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The Second Book of the Chronicles




     The Second Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Yisrayah

Chapter 1

1 Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom. Yahwah his Father was with him, and magnified him exceedingly.

2 Solomon spoke to all Yisrayah, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every prince in all Yisrayah, the heads of the fathers' houses.

3 So Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to the high place at Gibeon. The tent of meeting of Yahwah was there, which Moshe the servant of Yahwah made in the wilderness.

4 But the ark of Yahwah David brought up from Kiriath-jearim to the place David prepared for it. He pitched a tent for it at Yerusalem.

5 Moreover the brazen altar, that Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, made, was there before the tabernacle of Yahwah. Solomon and the assembly went to it.

6 Solomon went up there to the brazen altar before Yahwah, which was at the tent of meeting, and offered a thousand burnt-offerings upon it.

7 In that night Yahwah appeared to Solomon, and said to him: Ask what I will give you.

8 Solomon said to Yahwah: You showed great lovingkindness to David my father, and made me king instead of him.

9 Now, O Yahwah our Father, let your promise to David my father be established. You made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.

10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people. Who can judge this your people, that is so great?

11 Yahwah said to Solomon: Because this was in your heart, and you did not ask riches, wealth, or honor, nor the life of those who hate you, nor yet ask long life (but asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge my people over whom I made you king),

12 wisdom and knowledge is granted to you. I give you riches, wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings had that were before you. Nor will any after you have the like.

13 So Solomon came from the high place at Gibeon, from before the tent of meeting, to Yerusalem. He reigned over Yisrayah.

14 Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen. He had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Yerusalem.

15 The king made silver and gold to be as stones in Yerusalem, and he made cedars to be as the sycamore-trees that are in the lowland for abundance.

16 The horses Solomon had were brought out of Egypt. The king's merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price.

17 They fetched up and brought out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. So for all the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of Syria, they brought them out by their means.

Chapter 2

1 Now Solomon purposed to build a house for the Name of Yahwah, and a house for his kingdom.

2 Solomon counted out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens, fourscore thousand men that were hewers in the mountains, and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them.

3 Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying: As you dealt with David my father, and sent him cedars to build him a house to dwell in, even so deal with me.

4 Behold, I am about to build a house for the Name of Yahwah my Father, to dedicate it to Him, to burn incense of sweet spices before Him, for the continual showbread, and for the burnt-offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, on the new moons, and on the set feasts of Yahwah our Father. This is an ordinance forever to Yisrayah.

5 The house I build is great, for great is our Father above all gods.

6 But who is able to build Him a house, seeing heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him? Who am I then, that I should build Him a house, save only to burn incense before Him?

7 Now send me a man skilful to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in iron, in purple, crimson, blue, and that knows how to grave all manner of gravings, to be with the skilful men that are with me in Yahudah and in Yerusalem, whom David my father provided.

8 Send me also cedar-trees, fir-trees, and algum-trees, out of Lebanon. I know your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon. Behold, my servants will be with your servants,

9 even to prepare me timber in abundance. The house I am about to build will be great and wonderful.

10 Behold, I will give to your servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, twenty thousand measures of barley, twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.

11 Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon: Because Yahwah loves His people, He made you king over them.

12 Huram said moreover: Blessed is Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, who made heaven and earth, who gave a wise son to David the king, endued with discretion and understanding, that should build a house for Yahwah, and a house for his kingdom.

13 I send a skilful man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father's,

14 the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan. His father was a man of Tyre, skilful to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in iron, in stone, in timber, in purple, in blue, in fine linen, and in crimson, also to grave any manner of graving, and to devise any device, that there may be a place appointed to him with your skilful men, and with the skilful men of my master David your father.

15 Now therefore the wheat and the barley, the oil and the wine, which my master spoke of, let him send to his servants.

16 We will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as you need. We will bring it to you in floats by sea to Joppa, and you will carry it up to Yerusalem.

17 Solomon numbered all the sojourners in the land of Yisrayah, after the numbering which David his father numbered them. They were found a hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred.

18 He set threescore and ten thousand of them to bear burdens, fourscore thousand that were hewers in the mountains, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people at work.

Chapter 3

1 Then Solomon began to build the house of Yahwah at Yerusalem on mount Moriyah, where Yahwah appeared to David his father, which he made ready in the place David appointed, in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

2 He began to build in the second day of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign.

3 Now these are the foundations Solomon laid for the building of the house of Yahwah. The length by cubits after the first measure was threescore cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.

4 The porch that was before the house, the length of it, according to the breadth of the house, was twenty cubits, and the height a hundred and twenty. He overlaid it within with pure gold.

5 The greater house he ceiled with fir-wood, which he overlaid with fine gold, and wrought on it palm-trees and chains.

6 He garnished the house with precious stones for beauty. The gold was gold of Parvaim.

7 He overlaid the house with gold, the beams, the thresholds, the walls of it, and the doors of it. He graved cherubim on the walls.

8 He made the most holy house. The length of it, according to the breadth of the house, was twenty cubits, and the breadth of it twenty cubits. He overlaid it with fine gold, amounting to six hundred talents.

9 The weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. He overlaid the upper chambers with gold.

10 In the most holy house he made two cherubim of image work. They overlaid them with gold.

11 The wings of the cherubim were twenty cubits long. The wing of the one cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house. The other wing was likewise five cubits, reaching to the wing of the other cherub.

12 The wing of the other cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house. The other wing was five cubits also, joining to the wing of the other cherub.

13 The wings of these cherubim spread themselves forth twenty cubits. They stood on their feet, and their faces were toward the house.

14 He made the veil of blue, purple, crimson, fine linen, and wrought cherubim on it.

15 He made before the house two pillars of thirty and five cubits high, and the capital that was on the top of each of them was five cubits.

16 He made chains in the oracle, and put them on the tops of the pillars. He made a hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains.

17 He set up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. He called the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.

Chapter 4

1 Moreover he made an altar of bronze, twenty cubits the length of it, and twenty cubits the breadth of it, and ten cubits the height of it.

2 He made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass. The height of it was five cubits, and a line of thirty cubits compassed it round about.

3 Under it was the likeness of oxen, which did compass it round about, for ten cubits, compassing the sea round about. The oxen were in two rows, cast when it was cast.

4 It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, three looking toward the west, three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east. The sea was set upon them above, and all their hinder parts were inward.

5 It was a handbreadth thick. The brim of it was wrought like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily. It received and held three thousand baths.

6 He also made ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them. Such things as belonged to the burnt-offering they washed in them, but the sea was for the priests to wash in.

7 He made the ten candlesticks of gold according to the ordinance concerning them. He set them in the temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left.

8 He made also ten tables, and placed them in the temple, five on the right side, and five on the left. He made a hundred basins of gold.

9 Furthermore he made the court of the priests, the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid the doors of them with bronze.

10 He set the sea on the right side of the house eastward, toward the south.

11 Huram made the pots, the shovels, and the basins. So Huram made an end of doing the work he wrought for king Solomon in the house of Yahwah.

12 The two pillars, the bowls, the two capitals on the top of the pillars, the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars,

13 and the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were upon the pillars.

14 He made also the bases, and he made the lavers upon the bases.

15 One sea, and the twelve oxen under it.

16 The pots also, the shovels, the flesh-hooks, and all the vessels of it, did Huram his father make for king Solomon for the house of Yahwah of bright bronze.

17 The king cast them in the plain of the Yordan, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah.

18 Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance. For the weight of the bronze could not be found out.

19 Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of Yahwah, the golden altar also, and the tables the showbread was on.

20 The candlesticks with their lamps, to burn according to the ordinance before the oracle, of pure gold.

21 The flowers, the lamps, the tongs, of gold, and that perfect gold.

22 The snuffers, the basins, the spoons, and the firepans, of pure gold. As for the entry of the house, the inner doors of it for the most holy place, and the doors of the house, to wit, of the temple, were of gold.

Chapter 5

1 Thus all the work Solomon wrought for the house of Yahwah was finished. Solomon brought in the things David his father dedicated, even the silver, the gold, and all the vessels, and put them in the treasuries of the house of Yahwah.

2 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Yisrayah, and all the heads of the tribes, the princes of the fathers' houses of the children of Yisrayah, to Yerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahwah out of the city of David, which is Zion.

3 All the men of Yisrayah assembled themselves to the king at the feast, which was in the seventh month.

4 All the elders of Yisrayah came. The Levites took up the ark.

5 They brought up the ark, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels in the Tent. These the priests the Levites brought up.

6 King Solomon, and all the congregation of Yisrayah who were assembled to him, were before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be counted nor numbered for multitude.

7 The priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Yahwah to its place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim.

8 The cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark, and the staves of it above.

9 The staves were so long the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle, but they were not seen outside. There it is to this day.

10 There was nothing in the ark save the two tablets Moshe put there at Horeb, when Yahwah made a covenant with the children of Yisrayah, when they came out of Egypt.

11 It came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place (for all the priests that were present had sanctified themselves, and did not keep their courses;

12 also the Levites who were the singers, all of them, even Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and their brothers, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them a hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets);

13 it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking Yahwah; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised Yahwah, saying: He is good, His lovingkindness endures forever; that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of Yahwah,

14 so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud. The Glory of Yahwah filled the house of Yahwah.

Chapter 6

1 Then Solomon spoke: Yahwah said He would dwell in the thick darkness.

2 But I built you a house of habitation, and a place for you to dwell in forever.

3 The king turned his face, and blessed all the assembly of Yisrayah. All the assembly of Yisrayah stood.

4 He said: Blessed is Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, who spoke with His mouth to David my father. He fulfilled it with His hands, saying:

5 Since the day I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Yisrayah to build a house in, that my Name might be there. Nor did I choose any man to be prince over my people Yisrayah.

6 But I chose Yerusalem, that my Name might be there. I chose David to be over my people Yisrayah.

7 Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the Name of Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah.

8 But Yahwah said to David my father: When it was in your heart to build a house for my Name, you did well that it was in your heart.

9 Nevertheless you will not build the house. Your son that will come forth out of your loins, he will build the house for my Name.

10 Yahwah performed His word He spoke. For I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Yisrayah, as Yahwah promised, and built the house for the Name of Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah.

11 There I set the ark, in which is the covenant of Yahwah, which He made with the children of Yisrayah.

12 He stood before the altar of Yahwah in the presence of all the assembly of Yisrayah, and spread forth his hands

13 (for Solomon made a brazen scaffold, five cubits long, five cubits broad, and three cubits high, set it in the middle of the court, he stood upon it, kneeled down upon his knees before all the assembly of Yisrayah, and spread forth his hands toward heaven)

14 He said: O Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, there is no god like you, in heaven, or on earth. You keep covenant and lovingkindness with your servants that walk before you with all their heart.

15 You kept with your servant David my father what you promised him. Yea, you spoke with your mouth, and fulfilled it with your hand, as it is today.

16 O Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, keep with your servant David my father what you promised him, saying: There will not fail you a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Yisrayah, if only your children take heed to their way, to walk in my law as you walked before me.

17 Now therefore, O Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, let your word be verified, which you spoke to your servant David.

18 But will Yahwah in very deed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain you. How much less this house I have built!

19 Yet have respect to the prayer of your servant, and to his supplication, O Yahwah my Father, to hearken to the cry and to the prayer your servant prays before you;

20 that your eyes may be open toward this house day and night, even toward the place where you said you would put your Name there. Hearken to the prayer your servant prays toward this place.

