Bible in 90 Days
Reforms Carried Out
16 Then (A)Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king, that they would be the Lord’s people. 17 And all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down, and they broke in pieces his altars and his images, and (B)killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. 18 Moreover, Jehoiada placed the offices of the house of the Lord under the [a]authority of (C)the Levitical priests, (D)whom David had assigned over the house of the Lord, to offer the burnt offerings of the Lord, as it is written in the law of Moses—(E)with rejoicing and singing according to the [b]order of David. 19 He stationed (F)the gatekeepers of the house of the Lord, so that no one would enter who was in any way unclean. 20 (G)He took the captains of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from the house of the Lord, and came through the upper gate to the king’s house. And they placed the king upon the royal throne. 21 So (H)all of the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword.
Young Joash Influenced by Jehoiada
24 (I)Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Zibiah from Beersheba. 2 (J)Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. 3 Jehoiada took two wives for him, and he became the father of sons and daughters.
Faithless Priests
4 Now it came about after this that Joash [c]decided (K)to restore the house of the Lord. 5 He gathered the priests and Levites and said to them, “Go out to the cities of Judah and collect money from all (L)Israel to [d]repair the house of your God [e]annually, and you shall do the matter quickly.” But the Levites did not act quickly. 6 So the king summoned Jehoiada the chief priest and said to him, “Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and from Jerusalem (M)the levy fixed by Moses the servant of the Lord on the congregation of Israel (N)for the tent of the testimony?” 7 For (O)the sons of the wicked Athaliah had broken into the house of God and even [f]used the holy things of the house of the Lord for the Baals.
Temple Repaired
8 So the king commanded, and (P)they made a chest and set it outside by the gate of the house of the Lord. 9 (Q)They made a proclamation in Judah and Jerusalem to bring to the Lord (R)the levy fixed by Moses the servant of God on Israel in the wilderness. 10 All the officers and all the people rejoiced and brought in their levies and [g]dropped them into the chest until they had finished. 11 It came about whenever the chest was brought in to the king’s officer by the Levites, and when (S)they saw that there was much money, then the king’s scribe and the chief priest’s officer would come, empty the chest, take it, and return it to its place. Thus they did daily and collected much money. 12 The king and Jehoiada gave it to those who did the work of the service of the house of the Lord; and they hired masons and carpenters to restore the house of the Lord, and also workers in iron and bronze to [h]repair the house of the Lord. 13 So the workmen labored, and the repair work progressed in their hands, and they [i]restored the house of God [j]according to its specifications and strengthened it. 14 When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada; and it was made into utensils for the house of the Lord, utensils for the service and the burnt offering, and pans and utensils of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Jehoiada.
15 Now when Jehoiada [k]reached a ripe old age he died; he was one hundred and thirty years old at his death. 16 They buried him (T)in the city of David among the kings, because he had done well in (U)Israel and [l]to God and His house.
17 But after the death of Jehoiada the officials of Judah came and bowed down to the king, and the king listened to them. 18 They abandoned (V)the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and (W)served the [m]Asherim and the idols; so (X)wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their guilt. 19 Yet (Y)He sent prophets to them to bring them back to the Lord; though they testified against them, they would not listen.
Joash Murders Son of Jehoiada
20 (Z)Then the Spirit of God [n]came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people and said to them, “Thus God has said, ‘(AA)Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord and do not prosper? (AB)Because you have forsaken the Lord, He has also forsaken you.’” 21 So (AC)they conspired against him and at the command of the king they stoned him [o]to death in the court of the house of the Lord. 22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which his father Jehoiada had shown him, but he murdered his son. And as he died he said, “May (AD)the Lord see and [p]avenge!”
Aram Invades and Defeats Judah
23 Now it happened at the turn of the year that (AE)the army of the Arameans came up against him; and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, destroyed all the officials of the people from among the people, and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. 24 Indeed the army of the Arameans came with a small number of men; yet (AF)the Lord delivered a very great army into their hands, (AG)because they had forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers. Thus they executed judgment on Joash.
25 (AH)When they had departed from him (for they left him very sick), his own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the [q]son of Jehoiada the priest, and murdered him on his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings. 26 Now these are those who conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess. 27 As to his sons and the many [r]oracles against him and (AI)the [s]rebuilding of the house of God, behold, they are written in the [t](AJ)treatise of the Book of the Kings. Then Amaziah his son became king in his place.
Amaziah Succeeds Joash in Judah
25 (AK)Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 2 He did right in the sight of the Lord, (AL)yet not with a whole heart. 3 Now (AM)it came about as soon as the kingdom was [u]firmly in his grasp, that he killed his servants who had slain his father the king. 4 However, he did not put their children to death, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, which the Lord commanded, saying, “(AN)Fathers shall not be put to death for sons, nor sons be put to death for fathers, but each shall be put to death for his own sin.”
