1 The country of Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of King Ahab of Israel.
2 King Ahaziah of Israel fell off the balcony on the roof of his palace in Samaria and was seriously injured. He sent some messengers and said to them: »Go to consult Baalzebub, the god of the Philistine city of Ekron, to find out whether or not I will recover from this.«
3 Jehovahs angel commanded Elijah, the prophet from Tishbe, »Go and meet the messengers of King Ahaziah. Ask them: Why are you going to consult Baalzebub, the god of Ekron? Do you think there is no god in Israel?
4 »Tell the king Jehovah says: You will not recover from your injuries. You will in fact die!« Elijah did as Jehovah commanded.
5 The messengers returned to the king. »Why have you come back?« He asked.
6 They answered: »A man told us to come back and tell you that Jehovah says: Why are you sending messengers to consult Baalzebub, the god of Ekron? Is it because you think there is no god in Israel? You will not recover from your injuries. You will die!«
7 »What did the man look like?« The king asked.
8 »He was a hairy man wearing a cloak made of animal skins, tied with a leather belt,« they answered. »It is Elijah!« The king exclaimed.
9 Then he sent an officer with fifty men to get Elijah. The officer found him sitting on a hill and said to him: »Man of God, the king orders you to come down.«
10 »If I am a man of God,« Elijah answered: »Let fire come down from heaven and kill you and your men!« At once fire came down and killed the officer and his men.
11 The king sent another officer with fifty men, who went up and said to Elijah: »Man of God, the king orders you to come down at once!«
12 »Since I am a man of God,« Elijah answered: »let fire come down from heaven and kill you and your men!« At once the fire of God came down and killed the officer and his men.
13 Once more the king sent an officer with fifty men. He went up the hill, fell on his knees in front of Elijah, and pleaded: »Man of God, be merciful to my men and me. Spare our lives!
14 »The other officers and their men were killed by fire from heaven. Please, please be merciful to me!«
15 The angel of Jehovah said to Elijah: »Go down with him. Do not be afraid of him.« So Elijah went with the officer to the king.
16 Elijah spoke to the king: »This is what Jehovah says: Because you sent messengers to consult Baalzebub, the god of Ekron acting as if there were no god in Israel to consult, you will not get well. You will die!«
17 Ahaziah died, just as Jehovah spoke through Elijah. Ahaziah had no sons, so his brother Joram succeeded him as king. This happened in the second year of the reign of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah.
18 Everything else that King Ahaziah did is recorded in The History of the Kings of Israel.
1 The time came for Jehovah to take Elijah up into the physical heavens the sky in a whirlwind. Elijah and Elisha set out from Gilgal,
2 and on the way Elijah said to Elisha: »Stay here for Jehovah has ordered me to go to Bethel.« But Elisha answered: »I swear by my loyalty to the living God Jehovah and to you that I will not leave you.« So they went on to Bethel.
3 A group of prophets who lived at Bethel asked Elisha: »Do you know that Jehovah is going to take your master away from you today?« »Yes, I know,« Elisha answered. »But let us not talk about it.«
4 Then Elijah said to Elisha: »Stay here for Jehovah has ordered me to go to Jericho.« But Elisha answered: »I swear by my loyalty to the living God Jehovah and to you that I will not leave you.« So the two of them went on to Jericho.
5 A group of prophets who lived at Jericho went to Elisha and asked him: »Do you know that Jehovah is going to take your master away from you today?« »Yes, I know,« Elisha answered. »But let us not talk about it.«
6 Then Elijah said to Elisha: »Stay here for Jehovah has ordered me to go to the Jordan River.« But Elisha answered: »I swear by my loyalty to the living God Jehovah and to you that I will not leave you.« So they went on,
7 and fifty of the prophets followed them to the Jordan. Elijah and Elisha stopped by the river. The fifty prophets stood a short distance away.
8 Then Elijah took off his cloak. He rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided, and he and Elisha crossed to the other side on dry ground.
9 Elijah said to Elisha: »Tell me what you want me to do for you before I am taken from you.« Elisha answered: »Let me receive a double share of your spirit power .«
10 »That is a difficult request to grant,« Elijah replied. »But you will receive it if you see me as I am being taken away from you. If you do not see me, you will not receive it.«
11 They kept talking as they walked. Then suddenly a chariot of fire pulled by horses of fire came between them. Elijah was taken up into the physical heaven the sky by a whirlwind.
12 Elisha saw it and cried out to Elijah: »My father, my father! Mighty defender of Israel! You are gone!« He never saw Elijah again. In grief Elisha tore his cloak in two.
