The Second Book of Kings, starting at chapter 16
{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 didn't do that which was right in the eyes of the
LORD his God, like David his father. {16:3} But he walked in the way
of the kings of Israel, yes, and made his son to pass through the
fire, according to the abominations of the nations, whom the LORD cast
out from before the children of Israel. {16:4} 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 lived there, to this day. {16:7} So Ahaz
sent messengers to Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria, saying, "I am your
servant and your 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} Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in
the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and
sent it for a present to the king of Assyria. {16:9} The king of
Assyria listened to him; and the king of Assyria went up against
Damascus, and took it, and carried its people captive to Kir, and
killed Rezin. {16:10} 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 its
pattern, according to all its workmanship. {16:11} Urijah the priest
built an altar: according to all that king Ahaz had sent from
Damascus, so Urijah the priest made it for the coming of king Ahaz
from Damascus. {16:12} When the king had come from Damascus, the king
saw the altar: and the king drew near to the altar, and offered on it.
{16:13} He burnt his burnt offering and his meal offering, and poured
his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings, on
the altar. {16:14} The bronze altar, which was before the LORD, he
brought from the forefront of the house, from between his altar and
the house of the LORD, and put it on the north side of his altar.
{16:15} King Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, "On 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 on it all the blood of the burnt
offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice; but the bronze altar
shall be for me to inquire by." {16:16} Urijah the priest did so,
according to all that king Ahaz commanded. {16:17} King Ahaz cut off
the panels of the bases, and removed the basin from off them, and took
down the sea from off the bronze oxen that were under it, and put it
on a pavement of stone. {16:18} The covered way for the Sabbath that
they had built in the house, and the king's entry outside, turned he
to the house of the LORD, because of the king of Assyria. {16:19} Now
the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, aren't they written in the
book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? {16:20} Ahaz slept with
his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and
Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.
{17:1} In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea the son of
Elah began to reign in Samaria over Israel for nine years. {17:2} He
did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, yet not as the kings
of Israel who were before him. {17:3} Against him came up Shalmaneser
king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and brought him
tribute. {17:4} 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 to Assyria, and
placed them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the
cities of the Medes. {17:7} It was so, because the children of Israel
had sinned against the LORD 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 the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the
kings of Israel, which they made. {17:9} The children of Israel did
secretly things that were not right against the LORD 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 on 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 the LORD carried away before them; and they worked wicked
things to provoke the LORD to anger; {17:12} and they served idols, of
which the LORD had said to them, "You shall not do this thing."
{17:13} Yet the LORD testified to Israel, and to Judah, by every
prophet, and every seer, saying, "Turn 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 listen, but
hardened their neck, like the neck of their fathers, who didn't
believe in the LORD their God. {17:15} They rejected his statutes, and
his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies
which he testified to them; and they followed vanity, and became vain,
and followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the
LORD had commanded them that they should not do like them. {17:16}
They forsook all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them
molten images, even two calves, and made an Asherah, and worshiped all
the army of the sky, and served Baal. {17:17} 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 the LORD, to provoke him to anger. {17:18} Therefore the LORD
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 didn't
keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the
statutes of Israel which they made. {17:20} The LORD 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
tore Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of
Nebat king: and Jeroboam drove Israel from following the LORD, and
made them sin a great sin. {17:22} The children of Israel walked in
all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they didn't depart from them;
{17:23} until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he spoke by
all his servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away out of their
own land to Assyria to this day. {17:24} 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 lived in the
cities of it. {17:25} So it was, at the beginning of their dwelling
there, that they didn't fear the LORD: therefore the LORD sent lions
among them, which killed some of them. {17:26} Therefore they spoke to
the king of Assyria, saying, "The nations which you have carried away,
and placed in the cities of Samaria, don't know the law of the god of
the land. Therefore he has sent lions among them, and behold, they
kill them, because they don't know the law of the god of the land."
{17:27} Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, "Carry there one
of the priests whom you brought from there; 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 lived in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear
the LORD. {17:29} However 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 in which they lived. {17:30} 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 the LORD, and made to them from among themselves priests of the
high places, who sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places.
{17:33} They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the
ways of the nations from among whom they had been carried away.
