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Title: The World English Bible (WEB): 2 Kings
Release Date: June, 2005 [EBook #8239]
[This file was first posted on July 4, 2003]
Edition: 10
Language: English
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE (WEB): 2 KINGS ***
From www.ebible.org with slight reformatting by Martin Ward.
Book 12 2 Kings
001:001 Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
001:002 Ahaziah fell down through the lattice in his upper chamber
that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers,
and said to them, Go, inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron,
whether I shall recover of this sickness.
001:003 But the angel of Yahweh said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up
to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and tell them,
Is it because there is no God in Israel, that you go to inquire
of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron?
001:004 Now therefore thus says Yahweh, You shall not come down
from the bed where you are gone up, but shall surely die.
Elijah departed.
001:005 The messengers returned to him, and he said to them, Why is it
that you have returned?
001:006 They said to him, There came up a man to meet us, and said
to us, Go, turn again to the king who sent you, and tell him,
Thus says Yahweh, Is it because there is no God in Israel,
that you send to inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron?
therefore you shall not come down from the bed where you
are gone up, but shall surely die.
001:007 He said to them, What manner of man was he who came up to meet you,
and told you these words?
001:008 They answered him, He was a hairy man, and girt with a belt
of leather about his waist. He said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.
001:009 Then [the king] sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty.
He went up to him: and behold, he was sitting on the top
of the hill. He spoke to him, man of God, the king
has said, Come down.
001:010 Elijah answered to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God,
let fire come down from the sky, and consume you and your fifty.
Fire came down from the sky, and consumed him and his fifty.
001:011 Again he sent to him another captain of fifty and his fifty.
He answered him, man of God, thus has the king said,
Come down quickly.
001:012 Elijah answered them, If I be a man of God, let fire come
down from the sky, and consume you and your fifty.
The fire of God came down from the sky, and consumed him
and his fifty.
001:013 Again he sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty.
The third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees
before Elijah, and begged him, and said to him, man of God,
please let my life, and the life of these fifty your servants,
be precious in your sight.
001:014 Behold, fire came down from the sky, and consumed the two former
captains of fifty with their fifties; but now let my life
be precious in your sight.
001:015 The angel of Yahweh said to Elijah, Go down with him:
don't be afraid of him. He arose, and went down with him
to the king.
001:016 He said to him, Thus says Yahweh, Because you have sent messengers
to inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron, is it because
there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? therefore
you shall not come down from the bed where you are gone up,
but shall surely die.
001:017 So he died according to the word of Yahweh which Elijah had spoken.
Jehoram began to reign in his place in the second year of Jehoram
the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son.
001:018 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, aren't they
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
002:001 It happened, when Yahweh would take up Elijah by a whirlwind
into heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
002:002 Elijah said to Elisha, Please wait here, for Yahweh has
sent me as far as Bethel. Elisha said, As Yahweh lives,
and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they went
down to Bethel.
002:003 The sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came forth to Elisha,
and said to him, "Do you know that Yahweh will take away
your master from your head today?" He said, "Yes, I know it;
hold your peace."
002:004 Elijah said to him, Elisha, please wait here, for Yahweh has sent
me to Jericho. He said, As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives,
I will not leave you. So they came to Jericho.
002:005 The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came near to Elisha,
and said to him, "Do you know that Yahweh will take away your
master from your head today?" He answered, "Yes, I know it.
Hold your peace."
002:006 Elijah said to him, "Please wait here, for Yahweh has sent
me to the Jordan." He said, "As Yahweh lives, and as your
soul lives, I will not leave you." They two went on.
002:007 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood over
against them afar off: and they two stood by the Jordan.
002:008 Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and struck
the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that they
two went over on dry ground.
002:009 It happened, when they had gone over, that Elijah said
to Elisha, Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.
Elisha said, please let a double portion of your spirit
be on me.
002:010 He said, You have asked a hard thing: [nevertheless], if you
see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so to you;
but if not, it shall not be so.
002:011 It happened, as they still went on, and talked, that behold,
[there appeared] a chariot of fire, and horses of fire,
which parted them both apart; and Elijah went up by a
whirlwind into heaven.
002:012 Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariots
of Israel and the horsemen of it! He saw him no more:
and he took hold of his own clothes, and tore them in two pieces.
002:013 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him,
and went back, and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
002:014 He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and struck
the waters, and said, Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah?
and when he also had struck the waters, they were divided
here and there; and Elisha went over.
002:015 When the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho over against him
saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah does rest on Elisha.
They came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the
ground before him.
002:016 They said to him, See now, there are with your servants
fifty strong men; let them go, we pray you, and seek
your master, lest the Spirit of Yahweh has taken him up,
and cast him on some mountain, or into some valley.
He said, You shall not send.
002:017 When they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, Send.
They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days,
but didn't find him.
002:018 They came back to him, while he stayed at Jericho; and he said
to them, "Didn't I tell you, 'Don't go?'"
002:019 The men of the city said to Elisha, Behold, we pray you,
the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees:
but the water is bad, and the land miscarries.
002:020 He said, Bring me a new jar, and put salt therein.
They brought it to him.
002:021 He went forth to the spring of the waters, and cast salt therein,
and said, Thus says Yahweh, I have healed these waters;
there shall not be from there any more death or miscarrying.
002:022 So the waters were healed to this day, according to the word
of Elisha which he spoke.
002:023 He went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up
by the way, some youths came out of the city and mocked him,
and said to him, Go up, you baldy; go up, you baldhead.
002:024 He looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in the name
of Yahweh. Two female bears came out of the woods, and mauled
forty-two of those youths.
002:025 He went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there
he returned to Samaria.
003:001 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in
Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah,
and reigned twelve years.
003:002 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, but not like
his father, and like his mother; for he put away the pillar
of Baal that his father had made.
003:003 Nevertheless he cleaved to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,
with which he made Israel to sin; he didn't depart from it.
003:004 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder; and he rendered
to the king of Israel the wool of one hundred thousand lambs,
and of one hundred thousand rams.
003:005 But it happened, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab
rebelled against the king of Israel.
003:006 King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time,
and mustered all Israel.
003:007 He went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying,
The king of Moab has rebelled against me: will you go
with me against Moab to battle? He said, I will go up:
I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses
as your horses.
003:008 He said, Which way shall we go up? He answered, The way
of the wilderness of Edom.
003:009 So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king
of Edom; and they made a circuit of seven days' journey:
and there was no water for the army, nor for the animals
that followed them.
003:010 The king of Israel said, Alas! for Yahweh has called these
three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
003:011 But Jehoshaphat said, Isn't there here a prophet of Yahweh,
that we may inquire of Yahweh by him? One of the king of
Israel's servants answered, Elisha the son of Shaphat is here,
who poured water on the hands of Elijah.
003:012 Jehoshaphat said, The word of Yahweh is with him.
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom
went down to him.
003:013 Elisha said to the king of Israel, What have I to do with you?
get you to the prophets of your father, and to the prophets
of your mother. The king of Israel said to him, No; for Yahweh
has called these three kings together to deliver them into
the hand of Moab.
003:014 Elisha said, As Yahweh of Armies lives, before whom I stand,
surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat
the king of Judah, I would not look toward you, nor see you.
003:015 But now bring me a minstrel. It happened, when the minstrel played,
that the hand of Yahweh came on him.
003:016 He said, Thus says Yahweh, Make this valley full of trenches.
003:017 For thus says Yahweh, You shall not see wind, neither shall you
see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, and you
shall drink, both you and your livestock and your animals.
003:018 This is but a light thing in the sight of Yahweh:
he will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.
003:019 You shall strike every fortified city, and every choice city,
and shall fell every good tree, and stop all springs of water,
and mar every good piece of land with stones.
003:020 It happened in the morning, about the time of offering
the offering, that behold, there came water by the way of Edom,
and the country was filled with water.
003:021 Now when all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up
to fight against them, they gathered themselves together,
all who were able to put on armor, and upward, and stood
on the border.
003:022 They rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water,
and the Moabites saw the water over against them as red as blood:
003:023 and they said, This is blood; the kings are surely destroyed,
and they have struck each man his fellow: now therefore,
Moab, to the spoil.
003:024 When they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose
up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them;
and they went forward into the land smiting the Moabites.
003:025 They beat down the cities; and on every good piece of land they
cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped
all the springs of water, and felled all the good trees,
until in Kir Hareseth [only] they left the stones of it;
however the men armed with slings went about it, and struck it.
003:026 When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too severe
for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew sword,
to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not.
003:027 Then he took his eldest son who would have reigned in his place,
and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall.
There was great wrath against Israel: and they departed from him,
and returned to their own land.
004:001 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons
of the prophets to Elisha, saying, Your servant my husband
is dead; and you know that your servant did fear Yahweh:
and the creditor is come to take to him my two children
to be bondservants.
004:002 Elisha said to her, What shall I do for you? tell me;
what have you in the house? She said, Your handmaid has
nothing in the house, except a pot of oil.
004:003 Then he said, Go, borrow you vessels abroad of all your neighbors,
even empty vessels; borrow not a few.
004:004 You shall go in, and shut the door on you and on your sons,
and pour out into all those vessels; and you shall set aside
that which is full.
004:005 So she went from him, and shut the door on her and on her sons;
they brought [the vessels] to her, and she poured out.
004:006 It happened, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son,
Bring me yet a vessel. He said to her, There isn't another vessel.
The oil stayed.
004:007 Then she came and told the man of God. He said, Go, sell the oil,
and pay your debt, and live you and your sons of the rest.
004:008 It fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was
a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread.
So it was, that as often as he passed by, he turned in there
to eat bread.
004:009 She said to her husband, See now, I perceive that this is a holy
man of God, that passes by us continually.
004:010 Let us make, Please, a little chamber on the wall;
and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a seat,
and a lamp stand: and it shall be, when he comes to us,
that he shall turn in there.
