Aug.
2
2
Chronicles 31-33
2Ch
31:1 Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present
went out to the cities of Judah, and broke in pieces the pillars, and
cut down the Asherim, and broke down the high places and the altars
out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until
they had destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel
returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.
2Ch
31:2 Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites
after their divisions, every man according to his service, both the
priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and for peace offerings,
to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the
camp of Yahweh.
2Ch
31:3 He appointed
also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, to
wit, for the morning and evening burnt
offerings, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, and for the new
moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of Yahweh.
2Ch
31:4 Moreover he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give
the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might give
themselves to the law of Yahweh.
2Ch
31:5 As soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel
gave in abundance the first fruits of grain, new wine, and oil, and
honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all
things brought they in abundantly.
2Ch
31:6 The children of Israel and Judah, who lived in the cities of
Judah, they also brought in the tithe of cattle and sheep, and the
tithe of dedicated things which were consecrated to Yahweh their God,
and laid them by heaps.
2Ch
31:7 In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the
heaps, and finished them in the seventh month.
2Ch
31:8 When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they
blessed Yahweh, and his people Israel.
2Ch
31:9 Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning
the heaps.
2Ch
31:10 Azariah the chief priest, of the house of Zadok, answered him
and said, Since the people
began to bring the offerings into the house of Yahweh, we have eaten
and had enough, and have left plenty: for Yahweh has blessed his
people; and that which is left is this great store.
2Ch
31:11 Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of
Yahweh; and they prepared them.
2Ch
31:12 They brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated
things faithfully: and over them Conaniah the Levite was ruler, and
Shimei his brother was second.
2Ch
31:13 Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and
Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were
overseers under the hand of Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by the
appointment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house
of God.
2Ch
31:14 Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter at the east gate,
was over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute the offerings
of Yahweh, and the most holy things.
2Ch
31:15 Under him were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah,
Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their office
of trust, to give to their brothers by divisions, as well to the
great as to the small:
2Ch
31:16 besides those who were reckoned by genealogy of males, from
three years old and upward, even everyone who entered into the house
of Yahweh, as the duty of every day required, for their service in
their offices according to their divisions;
2Ch
31:17 and those who were reckoned by genealogy of the priests by
their fathers' houses, and the Levites from twenty years old and
upward, in their offices by their divisions;
2Ch
31:18 and those who were reckoned by genealogy of all their little
ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all
the congregation: for in their office of trust they sanctified
themselves in holiness.
2Ch
31:19 Also for the sons of Aaron the priests, who were in the fields
of the suburbs of their cities, in every city, there were men who
were mentioned by name, to give portions to all the males among the
priests, and to all who were reckoned by genealogy among the Levites.
2Ch
31:20 Hezekiah did so throughout all Judah; and he worked that which
was good and right and faithful before Yahweh his God.
2Ch
31:21 In every work that he began in the service of the house of
God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did
it with all his heart, and prospered.
2Ch
32:1 After these things, and this faithfulness, Sennacherib king of
Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the
fortified cities, and thought to win them for himself.
2Ch
32:2 When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was
purposed to fight against Jerusalem,
2Ch
32:3 he took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the
waters of the springs which were outside of the city; and they helped
him.
2Ch
32:4 So there was gathered much people together, and they stopped
all the springs, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the
land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much
water?
2Ch
32:5 He took courage, and built up all the wall that was broken
down, and raised it
up to the towers, and the other wall outside, and strengthened Millo
in the city
of David, and made weapons and shields in abundance.
2Ch
32:6 He set captains of war over the people, and gathered them
together to him in the broad place at the gate of the city, and spoke
comfortably to them, saying,
2Ch
32:7 Be strong and of good courage, don't be afraid nor dismayed for
the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude who is with him; for
there is a greater with us than with him:
2Ch
32:8 with him is an arm of flesh; but with us is Yahweh our God to
help us, and to fight our battles. The people rested themselves on
the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
2Ch
32:9 After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to
Jerusalem, (now he was before Lachish, and all his power with him),
to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah who were at Jerusalem,
saying,
2Ch
32:10 Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, In whom do you trust,
that you abide the siege in Jerusalem?
2Ch
32:11 Doesn't Hezekiah persuade you, to give you over to die by
famine and by thirst, saying, Yahweh our God will deliver us out of
the hand of the king of Assyria?
2Ch
32:12 Has not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his
altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, You shall worship
before one altar, and on it you shall burn incense?
2Ch
32:13 Don't you know what I and my fathers have done to all the
peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands in
any wise able to deliver their land out of my hand?
2Ch
32:14 Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my
fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of my
hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand?
2Ch
32:15 Now therefore don't let Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you
after this manner, neither believe you him; for no god of any nation
or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of
the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out
of my hand?
2Ch
32:16 His servants spoke yet more against Yahweh God, and against
his servant Hezekiah.
2Ch
32:17 He wrote also letters, to rail on Yahweh, the God of Israel,
and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of the
lands, which have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall
the God of Hezekiah not deliver his people out of my hand.