13 He picked up Elijah's cloak that had fallen from him. He returned to stand by the bank of the Jordan.
14 Elisha struck the water with Elijah's cloak and said: »Where is Jehovah, the God of Elijah?« Then he struck the water again, and it divided, and he walked over to the other side.
15 The fifty prophets from Jericho saw him and said: »The power of Elijah is on Elisha!« So they went to meet him and bowed down before him.
16 They said: »There are fifty of us here. We are all strong men. Let us go and look for your master. Maybe the Spirit of Jehovah has carried him away and left him on some mountain or in some valley.« Elisha answered: »You must not go.«
17 They insisted until he gave in and let them go. The fifty of them went and looked high and low for Elijah for three days. But they did not find him.
18 Then they returned to Elisha. He waited at Jericho. He said to them: »Did I tell you not to go?«
19 Men from Jericho went to Elisha and said: »You may know that this is a fine city but the water is bad and causes miscarriages.«
20 He ordered them: »Put some salt in a new bowl and bring it to me.« They brought it to him,
21 and he went to the spring, threw the salt in the water, and said: »This is what Jehovah says: I make this water pure. It will not cause any more deaths or miscarriages.«
22 That water has been pure ever since, just as Elisha said it would be.
23 Elisha left Jericho to go to Bethel. On the way some boys came out of a town and taunted and made fun of him. They shouted: »Get out of here, baldy!«
24 Elisha turned around and glared at them. He cursed them in the name of Jehovah. Then two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys to pieces.
25 Elisha traveled to Mount Carmel and later returned to Samaria.
1 Joram son of Ahab became king of Israel in the eighteenth year of the reign of King Jehoshaphat of Judah. He ruled in Samaria for twelve years.
2 Though he was not as bad as his father or his mother Jezebel; he sinned against Jehovah. He removed the image his father had made for the worship of Baal.
3 Like King Jeroboam son of Nebat before him, he caused Israel to sin. He would not turn away from sin.
4 King Mesha of Moab raised sheep. Yearly he gave as tribute to the king of Israel one hundred thousand lambs and the wool from one hundred thousand sheep.
5 When King Ahab of Israel died Mesha rebelled against Israel.
6 At once King Joram mobilized his troops and left Samaria.
7 He sent this message to King Jehoshaphat of Judah: »The king of Moab rebelled against me. Will you join me to war against Moab?« King Jehoshaphat replied: »I will. I am on your side. My men and horses are at your disposal.
8 »Which way shall we go to the attack?« Joram answered: »We will go the long way through the wilderness of Edom.«
9 King Joram and the kings of Judah and Edom assembled. After marching seven days, they ran out of water. There was none left for the men or the pack animals.
10 »Alas, all is done,« King Joram exclaimed. »Has Jehovah called us together to be at the mercy of the king of Moab?«
11 King Jehoshaphat asked: »Do we have a prophet here to consult Jehovah?« An officer of King Joram's forces answered: »Elisha son of Shaphat is here who used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.«
12 »The word of Jehovah is with him,« King Jehoshaphat said. So the three kings went to Elisha.
13 »Why should I have anything to do with you?« Elisha said to the king of Israel. »Go consult the prophets your father and mother consulted.« »No!« Joram king of Israel replied. »It is Jehovah who placed us three kings at the mercy of the king of Moab.«
14 Elisha answered: »By the living God Jehovah, whom I serve, I swear that I would have nothing to do with you if I did not respect your ally, King Jehoshaphat of Judah.
15 »Now bring me a musician. As the musician played his harp, the power of Jehovah came on Elisha.«
16 He said: »This is what Jehovah says: Dig ditches all over this dry streambed wadi .
17 »You will not see any rain or wind. This streambed will be filled with water and you and your animals will have plenty to drink.«
18 Elisha continued: »This is an easy thing for Jehovah to do. He will also give you victory over the Moabites.
19 »You will conquer all their beautiful fortified cities. You will cut down all their fruit trees, stop all their springs, and ruin all their fertile fields by covering them with stones.«
20 The next morning when the sacrifice was offered water came flowing from the direction of Edom. It covered the ground.
21 The Moabites heard that the three kings came to attack them. All the young and old men who could bear arms were called out and stationed at the border.
22 They got up the next morning. The sun was shining on the water. It looked as red as blood.
23 They said: »It is blood! The three armies fought and killed each other! Let us go and loot their camp!«
24 When they came to the camp the Israelites attacked them and drove them back. The Israelites kept up the pursuit, killing the Moabites.
25 They destroyed their cities. As they passed by a fertile field, every Israelite would throw a stone on it until finally all the fields were covered with stones. They also stopped up the springs and cut down the fruit trees. At last only the capital city of Kir Heres was left. The slingers surrounded it and attacked it.