Amaziah Defeats Edomites
5 Moreover, Amaziah assembled Judah and appointed them according to their fathers’ households under commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds throughout Judah and Benjamin; and he [v]took a census of those (AO)from twenty years old and upward and found them to be (AP)300,000 choice men, able to go to war and handle spear and shield. 6 He hired also 100,000 valiant warriors out of Israel for one hundred talents of silver. 7 But (AQ)a man of God came to him saying, “O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the Lord is not with Israel nor with any of the sons of Ephraim. 8 But if you do go, do it, be strong for the battle; yet God will [w]bring you down before the enemy, (AR)for God has power to help and to [x]bring down.” 9 Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?” And the man of God answered, “(AS)The Lord has much more to give you than this.” 10 Then Amaziah [y]dismissed them, the troops which came to him from Ephraim, to go home; so their anger burned against Judah and they returned [z]home in fierce anger.
11 Now Amaziah strengthened himself and led his people forth, and went to (AT)the Valley of Salt and struck down 10,000 of the sons of Seir. 12 The sons of Judah also captured 10,000 alive and brought them to the top of the cliff and threw them down from the top of the cliff, so that they were all dashed to pieces. 13 But the [aa]troops whom Amaziah sent back from going with him to battle, raided the cities of Judah, from Samaria to Beth-horon, and struck down 3,000 of them and plundered much spoil.
Amaziah Rebuked for Idolatry
14 Now after Amaziah came from slaughtering the Edomites, (AU)he brought the gods of the sons of Seir, set them up as his gods, bowed down before them and burned incense to them. 15 Then the anger of the Lord burned against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, “Why have you sought the gods of the people (AV)who have not delivered their own people from your hand?” 16 As he was talking with him, [ab]the king said to him, “Have we appointed you a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be struck down?” Then the prophet stopped and said, “I know that God has planned to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.”
Amaziah Defeated by Joash of Israel
17 (AW)Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, the king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face each other.” 18 Joash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “(AX)The thorn bush which was in Lebanon sent to the cedar which was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ But there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon and trampled the thorn bush. 19 You said, ‘Behold, you have [ac]defeated Edom.’ And (AY)your heart has [ad]become proud in boasting. Now stay at home; for why should you provoke trouble so that you, even you, would fall and Judah with you?”
20 But Amaziah would not listen, for it was from God, that He might deliver them into the hand of Joash because they had sought the gods of Edom. 21 So Joash king of Israel went up, and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth-shemesh, which belonged to Judah. 22 Judah was defeated [ae]by Israel, and they fled each to his tent. 23 Then Joash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash the son of (AZ)Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem and tore down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, 400 [af]cubits. 24 He took all the gold and silver and all the utensils which were found in the house of God with (BA)Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.
25 (BB)And Amaziah, the son of Joash king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Joash, son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel. 26 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, from first to last, behold, are they not written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel? 27 From the time that Amaziah turned away from following the Lord they conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there. 28 Then they brought him on horses and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.
Uzziah Succeeds Amaziah in Judah
26 And all the people of Judah took [ag]Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah. 2 He built Eloth and restored it to Judah after the king slept with his fathers. 3 Uzziah was (BC)sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was [ah]Jechiliah of Jerusalem. 4 He did right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 5 (BD)He continued to seek God in the days of Zechariah, (BE)who had understanding [ai]through the vision of God; and [aj](BF)as long as he sought the Lord, God prospered him.
Uzziah Succeeds in War
6 Now he went out and (BG)warred against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath and the wall of Jabneh and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities in the area of Ashdod and among the Philistines. 7 (BH)God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who lived in Gur-baal, and the Meunites. 8 The Ammonites also gave (BI)tribute to Uzziah, and his [ak]fame extended to the border of Egypt, for he became very strong. 9 Moreover, Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at (BJ)the Corner Gate and at the (BK)Valley Gate and at the corner buttress and fortified them. 10 He built towers in the wilderness and (BL)hewed many cisterns, for he had much livestock, both in the [al]lowland and in the plain. He also had plowmen and vinedressers in the hill country and the fertile fields, for he loved the soil. 11 Moreover, Uzziah had an army ready for battle, which [am]entered combat by divisions according to the number of their muster, [an]prepared by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the official, under the direction of Hananiah, one of the king’s officers. 12 The total number of the heads of the [ao]households, of valiant warriors, was 2,600. 13 Under their direction was an [ap]elite army of (BM)307,500, who could wage war with great power, to help the king against the enemy. 14 Moreover, Uzziah prepared [aq]for all the army shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows and sling stones. 15 In Jerusalem he made engines of war invented by skillful men to be on the towers and on the corners for the purpose of shooting arrows and great stones. Hence his [ar]fame spread afar, for he was marvelously helped until he was strong.