2Ch
32:18 They cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language to the
people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them, and to
trouble them; that they might take the city.
2Ch
32:19 They spoke of the God of Jerusalem, as of the gods of the
peoples of the earth, which are the work of men's hands.
2Ch
32:20 Hezekiah the king, and Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz,
prayed because of this, and cried to heaven.
2Ch
32:21 Yahweh sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty men of valor,
and the leaders and captains, in the camp of the king of Assyria. So
he returned with shame of face to his own land. When he was come into
the house of his god, those who came forth from his own bowels killed
him there with the sword.
2Ch
32:22 Thus Yahweh saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem
from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand
of all others,
and guided them on every side.
2Ch
32:23 Many brought gifts to Yahweh to Jerusalem, and precious things
to Hezekiah king of Judah; so that he was exalted in the sight of all
nations from thenceforth.
2Ch
32:24 In those days Hezekiah was sick even to death: and he prayed
to Yahweh; and he spoke to him, and gave him a sign.
2Ch
32:25 But Hezekiah didn't render again according to the benefit done
to him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath on
him, and on Judah and Jerusalem.
2Ch
32:26 Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his
heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of
Yahweh didn't come on them in the days of Hezekiah.
2Ch
32:27 Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honor: and he provided
him treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and
for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of goodly vessels;
2Ch
32:28 storehouses also for the increase of grain and new wine and
oil; and stalls for all manner of animals, and flocks in folds.
2Ch
32:29 Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and
herds in abundance; for God had given him very much substance.
2Ch
32:30 This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper spring of the waters
of Gihon, and brought them straight down on the west side of the city
of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his works.
2Ch
32:31 However in the business of
the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire
of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him,
that he might know all that was in his heart.
2Ch
32:32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his good deeds,
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.
2Ch
32:33 Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the
ascent of the tombs of the sons of David: and all Judah and the
inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honor at his death. Manasseh his son
reigned in his place.
2Ch
33:1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem.
2Ch
33:2 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, after the
abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out before the children
of Israel.
2Ch
33:3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father
had broken down; and he reared up altars for the Baals, and made
Asheroth, and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served them.
2Ch
33:4 He built altars in the house of Yahweh, of which Yahweh said,
In Jerusalem shall my name be forever.
2Ch
33:5 He built altars for all the army of the sky in the two courts
of the house of Yahweh.
2Ch
33:6 He also made his children to pass through the fire in the
valley of the son of Hinnom; and he practiced sorcery, and used
enchantments, and practiced sorcery, and dealt with those who had
familiar spirits, and with wizards: he worked much evil in the sight
of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger.
2Ch
33:7 He set the engraved image of the idol, which he had made, in
the house of God, of which God said to David and to Solomon his son,
In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the
tribes of Israel, will I put my name forever:
2Ch
33:8 neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from off the
land which I have appointed for your fathers, if only they will
observe to do all that I have commanded them, even all the law and
the statutes and the ordinances given
by Moses.
2Ch
33:9 Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so
that they did evil more than did the nations whom Yahweh destroyed
before the children of Israel.
2Ch
33:10 Yahweh spoke to Manasseh, and to his people; but they gave no
heed.
2Ch
33:11 Therefore Yahweh brought on them the captains of the army of
the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, and bound him with
fetters, and carried him to Babylon.
2Ch
33:12 When he was in distress, he begged Yahweh his God, and humbled
himself greatly before the God of his fathers.
2Ch
33:13 He prayed to him; and he was entreated of him, and heard his
supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom.
Then Manasseh knew that Yahweh he was God.
2Ch
33:14 Now after this he built an outer wall to the city of David, on
the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance at the
fish gate; and he encircled Ophel with
it, and raised it up to a very great
height: and he put valiant captains in all the fortified cities of
Judah.
2Ch
33:15 He took away the foreign gods, and the idol out of the house
of Yahweh, and all the altars that he had built in the mountain of
the house of Yahweh, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.
2Ch
33:16 He built up the altar of Yahweh, and offered thereon
sacrifices of peace offerings and of thanksgiving, and commanded
Judah to serve Yahweh, the God of Israel.
2Ch
33:17 Nevertheless the people sacrificed still in the high places,
but only to Yahweh their God.
2Ch
33:18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer to his
God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of
Yahweh, the God of Israel, behold, they are written among the acts of
the kings of Israel.
2Ch
33:19 His prayer also, and how God
was entreated of him, and all his sin and his trespass, and the
places in which he built high places, and set up the Asherim and the
engraved images, before he humbled himself: behold, they are written
in the history of Hozai.
2Ch
33:20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his
own house: and Amon his son reigned in his place.
2Ch
33:21 Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned two years in Jerusalem.
2Ch
33:22 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as did
Manasseh his father; and Amon sacrificed to all the engraved images
which Manasseh his father had made, and served them.
2Ch
33:23 He didn't humble himself before Yahweh, as Manasseh his father
had humbled himself; but this same Amon trespassed more and more.
2Ch
33:24 His servants conspired against him, and put him to death in
his own house.
2Ch
33:25 But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired
against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son
king in his place.