Hezekiah King of Judah^(A)(B)(C)

18 In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah^(D) son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. ² He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years.^(E) His mother’s name was Abijah^[a] daughter of Zechariah. ³ He did what was right^(F) in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David^(G) had done. ⁴ He removed^(H) the high places,^(I) smashed the sacred stones^(J) and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake^(K) Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.^[b])

⁵ Hezekiah trusted^(L) in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him.

⁷ And the Lord was with him; he was successful^(A) in whatever he undertook. He rebelled^(B) against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. ⁸ From watchtower to fortified city,^(C) he defeated the Philistines, as far as Gaza and its territory.

⁵ “Now you yourself know what Joab^(A) son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner^(B) son of Ner and Amasa^(C) son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet. ⁶ Deal with him according to your wisdom,^(D) but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.

⁸ “And remember, you have with you Shimei^(A) son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim.^(B) When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore^(C) to him by the Lord: ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’ ⁹ But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom;^(D) you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.”

¹¹ Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David^(A) had done. ¹² He expelled the male shrine prostitutes^(B) from the land and got rid of all the idols^(C) his ancestors had made. ¹³ He even deposed his grandmother Maakah^(D) from her position as queen mother,^(E) because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down^(F) and burned it in the Kidron Valley. ¹⁴ Although he did not remove^(G) the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed^(H) to the Lord all his life. ¹⁵ He brought into the temple of the Lord the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.^(I)

² A certain man in Maon,^(A) who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy.^(B) He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing^(C) in Carmel. ³ His name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail.^(D) She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband was surly and mean in his dealings—he was a Calebite.^(E)

³² David said to Abigail, “Praise^(A) be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. ³³ May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed^(B) this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. ³⁴ Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal^(C) would have been left alive by daybreak.”

²² May God deal with David,^[a] be it ever so severely,^(A) if by morning I leave alive one male^(B) of all who belong to him!”

³⁶ When Abigail went to Nabal, he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was in high^(A) spirits and very drunk.^(B) So she told^(C) him nothing at all until daybreak. ³⁷ Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone.^{(D) 38} About ten days later, the Lord struck^(E) Nabal and he died.