2 Chronicles 29-36
Expanded Bible
Hezekiah Purifies the Temple(A)
29 Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he ·ruled [reigned] twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. 2 Hezekiah did what ·the Lord said was right [L was pleasing/proper in the eyes/sight of the Lord], just as his ·ancestor [father] David had done.
3 Hezekiah opened the doors of the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord and ·repaired [restored] them in the first month of the first year he was king. 4 Hezekiah brought in the priests and Levites and gathered them in the ·courtyard [square] on the east side of the ·Temple [L house]. 5 Hezekiah said, “Listen to me, Levites. ·Make yourselves ready for the Lord’s service [Consecrate/Purify/Sanctify yourselves], and ·make holy [consecrate/purify/sanctify] the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, the God of your ·ancestors [fathers]. Remove from the ·Temple [L house] everything that makes it ·impure [defiled; ritually unclean]. 6 Our ·ancestors [fathers] were unfaithful to God and did ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the Lord’s sight/eyes]. They ·left [abandoned; forsook] the Lord and ·stopped worshiping at [L turned their faces away from] the ·Temple [L house] where he lives. They ·rejected [L turned their backs on] him. 7 They shut the doors of the ·porch [portico; vestibule; entry room] of the ·Temple [L house], and ·they let the fire go out in [put/snuffed out] the lamps. They stopped burning incense and offering burnt offerings in the ·holy place to [sanctuary of] the God of Israel. 8 So the Lord became very angry with the people of Judah and Jerusalem, and he ·punished them. Other people are frightened and shocked by what he did to them. So they ·insult the people of Judah. You know these things are true […made them an object of dread/terror, horror, and ridicule/L hissing, as you can see with your own eyes]. 9 That is why our ·ancestors [fathers] ·were killed in battle [L have fallen by the sword] and our sons, daughters, and wives ·were [are] taken captive. 10 Now I, Hezekiah, ·have decided [intend] to make an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with the Lord, the God of Israel, so ·he will not be angry with us anymore [L his burning anger will turn away from us]. 11 My sons, don’t ·waste any more time [be negligent now]. The Lord chose you to stand ·before him [in his presence], to ·serve [minister to] him, to be his ·servants [ministers], and to burn incense to him.”
12 ·These are [Then] the Levites ·who started to work [L rose]. From the Kohathite ·family [clan] there were Mahath son of Amasai and Joel son of Azariah. From the Merarite ·family [clan] there were Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of Jehallelel. From the Gershonite ·family [clan] there were Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah. 13 From Elizaphan’s ·family [clan] there were Shimri and Jeiel. From Asaph’s ·family [clan] there were Zechariah and Mattaniah. 14 From Heman’s ·family [clan] there were Jehiel and Shimei. From Jeduthun’s ·family [clan] there were Shemaiah and Uzziel [5:12].
15 These Levites gathered their brothers together and ·made themselves holy [consecrated/purified/sanctified themselves]. Then they went into the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord to purify it. They obeyed the king’s command that had come from the Lord. 16 When the priests went into the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord to ·purify [cleanse] it, they took out all the ·unclean [defiled; C ritually] things they found in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord and put them in the ·Temple [L house] courtyard. Then the Levites took these things out to the Kidron Valley. 17 Beginning on the first day of the first month, they ·made holy [consecrated; purified; sanctified] the ·Temple [L house]. On the eighth day of the month, they came to the ·porch [portico; vestibule; entry room] of the ·Temple [L house], and for eight more days they ·made holy [consecrated; purified; sanctified] the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. So they finished on the sixteenth day of the first month.
18 Then they went to King Hezekiah and said, “We have ·purified [cleansed] the entire ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, the altar for burnt offerings and its ·utensils [equipment], and the table for the ·holy bread [T showbread] and all its ·utensils [equipment]. 19 When Ahaz was king, he was unfaithful to God and ·removed some things [discarded some utensils/equipment]. But we have ·put them back [prepared] and ·made them holy [consecrated/purified/sanctified them] for the Lord. They are now in front of the Lord’s altar.”
20 Early the next morning King Hezekiah ·gathered [assembled] the ·leaders [officials] of the city and went up to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. 21 They brought seven ·bulls [oxen], seven ·male sheep [rams], seven lambs, and seven male goats. These animals were an ·offering to remove the sin of the people and [sin offering for] the kingdom ·of [or and for] Judah and ·to make [for] the ·Temple [sanctuary]. King Hezekiah commanded the priests, the descendants of Aaron, to ·offer [sacrifice] these animals on the Lord’s altar. 22 So the priests ·killed [slaughtered] the ·bulls [oxen] and sprinkled their blood on the altar. They ·killed [slaughtered] the ·sheep [rams] and sprinkled their blood on the altar. Then they ·killed [slaughtered] the lambs and sprinkled their blood on the altar. 23 Then the priests brought the male goats for the sin offering before the king and the people there. After the king and the people ·put [laid] their hands on the goats, 24 the priests ·killed [slaughtered] them. They ·made an offering [sprinkled/presented their blood] on the altar to ·remove the sins of the Israelites [atone for all Israel]. The king had said that the burnt offering [Lev. 1:1–17] and ·sin [or purification] offering [Lev. 4:3] should be made for all Israel.
25 King Hezekiah ·put [stationed; positioned] the Levites in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord with cymbals, harps, and lyres, as David, Gad, and Nathan had commanded. (Gad was the king’s ·seer [prophet], and Nathan was a prophet.) This command came from the Lord through his prophets. 26 So the Levites stood ready with David’s musical instruments, and the priests with their trumpets.
27 Then Hezekiah gave the order to ·sacrifice [offer] the burnt offering [Lev. 1:1–17] on the altar. When the burnt offering [Lev. 1:1–17] began, the singing to the Lord also began. The trumpets were blown, and the musical instruments of David king of Israel were played. 28 ·All the people [The entire assembly] worshiped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters ·blew their trumpets [sounded] until the burnt offering [Lev. 1:1–17] was finished.
