Kphraim, slew Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrik&m tho roller of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king. 8And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand worn-t- en, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and 'But a prophet of tho LORD was there, whose name was Qded; and he went out to meet tho host that came to Samaria, and said unto them: 'Be- hold, because the LORD, the God of your fathers, was wroth with Judah, He hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage which hath reached up unto heaven. 10And now ye purpose to bring the children of Judah and Jeru- salem into subjection for bondmen and bondwomen unto you; but are there not even with you acts of guilt of your own against the LORD your God? "Now hear me therefore, and send back the captives, that ye have taken captive of your brethren; for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you/ t12Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Jehohanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war, "and said unto them: 'Yo shall not bring in the cap- tives hither; for ye purpose that which will bring upon us guilt against the LORD, to add unto our sins and to our guilt; for our guilt is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.' 14So the armed men loft tho captives and the spoil before tho princes and all the congregation. "And the men that have boon mentioned by name rose up, and took the captives, and with tho spoil clothed all that were naked amori them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and g^tve thorn to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and car- ried all the foeblo of thorn upon asses, and brought thorn to Jericho, the city of palm-trees, unto their brethren; then thoy returned to Samaria.
wAt that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him* l7For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives. lsThe Philistines also SECOND CHRONICLES had invaded the cities of the Lowland, and o'f the South of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, and Aijalon, and Gederoth, and Soco with the towns thereof, and Timnah with the towns thereof, Gimzo also and the towns thereof; and they dwelt there. 19For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he had cast away restraint in Judah, and acted treacherously against the LORD. 20And Tillegath-pilneser king of As- syria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not. 21For Ahaz stripped the house of the LORD, and the house of the king and the princes, and gave thereof unto the king of Assyria; but it helped him not. ^And in the time of his distress did he act even more treacherously against the LORD, this same king Ahaz. 23For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him; and he said: 'Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, there- fore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me.' But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel. ^And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up* the doors of the house of the LORD; and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem. 25And in every city of Judah he made high places to offer unto other gods, and provoked the LORD, the God of his fathers. 26Now 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. 27And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem; for they brought him not into the sep- ulchres of the kings of Israel; and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.
Q Q 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. 2And he did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, ac- cording to all that David his father had done. 3He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them. 4And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the broad place on the east; 6and said unto them: 'Hear me, ye Levites: now sanctify yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD, the God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place. 6For our fathers have acted treacherously, and done that which was evil in the sight 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. 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. "Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and He hath delivered them to be a horror, an astonishment, and a hissing, as ye see with your eyes. 9For, lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sous and our daughters and our wives are in cap- tivity for this. 10Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD, the God of Israel, that His fierce anger may turn away from us. "My sons, ^e not now negligent; for the LORD lath chosen you to stand before Him, to minister unto Him, and that ye should be His ministers, and offer unto Him.; SECOND CHRONICLES 12Then the Leyites arose, Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites; and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; and of the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah; 13and of the sons of EHzaphan, Shimri and Jeiel;; and of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; 14and of the sons of He- man, Jehiel and Shimei; and of the sons of Jeduthun, Shcmaiah and Uzziol. ' 15And they gathered their brethren, and sanctified themselves, and went in, according to the com- mandment of the king by the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD. 16And the priests went in unto the inner part of the house of the LORD, to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanncss that they found in the temple of the LORD into the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it, to carry it out abroad to the brook Kidron. 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 the LORD; and theyt sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days; and on the sixteenth day of the first month they made an -end. 18Thon they wont in to Hezokiah the king within [the palace], and said: ' We have cleansed all the house of the LORD, even the altar of burnt-offering, with ail the vessels thereof, and the table of showbread, with all the vessels thereof. "Moreover all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign did cast away when ho acted treacherously, have wo pre- pared and sanctified; and, behold, they are before the altar of the LORD.'
20Then Heaekiah the king arose early, and gathered the princes of the city, and weufc up to tha house of the LORD. 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 the LORD. ^So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and dashed it against the altar* and they killed the rams, and dashed the blood against the altar; they killed also the lambs, and dashed the blood against the altar. 23And they brought near 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 a sin-offering with their blood upon the altar, to make atonement for all Israel; for the king commanded that the burnt-offering and the sin-offering should be made for all Israel.
25And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's sccr, and Natnan the prophet; for the commandment was of the LORD by His prophets. 26And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. 27And Hczokiah command- ed to offer the burnt-offering upon the altar. And when the burnt-offering began, tho song of the LORD began also, and the trumpets, together with the instruments of David king of Israel. **And all the congregation prostrated themselves, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this con- tinued until the burnt-offering was finished. wAnd when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed them- selves and prostrated themselves, 30Moreover Heaekiah the king and SECOND CHRONICLES the princes commanded the Levites to sing praises 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 prostrated themselves.
31Then 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 con- gregation brought in sacrifices and thank-offerings; and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt- offerings. 32And the number of the Iburat-offerings, which the congrega- tion brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, a hundred rams, and two hun- dred lambs; all these were for a burnt- offering to the LORD. wAnd the conse- Derated things were six hundred oxen "and three thousand sheep. 34But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt-offerings; where- fore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the priests had sanctified themselves; for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify them- selves than the priests. 85And also the burnt-offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace-offerings, and with the drink-offerings for every burnt-offering. So the service of the house of the LORD was firmly estab- lished. 36And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, because of that which God had prepared for the people; for the thing was done suddenly. QQ And Hezekiah sent to all Israel ^^ and Judah, and wrote letters ilso to Ephraim and Manasseh, that ,hey should come to the house of the _;ORD at Jerusalem, to keep the pass- >ver unto the LORD, the God of Israel.