21 Hearken to the supplications of your servant, and of your people Yisrayah, when they pray toward this place. Yea, hear from your dwelling-place, even from heaven. When you hear, forgive.

22 If a man sin against his neighbor, and an oath is laid upon him to cause him to swear, and he come and swear before your altar in this house;

23 then hear you from heaven, do, and judge your servants, requiting the wicked, to bring his way upon his own head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.

24 If your people Yisrayah are smitten down before the enemy, because they sinned against you, and turn again, confess your Name, pray, and make supplication before you in this house;

25 then hear you from heaven, forgive the sin of your people Yisrayah, and bring them again to the land you gave to them, and to their fathers.

26 When the heavens are shut up, and there is no rain, because they sinned against you; if they pray toward this place, confess your Name, and turn from their sin, when you do afflict them;

27 then hear you in heaven, forgive the sin of your servants, and of your people Yisrayah, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain upon your land, which you gave to your people for an inheritance.

28 If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blasting or mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemies besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague or whatsoever sickness there is;

29 what prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all your people Yisrayah, who will know every man his own plague and his own sorrow, and will spread forth his hands toward this house;

30 then hear you from heaven your dwelling-place, forgive, and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart you know (for you, even you only, know the hearts of the children of men);

31 that they may fear you, to walk in your ways, so long as they live in the land you gave to our fathers.

32 Moreover concerning the foreigner, that is not of your people Yisrayah, when he comes from a far country for your great Name's sake, your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm; when they come and pray toward this house;

33 then hear you from heaven, even from your dwelling-place, and do according to all the foreigner calls to you for; that all the peoples of the earth may know your Name, and fear you, as does your people Yisrayah, and that they may know this house I built is called by your Name.

34 If your people go out to battle against their enemies, by whatsoever way you will send them, and they pray to you toward this city you chose, and the house I built for your Name;

35 then hear their prayer and their supplication from heaven, and maintain their cause.

36 If they sin against you (for there is no man that does not sin), and you are angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captive to a land far off or near;

37 yet if they will repent themselves in the land where they are carried captive, turn again, and make supplication to you in the land of their captivity, saying: We sinned, we did perversely, and dealt wickedly;

38 if they return to you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they carried them captive, and pray toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, and the city you chose, and toward the house I built for your Name;

39 then hear from heaven, even from your dwelling-place, their prayer and their supplications, maintain their cause, and forgive your people who sinned against you.

40 Now, O my Father, I beg you, let your eyes be open, and let your ears be attent, to the prayer that is made in this place.

41 Now therefore arise, O Yahwah our Father, into your resting-place, you, and the ark of your strength. Let your priests, O Yahwah our Father, be clothed with salvation, and let your saints rejoice in goodness.

42 O Yahwah our Father, do not turn away the face of your anointed. Remember your lovingkindnesses to David your servant.

Chapter 7

1 When Solomon made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, consumed the burnt-offering, and the sacrifices. The Glory of Yahwah filled the house.

2 The priests could not enter into the house of Yahwah, because the Glory of Yahwah filled Yahwah's house.

3 All the children of Yisrayah looked on, when the fire came down, and the Glory of Yahwah was upon the house. They bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, worshipped, and gave thanks to Yahwah, saying: He is good. His lovingkindness endures forever.

4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before Yahwah.

5 King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of Yahwah.

6 The priests stood, according to their offices. The Levites also with instruments of music of Yahwah, which David the king made to give thanks to Yahwah (his lovingkindness endures forever), when David praised by their ministry. The priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Yisrayah stood.

7 Moreover Solomon hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of Yahwah. There he offered the burnt-offerings, and the fat of the peace-offerings, because the brazen altar Solomon made was not able to receive the burnt-offering, the meal-offering, and the fat.

8 So Solomon held the feast at that time seven days, and all Yisrayah with him, a very great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt.

9 On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly. They kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.

10 On the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the goodness Yahwah showed to David, to Solomon, and to Yisrayah His people.

11 Thus Solomon finished the house of Yahwah, and the king's house. All that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of Yahwah, and in his own house, he prosperously effected.

12 Yahwah appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: I heard your prayer, and chose this place to myself for a house of sacrifice.

13 If I shut up the heavens so there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;

14 if my people, who are called by my Name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

15 Now my eyes will be open, and mine ears attent, to the prayer that is made in this place.

16 For now I chose and hallowed this house, that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there perpetually.

17 As for you, if you walk before me as David your father walked, and do according to all I commanded you, and keep my statutes and my ordinances;

18 then I will establish the throne of your kingdom, according as I covenanted with David your father, saying: There will not fail you a man to be ruler in Yisrayah.

19 But if you turn away, and forget my statutes and my commandments I set before you, to go and serve the gods, and worship them;

20 then I will pluck them up by the roots out of my land I gave them. I will cast out of my sight this house I hallowed for my Name, I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples.

21 This house, which is so high, every one that passes by it will be astonished, and say: Why did Yahwah do thus to this land, and to this house?

22 They will answer: Because they forgot Yahwah, the Father of their fathers, who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, laid hold on other gods, worshipped them, and served them. Therefore He brought all this evil upon them.

Chapter 8

1 It came to pass at the end of twenty years, in which Solomon built the house of Yahwah, and his own house,

2 that the cities Huram gave to Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused the children of Yisrayah to dwell there.

3 Solomon went to Hamath-zobah, and prevailed against it.

4 He built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the store-cities, which he built in Hamath.

5 Also he built Beth-horon the upper, and Beth-horon the nether, fortified cities, with walls, gates, and bars;

6 and Lordath, all the store-cities Solomon had, all the cities for his chariots, and the cities for his horsemen, and all Solomon desired to build for his pleasure in Yerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.

7 As for all the people that were left of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, that were not of Yisrayah;

8 of their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Yisrayah did not consume, of them Solomon raised a levy of bondservants to this day.

9 But of the children of Yisrayah Solomon made no servants for his work. They were men of war, chief of his captains, rulers of his chariots, and of his horsemen.

10 These were the chief officers of king Solomon, even two hundred and fifty, who bore rule over the people.

11 Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David to the house he built for her. For he said: My wife will not dwell in the house of David king of Yisrayah, because the places are holy where the ark of Yahwah has come.

12 Then Solomon offered burnt-offerings to Yahwah on the altar of Yahwah, which he built before the porch,

13 even as the duty of every day required, offering according to the commandments of Moshe, on the sabbaths, on the new moons, and on the set feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.

14 He appointed, according to the ordinance of David his father, the courses of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their offices, to praise, and to minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required; the doorkeepers also by their courses at every gate. For so David the man of Yahwah commanded.

15 They did not depart from the commandments of the king to the priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures.

16 Now all the work of Solomon was prepared to the day of the foundation of the house of Yahwah, and until it was finished. So the house of Yahwah was completed.

17 Then Solomon went to Ezion-geber, and to Eloth, on the seashore in the land of Edom.

18 Huram sent him by the hands of his servants ships, and servants that had knowledge of the sea. They came with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, fetched from there four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon.

Chapter 9

1 When the queen of Sheba [Ethiopia] heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Yerusalem, with a very great train, camels that bore spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

2 Solomon told her all her questions. There was not anything hid from Solomon which he did not tell her.

3 When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, the house he built,

4 the food of his table, the sitting of his servants, the attendance of his ministers, their apparel, his cupbearers also, and their apparel, and his ascent by which he went up to the house of Yahwah, there was no more spirit in her.

5 She said to the king: It was a true report I heard in my own land of your acts, and of your wisdom.

6 However I did not believe their words, until I came, and my eyes see it. Behold, the half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me. You exceed the fame I heard.

7 Happy are your men, and happy are these your servants that stand continually before you, and hear your wisdom.

8 Blessed is Yahwah your Father, who delights in you, to set you on His throne, to be king for Yahwah your Father. Because your Father loved Yisrayah, to establish them forever, therefore He made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness.

9 She gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in great abundance, and precious stones. Never was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.

10 The servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, brought algum-trees and precious stones.

11 The king made of the algum-trees terraces for the house of Yahwah, for the king's house, and harps and psalteries for the singers. There were none such seen before in the land of Yahudah.

12 King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, besides what she brought to the king. So she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants.

13 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold,

14 besides what the traders and merchants brought. All the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.

15 King Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold. Six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one buckler.

16 He made three hundred shields of beaten gold. Three hundred shekels of gold went to one shield. The king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

17 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold.

18 There were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, stays on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the stays.

19 Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was not the like made in any kingdom.

20 All king Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. Silver was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.

21 The king had ships that went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram. Once every three years the ships of Tarshish came, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

22 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.

23 All the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which Yahwah put in his heart.

24 They brought every man his tribute, vessels of silver, vessels of gold, garments, armor, spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.

25 Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Yerusalem.

26 He ruled over all the kings from the River even to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.

27 The king made silver to be in Yerusalem as stones, and cedars for abundance he made to be as the sycamore-trees that are in the lowland.

28 They brought horses for Solomon out of Egypt, and out of all lands.

29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the history of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahiyah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat?

30 Solomon reigned in Yerusalem over all Yisrayah forty years.

31 Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father. Rehoboam his son reigned instead of him.

Chapter 10

1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Yisrayah were come to Shechem to make him king.

2 It came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of king Solomon) that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.

3 They sent, and called him. Jeroboam and all Yisrayah came, and they spoke to Rehoboam, saying:

4 Your father made our yoke grievous. Now therefore you make the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve you.

5 He said to them: Come again to me after three days. The people departed.

6 King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying: What counsel do you give me to return answer to this people?

7 They spoke to him, saying: If you are kind to this people, please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.

8 But he forgot the counsel the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were grown up with him, that stood before him.

9 He said to them: What counsel do you give, that we may return answer to this people, who spoke to me, saying: Make the yoke your father put upon us lighter?

10 The young men that were grown up with him spoke to him, saying: Thus you will say to the people that spoke to you, saying: Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter to us. Thus you will say to them: My little finger is thicker than my father's loins.

11 While my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king asked, saying: Come to me again the third day.

13 The king answered them roughly. King Rehoboam forgot the counsel of the old men,

14 and spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying: My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

15 So the king did not hearken to the people. For it was brought about of Yahwah, that Yahwah might establish His word, which He spoke by Ahiyah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

16 When all Yisrayah saw the king did not hearken to them, the people answered the king, saying: What portion have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to your tents, O Yisrayah. Now see to your own house, David. So all Yisrayah departed to their tents.

17 But as for the children of Yisrayah that dwelt in the cities of Yahudah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

18 Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over the men subject to taskwork. The children of Yisrayah stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Yerusalem.

19 So Yisrayah rebelled against the house of David to this day.

Chapter 11

1 When Rehoboam came to Yerusalem, he assembled the house of Yahudah and Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, that were warriors, to fight against Yisrayah, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

2 But the Word of Yahwah came to Shemayah the man of Yahwah, saying:

3 Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Yahudah, and to all Yisrayah in Yahudah and Benjamin, saying;

4 Thus says Yahwah: You will not go up, nor fight against your brothers. Return every man to his house, for this thing is of me. So they hearkened to the words of Yahwah, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

5 Rehoboam dwelt in Yerusalem, and built cities for defence in Yahudah.

6 He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

7 Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Yahudah and in Benjamin, fortified cities.

11 He fortified the strongholds, put captains in them, with stores of victuals, oil, and wine.

12 In every city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong. Yahudah and Benjamin belonged to him.

13 The priests and the Levites that were in all Yisrayah resorted to him out of all their border.

14 The Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Yahudah and Yerusalem. Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest's office to Yahwah.

