The Second Book of Chronicles, starting at chapter 31
{31:1} Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present
went out to the cities of Judah, and broke in pieces the pillars, and
hewed down the Asherim, and broke down the high places and the altars
out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until
they had destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned,
every man to his possession, into their own cities. {31:2} Hezekiah
appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites after their
divisions, every man according to his service, both the priests and
the Levites, for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister,
and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the camp of Yahweh.
{31:3} [He appointed] also the king's portion of his substance for the
burnt offerings, [to wit], for the morning and evening burnt
offerings, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, and for the new
moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of Yahweh.
{31:4} Moreover he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give
the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might give
themselves to the law of Yahweh. {31:5} As soon as the commandment
came abroad, the children of Israel gave in abundance the first fruits
of grain, new wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the
field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. {31:6}
The children of Israel and Judah, who lived in the cities of Judah,
they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of
dedicated things which were consecrated to Yahweh their God, and laid
them by heaps. {31:7} In the third month they began to lay the
foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month.
{31:8} When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they
blessed Yahweh, and his people Israel. {31:9} Then Hezekiah questioned
the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. {31:10} Azariah the
chief priest, of the house of Zadok, answered him and said, Since [the
people] began to bring the offerings into the house of Yahweh, we have
eaten and had enough, and have left plenty: for Yahweh has blessed his
people; and that which is left is this great store. {31:11} Then
Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of Yahweh; and
they prepared them. {31:12} They brought in the offerings and the
tithes and the dedicated things faithfully: and over them Conaniah the
Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was second. {31:13} Jehiel,
and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and
Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under
the hand of Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by the appointment of
Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God. {31:14}
Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter at the east [gate], was
over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute the offerings of
Yahweh, and the most holy things. {31:15} Under him were Eden, and
Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the
cities of the priests, in their office of trust, to give to their
brothers by divisions, as well to the great as to the small: {31:16}
besides those who were reckoned by genealogy of males, from three
years old and upward, even everyone who entered into the house of
Yahweh, as the duty of every day required, for their service in their
offices according to their divisions; {31:17} and those who were
reckoned by genealogy of the priests by their fathers' houses, and the
Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their offices by their
divisions; {31:18} and those who were reckoned by genealogy of all
their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters,
through all the congregation: for in their office of trust they
sanctified themselves in holiness. {31:19} Also for the sons of Aaron
the priests, who were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in
every city, there were men who were mentioned by name, to give
portions to all the males among the priests, and to all who were
reckoned by genealogy among the Levites. {31:20} Thus did Hezekiah
throughout all Judah; and he worked that which was good and right and
faithful before Yahweh his God. {31:21} In every work that he began in
the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the
commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and
prospered.
{32:1} After these things, and this faithfulness, Sennacherib king
of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the
fortified cities, and thought to win them for himself. {32:2} When
Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to
fight against Jerusalem, {32:3} he took counsel with his princes and
his mighty men to stop the waters of the springs which were outside of
the city; and they helped him. {32:4} So there was gathered much
people together, and they stopped all the springs, and the brook that
flowed through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of
Assyria come, and find much water? {32:5} He took courage, and built
up all the wall that was broken down, and raised [it] up to the
towers, and the other wall outside, and strengthened Millo [in] the
city of David, and made weapons and shields in abundance. {32:6} He
set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him
in the broad place at the gate of the city, and spoke comfortably to
them, saying, {32:7} Be strong and of good courage, don't be afraid
nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude who is
with him; for there is a greater with us than with him: {32:8} with
him is an arm of flesh; but with us is Yahweh our God to help us, and
to fight our battles. The people rested themselves on the words of
Hezekiah king of Judah. {32:9} After this did Sennacherib king of
Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, (now he was before Lachish,
and all his power with him), to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all
Judah who were at Jerusalem, saying, {32:10} Thus says Sennacherib
king of Assyria, Whereon do you trust, that you abide the siege in
Jerusalem? {32:11} Does not Hezekiah persuade you, to give you over to
die by famine and by thirst, saying, Yahweh our God will deliver us
out of the hand of the king of Assyria? {32:12} Has not the same
Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded
Judah and Jerusalem, saying, You shall worship before one altar, and
on it shall you burn incense? {32:13} Don't you know what I and my
fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of
the nations of the lands in any wise able to deliver their land out of
my hand? {32:14} Who was there among all the gods of those nations
which my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out
of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my
hand? {32:15} Now therefore don't let Hezekiah deceive you, nor
persuade you after this manner, neither believe you him; for no god of
any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand,
and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God
deliver you out of my hand? {32:16} His servants spoke yet more
against Yahweh God, and against his servant Hezekiah. {32:17} He wrote
also letters, to rail on Yahweh, the God of Israel, and to speak
against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of the lands, which
have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall the God of
Hezekiah not deliver his people out of my hand. {32:18} They cried
with a loud voice in the Jews' language to the people of Jerusalem who
were on the wall, to frighten them, and to trouble them; that they
might take the city. {32:19} They spoke of the God of Jerusalem, as of
the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men's
hands. {32:20} Hezekiah the king, and Isaiah the prophet the son of
Amoz, prayed because of this, and cried to heaven. {32:21} Yahweh sent
an angel, who cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders and
captains, in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with
shame of face to his own land. When he was come into the house of his
god, those who came forth from his own bowels killed him there with
the sword. {32:22} Thus Yahweh saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from
the hand of all [others], and guided them on every side. {32:23} Many
brought gifts to Yahweh to Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah
king of Judah; so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from
thenceforth. {32:24} In those days Hezekiah was sick even to death:
and he prayed to Yahweh; and he spoke to him, and gave him a sign.