Pride Is Uzziah’s Undoing
16 But (BN)when he became strong, his heart was so [as]proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to the Lord his God, for (BO)he entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 Then (BP)Azariah the priest entered after him and with him eighty priests of the Lord, valiant men. 18 (BQ)They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, “(BR)It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, (BS)but for the priests, the sons of Aaron who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful and will have no honor from the Lord God.” 19 But Uzziah, with a censer in his hand for burning incense, was enraged; and while he was enraged with the priests, (BT)the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, beside the altar of incense. 20 Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and behold, he was leprous on his forehead; and they hurried him out of there, and he himself also hastened to get out because the Lord had smitten him. 21 (BU)King Uzziah was a leper to the day of his death; and he lived in (BV)a separate house, being a leper, for he was cut off from the house of the Lord. And Jotham his son was over the king’s house judging the people of the land.
22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first to last, the prophet (BW)Isaiah, the son of Amoz, has written. 23 So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers (BX)in the field of the grave which belonged to the kings, for they said, “He is a leper.” And Jotham his son became king in his place.
Jotham Succeeds Uzziah in Judah
27 (BY)Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok. 2 He did right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Uzziah had done; (BZ)however he did not enter the temple of the Lord. But the people continued acting corruptly. 3 He built the upper gate of the house of the Lord, and he built extensively the wall of (CA)Ophel. 4 Moreover, he built (CB)cities in the hill country of Judah, and he built fortresses and towers on the wooded hills. 5 He fought also with the king of the Ammonites and prevailed over them so that the Ammonites gave him during that year one hundred talents of silver, ten thousand [at]kors of wheat and ten thousand of barley. The Ammonites also paid him this amount in the second and in the third year. 6 (CC)So Jotham became mighty because he ordered his ways before the Lord his God. 7 (CD)Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, even all his wars and his acts, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. 8 He was (CE)twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. 9 And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David; and Ahaz his son became king in his place.
Ahaz Succeeds Jotham in Judah
28 (CF)Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and (CG)he did not do right in the sight of the Lord as David his father had done. 2 (CH)But he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel; he also (CI)made molten images for the Baals. 3 Moreover, (CJ)he burned incense in the valley of Ben-hinnom and (CK)burned his sons in fire, (CL)according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had driven out before the sons of Israel. 4 He sacrificed and (CM)burned incense on the high places, on the hills and under every green tree.
Judah Is Invaded
5 Wherefore, (CN)the Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Aram; and they [au]defeated him and carried away from him a great number of captives and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who [av]inflicted him with heavy casualties. 6 For (CO)Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah 120,000 in one day, all valiant men, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers. 7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king’s son and Azrikam the ruler of the house and Elkanah the second to the king.
8 (CP)The sons of Israel carried away captive of (CQ)their brethren 200,000 women, sons and daughters; and they [aw]took also a great deal of spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria. 9 But a prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Oded; and (CR)he went out to meet the army which came to Samaria and said to them, “Behold, because the Lord, the God of your fathers, (CS)was angry with Judah, He has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage (CT)which has even reached heaven. 10 Now you are proposing to (CU)subjugate for yourselves the people of Judah and Jerusalem for male and female slaves. Surely, do you not have transgressions of your own against the Lord your God? 11 Now therefore, listen to me and return the captives (CV)whom you captured from your brothers, (CW)for the burning anger of the Lord is against you.” 12 Then some of the heads of the sons of Ephraim—Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai—arose against those who were coming from the battle, 13 and said to them, “You must not bring the captives in here, for you are proposing to bring upon us guilt against the Lord adding to our sins and our guilt; for our guilt is great so that His burning anger is against Israel.” 14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the officers and all the assembly. 15 Then (CX)the men who were designated by name arose, took the captives, and they clothed all their naked ones from the spoil; and they gave them clothes and sandals, fed them and (CY)gave them drink, anointed them with oil, led all their feeble ones on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, (CZ)the city of palm trees, to their brothers; then they returned to Samaria.
Compromise with Assyria
16 (DA)At that time King Ahaz sent to the [ax]kings of Assyria for help. 17 (DB)For again the Edomites had come and attacked Judah and carried away captives. 18 (DC)The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the [ay]lowland and of the Negev of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, and Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages, and they settled there. 19 For the Lord humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of (DD)Israel, for he had brought about a lack of restraint in Judah and was very unfaithful to the Lord. 20 So (DE)Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him. 21 (DF)Although Ahaz took a portion out of the house of the Lord and out of the palace of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria, it did not help him.