29 When the sacrifices were completed, King Hezekiah and everyone with him bowed down and worshiped. 30 King Hezekiah and his ·officers [officials] ordered the Levites to ·praise [sing praises to] the Lord, using the words David and Asaph the ·seer [prophet] had used. So they praised God with ·joy [gladness] and bowed down and worshiped.
31 Then Hezekiah said, “Now that you people of Judah have ·given [consecrated; dedicated] yourselves to the Lord, come near to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. Bring sacrifices and ·offerings, to show thanks to him [or thank offerings].” So the people brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and anyone who was willing also brought burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17]. 32 For burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] they brought a total of seventy ·bulls [oxen], one hundred ·male sheep [rams], and two hundred lambs; all these animals were sacrificed as burnt offerings to the Lord. 33 The ·holy [consecrated] offerings totaled six hundred ·bulls [oxen] and three thousand sheep and goats. 34 There were not enough priests to skin all the animals for the burnt offerings. So their ·relatives [brothers] the Levites helped them until the work was finished and other priests could be ·made holy [consecrated; purified; sanctified]. The Levites had been more careful to ·make themselves holy [consecrate/purify/sanctify themselves] than the priests. 35 There were many burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] along with the fat of ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offerings [Lev. 3:1] and drink offerings. So the service in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord ·began again [was established/restored]. 36 And Hezekiah and the people ·were very happy [rejoiced] that God had made it happen so quickly for his people.
The Passover Celebration
30 King Hezekiah sent messages to all the people of Israel and Judah, and he wrote letters to the people of Ephraim and Manasseh. Hezekiah invited all these people to come to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord in Jerusalem to ·celebrate [keep; observe] the Passover for the Lord, the God of Israel [Ex. 12]. 2 King Hezekiah, his ·officers [officials], and all the ·people [community; assembly] in Jerusalem ·agreed [decided] to ·celebrate [keep; observe] the Passover in the second month. 3 They could not ·celebrate [keep; observe] it at the ·normal [prescribed] time, because not enough priests had ·made themselves ready to serve the Lord [consecrated/purified/sanctified themselves], and the people had not yet ·gathered [assembled] in Jerusalem. 4 This plan ·satisfied [seemed right to] King Hezekiah and all the ·people [community; assembled]. 5 So they ·made an announcement [sent a proclamation/edict] everywhere in Israel, from Beersheba [C in the south] to Dan [C in the north; that is, all the people in Israel], telling the people to come to Jerusalem to ·celebrate [keep; observe] the Passover for the Lord, the God of Israel. The people had not ·celebrated [kept; observed] the Passover as the law commanded ·for a long time [or in great numbers]. 6 At the king’s command, ·the messengers [couriers; L runners] took letters from him and his ·officers [officials] all through Israel and Judah. This is what the letters said:
People of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. Then God will return to the ·few [remnant] of you who have ·escaped [been spared] from the kings of Assyria. 7 Don’t be like your ·ancestors [fathers] or your ·relatives [brothers]. They ·turned against [were unfaithful to] the Lord, the God of their ·ancestors [fathers], so he ·caused other people to be disgusted with them. You know this is true […made them an object of horror/derision, as you see]. 8 Don’t be ·stubborn [L stiff-necked] as your ·ancestors [fathers] were, but ·obey the Lord willingly [submit/yield to the Lord]. Come to the ·Temple [sanctuary], which he has ·made holy [consecrated; L set apart] forever. Serve the Lord your God so ·he will not be angry with [his fierce anger will turn away from] you. 9 Come back to the Lord. Then the people who captured your ·relatives [brothers] and ·children [sons] will be ·kind [merciful; compassionate] to them and will let them return to this land. The Lord your God is ·kind [gracious] and ·merciful [compassionate]. He will not turn ·away [L his face] from you if you return to him.
10 The ·messengers [couriers; L runners] went to every town in Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the way to Zebulun, but the people ·laughed at [scorned] them and ·made fun of [mocked; ridiculed] them. 11 But some men from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun ·were sorry for what they had done [humbled themselves] and went to Jerusalem. 12 And ·God united all the people of [L God’s hand was on] Judah ·in obeying [L giving them one heart to do the commands of] King Hezekiah and his ·officers [officials], because their command ·had come from [L was the word of] the Lord.
13 In the second month a very large crowd came together in Jerusalem to ·celebrate [keep; observe] the ·Feast [Festival] of Unleavened Bread. 14 The people removed the altars and incense altars [C to pagan gods] in Jerusalem and threw them into the Kidron Valley.
15 They ·killed [slaughtered] the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed [C because others are doing what they should be doing], so they ·made themselves holy [consecrated/purified/sanctified themselves] and brought burnt offerings into the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. 16 They took their ·regular places [stations; posts] in the ·Temple [L house] as the ·Teachings [law] of Moses, the man of God, ·commanded [prescribed]. The Levites gave the blood [C from the sacrifices] to the priests, who sprinkled it [C on the altar]. 17 Since many people in the crowd had not ·made themselves holy [consecrated/purified/sanctified themselves], the Levites ·killed [slaughtered] the Passover lambs for everyone who was ·not clean [defiled; ritually unclean]. The Levites ·made each lamb holy [consecrated/purified/sanctified them] for the Lord.
23 Then all the people agreed to stay seven more days, so they celebrated with joy for seven more days. 24 Hezekiah king of Judah gave one thousand ·bulls [oxen] and seven thousand sheep to the ·people [assembly]. The ·officers [officials] gave one thousand ·bulls [oxen] and ten thousand sheep to the ·people [assembly]. Many priests ·made themselves holy [consecrated/purified/sanctified themselves]. 25 All the ·people [assembly] of Judah, the priests, the Levites, those who came from Israel, the ·foreigners [sojourners; wanderers; resident aliens] from Israel, and the ·foreigners [sojourners; wanderers; resident aliens] living in Judah ·were very happy [rejoiced]. 26 There was much joy in Jerusalem, because there had not been a celebration like this since the time of Solomon son of David and king of Israel. 27 The priests and Levites stood up and blessed the people, and God heard them ·because their prayer reached [from] heaven, his holy home.