15 He appointed him priests for the high places, for the he-goats, and for the calves he made.

16 After them, out of all the tribes of Yisrayah, such as set their hearts to seek Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, came to Yerusalem to sacrifice to Yahwah, the Father of their fathers.

17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Yahudah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong three years. For they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon.

18 Rehoboam took him a wife, Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse.

19 She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemaryah, and Zaham.

20 After her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom. She bore him Abiyah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.

21 Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines, begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.)

22 Rehoboam appointed Abiyah the son of Maacah to be chief, even the prince among his brothers, for he was minded to make him king.

23 He dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Yahudah and Benjamin, to every fortified city. He gave them victuals in abundance. He found many wives for them.

Chapter 12

1 It came to pass, when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established, and he was strong, he forgot the law of Yahwah, and all Yisrayah with him.

2 It came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Yerusalem, because they trespassed against Yahwah,

3 with twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen. The people were without number that came with him out of Egypt: the Lubim, the Sukkiim, and the Ethiopians.

4 He took the fortified cities which pertained to Yahudah, and came to Yerusalem.

5 Now Shemayah the prophet came to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Yahudah, that were gathered together to Yerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them: Thus says Yahwah: You forgot me, therefore I leave you in the hand of Shishak.

6 Then the princes of Yisrayah and the king humbled themselves. They said: Yahwah is righteous.

7 When Yahwah saw they humbled themselves, the Word of Yahwah came to Shemayah, saying: They humbled themselves. I will not destroy them. I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath will not be poured out upon Yerusalem by the hand of Shishak.

8 Nevertheless they will be his servants, that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.

9 So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Yerusalem, took away the treasures of the house of Yahwah, and the treasures of the king's house. He took all away. He took away also the shields of gold Solomon made.

10 King Rehoboam made shields of bronze instead of them, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, that kept the door of the king's house.

11 It was so, that, as often as the king entered into the house of Yahwah, the guard came, bore them, and brought them back into the guard-chamber.

12 When he humbled himself, the wrath of Yahwah turned from him, so as to not destroy him altogether. And moreover in Yahudah there were good things found.

13 So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Yerusalem, and reigned. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Yerusalem, the city Yahwah chose out of all the tribes of Yisrayah to put His Name there. His mother's name was Naamah the Ammonitess.

14 He did what was evil, because he did not set his heart to seek Yahwah.

15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the histories of Shemayah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer, after the manner of genealogies? There were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.

16 Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. Abiyah his son reigned instead of him.

Chapter 13

1 In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam, Abiyah began to reign over Yahudah.

2 Three years he reigned in Yerusalem. His mother's name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. There was war between Abiyah and Jeroboam.

3 Abiyah joined battle with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men. Jeroboam set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, who were mighty men of valor.

4 Abiyah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill-country of Ephrayim, and said: Hear me, O Jeroboam, and all Yisrayah.

5 Ought you to know Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, gave the kingdom over Yisrayah to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?

6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up, and rebelled against his master.

7 There were gathered to him worthless men, base fellows, that strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted, and could not withstand them.

8 Now you think to withstand the kingdom of Yahwah in the hand of the sons of David. You are a great multitude, and there are with you the golden calves Jeroboam made you for gods.

9 Did you not drive out the priests of Yahwah, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and make you priests after the manner of the peoples of other lands? So that whosoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams, the same may be a priest of those who are not gods.

10 But as for us, Yahwah is our Father, and we do not forget Him. We have priests ministering to Yahwah, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites in their work.

11 They burn to Yahwah every morning and every evening burnt-offerings and sweet incense. The showbread also they set in order upon the pure table, and the candlestick of gold with the lamps of it, to burn every evening. For we keep the charge of Yahwah our Father, but you forgot Him.

12 Behold, Yahwah is with us at our head, and His priests with the trumpets of alarm to sound an alarm against you. O children of Yisrayah, do not fight against Yahwah, the Father of your fathers. For you will not prosper.

13 But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them. So they were before Yahudah, and the ambushment was behind them.

14 When Yahudah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind them. They cried to Yahwah, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.

15 Then the men of Yahudah gave a shout. As the men of Yahudah shouted, it came to pass, that Yahwah smote Jeroboam and all Yisrayah before Abiyah and Yahudah.

16 The children of Yisrayah fled before Yahudah, and Yahwah delivered them into their hand.

17 Abiyah and his people killed them with a great slaughter. So there fell down dead of Yisrayah five hundred thousand chosen men.

18 Thus the children of Yisrayah were brought under at that time, and the children of Yahudah prevailed, because they relied upon Yahwah, the Father of their fathers.

19 Abiyah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him: Beth-el with the towns of it, Jeshanah with the towns of it, and Ephron with the towns of it.

20 Jeroboam did not recover strength again in the days of Abiyah. Yahwah smote him, and he died.

21 But Abiyah became mighty, and took to himself fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.

22 The rest of the acts of Abiyah, his ways, and his sayings, are written in the commentary of the prophet Iddo.

Chapter 14

1 So Abiyah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. Asa his son reigned instead of him. In his days the land was quiet ten years.

2 Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of Yahwah his Father.

3 He took away the foreign altars, the high places, broke down the pillars, cut down the Easter idol [May pole],

4 and commanded Yahudah to seek Yahwah, the Father of their fathers, to do the law and the commandments.

5 Also he took away out of all the cities of Yahudah the high places, and the sun-images. The kingdom was quiet before him.

6 He built fortified cities in Yahudah. The land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because Yahwah gave him rest.

7 He said to Yahudah: Let us build these cities, and make walls about them, with towers, gates, and bars. The land is yet before us, because we seek Yahwah our Father. We seek Him, and He gives us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.

8 Asa had an army that bore bucklers and spears. Out of Yahudah three hundred thousand, and out of Benjamin, that bore shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand. All these were mighty men of valor.

9 There came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an army of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots. He came to Mareshah.

10 Then Asa went out to meet him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephasah at Mareshah.

11 Asa cried to Yahwah his Father, and said: Yahwah, there is none besides you to help, between the mighty and him who has no strength. Help us, O Yahwah our Father. We rely on you, and in your Name we are come against this multitude. O Yahwah, you are our Father, do not let man prevail against you.

12 So Yahwah smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Yahudah. The Ethiopians fled.

13 Asa and the people with him pursued them to Gerar. There fell of the Ethiopians so many they could not recover themselves, for they were destroyed before Yahwah, and before His host. They carried away very much booty.

14 They smote all the cities round about Gerar, for the fear of Yahwah came upon them. They despoiled all the cities, for there was much spoil in them.

15 They smote also the tents of cattle, carried away sheep in abundance, and camels, and returned to Yerusalem.

Chapter 15

1 The Spirit of Yahwah came upon Azaryah the son of Oded.

2 He went out to meet Asa, and said to him: Hear you me, Asa, and all Yahudah and Benjamin. Yahwah is with you, while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found of you. But if you forget Him, He will forget you.

3 Now for a long season Yisrayah was without the true Father, without a teaching priest, and without law.

4 But when they turned to Yahwah in their distress, the Father of Yisrayah, and looked for Him, He was found of them.

5 In those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in. But great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the lands.

6 They were broken in pieces, nation against nation, and city against city. For Yahwah did vex them with all adversity.

7 But you be strong, do not let your hands be slack, for your work will be rewarded.

8 When Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, put away the abominations out of all the land of Yahudah and Benjamin, and out of the cities he took from the hill-country of Ephrayim. He renewed the altar of Yahwah, that was before the porch of Yahwah.

9 He gathered all Yahudah and Benjamin, and those who sojourned with them out of Ephrayim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon (for they fell to him out of Yisrayah in abundance, when they saw Yahwah his Father was with him).

10 So they gathered themselves together at Yerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.

11 They sacrificed to Yahwah in that day, of the spoil they brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.

12 They entered into the covenant to seek Yahwah, the Father of their fathers, with all their heart, and with all their soul.

13 That whosoever would not seek Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.

14 They swore to Yahwah with a loud voice, with shouting, with trumpets, and with cornets.

15 All Yahudah rejoiced at the oath. They swore with all their heart, and wanted Him with their whole desire. He was found of them. Yahwah gave them rest round about.

16 Also Maacah, the mother of Asa the king, he removed from being queen, because she made an abominable image for an Easter idol. Asa cut down her image, made dust of it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.

17 But the high places were not taken away out of Yisrayah. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.

18 He brought into the house of Yahwah the things his father dedicated, and that he himself dedicated, silver, gold, and vessels.

19 There was no more war to the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.

Chapter 16

1 In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Yisrayah went up against Yahudah, and built Ramah, that he might not allow any one to go out or come in to Asa king of Yahudah.

2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of Yahwah and of the king's house, and sent to Ben-hadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying:

3 There is a league between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I send you silver and gold. Go, break your league with Baasha king of Yisrayah, that he may depart from me.

4 Ben-hadad hearkened to king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Yisrayah. They smote Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim, and all the store-cities of Naphtali.

5 It came to pass, when Baasha heard of it, he left off building Ramah, and let his work cease.

6 Then Asa the king took all Yahudah. They carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber of it, which Baasha had built. He built Geba and Mizpah.

7 At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Yahudah, and said to him: Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on Yahwah your Father, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of your hand.

8 Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a huge host, with chariots and horsemen exceeding many? Yet, because you relied on Yahwah, He delivered them into your hand.

9 For the eyes of Yahwah run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward Him. Now you did foolishly. From now on you will have wars.

10 Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in the prison-house, for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time.

11 Behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Yahudah and Yisrayah.

12 In the thirty and ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet. His disease was exceeding great. Yet in his disease he did not seek to Yahwah, but to the physicians.

13 Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.

14 They buried him in his own sepulchre, which he hewed out for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odors and different kinds of spices prepared by the perfumers' art. They made a very great burning for him.

Chapter 17

1 Yahushaphat his son reigned instead of him, and strengthened himself against Yisrayah.

2 He placed forces in all the fortified cities of Yahudah, set garrisons in the land of Yahudah, and in the cities of Ephrayim, which Asa his father took.

3 Yahwah was with Yahushaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and did not seek to the Lord [Baal].

4 He looked to the Father of his father, and walked in his commandments, not after the doings of Yisrayah.

5 Therefore Yahwah established the kingdom in his hand. All Yahudah brought tribute to Yahushaphat. He had riches and honor in abundance.

6 His heart was lifted up in the ways of Yahwah. Furthermore he took away the high places and Easter out of Yahudah.

7 Also in the third year of his reign he sent his princes, even Ben-hail, Obadyah, Zecharyah, Nethanel, and Micayah, to teach in the cities of Yahudah.

8 With them the Levites, even Shemayah, Nethanyah, Zebadyah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Yahunathan, Adoniyah, Tobiyah, and Tob-adoniyah, the Levites. With them Elishama and Yahoram, the priests.

9 They taught in Yahudah, having the book of the law of Yahwah with them. They went about throughout all the cities of Yahudah, and taught among the people.

10 The fear of Yahwah fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Yahudah, so that they made no war against Yahushaphat.

11 Some of the Philistines brought Yahushaphat presents, and silver for tribute. The Arabians also brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he-goats.

12 Yahushaphat became exceedingly great, and he built castles and cities of store in Yahudah.

13 He had many works in the cities of Yahudah. And men of war, mighty men of valor, in Yerusalem.

14 This was the numbering of them according to their fathers' houses. Of Yahudah, the captains of thousands: Adnah the captain, and with him mighty men of valor three hundred thousand;

15 next to him Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred and fourscore thousand;

16 and next to him Amasyah the son of Zichri (who willingly offered himself to Yahwah), and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valor.