22 Now in the time of his distress this same King Ahaz (DG)became yet more unfaithful to the Lord. 23 (DH)For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had [az]defeated him, and said, “(DI)Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But they became the [ba]downfall of him and all Israel. 24 Moreover, when Ahaz gathered together the utensils of the house of God, he (DJ)cut the utensils of the house of God in pieces; and he (DK)closed the doors of the house of the Lord and (DL)made altars for himself in every corner of Jerusalem. 25 In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked the Lord, the God of his fathers, to anger. 26 (DM)Now the rest of his acts and all his ways, from first to last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 27 (DN)So Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, for they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of (DO)Israel; and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.
Hezekiah Succeeds Ahaz in Judah
29 (DP)Hezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old; and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. 2 (DQ)He did right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done.
3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he (DR)opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them. 4 He brought in the priests and the Levites and gathered them into the square on the east.
Reforms Begun
5 Then he said to them, “Listen to me, O Levites. (DS)Consecrate yourselves now, and consecrate the house of the Lord, the God of your fathers, and carry the uncleanness out from the holy place. 6 For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done evil in the sight of the Lord our God, and have forsaken Him and (DT)turned their faces away from the dwelling place of the Lord, and have [bb]turned their backs. 7 They have also (DU)shut the doors of the porch and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel. 8 Therefore (DV)the wrath of the Lord was against Judah and Jerusalem, and He has made them an object of terror, of horror, and of (DW)hissing, as you see with your own eyes. 9 For behold, (DX)our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. 10 Now it is in my heart (DY)to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that His burning anger may turn away from us. 11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for (DZ)the Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to minister to Him, and to be His ministers and burn incense.”
12 Then the Levites arose: (EA)Mahath, the son of Amasai and Joel the son of Azariah, from the sons of (EB)the Kohathites; and from the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; and from the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah and Eden the son of Joah; 13 and from the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and [bc]Jeiel; and from the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; 14 and from the sons of Heman, [bd]Jehiel and Shimei; and from the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel. 15 They assembled their brothers, (EC)consecrated themselves, and went in (ED)to cleanse the house of the Lord, according to the commandment of the king (EE)by the words of the Lord. 16 So the priests went in to the inner part of the house of the Lord to cleanse it, and every unclean thing which they found in the temple of the Lord they brought out to the court of the house of the Lord. Then the Levites received it to carry out to (EF)the Kidron [be]valley. 17 Now they began [bf]the consecration (EG)on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they entered the porch of the Lord. Then they consecrated the house of the Lord in eight days, and finished on the sixteenth day of the first month. 18 Then they went in to King Hezekiah and said, “We have cleansed the whole house of the Lord, the altar of burnt offering with all of its utensils, and the table of showbread with all of its utensils. 19 Moreover, (EH)all the utensils which King Ahaz had discarded during his reign in his unfaithfulness, we have prepared and consecrated; and behold, they are before the altar of the Lord.”
Hezekiah Restores Temple Worship
20 Then King Hezekiah arose early and assembled the princes of the city and went up to the house of the Lord. 21 They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs and seven male goats (EI)for a sin offering for the kingdom, the sanctuary, and Judah. And he ordered the priests, the sons of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of the Lord. 22 So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests took the blood and sprinkled it on the altar. They also slaughtered the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar; they slaughtered the lambs also and (EJ)sprinkled the blood on the altar. 23 Then they brought the male goats of the sin offering before the king and the assembly, and (EK)they laid their hands on them. 24 The priests slaughtered them and purged the altar with their blood (EL)to atone for all Israel, for the king ordered the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel.
25 (EM)He then stationed the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, with harps and with lyres, (EN)according to the command of David and of (EO)Gad the king’s seer, and of (EP)Nathan the prophet; for the command was from the Lord through His prophets. 26 The Levites stood with (EQ)the musical instruments of David, and (ER)the priests with the trumpets. 27 Then Hezekiah gave the order to offer the burnt offering on the altar. When the burnt offering began, (ES)the song to the Lord also began with the trumpets, [bg]accompanied by the instruments of David, king of Israel. 28 While the whole assembly worshiped, the singers also sang and the trumpets sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.
29 Now at the completion of the burnt offerings, (ET)the king and all who were present with him bowed down and worshiped. 30 Moreover, King Hezekiah and the officials ordered the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and Asaph the seer. (EU)So they sang praises with joy, and bowed down and worshiped.
31 Then Hezekiah said, “(EV)Now that you have [bh]consecrated yourselves to the Lord, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of the Lord.” And the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and (EW)all those who were [bi]willing brought burnt offerings. 32 The number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to the Lord. 33 The consecrated things were 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep. 34 But the priests were too few, so that they were unable to skin all the burnt offerings; (EX)therefore their brothers the Levites helped them until the work was completed and until the other priests had consecrated themselves. For (EY)the Levites were more [bj]conscientious to consecrate themselves than the priests. 35 There were also [bk](EZ)many burnt offerings with (FA)the fat of the peace offerings and with (FB)the libations for the burnt offerings. Thus the service of the house of the Lord was established again. 36 Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced over what God had prepared for the people, because the thing came about suddenly.
