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32 1 Sennacherib invadeth Judah. 3 Hezekiah prepareth for the war. 7 He exhorteth the people to put their trust in the Lord. 9 Sennacherib blasphemeth God. 20 Hezekiah prayeth. 21 The Angel destroyeth the Assyrians and the king is slain. 25 Hezekiah is not thankful toward the Lord. 33 His death.
1 After these things faithfully described, (A)Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered into Judah, and besieged the strong cities, and thought to [a]win them for himself.
2 When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that his [b]purpose was to fight against Jerusalem,
3 Then he took counsel with his princes and his nobles, to stop the water of the fountains without the city: and they did help him.
4 So many of the people assembled themselves, and stopped all the fountains, and the river that ran through the midst of the country, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?
5 And [c]he took courage, and built all the broken wall, and made up the towers, and another wall without, and repaired [d]Millo in the [e]city of David, and made many [f]darts and shields.
6 And he set captains of war over the people, and assembled them to him in the broad place of the gate of the city, and [g]spake comfortably unto them, saying,
7 Be strong and courageous: fear not, neither be afraid for the king of Assyria, neither for all the multitude that is with him: (B)for there be more with us, then is with him.
8 With him is an [h]arm of flesh, but with us is the [i]Lord our God for to help us, and to fight our battles. Then the people were confirmed by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
9 (C)After this, did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem (while he was [j]against Lachish, and all his dominion with him) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying,
10 Thus saith Sennacherib the king of Assyria, Wherein do ye trust, that ye will remain in Jerusalem, during the siege?
11 Doth not Hezekiah entice you to give over yourselves unto death by famine and by thirst, saying, The Lord our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
12 Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places, and his [k]altars, and commanded Judah, and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it?
13 Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of other countries? were the gods of the nations of other lands able to deliver their land out of mine hand?
14 Who is he of all the [l]gods of those nations (that my fathers have destroyed) that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand?
15 Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor seduce you after this sort, neither believe ye him: for none of all the gods of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of [m]mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your gods deliver you out of mine hand?
16 And his servants spake yet more against the Lord God, and against his [n]servant Hezekiah.
17 He wrote also letters, blaspheming the Lord God of Israel, and speaking against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other countries could not deliver their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand.
18 Then they [o]cried with a loud voice in the Jews speech unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to fear them and to astonish them, that they might take the city.
19 Thus they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, even the [p]works of man’s hands,
20 But Hezekiah the King, and the Prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz [q]prayed against this and cried to heaven.
21 And the Lord sent an Angel, which destroyed all the valiant men, and the princes and [r]captains of the host of the king of Assyria: so he returned [s]with shame to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his [t]own bowels, slew him there with the sword.
22 So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and [u]maintained them on every side.
23 And many brought offerings unto the Lord to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was [v]magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.
24 (D)In those days Hezekiah was sick unto the death, and prayed unto the Lord, who spake unto him, and gave him [w]a sign.
25 But Hezekiah did not render according to the reward bestowed upon him: for his heart [x]was lifted up, and wrath came upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.
26 Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself (after that his heart was lifted up) he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.
27 Hezekiah also had exceeding much riches and honor, and he got him treasures of silver, and of gold, and of precious stones, and of sweet odors, and of shields, and of all pleasant vessels:
28 And of store houses for the increase of wheat and wine and oil, and stalls for all beasts, and [y]rows for the [z]stables.
29 And he made him cities, and had possession of sheep and oxen in abundance: for God had given him substance exceeding much.
30 This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper water springs of [aa]Gihon, and led them straight underneath toward the city of David Westward: so Hezekiah prospered in all his works.
31 But because of the ambassadors of the princes of Babel, which sent unto him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him to [ab]try him, and to know all that was in his heart.
32 Concerning the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, 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.
33 So Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the highest sepulcher of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honor at his death, and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.
33 Manasseh an idolater. 9 He causeth Judah to err. 11 He is led away prisoner into Babylon. 12 He prayeth to the Lord, and is delivered. 14 He abolisheth idolatry, 16 and setteth up true religion. 20 He dieth, and Amon his son succeedeth. 24 Whom his own servants slay.
1 Manasseh was twelve years old, (E)when he began to reign, and he reigned five and fifty years in Jerusalem:
2 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, like the abominations of the heathen, (F)whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.
3 For he went back and built the high places, (G)which Hezekiah his father had broken down: (H)and he set up altars for Baal, and made groves and worshipped all the host of the heaven, and served them.
4 Also he built altars in the house of the Lord, whereof the Lord had said, (I)In Jerusalem shall my Name be forever.
5 And he built altars for all the host of the heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.
6 And he caused his sons to [ac]pass through the fire in the valley of Ben-hinnom: he gave himself to witchcraft and to charming, and to sorcery, and he used them that had familiar spirits, and soothsayers: he did very much evil in the sight of the Lord to anger him.
7 He put also the carved image, which he had made, in the house of God: whereof God had said to David and to Solomon his son, (J)In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my Name forever.
8 Neither will I (K)make the foot of Israel to remove anymore out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers, so that they take heed, and do all that I have commanded them, according to the Law and statutes and judgments by the [ad]hand of Moses.
9 So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.
10 ¶ And the Lord spake to [ae]Manasseh and to his people, but they would not regard.
11 Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh and put him in fetters, and bound him in chains, and carried him to Babel.