17 Of Benjamin: Eliada a mighty man of valor, and with him two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield;

18 and next to him Yahuzabad and with him a hundred and fourscore thousand ready prepared for war.

19 These were those who waited on the king, besides those the king put in the fortified cities throughout all Yahudah.

Chapter 18

1 Now Yahushaphat had riches and honor in abundance. He joined affinity with Ahab.

2 After certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people with him, and moved him to go up with him to Ramoth-Gilead.

3 Ahab king of Yisrayah said to Yahushaphat king of Yahudah: Will you go with me to Ramoth-Gilead? He answered him: I am as you are, and my people as your people, and we will be with you in the war.

4 Yahushaphat said to the king of Yisrayah: Inquire first, I pray you, for the Word of Yahwah.

5 Then the king of Yisrayah gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them: Shall we go to Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or will I forbear? They said: Go up, for God will deliver it into the hand of the king.

6 But Yahushaphat said: Is there not here a prophet of Yahwah besides, that we may inquire of him?

7 The king of Yisrayah said to Yahushaphat: There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Yahwah. But I hate him. He never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. The same is Micayah the son of Imla. Yahushaphat said: Let the king not say so.

8 Then the king of Yisrayah called an officer, and said: Fetch quickly Micayah the son of Imla.

9 Now the king of Yisrayah and Yahushaphat the king of Yahudah sat each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they were sitting in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were prophesying before them.

10 Zedekiyah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron, and said: Thus says God; With these you will push the Syrians, until they are consumed.

11 All the prophets prophesied so, saying: Go up to Ramoth-Gilead, and prosper. God will deliver it into the hand of the king.

12 The messenger that went to call Micayah spoke to him, saying: Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth. I pray you, let your word be like one of theirs, and speak good.

13 Micayah said: As Yahwah lives, what my Father says, that I will speak.

14 When he came to the king, the king said to him: Micayah, will we go to Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or will I forbear? He said: Go up, and prosper, they are delivered into your hand.

15 The king said to him: How many times will I adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the Name of Yahwah?

16 He said: I saw all Yisrayah scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. Yahwah said: These have no master. Let them return every man to his house in peace.

17 The king of Yisrayah said to Yahushaphat: Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?

18 Micayah said: Therefore hear the word of Yahwah. I saw Yahwah sitting upon His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right hand, and on His left.

19 Yahwah said: Who will entice Ahab king of Yisrayah, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead? One spoke saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.

20 There came forth a spirit, who stood before Yahwah, and said: I will entice him. Yahwah said to him: How?

21 He said: I will go forth, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. He said: You will entice him, and will prevail also. Go forth, and do so.

22 Now behold, Yahwah put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets. Yahwah spoke evil concerning you.

23 Then Zedekiyah the son of Chenaanah came near, smote Micayah upon the cheek, and said: Which way went the spirit of God from me to speak to you?

24 Micayah said: Behold, you will see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.

25 The king of Yisrayah said: Take Micayah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son.

26 Say: Thus says the king; Put this fellow in the prison, feed him with bread of affliction, and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.

27 Micayah said: If you return at all in peace, Yahwah did not speak by me. He said: Hear, you peoples, all of you.

28 So the king of Yisrayah and Yahushaphat the king of Yahudah went up to Ramoth-Gilead.

29 The king of Yisrayah said to Yahushaphat: I will disguise myself, and go into the battle. But you put on your robes. So the king of Yisrayah disguised himself. They went into the battle.

30 Now the king of Syria commanded the captains of his chariots, saying: Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Yisrayah.

31 It came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Yahushaphat, they said: It is the king of Yisrayah. Therefore they turned about to fight against him. But Yahushaphat cried out, and Yahwah helped him. Yahwah moved them to depart from him.

32 It came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw it was not the king of Yisrayah, they turned back from pursuing him.

33 A certain man drew his bow randomly, and shot the king of Yisrayah between the joints of the armor. So he said to the driver of the chariot: Turn your hand, and carry me out of the host, for I am severly wounded.

34 The battle increased that day. However the king of Yisrayah stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the evening. He died about the time of the going down of the sun.

Chapter 19

1 Yahushaphat the king of Yahudah returned to his house in peace to Yerusalem.

2 Yahu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Yahushaphat: Should you help the wicked, and love those who hate Yahwah? For this thing wrath is upon you from before Yahwah.

3 Nevertheless there are good things found in you, in that you put away the Easter-lovers out of the land, and set your heart to seek Yahwah.

4 Yahushaphat dwelt at Yerusalem. He went out again among the people from Beer-sheba to the hill-country of Ephrayim, and brought them back to Yahwah, the Father of their fathers.

5 He set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Yahudah, city by city,

6 and said to the judges: Consider what you do. You do not judge for man, but for Yahwah. He is with you in the judgment.

7 Now therefore let the fear of Yahwah be upon you. Take heed and do it, for there is no iniquity with Yahwah our Father, nor respect of persons, nor taking of bribes.

8 Moreover in Yerusalem Yahushaphat set of the Levites and the priests, and of the heads of the fathers' houses of Yisrayah, for the judgment of Yahwah, and for controversies. They returned to Yerusalem.

9 He charged them, saying: Thus will you do in the fear of Yahwah, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.

10 Whensoever any controversy will come to you from your brothers that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandments, statutes and ordinances, you will warn them, that they not be guilty towards Yahwah, and so wrath come upon you and upon your brothers. This do, and you will not be guilty.

11 Behold, Amaryah the chief priest is over you in all matters of Yahwah; and Zebadyah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Yahudah, in all the king's matters. Also the Levites will be officers before you. Deal courageously, and Yahwah be with the good.

Chapter 20

1 It came to pass after this, the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them some of the Ammonites, came against Yahushaphat to battle.

2 Then there came some that told Yahushaphat, saying: There comes a great multitude against you from beyond the sea from Syria. Behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar (the same is En-gedi).

3 Yahushaphat feared, and set himself to seek to Yahwah. He proclaimed a fast throughout all Yahudah.

4 Yahudah gathered themselves together to seek help of Yahwah. Even out of all the cities of Yahudah they came to seek Yahwah.

5 Yahushaphat stood in the assembly of Yahudah and Yerusalem, in the house of Yahwah, before the new court.

6 He said: O Yahwah, the Father of our fathers, are you not Master in heaven? Are you not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? In your hand is power and might, so that none is able to withstand you.

7 Did you not, O our Father, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Yisrayah, and give it to the seed of Abraham your friend forever?

8 They dwelt here, and built you a sanctuary here for your Name, saying:

9 If evil come upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house, before you (for your Name is in this house), cry to you in our affliction, and you will hear, and save.

10 Behold, the children of Ammon, Moab [Lot], and mount Seir [Esau], whom you would not let Yisrayah invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned aside from them and did not destroy them.

11 Behold how they reward us, to come to cast us out of your possession, which you gave us to inherit.

12 O our Father, will you not judge them? We have no might against this great company that comes against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.

13 All Yahudah stood before Yahwah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zecharyah, the son of Benayah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattanyah, the Levite, of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of Yahwah in the midst of the assembly.

15 He said: Hearken you, all Yahudah, you inhabitants of Yerusalem, and you king Yahushaphat. Thus says Yahwah to you: Do not fear, do not be dismayed by reason of this great multitude. The battle is not yours, but Yahwah's.

16 Tomorrow you go down against them. Behold, they come up by the ascent of Ziz, you will find them at the end of the valley, before the wilderness of Jeruel.

17 You do not need to fight in this battle. Set yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of Yahwah with you, O Yahudah and Yerusalem. Do not fear, nor be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, for Yahwah is with you.

18 Yahushaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground. All Yahudah and the inhabitants of Yerusalem fell down before Yahwah, worshipping Yahwah.

19 The Levites, of the children of the Kohasites and of the children of the Korahites, stood up to praise Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, with an exceeding loud voice.

20 They rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa. As they went forth, Yahushaphat stood, and said: Hear me, O Yahudah, and you inhabitants of Yerusalem. Believe in Yahwah your Father, so you will be established. Believe His prophets, so you will prosper.

21 When he took counsel with the people, he appointed those who should sing to Yahwah, and give praise in holy array, as they went out before the army, and say: Give thanks to Yahwah, His lovingkindness endures forever.

22 When they began to sing and to praise, Yahwah set liers-in-wait against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, that were come against Yahudah, and they were smitten.

23 The children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, to utterly kill and destroy them. When they made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

24 When Yahudah came to the watch-tower of the wilderness, they looked upon the multitude. Behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and there were none that escaped.

25 When Yahushaphat and his people came to take the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches and dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away. They were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much.

26 On the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Beracah. There they blessed Yahwah, therefore the name of that place was called The Valley of Beracah to this day.

27 Then they returned, every man of Yahudah and Yerusalem, and Yahushaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Yerusalem with joy. Yahwah made them to rejoice over their enemies.

28 They came to Yerusalem with psalteries, harps, and trumpets, to the house of Yahwah.

29 The fear of Yahwah was on all the kingdoms of the countries, when they heard Yahwah fought against the enemies of Yisrayah.

30 So the realm of Yahushaphat was quiet, for his Father gave him rest round about.

31 Yahushaphat reigned over Yahudah. He was thirty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and five years in Yerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.

32 He walked in the way of Asa his father, and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the eyes of Yahwah.

33 However the high places were not taken away, nor as yet did the people set their hearts to the Father of their fathers.

34 Now the rest of the acts of Yahushaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the history of Yahu the son of Hanani, which is inserted in the book of the kings of Yisrayah.

35 After this Yahushaphat king of Yahudah joined himself with Achazyah king of Yisrayah. The same did very wickedly.

36 He joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion-geber.

37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Yahushaphat, saying: Because you joined yourself with Achazyah, Yahwah destroyed your works. The ships were broken, so they were not able to go to Tarshish.

Chapter 21

1 Yahushaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. Yahoram his son reigned instead of him.

2 He had brothers, the sons of Yahushaphat: Azaryah, Jehiel, Zecharyah, Azaryah, Michael, and Shepharyah. All these were the sons of Yahushaphat king of Yisrayah.

3 Their father gave them great gifts, of silver, of gold, and of precious things, with fortified cities in Yahudah, but he gave the kingdom to Yahoram, because he was the first-born.

4 Now Yahoram rose up over the kingdom of his father, and strengthened himself. He killed all his brothers with the sword, and also many of the princes of Yisrayah.

5 Yahoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Yerusalem.

6 He walked in the way of the kings of Yisrayah, as did the house of Ahab. He had the daughter of Ahab to wife. He did what was evil in the sight of Yahwah.

7 However Yahwah would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant He made with David, and as He promised to give a lamp to him and to his children always.

8 In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Yahudah, and made a king over themselves.

9 Then Yahoram passed over with his captains, and all his chariots with him. He rose up by night, smote the Edomites that compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots.

10 So Edom revolted from under the hand of Yahudah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time from under his hand, because he forgot Yahwah, the Father of his fathers.

11 Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Yahudah, made the inhabitants of Yerusalem to play the harlot, and led Yahudah astray.