All Israel Invited to the Passover
30 Now Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem to [bl]celebrate the Passover to the Lord God of Israel. 2 For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had decided (FC)to celebrate the Passover in the second month, 3 since they could not celebrate it (FD)at that time, because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient numbers, nor had the people been gathered to Jerusalem. 4 Thus the thing was right in the sight of the king and [bm]all the assembly. 5 So they established a decree to circulate a [bn]proclamation throughout all Israel (FE)from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to celebrate the Passover to the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem. For they had not celebrated it in great numbers as it was [bo]prescribed. 6 (FF)The [bp]couriers went throughout all Israel and Judah with the letters from the hand of the king and his princes, even according to the command of the king, saying, “O sons of Israel, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that He may return to those of you who escaped and are left from (FG)the [bq]hand of the kings of Assyria. 7 (FH)Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were unfaithful to the Lord God of their fathers, so that (FI)He made them a horror, as you see. 8 Now do not (FJ)stiffen your neck like your fathers, but [br]yield to the Lord and enter His sanctuary which He has consecrated forever, and serve the Lord your God, (FK)that His burning anger may turn away from you. 9 For (FL)if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive and will return to this land. (FM)For the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.”
10 So the [bs]couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but (FN)they laughed them to scorn and mocked them. 11 Nevertheless (FO)some men of Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 The (FP)hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the Lord.
Passover Reinstituted
13 Now many people were gathered at Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread (FQ)in the second month, a very large assembly. 14 They arose and removed the altars which were in Jerusalem; they also (FR)removed all the incense altars and (FS)cast them into the brook Kidron. 15 Then (FT)they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth of the second month. And (FU)the priests and Levites were ashamed of themselves, and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the house of the Lord. 16 (FV)They stood at their stations after their custom, according to the law of Moses the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood which they received from the hand of the Levites. 17 For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves; therefore, (FW)the Levites were over the slaughter of the Passover lambs for everyone who was unclean, in order to consecrate them to the Lord. 18 For a multitude of the people, (FX)even many from Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not purified themselves, (FY)yet they ate the Passover (FZ)otherwise than [bt]prescribed. For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord pardon 19 (GA)everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.” 20 So the Lord heard Hezekiah and (GB)healed the people. 21 The sons of Israel present in Jerusalem (GC)celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy, and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day after day with loud instruments to the Lord. 22 Then Hezekiah (GD)spoke [bu]encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good insight in the things of the Lord. So they ate for the appointed seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and (GE)giving thanks to the Lord God of their fathers.
23 Then the whole assembly (GF)decided to celebrate the feast another seven days, so they celebrated the seven days with joy. 24 For (GG)Hezekiah king of Judah had contributed to the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep, and the princes had contributed to the assembly 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep; and (GH)a large number of priests consecrated themselves. 25 All the assembly of Judah rejoiced, with the priests and the Levites and (GI)all the assembly that came from Israel, both the sojourners who came from the land of Israel and those living in Judah. 26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem, because there was nothing like this in Jerusalem (GJ)since the days of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel. 27 Then (GK)the Levitical priests arose and (GL)blessed the people; and their voice was heard and their prayer came to (GM)His holy dwelling place, to heaven.
Idols Are Destroyed
31 Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, (GN)broke the pillars in pieces, cut down the [bv]Asherim and pulled down the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, [bw]until they had destroyed them all. Then all the sons of Israel returned to their cities, each to his possession.
2 And Hezekiah appointed (GO)the divisions of the priests and the Levites by their divisions, each according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, (GP)for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister and to give thanks and to praise in the gates of the camp of the Lord.
Reforms Continued
3 He also appointed (GQ)the king’s portion of his goods for the burnt offerings, namely, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths and for the new moons and for the fixed festivals, (GR)as it is written in the law of the Lord. 4 Also he [bx]commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give (GS)the portion due to the priests and the Levites, that they might devote themselves to (GT)the law of the Lord. 5 As soon as the [by]order spread, the sons of Israel provided in abundance the first fruits of grain, new wine, oil, honey and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly (GU)the tithe of all. 6 The sons of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and (GV)the tithe of [bz]sacred gifts which were consecrated to the Lord their God, and placed them in heaps. 7 In the third month they began to [ca]make the heaps, and finished them by the seventh month. 8 When Hezekiah and the rulers came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and (GW)His people Israel. 9 Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10 Azariah the chief priest (GX)of the house of Zadok said to [cb]him, “(GY)Since the contributions began to be brought into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat with plenty left over, for the Lord has blessed His people, and this great quantity is left over.”
