Sincerity of Hezekiah. 2 CHRONICLES, XXXII. Sennacherib's blasphemy. gate of the city, and spake 5 comfortably to them, saying, even unto every one that entereth B. C. 726. courses; 11 or, trust. r Le.25.34. 8 ver. 12-15. 17 Both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of their fathers, and the Levites from q twenty years old and upward, in their charges by their courses; 18 And to the genealogy of all their t 2Ki.20.3. little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their 11 set office they sanctified themselves in holiness: 19 Also of the sons of Aaron thei priests, which were in the fields r of the suburbs of their cities, in every several city, the men that were expressed by name, s to give portions Jno. 1.47. 1Th.2.10. u Ps. 1.2,3. ch.26.5. 7.24.27. a 2Ki.18.13, &c. Is.36.1,&c. break them 7 Bee strong and courageous, bef not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him; for there g be more with us than with him: 8 With him is an h arm of flesh; but with us i is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people 6 rested themselves upon the k words of Hezekiah king of Judah. 9 After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, (but he himself laul siege against Lachish, and all his 7 power with him,) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying, 10 Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, rusalem? 11 Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die The LORD our God shall deliver us by famine and by thirst, saying, out of the hand of the king of Assyria? to all the males among the priests, (CHAP. 32.) that ye abide in the 8 siege in Jeand to all that were reckoned by genealogies among the Levites. 20 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good t and right and 1 truth before the LORD his God. 21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, u and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.v FTER a up. his face was to war. b Is.22.9,11. 3 overflowed. c ch.25.23. d 28.5.9. IKI.9.24. 12 Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it? 13 Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the the 4 or, swords, people of other lands? were tids any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand? or,weapons. CHAPTER XXXII, Sennacherib invading Judah, Hezekiah fortifieth himself. A Fert these things, and the cherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to 1 win them for himself. 5 to their 2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against e De.31.6. Jernsalem, heart. ch.30.22. 3 He took counsel with his princes fch.20.15. and his mighty men to stop the g 2Ki.6.16. waters b of the fountains which were without the city: and they h Je.17.5. d help him. 4 So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that 3 ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water? 5 Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall c that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millod in the city of David, and made 4 darts and shields in abundance. 6 And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the street of the 14 Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand? 15 Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much m less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand? 16 And his servants spake yet more against the LORD God, and against his servant Hezekiah." 17 He wrote also letters n to rail on the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand. 18 Then they cried with a loud Ps. 10. 13,14. 14 ambassadors of the princes of 31 Howbeit in the business of the Babylon, who sent ƒ unto him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land; God left him to tryg him, that he might know all that was in his heart. 139.19,20. q Is.37.1,&c. r Ps.50. 15. 91.14,15. 42.8. 20 T And 9 for this cause Hezekiahs Is. 10. 16-18. the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed r and cried t 2Sa.24.16. to heaven. 21 Ands the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains, in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land, And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels 9 slew him there with the sword. 22 Thus u the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and v guided them on every side. Ps.18.50. made him fall. uPs.37.39,40. Hos. 1.7. 23 And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem, and 10 presents to Hezekiah king of Judah:2 so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth. 21 T In w those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed unto the LORD: and he spake unto him, and he 11 gave him a sign. Ps. 48. 14. 71.20,21. 10 precious things. w 2K1.20.1, &c. Is.38. 1,&c. 11 or,wrought a miracle for him. Ps.116.12. y ch.26.16. Da.5.20,23. Hab.2.4. ch.24.18. 12 lifting up, 2K. 14.10. a Je.26. 18, 19. b1Ki.21.29. e Pr.10.22. 13 instru ments of d Jobi.3,9. ters. 25 But Hezekiah rendered a not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was y lifted e Is.22.9,11. uo: z therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Je-14 interprerusalem. 26 Notwithstanding Hezekiah f2Ki.20.12. humbled himself for the 12 pride of Is.39,1,&c. his heart, (both he a and the inhabit- 5 De.8.2,16. ants of Jerusalem,) so that b the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah. Ja. 1.13. 15 kindnesses. h Is.xxxvixxxix. i 2Ki.xviii XX. 27 And c Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour and he made himself treasuries for sil-16 or, highest. ver, and for gold, and for precious & Pr. 10.7. stones, and for spices, and for (CHAP. 33.) shields, and for all manner of a 2Ki.21.1. 13 pleasant jewels; 28 Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks. b ch.28.3. 1 returned and built. c ch.30. 14. 31.1; 32.12. d De. 16.21. e De. 17.3. Eze.23.37, 39. 