Jotham reigneth well. 2 CHRONICLES, XXVII, XXVIII. 23 So w Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead. CHAPTER XXVII. 1 Jotham reigneth well. 9 Ahaz suc- JOTHA 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the LORD. And the people did yet corruptly. B. C. 741. w Is.6.1. (CHAP. 27.) the tower, b ch.26.5. 3 or, estab- e ch.19.3. a 2Ki. 16.2, b Ex.34.17. 3 He built the high gate of the house of the LORD, and on the wallc Ju.2.11. of 1 Ophel he built much. 4 Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers. 5 T He fought also with the king of the Ammonites, and prevailed against them. And the children of Ammon gave him the same year an hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. 2 So much did the children of Ammon pay unto him, both the second year and the third. Ho.2.13, 17. 1 or, offered d 2Ki.33.10. Le. 18.21. Mi.6.7. f Is.7.1. 6 So Jotham became mighty, b be-2 Darmesek. cause he 3 prepared c his ways be- g 2Ki. 15.27. fore the LORD his God. 3 sons of valour. Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his h De.31. 16, ways, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. 8 He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. 9 And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead. CHAPTER XXVIII. Ahaz is afflicted by the Syrians. HAZ a was twenty years old A when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father: 17. Jos.24.20. Is. 1.28. Ahaz's wicked reign 4 He sacrificed also and burnt in cense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree. 5 Wherefore f the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to 2 Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter. 6 T For Pekahg the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all 3 valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. 7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah that was 4 next to the king. 8 And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren? two hundred thousand women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from thein, and brought the spoil to Samaria. 9 But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye k have slain them in a rage that reacheth / up unto heaven. 10 And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen m and bond women unto you: but are there not with you, even n with you, sins against the LORD your 11 Now hear me, there 4 the second.deliver o the captives aga i.ch.11.4. ye have taken captive of thren forp the fierce wi LORD is upon you. Je. 15.6. k Ps.69.26. Eze.25.12 and ich re the 12 Then certain of the heads of Je.50.17,18. the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai stood up against them that came from the war, 13 And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended 17. 2 For he walked in the ways of m Le.25.39, against the LORD already, ye intend the kings of Israel, and made also molten b images for Baalim.c &c. n Je.25.29. 3 Moreover he 1 burnt incense in the valley d of the son of Hinnom, and e burnt his children in the fire, o Is.58.6. Je.34.14. after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out p Ja.2. 13. before the children of Israel. to add more to our sins and our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel. 14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation. 15 And the nien which were ex Ahaz's idolatry. q ver. 12. 2 CHRONICLES, XXIX. pressed by name q rose up, and B. C. 741. took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eatr and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble s of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city t of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria. 16 ¶ At that time u did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him. 17 For again the Edomites v had come and smitten Judah, and carried away 5 captives. Hezekiah's good reign. 27 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem: but they 2Ki.6.22. brought him not into the sepulPr.25.21.22. chres of the kings of Israel: and Lu.8.27,35. Hezekiah his son reigned in his 8 Ro. 15. 1. stead. t De.34.3. Ju. 1. 16. u 2Ki. 16.7. Ob.10.13,14. a captivity. w Eze. 16.27, 57. Ps. 106.43. y Ex.32.25. Re.3.17,18. 16. 15. z 2Ki. 15.29. 18 The Philistines w also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, and 16.7-9. Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho 6 Darmesek. with the villages thereof, and Tim- a Je. 10.5. nah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof and they dwelt there. 19 For the LORD brought Judah x low, because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah naked, y and transgressed sore against the LORD. 44.17-28, b Is.1.28. Ho.13.9. c ch.29.3,7. d Je. 11. 13. offer. CHAPTER XXIX. 1 Hezekiah's good reign; 3 He restoreth religion. HEZEKIAH a began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.b 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done. 3 He in the first c year of his reign, in the first month, opened d the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them. 4 And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street, 5 And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify e now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and 20 And Tilgath-pilneser z king of Assyria came unto him, and dis- (CHAP. 29.) carry forth the filthiness out of the tressed him, but strengthened him not. a 2Ki. 18.1, &c. c Ps. 101.3. Ga.1.16. 21 For Ahaz took away a portion b ch.26.5. out of the house of the LORD, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the d ver. 7. king of Assyria: but he helped him e ch.35.6. not. 1Ch.15.12. 22 T And in the time of his dis- ƒ Eze.S.3,9, tress did he trespass yet more &c. against the LORD: this is that king g Ne.9.16. Aba h Je.2.27. Eze.8.16. given the neck. ver.3. 29 or he sacrificed unto the gods of mascus, which smote him: and said, Because the gods of thenes of Syria help them, there-i fore will I sacrifice to them, that ch.28.24. they may help a me. But they Mal.1.10. were the ruin 6 of him, and of all Is-k ch.24.18. 25 And in every d several city of Judah he made high places to 7 burn incense unto other gods, and 3 or,deceived. provoked to anger the LORD God o Nu.3.6,7. of his fathers. 