004:011 It fell on a day, that he came there, and he turned into
the chamber and lay there.
004:012 He said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite.
When he had called her, she stood before him.
004:013 He said to him, Say now to her, Behold, you have been careful
for us with all this care; what is to be done for you? would
you be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the army?
She answered, I dwell among my own people.
004:014 He said, What then is to be done for her? Gehazi answered,
Most certainly she has no son, and her husband is old.
004:015 He said, Call her. When he had called her, she stood in the door.
004:016 He said, At this season, when the time comes round, you shall
embrace a son. She said, No, my lord, you man of God,
do not lie to your handmaid.
004:017 The woman conceived, and bore a son at that season, when the time
came round, as Elisha had said to her.
004:018 When the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out
to his father to the reapers.
004:019 He said to his father, My head, my head. He said to his servant,
Carry him to his mother.
004:020 When he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat
on her knees until noon, and then died.
004:021 She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God,
and shut [the door] on him, and went out.
004:022 She called to her husband, and said, Please send me one of
the servants, and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man
of God, and come again.
004:023 He said, Why will you go to him today? it is neither new moon
nor Sabbath. She said, It shall be well.
004:024 Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, Drive,
and go forward; don't slacken me the riding, except I bid you.
004:025 So she went, and came to the man of God to Mount Carmel.
It happened, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said
to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is the Shunammite:
004:026 please run now to meet her, and ask her, Is it well with you?
is it well with your husband? is it well with the child?
She answered, It is well.
004:027 When she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught hold
of his feet. Gehazi came near to thrust her away; but the man
of God said, Let her alone: for her soul is vexed within her;
and Yahweh has hid it from me, and has not told me.
004:028 Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? Didn't I say,
Do not deceive me?
004:029 Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up your waist, and take my
staff in your hand, and go your way: if you meet any man,
Don't greet him; and if anyone greets you, don't answer him again:
and lay my staff on the face of the child.
004:030 The mother of the child said, As Yahweh lives, and as your
soul lives, I will not leave you. He arose, and followed her.
004:031 Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff on the face
of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing.
Therefore he returned to meet him, and told him, saying, The child
has not awakened.
004:032 When Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead,
and laid on his bed.
004:033 He went in therefore, and shut the door on them both,
and prayed to Yahweh.
004:034 He went up, and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth,
and his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands:
and he stretched himself on him; and the flesh of the
child grew warm.
004:035 Then he returned, and walked in the house once back and forth;
and went up, and stretched himself on him: and the child
sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
004:036 He called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite.
So he called her. When she was come in to him, he said,
Take up your son.
004:037 Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself
to the ground; and she took up her son, and went out.
004:038 Elisha came again to Gilgal. There was a dearth in the land;
and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him;
and he said to his servant, Set on the great pot, and boil
stew for the sons of the prophets.
004:039 One went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine,
and gathered of it wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred
them into the pot of stew; for they didn't recognize them.
004:040 So they poured out for the men to eat. It happened,
as they were eating of the stew, that they cried out,
and said, man of God, there is death in the pot.
They could not eat of it.
004:041 But he said, Then bring meal. He cast it into the pot;
and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat.
There was no harm in the pot.
004:042 There came a man from Baal Shalishah, and brought the man
of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley,
and fresh ears of grain in his sack. He said, Give to the people,
that they may eat.
004:043 His servant said, What, should I set this before a hundred men?
But he said, Give the people, that they may eat; for thus
says Yahweh, They shall eat, and shall leave of it.
004:044 So he set it before them, and they ate, and left of it,
according to the word of Yahweh.
005:001 Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Syria,
was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him
Yahweh had given victory to Syria: he was also a mighty man
of valor, [but he was] a leper.
005:002 The Syrians had gone out in bands, and had brought away captive
out of the land of Israel a little maiden; and she waited
on Naaman's wife.
005:003 She said to her mistress, Would that my lord were with the prophet
who is in Samaria! then would he recover him of his leprosy.
005:004 One went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said
the maiden who is of the land of Israel.
005:005 The king of Syria said, Go now, and I will send a letter
to the king of Israel. He departed, and took with him
ten talents of silver, and six thousand [pieces] of gold,
and ten changes of clothing.
005:006 He brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this
letter is come to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant
to you, that you may recover him of his leprosy.
005:007 It happened, when the king of Israel had read the letter,
that he tore his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to
make alive, that this man does send to me to recover a man
of his leprosy? but consider, I pray you, and see how he seeks
a quarrel against me.
005:008 It was so, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king
of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king,
saying, Why have you torn your clothes? let him come now to me,
and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.
005:009 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots,
and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
005:010 Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, Go and wash in the
Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall come again to you,
and you shall be clean.
005:011 But Naaman was angry, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought,
He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on
the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hand over the place,
and recover the leper.
005:012 Aren't Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than
all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean?
So he turned and went away in a rage.
005:013 His servants came near, and spoke to him, and said,
My father, if the prophet had bid you do some great thing,
wouldn't you have done it? how much rather then, when he says
to you, Wash, and be clean?
005:014 Then went he down, and dipped [himself] seven times
in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God;
and his flesh came again like the flesh of a little child,
and he was clean.
005:015 He returned to the man of God, he and all his company,
and came, and stood before him; and he said, See now,
I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel:
now therefore, please take a present from your servant.
005:016 But he said, As Yahweh lives, before whom I stand, I will
receive none. He urged him to take it; but he refused.
005:017 Naaman said, If not, yet, please let there be given to your servant
two mules' burden of earth; for your servant will henceforth
offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to other gods,
but to Yahweh.
005:018 In this thing Yahweh pardon your servant: when my master
goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans
on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I
bow myself in the house of Rimmon, Yahweh pardon your servant
in this thing.
005:019 He said to him, Go in peace. So he departed from him
a little way.
005:020 But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold,
my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving
at his hands that which he brought: as Yahweh lives,
I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
005:021 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. When Naaman saw one running
after him, he alighted from the chariot to meet him, and said,
Is all well?
005:022 He said, All is well. My master has sent me, saying, Behold,
even now there are come to me from the hill country of Ephraim
two young men of the sons of the prophets; please give them
a talent of silver, and two changes of clothing.
005:023 Naaman said, Be pleased to take two talents. He urged him,
and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two
changes of clothing, and laid them on two of his servants;
and they bore them before him.
005:024 When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand,
and bestowed them in the house; and he let the men go,
and they departed.
005:025 But he went in, and stood before his master. Elisha said to him,
Whence come you, Gehazi? He said, Your servant went no where.
005:026 He said to him, Didn't my heart go with you, when the man turned
from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money,
and to receive garments, and olive groves and vineyards,
and sheep and oxen, and male servants and female servants?
005:027 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave to you,
and to your seed forever. He went out from his presence
a leper [as white] as snow.
006:001 The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, See now, the place
where we dwell before you is too strait for us.
006:002 Let us go, we pray you, to the Jordan, and take there every man
a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell.
He answered, Go you.
006:003 One said, Be pleased, I pray you, to go with your servants.
He answered, I will go.
006:004 So he went with them. When they came to the Jordan,
they cut down wood.
006:005 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water;
and he cried, and said, Alas, my master! for it was borrowed.
006:006 The man of God asked, "Where did it fall?" He showed him the place.
He cut down a stick, threw it in there, and made the iron float.
006:007 He said, "Take it." So he put out his hand and took it.
006:008 Now the king of Syria was warring against Israel; and he took
counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place
shall be my camp.
006:009 The man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, Beware that you
not pass such a place; for there the Syrians are coming down.
006:010 The king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God
told him and warned him of; and he saved himself there,
not once nor twice.
006:011 The heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing;
and he called his servants, and said to them, Won't you show
me which of us is for the king of Israel?
006:012 One of his servants said, No, my lord, O king; but Elisha,
the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel
the words that you speak in your bedchamber.
006:013 He said, Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him.
It was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.
006:014 Therefore sent he there horses, and chariots, and a great army:
and they came by night, and surrounded the city.
006:015 When the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth,
behold, an army with horses and chariots was round about the city.
His servant said to him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
006:016 He answered, Don't be afraid; for those who are with us are
more than those who are with them.
006:017 Elisha prayed, and said, Yahweh, Please open his eyes,
that he may see. Yahweh opened the eyes of the young man;
and he saw: and behold, the mountain was full of horses
and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
006:018 When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to Yahweh,
and said, Please smite this people with blindness.
He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
006:019 Elisha said to them, This is not the way, neither is this the city:
follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.
He led them to Samaria.
006:020 It happened, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said,
Yahweh, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.
Yahweh opened their eyes, and they saw; and behold,
they were in the midst of Samaria.
006:021 The king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, My father,
shall I strike them? shall I strike them?
006:022 He answered, You shall not strike them: would you strike those
whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow?
set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink,
and go to their master.
006:023 He prepared great provision for them; and when they had eaten
and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master.
The bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
006:024 It happened after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered
all his army, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
006:025 There was a great famine in Samaria: and behold, they besieged it,
until a donkey's head was sold for eighty [pieces] of silver,
and the fourth part of a kab of dove's dung for five
[pieces] of silver.
006:026 As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, there cried
a woman to him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.
006:027 He said, If Yahweh doesn't help you, whence shall I help you?
out of the threshing floor, or out of the winepress?
006:028 The king said to her, What ails you? She answered, This woman
said to me, Give your son, that we may eat him today,
and we will eat my son tomorrow.
006:029 So we boiled my son, and ate him: and I said to her on the next day,
Give your son, that we may eat him; and she has hid her son.
006:030 It happened, when the king heard the words of the woman,
that he tore his clothes (now he was passing by on the wall);
and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth within
on his flesh.
006:031 Then he said, God do so to me, and more also, if the head
of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.
006:032 But Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were
sitting with him; and [the king] sent a man from before him:
but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders,
See you how this son of a murderer has sent to take away
my head? behold, when the messenger comes, shut the door,
and hold the door fast against him: isn't the sound of his
master's feet behind him?
