
The Second Book of the Kings

   {1:1} And Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
{1:2} And Ahaziah fell down through the lattice in his upper chamber
that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said
unto them, Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall
recover of this sickness. {1:3} But the angel of Jehovah said to Elijah
the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of
Samaria, and say unto them, Is it because there is no God in Israel,
that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? {1:4} Now
therefore thus saith Jehovah, Thou shalt not come down from the bed
whither thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.

   {1:5} And the messengers returned unto him, and he said unto them,
Why is it that ye are returned? {1:6} And they said unto him, There
came up a man to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the
king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, Is it because
there is no God in Israel, that thou sendest to inquire of Baal-zebub,
the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from the bed
whither thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. {1:7} And he said unto
them, What manner of man was he that came up to meet you, and told you
these words? {1:8} And they answered him, He was a hairy man, and girt
with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the
Tishbite.

   {1:9} Then [the king] sent unto him a captain of fifty with his
fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he was sitting on the top of
the hill. And he spake unto him, O man of God, the king hath said, Come
down. {1:10} And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I
be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and
thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and
his fifty. {1:11} And again he sent unto him another captain of fifty
and his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus
hath the king said, Come down quickly. {1:12} And Elijah answered and
said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven,
and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from
heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. {1:13} And again he sent the
captain of a third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty
went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought
him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the
life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight. {1:14}
Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and consumed the two former
captains of fifty with their fifties; but now let my life be precious
in thy sight. {1:15} And the angel of Jehovah said unto Elijah, Go down
with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him
unto the king. {1:16} And he said unto him, Thus saith Jehovah,
Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the
god of Ekron, is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his
word? therefore thou shalt not come down from the bed whither thou art
gone up, but shalt surely die.

   {1:17} So he died according to the word of Jehovah which Elijah had
spoken. And Jehoram began to reign in his stead in the second year of
Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son.
{1:18} Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?



   {2:1} And it came to pass, when Jehovah would take up Elijah by a
whirlwind into heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. {2:2}
And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for Jehovah hath
sent me as far as Beth-el. And Elisha said, As Jehovah liveth, and as
thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Beth-el.
{2:3} And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to
Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that Jehovah will take away thy
master from thy head to-day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your
peace. {2:4} And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee;
for Jehovah hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As Jehovah liveth,
and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
{2:5} And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came near to
Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that Jehovah will take away thy
master from thy head to-day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye
your peace. {2:6} And Elijah said unto him, Tarry here, I pray thee;
for Jehovah hath sent me to the Jordan. And he said, As Jehovah liveth,
and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.
{2:7} And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood over
against them afar off: and they two stood by the Jordan. {2:8} And
Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters,
and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on
dry ground. {2:9} And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that
Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I am
taken from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of
thy spirit be upon me. {2:10} And he said, Thou hast asked a hard
thing: [nevertheless], if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it
shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. {2:11} And it
came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, [there
appeared] a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them both
asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. {2:12} And
Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariots of
Israel and the horsemen thereof!

   And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and
rent them in two pieces. {2:13} He took up also the mantle of Elijah
that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
{2:14} And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote
the waters, and said, Where is Jehovah, the God of Elijah? and when he
also had smitten the waters, they were divided hither and thither; and
Elisha went over.

   {2:15} And when the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho over
against him saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on
Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground
before him. {2:16} And they said unto him, Behold now, there are with
thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy
master, lest the Spirit of Jehovah hath taken him up, and cast him upon
some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send.
{2:17} And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They
sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him
not. {2:18} And they came back to him, while he tarried at Jericho; and
he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?

   {2:19} And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, we pray
thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the
water is bad, and the land miscarrieth. {2:20} And he said, Bring me a
new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him. {2:21} And
he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast salt therein, and
said, Thus saith Jehovah, I have healed these waters; there shall not
be from thence any more death or miscarrying. {2:22} So the waters were
healed unto this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spake.

   {2:23} And he went up from thence unto Beth-el; and as he was going
up by the way, there came forth young lads out of the city, and mocked
him, and said unto him, Go up, thou baldhead; go up, thou baldhead.
{2:24} And he looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in the
name of Jehovah. And there came forth two she-bears out of the wood,
and tare forty and two lads of them. {2:25} And he went from thence to
mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.



   {3:1} Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in
Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and
reigned twelve years. {3:2} And he did that which was evil in the sight
of Jehovah, but not like his father, and like his mother; for he put
away the pillar of Baal that his father had made. {3:3} Nevertheless he
cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made
Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

   {3:4} Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep-master; and he rendered
unto the king of Israel the wool of a hundred thousand lambs, and of a
hundred thousand rams. {3:5} But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead,
that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. {3:6} And
king Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time, and mustered all Israel.
{3:7} And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying,
The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against
Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people
as thy people, my horses as thy horses. {3:8} And he said, Which way
shall we go up? And he answered, The way of the wilderness of Edom.
{3:9} So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king
of Edom; and they made a circuit of seven days' journey: and there was
no water for the host, nor for the beasts that followed them. {3:10}
And the king of Israel said, Alas! for Jehovah hath called these three
kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab. {3:11} But
Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah, that we may
inquire of Jehovah by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants
answered and said, Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water
on the hands of Elijah. {3:12} And Jehoshaphat said, The word of
Jehovah is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king
of Edom went down to him.

   {3:13} And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do
with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets
of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay; for Jehovah
hath called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of
Moab. {3:14} And Elisha said, As Jehovah of hosts liveth, before whom I
stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat
the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee. {3:15}
But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel
played, that the hand of Jehovah came upon him. {3:16} And he said,
Thus saith Jehovah, Make this valley full of trenches. {3:17} For thus
saith Jehovah, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet
that valley shall be filled with water, and ye shall drink, both ye and
your cattle and your beasts. {3:18} And this is but a light thing in
the sight of Jehovah: he will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.
{3:19} And ye shall smite every fortified city, and every choice city,
and shall fell every good tree, and stop all fountains of water, and
mar every good piece of land with stones. {3:20} And it came to pass in
the morning, about the time of offering the oblation, that, behold,
there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with
water.

   {3:21} Now when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up
to fight against them, they gathered themselves together, all that were
able to put on armor, and upward, and stood on the border. {3:22} And
they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water,
and the Moabites saw the water over against them as red as blood:
{3:23} and they said, This is blood; the kings are surely destroyed,
and they have smitten each man his fellow: now therefore, Moab, to the
spoil. {3:24} And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites
rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they
went forward into the land smiting the Moabites. {3:25} And they beat
down the cities; and on every good piece of land they cast every man
his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the fountains of water,
and felled all the good trees, until in Kir-hareseth [only] they left
the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it.
{3:26} And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for
him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew sword, to break
through unto the king of Edom; but they could not. {3:27} Then he took
his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him
for a burnt-offering upon the wall. And there was great wrath against
Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.





   {4:1} Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of
the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and
thou knowest that thy servant did fear Jehovah: and the creditor is
come to take unto him my two children to be bondmen. {4:2} And Elisha
said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me; what hast thou in the
house? And she said, Thy handmaid hath not anything in the house, save
a pot of oil. {4:3} Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all
thy neighbors, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. {4:4} And thou
shalt go in, and shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and pour
out into all those vessels; and thou shalt set aside that which is
full. {4:5} So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon
her sons; they brought [the vessels] to her, and she poured out. {4:6}
And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her
son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel
more. And the oil stayed. {4:7} Then she came and told the man of God.
And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy
sons of the rest.

   {4:8} And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was
a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was,
that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. {4:9}
And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is a
holy man of God, that passeth by us continually. {4:10} Let us make, I
pray thee, a little chamber on the wall; and let us set for him there a
bed, and a table, and a seat, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when
he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither. {4:11} And it fell on a
day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber and lay
there. {4:12} And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite.
And when he had called her, she stood before him. {4:13} And he said
unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with
all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for
to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell
among mine own people. {4:14} And he said, What then is to be done for
her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no son, and her husband is
old. {4:15} And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she
stood in the door. {4:16} And he said, At this season, when the time
cometh round, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord,
thou man of God, do not lie unto thy handmaid.

   {4:17} And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season, when
the time came round, as Elisha had said unto her. {4:18} And when the
child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to
the reapers. {4:19} And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And
he said to his servant, Carry him to his mother. {4:20} And when he had
taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till
noon, and then died. {4:21} And she went up and laid him on the bed of
the man of God, and shut [the door] upon him, and went out. {4:22} And
she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the
servants, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and
come again. {4:23} And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to-day?
it is neither new moon nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.
{4:24} Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go
forward; slacken me not the riding, except I bid thee. {4:25} So she
went, and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel.

