2 Kings 18:1‑37• 1{i}And it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea the son of Elah, king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign.{/i}
2{i}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, daughter of Zechariah.{/i}
3{i}And he did what was right in the sight of Jehovah, according to all that David his father had done{/i}.
4He removed the high places, and broke the columns, and cut down the Asherahs, and brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made; {i}for to those days the children of Israel burned incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan{/i}.
5He trusted in Jehovah the God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.
6For he clave to Jehovah and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments which Jehovah commanded Moses.
7{i}And Jehovah was with him;{/i} he prospered whithersoever he went forth; and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, {i}and served him not{/i}.
8He smote the Philistines {i}unto Gazah and its borders, from the watchmen's tower to the fortified city.{/i}
9So it came to pass in {i}the fourth year of king Hezekiah{/i}, 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.
10And at the end of three years they took it, even in the sixth year of Hezekiah (that is, the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel) Samaria was taken.
11And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel into Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:
12because they obeyed not the voice of Jehovah their God, but transgressed his covenant and all that Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.
13{i}And in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them.{/i}
14{i}And{/i} Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.
15And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of Jehovah, {i}and in the treasures of the king's house{/i}.
16At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of Jehovah, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, {i}and gave them to the king of Assyria{/i}.
17And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rab-Shakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host, {i}against king Hezekiah, to Jerusalem{/i}. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fullers' field.
18And when they had called to the king there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah {i}the son of Asaph, the chronicler{/i}.
19{i}And Rab-Shakeh said to them, Say now to Hezekiah{/i}, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
20Thou sayest (but they are but vain words), I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust? that thou rebellest against me.
21Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean it will go into his hand and pierce it; so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.
22But if ye say unto me, We trust in Jehovah our God. Is not that he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?
23Now, therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.
24How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
25Am I now come up without Jehovah against this place to destroy it? Jehovah said to me, Go up against this land and destroy it.
26{i}And Eliakim the son of Hilkijah, and Shebnah and Joah said to Rab-Shakeh, Speak, we pray thee, to thy servants in Syriac, for we understand it, and talk not with us in the Jewish language in the ears of the people that are on the wall{/i}.
27But Rab-Shakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? {i}Is it not to the men that sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?{/i}
28Then Rab-Shakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria:
29Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you; for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand.
30Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in Jehovah, saying, Jehovah will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
31Hearken not to Hezekiah; {i}for thus says the king of Assyria: Make peace with me, and come out to me; and eat every one of his vine and every one of his fig-tree, and drink every one the waters of his own cistern;{/i}
32{i}until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive-trees and of honey, that ye may live and not die; and hearken not to Hezekiah, when he persuades you, saying, Jehovah will deliver us{/i}.
33{i}Have any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?{/i}
34{i}Where are the gods of Hamath and of Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?{/i}
35{i}Which are they among all the gods of the countries, who have delivered their country out of my hand, that Jehovah should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?{/i}
36{i}But{/i} the people held their peace, and answered him not a word, for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
37{i}And Eliakim the son of Hilkijah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the chronicler, came to Hezekiah with their garments rent, and told him the words of Rab-Shakeh{/i}. (2 Kings 18:1‑37)
2 Chron. 26:1‑32:33• 1{i}And all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.{/i}
2{i}It was he that built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after the king slept with his fathers.{/i}
3{i}Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.{/i}
4And he did that which was right in the sight of Jehovah, according to all that his father Amaziah did.
5And he sought God in the days of Zechariah who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought Jehovah, God made him to prosper.
6And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and break down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines.
7And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gur-Baal, and the Mehunims.
8And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly.
9Moreover, Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.
10Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains husbandmen and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry.
11Moreover, Uzziah had a host of fighting men {i}that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains.{/i}
12{i}The whole number of the chief fathers of the mighty men of valour was two thousand six hundred.{/i}
13{i}And under their hand was an army-host of three hundred and seven thousand five hundred, that made war with mighty power to help the king against the enemy.{/i}
14{i}And Uzziah prepared for them, throughout the host, shields, and spears, and helmets, and coats of mail, and bows, and even slinging-stones.{/i}
15{i}And he made in Jerusalem machines invented by skilful men, to be upon the towers and upon the bulwarks, wherewith to shoot arrows and great stones. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he became strong.{/i}
16But when he was strong his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against Jehovah his God, and went into the temple of Jehovah to burn incense upon the altar of incense.
17And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him eighty priests of Jehovah, that were valiant men:
18and they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah to burn incense unto Jehovah, 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 Jehovah, God.
19Then Uzziah was wroth, {i}and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense; and while he was wroth with the priests,{/i} the leprosy rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of Jehovah from beside the incense altar.