11 Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare (GZ)rooms in the house of the Lord, and they prepared them. 12 They faithfully brought in the contributions and the tithes and the consecrated things; and Conaniah the Levite was the officer in charge (HA)of them and his brother Shimei was second. 13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath and Benaiah were overseers [cc]under the authority of Conaniah and Shimei his brother by the appointment of King Hezekiah, and (HB)Azariah was the chief officer of the house of God. 14 Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the eastern gate, was over the freewill offerings of God, to apportion the contributions for the Lord and the most holy things. 15 [cd]Under his authority were (HC)Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah and Shecaniah in (HD)the cities of the priests, to distribute faithfully their portions to their brothers by divisions, whether great or small, 16 without regard to their genealogical enrollment, to the males from [ce](HE)thirty years old and upward—everyone who entered the house of the Lord (HF)for his daily obligations—for their work in their duties according to their divisions; 17 as well as the priests who were enrolled genealogically according to their fathers’ households, and the Levites (HG)from twenty years old and upwards, by their duties and their divisions. 18 The genealogical enrollment included [cf]all their little children, their wives, their sons and their daughters, for the whole assembly, for they consecrated themselves [cg]faithfully in holiness. 19 Also for the sons of Aaron the priests who were in (HH)the pasture lands of their cities, or in each and every city, (HI)there were men who were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone genealogically enrolled among the Levites.
20 Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah; and (HJ)he did what was good, right and true before the Lord his God. 21 Every work which he began in the service of the house of God in law and in commandment, seeking his God, he did with all his heart and (HK)prospered.
Sennacherib Invades Judah
32 After these [ch]acts of faithfulness (HL)Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and besieged the fortified cities, and [ci]thought to break into them for himself. 2 Now when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that [cj]he intended to make war on Jerusalem, 3 he decided with his officers and his warriors to cut off the supply of water from the springs which were outside the city, and they helped him. 4 So many people assembled (HM)and stopped up all the springs and (HN)the stream which flowed [ck]through the region, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?” 5 And he took courage and (HO)rebuilt all the wall that had been broken down and [cl]erected towers on it, and built (HP)another outside wall and strengthened the (HQ)Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in great number. 6 He appointed military officers over the people and gathered them to him in the square at the city gate, and (HR)spoke [cm]encouragingly to them, saying, 7 “(HS)Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him; (HT)for the one with us is greater than the one with him. 8 With him is only (HU)an arm of flesh, but (HV)with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
Sennacherib Undermines Hezekiah
9 After this (HW)Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem while he was [cn]besieging Lachish with all his forces with him, against Hezekiah king of Judah and against all Judah who were at Jerusalem, saying, 10 “Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, ‘On what are you trusting that you are remaining in Jerusalem under siege? 11 Is not Hezekiah misleading you to give yourselves over to die by hunger and by thirst, saying, “The Lord our God will deliver us from the [co]hand of the king of Assyria”? 12 (HX)Has not the same Hezekiah taken away His high places and His altars, and said to Judah and [cp]Jerusalem, “You shall worship before one altar, and on it you shall [cq]burn incense”? 13 Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? (HY)Were the gods of the nations of the lands able at all to deliver their land from my hand? 14 (HZ)Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed who could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my hand? 15 Now therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you like this, and do not believe him, for (IA)no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people from my hand or from the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my hand?’”
16 His servants spoke further against the Lord God and against His servant Hezekiah. 17 He also wrote letters to insult the Lord God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, “(IB)As the gods of the nations of the lands [cr]have not delivered their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my hand.” 18 (IC)They called this out with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them, so that they might take the city. 19 They spoke [cs]of the God of Jerusalem as of (ID)the gods of the peoples of the earth, the work of men’s hands.
Hezekiah’s Prayer Is Answered
20 But King Hezekiah and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed about this and cried out to heaven. 21 And the Lord sent an angel who destroyed every mighty warrior, commander and officer in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned [ct]in shame to his own land. And when he had entered the temple of his god, some of his own children killed him there with the sword. 22 So the Lord (IE)saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria and from the hand of all others, and [cu]guided them on every side. 23 And (IF)many were bringing gifts to the Lord at Jerusalem and choice presents to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that (IG)he was exalted in the sight of all nations thereafter.
24 (IH)In those days Hezekiah became [cv]mortally ill; and he prayed to the Lord, and [cw]the Lord spoke to him and gave him a sign. 25 But Hezekiah gave no return for the benefit [cx]he received, (II)because his heart was [cy]proud; (IJ)therefore wrath came on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. 26 However, (IK)Hezekiah [cz]humbled the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah.