The Collection for the Priests(B)
31 When the Passover celebration was finished, all the Israelites in Jerusalem went out to the towns of Judah. There they smashed the ·stone [sacred] pillars [C used in pagan worship]. They cut down the Asherah ·idols [poles; 14:3] and destroyed the altars and ·places for worshiping gods [L high places; 11:15] in all of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh. After they had destroyed all of them, the Israelites returned to their own towns and ·homes [properties].
2 King Hezekiah ·appointed [organized; assigned] ·groups [divisions] of priests and Levites for their special duties. They were to ·offer [sacrifice] burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] and ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offerings [Lev. 3:1], to ·worship [serve], and to give thanks and praise at the gates of the Lord’s ·house [L camp]. 3 Hezekiah gave some of his own animals for the burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17], which were given every morning and evening, on Sabbath days, during New Moons, and at other feasts ·commanded [prescribed] in the Lord’s ·Teachings [instructions; laws].
4 Hezekiah commanded the people living in Jerusalem to give the priests and Levites the portion ·that belonged to [prescribed for] them. Then the priests and Levites could ·give all their time [devote themselves] to the Lord’s ·Teachings [instructions; laws]. 5 As soon as the king’s command went out to the Israelites, they gave ·freely of the [generously/abundantly from the] first ·portion [fruits; harvest] of their grain, new wine, oil, honey, and ·everything they grew [all the produce] in their fields. They brought a large amount, ·one-tenth [a tithe] of everything. 6 The people of Israel and Judah who lived in Judah also brought ·one-tenth [a tithe] of their cattle and sheep and ·one-tenth [a tithe] of the ·holy things [sacred/consecrated/dedicated things] that were given to the Lord their God, and they put all of them in ·piles [heaps]. 7 The people began the ·piles [heaps] in the third month [C late spring] and finished in the seventh month [C early autumn]. 8 When Hezekiah and his ·officers [officials] came and saw the ·piles [heaps], they ·praised [blessed; thanked] the Lord and his people Israel. 9 Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the ·piles [heaps]. 10 Azariah, the leading priest from Zadok’s ·family [clan; L house], answered Hezekiah, “Since the people began to bring their ·offerings [contributions; gifts] to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, we have had plenty to eat and plenty left over, because the Lord has blessed his people. So we have all this left over.”
11 Then Hezekiah commanded the priests to prepare the storerooms in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. So this was done. 12 Then the priests brought in the ·offerings [contributions] and the ·things given to the Lord [consecrated/purified/sanctified things] and ·one-tenth of everything the people had given [the tithes]. Conaniah the Levite was the officer in charge of these things, and his brother Shimei was ·second to him [his assistant]. 13 Conaniah and his brother Shimei were over these supervisors: Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismakiah, Mahath, and Benaiah. King Hezekiah and Azariah the officer in charge of the ·Temple [L house] of God had ·chosen [appointed] them.
14 Kore son of Imnah the Levite was in charge of the ·special gifts the people wanted to give [voluntary/free will offerings] to God. He was responsible for ·giving out [distributing] the contributions made to the Lord and the ·holy [consecrated; dedicated] gifts. Kore was the guard at the East Gate. 15 Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah helped Kore in the towns where the priests lived. They gave from what was collected to ·the other groups of priests [their brothers by divisions], both ·old [great] and ·young [small].
16 They also gave to the males three years old and older who had their names in the ·Levite family [genealogical] ·histories [records]. ·They were to enter […all who entered] the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord for their daily ·service [duties], ·each group having its own responsibilities [according to their divisions]. 17 The priests were given their part of the collection, by ·families [ancestral houses], as listed in the ·family [genealogical] ·histories [records]. The Levites twenty years old and older were given their part of the collection, based on their ·responsibilities [duties] and their ·groups [divisions]. 18 The Levites’ babies, wives, sons, and daughters also got part of the collection. This was done for all the Levites who were ·listed [enrolled] in the ·family histories [genealogical records], because they ·always kept themselves ready to serve the Lord [faithfully consecrated/purified themselves].
19 Some of Aaron’s descendants, the priests, lived on the farmlands near the towns or in the towns. Men were ·chosen [appointed; designated] by name to ·give [distribute] part of the collection to these priests. All the males and those ·named [listed] in the ·family histories [genealogical records] of the Levites received part of the collection.
20 This is what King Hezekiah did ·in [throughout] Judah. He did what was good and right and ·obedient [faithful; true; pleasing] before the Lord his God. 21 Hezekiah tried to ·obey [seek] God in his service of the ·Temple [L house] of God, and in following his ·teachings [instructions; laws] and commands. He ·gave himself fully to his work for God [did so wholeheartedly] and therefore ·had success [prospered].
Assyria Attacks Judah(C)
32 After Hezekiah ·did all these things to serve the Lord [accomplished these faithful acts], Sennacherib king of Assyria ·came and attacked [invaded] Judah. He and his army ·surrounded and attacked [besieged] the ·strong, walled [fortified] cities, ·hoping [intending] to take them for himself. 2 Hezekiah ·knew [realized] that Sennacherib had come to Jerusalem to attack it. 3 So Hezekiah and his ·officers [officials] and army ·commanders [officers] decided to ·cut off [stop the flow of] the water from the springs outside the city. So they helped Hezekiah. 4 Many people ·came [gathered] and ·cut off [stopped up] all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. They said, “Why should the king of Assyria come and find ·plenty of [abundant] water?” 5 Then Hezekiah ·made Jerusalem stronger. He […took courage/or worked hard/L strengthened himself and] rebuilt all the broken parts of the wall and ·put [erected; raised] towers on it. He also built another wall outside the first one and strengthened the ·area that was filled in on the east side [L Millo; C possibly fortified terraces] of the City of David [C Jerusalem]. He also made many weapons and shields.