12 There came a writing to him from Eliyah the prophet, saying: Thus says Yahwah, the Father of David your father: You do not walk in the ways of Yahushaphat your father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Yahudah,

13 but walk in the way of the kings of Yisrayah, and make Yahudah and the inhabitants of Yerusalem to play the harlot, like as the house of Ahab did, and also killed your brothers of your father's house, who were better than yourself.

14 Behold, Yahwah smites your people with a great plague, and your children, your wives, and all your substance.

15 You will have great sickness by disease of your bowels, until your bowels fall out by reason of the sickness, day by day.

16 Yahwah stirred up the spirit of the Philistines against Yahoram, and of the Arabians that are beside the Ethiopians.

17 They came up against Yahudah, broke into it, and carried away all the substance found in the king's house, his sons also, and his wives. So there was never a son left him, save Yahuachaz, the youngest of his sons.

18 After all this Yahwah smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease.

19 It came to pass, in process of time, at the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness, and he died of severe diseases. His people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.

20 He was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Yerusalem. He departed without being desired. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.

Chapter 22

1 The inhabitants of Yerusalem made Yauhaziyah his youngest son king instead of him, for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp killed all the eldest. So Yauhaziyah the son of Yahoram king of Yahudah reigned.

2 Forty and two years old was Yauhaziyah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Yerusalem. His mother's name was Athalyah the daughter of Omri.

3 He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly.

4 He did what was evil in the sight of Yahwah, as the house of Ahab did. They were his counsellors after the death of his father, to his destruction.

5 He walked also after their counsel, and went with Yahoram the son of Ahab king of Yisrayah to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-Gilead. The Syrians wounded Joram.

6 He returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds they gave him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. Azaryah the son of Yahoram king of Yahudah went down to see Yahoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

7 Now the destruction of Yauhaziyah was of Yahwah, in that he went to Joram. When he came, he went out with Yahoram against Yahu the son of Nimshi, whom Yahwah anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.

8 It came to pass, when Yahu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, he found the princes of Yahudah, and the sons of the brothers of Yauhaziyah, ministering to Yauhaziyah, and killed them.

9 He looked for Yauhaziyah, they caught him (he was hiding in Samaria), they brought him to Yahu, and killed him. They buried him, for they said: He is the son of Yahushaphat, who sought Yahwah with all his heart. The house of Yauhaziyah had no power to hold the kingdom.

10 Now when Athalyah the mother of Yauhaziyah saw her son was dead, she arose, and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Yahudah.

11 But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Achazyah, stole him away from among the king's sons that were killed, and put him and his nurse in the bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Yahoram, the wife of Yahuyada the priest (for she was the sister of Yauhaziyah), hid him from Athalyah, so she did not kill him.

12 He was with them hid in the house of Yahwah six years. Athalyah reigned over the land.

Chapter 23

1 In the seventh year Yahuyada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azaryah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, Azaryah the son of Obed, Machseyah the son of Adayah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him.

2 They went about in Yahudah, gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Yahudah, the heads of fathers' houses of Yisrayah, and they came to Yerusalem.

3 All the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of Yahwah. He said to them: Behold, the king's son will reign, as Yahwah spoke concerning the sons of David.

4 This is the thing you will do. A third part of you, that come in on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, will be porters of the thresholds.

5 A third part will be at the king's house. A third part at the gate of the foundation. All the people will be in the courts of the house of Yahwah.

6 Let none come into the house of Yahwah, save the priests, and those who minister of the Levites. They will come in, for they are holy. But all the people will keep the charge of Yahwah.

7 The Levites will surround the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand. Whosoever comes into the house, let him be killed. You be with the king when he comes in, and when he goes out.

8 So the Levites and all Yahudah did according to all Yahuyada the priest commanded. They took every man his men, those that were to come in on the sabbath, with those that were to go out on the sabbath. For Yahuyada the priest did not dismiss the courses.

9 Yahuyada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds the spears, bucklers, and shields, that were king David's, which were in the house of Yahwah.

10 He set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the altar and the house, by the king round about.

11 Then they brought out the king's son, put the crown upon him, gave him the testimony, and made him king. Yahuyada and his sons anointed him, and they said: Long live the king.

12 When Athalyah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of Yahwah.

13 She looked. Behold, the king stood by his pillar at the entrance, the captains and the trumpets by the king. All the people of the land rejoiced, and blew trumpets. The singers also played on instruments of music, and led the singing of praise. Then Athalyah tore her clothes, and said: Treason! Treason!

14 Yahuyada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and said to them: Have her forth between the ranks. Whoever follows her, let him be killed with the sword. For the priest said: Do not kill her in the house of Yahwah.

15 So they made way for her. She went to the entrance of the horse gate to the king's house, and they killed her there.

16 Yahuyada made a covenant between himself, all the people, and the king, that they should be Yahwah's people.

17 All the people went to the house of The LORD, broke it down, broke his altars and his images in pieces, and killed Mattan the priest of The LORD before the altars.

18 Yahuyada appointed the officers of the house of Yahwah under the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David distributed in the house of Yahwah, to offer the burnt-offerings of Yahwah, as it is written in the law of Moshe, with rejoicing and with singing, according to the order of David.

19 He set the porters at the gates of the house of Yahwah, that none who was unclean in anything should enter in.

20 He took the captains of hundreds, the nobles, the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from the house of Yahwah. They came through the upper gate to the king's house, and set the king upon the throne of the kingdom.

21 So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. Athalyah they killed with the sword.

Chapter 24

1 Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Yerusalem. His mother's name was Zibyah, of Beersheba.

2 Joash did what was right in the eyes of Yahwah all the days of Yahuyada the priest.

3 Yahuyada took two wives for him, and he begat sons and daughters.

4 It came to pass after this, Joash was minded to restore the house of Yahwah.

5 He gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them: Go out to the cities of Yahudah, and gather money of all Yisrayah to repair the house of your Father from year to year. See that you hurry the matter. However the Levites did not hurry it.

6 The king called for Yahuyada the chief, and said to him: Why do you not require of the Levites to bring in out of Yahudah and out of Yerusalem the tax of Moshe the servant of Yahwah, and of the assembly of Yisrayah, for the tent of the testimony?

7 For the sons of Athalyah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of Yahwah. Also all the dedicated things of the house of Yahwah they bestowed upon the Lord.

8 So the king commanded, they made a chest, and set it outside at the gate of the house of Yahwah.

9 They made a proclamation through Yahudah and Yerusalem, to bring in for Yahwah the tax Moshe the servant of Yahwah laid upon Yisrayah in the wilderness.

10 All the princes and all the people rejoiced, brought in, and cast into the chest, until they made an end.

11 It was so, that, at what time the chest was brought to the king's officers by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw there was much money, the king's scribe and the chief priest's officer came, emptied the chest, took it, and carried it to its place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.

12 The king and Yahuyada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of Yahwah. They hired masons and carpenters to restore the house of Yahwah, and also such as wrought iron and bronze to repair the house of Yahwah.

13 So the workmen wrought the work of repairing went forward in their hands, they set up the house of Yahwah in its state, and strengthened it.

14 When they made an end, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Yahuyada, of which were made vessels for the house of Yahwah, even vessels to minister and to offer, spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. They offered burnt-offerings in the house of Yahwah continually all the days of Yahuyada.

15 But Yahuyada became old, was full of days, and he died. He was a hundred and thirty years old when he died.

16 They buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he did good in Yisrayah, toward Yahwah and His house.

17 Now after the death of Yahuyada the princes of Yahudah came, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened to them.

18 They forgot the house of Yahwah, the Father of their fathers, and served Easter and the idols. Wrath came upon Yahudah and Yerusalem for this their guiltiness.

19 Yet He sent prophets to them, to bring them again to Yahwah. They testified against them, but they would not give ear.

20 The Spirit of Yahwah came upon Zecharyah the son of Yahuyada the priest. He stood above the people, and said to them: Thus says Yahwah: Why do you transgress the commandments of Yahwah, so that you cannot prosper? Because you forget Yahwah, He also forgets you.

21 They conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandments of the king in the court of the house of Yahwah.

22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness Yahuyada his father did to him, but killed his son. When he died, he said: Yahwah look upon it, and require it.

23 It came to pass at the end of the year, the army of the Syrians came up against him. They came to Yahudah and Yerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them to the king of Damascus.

24 The army of the Syrians came with a small company of men. Yahwah delivered a very great host into their hand, because they forgot Yahwah, the Father of their fathers. So they executed judgment upon Joash.

25 When they were departed for him (for they left him very sick), his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Yahuyada the priest, killed him on his bed, and he died. They buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the sepulchres of the kings.

26 These are those who conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Yahuzabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess.

27 Now concerning his sons, the greatness of the burdens laid upon him, and the rebuilding of the house of Yahwah, behold, they are written in the commentary of the book of the kings. Amazyah his son reigned instead of him.

Chapter 25

1 Amazyah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Yerusalem. His mother's name was Jehoaddan, of Yerusalem.

2 He did what was right in the eyes of Yahwah, but not with a perfect heart.

3 Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him, he killed his servants who killed the king his father.

4 But he did not put their children to death, but did according to what is written in the law in the book of Moshe, as Yahwah commanded, saying: The fathers will not die for the children, nor will the children die for the fathers. Every man will die for his own sin.

5 Moreover Amazyah gathered Yahudah together, and ordered them according to their fathers' houses, under captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, even all Yahudah and Benjamin. He numbered them from twenty years old and upward, and found them three hundred thousand chosen men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield.

6 He hired also a hundred thousand mighty men of valor out of Yisrayah for a hundred talents of silver.

7 But there came a man of Yahwah to him, saying: O king, let the army of Yisrayah not go with you. For Yahwah is not with Yisrayah, to wit, with all the children of Ephrayim.

8 But if you will go, do valiantly, be strong for the battle. Yahwah will cast you down before the enemy. Yahwah has power to help, and to cast down.

9 Amazyah said to the man of Yahwah: But what will we do for the hundred talents I gave to the army of Yisrayah? The man of Yahwah answered: Yahwah is able to give you much more than this.

10 Then Amazyah separated them, to wit, the army that was come to him out of Ephrayim, to go home again. So their anger was greatly kindled against Yahudah, and they returned home in fierce anger.

11 Amazyah took courage, led his people forth, went to the Valley of Salt, and killed ten thousand of the children of Seir.

12 And other ten thousand the children of Yahudah carried away alive, brought them to the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, so they were all broken in pieces.

13 But the men of the army Amazyah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Yahudah, from Samaria even to Beth-horon, smote of them three thousand, and took much spoil.

14 Now it came to pass, after Amazyah came from the slaughter of the Edomites, he brought the gods of the children of Seir, set them up to be his gods, bowed himself down before them, and burned incense to them.

15 The anger of Yahwah was kindled against Amazyah, and He sent to him a prophet, who said to him: Why have you looked after the gods of the people which can not deliver their own people out of your hand?

16 It came to pass, as he talked with him, the king said to him: Did we make you of the king's counsel? Stop, why should you be killed? Then the prophet stopped, and said: I know Yahwah determines to destroy you, because you do this, and do not hearken to my counsel.

17 Then Amazyah king of Yahudah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Yahuachaz the son of Yahu, king of Yisrayah, saying: Come, let us look one another in the face.

18 Joash king of Yisrayah sent to Amazyah king of Yahudah, saying: The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying; Give your daughter to my son to wife. There passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trampled down the thistle.

19 You say; Lo, you smote Edom. Your heart lifts you up to boast. Abide now at home. Why should you meddle to your hurt, that you should fall, even you, and Yahudah with you?

