14:026:009 Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate,and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, andfortified them.
14:026:010 Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: forhe had much cattle, both in the low country, and in theplains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains,and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry.
14:026:011 Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out towar by bands, according to the number of their account by thehand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under thehand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains.
14:026:012 The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valour were two thousand and six hundred.
14:026:013 And under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand andseven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mightypower, to help the king against the enemy.
14:026:014 And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields,and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slingsto cast stones.
14:026:015 And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, tobe on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows andgreat stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for hewas marvellously helped, till he was strong.
14:026:016 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to hisdestruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, andwent into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon thealtar of incense.
14:026:017 And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men:
14:026:018 And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God.
14:026:019 Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burnincense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosyeven rose up in his forehead before the priests in the houseof the LORD, from beside the incense altar.
14:026:020 And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked uponhim, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and theythrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to goout, because the LORD had smitten him.
14:026:021 And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, anddwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut offfrom the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over theking's house, judging the people of the land.
14:026:022 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.
14:026:023 So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.
14:027:001 Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok.
14:027:002 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the LORD. And the people did yet corruptly.
14:027:003 He built the high gate of the house of the LORD, and on thewall of Ophel he built much.
14:027:004 Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in theforests he built castles and towers.
14:027:005 He fought also with the king of the Ammonites, and prevailed against them. And the children of Ammon gave him the same year an hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. So much did the children of Ammon pay unto him, both the second year, and the third.
14:027:006 So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God.
14:027:007 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
14:027:008 He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, andreigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.
14:027:009 And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in thecity of David: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.
14:028:001 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father:
14:028:002 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim.
14:028:003 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
14:028:004 He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
14:028:005 Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter.
14:028:006 For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred andtwenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men;because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.
14:028:007 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king'sson, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah thatwas next to the king.
14:028:008 And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.
14:028:009 But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven.
14:028:010 And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah andJerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are therenot with you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God?
14:028:011 Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, whichye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrathof the LORD is upon you.
14:028:012 Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariahthe son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, andJehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai,stood up against them that came from the war,
14:028:013 And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither:for whereas we have offended against the LORD already, yeintend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for ourtrespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.
14:028:014 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.
14:028:015 And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.
14:028:016 At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria tohelp him.
14:028:017 For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carriedaway captives.
14:028:018 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Bethshemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there.
14:028:019 For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD.
14:028:020 And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.
14:028:021 For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the LORD, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not.
14:028:022 And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz.
14:028:023 For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him:and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them,therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. Butthey were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.
14:028:024 And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God,and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut upthe doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars inevery corner of Jerusalem.
14:028:025 And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burnincense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God ofhis fathers.
14:028:026 Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways, first and last,behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah andIsrael.
14:028:027 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.
14:029:001 Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.
14:029:002 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD,according to all that David his father had done.
14:029:003 He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, openedthe doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them.
14:029:004 And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gatheredthem together into the east street,
14:029:005 And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.
14:029:006 For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and turned their backs.
14:029:007 Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out thelamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offeringsin the holy place unto the God of Israel.
14:029:008 Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and Jerusalem,and he hath delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and tohissing, as ye see with your eyes.
14:029:009 For, lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sonsand our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this.
14:029:010 Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD Godof Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us.
14:029:011 My sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense.
14:029:012 Then the Levites arose, Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites: and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehalelel: and of the Gershonites; Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah:
14:029:013 And of the sons of Elizaphan; Shimri, and Jeiel: and of thesons of Asaph; Zechariah, and Mattaniah:
14:029:014 And of the sons of Heman; Jehiel, and Shimei: and of the sonsof Jeduthun; Shemaiah, and Uzziel.
14:029:015 And they gathered their brethren, and sanctified themselves, and came, according to the commandment of the king, by the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD.
14:029:016 And the priests went into the inner part of the house of theLORD, to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness thatthey found in the temple of the LORD into the court of thehouse of the LORD. And the Levites took it, to carry it outabroad into the brook Kidron.
14:029:017 Now they began on the first day of the first month tosanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to theporch of the LORD: so they sanctified the house of the LORD ineight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month theymade an end.