26 The king of Moab realized that he was losing the battle. So he took seven hundred swordsmen with him and tried to force his way through the enemy lines and escape to the king of Edom. However they failed.
27 He took his oldest son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him on the city wall as a sacrifice to the god of Moab. The Israelites were terrified and so they drew back from the city and returned to their own country.
1 The widow of a member of a group of prophets said to Elisha: »My husband has died! As you know, he was a man who respected God. A man to whom he owed money came to take away my two sons as slaves in payment for my husband's debt.«
2 Elisha said: »Tell me what shall I do for you? What do you have at home?« She answered: »Except for a small jar of olive oil, I have nothing.«
3 »Ask your neighbors for empty jars. Borrow as many as you can,« Elisha told her.
4 »You and your sons go into the house and shut the door behind you. Pour oil into the jars. Set each one aside as soon as it is full.«
5 The woman went into her house with her sons. They closed the door and took the small jar of olive oil, and poured oil into the jars as her sons brought them to her.
6 When the jars were full she asked if there were any more. »That was the last one,« one of her sons told her. So the olive oil stopped flowing.
7 She returned to Elisha, the prophet. He said: »Sell the olive oil and pay all your debts. There will be enough money left over for you and your sons to pay your living expenses.«
8 Elisha went to Shunem, where a rich woman lived. She invited him to a meal. From that time on every time he went to Shunem he would have his meals at her house.
9 She said to her husband: »I know that this man who comes here often is a holy man.
10 »Let us build a small room on the roof, and put a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp in it. He can stay there when he visits us.«
11 One day Elisha returned to Shunem and went to his room to rest.
12 He told his servant Gehazi to call the woman. When she came,
13 he said to Gehazi: »Ask her what I can do for her in return for all the trouble she has had in providing for our needs. Maybe she would like me to go to the king or the army commander and put in a good word for her.« »I have all I need here among my own people,« she answered.
14 Elisha asked Gehazi: »What can I do for her?« He answered: »She has no son, and her husband is an old man.«
15 »Tell her to come here,« Elisha ordered. She came and stood in the doorway.
16 Elisha said to her: »By this time next year you will hold a son in your arms.« »Please do not lie to me. You are a man of God!« She said.
17 Just as Elisha said, about that time the following year she gave birth to a son.
18 Years later at harvest time, the boy went out one morning to join his father, who was in the field with the harvest workers.
19 Suddenly he cried out to his father: »My head hurts! My head hurts!« »Carry the boy to his mother,« the father said to a servant.
20 The servant carried the boy back to his mother. She held him in her lap until noon. Then the boy died.
21 She carried him up to Elisha's room and put him on the bed. She closed the door behind her and left.
22 She called her husband and said to him: »Send a servant here with a donkey. I need to go to the prophet Elisha. I will be back as soon as I can.«
23 »Why must you go today?« Her husband asked. »It is neither a Sabbath nor a New Moon Festival.« She replied: »Never mind.«
24 She had the donkey saddled, and ordered the servant: »Make the donkey go as fast as it can. Do not slow down unless I tell you.«
25 She left for Mount Carmel, where Elisha was. Elisha saw her coming while she was still far off. He said to his servant Gehazi: »Look, there comes the woman from Shunem!
26 »Hurry to her and find out if everything is all right with her and her family.« She told Gehazi that everything was all right,
27 but when she came to Elisha, she bowed down before him and took hold of his feet. Gehazi was about to push her away. Elisha said: »Do not bother her. You can see she is deeply distressed. Jehovah has not told me a thing about it.«
28 The woman said to him: »Did I ask you for a son? Did I not tell you not to get my hopes up?«
29 Elisha told Gehazi:« Hurry! Take my walking stick. Do not stop to talk to anyone. If anyone speaks to you do not respond. Go straight to the house and hold my stick over the boy.«
30 The woman said to Elisha:« I swear by my loyalty to the living God Jehovah and to you that I will not leave you! So the two of them started back together. »
31 Gehazi went ahead and held Elisha's stick over the child. There was no sound or any other sign of life. He returned to meet Elisha and said: »The boy did not wake up.«
32 When Elisha arrived he went alone into the room. He saw the boy lying dead on the bed.
33 He closed the door and prayed to Jehovah.
34 Then he lay down on the boy, placing his mouth, eyes, and hands on the boy's mouth, eyes, and hands. As he lay stretched out over the boy, the boy's body started to get warm.
35 Elisha got up and walked around the room. He returned and again stretched himself over the boy. The boy sneezed seven times and then opened his eyes.