6 Hezekiah ·put [appointed] army ·commanders [officers] over the ·people [or army] and met with them ·at the open place near [in the square at] the city gate. Hezekiah encouraged them, saying, 7 “Be strong and ·brave [courageous]. Don’t be afraid or ·worried [panic] because of the king of Assyria or ·his large army [all his horde]. There is a greater ·power [one] with us than with him. 8 He only has ·men [human strength; L an arm of flesh], but we have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” The people were encouraged by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
9 After this King Sennacherib of Assyria and all his army ·surrounded and attacked [besieged] Lachish. Then he sent his ·officers [officials; servants] to Jerusalem with this message for King Hezekiah of Judah and all the people of Judah in Jerusalem:
10 Sennacherib king of Assyria says this: “·You have nothing to trust in [L On what are you trusting…?] to help you. ·It is no use for you to [L Why do you…?] stay in Jerusalem under ·attack [siege]. 11 Hezekiah says to you, ‘The Lord our God will ·save [rescue; T deliver] us from the hand of the king of Assyria,’ but he is ·fooling [misleading; deceiving] you, condemning you to death from hunger and thirst. 12 ·Hezekiah [L Did not Hezekiah…?] himself removed your Lord’s ·places of worship [L high places; 11:15] and altars. He told you people of Judah and Jerusalem that you must worship and burn incense on only one altar [C in the Temple at Jerusalem].
13 “·You know [L Do you not realize…?] what my ·ancestors [fathers] and I have done to all the people ·in other nations [of the lands]. ·The gods of those nations could not [L Were the gods of those lands able to…?] ·save [rescue] their people from my ·power [L hand]. 14 My ·ancestors [fathers] destroyed those nations. ·None [L Which…?] of their gods could save them from ·me [L my hand]. ·So your god cannot [L Why suppose your god/God can…?] ·save [rescue; T deliver] you from my ·power [L hand]. 15 Do not let Hezekiah ·fool [deceive] you or ·trick [mislead] you, and do not believe him. No god of any nation or kingdom has been able to ·save [rescue; T deliver] his people from me or my ·ancestors [fathers]. ·Your god is even less [L How much less will your god/God be…?] able to ·save [rescue; T deliver] you from me.”
16 Sennacherib’s ·officers [officials] ·said worse things against [further insulted/mocked] the Lord God and his servant Hezekiah. 17 King Sennacherib also wrote letters ·insulting [mocking] the Lord, the God of Israel. They spoke against him, saying, “The gods of the other nations could not ·save [rescue; T deliver] their people from me. In the same way Hezekiah’s ·god [God] won’t be able to ·save [rescue; T deliver] his people from me.” 18 Then the king’s ·officers [officials] shouted in ·Hebrew [L the language of Judah], calling out to the people of Jerusalem who were on the city wall. The ·officers [officials] wanted to ·scare [frighten and terrify] the people so they could capture Jerusalem. 19 They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as though he were like the gods the people of the ·world [earth] worshiped, which are made by human hands.
God Rescues Judah(D)
20 King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz ·prayed [cried out to] to heaven about this. 21 Then the Lord sent an angel who ·killed [destroyed; annihilated] all the soldiers, ·leaders [commanders], and officers in the ·camp [army] of the king of Assyria. So the king went back to his own country in ·disgrace [shame; humiliation]. When he went into the ·temple [L house] of his god, some of his own ·sons [children] killed him with a sword.
22 So the Lord ·saved [rescued; T delivered] Hezekiah and the people in Jerusalem from [L the hand of] Sennacherib king of Assyria and from all other people. He ·took care of [guided; or gave rest to] them on every side. 23 Many people brought ·gifts [offerings] for the Lord to Jerusalem, and they also brought ·valuable gifts [precious things] to King Hezekiah of Judah. From then on all the nations ·respected [looked up to; exalted] Hezekiah.
Hezekiah Dies(E)
24 At that time Hezekiah became so sick he almost died. When he prayed to the Lord, the Lord spoke to him and gave him a ·sign [miraculous sign; C God gave him a sign that he would live for another fifteen years; Is. 38:1–8]. 25 But Hezekiah ·did not thank God for his kindness [did not respond to/was not grateful for the kindness shown him], because he was so proud. So ·the Lord was angry with [L wrath came upon] him and the people of Judah and Jerusalem. 26 ·But later [Then] Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem ·were sorry and stopped being proud [humbled themselves], so ·the Lord did not punish [L the wrath of the Lord did not come on] them while Hezekiah was alive.
27 Hezekiah had ·many riches [great wealth] and much honor. He made treasuries for his silver, gold, ·gems [precious stones], spices, shields, and other valuable things. 28 He built ·storage buildings [storehouses] for grain, new wine, and olive oil and stalls for all the cattle and pens for the sheep. 29 He also built many towns. He had ·many [vast] flocks and herds, because God had given Hezekiah much wealth.
30 It was Hezekiah who ·cut off [blocked; stopped; dammed] the upper pool of the Gihon spring and ·made those waters flow [channeled/directed the water] straight down to the west side of the City of David [C Jerusalem]. And Hezekiah ·was successful [prospered] in everything he did. 31 But one time the ·leaders [officials] of Babylon sent messengers to Hezekiah, asking him about a ·strange [miraculous] sign that had happened in the land [2 Kin. 20:12–19; Is. 39:1–8]. When they came, God left Hezekiah ·alone [to himself] to test him so he could know everything that was in Hezekiah’s heart.