20And Azariah, the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because Jehovah had smitten him.
21{i}And Uzziah the king was a leper to the day of his death, and dwelt in a separate house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of Jehovah. And Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land.{/i}
22{i}And the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz write.{/i}
23{i}And Uzziah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the burial-ground of the kings, for they said, He is a leper. And Jotham his son reigned in his stead.{/i}
1{i}Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Jerushah, daughter of Zadok.{/i}
2{i}And he did what was right in the sight of Jehovah, according to all that his father Uzziah had done; only he entered not into the temple of Jehovah. And the people still acted corruptly.{/i}
3{i}It was he who built the upper gate of the house of Jehovah, and on the wall of Ophel he built much.{/i}
4{i}And he built cities in the hill-country of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers.{/i}
5{i}And he fought against the king of the children of Ammon, and overcame them. And the children of Ammon gave him the same year a hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. This the children of Ammon brought again to him also in the second year, and in the third.{/i}
6{i}And Jotham became strong, for he prepared his ways before Jehovah his God.{/i}
7{i}And the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.{/i}
8{i}He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.{/i}
9{i}And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David; and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.{/i}
1{i}Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And he did not what was right in the sight of Jehovah, like David his father,{/i}
2{i}but{/i} walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim;
3{i}and he burned incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burned his sons in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations that Jehovah had dispossessed from before the children of Israel.{/i}
4{i}And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.{/i}
5{i}Therefore Jehovah his God gave 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 given into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter.{/i}
6{i}And{/i} Pekah, the son of Remaliah, slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken Jehovah God of their fathers.
7{i}And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah the second to the king.{/i}
8{i}And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took away also much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.{/i}
9{i}But a prophet of Jehovah was there, whose name was Oded; and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because Jehovah the God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he gave them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reaches up to heaven.{/i}
10{i}And now ye think to subjugate the children of Judah and Jerusalem as your bondmen and bondwomen. Are there not with you, even with you, trespasses against Jehovah your God?{/i}
11{i}And now hear me, and send back the captives again, whom ye have taken captive of your brethren; for the fierce wrath of Jehovah is upon you.{/i}
12{i}And certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Hezekiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war,{/i}
13{i}and said to them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither; because, for our guilt before Jehovah, ye think to increase our sins and our trespasses: for our trespass is great, and fierce wrath is upon Israel.{/i}
14{i}Then the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.{/i}
15{i}And the men that have been expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them on asses, and brought them to Jericho the city of palm-trees, to their brethren. And they returned to Samaria.{/i}
16{i}At that time king Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria to help him.{/i}
17{i}And again the Edomites came and smote Judah, and carried away captives.{/i}
18{i}And the Philistines invaded the cities of the lowland, and of the south of Judah, and took Beth-shemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Socho and its dependent villages, and Timnah and its dependent villages, and Guimzo and its dependent villages; and they dwelt there.{/i}
19{i}For Jehovah humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had made Judah lawless, and transgressed much against Jehovah.{/i}
20{i}And Tilgath-Pilneser king of Assyria came to him, and troubled him, and did not support him.{/i}
21{i}For Ahaz stripped the house of Jehovah, and the house of the king and of the princes, and gave to the king of Assyria; but he was of no help to him.{/i}
22{i}And in the time of his trouble he transgressed yet more against Jehovah, this king Ahaz.{/i}
23{i}And he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, which had smitten him; and he said, Since the gods of the kings of Syria help them, I will sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.{/i}
24{i}And Ahaz gathered the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and closed the doors of the house of Jehovah, and he made for himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem.{/i}
25{i}And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked to anger Jehovah the God of his fathers.{/i}
26{i}And the rest of his acts, and all his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.{/i}
27{i}And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem; but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel. And Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.{/i}
1{i}Hezekiah began to reign being twenty-five years old; and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Abijah, daughter of Zechariah.{/i}
2{i}And he did what was right in the sight of Jehovah, according to all that David his father had done.{/i}
3{i}He,{/i} in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of Jehovah and repaired them.
4And he brought in the priests and the Levites and gathered them together into the east street,
5and said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of Jehovah God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.
6For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of Jehovah our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of Jehovah, and turned their backs.
7Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel.
8Wherefore the wrath of Jehovah was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes.
9For, lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this.
10Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with Jehovah God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us.
11My sons, be not now negligent: for Jehovah hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense.