For the king had taken counsel, and lis princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month. 3For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem. 4And the thing was right in the eyes of the king and of all the congregation. 5So 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 the LORD, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem; for they had not kept it in great numbers according as it is written.
6So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes through- out all Israel and Judah, and ac- cording to the commandment of the king, saying: 'Ye children of Israel, turn back unto the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that He may return to the remnant that are escaped of you out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. 7And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, who acted treacherously against the LORD, the God of their fathers, so that He delivered them to be an astonish- ment, as ye see. 8Now be ye not stiff- necked, as your fathers were; but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and alter into His sanctuary, which He aath sanctified for ever, and serve ihe LORD your God, that His fierce anger may turn away from you. *For f ye turn back unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall* find compassion before them that loci them captive, and shall come back 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.'
t "So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim SECOND CHRONICLES and Manasseh, even unto Zebulun; but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them. Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebu- lun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem. ^Also in Judah was the hand of God to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the king and of the princes by the word of the LOED.
13And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of un- leavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation. 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. 16Then they killed the passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month; and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified them- selves, and brought burnt-offerings into the house of the LORD. 16And they stood in their place after their order, according to the law of Moses the man of God; the priests dashed the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites. 17For there were many in the congregation that had not sanctified themselves; therefore the Levites had the charge of killing the passover lambs for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD. 18For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and Manasseh, lasachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it is written. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying: 'The good LORD pardon "every one that setteth his heart to seek God. the LORD, the God of ais fathers, though [he be] not [cleansed] according to the purification that pertainefch to holy things.' 20And the LORD hearkened to Hozeki&h, and healed the people. ^And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusa- lem kept the 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 ^And Hezekiah spoke encouragingly unto all the Levites that were well skilled in the service of the LORD. So they did eat throughout the feast for the seven days, offering sacrifices of peace- offerings, and giving thanks to the LORD, the God of their fathers.
^And the whole congregation took counsel to keep other seven days; and they kept other seven days with gladness. 24For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation for offerings a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep; and priests sanctified themselves in great numbers. 26And 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; for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem. 47Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people; and their voice was heard [of the JLoRD],and their prayer came up to His holy habitation, even unto heaven.
O -j Now when all this was finished, *^ •*• all Israel that were present went put to the cities of Judah, and broke in pieces the pillars, and hewed down the Asherim, and broke down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had SECOND CHRONICLES SECOND CHRONICLES destroyed them all. Then all the children, of Israel returned, every man to his possession^ into their own cities. 2And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man accord- ing to his service, both the priests and the Levites, for burnt-offerings and for peace-offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the camp of the LORD. t 3He ap- pointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt-offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt- offerings, and the burnt-offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the appointed seasons, as it is written in the Law of the LORD. More- over he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the por- tion of the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the law of the LORD. 6And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel gave in abundance the first-fruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. 6And the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of hallowed things which were hallowed unto the LORD their God, and kid them by heaps. 7In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. 8And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD, and His people Israel. 9Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps.
"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 eaten and had enough, and have left plenty; for the LORD hath blessed His people; and that which is left is this great store.'
lxThen Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the LORD; and they prepared them. ^And they brought in the offerings and the tithes and the hallowed things faith- fully; and over them Conaniah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was second. 13And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under the hand of Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by the appointment of Heze- kiah'the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God. 14And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter at the east gate, was over the freewill- offerings of God, to distribute the offerings of the LORD, and the most holy things. 15And under him wero Eden, and Mimamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Sheca- mah, in the cities of the priests, in their office of trust, to give to their brethren by courses, as well to the at as to the small; J6beside them ,t were reckoned by genealogy of males, from three years old and up- ward, even every one that entered into the house of the LORD, for his daily portion, for their service in their charges according to their courses; 17and them that were reckoned by genealogy of the priests by their fathers' liouses, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their charges Dy their courses; 18eveu to give to them that were reckoned by genealogy of all 'their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation; for in SECOND CHRONICLES their office of trust they administered the sacred gifts; 19also for the sons of Aaron the priests, that were in the fields of the open land about their cities, in every city, there were men that were mentioned by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all that were reckoned by genealogy among the Levites.
20And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah; and he wrought that which was good and right and faith- ful before the LORD 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. OO After these things, and this u^ faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fortified cities, and thought to make a breach therein for himself. 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 tho waters of the fountains which werct without the city; and they helped him. 4So there was gathered much people together, and they stopped all tho fountains, and the brook that flowed through tho midst of the land, saying: 'Why should tho kings of Assyria come, and find much water?' 6And ho took courage, and built up all tho wall that was broken down, and rawed it up to the towers, and another wall with- out, and strengthened Millo in tho city of David, and mado weapons and shields in abundance. 6And he set captains of war over tho people, and gathered thorn together to Vim in the broad place at the gate of tho city, and spoke encouragingly to them,