Hezekiah Dies(F)
32 Hezekiah’s ·love for God [acts of devotion] and the ·other things [rest of the events/acts] he did as king are written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. This is in the ·book [scroll] of the kings of Judah and Israel. 33 Hezekiah ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors] and was buried on a hill, where the ·graves [tombs] of David’s ·ancestors [descendants] are. All the people of Judah and Jerusalem honored Hezekiah when he died, and his son Manasseh became king in his place.
Manasseh King of Judah(G)
33 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he ·was king [reigned] for fifty-five years in Jerusalem. 2 He did ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the Lord’s sight/eyes]. He did the ·hateful [detestable; abominable] things the nations had done—the nations that the Lord had ·forced [driven] out of the land ahead of the Israelites. 3 Manasseh’s father, Hezekiah, had torn down ·places where gods were worshiped [L the high places; 11:15], but Manasseh rebuilt them. He also built altars for the Baal gods, and he made Asherah ·idols [poles; 14:3] and worshiped all the ·stars of the sky [powers/hosts of heaven] and ·served [worshiped] them. 4 The Lord had said about the ·Temple [L house], “·I will be worshiped [L My name will be] in Jerusalem forever,” but Manasseh built altars in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. 5 He built altars to worship the ·stars [L powers/hosts of heaven] in the two courtyards of the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. 6 He ·made his children pass through [sacrificed his children in the] fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom. He practiced magic and witchcraft and ·told the future by explaining signs and dreams [divination; augery]. He ·got advice from [dealt with] mediums and ·fortune-tellers [spiritualists; spiritists; Deut. 18:9–13]. He did ·many things the Lord said were wrong [L much evil in the Lord’s sight/eyes], which made the Lord angry.
7 Manasseh carved an idol and put it in the ·Temple [L house] of God. God had said to David and his son Solomon about the ·Temple [L house], “I will ·be worshiped [L put my name] forever in this ·Temple [L house] and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel. 8 I will never again make the ·Israelites [L feet of Israel] ·leave [wander from; C into exile] the land I ·gave to [appointed for] their ·ancestors [fathers]. But they must ·obey [be careful to do] everything I have commanded them in all the ·teachings [instructions; laws], ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements], and ·commands [judgments] I gave them through Moses.” 9 But Manasseh led the people of Judah and Jerusalem ·to do wrong [astray]. They did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed ahead of the Israelites.
10 The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they ·did not listen [paid no attention]. 11 So the Lord brought the king of Assyria’s army commanders to attack Judah. They captured Manasseh, put hooks in him [C in his nose], ·placed bronze chains on his hands [bound him with bronze chains], and took him to Babylon. 12 ·As Manasseh suffered [L When he was in distress], he ·begged [entreated; L sought] the Lord his God for help and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ·ancestors [fathers]. 13 When Manasseh prayed, the Lord heard ·him [L his plea] and ·had pity on him [was moved]. So the Lord ·let him return [brought him back] to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is the true God.
14 After that happened, Manasseh rebuilt the outer wall of the City of David [C Jerusalem] and made it higher. It was in the valley on the west side of the Gihon spring and went to the entrance of the Fish Gate and around the hill of Ophel. Then he ·put [stationed] ·commanders [officers] in all the ·strong, walled [fortified] cities in Judah.
15 Manasseh removed the ·idols of other nations [foreign gods], including the idol in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. He removed all the altars he had built on the hill of the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord and in Jerusalem and threw them out of the city. 16 Then he ·set up [restored] the Lord’s altar and ·sacrificed [offered] on it ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offerings [Lev. 3:1] and ·offerings to show thanks to God [thank/thanksgiving offerings]. Manasseh commanded all the people of Judah to serve the Lord, the God of Israel. 17 The people continued to offer sacrifices at the ·places of worship [L high places], but their sacrifices were only to the Lord their God. 18 The ·other things Manasseh did as king [rest of the events/acts/history of Manasseh], his prayer to his God, and what the ·seers [prophets] said to him in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel—all are recorded in the ·book [scroll] of the ·history [annals; records] of the kings of Israel. 19 Manasseh’s prayer and ·God’s pity for him [how God responded to his plea/entreaty], his sins, his unfaithfulness, the ·places [sites on which] he built ·for worshiping gods [L high places; 11:15] and the Asherah ·idols [poles; 14:3] before he humbled himself—all are written in the ·book [scroll] of the ·seers [prophets]. 20 Manasseh ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors] and was buried in his ·palace [L house]. Then Manasseh’s son Amon became king in his place.
Amon King of Judah(H)
21 Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he ·was king [reigned] for two years in Jerusalem. 22 He did ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the Lord’s sight/eyes], as his father Manasseh had done. Amon ·worshiped [served] and ·offered [sacrificed] sacrifices to all the carved ·idols [images] Manasseh had made. 23 Amon did not humble himself before the Lord as his father Manasseh had done. Instead, Amon ·sinned even more [L multiplied guilt].
24 King Amon’s ·officers [officials; servants] ·made plans [conspired; plotted] against him and killed him in his ·palace [L house]. 25 Then the people of the land ·killed [executed] all those who had ·made plans [conspired; plotted] to kill King Amon, and they made his son Josiah king in his place.
Josiah King of Judah(I)
34 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he ·ruled [reigned] thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2 He did what ·the Lord said was right [L was pleasing/proper in the eyes/sight of the Lord]. He lived as his ·ancestor [father] David had lived, and he did not ·stop doing what was right [L turn aside/deviate to the right or the left].