   And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he
said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is the Shunammite: {4:26}
run, I pray thee, now to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with
thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she
answered, It is well. {4:27} And when she came to the man of God to the
hill, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came near to thrust her
away; but the man of God said, Let her alone: for her soul is vexed
within her; and Jehovah hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.
{4:28} Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do
not deceive me? {4:29} Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and
take my staff in thy hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute
him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff
upon the face of the child. {4:30} And the mother of the child said, As
Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he
arose, and followed her. {4:31} And Gehazi passed on before them, and
laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice,
nor hearing. Wherefore he returned to meet him, and told him, saying,
The child is not awaked.

   {4:32} And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child
was dead, and laid upon his bed. {4:33} He went in therefore, and shut
the door upon them twain, and prayed unto Jehovah. {4:34} And he went
up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his
eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched
himself upon him; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. {4:35} Then he
returned, and walked in the house once to and fro; and went up, and
stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the
child opened his eyes. {4:36} And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this
Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he
said, Take up thy son. {4:37} Then she went in, and fell at his feet,
and bowed herself to the ground; and she took up her son, and went out.

   {4:38} And Elisha came again to Gilgal. And there was a dearth in
the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him; and he
said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the
sons of the prophets. {4:39} And one went out into the field to gather
herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap
full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage; for they knew
them not. {4:40} So they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to
pass, as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and
said, O man of God, there is death in the pot. And they could not eat
thereof. {4:41} But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the
pot; and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there
was no harm in the pot.

   {4:42} And there came a man from Baal-shalishah, and brought the man
of God bread of the first-fruits, twenty loaves of barley, and fresh
ears of grain in his sack. And he said, Give unto the people, that they
may eat. {4:43} And his servant said, What, should I set this before a
hundred men? But he said, Give the people, that they may eat; for thus
saith Jehovah, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof. {4:44} So he
set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to
the word of Jehovah.





   {5:1} Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a
great man with his master, and honorable, because by him Jehovah had
given victory unto Syria: he was also a mighty man of valor, [but he
was] a leper. {5:2} And the Syrians had gone out in bands, and had
brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maiden; and she
waited on Naaman's wife. {5:3} And she said unto her mistress, Would
that my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! then would he
recover him of his leprosy. {5:4} And one went in, and told his lord,
saying, Thus and thus said the maiden that is of the land of Israel.
{5:5} And the king of Syria said, Go now, and I will send a letter unto
the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of
silver, and six thousand [pieces] of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
{5:6} And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, And now
when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have sent Naaman my
servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy. {5:7} And
it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he
rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that
this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? but
consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.

   {5:8} And it was so, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king
of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying,
Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he
shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. {5:9} So Naaman came with
his horses and with his chariots, and stood at the door of the house of
Elisha. {5:10} And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and
wash in the Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee,
and thou shalt be clean. {5:11} But Naaman was wroth, and went away,
and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand,
and call on the name of Jehovah his God, and wave his hand over the
place, and recover the leper. {5:12} Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the
rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not
wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
{5:13} And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My
father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou
not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash,
and be clean? {5:14} Then went he down, and dipped [himself] seven
times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his
flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was
clean.

   {5:15} And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company,
and came, and stood before him; and he said, Behold now, I know that
there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray
thee, take a present of thy servant. {5:16} But he said, As Jehovah
liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to
take it; but he refused. {5:17} And Naaman said, If not, yet, I pray
thee, let there be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth; for
thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt-offering nor sacrifice
unto other gods, but unto Jehovah. {5:18} In this thing Jehovah pardon
thy servant: when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship
there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of
Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, Jehovah pardon thy
servant in this thing. {5:19} And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he
departed from him a little way.

   {5:20} But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said,
Behold, my master hath spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving
at his hands that which he brought: as Jehovah liveth, I will run after
him, and take somewhat of him. {5:21} So Gehazi followed after Naaman.
And when Naaman saw one running after him, he alighted from the chariot
to meet him, and said, Is all well? {5:22} And he said, All is well. My
master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there are come to me from
the hill-country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets;
give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of raiment.
{5:23} And Naaman said, Be pleased to take two talents. And he urged
him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of
raiment, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them
before him. {5:24} And when he came to the hill, he took them from
their hand, and bestowed them in the house; and he let the men go, and
they departed. {5:25} But he went in, and stood before his master. And
Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy
servant went no whither. {5:26} And he said unto him, Went not my heart
[with thee], when the man turned from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a
time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards and
vineyards, and sheep and oxen, and men-servants and maid-servants?
{5:27} The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto
thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper [as white]
as snow.



   {6:1} And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the
place where we dwell before thee is too strait for us. {6:2} Let us go,
we pray thee, unto the Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and
let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go
ye. {6:3} And one said, Be pleased, I pray thee, to go with thy
servants. And he answered, I will go. {6:4} So he went with them. And
when they came to the Jordan, they cut down wood. {6:5} But as one was
felling a beam, the axe-head fell into the water; and he cried, and
said, Alas, my master! for it was borrowed. {6:6} And the man of God
said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a
stick, and cast it in thither, and made the iron to swim. {6:7} And he
said, Take it up to thee. So he put out his hand, and took it.

   {6:8} Now the king of Syria was warring against Israel; and he took
counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my
camp. {6:9} And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying,
Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are
coming down. {6:10} And the king of Israel sent to the place which the
man of God told him and warned him of; and he saved himself there, not
once nor twice. {6:11} And the heart of the king of Syria was sore
troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto
them, Will ye not show me which of us is for the king of Israel? {6:12}
And one of his servants said, Nay, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the
prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that
thou speakest in thy bedchamber. {6:13} And he said, Go and see where
he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying,
Behold, he is in Dothan.

   {6:14} Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great
host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about. {6:15} And
when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth,
behold, a host with horses and chariots was round about the city. And
his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? {6:16} And
he answered, Fear not; for they that are with us are more than they
that are with them. {6:17} And Elisha prayed, and said, Jehovah, I pray
thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And Jehovah opened the eyes of
the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses
and chariots of fire round about Elisha. {6:18} And when they came down
to him, Elisha prayed unto Jehovah, and said, Smite this people, I pray
thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the
word of Elisha. {6:19} And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way,
neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man
whom ye seek. And he led them to Samaria.

   {6:20} And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that
Elisha said, Jehovah, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.
And Jehovah opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in
the midst of Samaria. {6:21} And the king of Israel said unto Elisha,
when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?
{6:22} And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite
those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set
bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to
their master. {6:23} And he prepared great provision for them; and when
they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their
master. And the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.

   {6:24} And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria
gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria. {6:25} And
there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it,
until an ass's head was sold for fourscore [pieces] of silver, and the
fourth part of a kab of dove's dung for five [pieces] of silver. {6:26}
And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a
woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king. {6:27} And he said, If
Jehovah do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the
threshing-floor, or out of the winepress? {6:28} And the king said unto
her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give
thy son, that we may eat him to-day, and we will eat my son to-morrow.
{6:29} So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the
next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him; and she hath hid her son.
{6:30} And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman,
that he rent his clothes (now he was passing by upon the wall); and the
people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.
{6:31} Then he said, God do so to me, and more also, if the head of
Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.

   {6:32} But Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were
sitting with him; and [the king] sent a man from before him: but ere
the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son
of a murderer hath sent to take away my head? look, when the messenger
cometh, shut the door, and hold the door fast against him: is not the
sound of his master's feet behind him? {6:33} And while he was yet
talking with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he
said, Behold, this evil is of Jehovah; why should I wait for Jehovah
any longer?



   {7:1} And Elisha said, Hear ye the word of Jehovah: thus saith
Jehovah, To-morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be
[sold] for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the
gate of Samaria. {7:2} Then the captain on whose hand the king leaned
answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if Jehovah should make
windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt
see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

   {7:3} Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate:
and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die? {7:4} If we
say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and
we shall die there; and if we sit still here, we die also. Now
therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they
save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.
{7:5} And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the
Syrians; and when they were come to the outermost part of the camp of
the Syrians, behold, there was no man there. {7:6} For the Lord had
made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise
of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to
another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the
Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us. {7:7}
Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents,
and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled
for their life. {7:8} And when these lepers came to the outermost part
of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and
carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and
they came back, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also,
and went and hid it.

   {7:9} Then they said one to another, We do not well; this day is a
day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the
morning light, punishment will overtake us; now therefore come, let us
go and tell the king's household. {7:10} So they came and called unto
the porter of the city; and they told them, saying, We came to the camp
of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of
man, but the horses tied, and the asses tied, and the tents as they
were. {7:11} And he called the porters; and they told it to the king's
household within. {7:12} And the king arose in the night, and said unto
his servants, I will now show you what the Syrians have done to us.
They know that we are hungry; therefore are they gone out of the camp
to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the
city, we shall take them alive, and get into the city. {7:13} And one
of his servants answered and said, Let some take, I pray thee, five of
the horses that remain, which are left in the city (behold, they are as
all the multitude of Israel that are left in it; behold, they are as
all the multitude of Israel that are consumed); and let us send and
see. {7:14} They took therefore two chariots with horses; and the king
sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see. {7:15} And they
went after them unto the Jordan: and, lo, all the way was full of
garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste.
And the messengers returned, and told the king.