12 And when he was in tribulation, he prayed to the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
13 And prayed unto him: and God was [af]entreated of him, and heard his prayer, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom: then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.
14 Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the West side of [ag]Gihon in the valley, even at the entry of the fish gate, and compassed about [ah]Ophel, and raised it very high, and put captains of war in all the strong cities of Judah.
15 And he took away the strange gods and the image out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.
16 Also he prepared the [ai]altar of the Lord, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings, and of thanks, and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel.
17 Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, but unto the [aj]Lord their God.
18 ¶ Concerning the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his [ak]prayer unto his God, and the words of the Seers, that spake to him in the Name of the Lord God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the Kings of Israel.
19 And his prayer and how God was entreated of him, and all his sin, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set groves and images (before he was humbled) behold, they are written in the book of the [al]Seers.
20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own [am]house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.
21 ¶Amon was two and twenty years old, when he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem.
22 But he did evil in the sight of the Lord, as did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed to all the images, which Manasseh his father had made, and served them.
23 And he humbled not himself before the Lord, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself: but this Amon trespassed more and more.
24 And his servants (L)conspired against him, and slew him in his own house.
25 But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against King Amon: and the people of the land made Josiah his son King in his stead.
34 1 Josiah destroyeth the idols. 8 And restoreth the Temple. 14 The book of the Law is found. 21 He sendeth to Huldah the Prophetess for counsel. 27 God heareth his prayer. 31 He maketh a covenant with God.
1 Josiah (M)was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.
2 And he did uprightly in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of [an]David his father, and bowed neither to the right hand nor to the left.
3 And in the eighth year of his reign (when he was yet a [ao]child) he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah, and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and molten images.
4 And they brake down [ap]in his sight the altars of Baal, and he caused to cut down the images that were on high upon them: he brake also the groves, and the carved images and the molten images, and stamped them to powder, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.
5 Also he burnt the [aq]bones of the Priests upon their altars, and purged Judah and Jerusalem.
6 And in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mauls they brake all round about.
7 And when he had [ar]destroyed the altars, and the groves, and had broken and stamped to powder the images, and had cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.
8 ¶ (N)Then in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the Recorder to repair the house of the Lord his God.
9 And when they came to Hilkiah the high Priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the door, had gathered at the hand of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and of all the residue of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin, and [as]of the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
10 And they put it in the hands of [at]them that should do the work, and had the oversight in the house of the Lord: and they gave it to the workmen that wrought in the house of the Lord to repair and amend the house.
11 Even to the workmen and to the builders gave they it to buy hewed stone and timber for couples, and for beams of the [au]houses, which the kings of Judah had destroyed.
12 And the men did the work [av]faithfully, and the overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah the Levites, of the children of Merari, and Zechariah, and Meshullam, of the children of the Kohathites to set it forward: and of the Levites all that could skill of instruments of music.
13 And they were over the bearers of burdens, and them that set forward all the workmen in every work: and of the Levites were scribes, and officers and porters.
14 ¶ And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the Priest found the [aw]book of the Law of the Lord given by the hand of Moses.
15 Therefore Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the chancellor, I have found the book of the Law in the house of the Lord: and Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan.
16 And Shaphan carried the book to [ax]the King, and brought the King word again, saying, All that is committed to the hand of thy servants, that do they.
17 For they have gathered the money that was found in the house of the Lord, and have delivered it into the hands of the overseers, and to the hands of the workmen.
18 Also Shaphan the chancellor declared to the King, saying, Hilkiah the Priest hath given me a book, and Shaphan read it before the King.
19 And when the King had heard the words of the Law, he [ay]tare his clothes,
20 And the King commanded Hilkiah and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the chancellor, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying,
21 Go and inquire of the Lord for me, and for the rest in Israel and Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is fallen upon us, because our [az]fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to do after all that is written in this book.
22 Then Hilkiah and they that the king had appointed went to Huldah the prophetess the wife of Shallum, the son of [ba]Tokhath, the son of [bb]Hasrah keeper of the [bc]wardrobe (and she dwelt in Jerusalem within the [bd]college) and they communed hereof with her.
23 And she answered them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Tell ye [be]the man that sent you to me,
24 Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses, that are written in the book which they have read before the King of Judah:
25 Because they have forsaken me, and burnt incense unto other gods, to anger me with all the works of their [bf]hands, therefore shall my wrath fall upon this place, and shall not be quenched.
26 But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The words which thou hast heard, shall come to pass.
27 But because thine heart did [bg]melt, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and tearest thy clothes, and weptest before me, I have also heard it, saith the Lord.
28 Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be put in thy grave in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the evil, which I will bring upon this [bh]place and upon the inhabitants of the same. Thus they brought the King word again.
29 ¶ Then the King sent and gathered all the Elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
30 And the King went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the Priests and the Levites, and all the people from the greatest to the [bi]smallest, and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the Covenant that was found in the house of the Lord.
31 And the King stood by his pillar, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes with all his heart, and with all his soul, and that he would accomplish the words of the Covenant written in the same book.
32 And he caused all that were found in Jerusalem, and Benjamin to stand to it: and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the Covenant of God, even the God of their fathers.
33 So Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and compelled all [bj]that were found in Israel, to serve the Lord their God: so all his days they turned not back from the Lord God of their fathers.
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