14:029:018 Then they went in to Hezekiah the king, and said, We havecleansed all the house of the LORD, and the altar of burntoffering, with all the vessels thereof, and the shewbreadtable, with all the vessels thereof.
14:029:019 Moreover all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign didcast away in his transgression, have we prepared andsanctified, and, behold, they are before the altar of theLORD.
14:029:020 Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD.
14:029:021 And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and sevenlambs, and seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom,and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded thepriests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of theLORD.
14:029:022 So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received theblood, and sprinkled it on the altar: likewise, when they hadkilled the rams, they sprinkled the blood upon the altar: theykilled also the lambs, and they sprinkled the blood upon thealtar.
14:029:023 And they brought forth the he goats for the sin offering before the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them:
14:029:024 And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation withtheir blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for allIsrael: for the king commanded that the burnt offering and thesin offering should be made for all Israel.
14:029:025 And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals,with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandmentof David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet:for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets.
14:029:026 And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.
14:029:027 And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel.
14:029:028 And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.
14:029:029 And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped.
14:029:030 Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.
14:029:031 Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD. And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings.
14:029:032 And the number of the burnt offerings, which the congregation brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, an hundred rams, and two hundred lambs: all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD.
14:029:033 And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep.
14:029:034 But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.
14:029:035 And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order.
14:029:036 And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly.
14:030:001 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel.
14:030:002 For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all thecongregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the secondmonth.
14:030:003 For they could not keep it at that time, because the priestshad not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had thepeople gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.
14:030:004 And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.
14:030:005 So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written.
14:030:006 So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.
14:030:007 And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.
14:030:008 Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.
14:030:009 For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.
14:030:010 So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.
14:030:011 Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.
14:030:012 Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to dothe commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word ofthe LORD.
14:030:013 And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feastof unleavened bread in the second month, a very greatcongregation.
14:030:014 And they arose and took away the altars that were inJerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, andcast them into the brook Kidron.
14:030:015 Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD.
14:030:016 And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites.
14:030:017 For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD.
14:030:018 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one
14:030:019 That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
14:030:020 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
14:030:021 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem keptthe feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness:and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day,singing with loud instruments unto the LORD.
14:030:022 And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites thattaught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eatthroughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, andmaking confession to the LORD God of their fathers.
14:030:023 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness.
14:030:024 For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation athousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princesgave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousandsheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.
14:030:025 And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and theLevites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, andthe strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and thatdwelt in Judah, rejoiced.
14:030:026 So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time ofSolomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the likein Jerusalem.
14:030:027 Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: andtheir voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holydwelling place, even unto heaven.
14:031:001 Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.
14:031:002 And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and theLevites after their courses, every man according to hisservice, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and forpeace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and topraise in the gates of the tents of the LORD.
14:031:003 He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for theburnt offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burntofferings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and forthe new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in thelaw of the LORD.
14:031:004 Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the law of the LORD.
14:031:005 And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children ofIsrael brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, andoil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and thetithe of all things brought they in abundantly.
14:031:006 And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt inthe cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxenand sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecratedunto the LORD their God, and laid them by heaps.
14:031:007 In the third month they began to lay the foundation of theheaps, and finished them in the seventh month.
14:031:008 And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, theyblessed the LORD, and his people Israel.
14:031:009 Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levitesconcerning the heaps.
14:031:010 And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the LORD hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.
14:031:011 Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the LORD; and they prepared them,
14:031:012 And brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully: over which Cononiah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next.
14:031:013 And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the commandment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God.
14:031:014 And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter toward the east, was over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute the oblations of the LORD, and the most holy things.
14:031:015 And next him were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, andShemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of thepriests, in their set office, to give to their brethren bycourses, as well to the great as to the small:
14:031:016 Beside their genealogy of males, from three years old andupward, even unto every one that entereth into the house ofthe LORD, his daily portion for their service in their chargesaccording to their courses;
14:031:017 Both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of their fathers, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their charges by their courses;
14:031:018 And to the genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their set office they sanctified themselves in holiness:
14:031:019 Also of the sons of Aaron the priests, which were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every several city, the men that were expressed by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all that were reckoned by genealogies among the Levites.