   {7:16} And the people went out, and plundered the camp of the
Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was [sold] for a shekel, and two
measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of Jehovah.
{7:17} And the king appointed the captain on whose hand he leaned to
have the charge of the gate: and the people trod upon him in the gate,
and he died as the man of God had said, who spake when the king came
down to him. {7:18} And it came to pass, as the man of God had spoken
to the king, saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure
of fine flour for a shekel, shall be to-morrow about this time in the
gate of Samaria; {7:19} and that captain answered the man of God, and
said, Now, behold, if Jehovah should make windows in heaven, might such
a thing be? and he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but
shalt not eat thereof: {7:20} it came to pass even so unto him; for the
people trod upon him in the gate, and he died.



   {8:1} Now Elisha had spoken unto the woman, whose son he had
restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thy household, and
sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for Jehovah hath called for a
famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years. {8:2} And the
woman arose, and did according to the word of the man of God; and she
went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines
seven years. {8:3} And it came to pass at the seven years' end, that
the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went
forth to cry unto the king for her house and for her land. {8:4} Now
the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying,
Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done. {8:5}
And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored to
life him that was dead, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had
restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And
Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son,
whom Elisha restored to life. {8:6} And when the king asked the woman,
she told him. So the king appointed unto her a certain officer, saying,
Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the
day that she left the land, even until now.

   {8:7} And Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king of Syria
was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come hither.
{8:8} And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thy hand, and
go, meet the man of God, and inquire of Jehovah by him, saying, Shall I
recover of this sickness? {8:9} So Hazael went to meet him, and took a
present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels'
burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Benhadad king
of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this
sickness? {8:10} And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou shalt
surely recover; howbeit Jehovah hath showed me that he shall surely
die. {8:11} And he settled his countenance stedfastly [upon him], until
he was ashamed: and the man of God wept. {8:12} And Hazael said, Why
weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou
wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strongholds wilt thou set on
fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash
in pieces their little ones, and rip up their women with child. {8:13}
And Hazael said, But what is thy servant, who is but a dog, that he
should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, Jehovah hath showed me
that thou shalt be king over Syria. {8:14} Then he departed from
Elisha, and came to his master; who said to him, What said Elisha to
thee? And he answered, He told me that thou wouldest surely recover.
{8:15} And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took the coverlet,
and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and
Hazael reigned in his stead.

   {8:16} And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of
Israel, Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of
Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign. {8:17} Thirty and two years
old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in
Jerusalem. {8:18} And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as
did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife; and he
did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah. {8:19} Howbeit Jehovah
would not destroy Judah, for David his servant's sake, as he promised
him to give unto him a lamp for his children alway.

   {8:20} In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and
made a king over themselves. {8:21} Then Joram passed over to Zair, and
all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the
Edomites that compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots;
and the people fled to their tents. {8:22} So Edom revolted from under
the hand of Judah unto this day. Then did Libnah revolt at the same
time. {8:23} And the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did,
are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of
Judah? {8:24} And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his
fathers in the city of David; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

   {8:25} In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel
did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign. {8:26} Two
and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned
one year in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Athaliah the daughter
of Omri king of Israel. {8:27} And he walked in the way of the house of
Ahab, and did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, as did the
house of Ahab; for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab. {8:28}
And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of
Syria at Ramoth-gilead: and the Syrians wounded Joram. {8:29} And king
Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians
had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria.
And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the
son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.



   {9:1} And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets,
and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this vial of oil in thy
hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead. {9:2} And when thou comest thither, look
out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and
make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner
chamber. {9:3} Then take the vial of oil, and pour it on his head, and
say, Thus saith Jehovah, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then
open the door, and flee, and tarry not. {9:4} So the young man, even
the young man the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. {9:5} And when he
came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I
have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of us all?
And he said, To thee, O captain. {9:6} And he arose, and went into the
house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith
Jehovah, the God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people
of Jehovah, even over Israel. {9:7} And thou shalt smite the house of
Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the
prophets, and the blood of all the servants of Jehovah, at the hand of
Jezebel. {9:8} For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; and I will cut
off from Ahab every man-child, and him that is shut up and him that is
left at large in Israel. {9:9} And I will make the house of Ahab like
the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha
the son of Ahijah. {9:10} And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion
of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the
door, and fled.

   {9:11} Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one
said unto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And
he said unto them, Ye know the man and what his talk was. {9:12} And
they said, It is false; tell us now. And he said, Thus and thus spake
he to me, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, I have anointed thee king over
Israel. {9:13} Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and
put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew the trumpet,
saying, Jehu is king.

   {9:14} So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired
against Joram. (Now Joram was keeping Ramoth-gilead, he and all Israel,
because of Hazael king of Syria; {9:15} but king Joram was returned to
be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him,
when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) And Jehu said, If this be
your mind, then let none escape and go forth out of the city, to go to
tell it in Jezreel. {9:16} So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to
Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah was come down
to see Joram.

   {9:17} Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he
spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And
Joram said, Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is
it peace? {9:18} So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said,
Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do
with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The
messenger came to them, but he cometh not back. {9:19} Then he sent out
a second on horseback, who came to them, and said, Thus saith the king,
Is it peace? And Jehu answered, What hast thou to do with peace? turn
thee behind me. {9:20} And the watchman told, saying, He came even unto
them, and cometh not back: and the driving is like the driving of Jehu
the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously.

   {9:21} And Joram said, Make ready. And they made ready his chariot.
And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in
his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu, and found him in the
portion of Naboth the Jezreelite. {9:22} And it came to pass, when
Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What
peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her
witchcrafts are so many? {9:23} And Joram turned his hands, and fled,
and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Ahaziah. {9:24} And Jehu
drew his bow with his full strength, and smote Joram between his arms;
and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot.
{9:25} Then said [Jehu] to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in
the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember how
that, when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, Jehovah laid
this burden upon him: {9:26} Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of
Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith Jehovah; and I will requite
thee in this plat, saith Jehovah. Now therefore take and cast him into
the plat [of ground], according to the word of Jehovah.

   {9:27} But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the
way of the garden-house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite
him also in the chariot: [and they smote him] at the ascent of Gur,
which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there. {9:28} And
his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in
his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of David.

   {9:29} And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began
Ahaziah to reign over Judah. {9:30} And when Jehu was come to Jezreel,
Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her eyes, and attired her head,
and looked out at the window. {9:31} And as Jehu entered in at the
gate, she said, Is it peace, thou Zimri, thy master's murderer? {9:32}
And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side?
who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. {9:33} And he
said, Throw her down. So they threw her down; and some of her blood was
sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trod her under foot.
{9:34} And when he was come in, he did eat and drink; and he said, See
now to this cursed woman, and bury her; for she is a king's daughter.
{9:35} And they went to bury her; but they found no more of her than
the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands. {9:36} Wherefore
they came back, and told him. And he said, This is the word of Jehovah,
which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the
portion of Jezreel shall the dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel; {9:37} and
the body of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the
portion of Jezreel, so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.



   {10:1} Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters,
and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, even the elders, and
unto them that brought up [the sons of] Ahab, saying, {10:2} And now as
soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master's sons are with
you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fortified city also,
and armor; {10:3} look ye out the best and meetest of your master's
sons, and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's
house. {10:4} But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, the
two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand? {10:5} And he
that was over the household, and he that was over the city, the elders
also, and they that brought up [the children], sent to Jehu, saying, We
are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not
make any man king: do thou that which is good in thine eyes. {10:6}
Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be on my
side, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the
men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to-morrow this
time. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great
men of the city, who brought them up. {10:7} And it came to pass, when
the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew them,
even seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them
unto him to Jezreel. {10:8} And there came a messenger, and told him,
saying, They have brought the heads of the king's sons. And he said,
Lay ye them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning.
{10:9} And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood,
and said to all the people, Ye are righteous: behold, I conspired
against my master, and slew him; but who smote all these? {10:10} Know
now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of
Jehovah, which Jehovah spake concerning the house of Ahab: for Jehovah
hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah. {10:11} So Jehu
smote all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his
great men, and his familiar friends, and his priests, until he left him
none remaining.

   {10:12} And he arose and departed, and went to Samaria. And as he
was at the shearing-house of the shepherds in the way, {10:13} Jehu met
with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And
they answered, We are the brethren of Ahaziah: and we go down to salute
the children of the king and the children of the queen. {10:14} And he
said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the
pit of the shearing-house, even two and forty men; neither left he any
of them. {10:15} And when he was departed thence, he lighted on
Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him; and he saluted him, and
said to him, Is thy heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And
Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thy hand. And he gave him
his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot. {10:16} And he
said, Come with me, and see my zeal for Jehovah. So they made him ride
in his chariot. {10:17} And when he came to Samaria, he smote all that
remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to
the word of Jehovah, which he spake to Elijah.