006:033 While he was yet talking with them, behold, the messenger came
down to him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of Yahweh;
why should I wait for Yahweh any longer?
007:001 Elisha said, Hear you the word of Yahweh: thus says
Yahweh, Tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour
be [sold] for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel,
in the gate of Samaria.
007:002 Then the captain on whose hand the king leaned answered the man
of God, and said, Behold, if Yahweh should make windows
in heaven, might this thing be? He said, Behold, you shall
see it with your eyes, but shall not eat of it.
007:003 Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate:
and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?
007:004 If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is
in the city, and we shall die there; and if we sit still here,
we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall to the army
of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live;
and if they kill us, we shall but die.
007:005 They rose up in the twilight, to go to the camp of the Syrians;
and when they were come to the outermost part of the camp
of the Syrians, behold, there was no man there.
007:006 For the Lord had made the army of the Syrians to hear a noise
of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great army:
and they said one to another, Behold, the king of Israel has
hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings
of the Egyptians, to come on us.
007:007 Therefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents,
and their horses, and their donkeys, even the camp as it was,
and fled for their life.
007:008 When these lepers came to the outermost part of the camp,
they went into one tent, and ate and drink, and carried
there silver, and gold, and clothing, and went and hid it;
and they came back, and entered into another tent, and carried
there also, and went and hid it.
007:009 Then they said one to another, We aren't doing right.
This day is a day of good news, and we hold our peace:
if we wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us;
now therefore come, let us go and tell the king's household.
007:010 So they came and called to the porter of the city; and they
told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians,
and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man,
but the horses tied, and the donkeys tied, and the tents
as they were.
007:011 He called the porters; and they told it to the king's
household within.
007:012 The king arose in the night, and said to his servants,
I will now show you what the Syrians have done to us.
They know that we are hungry; therefore are they gone out
of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they
come out of the city, we shall take them alive, and get
into the city.
007:013 One of his servants answered, Please let some take five
of the horses that remain, which are left in the city
(behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel who are
left in it; behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel
who are consumed); and let us send and see.
007:014 They took therefore two chariots with horses; and the king
sent after the army of the Syrians, saying, Go and see.
007:015 They went after them to the Jordan: and behold, all the way
was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians
had cast away in their haste. The messengers returned,
and told the king.
007:016 The people went out, and plundered the camp of the Syrians.
So a measure of fine flour was [sold] for a shekel, and two
measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of Yahweh.
007:017 The king appointed the captain on whose hand he leaned to have
the charge of the gate: and the people trod on him in the gate,
and he died as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king
came down to him.
007:018 It happened, as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying,
Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine
flour for a shekel, shall be tomorrow about this time
in the gate of Samaria;
007:019 and that captain answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold,
if Yahweh should make windows in heaven, might such a thing
be? and he said, Behold, you shall see it with your eyes,
but shall not eat of it:
007:020 it happened even so to him; for the people trod on him in the gate,
and he died.
008:001 Now Elisha had spoken to the woman, whose son he had restored
to life, saying, Arise, and go you and your household, and sojourn
wherever you can sojourn: for Yahweh has called for a famine;
and it shall also come on the land seven years.
008:002 The woman arose, and did according to the word of the man of God;
and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land
of the Philistines seven years.
008:003 It happened at the seven years' end, that the woman returned
out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry
to the king for her house and for her land.
008:004 Now the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man
of God, saying, Please tell me all the great things that
Elisha has done.
008:005 It happened, as he was telling the king how he had restored to life
him who was dead, that behold, the woman, whose son he had restored
to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land.
Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this
is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.
008:006 When the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed
to her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers,
and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left
the land, even until now.
008:007 Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king of Syria was sick;
and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come here.
008:008 The king said to Hazael, Take a present in your hand, and go,
meet the man of God, and inquire of Yahweh by him, saying,
Shall I recover of this sickness?
008:009 So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him,
even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels'
burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Your son
Benhadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, Shall I
recover of this sickness?
008:010 Elisha said to him, Go, tell him, You shall surely recover;
however Yahweh has shown me that he shall surely die.
008:011 He settled his gaze steadfastly [on him], until he was ashamed:
and the man of God wept.
008:012 Hazael said, Why weeps my lord? He answered, Because I
know the evil that you will do to the children of Israel:
their strongholds will you set on fire, and their young men
will you kill with the sword, and will dash in pieces their
little ones, and rip up their women with child.
008:013 Hazael said, But what is your servant, who is but a dog,
that he should do this great thing? Elisha answered,
Yahweh has shown me that you shall be king over Syria.
008:014 Then he departed from Elisha, and came to his master;
who said to him, What said Elisha to you? He answered,
He told me that you would surely recover.
008:015 It happened on the next day, that he took the coverlet, and dipped
it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died:
and Hazael reigned in his place.
008:016 In the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king
of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son
of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign.
008:017 Thirty-two years old was he when he began to reign;
and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
008:018 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.
008:019 However Yahweh would not destroy Judah, for David his
servant's sake, as he promised him to give to him a lamp
for his children always.
008:020 In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah,
and made a king over themselves.
008:021 Then Joram passed over to Zair, and all his chariots with him:
and he rose up by night, and struck the Edomites who surrounded him,
and the captains of the chariots; and the people fled
to their tents.
008:022 So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah to this day.
Then did Libnah revolt at the same time.
008:023 The rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, aren't they
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
008:024 Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers
in the city of David; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.
008:025 In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel
did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign.
008:026 Twenty-two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign;
and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name
was Athaliah the daughter of Omri king of Israel.
008:027 He walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did that which
was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as did the house of Ahab;
for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab.
008:028 He went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king
of Syria at Ramoth Gilead: and the Syrians wounded Joram.
008:029 King Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds
which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought
against Hazael king of Syria. Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king
of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel,
because he was sick.
009:001 Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets,
and said to him, Gird up your waist, and take this vial of oil
in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead.
009:002 When you come there, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat
the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among
his brothers, and carry him to an inner chamber.
009:003 Then take the vial of oil, and pour it on his head, and say,
Thus says Yahweh, I have anointed you king over Israel.
Then open the door, and flee, and don't wait.
009:004 So the young man, even the young man the prophet,
went to Ramoth Gilead.
009:005 When he came, behold, the captains of the army were sitting;
and he said, I have an errand to you, captain. Jehu said,
To which of us all? He said, To you, O captain.
009:006 He arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil
on his head, and said to him, Thus says Yahweh, the God
of Israel, I have anointed you king over the people of Yahweh,
even over Israel.
009:007 You shall strike the house of Ahab your master, that I may
avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood
of all the servants of Yahweh, at the hand of Jezebel.
009:008 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; and I will cut off
from Ahab everyone who urinates against a wall,{or, male} and
him who is shut up and him who is left at large in Israel.
009:009 I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son
of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah.
009:010 The dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there
shall be none to bury her. He opened the door, and fled.
009:011 Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord:
and one said to him, Is all well? why came this mad fellow to you?
He said to them, You know the man and what his talk was.
009:012 They said, It is false; tell us now. He said, Thus and thus
spoke he to me, saying, Thus says Yahweh, I have anointed
you king over Israel.
009:013 Then they hurried, and took every man his garment, and put it
under him on the top of the stairs, and blew the trumpet,
saying, Jehu is king.
009:014 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired
against Joram. (Now Joram was keeping Ramoth Gilead,
he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria;
009:015 but king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of
the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought
with Hazael king of Syria.) Jehu said, If this be your mind,
then let none escape and go forth out of the city, to go
to tell it in Jezreel.
009:016 So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there.
Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram.
009:017 Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied
the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company.
Joram said, Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let
him say, Is it peace?
009:018 So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus says
the king, Is it peace? Jehu said, What have you to do with peace?
turn you behind me. The watchman told, saying, The messenger
came to them, but he isn't coming back.
009:019 Then he sent out a second on horseback, who came to them,
and said, Thus says the king, Is it peace? Jehu answered,
What have you to do with peace? turn you behind me.
009:020 The watchman told, saying, He came even to them, and isn't
coming back: and the driving is like the driving of Jehu
the son of Nimshi; for he drives furiously.
009:021 Joram said, Make ready. They made ready his chariot.
Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out,
each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu,
and found him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite.
009:022 It happened, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it
peace, Jehu? He answered, What peace, so long as the prostitution
of your mother Jezebel and her witchcraft abound?
009:023 Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, There
is treachery, Ahaziah.
009:024 Jehu drew his bow with his full strength, and struck Joram
between his arms; and the arrow went out at his heart,
and he sunk down in his chariot.
009:025 Then said [Jehu] to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast
him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite;
for remember how that, when I and you rode together after Ahab
his father, Yahweh laid this burden on him:
009:026 Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood
of his sons, says Yahweh; and I will requite you in this plat,
says Yahweh. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat
[of ground], according to the word of Yahweh.
009:027 But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way
of the garden house. Jehu followed after him, and said,
Smite him also in the chariot: [and they struck him] at
the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. He fled to Megiddo,
and died there.
009:028 His servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried
him in his tomb with his fathers in the city of David.
009:029 In the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah
to reign over Judah.
009:030 When Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it;
and she painted her eyes, and attired her head, and looked
out at the window.
009:031 As Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Is it peace, you Zimri,
your master's murderer?
009:032 He lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my
side? who? There looked out to him two or three eunuchs.
009:033 He said, Throw her down. So they threw her down; and some
of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses:
and he trod her under foot.
009:034 When he was come in, he ate and drink; and he said, See now to this
cursed woman, and bury her; for she is a king's daughter.
009:035 They went to bury her; but they found no more of her than the skull,
and the feet, and the palms of her hands.