36 Elisha called Gehazi and told him to call the boy's mother. When she came in, he said to her: »Take your son!«
37 She fell at Elisha's feet with her face on the ground. Then she took her son and left.
38 When there was a famine throughout the land, Elisha returned to Gilgal. He was teaching a group of prophets. He told his servant to put a big pot on the fire and make some stew for them.
39 One of them went out in the fields to gather herbs. He found a wild vine and picked as many gourds as he could carry. He brought them back and sliced them into the stew, not knowing what they were.
40 The stew was poured out for the men to eat. They tasted it and exclaimed to Elisha: »It is poisoned!« They would not eat it.
41 Elisha asked for some meal. He threw it into the pot and said: »Pour out some more stew for them.« Then there was nothing wrong with it.
42 A man came from Baal Shalishah. He brought Elisha twenty loaves of bread made from the first barley harvested that year and some freshly cut heads of grain. Elisha told his servant to feed the group of prophets with this.
43 He asked: »How am I to feed a hundred hungry men with this?« Elisha replied: »Give it to them to eat, because Jehovah says that they will eat and still have some left over.« (Matthew 14:20)
44 So the servant set the food before them. Just as Jehovah said, they ate and had some left over.
1 Naaman was a great soldier. He was commander of the Syrian army and highly respected and esteemed by the king of Syria Aram . Jehovah gave victory to the Syrian forces through Naaman. He suffered from a dreaded skin disease.
2 The Syrians carried off a little Israelite girl during one of their raids against Israel. The girl became a servant of Naaman's wife.
3 She said to her mistress: »I wish my master could go to the prophet who lives in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.«
4 Naaman heard of this and told the king what the girl said.
5 The king said: »Go to the king of Israel and take this letter to him.« Naaman departed. He took thirty thousand pieces of silver, six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of fine clothes.
6 The letter stated: »This letter will introduce my officer Naaman. I want you to cure him of his leprosy.«
7 The king of Israel read the letter and tore his clothes and said: »How can the king of Syria expect me to cure this man? Does he think that I am God, with the power of life and death? It is plain that he is trying to start a quarrel with me!«
8 When the prophet Elisha heard what happened, he sent word to the king: »Why are you so upset? Send Naaman to me. I will show him that there is a prophet in Israel!«
9 Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the entrance to Elisha's house.
10 Elisha sent a servant to tell him to wash himself seven times in the Jordan River. He would then be completely cured of his disease.
11 Naaman left in a rage, saying: »I thought he would at least come out to me, pray to Jehovah his God, wave his hand over the diseased spot, and cure me!
12 »Are not the Abanah and Pharpar rivers in Damascus better than any river in Israel? I could have washed in them and been cured!«
13 His servants went up to him and said: »If the prophet had told you to do something difficult, you would have done it. Now why can you not just wash yourself, as he said, and be cured?«
14 So Naaman went to the Jordan River and dipped himself in it seven times, as Elisha had instructed. He was completely cured. His flesh became firm and healthy like that of a child.
15 Naaman returned to Elisha with all his men and said: »Now I realize there is no god but the God of Israel. Please accept a gift from me.«
16 Elisha the prophet answered: »By the living God Jehovah whom I serve, I swear that I will not accept a gift.« Naaman insisted that he accept it, but he would not.
17 So Naaman said: »If you will not accept my gift, then let me have two mule-loads of earth to take home with me. From now on I will not offer sacrifices or burnt offerings to any god except Jehovah.
18 »I hope Jehovah will forgive me when I accompany my king to the temple of Rimmon, the god of Syria, and worship him. Surely Jehovah will forgive me!«
19 Elisha said: »Go in peace.« And Naaman left. He had gone only a short distance,
20 when Elisha's servant Gehazi said to himself: »My master has let Naaman get away without paying a thing! He should have accepted what that Syrian offered him. By the living God Jehovah I will run after him and get something from him.«
21 He ran after Naaman. When Naaman saw a man running after him, he got down from his chariot to meet him, and asked: »What is wrong?«
22 »Nothing is wrong,« answered Gehazi. »But my master sent me to tell you that just now two members of the group of prophets in the hill country of Ephraim arrived. He would like you to give them three thousand pieces of silver and two changes of fine clothes.«
23 »Please take six thousand pieces of silver,« Naaman replied. He tied the silver in two bags and gave them and two changes of fine clothes to two of his servants, and sent them on ahead of Gehazi.
24 They reached the hill where Elisha lived. Gehazi took the two bags and carried them into the house. Then he sent Naaman's servants back.
25 He went into the house. Elisha asked him: »Where have you been?« »Oh, nowhere,« he answered.
26 Elisha said: »Was I there in spirit when the man got out of his chariot to meet you? This is no time to accept money and clothes, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and cattle, or servants!