29 Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks df and herds in abundance for God had given him substance very much. g De.18. 10, 30 This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper water-course e of 11. 32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his 15 goodness, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah h the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kingsi of Judah and Israel. 33 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the 16 chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour k at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead. CHAPTER XXXIII. 1 Manasseh's wicked reign: 3 He setteth up idolatry. Mold when he bagan to reign, ANASSEH a was twelve years and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem: 2 But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the b abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. 3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father c had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, d and worshippede all the host of heaven, and served them. 4 Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, in Jerusalem shall my name be for ever. 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. 6 And ƒ he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also g he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. 7 And he set a carved image, (the idol which he had made,) in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: 8 Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the His repentance. Josiah's good reign. own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead. 21 Amon t was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem. 2 CHRONICLES, XXXIV. land which I have appointed for B. C. 610. your fathers: so that they will take heed to do all that I have com- 2 which were manded them, according to the the king's. whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses. 9 So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, h La.3.7. i Ps. 107.10 14. 22 But he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto all the carved u ima whom the LORD had destroyed be-3 or, chains.ges which Manasseh his father had 14 Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish-t 2Ki.21.19, gate, and compassed about 4 Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, u Is.44.13,&c. and put captains of war in all the 6 multiplied fenced cities of Judah. 15 And he took away the strange n gods, and the idol out of the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city. 16 And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peaceofferings, and thank-offerings, o and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel. 17 Nevertheless, p the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the LORD their God only. 18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel. &c. trespass. v Je.7.26. w Ge.9.6. Nu.35.31,33. (CHAP. 34.) a 2K1.22.1, &c. b De.5.32. 17.11,20. 28.14. Jos. 1.7. c Pr.8.17. Ec. 12.1. d Le.26.30. e ch.33.17,22. 1 or, sun images, ch.14.5. ƒ 2Ki.23.4. face of the graves. 19 His prayer also, and how God was entreated q of him, and all r his sins, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and g iKi. 13.2. set up groves and graven images, 3 or, mauls. before s he was humbled, behold, 4 to make they are written among the sayings of 5 the seers. powder. 20 So Manasseh slept with his h De.9.21. fathers, and they buried him in his made, and served them; 23 And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon 6 trespassed more v and more. 24 And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house. 25 But the people of the land slew w all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead. CHAPTER XXXIV. 1 Josiah's good reign: 3 He destroyeth idolatry. JOSIA TOSIAH a was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years. 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither b to the right hand, nor to the left. reign, while he was yet young, che 3 For in the eighth year of his began to seek after the God of Da vid his father: and in the twelfth year he began to d purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high e places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images. 4 And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the 1 images that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, f and strewed it upon the 2 graves of them that had sacrificed unto them. 5 And he burnt g the bones of the priests upon their altars,and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. 6 And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their 3 mattocks round about. 7 And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images 4 into powder, h and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem. 8 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maa 2 CHRONICLES A book of the law found. seiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God. i 2Ki. 12.4. 5 or, rafter. k ch.31.12. 9 And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered i the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; n De. 17. 18, and they returned to Jerusalem. 10 And they put it in the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of the LORD, and they gave it to the workmen that wrought in the house of the LORD, to repair and amend the house: 11 Even to the artificers and builders gave they it, to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to 5 floor the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed. 12 And the men did the work k faithfully and the overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward; and other of the Levites, all that could skill of instruments of music. 