27 Now Hezekiah had immense riches and honor; and he made for himself treasuries for silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuable articles, 28 storehouses also for the produce of grain, wine and oil, pens for all kinds of cattle and [da]sheepfolds for the flocks. 29 He made cities for himself and acquired flocks and herds in abundance, for (IL)God had given him very great [db]wealth. 30 It was Hezekiah who (IM)stopped the upper outlet of the waters of (IN)Gihon and directed them to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all that he did. 31 Even in the matter of (IO)the envoys of the rulers of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of (IP)the wonder that had happened in the land, God left him alone only (IQ)to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart.
32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his deeds of devotion, 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 [dc]upper section of the tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem (IR)honored him at his death. And his son Manasseh became king in his place.
Manasseh Succeeds Hezekiah in Judah
33 (IS)Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. 2 (IT)He did evil in the sight of the Lord according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord dispossessed before the sons of Israel. 3 For (IU)he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; (IV)he also erected altars for the Baals and made [dd]Asherim, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 4 (IW)He built altars in the house of the Lord of which the Lord had said, “My name shall be (IX)in Jerusalem forever.” 5 For he built altars for all the host of heaven in (IY)the two courts of the house of the Lord. 6 (IZ)He made his sons pass through the fire in the valley of Ben-hinnom; and he practiced witchcraft, used divination, practiced sorcery and (JA)dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him to anger. 7 Then he put (JB)the carved image of the idol which he had made in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, “(JC)In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever; 8 and I will not again remove the foot of Israel from the land (JD)which I have appointed for your fathers, if only they will observe to do all that I have commanded them according to all the law, the statutes and the ordinances given through Moses.” 9 Thus Manasseh misled Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the sons of Israel.
Manasseh’s Idolatry Rebuked
10 The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but (JE)they paid no attention. 11 (JF)Therefore the Lord brought the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria against them, and they captured Manasseh with [de]hooks, (JG)bound him with bronze chains and took him to Babylon. 12 When (JH)he was in distress, he entreated the Lord his God and (JI)humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. 13 When he prayed to Him, (JJ)He was moved by his entreaty and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh (JK)knew that the Lord was God.
14 Now after this he built the outer wall of the city of David on the west side of (JL)Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance of the (JM)Fish Gate; and he encircled the (JN)Ophel with it and made it very high. Then he put army commanders in all the fortified cities of Judah. 15 He also (JO)removed the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the Lord, as well as all the altars which he had built on the mountain of the house of the Lord and in Jerusalem, and he threw them outside the city. 16 He set up the altar of the Lord and sacrificed (JP)peace offerings and thank offerings on it; and he ordered Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. 17 Nevertheless (JQ)the people still sacrificed in the high places, although only to the Lord their God.
18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh even (JR)his prayer to his God, and the words of (JS)the seers who spoke to him in the name of the Lord God of Israel, behold, they are among the records of the kings of (JT)Israel. 19 His prayer also and (JU)how God was entreated by him, and all his sin, his unfaithfulness, and (JV)the sites on which he built high places and erected the Asherim and the carved images, before he humbled himself, behold, they are written in the records of the [df]Hozai. 20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house. And Amon his son became king in his place.
Amon Becomes King in Judah
21 (JW)Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. 22 He did evil in the sight of the Lord as Manasseh his father (JX)had done, and Amon sacrificed to all (JY)the carved images which his father Manasseh had made, and he served them. 23 Moreover, he did not humble himself before the Lord (JZ)as his father Manasseh had [dg]done, but Amon multiplied guilt. 24 Finally (KA)his servants conspired against him and put him to death in his own house. 25 But the people of the land [dh]killed all the conspirators against King Amon, and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.
Josiah Succeeds Amon in Judah
34 (KB)Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2 (KC)He did right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of his father David and did not turn aside to the right or to the left. 3 For in the eighth year of his reign while he was still a youth, he began to (KD)seek the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began (KE)to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, the carved images and the molten images. 4 They tore down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and (KF)the incense altars that were high above them he chopped down; also the Asherim, the carved images and the molten images he broke in pieces and (KG)ground to powder and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 5 Then (KH)he burned the bones of the priests on their altars and purged Judah and Jerusalem. 6 (KI)In the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, even as far as Naphtali, in their surrounding ruins, 7 he also tore down the altars and (KJ)beat the Asherim and the carved images into powder, and chopped down all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
Josiah Repairs the Temple
8 (KK)Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah (KL)an official of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God. 9 They came to (KM)Hilkiah the high priest and delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites, the [di]doorkeepers, had collected [dj]from (KN)Manasseh and Ephraim, and from all the remnant of Israel, and from all Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 Then they gave it into the hands of the workmen who had the oversight of the house of the Lord, and the workmen who were working in the house of the Lord [dk]used it to restore and repair the house. 11 They in turn gave it to the carpenters and to the builders to buy quarried stone and timber for couplings and to make beams for the houses (KO)which the kings of Judah had let go to ruin. 12 (KP)The men did the work faithfully with foremen over them to supervise: Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites of the sons of Merari, Zechariah and Meshullam of the sons of the Kohathites, and (KQ)the Levites, all who were skillful with musical instruments. 13 They were also over (KR)the burden bearers, and supervised all the workmen from job to job; and some of the Levites were scribes and officials and gatekeepers.