27 »Naaman's leprosy will come upon you. You and your descendants will have it from generation to generation!« When Gehazi left, he had the disease. His skin was as white as snow.
1 The group of prophets Elisha was in charge of complained to him: »The place where we live is too small!
2 »Allow us to go to the Jordan and cut down some trees. We can build a place to live.« Elisha answered: »Go.«
3 One of them urged him to go with them and he agreed.
4 They set out together and when they arrived at the Jordan they cut down trees.
5 One of them was cutting down a tree when suddenly his ax head fell in the water. It was a borrowed ax, he exclaimed to Elisha. »What will I do?«
6 Elisha said: »Where did it fall?« The man showed him the place. Elisha cut off a stick. Then he threw it in the water and made the ax head float.
7 »Pick it up,« he ordered. The man put his hand in the water and picked it up.
8 The king of Syria was at war with Israel. He consulted his officers and chose a place to set up camp.
9 Elisha sent word to the king of Israel. He warned him not to go near that place, because the Syrians were waiting to ambush him.
10 The king of Israel warned the people who lived there. So they were on guard. This happened several times.
11 The Syrian king was greatly upset over this. He called in his officers and asked them: »Show me who of us is on the side of the king of Israel?«
12 One of his servants said: »No one is, Your Majesty. The prophet Elisha tells the king of Israel what you say even in the privacy of your own bedroom.«
13 »Locate him!« the king ordered, »and I will capture him. He was told: »Elisha is in Dothan.«
14 He sent a large force there with horses and chariots. They surrounded the town at night.
15 Early the next morning Elisha's servant got up and went out of the house. He saw the Syrian troops with their horses and chariots surrounding the town. He went to Elisha and said: »Alas my master what shall we do?«
16 »Do not be afraid,« Elisha answered. »We have more on our side than they have on theirs.«
17 Elisha prayed: »O Jehovah, open his eyes that he may see.« Jehovah answered his prayer. Elisha's servant looked up and saw the hillside covered with horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
18 The Syrians attacked! Elisha prayed, »O Jehovah, strike these men blind!« Jehovah answered his prayer and struck them blind.
19 Elisha said to the Syrians: »This is not the way or the town you are looking for. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are after.« He led them to Samaria.
20 When they entered the city, Elisha prayed: »Open their eyes and let them see.« Jehovah answered his prayer. He restored their sight, and they saw that they were inside Samaria.
21 When the king of Israel saw the Syrians, he asked Elisha: »Shall I kill them?«
22 »No,« Elisha answered. »Would you put to death soldiers you captured in combat? Give them something to eat and drink. Then let them return to their king.«
23 So the king of Israel provided a great feast for them. After they ate and drank he sent them back to the king of Syria. From then on the Syrians stopped raiding the land of Israel.
24 After that King Benhadad of Syria led his entire army against Israel in siege of the city of Samaria.
25 The siege caused a great food shortage in the city. It was so severe that a donkey's head cost eighty pieces of silver, and half a pound of dove's dung cost five pieces of silver.
26 The king of Israel walked by on the city wall when a woman cried out: »Help me, Your Majesty!«
27 The king replied: »If Jehovah will not help you, what help can I provide? Where can I get you help from the threshing floor or the wine press?«
28 The king asked: »What is your trouble?« She answered: »The other day a woman suggested that we eat my child. Then we could eat her child the next day.
29 »So we cooked my son and ate him. The next day I told her that we would eat her son, but she had hidden him!«
30 Hearing this, the king tore his clothes. The people close to the wall could see that he was wearing sackcloth under his clothes.
31 He exclaimed: »May God strike me dead if Elisha is not beheaded before the day is over!«
32 He sent a messenger to get Elisha. Meanwhile Elisha was at home with some elders who were visiting him. Before the messenger arrived, Elisha said to the elders: »That murderer is sending someone to kill me! When he gets here, shut the door. Do not let him come in. The king will follow him.«
33 While Elisha was still talking the king arrived and said: »Jehovah brought this trouble on us! Why should I wait any longer for him to do something?«
1 Elisha answered: »Hear the word of Jehovah: By this time tomorrow you will be able to buy in Samaria ten pounds of the best wheat or twenty pounds of barley for one piece of silver.«
2 The personal attendant of the king said to Elisha: »If Jehovah could make floodgates in the heavens could this happen?« Elisha replied: »You will see it with your own eyes. But you will not eat from it.«
3 Four men who were suffering from a dreaded skin disease were outside the gates of Samaria. They said to each other: »Why should we wait here until we die?