26 Now the rest of his acts, and of all his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 4 18.2-6. or, offer sacrifice. P Nu.4.2,&c. holy f place. 6 For g our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and h have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and 1 turned their backs. 7 Also they have shut up i the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt-offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel. 8 Wherefore k the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered them to 2 trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes. 9 For, lo, our fathers have fallen m by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. 10 Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant n with the LORD God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us. 11 My sons, be not now 3 negligent: for the LORD hath chosen o you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and 4 burn incense. 12 Then the Levites arose, Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites: p and of the sons Cleansing of the temple. 2 CHRONICLES, XXIX. Hezekiah's solemn sacrifices. 5 or, in the business. r ICh.23.28. s Mat.21.12, 13. 13 And of the sons of Elizaphan; Shimri, and Jeiel and of the sons of Asaph; Zechariah,and Mattaniah: 14 And of the sons of Heman; Jehiel, and Shimei: and of the sons of Jeduthun; Shemaiah, and Uzziel. 15 And they gathered their bre- t 1Ki.6.3. thren, and sanctified q themselves, u ch.28.24. and came, according to the commandment of the king, 5 by the v Le.4.3,14. words of the LORD, to cleanser the house of the LORD. 16 And the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD, to cleanse it, and brought out s all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the LORD into the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it, to carry it out abroad into the brook Kidron. 17 Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, and w Le.8.14,&c. Heb.9.21. 6 near. x ch.8.14. 1Ch. 16.4. 23.5. 25.1,&c. z ch.30.12. and on the eighth day of the mouth y 2Sa.24.11. came they to the porch t of the LORD: so they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end. 18 Then they went in to Hezekiah the king, and said,We have cleansed all the house of the LORD, and the altar of burnt-offering, with all the vessels thereof, and the show-bread table, with all the vessels thereof. 19 Moreover all the vessels which king Ahaz in his reign did cast away u in his transgression, have we prepared and sanctified, and, behold, they are before the altar of the LORD. 7 by the hand of. a 1Ch.23.5. Ps.87.7. 150.3-5. Is.38.20. b 1Ch.16.6. 8 In the time. c ch.23.18. Ps. 137.3,4. 9 hands of instruments. 24 And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt-offering and the sin-offering should be made for all Israel. 25 And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according a to the commandment of David, and of Gad y the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet: for z so was the commandment of the LORD 7 by his prophets. 26 And the Levites stood with the instruments a of David, and the priests with the trumpets.b 27 And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt-offering upon the altar. 8 And when the burnt-offering began, the c song of the LORD began also with the trumpets, and with the 9 instruments ordained by David king of Israel. 28 And all the congregation worshipped, and the 10 singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt-offering was finished. 29 And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were 11 present with him bowed d themselves, and worshipped. 30 Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, e and they ped. bowed f their heads and worship 31 Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have 12 consecrated yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thankofferings g into the house to the LORD. And the congrelation brought in sacrifices and the Be-offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt-offerings. 32 And the number of the burntofferings, which the congregation brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, an hundred rams and two hundred lambs: all these were for a burnt-offering to the LORD. 33 And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen, and three thousand sheep. 34 But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt-offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites 13 did help h them till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for i the Levites were more upright k in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests. Hezekiah proclaimeth a solemn passover. land for the LORD your God is gracious n and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return o unto him. 2 CHRONICLES, XXX. 35 And also the burnt-offerings B. C. 726. were in abundance, with the fat 7 of the peace-offerings, and the drinkofferings m for every burnt-offering. So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order. 36 And n Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared o the people: for the thing was done suddenly. CHAPTER XXX. Hezekiah proclaimeth a solemn pass over. Hezekiah sent to all Le.3. 16. mNu. 15.5-10. n Ezr.6.22. Ps.10.17. Pr. 16.1. and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh,that d they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel. 2 For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second a month. 3 For they could not keep it at that time, b because the priests had not c sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem. 4 And the thing 1 pleased the king and all the congregation. 2 1 Cor. 11.2. from the f Is.6.13. 5 Eze.20.13, h ch.29.8 &C. 3 harden not i De. 10. 16. 10 So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, even unto Zebulun: p but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them. 11 Nevertheless divers q of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem. 12 Also in Judah the hand of God r was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by s the word of the LORD. 13 And there assembled at t Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation. 