   {10:18} And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto
them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu will serve him much. {10:19}
Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his
worshippers, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a
great sacrifice [to do] to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall
not live. But Jehu did it in subtlety, to the intent that he might
destroy the worshippers of Baal. {10:20} And Jehu said, Sanctify a
solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it. {10:21} And Jehu sent
through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there
was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal;
and the house of Baal was filled from one end to another. {10:22} And
he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for
all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments.
{10:23} And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house
of Baal; and he said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look
that there be here with you none of the servants of Jehovah, but the
worshippers of Baal only. {10:24} And they went in to offer sacrifices
and burnt-offerings. Now Jehu had appointed him fourscore men without,
and said, If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escape, [he
that letteth him go], his life shall be for the life of him.

   {10:25} And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of
offering the burnt-offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the
captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote
them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast
them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal. {10:26} And they
brought forth the pillars that were in the house of Baal, and burned
them. {10:27} And they brake down the pillar of Baal, and brake down
the house of Baal, and made it a draught-house, unto this day. {10:28}
Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

   {10:29} Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,
wherewith he made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, [to
wit], the golden calves that were in Beth-el, and that were in Dan.
{10:30} And Jehovah said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in
executing that which is right in mine eyes, [and] hast done unto the
house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, thy sons of the
fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel. {10:31} But Jehu
took no heed to walk in the law of Jehovah, the God of Israel, with all
his heart: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, wherewith he made
Israel to sin.

   {10:32} In those days Jehovah began to cut off from Israel: and
Hazael smote them in all the borders of Israel; {10:33} from the Jordan
eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and
the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, even
Gilead and Bashan. {10:34} Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all
that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Israel? {10:35} And Jehu slept with his
fathers; and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned
in his stead. {10:36} And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in
Samaria was twenty and eight years.



   {11:1} Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was
dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal. {11:2} But Jehosheba,
the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of
Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king's sons that were slain,
even him and his nurse, [and put them] in the bedchamber; and they hid
him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain; {11:3} And he was with her
hid in the house of Jehovah six years. And Athaliah reigned over the
land.

   {11:4} And in the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the
captains over hundreds of the Carites and of the guard, and brought
them to him into the house of Jehovah; and he made a covenant with
them, and took an oath of them in the house of Jehovah, and showed them
the king's son. {11:5} And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing
that ye shall do: a third part of you, that come in on the sabbath,
shall be keepers of the watch of the king's house; {11:6} And a third
part shall be at the gate Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the
guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, and be a barrier.
{11:7} And the two companies of you, even all that go forth on the
sabbath, shall keep the watch of the house of Jehovah about the king.
{11:8} And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his
weapons in his hand; and he that cometh within the ranks, let him be
slain: and be ye with the king when he goeth out, and when he cometh in.

   {11:9} And the captains over hundreds did according to all that
Jehoiada the priest commanded; and 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, and came to Jehoiada the priest. {11:10} And the priest
delivered to the captains over hundreds the spears and shields that had
been king David's, which were in the house of Jehovah. {11:11} And the
guard stood, every man with his weapons 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. {11:12} Then he brought out the
king's son, and put the crown upon him, and [gave him] the testimony;
and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands,
and said, [Long] live the king.

   {11:13} And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard [and of] the
people, she came to the people into the house of Jehovah: {11:14} and
she looked, and, behold, the king stood by the pillar, as the manner
was, and the captains and the trumpets by the king; and all the people
of the land rejoiced, and blew trumpets. Then Athaliah rent her
clothes, and cried, Treason! treason! {11:15} And Jehoiada the priest
commanded the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and
said unto them, Have her forth between the ranks; and him that
followeth her slay with the sword. For the priest said, Let her not be
slain in the house of Jehovah. {11:16} So they made way for her; and
she went by the way of the horses' entry to the king's house: and there
was she slain.

   {11:17} And Jehoiada made a covenant between Jehovah and the king
and the people, that they should be Jehovah's people; between the king
also and the people. {11:18} And all the people of the land went to the
house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they
in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the
altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of Jehovah.
{11:19} And he took the captains over hundreds, and the Carites, and
the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the
king from the house of Jehovah, and came by the way of the gate of the
guard unto the king's house. And he sat on the throne of the kings.
{11:20} So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet.
And Athaliah they had slain with the sword at the king's house. {11:21}
Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign.



   {12:1} In the seventh year of Jehu began Jehoash to reign; and he
reigned forty years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Zibiah of
Beer-sheba. {12:2} And Jehoash did that which was right in the eyes of
Jehovah all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him. {12:3}
Howbeit the high places were not taken away; the people still
sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.

   {12:4} And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the
hallowed things that is brought into the house of Jehovah, in current
money, the money of the persons for whom each man is rated, and all the
money that it cometh into any man's heart to bring into the house of
Jehovah, {12:5} let the priests take it to them, every man from his
acquaintance; and they shall repair the breaches of the house,
wheresoever any breach shall be found. {12:6} But it was so, that in
the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not
repaired the breaches of the house. {12:7} Then king Jehoash called for
Jehoiada the priest, and for the [other] priests, and said unto them,
Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore take no
[more] money from your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of
the house. {12:8} And the priests consented that they should take no
[more] money from the people, neither repair the breaches of the house.

   {12:9} But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the
lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh
into the house of Jehovah: and the priests that kept the threshold put
therein all the money that was brought into the house of Jehovah.
{12:10} And it was so, when they saw that there was much money in the
chest, that the king's scribe and the high priest came up, and they put
up in bags and counted the money that was found in the house of
Jehovah. {12:11} And they gave the money that was weighed out into the
hands of them that did the work, that had the oversight of the house of
Jehovah: and they paid it out to the carpenters and the builders, that
wrought upon the house of Jehovah, {12:12} and to the masons and the
hewers of stone, and for buying timber and hewn stone to repair the
breaches of the house of Jehovah, and for all that was laid out for the
house to repair it. {12:13} But there were not made for the house of
Jehovah cups of silver, snuffers, basins, trumpets, any vessels of
gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into the
house of Jehovah; {12:14} for they gave that to them that did the work,
and repaired therewith the house of Jehovah. {12:15} Moreover they
reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to
give to them that did the work; for they dealt faithfully. {12:16} The
money for the trespass-offerings, and the money for the sin-offerings,
was not brought into the house of Jehovah: it was the priests'.

   {12:17} Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath,
and took it; and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem. {12:18} And
Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat and
Jehoram and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and
his own hallowed things, and all the gold that was found in the
treasures of the house of Jehovah, and of the king's house, and sent it
to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem.

   {12:19} Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, are
they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
{12:20} And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and smote Joash
at the house of Millo, [on the way] that goeth down to Silla. {12:21}
For Jozacar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his
servants, smote him, and he died; and they buried him with his fathers
in the city of David: and Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.



   {13:1} In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah,
king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in
Samaria, [and reigned] seventeen years. {13:2} And he did that which
was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the
son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin; he departed not
therefrom. {13:3} And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel,
and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into
the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, continually. {13:4} And
Jehoahaz besought Jehovah, and Jehovah hearkened unto him; for he saw
the oppression of Israel, how that the king of Syria oppressed them.
{13:5} (And Jehovah gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from
under the hand of the Syrians; and the children of Israel dwelt in
their tents as beforetime. {13:6} Nevertheless they departed not from
the sins of the house of Jeroboam, wherewith he made Israel to sin, but
walked therein: and there remained the Asherah also in Samaria.) {13:7}
For he left not to Jehoahaz of the people save fifty horsemen, and ten
chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria destroyed
them, and made them like the dust in threshing. {13:8} Now the rest of
the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? {13:9}
And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria:
and Joash his son reigned in his stead.

   {13:10} In the thirty and seventh year of Joash king of Judah began
Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria, [and
reigned] sixteen years. {13:11} And he did that which was evil in the
sight of Jehovah; he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son
of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin; but he walked therein.
{13:12} Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his
might wherewith he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? {13:13}
And Joash slept with his fathers; and Jeroboam sat upon his throne: and
Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

   {13:14} Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died:
and Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over him, and
said, My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen
thereof! {13:15} And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows; and he
took unto him bow and arrows. {13:16} And he said to the king of
Israel, Put thy hand upon the bow; and he put his hand [upon it]. And
Elisha laid his hands upon the king's hands. {13:17} And he said, Open
the window eastward; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot; and he
shot. And he said, Jehovah's arrow of victory, even the arrow of
victory over Syria; for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till
thou have consumed them. {13:18} And he said, Take the arrows; and he
took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground;
and he smote thrice, and stayed. {13:19} And the man of God was wroth
with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times: then
hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it, whereas now thou
shalt smite Syria but thrice.

   {13:20} And Elisha died, and they buried him. Now the bands of the
Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year. {13:21} And it
came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a
band; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and as soon
as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his
feet.