4 »If we go into the city we will starve to death. If we stay here we will also die. So let us go to the Syrian camp. The worst they can do is kill us. Maybe they will spare our lives.«
5 They arose in the twilight and went to the Syrian camp. When they reached it, no one was there.
6 Jehovah made the Syrians hear what sounded like the advance of a large army with horses and chariots. The Syrians thought that the king of Israel had hired Hittite and Egyptian kings and their armies to attack them.
7 The Syrians arose and fled while it was yet dark. They left their tents, and their horses, and their donkeys in the camp and fled for their lives.
8 The lepers came to the edge of the camp. They went into one tent and ate and drank. They took silver and gold and clothing. They entered another tent and carried away spoil and hid it.
9 They said to each other: »We should not do this! We have good news. We should not keep it to ourselves. If we wait until morning to tell it we will be punished. Let us go tell the king's officers!«
10 They left the Syrian camp and went to Samaria. They called out to the guards at the gates: »We went to the Syrian camp and did not see or hear anyone. The horses and donkeys have not been untied. The tents are just as the Syrians left them.«
11 The guards announced the news. It was reported in the palace.
12 The king got out of bed even though it was night. He said to his officials: »I will tell you what the Syrians are planning! They know about the famine here, so they have left their camp to go and hide in the countryside. They think that we will leave the city to find food. Then they will take us alive and capture the city.«
13 One of his servants said: »The people in the city are doomed like those who have already died. Send some men with five of the horses that are left and find out what happened.«
14 They chose some men and the king sent them in two chariots with instructions to go and find out what had happened to the Syrian army.
15 The men went to the Jordan. Along the road they saw the clothes and equipment that the Syrians had abandoned as they fled. Then they returned and reported to the king.
16 The people of Samaria rushed out and looted the Syrian camp. Just as Jehovah said, ten pounds of the best wheat or twenty pounds of barley were sold for one piece of silver.
17 The king of Israel put the city gate under the command of the officer who was his personal attendant. The officer was trampled to death there by the people and died, as Elisha had predicted when the king went to see him.
18 Elisha told the king that by that time the following day ten pounds of the best wheat or twenty pounds of barley would be sold in Samaria for one piece of silver.
19 The kings attendant answered: »If Jehovah could open floodgates in the heavens could this happen?« Elisha had replied: »You shall see with your own eyes. But you will not eat from it.«
20 And that is just what happened! He died. The people at the city gate trampled him to death.
1 Elisha told the woman who lived in Shunem, whose son he brought back to life: »Jehovah is sending a famine on the land. It will last for seven years. Leave with your family and go live somewhere else.«
2 She followed his instructions and left with her family to live in Philistia for the seven years.
3 When the seven years ended she returned to Israel. She went to the king to ask that her house and her land be restored to her.
4 The king was talking with Gehazi, Elisha's servant, when she found him. The king wanted to know about Elisha's miracles.
5 Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had brought a dead person back to life. The woman made her appeal to the king. Gehazi said to him: »Your Majesty, here is the woman and here is her son whom Elisha brought back to life!«
6 She responded to the kings question by confirming Gehazis story. The king called an official and told him to give back to her everything that was hers. This included the value of all the crops that her fields produced during the seven years she was away.
7 Elisha went to Damascus when King Benhadad of Syria was sick. The king was told that Elisha was there.
8 He said to Hazael, one of his officials: »Take a gift to the prophet and ask him to consult Jehovah to find out whether or not I am going to get well.«
9 Hazael loaded forty camels with all kinds of the finest products of Damascus and went to Elisha. Hazael said: »Your servant, King Benhadad sent me to ask if he will recover from his sickness.«
10 Elisha answered: »Jehovah has revealed to me that he will die. However go to him and tell him that he will recover.«
11 Elisha stared at him in horror until Hazael became ill at ease. Suddenly Elisha burst into tears.
12 »Why are you crying?« Hazael asked. »Because I know the horrible things you will do against the people of Israel,« Elisha answered. »You will burn their fortresses, slaughter their finest young men, batter their children to death, and rip open their pregnant women.«
13 »How could I ever be that powerful?« Hazael asked. »I am nobody, only a dog.« Elisha replied: »Jehovah has revealed to me that you will be king of Syria.«
14 Hazael returned to Benhadad, who asked him: »What did Elisha say?« »He told me that you will certainly get well,« Hazael answered.
15 The following day Hazael took a blanket, soaked it in water, and smothered the king. Hazael succeeded Benhadad as king of Syria.
16 Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat became king of Judah. It was the fifth year of the reign of Joram son of Ahab as king of Israel.