009:036 Therefore they came back, and told him. He said, This is
the word of Yahweh, which he spoke by his servant Elijah
the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall the dogs
eat the flesh of Jezebel;
009:037 and the body of Jezebel shall be as dung on the face of the field
in the portion of Jezreel, so that they shall not say,
This is Jezebel.
010:001 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters,
and sent to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, even the elders,
and to those who brought up [the sons of] Ahab, saying,
010:002 Now as soon as this letter comes to you, seeing your master's
sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses,
a fortified city also, and armor;
010:003 look you out the best and meet of your master's sons, and set
him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house.
010:004 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, the two
kings didn't stand before him: how then shall we stand?
010:005 He who was over the household, and he who was over the city,
the elders also, and those who brought up [the children],
sent to Jehu, saying, We are your servants, and will do
all that you shall bid us; we will not make any man king:
you do that which is good in your eyes.
010:006 Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying,
If you be on my side, and if you will listen to my voice,
take the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me
to Jezreel by tomorrow this time. Now the king's sons,
being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city,
who brought them up.
010:007 It happened, when the letter came to them, that they took
the king's sons, and killed them, even seventy persons,
and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him to Jezreel.
010:008 There came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought
the heads of the king's sons. He said, Lay you them in two
heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning.
010:009 It happened in the morning, that he went out, and stood,
and said to all the people, You are righteous:
behold, I conspired against my master, and killed him;
but who struck all these?
010:010 Know now that there shall fall to the earth nothing of the word
of Yahweh, which Yahweh spoke concerning the house of Ahab:
for Yahweh has done that which he spoke by his servant Elijah.
010:011 So Jehu struck all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel,
and all his great men, and his familiar friends, and his priests,
until he left him none remaining.
010:012 He arose and departed, and went to Samaria. As he was at
the shearing house of the shepherds in the way,
010:013 Jehu met with the brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said,
Who are you? They answered, We are the brothers of Ahaziah:
and we go down to Greet the children of the king and the children
of the queen.
010:014 He said, Take them alive. They took them alive, and killed
them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men;
neither left he any of them.
010:015 When he was departed there, he lighted on Jehonadab the son
of Rechab coming to meet him; and he greeted him, and said
to him, Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?
Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me your hand.
He gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.
010:016 He said, Come with me, and see my zeal for Yahweh.
So they made him ride in his chariot.
010:017 When he came to Samaria, he struck all who remained to Ahab
in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, according to the word
of Yahweh, which he spoke to Elijah.
010:018 Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them,
Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu will serve him much.
010:019 Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal,
all his worshippers, and all his priests; let none be wanting:
for I have a great sacrifice [to do] to Baal; whoever shall
be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtlety,
to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.
010:020 Jehu said, Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal.
They proclaimed it.
010:021 Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of
Baal came, so that there was not a man left that didn't come.
They came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was
filled from one end to another.
010:022 He said to him who was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments
for all the worshippers of Baal. He brought them forth vestments.
010:023 Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal;
and he said to the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look
that there be here with you none of the servants of Yahweh,
but the worshippers of Baal only.
010:024 They went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings.
Now Jehu had appointed him eighty men outside, and said,
If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escape,
[he who lets him go], his life shall be for the life of him.
010:025 It happened, as soon as he had made an end of offering
the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to
the captains, Go in, and kill them; let none come forth.
They struck them with the edge of the sword; and the guard
and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of
the house of Baal.
010:026 They brought forth the pillars that were in the house of Baal,
and burned them.
010:027 They broke down the pillar of Baal, and broke down the house
of Baal, and made it a latrine, to this day.
010:028 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
010:029 However from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,
with which he made Israel to sin, Jehu didn't depart from
after them, [to wit], the golden calves that were in Bethel,
and that were in Dan.
010:030 Yahweh said to Jehu, Because you have done well in executing
that which is right in my eyes, [and] have done to the house
of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, your sons
of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.
010:031 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of Yahweh, the God
of Israel, with all his heart: he didn't depart from the sins
of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to sin.
010:032 In those days Yahweh began to cut off from Israel:
and Hazael struck them in all the borders of Israel;
010:033 from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites,
and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is
by the valley of the Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.
010:034 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all
his might, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles
of the kings of Israel?
010:035 Jehu slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria.
Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place.
010:036 The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria
was twenty-eight years.
011:001 Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead,
she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.
011:002 But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah,
took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among
the king's sons who were slain, even him and his nurse,
[and put them] in the bedchamber; and they hid him from Athaliah,
so that he was not slain;
011:003 He was with her hid in the house of Yahweh six years.
Athaliah reigned over the land.
011:004 In the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the captains
over hundreds of the Carites and of the guard, and brought
them to him into the house of Yahweh; and he made a covenant
with them, and took an oath of them in the house of Yahweh,
and shown them the king's son.
011:005 He commanded them, saying, This is the thing that you shall do:
a third part of you, who come in on the Sabbath, shall be
keepers of the watch of the king's house;
011:006 A third part shall be at the gate Sur; and a third part at the gate
behind the guard: so shall you keep the watch of the house,
and be a barrier.
011:007 The two companies of you, even all who go forth on the Sabbath,
shall keep the watch of the house of Yahweh about the king.
011:008 You shall compass the king round about, every man with his
weapons in his hand; and he who comes within the ranks,
let him be slain: and be you with the king when he goes out,
and when he comes in.
011:009 The captains over hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada
the priest 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, and came to Jehoiada the priest.
011:010 The priest delivered to the captains over hundreds the spears
and shields that had been king David's, which were in the
house of Yahweh.
011:011 The guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand,
from the right side of the house to the left side of the house,
along by the altar and the house, by the king round about.
011:012 Then he brought out the king's son, and put the crown on him,
and [gave him] the testimony; and they made him king,
and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said,
[Long] live the king.
011:013 When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard [and of] the people,
she came to the people into the house of Yahweh:
011:014 and she looked, and behold, the king stood by the pillar,
as the manner was, and the captains and the trumpets by the king;
and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew trumpets.
Then Athaliah tore her clothes, and cried, Treason! treason!
011:015 Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds who were
set over the army, and said to them, Have her forth between
the ranks; and him who follows her kill with the sword.
For the priest said, Don't let her be slain in the house of Yahweh.
011:016 So they made way for her; and she went by the way of the horses'
entry to the king's house: and there was she slain.
011:017 Jehoiada made a covenant between Yahweh and the king
and the people, that they should be Yahweh's people;
between the king also and the people.
011:018 All the people of the land went to the house of Baal, and broke
it down; his altars and his images broke they in pieces thoroughly,
and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.
The priest appointed officers over the house of Yahweh.
011:019 He took the captains over hundreds, and the Carites,
and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they
brought down the king from the house of Yahweh, and came
by the way of the gate of the guard to the king's house.
He sat on the throne of the kings.
011:020 So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet.
Athaliah they had slain with the sword at the king's house.
011:021 Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign.
012:001 In the seventh year of Jehu began Jehoash to reign;
and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem: and his mother's
name was Zibiah of Beersheba.
012:002 Jehoash did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh all
his days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
012:003 However the high places were not taken away; the people still
sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.
012:004 Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the holy things
that is brought into the house of Yahweh, in current money,
the money of the persons for whom each man is rated,
and all the money that it comes into any man's heart to bring
into the house of Yahweh,
012:005 let the priests take it to them, every man from his acquaintance;
and they shall repair the breaches of the house, wherever any
breach shall be found.
012:006 But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king
Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.
012:007 Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and for
the [other] priests, and said to them, Why don't you repair
the breaches of the house? now therefore take no [more] money
from your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches
of the house.
012:008 The priests consented that they should take no [more] money
from the people, neither repair the breaches of the house.
012:009 But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole
in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar,
on the right side as one comes into the house of Yahweh:
and the priests who kept the threshold put therein all the money
that was brought into the house of Yahweh.
012:010 It was so, when they saw that there was much money in the chest,
that the king's scribe and the high priest came up,
and they put up in bags and counted the money that was found
in the house of Yahweh.
012:011 They gave the money that was weighed out into the hands of those
who did the work, who had the oversight of the house of Yahweh:
and they paid it out to the carpenters and the builders,
who worked on the house of Yahweh,
012:012 and to the masons and the stone cutters, and for buying timber
and hewn stone to repair the breaches of the house of Yahweh,
and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it.
012:013 But there were not made for the house of Yahweh cups
of silver, snuffers, basins, trumpets, any vessels of gold,
or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into
the house of Yahweh;
012:014 for they gave that to those who did the work, and repaired
therewith the house of Yahweh.
012:015 Moreover they didn't demand an accounting from the men into whose
hand they delivered the money to give to those who did the work;
for they dealt faithfully.
012:016 The money for the trespass offerings, and the money for
the sin offerings, was not brought into the house of Yahweh:
it was the priests'.
012:017 Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath,
and took it; and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.
012:018 Jehoash king of Judah took all the holy things that Jehoshaphat
and Jehoram and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah,
had dedicated, and his own holy things, and all the gold
that was found in the treasures of the house of Yahweh,
and of the king's house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria:
and he went away from Jerusalem.
012:019 Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did,
aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Judah?
012:020 His servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and struck Joash
at the house of Millo, [on the way] that goes down to Silla.
012:021 For Jozacar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son
of Shomer, his servants, struck him, and he died;
and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David:
and Amaziah his son reigned in his place.
013:001 In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah,
king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over
Israel in Samaria, [and reigned] seventeen years.
013:002 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and followed
the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made
Israel to sin; he didn't depart from it.
013:003 The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he delivered
them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand
of Benhadad the son of Hazael, continually.
013:004 Jehoahaz begged Yahweh, and Yahweh listened to him;
for he saw the oppression of Israel, how that the king
of Syria oppressed them.
013:005 (Yahweh gave Israel a savior, so that they went out from under
the hand of the Syrians; and the children of Israel lived
in their tents as before.
013:006 Nevertheless they didn't depart from the sins of the house
of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to sin, but walked therein:
and there remained the Asherah also in Samaria.)