{17:34} To this day they do what they did before: they don't fear the
LORD, neither do they follow their statutes, or their ordinances, or
the law or the commandment which the LORD commanded the children of
Jacob, whom he named Israel; {17:35} with whom the LORD had made a
covenant, and commanded them, saying, "You shall not fear other gods,
nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them;
{17:36} but you shall fear the LORD, who brought you up out of the
land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, and you
shall bow yourselves to him, and you shall sacrifice to him. {17:37}
The statutes and the ordinances, and the law and the commandment,
which he wrote for you, you shall observe to do forevermore. You shall
not fear other gods. {17:38} You shall not forget the covenant that I
have made with you; neither shall you fear other gods. {17:39} But you
shall fear the LORD your God; and he will deliver you out of the hand
of all your enemies." {17:40} However they did not listen, but they
did what they did before. {17:41} So these nations feared the LORD,
and served their engraved images. Their children likewise, and their
children's children, as their fathers did, so they do to this day.
{18:1} Now it happened 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} He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Abi
the daughter of Zechariah. {18:3} He did that which was right in the
eyes of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done.
{18:4} He removed the high places, and broke the pillars, and cut down
the Asherah: and he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had
made; for in those days the children of Israel burned incense to it;
and he called it Nehushtan. {18:5} He trusted in the LORD, 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 joined with
the LORD; he didn't depart from following him, but kept his
commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses. {18:7} The LORD was with
him; wherever he went forth he prospered: and he rebelled against the
king of Assyria, and didn't serve him. {18:8} He struck the
Philistines to Gaza and its borders, from the tower of the watchmen to
the fortified city. {18:9} It happened 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} 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} The king of Assyria carried Israel
away to 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 didn't
obey the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant,
even all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not
hear it, nor do it. {18:13} Now in the fourteenth year of king
Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the
fortified cities of Judah, and took them. {18:14} Hezekiah king of
Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, "I have
offended; return from me. That which you put on me, I will bear." The
king of Assyria appointed to Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred
talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. {18:15} Hezekiah gave
him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the
treasures of the king's house. {18:16} At that time, Hezekiah cut off
the gold from the doors of the LORD's temple, and from the pillars
which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of
Assyria. {18:17} The king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and
Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great army to
Jerusalem. They went up and came to Jerusalem. When they had 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} 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} Rabshakeh said to them, "Say now to Hezekiah, 'Thus
says the great king, the king of Assyria, "What confidence is this in
which you trust? {18:20} You say (but they are but vain words), 'There
is counsel and strength for war.' Now on whom do you trust, that you
have rebelled against me? {18:21} Now, behold, you trust in the staff
of this bruised reed, even in Egypt. If a man leans on it, it will go
into his hand, and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who
trust on him. {18:22} But if you tell me, 'We trust in the LORD our
God;' isn't that he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has
taken away, and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, 'You shall worship
before this altar in Jerusalem?' {18:23} Now therefore, please give
pledges to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two
thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them.
{18:24} How then can you turn away the face of one captain of the
least of my master's servants, and put your trust on Egypt for
chariots and for horsemen? {18:25} Have I now come up without the LORD
against this place to destroy it? the LORD said to me, 'Go up against
this land, and destroy it.'"'"
{18:26} Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah, said
to Rabshakeh, "Please speak to your servants in the Syrian language;
for we understand it. Don't speak with us in the Jews' language, in
the hearing of the people who are on the wall."
{18:27} But Rabshakeh said to them, "Has my master sent me to your
master, and to you, to speak these words? Hasn't he sent me to the men
who 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 spoke, saying, "Hear the word of the
great king, the king of Assyria. {18:29} Thus says the king, 'Don't
let 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 the LORD,
saying, "The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be
given into the hand of the king of Assyria." {18:31} Don't listen to
Hezekiah.' For thus says the king of Assyria, 'Make your peace with
me, and come out to me; and everyone of you eat of his vine, and
everyone of his fig tree, and everyone drink 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 you may live, and not die.
Don't listen to Hezekiah, when he persuades you, saying, "The LORD
will deliver us." {18:33} Has 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 the LORD 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, "Don't answer him." {18:37} Then
Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, came with
Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah
with their clothes torn, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.
________________________________________________________________________
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