20 But Amazyah would not hear, for it was of Yahwah, that He might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they went after the gods of Edom.

21 So Joash king of Yisrayah went up. He and Amazyah king of Yahudah looked one another in the face at Beth-shemesh, which belongs to Yahudah.

22 Yahudah was put to the worse before Yisrayah. They fled every man to his tent.

23 Joash king of Yisrayah took Amazyah king of Yahudah, the son of Joash the son of Yahuachaz, at Beth-shemesh, brought him to Yerusalem, and broke down the wall of Yerusalem from the gate of Ephrayim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.

24 He took all the gold and silver, all the vessels that were found in the house of Yahwah with Obed-edom, the treasures of the king's house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.

25 Amazyah the son of Joash king of Yahudah lived after the death of Joash son of Yahuachaz king of Yisrayah fifteen years.

26 Now the rest of the acts of Amazyah, first and last, behold, are they not written in the book of the kings of Yahudah and Yisrayah?

27 Now from the time Amazyah turned away from following Yahwah they made a conspiracy against him in Yerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. But they sent after him to Lachish, and killed him there.

28 They brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Yahudah.

Chapter 26

1 All the people of Yahudah took Uzziyah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amazyah.

2 He built Eloth, and restored it to Yahudah, after that the king slept with his fathers.

3 Uzziyah was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Yerusalem. His mother's name was Jechiliah, of Yerusalem.

4 He did what was right in the eyes of Yahwah, according to all his father Amazyah did.

5 He set himself to seek Yahwah in the days of Zecharyah, who had understanding in the vision of Yahwah. As long as he sought Yahwah, Yahwah made him to prosper.

6 He went forth and warred against the Philistines, broke down the wall of Gath, the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod. He built cities in the country of Ashdod, and among the Philistines.

7 Yahwah helped him against the Philistines, against the Arabians that dwelt in Gur-Lord, and the Meunim.

8 The Ammonites gave tribute to Uzziyah. His name spread abroad even to the entrance of Egypt, for he became exceeding strong.

9 Moreover Uzziyah built towers in Yerusalem at the corner gate, at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.

10 He built towers in the wilderness, and hewed out many cisterns, for he had much cattle. In the lowland also, and in the plain. He had husbandmen and vinedressers in the mountains and in the fruitful fields, for he loved husbandry.

11 Moreover Uzziyah had an army of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their reckoning made by Jeiel the scribe and Machseyah the officer, under the hand of Hananyah, one of the king's captains.

12 The whole number of the heads of fathers' houses, even the mighty men of valor, was two thousand and six hundred.

13 Under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.

14 Uzziyah prepared for them, even for all the host, shields, spears, helmets, coats of mail, bows, and stones for slinging.

15 He made engines in Yerusalem, invented by skilful men, to be on the towers and upon the battlements, to shoot arrows and great stones with. His name spread far abroad. He was marvellously helped, till he was strong.

16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up, so he did corruptly, and he trespassed against Yahwah his Father. He went into the temple of Yahwah to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

17 Azaryah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of Yahwah, that were valiant men.

18 They withstood Uzziyah the king, and said to him: It does not pertain to you, Uzziyah, to burn incense to Yahwah, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for you trespass. It will not be for your honor from Yahwah our Father.

19 Then Uzziyah was wroth. He had a censer in his hand to burn incense. While he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy broke forth in his forehead before the priests in the house of Yahwah, beside the altar of incense.

20 Azaryah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him. Behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out quickly from there. Yea, himself hurried also to go out, because Yahwah smote him.

21 Uzziyah the king was a leper to the day of his death, and dwelt in a separate house, being a leper. He was cut off from the house of Yahwah. Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land.

22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziyah, first and last, Isayah the prophet the son of Amoz, wrote.

23 So Uzziyah slept with his fathers. They buried him with his fathers in the field of burial which belonged to the kings. For they said: He is a leper. Jotham his son reigned instead of him.

Chapter 27

1 Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Yerusalem. His mother's name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok.

2 He did what was right in the eyes of Yahwah, according to all his father Uzziyah did. However he did not enter into the temple of Yahwah. The people yet did corruptly.

3 He built the upper gate of the house of Yahwah, and on the wall of Ophel he built much.

4 Moreover he built cities in the hill-country of Yahudah, and in the forests he built castles and towers.

5 He fought also with the king of the children of Ammon, and prevailed against them. The children of Ammon gave him the same year a hundred talents of silver, ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. So much did the children of Ammon render to him, in the second year also, and in the third.

6 So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before Yahwah his Father.

7 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, all his wars, and his ways, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Yisrayah and Yahudah.

8 He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Yerusalem.

9 Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. Yauhazi his son reigned instead of him.

Chapter 28

1 Yauhazi was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Yerusalem. He did not what was right in the eyes of Yahwah, like David his father.

2 But he walked in the ways of the kings of Yisrayah, and made also molten images for The LORD.

3 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations Yahwah cast out before the children of Yisrayah.

4 He sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.

5 So Yahwah his Father delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria. They smote him, carried away of his a great multitude of captives, and brought them to Damascus. He was also delivered into the hand of the king of Yisrayah, who smote him with a great slaughter.

6 For Pekah the son of Remalyah killed in Yahudah a hundred and twenty thousand in one day, all of them valiant men, because they forgot Yahwah, the Father of their fathers.

7 Zichri, a mighty man of Ephrayim, killed Machseyah the king's son, Azrikam the ruler of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king.

8 The children of Yisrayah carried away captive of their brothers two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and also took away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.

9 But a prophet of Yahwah was there, whose name was Oded. He went out to meet the host that came to Samaria, and said to them: Behold, Yahwah, the Father of your fathers, was wroth with Yahudah. He delivered them into your hand, and you killed them in a rage which reached up to heaven.

10 Now you purpose to keep under the children of Yahudah and Yerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen to you. But are there not even with you trespasses of your own against Yahwah our Father?

11 Now hear me therefore, and send back the captives you took captive of your brothers, for the fierce wrath of Yahwah is upon you.

12 Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephrayim, Azaryah the son of Johanan, Berekyah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against those who came from the war,

13 and said to them: You will not bring the captives in here. What you purpose will bring upon us a trespass against Yahwah, to add to our sins and to our trespass. For our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Yisrayah.

14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the assembly.

15 The men that were mentioned by name rose up, took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, arrayed them, shod them, gave them to eat and to drink, anointed them, carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Yericho, the city of palm-trees, to their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria.

16 At that time king Yauhazi sent to the kings of Assyria to help him.

17 For the Edomites came again and smote Yahudah, and carried away captives.

18 The Philistines also invaded the cities of the lowland, and of the South of Yahudah, and took Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco with the towns of it, and Timnah with the towns of it, Gimzo also and the towns of it. They dwelt there.

19 Yahwah brought Yahudah low because of Yauhazi king of Yisrayah. He dealt wantonly in Yahudah, and trespassed severely against Yahwah.

20 Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came to him, and distressed him, but did not strengthen him.

21 Yauhazi took away a portion out of the house of Yahwah, and out of the house of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria. But it did not help him.

22 In the time of his distress he trespassed yet more against Yahwah, this same king Yauhazi.

23 He sacrificed to the god of Damascus, which smote him. He said: Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, therefore I will sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Yisrayah.

24 Yauhazi gathered together the vessels of the house of Yahwah, cut in pieces the vessels of the house of Yahwah, and shut up the doors of the house of Yahwah. He made him altars in every corner of Yerusalem.

25 In every city of Yahudah he made high places to burn incense to the gods, and provoked Yahwah to anger, the Father of his fathers.

26 Now the rest of his acts, and all his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Yahudah and Yisrayah.

27 Yauhazi slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Yerusalem, for they did not bring him into the sepulchres of the kings of Yisrayah. Hezekyah his son reigned instead of him.

Chapter 29

1 Hezekyah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Yerusalem. His mother's name was Abiyah, the daughter of Zecharyah.

2 He did what was right in the eyes of Yahwah, according to all David his father did.

3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of Yahwah, and repaired them.

4 He brought in the priests and the Levites, gathered them together into the broad place on the east,

5 and said to them: Hear me, you Levites. Now sanctify yourselves, and sanctify the house of Yahwah, the Father of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.

6 Our fathers trespassed, and did what was evil in the sight of Yahwah our Father, forgot Him, turned away their faces from the habitation of Yahwah, and turned their backs.

7 Also they shut up the doors of the porch, put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt-offerings in the holy place to the Father of Yisrayah.

8 Therefore the wrath of Yahwah was upon Yahudah and Yerusalem. He delivered them to be tossed to and fro, to be an astonishment, and a hissing, as you see with your eyes.

9 Lo, our fathers fell by the sword, our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity for this.

10 Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, that His fierce anger may turn away from us.

11 My sons, do not be negligent. Yahwah chose you to stand before Him, to minister to Him, that you should be His ministers, and burn incense.

12 Then the Levites arose. Mahas, the son of Amasai, and Yahuel the son of Azaryah, of the sons of the Kohasites; and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azaryah the son of Jehallelel; and of the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah;

13 and of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeuel; and of the sons of Asaph, Zecharyah and Mattanyah;

14 and of the sons of Heman, Yahuel and Shimei; and of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel.

15 They gathered their brothers, sanctified themselves, and went in, according to the commandments of the king by the words of Yahwah, to cleanse the house of Yahwah.

16 The priests went in to the inner part of the house of Yahwah, to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness they found in the temple of Yahwah into the court of the house of Yahwah. The Levites took it, to carry it out abroad to the brook Kidron.

17 Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the porch of Yahwah. They sanctified the house of Yahwah in eight days. On the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.

18 They went in to Hezekyah the king within the palace, and said: We cleansed all the house of Yahwah, and the altar of burnt-offering, with all the vessels of it, and the table of showbread, with all the vessels of it.

19 Moreover all the vessels king Yauhazi cast away when he trespassed in his reign, we prepared and sanctified. Behold, they are before the altar of Yahwah.

20 Then Hezekyah the king arose early, gathered the princes of the city, and went up to the house of Yahwah.

21 They brought seven bull, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven he-goats, for a sin-offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary, and for Yahudah. He commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of Yahwah.

22 So they killed the bulls, the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the altar. They killed the rams, and sprinkled the blood upon the altar. They also killed the lambs, and sprinkled the blood upon the altar.

23 They brought near the he-goats for the sin-offering before the king and the assembly, and they laid their hands upon them.

24 The priests killed them, and they made a sin-offering with their blood upon the altar, to make atonement for all Yisrayah. The king commanded the burnt-offering and the sin-offering should be made for all Yisrayah.

25 He set the Levites in the house of Yahwah with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandments of David, of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet. The commandments was of Yahwah by His prophets.

26 The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.

27 Hezekyah commanded to offer the burnt-offering upon the altar. When the burnt-offering began, the song of Yahwah also began, and the trumpets, together with the instruments of David king of Yisrayah.

28 All the assembly worshipped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded. All this continued until the burnt-offering was finished.

29 When they made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped.

30 Moreover Hezekyah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praises to Yahwah with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. They sang praises with gladness, they bowed their heads, and worshipped.

31 Then Hezekyah answered, and said: You consecrated yourselves to Yahwah. Come near, bring sacrifices and thank-offerings into the house of Yahwah. The assembly brought in sacrifices and thank-offerings. As many as were of a willing heart brought burnt-offerings.

32 The number of the burnt-offerings the assembly brought was threescore and ten bulls, a hundred rams, and two hundred lambs. All these were for a burnt-offering to Yahwah.