12{i}Then the Levites rose up, 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 Jehalleleel; and of the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah;{/i}
13{i}and of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeiel; and of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah;{/i}
14{i}and of the sons of Heman, Jehiel and Shimei; and of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel.{/i}
15{i}And they gathered their brethren, and hallowed themselves, and came, according to the commandment of the king by the words of Jehovah, to cleanse the house of Jehovah.{/i}
16{i}And the priests went into the inner part of the house of Jehovah to cleanse it, and carried forth all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of Jehovah, into the court of the house of Jehovah. And the Levites took it to carry it forth into the brook Kidron.{/i}
17Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of Jehovah: so they sanctified the house of Jehovah in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.
18{i}And they went in to king Hezekiah, and said, We have cleansed all the house of Jehovah, and the altar of burnt-offering with all its vessels, and the table of the bread to be set in rows, and all its vessels;{/i}
19{i}and all the vessels that king Ahaz in his reign cast away in his transgression have we prepared and hallowed, and behold, they are before the altar of Jehovah{/i}.
20Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city and went up to the house of Jehovah.
21And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he-goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary and for Judah. And he commanded the priests, the sons of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of Jehovah.
22So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood and sprinkled it on the altar: likewise, when they had killed the rams they sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and they sprinkled the blood upon the altar.
23And they brought forth the he-goats for the sin offering before the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them.
24And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel.
25And he set the Levites in the house of Jehovah with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet; for so was the commandment of Jehovah by his prophets.
26And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.
27And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of Jehovah began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel.
28And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded, and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.
29And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped.
30Moreover, Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praises unto Jehovah with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.
31{i}And Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves to Jehovah, 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 willing heart, burnt-offerings.{/i}
32{i}And the number of the burnt-offerings, which the congregation brought, was seventy bullocks, a hundred rams, two hundred lambs: all these were for a burnt-offering to Jehovah.{/i}
33{i}And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep.{/i}
34{i}Only the priests were too few, and they could not flay all the burnt-offerings; therefore their brethren the Levites helped them, until the work was ended, and until the priests had hallowed themselves; for the Levites were more upright in heart to hallow themselves than the priests.{/i}
35{i}And also the burnt-offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace-offerings, and with the drink-offerings for the burnt-offering. And{/i} the service of the house of Jehovah was set in order.
36And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly.
1{i}And Hezekiah{/i} sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh that they should come to the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem to keep the Passover unto Jehovah God of Israel.
2{i}And the king took counsel, and his princes, and the whole congregation in Jerusalem, to hold the Passover in the second month.{/i}
3{i}For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not hallowed themselves in sufficient number, neither had the people been gathered together to Jerusalem.{/i}
4And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.
5{i}So{/i} they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel from Beer-Sheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover unto Jehovah God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written.
6So 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 Jehovah 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.
7And be not ye like your fathers and like your brethren which trespassed against Jehovah God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation as ye see.
8Now, be ye not stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto Jehovah, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified forever, {i}and serve Jehovah your God, that the fierceness of his anger may turn away from you.{/i}
9{i}For if ye return to Jehovah, your brethren and your children shall find compassion with those that have carried them captive, so that they shall come again unto this land; for Jehovah your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return to him.{/i}
10So 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.
11Nevertheless, divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.
12Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king, and of the princes, by the word of Jehovah.
13And there assembled {i}at Jerusalem much people to hold the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation{/i}.
14And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away and cast them into the brook Kidron.
15Then 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 Jehovah,
16and they stood in their place {i}after their custom, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood receiving it from the hand of the Levites.{/i}
17{i}For there were many in the congregation that were not hallowed; therefore the Levites had the charge of the slaughtering of the Passover-lambs for every one not clean, to hallow them unto Jehovah.{/i}
18{i}For a multitude of the people, many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, and they ate the Passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them saying, Jehovah, who is good, forgive every one{/i}
19{i}that has directed his heart to seek God, Jehovah the God of his fathers, although not according to the purification of the sanctuary.{/i}
20{i}And Jehovah hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.{/i}
21{i}And{/i} the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised Jehovah day by day, singing with loud instruments unto Jehovah.
22And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites {i}that had understanding in the good knowledge of Jehovah; and they ate the feast-offerings the seven days, sacrificing peace-offerings, and extolling Jehovah the God of their fathers.{/i}
23{i}And the whole congregation took counsel to observe other seven days; and they observed the seven days with gladness.{/i}
24For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.
25And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.
26So there was great joy in Jerusalem; {i}for since the time of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, there had not been the like in Jerusalem.{/i}
27{i}And the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people; and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy habitation, to the heavens{/i}.
1{i}And when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and broke the columns, and hewed down the Asherahs, and demolished the high places and the altars in all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all.{/i} Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his own possession, into their own cities.