   {13:22} And Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of
Jehoahaz. {13:23} But Jehovah was gracious unto them, and had
compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant
with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither
cast he them from his presence as yet. {13:24} And Hazael king of Syria
died; and Benhadad his son reigned in his stead. {13:25} And Jehoash
the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Benhadad the son of
Hazael the cities which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his
father by war. Three times did Joash smite him, and recovered the
cities of Israel.



   {14:1} In the second year of Joash son of Joahaz king of Israel
began Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah to reign. {14:2} He was
twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty
and nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Jehoaddin of
Jerusalem. {14:3} And he did that which was right in the eyes of
Jehovah, yet not like David his father: he did according to all that
Joash his father had done. {14:4} Howbeit the high places were not
taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high
places. {14:5} And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was
established in his hand, that he slew his servants who had slain the
king his father: {14:6} but the children of the murderers he put not to
death; according to that which is written in the book of the law of
Moses, as Jehovah commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to
death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the
fathers; but every man shall die for his own sin. {14:7} He slew of
Edom in the Valley of Salt ten thousand, and took Sela by war, and
called the name of it Joktheel, unto this day.

   {14:8} Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz
son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in
the face. {14:9} And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of
Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that
was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there
passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle.
{14:10} Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thy heart hath lifted thee
up: glory thereof, and abide at home; for why shouldest thou meddle to
[thy] hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?

   {14:11} But Amaziah would not hear. So Jehoash king of Israel went
up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at
Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to Judah. {14:12} And Judah was put to
the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to his tent. {14:13}
And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of
Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and
brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the
corner gate, four hundred cubits. {14:14} And he took all the gold and
silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of Jehovah,
and in the treasures of the king's house, the hostages also, and
returned to Samaria.

   {14:15} Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his
might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? {14:16}
And Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the
kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead.

   {14:17} And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the
death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years. {14:18}
Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book
of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? {14:19} And they made a
conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they
sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there. {14:20} And they brought
him upon horses; and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the
city of David. {14:21} And all the people of Judah took Azariah, who
was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father
Amaziah. {14:22} He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that
the king slept with his fathers.

   {14:23} In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of
Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in
Samaria, [and reigned] forty and one years. {14:24} And he did that
which was evil in the sight of Jehovah: he departed not from all the
sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin.
{14:25} He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath
unto the sea of the Arabah, according to the word of Jehovah, the God
of Israel, which he spake by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the
prophet, who was of Gath-hepher. {14:26} For Jehovah saw the affliction
of Israel, that it was very bitter; for there was none shut up nor left
at large, neither was there any helper for Israel. {14:27} And Jehovah
said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven;
but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.

   {14:28} Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did,
and his might, how he warred, and how he recovered Damascus, and
Hamath, [which had belonged] to Judah, for Israel, are they not written
in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? {14:29} And
Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and
Zechariah his son reigned in his stead.



   {15:1} In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel
began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign. {15:2} Sixteen
years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned two and fifty
years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.
{15:3} And he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah,
according to all that his father Amaziah had done. {15:4} Howbeit the
high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt
incense in the high places. {15:5} And Jehovah smote the king, so that
he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a separate
house. And Jotham the king's son was over the household, judging the
people of the land. {15:6} Now the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all
that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Judah? {15:7} And Azariah slept with his fathers; and they
buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son
reigned in his stead.

   {15:8} In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did
Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.
{15:9} And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, as his
fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of
Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin. {15:10} And Shallum the son of
Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew
him, and reigned in his stead. {15:11} Now the rest of the acts of
Zechariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of
the kings of Israel. {15:12} This was the word of Jehovah which he
spake unto Jehu, saying, Thy sons to the fourth generation shall sit
upon the throne of Israel. And so it came to pass.

   {15:13} Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and
thirtieth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned the space of a
month in Samaria. {15:14} And Menahem the son of Gadi went up from
Tirzah, and came to Samaria, and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in
Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead. {15:15} Now the rest
of the acts of Shallum, and his conspiracy which he made, behold, they
are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
{15:16} Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the
borders thereof, from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore
he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped
up.

   {15:17} In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah
began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, [and reigned] ten
years in Samaria. {15:18} And he did that which was evil in the sight
of Jehovah: he departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the
son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin. {15:19} There came
against the land Pul the king of Assyria; and Menahem gave Pul a
thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm
the kingdom in his hand. {15:20} And Menahem exacted the money of
Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels
of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria
turned back, and stayed not there in the land. {15:21} Now the rest of
the acts of Menahem, and all that he did, are they not written in the
book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? {15:22} And Menahem
slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead.

   {15:23} In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekahiah the
son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, [and reigned] two
years. {15:24} And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah:
he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith
he made Israel to sin. {15:25} And Pekah the son of Remaliah, his
captain, conspired against him, and smote him in Samaria, in the castle
of the king's house, with Argob and Arieh; and with him were fifty men
of the Gileadites: and he slew him, and reigned in his stead. {15:26}
Now the rest of the acts of Pekahiah, and all that he did, behold, they
are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

   {15:27} In the two and fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekah
the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, [and
reigned] twenty years. {15:28} And he did that which was evil in the
sight of Jehovah: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of
Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin.

   {15:29} In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser
king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maacah, and Janoah, and
Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali;
and he carried them captive to Assyria. {15:30} And Hoshea the son of
Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote
him, and slew him, and reigned in his stead, in the twentieth year of
Jotham the son of Uzziah. {15:31} Now the rest of the acts of Pekah,
and all that he did, behold, they are written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Israel.

   {15:32} In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of
Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign. {15:33}
Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned
sixteen years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Jerusha the
daughter of Zadok. {15:34} And he did that which was right in the eyes
of Jehovah; he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done.
{15:35} Howbeit the high places were not taken away: the people still
sacrificed and burned incense in the high places. He built the upper
gate of the house of Jehovah. {15:36} Now the rest of the acts of
Jotham, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Judah? {15:37} In those days Jehovah began
to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of
Remaliah. {15:38} And Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried
with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Ahaz his son
reigned in his stead.



   {16:1} In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the
son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign. {16:2} Twenty years old was
Ahaz when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem:
and he did not that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah his God,
like David his father. {16:3} But he walked in the way of the kings of
Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to
the abominations of the nations, whom Jehovah cast out from before the
children of Israel. {16:4} And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the
high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

   {16:5} Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of
Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could
not overcome him. {16:6} At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered
Elath to Syria, and drove the Jews from Elath; and the Syrians came to
Elath, and dwelt there, unto this day.

   {16:7} So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria,
saying, I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the
hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel,
who rise up against me. {16:8} And Ahaz took the silver and gold that
was found in the house of Jehovah, and in the treasures of the king's
house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria. {16:9} And the
king of Assyria hearkened unto him; and the king of Assyria went up
against Damascus, and took it, and carried [the people of] it captive
to Kir, and slew Rezin.

   {16:10} And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king
of Assyria, and saw the altar that was at Damascus; and king Ahaz sent
to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it,
according to all the workmanship thereof. {16:11} And Urijah the priest
built an altar: according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus,
so did Urijah the priest make it against the coming of king Ahaz from
Damascus. {16:12} And when the king was come from Damascus, the king
saw the altar: and the king drew near unto the altar, and offered
thereon. {16:13} And he burnt his burnt-offering and his meal-offering,
and poured his drink-offering, and sprinkled the blood of his
peace-offerings, upon the altar. {16:14} And the brazen altar, which
was before Jehovah, he brought from the forefront of the house, from
between his altar and the house of Jehovah, and put it on the north
side of his altar. {16:15} And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest,
saying, Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt-offering, and the
evening meal-offering, and the king's burnt-offering, and his
meal-offering, with the burnt-offering of all the people of the land,
and their meal-offering, and their drink-offerings; and sprinkle upon
it all the blood of the burnt-offering, and all the blood of the
sacrifice: but the brazen altar shall be for me to inquire by. {16:16}
Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all that king Ahaz commanded.

   {16:17} And king Ahaz cut off the panels of the bases, and removed
the laver from off them, and took down the sea from off the brazen oxen
that were under it, and put it upon a pavement of stone. {16:18} And
the covered way for the sabbath that they had built in the house, and
the king's entry without, turned he unto the house of Jehovah, because
of the king of Assyria. {16:19} Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which
he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings
of Judah? {16:20} And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with
his fathers in the city of David: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his
stead.



   {17:1} In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the
son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel, [and reigned] nine years.
{17:2} And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, yet not
as the kings of Israel that were before him. {17:3} Against him came up
Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and brought
him tribute. {17:4} And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea;
for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and offered no tribute
to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king
of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison. {17:5} Then the king
of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and
besieged it three years. {17:6} In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of
Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away unto Assyria, and placed
them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities
of the Medes.