3 In his eighth year as king while he was still young, Josiah began to ·obey [seek] the God of his ·ancestor [father] David. In his twelfth year as king, Josiah began to ·remove [purge; rid] from Judah and Jerusalem the ·places for worshiping gods [L high places; 11:15], the Asherah ·idols [poles; 14:3], and the ·wooden [carved] and ·metal [cast; molten] ·idols [images]. 4 The people tore down the altars for the Baal gods ·as Josiah directed [or in his presence]. Then Josiah cut down the incense altars that were above them. He broke up the Asherah ·idols [poles; 14:3] and the wooden and ·metal [cast; molten] idols and ·beat [ground; crushed] them into powder. Then he sprinkled the powder on the ·graves [tombs] of the people who had ·offered [sacrificed] sacrifices to these gods. 5 He burned the bones of their priests on their own altars. So Josiah ·removed idol worship from [purged; purified] Judah and Jerusalem, 6 and from the towns in the areas of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon all the way to Naphtali, and in the ·ruins [or regions] near these towns. 7 Josiah broke down the altars and Asherah ·idols [poles; 14:3] and ·beat [ground; crushed] the ·idols [carved images] into powder. He ·cut down [chopped up; smashed] all the incense altars in all of Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.
8 In Josiah’s eighteenth year ·as king [of reigning], ·he made [he continued to make; or after he had made…] ·Judah [L the land] and the ·Temple [L house] pure. He sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the city ·leader [official; governor], and Joah son of Joahaz the ·recorder [royal historian] to ·repair [restore] the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, the God of Josiah. 9 These men went to Hilkiah the high priest and ·gave him [delivered] the money the Levite gatekeepers had gathered from the people of Manasseh, Ephraim, and all the ·Israelites who were left alive [L remnant of Israel], and also from all the people of Judah, Benjamin, and Jerusalem. This is the money they had brought into the ·Temple [L house] of God. 10 Then the Levites gave it to the ·supervisors [overseers; foremen] of the work on the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, and they paid the workers who ·rebuilt [restored] and repaired the ·Temple [L house]. 11 They gave money to carpenters and builders to buy ·cut [quarried; finished] stone and ·wood [timber]. The ·wood [timber] was used ·to rebuild [for rafters/joists/braces for] the buildings and to make beams for them, because the kings of Judah had let the buildings fall into ruin. 12 The men did their work ·well [faithfully]. Their ·supervisors [overseers; foremen] were Jahath and Obadiah, who were Levites from the ·family [clan] of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, who were from the ·family [clan] of Kohath. ·These [or Other] Levites were all skilled musicians. 13 They were also ·in charge [supervisors; overseers; foremen] of the ·workers who carried loads [burden bearers; laborers] and all the other workers. Some Levites worked as ·secretaries [scribes], ·officers [officials], and gatekeepers.
The Book of the Teachings Is Found
14 The Levites brought out the money that was in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. As they were doing this, Hilkiah the priest found the ·Book [scroll] of the Lord’s ·Teachings [instructions; laws] that had been given through Moses. 15 Hilkiah said to Shaphan the royal ·secretary [scribe] , “I’ve found the ·Book [scroll] of the ·Teachings [instructions; laws] in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord!” Then he gave it to Shaphan.
16 Shaphan took the ·book [scroll] to the king and reported to Josiah, “Your ·officers [officials] are doing everything you ·told [assigned; entrusted] them to do. 17 They have paid out the ·money [silver] that was in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord and have ·given [delivered; entrusted] it to the ·supervisors [overseers] and the workers.” 18 Then Shaphan the royal ·secretary [scribe] told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a ·book [scroll].” And Shaphan read from the ·book [scroll] to the king.
19 When the king heard the words of the ·Teachings [instructions; laws], he tore his clothes [C a sign of mourning or distress]. 20 He gave orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the royal ·secretary [scribe], and Asaiah, the king’s servant. These were the orders: 21 “Go and ·ask [inquire of] the Lord about the words in the ·book [scroll] that was found. Ask for me and for the ·people who are left alive in [remnant of] Israel and Judah. The Lord is ·very angry with [L pouring out/igniting his wrath on] us, because our ·ancestors [fathers] did not ·obey [seek] the Lord’s word; they did not ·do [act in accordance with] everything this ·book [scroll] says to do.”
22 So Hilkiah and those the king sent with him went to talk to Huldah the prophetess. She was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, ·who took care of the king’s clothes [keeper of the wardrobe]. Huldah lived in Jerusalem, in the ·new area of the city [second quarter].
23 She said to them, “·This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says [T Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel]: Tell the man who sent you to me, 24 ‘This is what the Lord says: I will bring ·trouble to [disaster/L evil on] this place and ·to [on] the people living here. I will bring all the curses that are written in the ·book [scroll] that was read to the king of Judah [Deut. 27–28]. 25 The people of Judah have ·left [abandoned; forsaken] me and have burned incense to other gods. They have ·made me angry [L provoked/aroused me to anger] by all the evil things [C idols] they have made. So ·I will punish them in my anger [L my wrath will be poured out on this place], which will not be ·put out [quenched; extinguished].’ 26 Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to ·ask [inquire of] the Lord, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the ·words [message] you heard: 27 When you heard my words against this place and its people, ·you became sorry for what you had done [your heart was tender/responsive/sensitive] and you humbled yourself before me. You tore your clothes [C a sign of mourning or distress], and you cried in my presence. This is why I have heard you, says the Lord. 28 So I will ·let you die and be buried [L gather you to your ancestors/fathers and to your grave/tomb] in peace. You won’t see all the ·trouble [disaster; L evil] I will bring to this place and the people living here.’”
So they took her ·message [response; answer] back to the king.
29 Then the king ·gathered [summoned] all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem together. 30 He went up to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, and all the people from Judah and from Jerusalem went with him. The priests, the Levites, and all the people—·from the most important to the least important [both great and small; or from the oldest to the youngest]—went with him. He read to them all the words in the ·Book [scroll] of the ·Agreement [covenant; treaty] that was found in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. 31 The king stood by his pillar [C a place of authority] and made an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] ·in the presence of [before] the Lord to follow the Lord and ·obey [keep] his commands, rules, and laws with ·his whole being [all his heart] and to obey the words of the ·agreement [covenant; treaty] written in this ·book [scroll]. 32 Then Josiah ·made [required] all the people in Jerusalem and Benjamin ·promise to accept [stand with him regarding] the ·agreement [covenant; treaty]. So the people of Jerusalem ·obeyed [acted in accordance with] the ·agreement [covenant; treaty] of God, the God of their ·ancestors [fathers].