14:031:020 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God.
14:031:021 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.
14:032:001 After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself.
14:032:002 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem,
14:032:003 He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were without the city: and they did help him.
14:032:004 So there was gathered much people together, who stopped allthe fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of theland, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and findmuch water?
14:032:005 Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall thatwas broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wallwithout, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and madedarts and shields in abundance.
14:032:006 And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered themtogether to him in the street of the gate of the city, andspake comfortably to them, saying,
14:032:007 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for theking of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him:for there be more with us than with him:
14:032:008 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our Godto help us, and to fight our battles. And the people restedthemselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
14:032:009 After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, (but he himself laid siege against Lachish, and all his power with him,) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying,
14:032:010 Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?
14:032:011 Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to dieby famine and by thirst, saying, The LORD our God shalldeliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
14:032:012 Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and hisaltars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shallworship before one altar, and burn incense upon it?
14:032:013 Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all thepeople of other lands? were the gods of the nations of thoselands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand?
14:032:014 Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand?
14:032:015 Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?
14:032:016 And his servants spake yet more against the LORD God, and against his servant Hezekiah.
14:032:017 He wrote also letters to rail on the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand.
14:032:018 Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' speech unto thepeople of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them,and to trouble them; that they might take the city.
14:032:019 And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against thegods of the people of the earth, which were the work of thehands of man.
14:032:020 And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.
14:032:021 And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.
14:032:022 Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalemfrom the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from thehand of all other, and guided them on every side.
14:032:023 And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem, andpresents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnifiedin the sight of all nations from thenceforth.
14:032:024 In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed unto the LORD: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign.
14:032:025 But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit doneunto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there waswrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.
14:032:026 Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of hisheart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that thewrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.
14:032:027 And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour: and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of pleasant jewels;
14:032:028 Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil;and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks.
14:032:029 Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks andherds in abundance: for God had given him substance very much.
14:032:030 This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.
14:032:031 Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes ofBabylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that wasdone in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might knowall that was in his heart.
14:032:032 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness,behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet,the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah andIsrael.
14:032:033 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him inthe chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David: and allJudah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at hisdeath. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.
14:033:001 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:
14:033:002 But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
14:033:003 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
14:033:004 Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof theLORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.
14:033:005 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the twocourts of the house of the LORD.
14:033:006 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
14:033:007 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
14:033:008 Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.
14:033:009 So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.
14:033:010 And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.
14:033:011 Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.
14:033:012 And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
14:033:013 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.
14:033:014 Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah.
14:033:015 And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.
14:033:016 And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel.
14:033:017 Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the LORD their God only.
14:033:018 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel.
14:033:019 His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sins, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers.
14:033:020 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in hisown house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.
14:033:021 Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, andreigned two years in Jerusalem.
14:033:022 But he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto all the carved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them;
14:033:023 And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh hisfather had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.
14:033:024 And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in hisown house.
14:033:025 But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.
14:034:001 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.
14:034:002 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.
14:034:003 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young,he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in thetwelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from thehigh places, and the groves, and the carved images, and themolten images.
14:034:004 And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; andthe images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and thegroves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brakein pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon thegraves of them that had sacrificed unto them.
14:034:005 And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, andcleansed Judah and Jerusalem.
14:034:006 And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, andSimeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about.
14:034:007 And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and hadbeaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all theidols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned toJerusalem.
14:034:008 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purgedthe land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah,and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son ofJoahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.
14:034:009 And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem.
14:034:010 And they put it in the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of the LORD, and they gave it to the workmen that wrought in the house of the LORD, to repair and amend the house:
14:034:011 Even to the artificers and builders gave they it, to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to floor the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed.
14:034:012 And the men did the work faithfully: and the overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward; and other of the Levites, all that could skill of instruments of musick.
14:034:013 Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and were overseersof all that wrought the work in any manner of service: and ofthe Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters.
14:034:014 And when they brought out the money that was brought into thehouse of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the lawof the LORD given by Moses.
14:034:015 And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I havefound the book of the law in the house of the LORD. AndHilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.
14:034:016 And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the kingword back again, saying, All that was committed to thyservants, they do it.