   {17:7} And it was so, because the children of Israel had sinned
against Jehovah their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt
from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other
gods, {17:8} and walked in the statutes of the nations, whom Jehovah
cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of
Israel, which they made. {17:9} And the children of Israel did secretly
things that were not right against Jehovah their God: and they built
them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to
the fortified city; {17:10} and they set them up pillars and Asherim
upon every high hill, and under every green tree; {17:11} and there
they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the nations whom
Jehovah carried away before them; and they wrought wicked things to
provoke Jehovah to anger; {17:12} and they served idols, whereof
Jehovah had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing. {17:13} Yet
Jehovah testified unto Israel, and unto Judah, by every prophet, and
every seer, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my
commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I
commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the
prophets. {17:14} Notwithstanding, they would not hear, but hardened
their neck, like to the neck of their fathers, who believed not in
Jehovah their God. {17:15} And they rejected his statutes, and his
covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he
testified unto them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and
[went] after the nations that were round about them, concerning whom
Jehovah had charged them that they should not do like them. {17:16} And
they forsook all the commandments of Jehovah their God, and made them
molten images, even two calves, and made an Asherah, and worshipped all
the host of heaven, and served Baal. {17:17} And they caused their sons
and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and
enchantments, and sold themselves to do that which was evil in the
sight of Jehovah, to provoke him to anger. {17:18} Therefore Jehovah
was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there
was none left but the tribe of Judah only.

   {17:19} Also Judah kept not the commandments of Jehovah their God,
but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made. {17:20} And
Jehovah rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and
delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of
his sight. {17:21} For he rent Israel from the house of David; and they
made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drove Israel from
following Jehovah, and made them sin a great sin. {17:22} And the
children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did;
they departed not from them; {17:23} until Jehovah removed Israel out
of his sight, as he spake by all his servants the prophets. So Israel
was carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.

   {17:24} And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from
Cuthah, and from Avva, and from Hamath and Sepharvaim, and placed them
in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; and they
possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof. {17:25} And so it
was, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not
Jehovah: therefore Jehovah sent lions among them, which killed some of
them. {17:26} Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The
nations which thou hast carried away, and placed in the cities of
Samaria, know not the law of the god of the land: therefore he hath
sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know
not the law of the god of the land.

   {17:27} Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither
one of the priests whom ye brought from thence; and let them go and
dwell there, and let him teach them the law of the god of the land.
{17:28} So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria
came and dwelt in Beth-el, and taught them how they should fear
Jehovah. {17:29} Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put
them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made,
every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt. {17:30} And the men of
Babylon made Succoth-benoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the
men of Hamath made Ashima, {17:31} and the Avvites made Nibhaz and
Tartak; and the Sepharvites burnt their children in the fire to
Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. {17:32} So they
feared Jehovah, and made unto them from among themselves priests of the
high places, who sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places.
{17:33} They feared Jehovah, and served their own gods, after the
manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away.

   {17:34} Unto this day they do after the former manner: they fear not
Jehovah, neither do they after their statutes, or after their
ordinances, or after the law or after the commandment which Jehovah
commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel; {17:35} with
whom Jehovah had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall
not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor
sacrifice to them: {17:36} but Jehovah, who brought you up out of the
land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, him shall
ye fear, and unto him shall ye bow yourselves, and to him shall ye
sacrifice: {17:37} and the statutes and the ordinances, and the law and
the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for
evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods: {17:38} and the covenant
that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear
other gods: {17:39} but Jehovah your God shall ye fear; and he will
deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies. {17:40} Howbeit they
did not hearken, but they did after their former manner. {17:41} So
these nations feared Jehovah, and served their graven images; their
children likewise, and their children's children, as did their fathers,
so do they unto this day.



   {18:1} Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah
king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to
reign. {18:2} Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign;
and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother's
name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. {18:3} And he did that which
was right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that David his
father had done. {18:4} He removed the high places, and brake the
pillars, and cut down the Asherah: and he brake in pieces the brazen
serpent that Moses had made; for unto those days the children of Israel
did burn incense to it; and he called it Nehushtan. {18:5} He trusted
in Jehovah, the God of Israel; so that after him was none like him
among all the kings of Judah, nor [among them] that were before him.
{18:6} For he clave to Jehovah; he departed not from following him, but
kept his commandments, which Jehovah commanded Moses. {18:7} And
Jehovah was with him; whithersoever he went forth he prospered: and he
rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not. {18:8} He
smote the Philistines unto Gaza and the borders thereof, from the tower
of the watchmen to the fortified city.

   {18:9} And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah,
which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that
Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.
{18:10} And at the end of three years they took it: in the sixth year
of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria
was taken. {18:11} And the king of Assyria carried Israel away unto
Assyria, and put them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan,
and in the cities of the Medes, {18:12} because they obeyed not the
voice of Jehovah their God, but transgressed his covenant, even all
that Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded, and would not hear it, nor
do it.

   {18:13} Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib
king of Assyria come up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and
took them. {18:14} And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of
Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which
thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto
Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty
talents of gold. {18:15} And Hezekiah gave [him] all the silver that
was found in the house of Jehovah, and in the treasures of the king's
house. {18:16} At that time did Hezekiah cut off [the gold from] the
doors of the temple of Jehovah, and [from] the pillars which Hezekiah
king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria. {18:17}
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rab-saris and Rabshakeh from
Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great army unto Jerusalem. And they
went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came
and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of
the fuller's field. {18:18} And when they had called to the king, there
came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the
household, and Shebnah the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the
recorder.

   {18:19} And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus
saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this
wherein thou trustest? {18:20} Thou sayest (but they are but vain
words), [There is] counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost
thou trust, that thou hast rebelled against me? {18:21} Now, behold,
thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt;
whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is
Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him. {18:22} But if ye say
unto me, We trust in Jehovah our God; is not that he, whose high places
and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and
to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem? {18:23}
Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my master the king of
Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on
thy part to set riders upon them. {18:24} How then canst thou turn away
the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put
thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? {18:25} Am I now come
up without Jehovah against this place to destroy it? Jehovah said unto
me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.

   {18:26} Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah,
unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian
language; for we understand it: and speak not with us in the Jews'
language, in the ears of the people that are on the wall. {18:27} But
Rabshakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to
thee, to speak these words? [hath he] not [sent me] to the men that sit
on the wall, to eat their own dung, and to drink their own water with
you? {18:28} Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the
Jews' language, and spake, saying, Hear ye the word of the great king,
the king of Assyria. {18:29} Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah
deceive you; for he will not be able to deliver you out of his hand:
{18:30} neither let Hezekiah make you trust in Jehovah, saying, Jehovah
will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be given into the hand
of the king of Assyria. {18:31} Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith
the king of Assyria, Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and
eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig-tree, and drink
ye every one the waters of his own cistern; {18:32} Until I come and
take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new
wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive-trees and of
honey, that ye may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah,
when he persuadeth you, saying, Jehovah will deliver us. {18:33} Hath
any of the gods of the nations ever delivered his land out of the hand
of the king of Assyria? {18:34} Where are the gods of Hamath, and of
Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivvah? have they
delivered Samaria out of my hand? {18:35} Who are they among all the
gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of my
hand, that Jehovah should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?

   {18:36} But the people held their peace, and answered him not a
word; for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not. {18:37}
Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and
Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah
with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.



   {19:1} And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he
rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the
house of Jehovah. {19:2} And he sent Eliakim, who was over the
household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests,
covered with sackcloth, unto Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. {19:3}
And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of
trouble, and of rebuke, and of contumely; for the children are come to
the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth. {19:4} It may be
Jehovah thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of
Assyria his master hath sent to defy the living God, and will rebuke
the words which Jehovah thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy
prayer for the remnant that is left. {19:5} So the servants of king
Hezekiah came to Isaiah. {19:6} And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall
ye say to your master, Thus saith Jehovah, Be not afraid of the words
that thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria
have blasphemed me. {19:7} Behold, I will put a spirit in him, and he
shall hear tidings, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause
him to fall by the sword in his own land. {19:8} So Rabshakeh returned,
and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah; for he had heard
that he was departed from Lachish. {19:9} And when he heard say of
Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to fight against
thee, he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah, saying, {19:10} Thus
shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God in
whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be given
into the hand of the king of Assyria. {19:11} Behold, thou hast heard
what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them
utterly: and shalt thou be delivered? {19:12} Have the gods of the
nations delivered them, which my fathers have destroyed, Gozan, and
Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden that were in Telassar?
{19:13} Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the
king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivvah?

   {19:14} And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the
messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up unto the house of
Jehovah, and spread it before Jehovah. {19:15} And Hezekiah prayed
before Jehovah, and said, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, that sittest
[above] the cherubim, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the
kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth. {19:16} Incline
thine ear, O Jehovah, and hear; open thine eyes, O Jehovah, and see;
and hear the words of Sennacherib, wherewith he hath sent him to defy
the living God. {19:17} Of a truth, Jehovah, the kings of Assyria have
laid waste the nations and their lands, {19:18} and have cast their
gods into the fire; for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands,
wood and stone; therefore they have destroyed them. {19:19} Now
therefore, O Jehovah our God, save thou us, I beseech thee, out of his
hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou Jehovah art
God alone.