33 And Josiah threw out the [detestable; abominable] idols from all the land that belonged to the Israelites. He ·led [forced; caused] everyone in Israel to serve the Lord their God. While Josiah lived, the people ·obeyed [did not turn from] the Lord, the God of their ·ancestors [fathers].
Josiah Celebrates the Passover(J)
35 King Josiah ·celebrated [kept; observed] the Passover to the Lord in Jerusalem. The Passover lamb was ·killed [slaughtered] on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2 Josiah ·chose [appointed; assigned] the priests to ·do their duties [fulfill their offices], and he encouraged them as they served in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. 3 The Levites taught the Israelites and were ·made holy [set apart] for service to the Lord. Josiah said to them, “Put the Holy Ark in the ·Temple [L house] that David’s son Solomon, the king of Israel, built. Do not carry it from place to place on your shoulders anymore. Now serve the Lord your God and his people Israel. 4 Prepare yourselves by your family ·groups [divisions] for service, and do the jobs that King David and his son Solomon ·gave [wrote down for] you to do.
5 “Stand in the ·holy place [sanctuary] with a ·group [division] of the Levites for each family group of the people. 6 ·Kill [Slaughter] the Passover lambs, and ·make yourselves holy [consecrate/purify/sanctify yourselves] to the Lord. Prepare for your relatives, the people of Israel, to do as the Lord through Moses commanded.”
7 Josiah ·gave [provided] the Israelites thirty thousand sheep and goats to ·kill [slaughter] for the Passover sacrifices, and he gave them three thousand cattle. They were all his own ·animals [property].
8 Josiah’s ·officers [officials] also gave willingly to the people, the priests, and the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, the ·officers [officials] in charge of the ·Temple [L house], gave the priests twenty-six hundred lambs and goats and three hundred cattle for Passover ·sacrifices [offerings]. 9 Conaniah, his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, and Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad gave the Levites five thousand sheep and goats and five hundred cattle for Passover sacrifices. These men were ·leaders [officials] of the Levites.
10 When everything was ready for the Passover service, the priests and Levites in their divisions went to their ·places [stations], as the king had commanded. 11 The Passover lambs were ·killed [slaughtered]. Then the Levites skinned the animals and gave the blood to the priests, who ·sprinkled [splashed] it on the altar. 12 Then they ·gave [divided; set aside] the animals for the burnt offerings to the different family ·groups [divisions] so the burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] could be ·offered [sacrificed] to the Lord as was written in the ·book [scroll] of Moses. They also did this with the cattle. 13 The Levites roasted the Passover sacrifices over the fire as ·they were commanded [prescribed], and they boiled the ·holy [consecrated] offerings in pots, kettles, and pans. Then they quickly ·gave [served] the meat to the people. 14 After this was finished, the Levites prepared meat for themselves and for the priests, the descendants of Aaron. The priests worked until night, offering the burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] and burning the fat of the sacrifices.
15 The Levite singers ·from Asaph’s family [descended from Asaph] stood in ·the places chosen for them by [their stations as prescribed by] King David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun [5:12], the king’s ·seer [prophet]. The gatekeepers at each gate did not have to leave their ·places [posts], because their fellow Levites had prepared ·everything for them for the Passover [L for them].
16 So everything was ·done [completed] that day for the ·worship [service] of the Lord, as King Josiah commanded. The Passover was ·celebrated [kept; observed], and the burnt offerings were ·offered [sacrificed] on the Lord’s altar. 17 The Israelites who were there ·celebrated [kept; observed] the Passover and the ·Feast [Festival] of Unleavened Bread for seven days. 18 The Passover had not been ·celebrated [observed; kept] like this in Israel since the prophet Samuel was alive [C over four hundred years earlier]. None of the kings of Israel had ever ·celebrated [kept; observed] a Passover like the one ·celebrated [kept; observed] by King Josiah, the priests, the Levites, the people of Judah and Israel who were there, and the people of Jerusalem. 19 This Passover was ·celebrated [kept; observed] in the eighteenth year Josiah ·was king [reigned].
The Death of Josiah(K)
20 After Josiah ·did all this for [restored; set in order] the ·Temple [L house], Neco king of Egypt led an army to ·attack [fight/do battle at] Carchemish, a town on the Euphrates River. And Josiah marched out to fight against Neco. 21 But Neco sent messengers to Josiah, saying, “King Josiah, ·there should not be war between us [what have we to do with each other? L what to me and to you]. I did not come to fight you, but ·my enemies [the kingdom/L house with which I am at war]. God told me to hurry, and he is on my side. So ·don’t fight [stop opposing] God, ·or he will [so he will not] destroy you.”
22 But Josiah did not ·go [L turn his face] away. He ·wore different clothes [disguised himself] ·so no one would know who he was [in order to fight him]. Refusing to listen to ·what Neco said at God’s command [L the words Neco received from God’s mouth], Josiah went to fight on the plain of Megiddo. 23 In the battle King Josiah was shot by archers. He told his servants, “Take me away because I am badly wounded.” 24 So they took him out of his chariot and put him in another chariot and carried him to Jerusalem. There he died and was buried in the ·graves [tombs] where his ·ancestors [fathers] were buried. All the people of Judah and Jerusalem ·were very sad because he was dead [mourned for him].
25 Jeremiah ·wrote some sad songs about [composed a lament for] Josiah. Even to this day all the men and women singers ·remember and honor [lament; mourn] Josiah with these songs. It became a ·custom [tradition] in Israel to sing these songs that are written in ·the collection of sad songs [The Book of Laments].
26 The ·other things Josiah did as king [rest of the acts/events/history of Josiah] and his acts of devotion in obedience to what was was written in the Lord’s ·Teachings [instructions; laws], 27 from ·beginning to end [first to last], ·are [L are they not…?] written in the ·book [scroll] of the kings of Israel and Judah.
