Judah’s King Ahaz

28 Ahaz was 20 years old^(A) when he became king and reigned 16 years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the Lord’s sight^(B) like his ancestor David, ² for he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel^(C) and made cast images of the Baals.^{(D) 3} He burned incense in the Valley of Hinnom^(E) and burned his children in^[a](F) the fire, imitating the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had dispossessed before the Israelites.^{(G) 4} He sacrificed and burned incense on the high places,^(H) on the hills, and under every green tree.

Judah’s King Hezekiah

29 Hezekiah was 25 years old^(A) when he became king and reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah^[a] daughter of Zechariah. ² He did what was right in the Lord’s sight^(B) just as his ancestor David had done.

³ In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the Lord’s temple and repaired them.^{(C) 4} Then he brought in the priests and Levites and gathered them in the eastern public square.^{(D) 5} He said to them, “Hear me, Levites. Consecrate yourselves^(E) now and consecrate the temple of Yahweh, the God of your ancestors. Remove everything impure from the holy place. ⁶ For our fathers were unfaithful and did what is evil in the sight of the Lord our God. They abandoned Him, turned their faces away from the Lord’s tabernacle, and turned their backs on Him.^{[b](F) 7} They also closed the doors of the portico, extinguished the lamps, did not burn incense, and did not offer burnt offerings in the holy place of the God of Israel. ⁸ Therefore, the wrath of the Lord was on Judah and Jerusalem, and He made them an object of terror, horror, and mockery,^[c](G) as you see with your own eyes. ⁹ Our fathers fell by the sword, and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity because of this.^{(H) 10} It is in my heart now to make a covenant with Yahweh, the God of Israel^(I) so that His burning anger may turn away from us. ¹¹ My sons, don’t be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand in His presence, to serve Him, and to be His ministers and burners of incense.”^(J)

An Unresponsive Generation

³¹ “To what then should I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? ³² They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to each other:

³³ For John the Baptist did not come eating bread or drinking wine,^(A) and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ ³⁴ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’^{(B) 35} Yet wisdom is vindicated^[a] by all her children.”

Thanksgiving

³ I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience^(A) as my ancestors did, when I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day.^{(B) 4} Remembering your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy, ⁵ clearly recalling your sincere faith^(C) that first lived in your grandmother Lois, then in your mother Eunice,^(D) and that I am convinced is in you also.

⁶ Therefore, I remind you to keep ablaze^[a] the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands.^{(E) 7} For God has not given us a spirit^[b] of fearfulness,^(F) but one of power,^(G) love,^(H) and sound judgment.