   {19:20} Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus
saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Whereas thou hast prayed to me
against Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard [thee]. {19:21} This
is the word that Jehovah hath spoken concerning him: The virgin
daughter of Zion hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorn; the
daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee. {19:22} Whom hast
thou defied and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy
voice and lifted up thine eyes on high? [even] against the Holy One of
Israel. {19:23} By thy messengers thou hast defied the Lord, and hast
said, With the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of
the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon; and I will cut down
the tall cedars thereof, and the choice fir-trees thereof; and I will
enter into his farthest lodging-place, the forest of his fruitful
field. {19:24} I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the
sole of my feet will I dry up all the rivers of Egypt.

   {19:25} Hast thou not heard how I have done it long ago, and formed
it of ancient times? now have I brought it to pass, that it should be
thine to lay waste fortified cities into ruinous heaps. {19:26}
Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and
confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb,
as the grass on the housetops, and as grain blasted before it is grown
up. {19:27} But I know thy sitting down, and thy going out, and thy
coming in, and thy raging against me. {19:28} Because of thy raging
against me, and because thine arrogancy is come up into mine ears,
therefore will I put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips,
and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.

   {19:29} And this shall be the sign unto thee: Ye shall eat this year
that which groweth of itself, and in the second year that which
springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and
plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof. {19:30} And the remnant
that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward,
and bear fruit upward. {19:31} For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a
remnant, and out of mount Zion they that shall escape: the zeal of
Jehovah shall perform this. {19:32} Therefore thus saith Jehovah
concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come unto this city, nor
shoot an arrow there, neither shall he come before it with shield, nor
cast up a mound against it. {19:33} By the way that he came, by the
same shall he return, and he shall not come unto this city, saith
Jehovah. {19:34} For I will defend this city to save it, for mine own
sake, and for my servant David's sake.

   {19:35} And it came to pass that night, that the angel of Jehovah
went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred fourscore
and five thousand: and when men arose early in the morning, behold,
these were all dead bodies. {19:36} So Sennacherib king of Assyria
departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. {19:37} And it
came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god,
that Adrammelech and Sharezer smote him with the sword: and they
escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esar-haddon his son reigned in his
stead.



   {20:1} In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the
prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith
Jehovah, Set thy house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.
{20:2} Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto Jehovah,
saying, {20:3} Remember now, O Jehovah, I beseech thee, how I have
walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done
that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. {20:4} And it
came to pass, before Isaiah was gone out into the middle part of the
city, that the word of Jehovah came to him, saying, {20:5} Turn back,
and say to Hezekiah the prince of my people, Thus saith Jehovah, the
God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy
tears: behold, I will heal thee; on the third day thou shalt go up unto
the house of Jehovah. {20:6} And I will add unto thy days fifteen
years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the
king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for
my servant David's sake. {20:7} And Isaiah said, Take a cake of figs.
And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.

   {20:8} And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that
Jehovah will heal me, and that I shall go up unto the house of Jehovah
the third day? {20:9} And Isaiah said, This shall be the sign unto thee
from Jehovah, that Jehovah will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall
the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps? {20:10} And
Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to decline ten
steps: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten steps. {20:11} And
Isaiah the prophet cried unto Jehovah; and he brought the shadow ten
steps backward, by which it had gone down on the dial of Ahaz.

   {20:12} At that time Berodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of
Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah; for he had heard
that Hezekiah had been sick. {20:13} And Hezekiah hearkened unto them,
and showed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and
the gold, and the spices, and the precious oil, and the house of his
armor, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in
his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah showed them not.
{20:14} Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto
him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And
Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon.
{20:15} And he said, What have they seen in thy house? And Hezekiah
answered, All that is in my house have they seen: there is nothing
among my treasures that I have not showed them.

   {20:16} And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of Jehovah.
{20:17} Behold, the days come, that all that is in thy house, and that
which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried
to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith Jehovah. {20:18} And of thy
sons that shall issue from thee, whom thou shalt beget, shall they take
away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.
{20:19} Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of Jehovah
which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, Is it not so, if peace and
truth shall be in my days? {20:20} Now the rest of the acts of
Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made the pool, and the conduit,
and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of
the chronicles of the kings of Judah? {20:21} And Hezekiah slept with
his fathers; and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.



   {21:1} Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned five and fifty years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was
Hephzibah. {21:2} And he did that which was evil in the sight of
Jehovah, after the abominations of the nations whom Jehovah cast out
before the children of Israel. {21:3} For he built again the high
places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars
for Baal, and made an Asherah, as did Ahab king of Israel, and
worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. {21:4} And he built
altars in the house of Jehovah, whereof Jehovah said, In Jerusalem will
I put my name. {21:5} And he built altars for all the host of heaven in
the two courts of the house of Jehovah. {21:6} And he made his son to
pass through the fire, and practised augury, and used enchantments, and
dealt with them that had familiar spirits, and with wizards: he wrought
much evil in the sight of Jehovah, to provoke him to anger. {21:7} And
he set the graven image of Asherah, that he had made, in the house of
which Jehovah said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and
in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will
I put my name for ever; {21:8} neither will I cause the feet of Israel
to wander any more out of the land which I gave their fathers, if only
they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them,
and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.
{21:9} But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do that
which is evil more than did the nations whom Jehovah destroyed before
the children of Israel.

   {21:10} And Jehovah spake by his servants the prophets, saying,
{21:11} Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations,
and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, that were
before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols; {21:12}
therefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Behold, I bring such
evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his
ears shall tingle. {21:13} And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line
of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab; and I will wipe
Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down.
{21:14} And I will cast off the remnant of mine inheritance, and
deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a
prey and a spoil to all their enemies; {21:15} because they have done
that which is evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since
the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day.

   {21:16} Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had
filled Jerusalem from one end to another; besides his sin wherewith he
made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of
Jehovah. {21:17} Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he
did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the book of
the chronicles of the kings of Judah? {21:18} And Manasseh slept with
his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the
garden of Uzza: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

   {21:19} Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign;
and he reigned two years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was
Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. {21:20} And he did that
which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, as did Manasseh his father.
{21:21} And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and
served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them: {21:22}
and he forsook Jehovah, the God of his fathers, and walked not in the
way of Jehovah. {21:23} And the servants of Amon conspired against him,
and put the king to death in his own house. {21:24} But the people of
the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the
people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead. {21:25} Now
the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not written in the
book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? {21:26} And he was buried
in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah his son reigned in
his stead.



   {22:1} Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was
Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. {22:2} And he did that which
was right in the eyes of Jehovah, and walked in all the way of David
his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.

   {22:3} And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah,
that the king sent Shaphan, the son of Azaliah the son of Meshullam,
the scribe, to the house of Jehovah, saying, {22:4} Go up to Hilkiah
the high priest, that he may sum the money which is brought into the
house of Jehovah, which the keepers of the threshold have gathered of
the people: {22:5} and let them deliver it into the hand of the workmen
that have the oversight of the house of Jehovah; and let them give it
to the workmen that are in the house of Jehovah, to repair the breaches
of the house, {22:6} unto the carpenters, and to the builders, and to
the masons, and for buying timber and hewn stone to repair the house.
{22:7} Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that
was delivered into their hand; for they dealt faithfully.

   {22:8} And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I
have found the book of the law in the house of Jehovah. And Hilkiah
delivered the book to Shaphan, and he read it. {22:9} And Shaphan the
scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy
servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and
have delivered it into the hand of the workmen that have the oversight
of the house of Jehovah. {22:10} And Shaphan the scribe told the king,
saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read
it before the king. {22:11} And it came to pass, when the king had
heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.
{22:12} And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son
of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and
Asaiah the king's servant, saying, {22:13} Go ye, inquire of Jehovah
for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of
this book that is found; for great is the wrath of Jehovah that is
kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the
words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written
concerning us.

   {22:14} So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan,
and Asaiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the
son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she dwelt
in Jerusalem in the second quarter); and they communed with her.
{22:15} And she said unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel:
Tell ye the man that sent you unto me, {22:16} Thus saith Jehovah,
Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants
thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath
read. {22:17} Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense
unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work
of their hands, therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place,
and it shall not be quenched. {22:18} But unto the king of Judah, who
sent you to inquire of Jehovah, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith
Jehovah, the God of Israel: As touching the words which thou hast
heard, {22:19} because thy heart was tender, and thou didst humble
thyself before Jehovah, when thou heardest what I spake against this
place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a
desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me;
I also have heard thee, saith Jehovah. {22:20} Therefore, behold, I
will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy
grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil which I will
bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.



   {23:1} And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders
of Judah and of Jerusalem. {23:2} And the king went up to the house of
Jehovah, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem
with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both
small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of
the covenant which was found in the house of Jehovah. {23:3} And the
king stood by the pillar, and made a covenant before Jehovah, to walk
after Jehovah, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and
his statutes, with all [his] heart, and all [his] soul, to confirm the
words of this covenant that were written in this book: and all the
people stood to the covenant.

