. Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. The king went up to the house of Yahweh, 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 Yahweh. The king stood in his place, and made a Covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, 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. He caused all that were found in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand. The inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the Covenant of God, the God of their fathers. Josiah took away all the abominations out of the countries that pertain to the children of Israel, and made all who were found in Israel to serve, even to serve Yahweh their God. All his days he didn't depart from following Yahweh, the God of their fathers. CHAPTER 35 Josiah kept a Passover to Yahweh in Jerusalem, and they killed a Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. He set the priests in their offices, and encouraged them to serve the house of Yahweh. He said to the Levites who taught all Israel, who were holy to Yahweh, put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, built. There shall no more be a burden on your shoulders. Now serve Yahweh, your God, and his people, Israel. Prepare yourselves after your fathers' houses by your divisions according to the writing of David, king of Israel, and according to the writing of Solomon, his son. And in the holy place according to the divisions of the fathers' houses of your brothers, the children of the people, and let there be for each a portion of a father's house of the Levites. Kill the Passover and sanctify yourselves, and prepare for your brothers to do according to the word of Yahweh by Moses. Josiah gave to the children of the people of the flock, lambs and young goats, all of them for the Passover offerings, to all who were present to the number of thirty thousand and three thousand bulls. These were of the king's substance. His princes gave for a free will offering to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jeheil, the rulers of the house of God, gave to the priests for the Passover offering two thousand and six hundred small livestock, and three hundred head of cattle. Conaniah also, and Shimea and Nathaniel his brothers, and Hashabiah and Jeheil and Jezebad, the chiefs of the Levites, gave to the Levites for the Passover offerings five thousand small livestock, and five hundred head of cattle. So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites by their division according to the king's commandment. They killed the Passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood which they received of their hand, and the Levites flayed them. They removed the burnt offerings that they might give them according to the divisions of the father's houses of the children of the people, to offer to Yahweh as it is written in the Book of Moses. So they did with the cattle. They roasted the Passover with fire according to the ordnance, and the holy offerings boiled they in pots, and in cauldrons and in pans, and carried them quickly to all the children of the people. Afterward they prepared for themselves, and for the priests, because the priests the sons of Aaron were busy with offering the burnt offerings, and the fat until night. Therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron. The singers, the sons of Asaph were in their place, according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Hemen, and Jethethon, the king's seer, and the porters were at every gate. They didn't need to depart from their service, for their brothers the Levites prepared for them. So all the service of Yahweh was prepared the same day, to keep the Passover, and to offer burnt offerings on the altar of Yahweh according to the commandment of King Josiah. The children of Israel who were present kept the Passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days. There was no Passover like that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the Prophet. Neither did any of the kings of Israel keep such a Passover as Josiah kept, and the priests and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this Passover kept. After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Neko, king of Egypt, went up to fight against Karkamesh by the Euphrates, and Josiah went out against him. But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with you, king of Judah? I come not against you this day, but against the house with which I have war. God has commanded me to make haste. Beware that it is God who is with me that he not destroy you. Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself that he might fight with him, and didn't listen to the words of Neko from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo. The archers shot at king Josiah, and the king said to his servants, Take me away because I am seriously wounded. So his servants took him out of the chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had, and brought him to Jerusalem, and he died, and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. Jeremiah lamented for Josiah, and all the singing men and singing women spoke of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and they made them in ordnance in Israel, and behold they are written in the lamentations. Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his good deeds, according to that which is written in the law of Yahweh, and his acts first and last, behold they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. CHAPTER 36 Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz, the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father's place in Jerusalem. Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. The king of Egypt deposed him at Jerusalem, and fined the land one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. The king of Egypt made Eliachem his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoachem. Neco took Jehoahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt. Jehoachem was twenty-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 Yahweh his God. Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters to carry him to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar also carried off of the vessels of the house of Yahweh to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoachem 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 Jehoachem, his son, reigned in his place. Jehoachem 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 Yahweh. At the return of the year king Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of Yahweh, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem. Zedekiah was twenty-one 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 Yahweh his God. He didn't humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of Yahweh. He also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar who had made him swear by God, but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to Yahweh, the God of Israel. Moreover the chiefs of the priests and the people trespassed very greatly after all the abominations of the nations, and they polluted the house of Yahweh which he had made holy in Jerusalem. Yahweh, the God of their fathers, sent to them by his messengers, rising up early and sending, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and scoffed at his prophets, until the wrath of Yahweh arose against his people, until there was no remedy. Therefore he brought on them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or gray-headed, he gave them all into his hand. All the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes, all these he brought to Babylon. They burnt the house of God, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels of it. He carried those who had escaped from the sword away to Babylon, and they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia, to fulfill the word of Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. As long as it lay desolate it kept Sabbath to fulfill seventy years. Now in the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, that the word of Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, thus says Cyrus, king of Persia, Yahweh, the God of heaven, has given all the kingdoms of the earth to me, and he has commanded me to build him a house in Jerusalem which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all his people, Yahweh his God be with him, and let him go up. End of the second book of Chronicles.