013:007 For he didn't leave to Jehoahaz of the people save fifty horsemen,
and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria
destroyed them, and made them like the dust in threshing.
013:008 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did,
and his might, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles
of the kings of Israel?
013:009 Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria:
and Joash his son reigned in his place.
013:010 In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah began
Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria,
[and reigned] sixteen years.
013:011 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh; he didn't
depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,
with which he made Israel to sin; but he walked therein.
013:012 Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did,
and his might with which he fought against Amaziah king
of Judah, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles
of the kings of Israel?
013:013 Joash slept with his fathers; and Jeroboam sat on his throne:
and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
013:014 Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness of which he died:
and Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over him,
and said, My father, my father, the chariots of Israel
and the horsemen of it!
013:015 Elisha said to him, Take bow and arrows; and he took to him
bow and arrows.
013:016 He said to the king of Israel, Put your hand on the bow;
and he put his hand [on it]. Elisha laid his hands on
the king's hands.
013:017 He said, Open the window eastward; and he opened it.
Then Elisha said, Shoot; and he shot. He said, Yahweh's arrow
of victory, even the arrow of victory over Syria; for you shall
strike the Syrians in Aphek, until you have consumed them.
013:018 He said, Take the arrows; and he took them. He said to the king
of Israel, Smite on the ground; and he struck thrice, and stayed.
013:019 The man of God was angry with him, and said, You should have
struck five or six times: then had you struck Syria until you
had consumed it, whereas now you shall strike Syria but thrice.
013:020 Elisha died, and they buried him. Now the bands of the Moabites
invaded the land at the coming in of the year.
013:021 It happened, as they were burying a man, that behold, they spied
a band; and they cast the man into the tomb of Elisha:
and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived,
and stood up on his feet.
013:022 Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.
013:023 But Yahweh was gracious to them, and had compassion on them,
and had respect to them, because of his covenant
with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them,
neither cast he them from his presence as yet.
013:024 Hazael king of Syria died; and Benhadad his son reigned
in his place.
013:025 Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand
of Benhadad the son of Hazael the cities which he had taken
out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times
did Joash strike him, and recovered the cities of Israel.
014:001 In the second year of Joash son of Joahaz king of Israel began
Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah to reign.
014:002 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign;
and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem:
and his mother's name was Jehoaddin of Jerusalem.
014:003 He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, yet not
like David his father: he did according to all that Joash
his father had done.
014:004 However the high places were not taken away: the people still
sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.
014:005 It happened, as soon as the kingdom was established in his hand,
that he killed his servants who had slain the king his father:
014:006 but the children of the murderers he didn't put to death;
according to that which is written in the book of the law of Moses,
as Yahweh commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put
to death for the children, nor the children be put to death
for the fathers; but every man shall die for his own sin.
014:007 He killed of Edom in the Valley of Salt ten thousand,
and took Sela by war, and called the name of it Joktheel,
to this day.
014:008 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz
son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one
another in the face.
014:009 Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying,
The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was
in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son as wife:
and there passed by a wild animal that was in Lebanon,
and trod down the thistle.
014:010 You have indeed struck Edom, and your heart has lifted you up:
glory of it, and abide at home; for why should you
meddle to [your] hurt, that you should fall, even you,
and Judah with you?
014:011 But Amaziah would not hear. So Jehoash king of Israel went up;
and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face
at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah.
014:012 Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every
man to his tent.
014:013 Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son
of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh, and came
to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate
of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
014:014 He took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found
in the house of Yahweh, and in the treasures of the king's house,
the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.
014:015 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might,
and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, aren't they
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
014:016 Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria
with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned
in his place.
014:017 Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death
of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.
014:018 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, aren't they written
in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
014:019 They made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem;
and he fled to Lachish: but they sent after him to Lachish,
and killed him there.
014:020 They brought him on horses; and he was buried at Jerusalem
with his fathers in the city of David.
014:021 All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old,
and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah.
014:022 He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king
slept with his fathers.
014:023 In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of
Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign
in Samaria, [and reigned] forty-one years.
014:024 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh:
he didn't depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,
with which he made Israel to sin.
014:025 He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath
to the sea of the Arabah, according to the word of Yahweh,
the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant Jonah the son
of Amittai, the prophet, who was of Gath Hepher.
014:026 For Yahweh saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter;
for there was none shut up nor left at large, neither was there
any helper for Israel.
014:027 Yahweh didn't say that he would blot out the name of Israel
from under the sky; but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam
the son of Joash.
014:028 Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did,
and his might, how he warred, and how he recovered Damascus,
and Hamath, [which had belonged] to Judah, for Israel,
aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Israel?
014:029 Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel;
and Zechariah his son reigned in his place.
015:001 In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began
Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.
015:002 Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned
fifty-two years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was
Jecoliah of Jerusalem.
015:003 He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to
all that his father Amaziah had done.
015:004 However the high places were not taken away: the people still
sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.
015:005 Yahweh struck the king, so that he was a leper to the day
of his death, and lived in a separate house. Jotham the king's
son was over the household, judging the people of the land.
015:006 Now the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did,
aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Judah?
015:007 Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his
fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son reigned
in his place.
015:008 In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zechariah
the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.
015:009 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as his
fathers had done: he didn't depart from the sins of Jeroboam
the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin.
015:010 Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and struck him
before the people, and killed him, and reigned in his place.
015:011 Now the rest of the acts of Zechariah, behold, they are written
in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
015:012 This was the word of Yahweh which he spoke to Jehu, saying, Your sons
to the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.
So it came to pass.
015:013 Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth
year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned the space
of a month in Samaria.
015:014 Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, and came to Samaria,
and struck Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and killed him,
and reigned in his place.
015:015 Now the rest of the acts of Shallum, and his conspiracy which
he made, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles
of the kings of Israel.
015:016 Then Menahem struck Tiphsah, and all who were therein,
and the borders of it, from Tirzah: because they didn't open
to him, therefore he struck it; and all the women therein
who were with child he ripped up.
015:017 In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began
Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, [and reigned]
ten years in Samaria.
015:018 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh:
he didn't depart all his days from the sins of Jeroboam
the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin.
015:019 There came against the land Pul the king of Assyria;
and Menahem gave Pul one thousand talents of silver, that his
hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand.
015:020 Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty
men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give
to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back,
and didn't stay there in the land.
015:021 Now the rest of the acts of Menahem, and all that he did,
aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Israel?
015:022 Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned
in his place.
015:023 In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekahiah
the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria,
[and reigned] two years.
015:024 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh:
he didn't depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,
with which he made Israel to sin.
015:025 Pekah the son of Remaliah, his captain, conspired against him,
and struck him in Samaria, in the castle of the king's house,
with Argob and Arieh; and with him were fifty men of the Gileadites:
and he killed him, and reigned in his place.
015:026 Now the rest of the acts of Pekahiah, and all that he did,
behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles
of the kings of Israel.
015:027 In the two and fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekah
the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria,
[and reigned] twenty years.
015:028 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh:
he didn't depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,
with which he made Israel to sin.
015:029 In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath Pileser king
of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abel Beth Maacah, and Janoah,
and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land
of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria.
015:030 Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son
of Remaliah, and struck him, and killed him, and reigned in
his place, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.
015:031 Now the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he did,
behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles
of the kings of Israel.
015:032 In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel
began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign.
015:033 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign;
and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and his mother's
name was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok.
015:034 He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh; he did
according to all that his father Uzziah had done.
015:035 However the high places were not taken away: the people
still sacrificed and burned incense in the high places.
He built the upper gate of the house of Yahweh.
015:036 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did,
aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Judah?
015:037 In those days Yahweh began to send against Judah Rezin the king
of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.
015:038 Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers
in the city of David his father: and Ahaz his son reigned
in his place.
016:001 In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz
the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.
016:002 Twenty years old was Ahaz 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 his God,
like David his father.
016:003 But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yes, and made
his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations
of the nations, whom Yahweh cast out from before the
children of Israel.
016:004 He sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on
the hills, and under every green tree.
016:005 Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of
Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz,
but could not overcome him.
016:006 At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria,
and drove the Jews from Elath; and the Syrians came to Elath,
and lived there, to this day.
016:007 So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria,
saying, I am your servant and your son: come up, and save
me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand
of the king of Israel, who rise up against me.
016:008 Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house
of Yahweh, and in the treasures of the king's house,
and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria.
016:009 The king of Assyria listened to him; and the king of Assyria
went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried [the people
of] it captive to Kir, and killed Rezin.
016:010 King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath Pileser king
of Assyria, and saw the altar that was at Damascus; and king
Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar,
and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship of it.
016:011 Urijah the priest built an altar: according to all that king
Ahaz had sent from Damascus, so did Urijah the priest make
it against the coming of king Ahaz from Damascus.
016:012 When the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar:
and the king drew near to the altar, and offered thereon.
016:013 He burnt his burnt offering and his meal offering, and poured his
drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings,
on the altar.
016:014 The bronze altar, which was before Yahweh, he brought from
the forefront of the house, from between his altar and the house
of Yahweh, and put it on the north side of his altar.
016:015 King Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, On the great altar
burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meal offering,
and the king's burnt offering, and his meal offering, with the burnt
offering of all the people of the land, and their meal offering,
and their drink offerings; and sprinkle on it all the blood
of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice:
but the bronze altar shall be for me to inquire by.
016:016 Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all that
king Ahaz commanded.
016:017 King Ahaz cut off the panels of the bases, and removed the basin
from off them, and took down the sea from off the bronze oxen
that were under it, and put it on a pavement of stone.
016:018 The covered way for the Sabbath that they had built in the house,
and the king's entry outside, turned he to the house of Yahweh,
because of the king of Assyria.
016:019 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, aren't they
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
016:020 Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers
in the city of David: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.
017:001 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son
of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel, [and reigned] nine years.
017:002 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, yet not
as the kings of Israel who were before him.