{32:25} But Hezekiah didn't render again according to the benefit done
to him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath on him,
and on Judah and Jerusalem. {32:26} Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled
himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, so that the wrath of Yahweh didn't come on them in the days
of Hezekiah. {32:27} Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honor: and
he provided him treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious
stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of goodly
vessels; {32:28} storehouses also for the increase of grain and new
wine and oil; and stalls for all manner of animals, and flocks in
folds. {32:29} Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of
flocks and herds in abundance; for God had given him very much
substance. {32:30} This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper spring of
the waters of Gihon, and brought them straight down on the west side
of the city of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his works. {32:31}
However in [the business of] the ambassadors of the princes of
Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the
land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his
heart. {32:32} Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his good
deeds, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet
the son of Amoz, in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. {32:33}
Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the ascent of
the tombs of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem did him honor at his death. Manasseh his son reigned in his
place.
{33:1} Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. {33:2} He did that which was
evil in the sight of Yahweh, after the abominations of the nations
whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel. {33:3} For he
built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down;
and he reared up altars for the Baals, and made Asheroth, and
worshiped all the army of the sky, and served them. {33:4} He built
altars in the house of Yahweh, of which Yahweh said, In Jerusalem
shall my name be forever. {33:5} He built altars for all the army of
the sky in the two courts of the house of Yahweh. {33:6} He also made
his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of
Hinnom; and he practiced sorcery, and used enchantments, and practiced
sorcery, and dealt with those who had familiar spirits, and with
wizards: he worked much evil in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to
anger. {33:7} He set the engraved image of the idol, which he had
made, in the house of God, of which God 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 forever: {33:8} neither
will I any more remove the foot of Israel from off the land which I
have appointed for your fathers, if only they will observe to do all
that I have commanded them, even all the law and the statutes and the
ordinances [given] by Moses. {33:9} Manasseh seduced Judah and the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that they did evil more than did the
nations whom Yahweh destroyed before the children of Israel. {33:10}
Yahweh spoke to Manasseh, and to his people; but they gave no heed.
{33:11} Therefore Yahweh brought on them the captains of the army of
the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, and bound him with
fetters, and carried him to Babylon. {33:12} When he was in distress,
he begged Yahweh his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God
of his fathers. {33:13} He prayed to him; and he was entreated of him,
and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into
his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that Yahweh he was God. {33:14} Now
after this he built an outer wall to the city of David, on the west
side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance at the fish gate;
and he compassed Ophel about [with it], and raised it up to a very
great height: and he put valiant captains in all the fortified cities
of Judah. {33:15} He took away the foreign gods, and the idol out of
the house of Yahweh, and all the altars that he had built in the
mountain of the house of Yahweh, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out
of the city. {33:16} He built up the altar of Yahweh, and offered
thereon sacrifices of peace offerings and of thanksgiving, and
commanded Judah to serve Yahweh, the God of Israel. {33:17}
Nevertheless the people sacrificed still in the high places, but only
to Yahweh their God. {33:18} Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and
his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in
the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel, behold, they are written among
the acts of the kings of Israel. {33:19} His prayer also, and how
[God] was entreated of him, and all his sin and his trespass, and the
places in which he built high places, and set up the Asherim and the
engraved images, before he humbled himself: behold, they are written
in the history of Hozai. {33:20} So Manasseh slept with his fathers,
and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his
place. {33:21} Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign;
and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. {33:22} He did that which was
evil in the sight of Yahweh, as did Manasseh his father; and Amon
sacrificed to all the engraved images which Manasseh his father had
made, and served them. {33:23} He didn't humble himself before Yahweh,
as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but this same Amon
trespassed more and more. {33:24} His servants conspired against him,
and put him to death in his own house. {33:25} But the people of the
land killed all those who had conspired against king Amon; and the
people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.
___
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