14:034:017 And they have gathered together the money that was found inthe house of the LORD, and have delivered it into the hand ofthe overseers, and to the hand of the workmen.
14:034:018 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah thepriest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before theking.
14:034:019 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes.
14:034:020 And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king's, saying,
14:034:021 Go, enquire of the LORD for me, and for them that are left inIsrael and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that isfound: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured outupon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of theLORD, to do after all that is written in this book.
14:034:022 And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went toHuldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath,the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt inJerusalem in the college:) and they spake to her to thateffect.
14:034:023 And she answered them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell ye the man that sent you to me,
14:034:024 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon thisplace, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the cursesthat are written in the book which they have read before theking of Judah:
14:034:025 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense untoother gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all theworks of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured outupon this place, and shall not be quenched.
14:034:026 And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of theLORD, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God ofIsrael concerning the words which thou hast heard;
14:034:027 Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD.
14:034:028 Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again.
14:034:029 Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
14:034:030 And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all themen of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thepriests, and the Levites, and all the people, great and small:and he read in their ears all the words of the book of thecovenant that was found in the house of the LORD.
14:034:031 And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant beforethe LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep hiscommandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with allhis heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of thecovenant which are written in this book.
14:034:032 And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.
14:034:033 And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the LORD their God. And all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.
14:035:001 Moreover Josiah kept a passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem: and they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
14:035:002 And he set the priests in their charges, and encouraged them to the service of the house of the LORD,
14:035:003 And said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, which were holy unto the LORD, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; it shall not be a burden upon your shoulders: serve now the LORD your God, and his people Israel,
14:035:004 And prepare yourselves by the houses of your fathers, afteryour courses, according to the writing of David king ofIsrael, and according to the writing of Solomon his son.
14:035:005 And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of thefamilies of the fathers of your brethren the people, and afterthe division of the families of the Levites.
14:035:006 So kill the passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepareyour brethren, that they may do according to the word of theLORD by the hand of Moses.
14:035:007 And Josiah gave to the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all for the passover offerings, for all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks: these were of the king's substance.
14:035:008 And his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle and three hundred oxen.
14:035:009 Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethaneel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for passover offerings five thousand small cattle, and five hundred oxen.
14:035:010 So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the king's commandment.
14:035:011 And they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood from their hands, and the Levites flayed them.
14:035:012 And they removed the burnt offerings, that they might giveaccording to the divisions of the families of the people, tooffer unto the LORD, as it is written in the book of Moses.And so did they with the oxen.
14:035:013 And they roasted the passover with fire according to theordinance: but the other holy offerings sod they in pots, andin caldrons, and in pans, and divided them speedily among allthe people.
14:035:014 And afterward they made ready for themselves, and for thepriests: because the priests the sons of Aaron were busied inoffering of burnt offerings and the fat until night; thereforethe Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests thesons of Aaron.
14:035:015 And the singers the sons of Asaph were in their place,according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman,and Jeduthun the king's seer; and the porters waited at everygate; they might not depart from their service; for theirbrethren the Levites prepared for them.
14:035:016 So all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day, to keep the passover, and to offer burnt offerings upon the altar of the LORD, according to the commandment of king Josiah.
14:035:017 And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.
14:035:018 And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
14:035:019 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this passover kept.
14:035:020 After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Charchemish by Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him.
14:035:021 But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not.
14:035:022 Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.
14:035:023 And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded.
14:035:024 His servants therefore took him out of that chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had; and they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died, and was buried in one of the sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.
14:035:025 And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations.
14:035:026 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his goodness,according to that which was written in the law of the LORD,
14:035:027 And his deeds, first and last, behold, they are written in thebook of the kings of Israel and Judah.
14:036:001 Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah,and made him king in his father's stead in Jerusalem.
14:036:002 Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began toreign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.
14:036:003 And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem, and condemnedthe land in an hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.
14:036:004 And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judahand Jerusalem, and turned his name to Jehoiakim. And Nechotook Jehoahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.
14:036:005 Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began toreign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he didthat which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God.
14:036:006 Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and boundhim in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.
14:036:007 Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of theLORD to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.