017:003 Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea
became his servant, and brought him tribute.
017:004 The king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea; for he had
sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and offered no tribute
to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year:
therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound
him in prison.
017:005 Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land,
and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.
017:006 In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria,
and carried Israel away to Assyria, and placed them in Halah,
and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities
of the Medes.
017:007 It was so, because the children of Israel had sinned against
Yahweh their God, who brought them up out of the land
of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt,
and had feared other gods,
017:008 and walked in the statutes of the nations, whom Yahweh cast out
from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel,
which they made.
017:009 The children of Israel did secretly things that were not
right against Yahweh their God: and they built them high
places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen
to the fortified city;
017:010 and they set them up pillars and Asherim on every high hill,
and under every green tree;
017:011 and there they burnt incense in all the high places,
as did the nations whom Yahweh carried away before them;
and they worked wicked things to provoke Yahweh to anger;
017:012 and they served idols, of which Yahweh had said to them,
You shall not do this thing.
017:013 Yet Yahweh testified to Israel, and to Judah, by every prophet,
and every seer, saying, Turn you from your evil ways,
and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all
the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent
to you by my servants the prophets.
017:014 Notwithstanding, they would not hear, but hardened their neck,
like the neck of their fathers, who didn't believe in
Yahweh their God.
017:015 They rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with
their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified to them;
and they followed vanity, and became vain, and [went] after
the nations that were round about them, concerning whom Yahweh
had charged those who they should not do like them.
017:016 They forsook all the commandments of Yahweh their God, and made
them molten images, even two calves, and made an Asherah,
and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served Baal.
017:017 They caused their sons and their daughters to pass through
the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold
themselves to do that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh,
to provoke him to anger.
017:018 Therefore Yahweh was very angry with Israel, and removed
them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe
of Judah only.
017:019 Also Judah didn't keep the commandments of Yahweh their God,
but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.
017:020 Yahweh rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them,
and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had
cast them out of his sight.
017:021 For he tore Israel from the house of David; and they made
Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drove Israel
from following Yahweh, and made them sin a great sin.
017:022 The children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam
which he did; they didn't depart from them;
017:023 until Yahweh removed Israel out of his sight, as he spoke
by all his servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away
out of their own land to Assyria to this day.
017:024 The king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah,
and from Avva, and from Hamath and Sepharvaim, and placed them
in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel;
and they possessed Samaria, and lived in the cities of it.
017:025 So it was, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they
didn't fear Yahweh: therefore Yahweh sent lions among them,
which killed some of them.
017:026 Therefore they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations
which you have carried away, and placed in the cities
of Samaria, don't know the law of the god of the land:
therefore he has sent lions among them, and behold, they kill them,
because they don't know the law of the god of the land.
017:027 Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry there one
of the priests whom you brought from there; and let them go
and dwell there, and let him teach them the law of the god
of the land.
017:028 So one of the priests whom they had carried away from
Samaria came and lived in Bethel, and taught them how they
should fear Yahweh.
017:029 However every nation made gods of their own, and put them
in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made,
every nation in their cities in which they lived.
017:030 The men of Babylon made Succoth Benoth, and the men of Cuth
made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,
017:031 and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites
burnt their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech,
the gods of Sepharvaim.
017:032 So they feared Yahweh, and made to them from among themselves
priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the houses
of the high places.
017:033 They feared Yahweh, and served their own gods, after the manner
of the nations from among whom they had been carried away.
017:034 To this day they do after the former manner: they don't fear Yahweh,
neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances,
or after the law or after the commandment which Yahweh
commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel;
017:035 with whom Yahweh had made a covenant, and charged them, saying,
You shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them,
nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:
017:036 but Yahweh, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt
with great power and with an outstretched arm, him shall
you fear, and to him shall you bow yourselves, and to him
shall you sacrifice:
017:037 and the statutes and the ordinances, and the law and the commandment,
which he wrote for you, you shall observe to do forevermore;
and you shall not fear other gods:
017:038 and the covenant that I have made with you you shall not forget;
neither shall you fear other gods:
017:039 but Yahweh your God shall you fear; and he will deliver you
out of the hand of all your enemies.
017:040 However they did not listen, but they did after their former manner.
017:041 So these nations feared Yahweh, and served their engraved images;
their children likewise, and their children's children,
as did their fathers, so do they to this day.
018:001 Now it happened in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king
of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah
began to reign.
018:002 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign;
and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem:
and his mother's name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah.
018:003 He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to
all that David his father had done.
018:004 He removed the high places, and broke the pillars, and cut
down the Asherah: and he broke in pieces the bronze serpent
that Moses had made; for to those days the children of Israel
did burn incense to it; and he called it Nehushtan.
018:005 He trusted in Yahweh, the God of Israel; so that after him
was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor [among
them] that were before him.
018:006 For he joined with Yahweh; he didn't depart from following him,
but kept his commandments, which Yahweh commanded Moses.
018:007 Yahweh was with him; wherever he went forth he prospered:
and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and didn't serve him.
018:008 He struck the Philistines to Gaza and the borders of it,
from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city.
018:009 It happened in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was
the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel,
that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria,
and besieged it.
018:010 At the end of three years they took it: in the sixth year
of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king
of Israel, Samaria was taken.
018:011 The king of Assyria carried Israel away to Assyria,
and put them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan,
and in the cities of the Medes,
018:012 because they didn't obey the voice of Yahweh their God,
but transgressed his covenant, even all that Moses the servant
of Yahweh commanded, and would not hear it, nor do it.
018:013 Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king
of Assyria come up against all the fortified cities of Judah,
and took them.
018:014 Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria
to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me:
that which you put on me will I bear. The king of Assyria
appointed to Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents
of silver and thirty talents of gold.
018:015 Hezekiah gave [him] all the silver that was found in the house
of Yahweh, and in the treasures of the king's house.
018:016 At that time did Hezekiah cut off [the gold from] the doors
of the temple of Yahweh, and [from] the pillars which Hezekiah
king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.
018:017 The king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh
from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great army to Jerusalem.
They went up and came to Jerusalem. When they were come up,
they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool,
which is in the highway of the fuller's field.
018:018 When they had called to the king, there came out to them
Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household,
and Shebnah the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.
018:019 Rabshakeh said to them, Say you now to Hezekiah, Thus says
the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this
in which you trust?
018:020 You say (but they are but vain words), [There is] counsel
and strength for the war. Now on whom do you trust,
that you have rebelled against me?
018:021 Now, behold, you trust on the staff of this bruised reed,
even on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand,
and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who
trust on him.
018:022 But if you tell me, We trust in Yahweh our God; isn't that
he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away,
and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, You shall worship
before this altar in Jerusalem?
018:023 Now therefore, Please give pledges to my master the king
of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you
are able on your part to set riders on them.
018:024 How then can you turn away the face of one captain of the least
of my master's servants, and put your trust on Egypt for chariots
and for horsemen?
018:025 Am I now come up without Yahweh against this place to destroy it?
Yahweh said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
018:026 Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah,
to Rabshakeh, Please speak to your servants in the Syrian language;
for we understand it: and don't speak with us in the Jews'
language, in the ears of the people who are on the wall.
018:027 But Rabshakeh said to them, Has my master sent me to your master,
and to you, to speak these words? Hasn't he sent me to the men
who sit on the wall, to eat their own dung, and to drink
their own water with you?
018:028 Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews'
language, and spoke, saying, Hear you the word of the great king,
the king of Assyria.
018:029 Thus says the king, Don't let Hezekiah deceive you;
for he will not be able to deliver you out of his hand:
018:030 neither let Hezekiah make you trust in Yahweh, saying, Yahweh will
surely deliver us, and this city shall not be given into
the hand of the king of Assyria.
018:031 Don't listen to Hezekiah: for thus says the king
of Assyria, Make your peace with me, and come out to me;
and eat you everyone of his vine, and everyone of his fig tree,
and everyone drink the waters of his own cistern;
018:032 Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land,
a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards,
a land of olive trees and of honey, that you may live, and not die:
and don't listen to Hezekiah, when he persuades you, saying,
Yahweh will deliver us.
018:033 Has any of the gods of the nations ever delivered his land
out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
018:034 Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods
of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivvah? have they delivered Samaria
out of my hand?
018:035 Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have
delivered their country out of my hand, that Yahweh should
deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?
018:036 But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word;
for the king's commandment was, saying, Don't answer him.
018:037 Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household,
and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder,
to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him the
words of Rabshakeh.
019:001 It happened, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he tore
his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went
into the house of Yahweh.
019:002 He sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe,
and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth,
to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.
019:003 They said to him, Thus says Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble,
and of rebuke, and of rejection; for the children are come
to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.
019:004 It may be Yahweh your God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh,
whom the king of Assyria his master has sent to defy the living God,
and will rebuke the words which Yahweh your God has heard.
Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.
019:005 So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.
019:006 Isaiah said to them, Thus shall you tell your master,
Thus says Yahweh, Don't be afraid of the words that you
have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria
have blasphemed me.
019:007 Behold, I will put a spirit in him, and he shall hear news,
and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall
by the sword in his own land.
019:008 So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring
against Libnah; for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.
019:009 When he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is
come out to fight against you, he sent messengers again
to Hezekiah, saying,
019:010 Thus shall you speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Don't let
your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, Jerusalem shall
not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.
019:011 Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria
have done to all lands, by destroying them utterly:
and shall you be delivered?
019:012 Have the gods of the nations delivered them, which my fathers
have destroyed, Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children
of Eden that were in Telassar?
019:013 Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king
of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivvah?
019:014 Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers,
and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of Yahweh,
and spread it before Yahweh.
019:015 Hezekiah prayed before Yahweh, and said, Yahweh, the God
of Israel, who sit [above] the cherubim, you are the God,
even you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have
made heaven and earth.