   {23:4} And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the
priests of the second order, and the keepers of the threshold, to bring
forth out of the temple of Jehovah all the vessels that were made for
Baal, and for the Asherah, and for all the host of heaven, and he
burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, and carried
the ashes of them unto Beth-el. {23:5} And he put down the idolatrous
priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the
high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about
Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to
the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven. {23:6} And
he brought out the Asherah from the house of Jehovah, without
Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron,
and beat it to dust, and cast the dust thereof upon the graves of the
common people. {23:7} And he brake down the houses of the sodomites,
that were in the house of Jehovah, where the women wove hangings for
the Asherah. {23:8} And he brought all the priests out of the cities of
Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned
incense, from Geba to Beer-sheba; and he brake down the high places of
the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor
of the city, which were on a man's left hand at the gate of the city.
{23:9} Nevertheless the priests of the high places came not up to the
altar of Jehovah in Jerusalem, but they did eat unleavened bread among
their brethren. {23:10} And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley
of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his
daughter to pass through the fire to Molech. {23:11} And he took away
the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the
entrance of the house of Jehovah, by the chamber of Nathan-melech the
chamberlain, which was in the precincts; and he burned the chariots of
the sun with fire. {23:12} And the altars that were on the roof of the
upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the
altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of
Jehovah, did the king break down, and beat [them] down from thence, and
cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron. {23:13} And the high
places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the
mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for
Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the
abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of
Ammon, did the king defile. {23:14} And he brake in pieces the pillars,
and cut down the Asherim, and filled their places with the bones of men.

   {23:15} Moreover the altar that was at Beth-el, and the high place
which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, even
that altar and the high place he brake down; and he burned the high
place and beat it to dust, and burned the Asherah. {23:16} And as
Josiah turned himself, he spied the sepulchres that were there in the
mount; and he sent, and took the bones out of the sepulchres, and
burned them upon the altar, and defiled it, according to the word of
Jehovah which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these things.
{23:17} Then he said, What monument is that which I see? And the men of
the city told him, It is the sepulchre of the man of God, who came from
Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the
altar of Beth-el. {23:18} And he said, Let him be; let no man move his
bones. So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet that
came out of Samaria. {23:19} And all the houses also of the high places
that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made
to provoke [Jehovah] to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them
according to all the acts that he had done in Beth-el. {23:20} And he
slew all the priests of the high places that were there, upon the
altars, and burned men's bones upon them; and he returned to Jerusalem.

   {23:21} And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the
passover unto Jehovah your God, as it is written in this book of the
covenant. {23:22} Surely there was not kept such a passover from the
days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings
of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah; {23:23} but in the eighteenth
year of king Josiah was this passover kept to Jehovah in Jerusalem.

   {23:24} Moreover them that had familiar spirits, and the wizards,
and the teraphim, and the idols, and all the abominations that were
seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that
he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book
that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of Jehovah. {23:25} And like
unto him was there no king before him, that turned to Jehovah with all
his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to
all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.

   {23:26} Notwithstanding, Jehovah turned not from the fierceness of
his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because
of all the provocations wherewith Manasseh had provoked him. {23:27}
And Jehovah said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have
removed Israel, and I will cast off this city which I have chosen, even
Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.

   {23:28} Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did, are
they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
{23:29} In his days Pharaoh-necoh king of Egypt went up against the
king of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against
him; and [Pharaoh-necoh] slew him at Megiddo, when he had seen him.
{23:30} And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo,
and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre. And
the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed
him, and made him king in his father's stead.

   {23:31} Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to
reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem: and his mother's name
was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. {23:32} And he did that
which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, according to all that his
fathers had done. {23:33} And Pharaoh-necoh put him in bonds at Riblah
in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put
the land to a tribute of a hundred talents of silver, and a talent of
gold. {23:34} And Pharaoh-necoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in
the room of Josiah his father, and changed his name to Jehoiakim: but
he took Jehoahaz away; and he came to Egypt, and died there. {23:35}
And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh; but he taxed the
land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh: he
exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, of every one
according to his taxation, to give it unto Pharaoh-necoh.

   {23:36} Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to
reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name
was Zebidah the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. {23:37} And he did that
which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, according to all that his
fathers had done.



   {24:1} In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and
Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled
against him. {24:2} And Jehovah sent against him bands of the
Chaldeans, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and
bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy
it, according to the word of Jehovah, which he spake by his servants
the prophets. {24:3} Surely at the commandment of Jehovah came this
upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh,
according to all that he did, {24:4} and also for the innocent blood
that he shed; for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood: and Jehovah
would not pardon. {24:5} Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all
that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Judah? {24:6} So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers; and
Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead. {24:7} And the king of Egypt
came not again any more out of his land; for the king of Babylon had
taken, from the brook of Egypt unto the river Euphrates, all that
pertained to the king of Egypt.

   {24:8} Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign; and
he reigned in Jerusalem three months: and his mother's name was
Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. {24:9} And he did that
which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, according to all that his
father had done.

   {24:10} At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. {24:11} And
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came unto the city, while his servants
were besieging it; {24:12} and Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to
the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his
princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the
eighth year of his reign. {24:13} And he carried out thence all the
treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the king's
house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold, which Solomon king of
Israel had made in the temple of Jehovah, as Jehovah had said. {24:14}
And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the
mighty men of valor, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen
and the smiths; none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of
the land. {24:15} And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon; and the
king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the chief
men of the land, carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.
{24:16} And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and the
craftsmen and the smiths a thousand, all of them strong and apt for
war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon. {24:17}
And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, [Jehoiachin's] father's
brother, king is his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah.

   {24:18} Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to
reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name
was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. {24:19} And he did that
which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, according to all that Jehoiakim
had done. {24:20} For through the anger of Jehovah did it come to pass
in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence.
And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.



   {25:1} And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the
tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of
Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and encamped
against it; and they built forts against it round about. {25:2} So the
city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. {25:3} On
the ninth day of the [fourth] month the famine was sore in the city, so
that there was no bread for the people of the land. {25:4} Then a
breach was made in the city, and all the men of war [fled] by night by
the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king's
garden (now the Chaldeans were against the city round about); and [the
king] went by the way of the Arabah. {25:5} But the army of the
Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of
Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him. {25:6} Then they took
the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah; and
they gave judgment upon him. {25:7} And they slew the sons of Zedekiah
before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in
fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

   {25:8} Now in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month,
which was the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
came Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of
Babylon, unto Jerusalem. {25:9} And he burnt the house of Jehovah, and
the king's house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great
house, burnt he with fire. {25:10} And all the army of the Chaldeans,
that were [with] the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of
Jerusalem round about. {25:11} And the residue of the people that were
left in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to the king of
Babylon, and the residue of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captain
of the guard carry away captive. {25:12} But the captain of the guard
left of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen.

   {25:13} And the pillars of brass that were in the house of Jehovah,
and the bases and the brazen sea that were in the house of Jehovah, did
the Chaldeans break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to
Babylon. {25:14} And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and
the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered,
took they away. {25:15} And the firepans, and the basins, that which
was of gold, in gold, and that which was of silver, in silver, the
captain of the guard took away. {25:16} The two pillars, the one sea,
and the bases, which Solomon had made for the house of Jehovah, the
brass of all these vessels was without weight. {25:17} The height of
the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and a capital of brass was upon it;
and the height of the capital was three cubits, with network and
pomegranates upon the capital round about, all of brass: and like unto
these had the second pillar with network.

   {25:18} And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest,
and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the
threshold: {25:19} and out of the city he took an officer that was set
over the men of war; and five men of them that saw the king's face, who
were found in the city; and the scribe, the captain of the host, who
mustered the people of the land; and threescore men of the people of
the land, that were found in the city. {25:20} And Nebuzaradan the
captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon
to Riblah. {25:21} And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to
death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away
captive out of his land.

   {25:22} And as for the people that were left in the land of Judah,
whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even over them he made
Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, governor. {25:23} Now
when all the captains of the forces, they and their men, heard that the
king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, they came to Gedaliah to
Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of
Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and
Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men. {25:24} And
Gedaliah sware to them and to their men, and said unto them, Fear not
because of the servants of the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve
the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you. {25:25} But it came
to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the
son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and
smote Gedaliah, so that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldeans that
were with him at Mizpah. {25:26} And all the people, both small and
great, and the captains of the forces, arose, and came to Egypt; for
they were afraid of the Chaldeans.

   {25:27} And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the
captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the
seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of
Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, did lift up the head of
Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison; {25:28} and he spake kindly to
him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with
him in Babylon, {25:29} and changed his prison garments. And
[Jehoiachin] did eat bread before him continually all the days of his
life: {25:30} and for his allowance, there was a continual allowance
given him of the king, every day a portion, all the days of his life.