Hilkiah Discovers Lost Book of the Law
14 When they were bringing out the money which had been brought into the house of the Lord, (KS)Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of the Lord given by Moses. 15 Hilkiah responded and said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan. 16 Then Shaphan brought the book to the king and [dl]reported further word to the king, saying, “Everything that was [dm]entrusted to your servants they are doing. 17 They have also emptied out the money which was found in the house of the Lord, and have delivered it into the hands of the supervisors and the workmen.” 18 Moreover, Shaphan the scribe told the king saying, “Hilkiah the priest gave me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.
19 When the king heard (KT)the words of the law, (KU)he tore his clothes. 20 Then the king commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, [dn]Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying, 21 “Go, inquire of the Lord for me and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book which has been found; for (KV)great is the wrath of the Lord which is poured out on us because our fathers have not observed the word of the Lord, to do according to all that is written in this book.”
Huldah, the Prophetess, Speaks
22 So Hilkiah and those whom the king [do]had told went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of [dp]Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, the keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter); and they spoke to her regarding this. 23 She said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Tell the man who sent you to Me, 24 thus says the Lord, “Behold, (KW)I am bringing evil on this place and on its inhabitants, even all (KX)the curses written in the book which they have read in the presence of the king of Judah. 25 (KY)Because they have forsaken Me and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore My wrath will be poured out on this place and it shall not be quenched.”’ 26 But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus you will say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel regarding the words which you have heard, 27 (KZ)Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before Me, tore your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,” declares the Lord. 28 Behold, I will gather you to your fathers and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, so your eyes will not see all the evil which I will bring on this place and on its inhabitants.”’” And they brought back word to the king.
29 (LA)Then the king sent and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 The king went up to the house of the Lord and (LB)all the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests, the Levites and all the people, from the greatest to the least; and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the Lord.
Josiah’s Good Reign
31 Then the king (LC)stood in his place and (LD)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, to perform the words of the covenant written in this book. 32 Moreover, he made all who were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand with him. So the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. 33 Josiah (LE)removed all the abominations from all the lands belonging to the sons of Israel, and made all who were present in Israel to serve the Lord their God. Throughout his [dq]lifetime they did not turn from following the Lord God of their fathers.
The Passover Observed Again
35 Then Josiah (LF)celebrated the Passover to the Lord in Jerusalem, and (LG)they slaughtered the Passover animals on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2 He set the priests in their offices and (LH)encouraged them in the service of the house of the Lord. 3 He also said to (LI)the Levites who taught all Israel and who were holy to the Lord, “Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built; (LJ)it will be a burden on your shoulders no longer. Now serve the Lord your God and His people Israel. 4 (LK)Prepare yourselves by your fathers’ households in your divisions, according to the writing of David king of Israel and (LL)according to the writing of his son Solomon. 5 Moreover, (LM)stand in the holy place according to the sections of the fathers’ households of your brethren the [dr]lay people, and according to the Levites, by division of a father’s household. 6 Now (LN)slaughter the Passover animals, (LO)sanctify yourselves and prepare for your brethren to do according to the word of the Lord by Moses.”
7 Josiah contributed to the lay people, to all who were present, flocks of lambs and young goats, all for the Passover offerings, numbering 30,000 plus 3,000 bulls; these were from the king’s possessions. 8 His officers also contributed a freewill offering to the people, the priests and the Levites. Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, (LP)the officials of the house of God, gave to the priests for the Passover offerings 2,600 from the flocks and 300 bulls. 9 (LQ)Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brothers, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, the officers of the Levites, contributed to the Levites for the Passover offerings 5,000 from the flocks and 500 bulls.
10 So the service was prepared, and (LR)the priests stood at their stations and the Levites by their divisions according to the king’s command. 11 [ds](LS)They slaughtered the Passover animals, and while (LT)the priests sprinkled [dt]the blood received from their hand, (LU)the Levites skinned them. 12 Then they removed the burnt offerings that they might give them to the sections of the fathers’ households of the lay people to present to the Lord, as it is written in the book of Moses. They did this also with the bulls. 13 So (LV)they roasted the Passover animals on the fire according to the ordinance, and they boiled (LW)the holy things in pots, in kettles, in pans, and carried them speedily to all the lay people. 14 Afterwards they prepared for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the sons of Aaron, were offering the burnt offerings and the fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests, the sons of Aaron. 15 The singers, the sons of Asaph, were also at their stations (LX)according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer; and (LY)the gatekeepers at each gate did not have to depart from their service, because the Levites their brethren prepared for them.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.