33 The consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep.

34 But the priests were too few, so they could not flay all the burnt-offerings. Therefore their brothers the Levites helped them, till the work was ended, and until the priests sanctified themselves. The Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.

35 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 Yahwah was set in order.

36 Hezekyah rejoiced, and all the people, because of what Yahwah prepared for the people. For the thing was done suddenly.

Chapter 30

1 Hezekyah sent to all Yisrayah and Yahudah, and wrote letters also to Ephrayim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of Yahwah at Yerusalem, to keep the passover to Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah.

2 For the king took counsel, with his princes, and all the assembly in Yerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.

3 They could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, nor had the people gathered themselves together to Yerusalem.

4 The thing was right in the eyes of the king, and of all the assembly.

5 So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Yisrayah, from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover to Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, at Yerusalem. For they had not kept it in great numbers in such sort as it is written.

6 So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Yisrayah and Yahudah, and according to the commandments of the king, saying: You children of Yisrayah, turn again to Yahwah, the Father of Abraham, Isaac, and Yisrayah, that He may return to the remnant that are escaped of you out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.

7 Do not be like your fathers, and like your brothers, who trespassed against Yahwah, the Father of their fathers, so He gave them up to desolation, as you see.

8 Now do not be stiffnecked, as your fathers were. Yield yourselves to Yahwah, and enter into His sanctuary, which He sanctified forever, and serve Yahwah your Father, that His fierce anger may turn away from you.

9 For if you turn again to Yahwah, your brothers and your children will find compassion before those who led them captive, and will come again into this land. Yahwah your Father is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away His face from you, if you return to Him.

10 So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephrayim and Manasseh, even to Zebulun. But they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

11 Nevertheless certain men of Asher, Manasseh, and of Zebulun, humbled themselves and came to Yerusalem.

12 Also upon Yahudah came the hand of Yahwah to give them one heart, to do the commandments of the king and of the princes by the Word of Yahwah.

13 There assembled at Yerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great assembly.

14 They arose, took away the altars in Yerusalem, they took away all the altars for incense, and cast them into the brook Kidron.

15 Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed, sanctified themselves, and brought burnt-offerings into the house of Yahwah.

16 They stood in their place after their order, according to the law of Moshe the man of Yahwah. The priests sprinkled the blood they received of the hand of the Levites.

17 There were many in the assembly who had not sanctified themselves. Therefore the Levites had the charge of killing the passovers for everyone that was not clean, to sanctify them to Yahwah.

18 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephrayim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the passover otherwise than it is written. Hezekyah prayed for them, saying: The good Yahwah pardon every one

19 who sets his heart to seek our Father, Yahwah, the Father of his fathers, though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.

20 Yahwah hearkened to Hezekyah, and healed the people.

21 The children of Yisrayah that were present at Yerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness. The Levites and the priests praised Yahwah day by day, singing with loud instruments to Yahwah.

22 Hezekyah spoke comfortably to all the Levites who had good understanding in the service of Yahwah. So they did eat throughout the feast for the seven days, offering sacrifices of peace-offerings, and making confession to Yahwah, the Father of their fathers.

23 The whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days, and they kept another seven days with gladness.

24 Hezekyah king of Yahudah gave a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep to the assembly for offerings. The princes gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep. A great number of priests sanctified themselves.

25 All the assembly of Yahudah, with the priests and the Levites, all the assembly that came out of Yisrayah, the sojourners that came out of the land of Yisrayah, and who dwelt in Yahudah, rejoiced.

26 So there was great joy in Yerusalem. Since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Yisrayah there was not the like in Yerusalem.

27 Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people. Their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to His holy habitation, even to heaven.

Chapter 31

1 Now when all this was finished, all Yisrayah that were present went out to the cities of Yahudah, broke the pillars in pieces, cut down the Easter idol, and broke down the high places and the altars out of all Yahudah and Benjamin, in Ephrayim also and Manasseh, until they destroyed them all. Then all the children of Yisrayah returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.

2 Hezekyah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, for burnt-offerings and for peace-offerings, to minister, to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the camp of Yahwah.

3 He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt-offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt-offerings, the burnt-offerings for the sabbaths, for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of Yahwah.

4 Moreover he commanded the people who dwelt in Yerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the law of Yahwah.

5 As soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Yisrayah gave in abundance the first-fruits of grain, new wine, oil, honey, and of all the increase of the field. The tithe of all things they brought in abundantly.

6 The children of Yisrayah and Yahudah, who dwelt in the cities of Yahudah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of dedicated things which were consecrated to Yahwah their Father, and laid them by heaps.

7 In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month.

8 When Hezekyah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed Yahwah, and His people Yisrayah.

9 Then Hezekyah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps.

10 Azaryah the chief priest, of the house of Zadok, answered him, and said: Since the people began to bring the oblations into the house of Yahwah, we eat, have enough, and have plenty left. Yahwah blessed his people, and what is left is this great store.

11 Then Hezekyah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of Yahwah. And they prepared them.

12 They brought in the oblations, the tithes, and the dedicated things faithfully. Conanyah the Levite was ruler over them, and Shimei his brother was second.

13 Jehiel, Azazyah, Nahas Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachyah, Mahas, and Benayah, were overseers under the hand of Conanyah and Shimei his brother, by the appointment of Hezekyah the king, and Azaryah the ruler of the house of Yahwah.

14 Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter at the east gate, was over the freewill-offerings of Yahwah, to distribute the oblations of Yahwah, and the most holy things.

15 Under him were Eden, Miniamin, Yahushua, Shemayah, Amaryah, and Shecanyah, in the cities of the priests, in their office of trust, to give to their brothers by courses, as well to the great as to the small.

16 Besides those who were reckoned by genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even every one that entered into the house of Yahwah, as the duty of every day required, for their service in their offices according to their courses.

17 Those who were reckoned by genealogy of the priests by their fathers' houses, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their offices by their courses;

18 and those who were reckoned by genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation; for in their office of trust they sanctified themselves in holiness.

19 Also for the sons of Aaron the priests, that were in the fields of the suburbs of 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.

20 Thus did Hezekyah throughout all Yahudah. He wrought what was good and right and faithful before Yahwah his Father.

21 In every work he began in the service of the house of Yahwah, in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his Father, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

Chapter 32

1 After these things, and this faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, entered into Yahudah, camped against the fortified cities, and thought to win them for himself.

2 Hezekyah saw Sennacherib was come, and that he purposed to fight against Yerusalem.

3 He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were outside the city. They helped him.

4 So there was gathered many people together, and they stopped all the fountains, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the land, saying: Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?

5 He took courage, built up all the wall that was broken down, raised it up to the towers, and the other wall outside, strengthened Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in abundance.

6 He set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the broad place at the gate of the city, and spoke comfortably to them, saying:

7 Be strong, and of good courage. Do not be afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him. For there is a greater with us than with him.

8 With him is an arm of flesh. But with us is Yahwah our Father to help us, and to fight our battles. The people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekyah king of Yahudah.

9 After this Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Yerusalem (now he was before Lachish, and all his power with him), to Hezekyah king of Yahudah, and to all Yahudah that were at Yerusalem, saying:

10 Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria; What do you trust in, that you abide the siege in Yerusalem?

11 Does Hezekyah persuade you, to give you over to die by famine and by thirst, saying: Yahwah our Father will deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

12 Did the same Hezekyah not take away his high places and his altars, and commanded Yahudah and Yerusalem, saying: You will worship before one altar, and upon it you will burn incense?

13 Do you not know what I and my fathers did to all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands in any way able to deliver their land out of my hand?

14 Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of my hand, that your god should be able to deliver you out of my hand?

15 Now therefore let Hezekyah not deceive you, nor persuade you after this manner. Do not believe him. For no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers. How much less will your god deliver you out of my hand?

16 His servants spoke yet more against Yahwah, and against His servant Hezekyah.

17 He also wrote letters, to rail on Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, and to speak against Him, saying: As the god of the nations of the lands, which did not deliver their people out of my hand, so will the god of Hezekyah not deliver His people out of my hand.

18 They cried with a loud voice in the Hebrew language to the people of Yerusalem who were on the wall, to scare them, and to trouble them, that they might take the city.

19 They spoke of the Father of Yerusalem as of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men's hands.

20 Hezekyah the king, and Isayah the prophet the son of Amoz, prayed because of this, and cried to heaven.

21 Yahwah sent a malak who cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders and captains, in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. When he was come into the house of his god, those who came forth from his own bowels killed him there with the sword.

22 Thus Yahwah saved Hezekyah and the inhabitants of Yerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side.

23 Many brought gifts to Yahwah to Yerusalem, and precious things to Hezekyah king of Yahudah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from then on.

24 In those days Hezekyah was sick even to death. He prayed to Yahwah. He spoke to him, and gave him a sign.

25 But Hezekyah rendered not again according to the benefit done to him. His heart was lifted up. Therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Yahudah and Yerusalem.

26 Notwithstanding Hezekyah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Yerusalem, so the wrath of Yahwah did not come upon them in the days of Hezekyah.

27 Hezekyah had exceeding much riches and honor. He provided him treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all manner of goodly vessels.

28 Store-houses also for the increase of grain, new wine, and oil. Stalls for all manner of beasts, and flocks in folds.

29 Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance. Yahwah gave him very much substance.

30 This same Hezekyah also stopped the upper spring of the waters of Gihon, and brought them straight down on the west side of the city of David. Hezekyah prospered in all his works.

31 However in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, Yahwah left him, to try him, that He might know all that was in his heart.

32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekyah, and his good deeds, behold, they are written in the vision of Isayah the prophet the son of Amoz, in the book of the kings of Yahudah and Yisrayah.

33 Hezekyah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the ascent of the sepulchres of the sons of David. All Yahudah and the inhabitants of Yerusalem did him honor at his death. Manasseh his son reigned instead of him.

Chapter 33

1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Yerusalem.

2 He did what was evil in the sight of Yahwah, after the abominations of the nations Yahwah cast out before the children of Yisrayah.

3 He built again the high places Hezekyah his father broke down. He reared up altars for the LORD, made Easter groves, worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

4 He built altars in the house of Yahwah, of which Yahwah said: In Yerusalem will my Name be for ever.

5 He built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of Yahwah.

6 He also made his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom. He practised augury, used enchantments, practised sorcery, dealt with those who had familiar spirits, and with wizards. He wrought much evil in the sight of Yahwah, to provoke Him to anger.

7 He set the graven image of the idol, which he made, in the house of Yahwah, of which Yahwah said to David and to Solomon his son: In this house, and in Yerusalem, which I choose out of all the tribes of Yisrayah, I will put my Name forever.

8 I will not remove the foot of Yisrayah from off the land I appointed for your fathers any more, if only they will observe to do all I commanded them, even all the law, the statutes, and the ordinances given by Moshe.

9 Manasseh seduced Yahudah and the inhabitants of Yerusalem, so they did more evil than the nations Yahwah destroyed before the children of Yisrayah.

10 Yahwah spoke to Manasseh, and to his people. But they gave no heed.

11 So Yahwah brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

12 When he was in distress, he begged Yahwah his Father, and humbled himself greatly before the Father of his fathers.

13 He prayed to Him. He was entreated of him, heard his supplication, and brought him again to Yerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew Yahwah was Master.

14 Now after this he built an outer wall to the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance at the fish gate. He compassed Ophel about with it, and raised it up to a very great height. He put valiant captains in all the fortified cities of Yahudah.