Jehoahaz King of Judah(L)
36 The people of ·Judah [L the land] ·chose [L took] Josiah’s son Jehoahaz and made him king in Jerusalem in his father’s place.
2 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he ·was king [reigned] in Jerusalem for three months. 3 Then King Neco of Egypt ·removed Jehoahaz from being king [dethroned/deposed him] in Jerusalem. Neco made the people of Judah pay a ·tax [or fine] of ·about seventy-five hundred pounds [L one hundred talents] of silver and ·about seventy-five pounds [L one talent] of gold. 4 The king of Egypt made Jehoahaz’s brother Eliakim the king of Judah and Jerusalem and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But Neco took his brother Jehoahaz to Egypt [C as a prisoner].
Jehoiakim King of Judah(M)
5 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he ·was king [reigned] in Jerusalem for eleven years. He did ·what the Lord said was wrong [evil in the Lord’s sight/eyes]. 6 King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked ·Judah [L him], ·captured Jehoiakim [bound him], put bronze chains on him, and ·took him [carried him away] to Babylon. 7 Nebuchadnezzar removed some of the ·things [articles; vessels] from the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, took them to Babylon, and put them in his own ·palace [or temple; L house].
8 The ·other things Jehoiakim did as king [rest of the events/acts/history of Jehoiakim], the ·hateful [detestable; abominable] things he did, and everything ·he was guilty of doing [found against him], ·are [L are they not…?] written in the ·book [scroll] of the kings of Israel and Judah. And Jehoiakim’s son Jehoiachin became king in his place.
Jehoiachin King of Judah(N)
9 Jehoiachin was ·eight [or eighteen; 2 Kin. 24:8] years old when he became king of Judah, and he ·was king [reigned] in Jerusalem for three months and ten days. He did ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the Lord’s sight/eyes]. 10 ·In the spring [L At the turn of the year] King Nebuchadnezzar sent for Jehoiachin and brought him and some valuable ·treasures [articles; vessels] from the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord to Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar made Jehoiachin’s ·uncle [relative; L brother] Zedekiah the king of Judah and Jerusalem.
Zedekiah King of Judah(O)
11 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king of Judah, and he ·was king [reigned] in Jerusalem for eleven years. 12 Zedekiah did ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the Lord’s sight/eyes]. The prophet Jeremiah spoke ·messages from [L from the mouth of] the Lord, but Zedekiah did not ·obey [L humble himself]. 13 Zedekiah turned against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had forced him to ·swear [vow; take an oath] in God’s name to be loyal to him. But Zedekiah ·became stubborn [L stiffened his neck] and ·refused to obey [L hardened his heart against seeking] the Lord, the God of Israel. 14 Also, all the ·leaders [officials] of the priests and the people of Judah became more ·wicked [unfaithful], following the ·evil example [detestable/abominable practices] of the other nations. The Lord had ·made holy [consecrated; sanctified] the ·Temple [L house] in Jerusalem, but the leaders ·made it unholy [defiled/polluted it].
The Fall of Jerusalem
15 The Lord, the God of their ·ancestors [fathers], sent ·prophets [L messengers] again and again to warn his people, because he had ·pity [compassion] on them and on his ·Temple [dwelling place]. 16 But they ·made fun of [mocked] God’s ·prophets [L messengers] and hated God’s ·messages [L words]. They ·refused to listen to the [ridiculed/scoffed at his] prophets until, finally, the Lord became so angry with his people that ·he could not be stopped [there was no remedy/L healer]. 17 So God brought the king of ·Babylon [the Chaldeans] to attack them. The king ·killed [slaughtered; L killed with the sword] the young men even when they were in the ·Temple [L house of their sanctuary]. He had no ·mercy [pity; compassion] on the young men or women, the old men or those who were ·sick [infirm]. God handed all of them over to Nebuchadnezzar. 18 Nebuchadnezzar carried away to Babylon all the ·things [articles; vessels] from the ·Temple [L house] of God, both large and small, and all the treasures from the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord and from the king and his ·officers [officials]. 19 Nebuchadnezzar and his army ·set fire to [burned down] God’s ·Temple [L house] and broke down Jerusalem’s wall and burned all the ·palaces [or fortifications; L houses]. They destroyed every valuable thing in Jerusalem.
20 Nebuchadnezzar took ·captive [into exile] to Babylon the people who ·were left alive [L escaped the sword], and he forced them to be ·slaves [servants] for him and his descendants. They remained there as ·slaves [servants] until the Persian kingdom ·defeated Babylon [L came/rose to power]. 21 And so ·what the Lord had told Israel through the prophet Jeremiah happened [L the word of the Lord through the mouth of Jeremiah was fulfilled; C he prophesied the fall of Jerusalem]: The country ·was an empty wasteland [lay desolate/fallow] for seventy years ·to make up for the years of Sabbath rest [Lev. 25:1–7] that the people had not kept [or enjoying its sabbath rest; C a bitter observation that the land experienced an ironic “rest” while the Israelites were in exile; Lev. 25:4, 26:33–35].
The Return from Exile(P)
22 In the first year Cyrus was king of Persia [539–38 bc], the Lord ·had Cyrus [L stirred the heart/spirit of Cyrus to] send an ·announcement to [decree/proclamation throughout] his whole kingdom. This happened ·so the Lord’s message spoken by Jeremiah would come true [to fulfill the word of the Lord in the mouth of Jeremiah]. He wrote:
23 ·This is what Cyrus king of Persia says [T Thus says Cyrus king of Persia]:
The Lord, the God of ·heaven [the heavens], has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has appointed me to build a ·Temple [L house] for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Now may the Lord your God ·be with [accompany; fill] all of you who are his people. You are free to go [C back to Jerusalem at the end of the exile; Ezra 1].
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