019:016 Incline your ear, Yahweh, and hear; open your eyes, Yahweh, and see;
and hear the words of Sennacherib, with which he has sent
him to defy the living God.
019:017 Of a truth, Yahweh, the kings of Assyria have laid waste
the nations and their lands,
019:018 and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were no gods,
but the work of men's hands, wood and stone; therefore they
have destroyed them.
019:019 Now therefore, Yahweh our God, save you us, I beg you,
out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know
that you Yahweh are God alone.
019:020 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus
says Yahweh, the God of Israel, Whereas you have prayed to me
against Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard [you].
019:021 This is the word that Yahweh has spoken concerning him:
The virgin daughter of Zion has despised you and ridiculed you;
the daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head at you.
019:022 Whom have you defied and blasphemed? and against whom have you
exalted your voice and lifted up your eyes on high? [even]
against the Holy One of Israel.
019:023 By your messengers you have defied the Lord, and have said,
With the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height
of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon;
and I will cut down the tall cedars of it, and the choice fir
trees of it; and I will enter into his farthest lodging place,
the forest of his fruitful field.
019:024 I have dug and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my
feet will I dry up all the rivers of Egypt.
019:025 Haven't you heard how I have done it long ago, and formed it
of ancient times? now have I brought it to pass, that it should
be yours to lay waste fortified cities into ruinous heaps.
019:026 Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were
dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field,
and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops,
and as grain blasted before it is grown up.
019:027 But I know your sitting down, and your going out, and your
coming in, and your raging against me.
019:028 Because of your raging against me, and because your arrogance is
come up into my ears, therefore will I put my hook in your nose,
and my bridle in your lips, and I will turn you back by the way
by which you came.
019:029 This shall be the sign to you: You shall eat this year
that which grows of itself, and in the second year that which
springs of the same; and in the third year sow you, and reap,
and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of it.
019:030 The remnant that has escaped of the house of Judah shall again
take root downward, and bear fruit upward.
019:031 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and out
of Mount Zion those who shall escape: the zeal of Yahweh
shall perform this.
019:032 Therefore thus says Yahweh concerning the king of Assyria, He shall
not come to this city, nor shoot an arrow there, neither shall
he come before it with shield, nor cast up a mound against it.
019:033 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return,
and he shall not come to this city, says Yahweh.
019:034 For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake,
and for my servant David's sake.
019:035 It happened that night, that the angel of Yahweh went forth,
and struck in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred
eighty-five thousand: and when men arose early in the morning,
behold, these were all dead bodies.
019:036 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned,
and lived at Nineveh.
019:037 It happened, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god,
that Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him with the sword:
and they escaped into the land of Ararat. Esar Haddon his son
reigned in his place.
020:001 In those days was Hezekiah sick to death. Isaiah the
prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him,
Thus says Yahweh, Set your house in order: for you shall die,
and not live.
020:002 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed to Yahweh, saying,
020:003 Remember now, Yahweh, I beg you, how I have walked before you
in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is
good in your sight. Hezekiah wept sore.
020:004 It happened, before Isaiah was gone out into the middle part
of the city, that the word of Yahweh came to him, saying,
020:005 Turn back, and tell Hezekiah the prince of my people,
Thus says Yahweh, the God of David your father, I have heard
your prayer, I have seen your tears: behold, I will heal you;
on the third day you shall go up to the house of Yahweh.
020:006 I will add to your days fifteen years; and I will deliver
you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria;
and I will defend this city for my own sake, and for my
servant David's sake.
020:007 Isaiah said, Take a cake of figs. They took and laid it
on the boil, and he recovered.
020:008 Hezekiah said to Isaiah, What shall be the sign that Yahweh
will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of Yahweh
the third day?
020:009 Isaiah said, This shall be the sign to you from Yahweh,
that Yahweh will do the thing that he has spoken:
shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?
020:010 Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to decline
ten steps: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten steps.
020:011 Isaiah the prophet cried to Yahweh; and he brought the shadow ten
steps backward, by which it had gone down on the dial of Ahaz.
020:012 At that time Berodach Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon,
sent letters and a present to Hezekiah; for he had heard
that Hezekiah had been sick.
020:013 Hezekiah listened to them, and shown them all the house of his
precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices,
and the precious oil, and the house of his armor, and all that
was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house,
nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah didn't show them.
020:014 Then came Isaiah the prophet to king Hezekiah, and said to him,
What said these men? and from whence came they to you?
Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country,
even from Babylon.
020:015 He said, What have they seen in your house? Hezekiah answered,
All that is in my house have they seen: there is nothing
among my treasures that I have not shown them.
020:016 Isaiah said to Hezekiah, Hear the word of Yahweh.
020:017 Behold, the days come, that all that is in your house,
and that which your fathers have laid up in store to this day,
shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, says Yahweh.
020:018 Of your sons who shall issue from you, whom you shall father,
shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace
of the king of Babylon.
020:019 Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of Yahweh
which you have spoken. He said moreover, Isn't it so,
if peace and truth shall be in my days?
020:020 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might,
and how he made the pool, and the conduit, and brought water
into the city, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles
of the kings of Judah?
020:021 Hezekiah slept with his fathers; and Manasseh his son reigned
in his place.
021:001 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign;
and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem: and his mother's
name was Hephzibah.
021:002 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh,
after the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out
before the children of Israel.
021:003 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father
had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made
an Asherah, as did Ahab king of Israel, and worshiped all
the army of the sky, and served them.
021:004 He built altars in the house of Yahweh, of which Yahweh said,
In Jerusalem will I put my name.
021:005 He built altars for all the army of the sky in the two courts
of the house of Yahweh.
021:006 He made his son to pass through the fire, and practiced sorcery,
and used enchantments, and dealt with those who had familiar spirits,
and with wizards: he worked much evil in the sight of Yahweh,
to provoke him to anger.
021:007 He set the engraved image of Asherah, that he had made,
in the house of which Yahweh said to David and to Solomon
his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen
out of all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name forever;
021:008 neither will I cause the feet of Israel to wander any more out
of the land which I gave their fathers, if only they will
observe to do according to all that I have commanded them,
and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.
021:009 But they didn't listen: and Manasseh seduced them to do that
which is evil more than did the nations whom Yahweh destroyed
before the children of Israel.
021:010 Yahweh spoke by his servants the prophets, saying,
021:011 Because Manasseh king of Judah has done these abominations,
and has done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, who were
before him, and has made Judah also to sin with his idols;
021:012 therefore thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, Behold, I bring
such evil on Jerusalem and Judah, that whoever hears of it,
both his ears shall tingle.
021:013 I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet
of the house of Ahab; and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man
wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down.
021:014 I will cast off the remnant of my inheritance, and deliver
them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become
a prey and a spoil to all their enemies;
021:015 because they have done that which is evil in my sight,
and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers
came forth out of Egypt, even to this day.
021:016 Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, until he had
filled Jerusalem from one end to another; besides his sin
with which he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil
in the sight of Yahweh.
021:017 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did,
and his sin that he sinned, aren't they written in the book
of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
021:018 Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden
of his own house, in the garden of Uzza: and Amon his son
reigned in his place.
021:019 Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign;
and he reigned two years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name
was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.
021:020 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as did
Manasseh his father.
021:021 He walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served
the idols that his father served, and worshiped them:
021:022 and he forsook Yahweh, the God of his fathers, and didn't walk
in the way of Yahweh.
021:023 The servants of Amon conspired against him, and put the king
to death in his own house.
021:024 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.
021:025 Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, aren't they
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
021:026 He was buried in his tomb in the garden of Uzza:
and Josiah his son reigned in his place.
022:001 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign;
and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem: and his mother's
name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.
022:002 He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, and walked
in all the way of David his father, and didn't turn aside
to the right hand or to the left.
022:003 It happened in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king
sent Shaphan, the son of Azaliah the son of Meshullam,
the scribe, to the house of Yahweh, saying,
022:004 Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the money
which is brought into the house of Yahweh, which the keepers
of the threshold have gathered of the people:
022:005 and let them deliver it into the hand of the workmen who have
the oversight of the house of Yahweh; and let them give it
to the workmen who are in the house of Yahweh, to repair
the breaches of the house,
022:006 to the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons,
and for buying timber and hewn stone to repair the house.
022:007 However there was no reckoning made with them of the money
that was delivered into their hand; for they dealt faithfully.
022:008 Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe,
I have found the book of the law in the house of Yahweh.
Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
022:009 Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king
word again, and said, Your servants have emptied out the money
that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand
of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of Yahweh.
022:010 Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest
has delivered me a book. Shaphan read it before the king.
022:011 It happened, when the king had heard the words of the book
of the law, that he tore his clothes.
022:012 The king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son
of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the scribe,
and Asaiah the king's servant, saying,
022:013 Go you, inquire of Yahweh for me, and for the people, and for
all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found;
for great is the wrath of Yahweh that is kindled against us,
because our fathers have not listened to the words of this book,
to do according to all that which is written concerning us.
022:014 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan,
and Asaiah, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum
the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe
(now she lived in Jerusalem in the second quarter);
and they talked with her.
022:015 She said to them, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: Tell you
the man who sent you to me,
022:016 Thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will bring evil on this place,
and on the inhabitants of it, even all the words of the book
which the king of Judah has read.
022:017 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense
to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all
the work of their hands, therefore my wrath shall be kindled
against this place, and it shall not be quenched.
022:018 But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of Yahweh,
thus shall you tell him, Thus says Yahweh, the God
of Israel: As touching the words which you have heard,
022:019 because your heart was tender, and you did humble yourself
before Yahweh, when you heard what I spoke against this place,
and against the inhabitants of it, that they should become
a desolation and a curse, and have torn your clothes,
and wept before me; I also have heard you, says Yahweh.
022:020 Therefore, 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 which I will bring on this place.
They brought the king word again.
023:001 The king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah
and of Jerusalem.