17 He was thirty-two years old. He ruled in Jerusalem for eight years.
18 His wife was Ahab's daughter. Like the family of Ahab he followed the evil ways of the kings of Israel. He sinned against Jehovah.
19 Jehovah was not willing to destroy Judah. He promised his servant David that his descendants would always continue to rule.
20 Edom revolted against Judah and became an independent kingdom.
21 Jehoram and his chariots went to Zair. The Edomite army surrounded them. He and his chariot commanders managed to break out and escape. His soldiers scattered to their homes.
22 Edom has been independent of Judah ever since. The city of Libnah also revolted at that time.
23 Everything Jehoram did is recorded in The History of the Kings of Judah.
24 Jehoram died and was buried in the royal tombs in David's City. His son Ahaziah succeeded him as king.
25 Ahaziah son of Jehoram became king of Judah. This was in the twelfth year of the reign of Joram son of Ahab as king of Israel.
26 He was twenty-two years old. He ruled in Jerusalem for one year. His mother was Athaliah, the daughter of King Ahab and granddaughter of King Omri of Israel.
27 Ahaziah was related to King Ahab by marriage. He sinned against Jehovah as Ahab's family did.
28 King Ahaziah joined King Joram of Israel in a war against King Hazael of Syria. The armies clashed at Ramoth in Gilead. Joram was wounded in battle.
29 He returned to the city of Jezreel to recover from his wounds. Ahaziah went there to visit him.
1 Elisha the prophet called one of the young prophets and said to him: »Prepare to go to Ramoth in Gilead. Take this jar of olive oil with you.
2 »When you get there look for Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat and grandson of Nimshi. Take him to a private room away from his companions.
3 »Pour this olive oil on his head, and say: Jehovah anoints you king of Israel. Then leave there as fast as you can.«
4 The young prophet went to Ramoth.
5 He found the army officers in conference. He said: »I have a message for you.« Jehu asked: »Who are you speaking to?« »To you, captain.« He replied.
6 The two of them went indoors. The prophet poured the olive oil on Jehu's head and said to him: »Jehovah, the God of Israel, says: I anoint you king of my people Israel.
7 »You are to kill your master the king of the house of Ahab. I am punishing Jezebel for murdering my prophets and my other servants.
8 »The entire house of Ahab will perish. I will get rid of every male in his family, young and old alike.
9 »I will treat his family as I did the families of King Jeroboam son of Nebat and of King Baasha son of Ahijah.
10 »Jezebel will not be buried. Dogs in the territory of Jezreel will eat her body.« After saying this, the young prophet opened the door and fled.
11 Jehu went back to his fellow officers. They asked him: »Is everything all right? What did this mad fellow want with you?« Jehu answered: »You know what he wanted.«
12 »No we do not!« They replied. »Tell us what he said!« They asked. »He told me that Jehovah says: I anoint you king of Israel.«
13 At once Jehu's fellow officers spread their cloaks at the top of the steps for Jehu to stand on. They blew trumpets and shouted: »Jehu is king!«
14 So Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, plotted against Joram. Joram and all the army of Israel were keeping watch on Ramoth-gilead against Hazael, king of Aram:
15 King Joram went back to Jezreel to recuperate from the wounds he received from the Aramaeans when he fought against Hazael, king of Aram. Jehu said: »If this is your purpose let no one get away to give news of it in Jezreel.«
16 So Jehu got into his carriage and went to Jezreel. Joram was ill in bed there and Ahaziah, king of Judah came to see him.
17 The watchman on the tower in Jezreel saw Jehu and his company coming. He said: »I see a company of people.« Joram said: »Send out a horseman to them and let him ask: Do you come in peace?«
18 So a horseman went out to them and said: »The king asks: Do you come in peace? « Jehu said: »What have you to do with peace? Follow me.« The watchman reported that the horseman reached the group and was returning.
19 A second man was sent out on horseback. He approached them and asked the same thing: »Do you come in peace?« Jehu replied: »What have you to do with peace? Follow me.«
20 The watchman reported: »He went up to them and has not come back. The driving is like the driving of Jehu, son of Nimshi, for he is driving violently.«
21 Joram said: »Get ready.« They prepared his chariot and Joram, king of Israel, with Ahaziah, king of Judah, went out in their chariots to meet Jehu. They came face to face with him at the field of Naboth the Jezreelite.
22 When Joram saw Jehu he said: »Do you come in peace, Jehu?« He said in reply: »What peace is possible while all the land is full of the disgusting sins of your mother Jezebel, and her secret arts of witchcraft?«
23 Then Joram turned his horses and fled. He said to Ahaziah: »Broken faith, O Ahaziah!«
24 Jehu drew his bow with his full strength and sent an arrow, wounding Joram between the arms. The arrow came out at his heart, and he went down on his face in his chariot.