13 Also they were over the bearers 7 of burdens, and were overseers of all that wrought the work in any manner of service: and m of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters. 14 And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found a book n of the law of the LORD given 6 by Moses. 15 And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house! of the LORD. And Hilkiah deliver-t ed the book to Shaphan. m 1Ch.23.4, 5. 19. o Je.36.20,21. poured out, 9 in it. p Ro.7.7.9. 10 or, Achtor, q Je.21.2. &c. r Is.37.4. De.28. 15, 29.18-28. XXXIV. The elders assembled. 21 Go, inquire q of the LORD for me, and for them that are left r in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great s is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do after all that is written in this book. 22 And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of 11 Hasrah, keeper of the 12 wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the 13 college :) and they spake to her to that effect. 23 And she answered them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell ye the man that sent you to me, 21 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, It will bring evil upon this place. and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah: 25 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out u upon this place, and shall not be quenched. 26 And as for the king of Judah, 32.15-25. who sent you to inquire of the LORD, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, concerning the words which thou hast heard; 31.16-22. Ro.1.18. 2.8-12. 12 garments. 19.3, 15. 16 And Shaphan carried o the book to the king, and brought the king u Is.42.25. word back again, saying, All that was committed 7 to thy servants, they do it. 17 And they have 8 gathered together the money that was found in the house of the LORD, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and to the hand of the workmen. 18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read 9 it before the king. 19 And it came to pass, when the king had heard p the words of the law, that he rent his clothes. 20 And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Sha w Je.7.20. 4.11. Ps.34. 18. 27 Because thine heart was v tender, and thou didst humble w thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard theez also, saith the LORD. 28 Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gatherch.33.12,13. ed to thy grave in peace, neithery shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again. 51.17. Is.57.15. 66.2. Eze.9.4. Ja.4.6, 10. Is.65.24. even to 29 Then z the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, 14 great and small and he read in their Josiah keepeth a 2 CHRONICLES, XXXV. most solemn passover. ears all the words of the book of B. C. 624. | sand bullocks: these were of the the covenant that was found in the Ezr.6.19. c ch.23.18. De.33.10. e 1Ch.23.26. f1Ch.23.26. ing ch.8.14. OREOVER a Josiah kept a Jerusalem: and they killed the pass-h Ps. 134. 1. over on the fourteenth day b of the first month. 2 And he set the priests in their c charges, and encouraged them to the service of the house of the LORD, 3 And said unto the Levites that taught all d Israel, which were holy unto the LORD, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; ite shall not be a burden upon your shoulders: serve now the LORD your God, and his people Israel, 1 house. 2 sons of the people. i ch.30.3,15. Ezr.6.20. 3 offered. k ch.7.8.10. 30.24. 3 offered. 4 And prepare yourselves by the houses of your fathers, after your 1 Ezr.6.18. courses, according to the writing of David f king of Israel, and ac-mch.29.22,34. cording to the writing of Solomongn Le.3.3. his son. 7 And Josiah 3 gave to k the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, r 1Ch.9.17. ail for the passover-offerings, for all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thou 6 found. king's substance. 8 And his princes 3 gave willingly unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God gave unto the priests for the passover-offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen. 9 Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethaneel his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jehiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, 3 gave unto the Levites for passover-offerings, five thousand small cattle, and five hundred oxen. 10 So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, i according to the king's commandment. 11 And m they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood from their hands, and the Levites flayed them. 12 And they removed the burntofferings, that they might give according to the divisions of the families of the people, to offer unto the LORD, as it is written n in the book of Moses. And so did they with the oxen. 13 And they roasted o the passover with fire according to the ordinance but the other holy offerings sod p they in pots, and in caldrons, and in pans, and 4 divided them speedily among all the people. 14 And afterward they made ready for themselves, and for the priests: because the priests the sons of Aaron were busied in offering of burnt-offerings and the fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron. 15 And the singers the sons of Asaph were in their 5 place, according to the commandment of David, q and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the king's seer; and the porters r waited at every gate; they might not depart from their service; for their brethren the Levites prepared for them. 16 So all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day, to keep the passover, and to offer burntofferings upon the altar of the LORD, according to the commandment of king Josiah. 17 And the children of Israel that were 6 present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days. 18 And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel, from the days of Samuel the prophet; |