15 He took away the foreign gods, the idol out of the house of Yahwah, and all the altars he built in the mount of the house of Yahwah, in Yerusalem, and cast them out of the city.

16 He built up the altar of Yahwah, offered on it sacrifices of peace-offerings and of thanksgiving, and commanded Yahudah to serve Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah.

17 Nevertheless the people still sacrificed in the high places, but only to Yahwah their Father.

18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, his prayer to his Father, and the words of the seers that spoke to him in the Name of Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, behold, they are written among the acts of the kings of Yisrayah.

19 His prayer also, and how Yahwah was entreated of him, all his sin and his trespass, the places in which he built high places, and set up the Easter grove and the graven images, before he humbled himself. Behold, they are written in the history of Hozai.

20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house. Amon his son reigned instead of him.

21 Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Yerusalem.

22 He did what was evil in the sight of Yahwah, as did Manasseh his father. Amon sacrificed to all the graven images Manasseh his father made, and served them.

23 He did not humble himself before Yahwah, as Manasseh his father humbled himself. But this same Amon trespassed more and more.

24 His servants conspired against him, and put him to death in his own house.

25 But the people of the land killed all those who conspired against king Amon. The people of the land made YahshiYahwah his son king instead of him.

Chapter 34

1 YahshiYahwah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Yerusalem.

2 He did what was right in the eyes of Yahwah, walked in the ways of David his father, and did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the Father of David his father. In the twelfth year he began to purge Yahudah and Yerusalem from the high places, the Easter idols, the graven images, and the molten images.

4 They broke down the altars of The LORD in his presence. The sun-images that were on high above them he cut down. The Easter idol, the graven images, and the molten images, he broke in pieces, made dust of them, and strewed it upon the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

5 He burned the bones of the priests upon their altars, and purged Yahudah and Yerusalem.

6 So he did in the cities of Manasseh, Ephrayim, and Simeon, even to Naphtali, in their ruins round about.

7 He broke down the altars, beat the Easter idol and the graven images into powder, cut down all the sun-images throughout all the land of Yisrayah, and returned to Yerusalem.

8 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, after he purged the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azalyah, Maaseyah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of Yahwah his Father.

9 They came to Hilkyah the high priest, and delivered the money that was brought into the house of Yahwah, which the Levites, the keepers of the threshold, had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephrayim, of all the remnant of Yisrayah, of all Yahudah and Benjamin, and of the inhabitants of Yerusalem.

10 They delivered it into the hand of the workmen who had the oversight of the house of Yahwah. The workmen who wrought in the house of Yahwah gave it to mend and repair the house.

11 Even to the carpenters and to the builders they gave it, to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to make beams for the houses the kings of Yahudah had destroyed.

12 The men did the work faithfully. The overseers of them were Jahas and Obadyah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; Zecharyah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohasites, to set it forward; and others of the Levites, all that were skilful with instruments of music.

13 Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and set forward all that did the work in every manner of service. Of the Levites there were scribes, officers, and porters.

14 When they brought out the money that was brought into the house of Yahwah, Hilkyah the priest found the book of the law of Yahwah given by Moshe.

15 Hilkyah answered, and said to Shaphan the scribe: I found the book of the law in the house of Yahwah. Hilkyah delivered the book to Shaphan.

16 Shaphan carried the book to the king, and moreover brought back word to the king, saying: All that was committed to your servants, they are doing.

17 They emptied out the money that was found in the house of Yahwah, and delivered it into the hand of the overseers, into the hand of the workmen.

18 Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying: Hilkyah the priest delivered me a book. Shaphan read it before the king.

19 It came to pass, when the king heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes.

20 The king commanded Hilkyah, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asayah the king's servant, saying:

21 Go, inquire of Yahwah for me, and for those who are left in Yisrayah and in Yahudah, concerning the words of the book that is found. Great is the wrath of Yahwah that is poured out upon us, because our fathers did not keep the word of Yahwah, to do according to all that is written in this book.

22 So Hilkyah, and those the king commanded, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhas, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe (now she dwelt in Yerusalem in the second quarter), and they spoke to her to that effect.

23 She said to them: Thus says Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah; Tell the man who sent you to me;

24 Thus says Yahwah: Behold, I bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of it, even all the curses that are written in the book they read before the king of Yahudah.

25 They forgot me, and burned incense to the gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands. Therefore is my wrath poured out upon this place, and it will not be quenched.

26 But to the king of Yahudah, who sent you to inquire of Yahwah, thus will you say to him: Thus says Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah: As touching the words you heard,

27 because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before Yahwah, when you heard His words against this place, and against the inhabitants of it, and humbled yourself before me, tore your clothes, and wept before me, I heard you; says Yahwah.

28 Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the evil I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of it. They brought back word to the king.

29 Then the king sent, and gathered together all the elders of Yahudah and Yerusalem.

30 The king went up to the house of Yahwah, with all the men of Yahudah, the inhabitants of Yerusalem, the priests, the Levites, and all the people, both great and small. He read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of Yahwah.

31 The king stood in his place, and made a covenant before Yahwah, to walk after Yahwah, to keep His commandments, His testimonies, and His statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book.

32 He caused all that were found in Yerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. The inhabitants of Yerusalem did according to the covenant of Yahwah, the Father of their fathers.

33 YahshiYahwah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Yisrayah, and made all that were found in Yisrayah to serve, even to serve Yahwah their Father. All his days they did not depart from following Yahwah, the Father of their fathers.

Chapter 35

1 YahshiYahwah kept a passover to Yahwah in Yerusalem. They killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.

2 He set the priests in their offices, and encouraged them to the service of the house of Yahwah.

3 He said to the Levites that taught all Yisrayah, that were holy to Yahwah: Put the holy ark in the house Solomon the son of David king of Yisrayah built. There will no more be a burden upon your shoulders. Now serve Yahwah your Father, and His people Yisrayah.

4 Prepare yourselves after your fathers' houses by your courses, according to the writing of David king of Yisrayah, and according to the writing of Solomon his son.

5 Stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the fathers' houses of your brothers the children of the people, and let there be for each a portion of a fathers' house of the Levites.

6 Kill the passover, sanctify yourselves, and prepare for your brothers, to do according to the Word of Yahwah by Moshe.

7 YahshiYahwah gave to the children of the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all of them for the passover-offerings, to all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bulls. These were of the king's substance.

8 His princes gave for a freewill-offering to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkyah, Zecharyah, and Jehiel, the rulers of the house of Yahwah, gave to the priests for the passover offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen.

9 Conanyah also, Shemayah, and Nethanel, his brothers, and Hashabyah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, the chiefs of the Levites, gave to the Levites for the passover-offerings five thousand small cattle, and five hundred oxen.

10 So the service was prepared, the priests stood in their place, and the Levites by their courses, according to the king's commandments.

11 They killed the passover, the priests sprinkled the blood which they received of their hand, and the Levites flayed them.

12 They removed the burnt-offerings, that they might give them according to the divisions of the fathers' houses of the children of the people, to offer to Yahwah, as it is written in the book of Moshe. So they did with the oxen.

13 They roasted the passover with fire according to the ordinance. They boiled the holy offerings in pots, in caldrons, and in pans, and carried them quickly to all the children of the people.

14 Afterward they prepared for themselves, and for the priests, because the priests the sons of Aaron were busied in offering the burnt-offerings and the fat until night. Therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron.

15 The singers the sons of Asaph were in their place, according to the commandments of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king's seer. The porters were at every gate. They did not need to depart from their service, for their brothers the Levites prepared for them.

16 So all the service of Yahwah was prepared the same day, to keep the passover, and to offer burnt-offerings upon the altar of Yahwah, according to the commandments of king YahshiYahwah.

17 The children of Yisrayah that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.

18 There was no passover like to that kept in Yisrayah from the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Yisrayah keep such a passover as YahshiYahwah kept, the priests, the Levites, all Yahudah and Yisrayah that were present, and the inhabitants of Yerusalem.

19 In the eighteenth year of the reign of YahshiYahwah this passover was kept.

20 After all this, when YahshiYahwah prepared the temple, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight against Carchemish by the Euphrates. YahshiYahwah went out against him.

21 But he sent ambassadors to him, saying: What have I to do with you, you king of Yahudah? I do not come against you today, but against the house with which I have war. Yahwah commanded me to make haste. Do not meddle with Yahwah, who is with me, that He not destroy you.

22 Nevertheless YahshiYahwah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him. He did not hearken to the words of Neco from the mouth of Yahwah, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.

23 The archers shot at king YahshiYahwah. The king said to his servants: Have me away, for I am severely wounded.

24 So his servants took him out of the chariot, put him in the second chariot he had, and brought him to Yerusalem. He died, and was buried in the sepulchres of his fathers. All Yahudah and Yerusalem mourned for YahshiYahwah.

25 Yeremyah lamented for YahshiYahwah. All the singing men and singing women spoke of YahshiYahwah in their lamentations to this day. They made them an ordinance in Yisrayah. Behold, they are written in the lamentations.

26 Now the rest of the acts of YahshiYahwah, and his good deeds, according to what is written in the law of Yahwah,

27 and his acts, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Yisrayah and Yahudah.

Chapter 36

1 Then the people of the land took Yahuachaz the son of YahshiYahwah, and made him king instead of his father in Yerusalem.

2 Joahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Yerusalem.

3 The king of Egypt deposed him at Yerusalem, fined the land a hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold.

4 The king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Yahudah and Yerusalem, and changed his name to Yahuyaqim. Neco took Joahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.

5 Yahuyaqim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Yerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of Yahwah his Father.

6 Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.

7 Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of Yahwah to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.

8 Now the rest of the acts of Yahuyaqim, his abominations he did, and what was found in him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Yisrayah and Yahudah. Yahuiachin his son reigned instead of him.

9 Yahuiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Yerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of Yahwah.

10 At the return of the year king Nebuchadnezzar sent, brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of Yahwah, and made Zedekyah his brother king over Yahudah and Yerusalem.

11 Zedekyah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Yerusalem.

12 He did what was evil in the sight of Yahwah his Father. He did not humble himself before Yeremyah the prophet speaking from the mouth of Yahwah.

13 He also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who made him swear by Yahwah. But he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart against turning to Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah.

14 Moreover all the chiefs of the priests, and the people, trespassed very greatly after all the abominations of the nations. They polluted the house of Yahwah which He hallowed in Yerusalem.

15 Yahwah, the Father of their fathers, sent to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending, because He had compassion on His people, and on His dwelling-place.

16 But they mocked the messengers of Yahwah, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of Yahwah arose against His people, till there was no remedy.

17 Therefore He brought upon them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or virgin, old man or hoary-headed. He gave them all into his hand.

18 All the vessels of the house of Yahwah, great and small, the treasures of the house of Yahwah, the treasures of the king, and of his princes, all these he brought to Babylon.

19 They burned the house of Yahwah, broke down the wall of Yerusalem, burned all the palaces of it with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels of it.

20 Those who escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon. They were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia,

21 to fulfil the Word of Yahwah by the mouth of Yeremyah, until the land had enjoyed its sabbaths. For as long as it lay desolate it kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.

22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the Word of Yahwah by the mouth of Yeremyah might be accomplished, Yahwah stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying:

23 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia; Yahwah, the Father of heaven, gave me all the kingdoms of the earth. He charged me to build Him a house in Yerusalem, which is in Yahudah. Whosoever there is among you of all His people, Yahwah his Father be with him, and let him go up.










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