14 And they arose and took away the altars u that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron. 15 Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second your necks. month: and the priests v and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt-offerings into the house of the LORD. Ro. 10.21. hand. 1Ch.29.24. Ezr. 10. 19. 5 So they established a decree, to make proclamation throughout all give the Israel, from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written.d Ro.6.13-19. Ne.9.17,31. Ps. 111.4. Jon.4.2. 6 So the posts went with the letters 2 from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, n Ex.34.6. and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn e again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the renmant f of you that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. o Pr.28.13. P ch.36.16. ch.11.16. Je.24.7. Eze.36.26. 7 And be not ye like your fathers, g and like your brethren, which trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up h to desolation, as ye see. t Ps.84.7. 8 Now 3 be ye not stiff-necked, iu ch.28.24. as your fathers were, but 4 yield k v ch.29.34. yourselves unto the LORD, and en- 5 standing. ter into his sanctuary, which he w ver. 11. hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierce- Nu.9.10,&c. ness of his wrath may turn away y ch. 19.3. 16 And they stood in their 5 place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites. 17 For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD. 18 For w a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed z themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one 19 That prepareth y his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. 20 And the LORD hearkened z to Hezekiah, and healed the people. 21 And the children of Israel that were 6 present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with 7 loud instruments unto the LORD. 2 CHRONICLES, XXXI. in destroying idolatry. give the ƒ portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged g in the law of the LORD. 1 The people forward 22 And Hezekiah spake 8 comfortably unto all the Levites that a taught the good knowledge of the LORD and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace-offerings, and making b confession to the LORD God of their fathers. 23 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness. to the heart of all, Is.40.2. a De.33.10. b Ezr.10.11. 9 lifted up, or, offered. 10 the habitation of his holiness. Ps.68.5. 24 For Hezekiah king of Judah 9 did give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave (CHAP. 31.) to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep and 1 found. a great number of priests sanctified 2 statues. themselves. end. 25 And all the congregation of Ju- a 2Ki. 18.4. dah, with the priests and the Le- b ch.30.14. vites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers 3 to make an that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced. 25 So there was great joy in Jerusalem for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem. e Nu.xxviii. their voice was heard, and their c 1Ch.23.6. 24.1, &c. d 1Ch.23.30. xxix. 5 And as soon as the commandment 4 came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the first-fruits h of corn, wine, and oil, and 5 honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. 6 And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe i of holy things which were consecrated unto the LORD their God, and laid them 6 by heaps. 7 In the third k month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. 8 And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD, and his people Israel. 9 Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10 And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the LORD, we have had enough prayer came up to 10 his holy dwell-f Nu. 18.8,&c. to eat, and have left m plenty for ing-place, even unto heaven. CHAPTER XXXI. The people forward in destroying Now idolatry. OW when all this was finished, all Israel that were 1 present went out to the cities of Judah, Ne. 13.1013. the LORD hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store. g Mal.2.7. 1Co.9.9-11. Ga.6.6. brake forth. De. 14.28. and brake the 2 images in pieces, a h Ex.22.29. and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the al5 or, dates. tars b out of all Judah and Benja-i Le.27.30. min, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until 3 they had utterly de-6 heaps, stroyed them all. Then all the heaps. children of Israel returned, every k Le.23.16, man to his possession, into their own cities. &c. I 1Ch.29.14. Ezr.7.27. 2Co.8.16. Ph.4.10, 19. m Mal.3.10. houses. 2 And Hezekiah appointed the c courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his service, the priests and Levites d for burnt-offerings, and for peace-offerings, to minister, or, storeand to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the LORD. n 2Ki. 12. 15. 3 He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burntofferings, to wit, for the morning o Ne. 13. 13. and evening burnt-offerings, and 9 at his the burnt-offerings for the sab- hand. baths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written e p Jos.21.9. in the law of the LORD. 4 Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to 8 at. 10 or, trust, 1Ch.9.22. 11 Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare 7 chambers in the house of the LORD; and they prepared them, 12 And brought in the offerings, and the tithes, and the dedicated things n faithfully: over which Cononiah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next 13 And Jehiel, and Azaziti, und Nahath, and Asahel, and Jevienots. and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Isza chiah, and Mahath, and Bensin!.. were overseers 8 under the hand Cononiah and Shimei his brothe". at the commandment of Hezekia'. the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God. 14 And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter toward the eas. was over the free-will offerings of God, to o distribute the oblations o the LORD, and the most holy thing. 15 And 9 next him were Eden, an Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shechants. in the cities p of the priests, in t 10 set office, to give to their br thren by courses, as well to the great as to the small: 16 Beside their genealogy of males from three years old and upwani, |