2And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests, {i}and the Levites after their divisions, every man according to his service, as well the priests as the Levites, for burnt-offerings and for peace-offerings, to serve and to give thanks and to praise in the gates of the courts of Jehovah.{/i}
3{i}And he ordered that the king's portion should be taken from his substance for the burnt-offerings: for the morning and evening burnt-offerings, for the burnt-offerings of the Sabbaths, and of the new moons, and of the set feasts, as it is written in the law of Jehovah.{/i}
4{i}And 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 Jehovah.{/i}
5{i}And as soon as the commandment was published, the children of Israel gave in abundance the firstfruits of corn, new wine and oil and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and they brought in abundantly the tithe of all things.{/i}
6{i}And the children of Israel and of Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated to Jehovah their God, and laid them by heaps.{/i}
7{i}In the third month they began to lay the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month.{/i}
8{i}And Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, and they blessed Jehovah, and his people Israel.{/i}
9{i}And Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps.{/i}
10{i}And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok spoke to him and said, Since they began to bring the heave-offerings into the house of Jehovah, we have eaten and been satisfied and have left plenty; for Jehovah has blessed his people; and what is left is this great store.{/i}
11{i}And Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of Jehovah; and they prepared them,{/i}
12{i}and brought in the heave-offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully; and over these Cononiah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was second.{/i}
13{i}And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Jismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the command of Hezekiah the king and Azariah the ruler of the house of God.{/i}
14{i}And Kore the son of Jimnah the Levite, the doorkeeper toward the east, was over the voluntary-offerings of God, to distribute the heave-offerings of Jehovah, and the most holy things.{/i}
15{i}And under him were Eden and Miniamin and Jeshua and Shemaiah, Amariah and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their set trust, to make distributions to their brethren by their divisions, to the great as to the small,{/i}
16{i}besides those from three years old and upward who as males were entered in the genealogical register, —all that came into the house of Jehovah, as the duty of every day required, for their service in their charges, according to their divisions,{/i}
17{i}—both to the priests enregistered according to their fathers' houses, and to the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their charges, by their divisions;{/i}
18{i}and to all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, the whole congregation of those entered in the register; for in their trust they hallowed themselves to be holy.{/i}
19{i}And for the sons of Aaron the priests who were in the country, in the suburbs of their cities, there were, in every several city, men expressed by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all the Levites that were entered in the register.{/i}
20Thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before Jehovah his God.
21And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.
1{i}After these things and this faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fortified cities, and thought to break into them{/i}.
2And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem,
3he 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.
4So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water.
5Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo in the city of David; and made darts and shields in abundance.
6And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them, saying,
7Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him:
8with him is an arm of flesh; but with us is Jehovah our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
9{i}After this, Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem (but he himself was before Lachish, and all his power with him), unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying,{/i}
10{i}Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria: On what do ye rely that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?{/i}
11{i}Does not Hezekiah persuade you, to give yourselves over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, Jehovah our God will deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?{/i}
12{i}Has not the same Hezekiah removed his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it?{/i}
13{i}Do ye not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the countries? Were the gods of the nations of the countries in any wise able to deliver their country out of my hand?{/i}
14{i}Who is there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers have utterly destroyed, that was able to deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand?{/i}
15{i}And now, let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you in this manner, neither yet believe him; for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, nor out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of my hand?{/i}
16{i}And his servants spoke yet more against Jehovah, the true God, and against his servant Hezekiah.{/i}
17{i}And he wrote a letter to rail at Jehovah the God of Israel, and to speak against him saying, As the gods of the nations of the countries have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of my hand.{/i}
18{i}And they cried with a loud voice in the Jewish language to the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to frighten them and to trouble them; that they might take the city.{/i}
19{i}And they spoke of the God of Jerusalem as of the gods of the peoples of the earth, the work of man's hand.{/i}
20For this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz prayed and cried to heaven.
21And Jehovah 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.
22Thus Jehovah saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib {i}the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all, and protected them on every side.{/i}
23{i}And many brought gifts unto Jehovah to Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah; and he was thenceforth magnified in the sight of all the nations.{/i}
24{i}In those days Hezekiah was sick unto death, and he prayed to Jehovah; and he spoke to him and gave him a sign .{/i}
25But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up; {i}and there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem{/i}.
26{i}And Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of Jehovah came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.{/i}
27{i}And Hezekiah had very 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 vessels;{/i}
28{i}storehouses also for the increase of corn and new wine and oil, and stalls for all manner of beasts, and he procured flocks for the stalls.{/i}
29{i}And he provided for himself cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance; for God gave him very much substance.{/i}
30{i}And he, Hezekiah, stopped the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.{/i}
31{i}However in the matter of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.{/i}
32{i}And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his good deeds, behold, they are written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.{/i}
33{i}And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the highest place of the sepulchres of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.{/i} (2 Chron. 26:1‑32:33)