023:002 The king went up to the house of Yahweh, and all the men of Judah
and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests,
and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great:
and he read in their ears all the words of the book of
the covenant which was found in the house of Yahweh.
023:003 The king stood by the pillar, 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 all [his] soul, to confirm the words of this covenant
that were written in this book: and all the people stood
to the covenant.
023:004 The king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests
of the second order, and the keepers of the threshold, to bring
forth out of the temple of Yahweh all the vessels that were made
for Baal, and for the Asherah, and for all the army of the sky,
and he burned them outside of Jerusalem in the fields
of the Kidron, and carried the ashes of them to Bethel.
023:005 He put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah
had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities
of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; those also
who burned incense to Baal, to the sun, and to the moon,
and to the planets, and to all the army of the sky.
023:006 He brought out the Asherah from the house of Yahweh,
outside of Jerusalem, to the brook Kidron, and burned it
at the brook Kidron, and beat it to dust, and cast the dust
of it on the graves of the common people.
023:007 He broke down the houses of the sodomites, that were in the house
of Yahweh, where the women wove hangings for the Asherah.
023:008 He brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah,
and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense,
from Geba to Beersheba; and he broke down the high places
of the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua
the governor of the city, which were on a man's left hand
at the gate of the city.
023:009 Nevertheless the priests of the high places didn't come up
to the altar of Yahweh in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened
bread among their brothers.
023:010 He defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children
of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter
to pass through the fire to Molech.
023:011 He took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given
to the sun, at the entrance of the house of Yahweh, by the
chamber of Nathan Melech the officer, who was in the court;
and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire.
023:012 The altars that were on the roof of the upper chamber of Ahaz,
which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which
Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of Yahweh,
did the king break down, and beat [them] down from there,
and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron.
023:013 The high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on
the right hand of the mountain of corruption, which Solomon
the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination
of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of Moab,
and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon,
did the king defile.
023:014 He broke in pieces the pillars, and cut down the Asherim,
and filled their places with the bones of men.
023:015 Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, and the high place
which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin,
had made, even that altar and the high place he broke down;
and he burned the high place and beat it to dust,
and burned the Asherah.
023:016 As Josiah turned himself, he spied the tombs that were there
in the mountain; and he sent, and took the bones out of
the tombs, and burned them on the altar, and defiled it,
according to the word of Yahweh which the man of God proclaimed,
who proclaimed these things.
023:017 Then he said, What monument is that which I see?
The men of the city told him, It is the tomb of the man of God,
who came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that you
have done against the altar of Bethel.
023:018 He said, Let him be; let no man move his bones.
So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet
who came out of Samaria.
023:019 All the houses also of the high places that were in the cities
of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke
[Yahweh] to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according
to all the acts that he had done in Bethel.
023:020 He killed all the priests of the high places that were there,
on the altars, and burned men's bones on them;
and he returned to Jerusalem.
023:021 The king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the Passover
to Yahweh your God, as it is written in this book of the covenant.
023:022 Surely there was not kept such a Passover from the days of
the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings
of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah;
023:023 but in the eighteenth year of king Josiah was this Passover
kept to Yahweh in Jerusalem.
023:024 Moreover those who had familiar spirits, and the wizards,
and the teraphim, and the idols, and all the abominations
that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem,
did Josiah put away, that he might confirm the words of the law
which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found
in the house of Yahweh.
023:025 Like him was there no king before him, who turned to Yahweh with
all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might,
according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose
there any like him.
023:026 Notwithstanding, Yahweh didn't turn from the fierceness of his
great wrath, with which his anger was kindled against Judah,
because of all the provocation with which Manasseh
had provoked him.
023:027 Yahweh said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I
have removed Israel, and I will cast off this city which I
have chosen, even Jerusalem, and the house of which I said,
My name shall be there.
023:028 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did,
aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Judah?
023:029 In his days Pharaoh Necoh king of Egypt went up against the king
of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went
against him; and [Pharaoh Necoh] killed him at Megiddo,
when he had seen him.
023:030 His servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo,
and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own tomb.
The people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah,
and anointed him, and made him king in his father's place.
023:031 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign;
and he reigned three months in Jerusalem: and his mother's
name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
023:032 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, according to
all that his fathers had done.
023:033 Pharaoh Necoh put him in bonds at Riblah in the land of Hamath,
that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land to a
tribute of one hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold.
023:034 Pharaoh Necoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room
of Josiah his father, and changed his name to Jehoiakim:
but he took Jehoahaz away; and he came to Egypt, and died there.
023:035 Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh; but he taxed
the land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh:
he exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land,
of everyone according to his taxation, to give it to Pharaoh Necoh.
023:036 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign;
and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and his mother's
name was Zebidah the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.
023:037 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, according to
all that his fathers had done.
024:001 In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up,
and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned
and rebelled against him.
024:002 Yahweh sent against him bands of the Chaldeans, and bands
of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the
children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it,
according to the word of Yahweh, which he spoke by his
servants the prophets.
024:003 Surely at the commandment of Yahweh came this on Judah,
to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh,
according to all that he did,
024:004 and also for the innocent blood that he shed; for he filled
Jerusalem with innocent blood: and Yahweh would not pardon.
024:005 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did,
aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Judah?
024:006 So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers; and Jehoiachin his son
reigned in his place.
024:007 The king of Egypt didn't come again out of his land any more;
for the king of Babylon had taken, from the brook of Egypt
to the river Euphrates, all that pertained to the king of Egypt.
024:008 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign;
and he reigned in Jerusalem three months: and his mother's
name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
024:009 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, according to
all that his father had done.
024:010 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.
024:011 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to the city, while his
servants were besieging it;
024:012 and Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon,
he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes,
and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth
year of his reign.
024:013 He carried out there all the treasures of the house of Yahweh,
and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all
the vessels of gold, which Solomon king of Israel had made
in the temple of Yahweh, as Yahweh had said.
024:014 He carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes,
and all the mighty men of valor, even ten thousand captives,
and all the craftsmen and the smiths; none remained,
save the poorest sort of the people of the land.
024:015 He carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon; and the king's mother,
and the king's wives, and his officers, and the chief men of
the land, carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.
024:016 All the men of might, even seven thousand, and the craftsmen
and the smiths one thousand, all of them strong and apt for war,
even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.
024:017 The king of Babylon made Mattaniah, [Jehoiachin's] father's brother,
king is his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah.
024:018 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign;
and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and his mother's
name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
024:019 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, according to
all that Jehoiakim had done.
024:020 For through the anger of Yahweh did it happen in Jerusalem
and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence.
Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
025:001 It happened in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month,
in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king
of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem,
and encamped against it; and they built forts against
it round about.
025:002 So the city was besieged to the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.
025:003 On the ninth day of the [fourth] month the famine was sore
in the city, so that there was no bread for the people
of the land.
025:004 Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war
[fled] by night by the way of the gate between the two walls,
which was by the king's garden (now the Chaldeans were
against the city round about); and [the king] went by the way
of the Arabah.
025:005 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king,
and overtook him in the plains of Jericho; and all his army
was scattered from him.
025:006 Then they took the king, and carried him up to the king
of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment on him.
025:007 They killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out
the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in fetters, and carried
him to Babylon.
025:008 Now in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month,
which was the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar,
king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard,
a servant of the king of Babylon, to Jerusalem.
025:009 He burnt the house of Yahweh, and the king's house;
and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great house,
burnt he with fire.
025:010 All the army of the Chaldeans, who were [with] the captain
of the guard, broke down the walls of Jerusalem round about.
025:011 The residue of the people who were left in the city,
and those who fell away, who fell to the king of Babylon,
and the residue of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captain
of the guard carry away captive.
025:012 But the captain of the guard left of the poorest of the land
to work the vineyards and fields.
025:013 The pillars of brass that were in the house of Yahweh,
and the bases and the bronze sea that were in the house of Yahweh,
did the Chaldeans break in pieces, and carried the brass
of them to Babylon.
025:014 The pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons,
and all the vessels of brass with which they ministered,
took they away.
025:015 The fire pans, and the basins, that which was of gold,
in gold, and that which was of silver, in silver, the captain
of the guard took away.
025:016 The two pillars, the one sea, and the bases, which Solomon had
made for the house of Yahweh, the brass of all these vessels
was without weight.
025:017 The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and a capital
of brass was on it; and the height of the capital was
three cubits, with network and pomegranates on the capital
round about, all of brass: and like to these had the second
pillar with network.
025:018 The captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest,
and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers
of the threshold:
025:019 and out of the city he took an officer who was set over the men
of war; and five men of those who saw the king's face,
who were found in the city; and the scribe, the captain
of the army, who mustered the people of the land; and sixty
men of the people of the land, who were found in the city.
025:020 Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought
them to the king of Babylon to Riblah.
025:021 The king of Babylon struck them, and put them to death at Riblah
in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away captive
out of his land.
025:022 As for the people who were left in the land of Judah,
whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even over them
he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, governor.
025:023 Now when all the captains of the forces, they and their men,
heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor,
they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah,
and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth
the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite,
they and their men.
025:024 Gedaliah swore to them and to their men, and said to them,
Don't be afraid because of the servants of the Chaldeans:
dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it
shall be well with you.
025:025 But it happened in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son
of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal seed came,
and ten men with him, and struck Gedaliah, so that he died,
and the Jews and the Chaldeans that were with him at Mizpah.
025:026 All the people, both small and great, and the captains of
the forces, arose, and came to Egypt; for they were afraid
of the Chaldeans.
025:027 It happened in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity
of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven
and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon,
in the year that he began to reign, did lift up the head
of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison;
025:028 and he spoke kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne
of the kings who were with him in Babylon,
025:029 and changed his prison garments. [Jehoiachin] ate bread
before him continually all the days of his life:
025:030 and for his allowance, there was a continual allowance given him
of the king, every day a portion, all the days of his life.
*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE (WEB): 2 KINGS ***
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