25 Jehu said to Bidkar, his captain: »Pick him up, and put him in the field of Naboth the Jezreelite. I remember when you and I were riding together after Ahab, his father. Jehovah offered this prophesy against him.
26 »Even as I saw the blood of Naboth and his sons yesterday, I will pay you back in this field, declares Jehovah. Now take him and throw him into the field as Jehovah predicted.«
27 When King Ahaziah of Judah saw this, he fled on the road leading to Beth Haggan. Jehu pursued him and ordered: »Shoot him down in his chariot.« They shot him at Gur Pass, near Ibleam. Ahaziah continued to flee until he got to Megiddo, where he died.
28 His servants brought him in a chariot to Jerusalem. They buried him in a tomb with his ancestors in the City of David.
29 Ahaziah became king over Judah. It was in the eleventh year of the rule of Joram, the son of Ahab.
30 Jehu went to Jezreel. Jezebel had news of what happened. Painting her eyes and dressing her hair with ornaments, she put her head out of the window.
31 As Jehu entered the town, she said: »Have you come in peace, you Zimri, who killed his master?«
32 Then, looking up to the window, he said: »Who is on my side, who?« Two or three eunuchs look out at him.
33 He said: »Take her and throw her out the window.« So they threw her down with force. Her blood splattered on the wall and on the horses. She was crushed under their feet.
34 He came in and ate and drank. He said: »Now see to this cursed woman. Bury her body in the earth, for she is a king's daughter.«
35 They went to bury her, but they found nothing to bury. There were only the bones of her head, and her feet, and parts of her hands.
36 So they came back and told him about it. He said: »This is what Jehovah said by his servant Elijah the Tishbite: In the heritage of Jezreel the flesh of Jezebel will become food for dogs.
37 »The dead body of Jezebel will be like waste dropped on the face of the earth in the heritage of Jezreel. They will not be able to say: »This is Jezebel.« «
1 Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu sent letters to Samaria, to the rulers of the town, and to the elders, and to those who took care of the sons of Ahab. The letter stated:
2 »You are in charge of the king's descendants, and you have at your disposal chariots, horses, weapons, and fortified cities. As soon as you receive this letter,
3 choose the best qualified of the king's descendants and make him king, and fight to defend him.«
4 The rulers of Samaria were terrified. They said: »How can we oppose Jehu when neither King Joram nor King Ahaziah could?«
5 So the officer in charge of the palace and the official in charge of the city, together with the leading citizens and the guardians, sent this message to Jehu: »We are your servants, and we are ready to do anything you say. But we will not make anyone king. Do whatever you think best.«
6 Jehu wrote them another letter: »If you are with me and are ready to follow my orders, bring the heads of King Ahab's descendants to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.« The seventy descendants of King Ahab were under the care and were being brought up by the leading citizens of Samaria.
7 As soon as Jehu's letter arrived, the leaders of Samaria killed all seventy of Ahab's descendants and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.
8 Jehu was informed that the heads of Ahab's descendants had been brought. He ordered them to be piled up in two heaps at the city gate and left there until the following morning.
9 In the morning he went out and said to all the people there: »You are upright people. It is true that I made designs against my master, and put him to death. Who is responsible for the death of all these?
10 »You may be certain that nothing Jehovah said about the family of Ahab will be without effect. Jehovah has done what he said by his servant Elijah.«
11 Jehu put to death all the rest of the seed of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his relations and his near friends and his priests, till there were no more of them.
12 Jehu then left for Samaria. He was at the meeting-place of the shepherds of the sheep.
13 He came across the brothers of Ahaziah, king of Judah, and asked: »Who are you?« They replied: »We are the brothers of Ahaziah, king of Judah. We are going down to see the children of the king and of the queen.«
14 He ordered: »Take them alive.« So they took them alive and then killed them at the cistern of the shearing house. He killed all forty-two of them.
15 When he left there he met Jehonadab, the son of Rechab. He greeted him and said to him: »Is your heart true to mine, as mine is to yours?« Jehonadab in answer said: »It is.« Jehu said: »If it is give me your hand.« He gave him his hand and he made him come up into his chariot.
16 He said: »Come with me and see how I am on fire with zeal for Jehovahs cause.« So he made him go with him in his chariot.
17 When Jehu arrived at Samaria, he put to death all those of Ahab's family who were still in Samaria. There were no more of them, as Jehovah had said to Elijah.
18 Jehu assembled all the people and said to them: »Ahab was Baal's servant in a small way, but Jehu will be his servant on a great scale.
19 »Now send for all the prophets of Baal, all his servants and priests, to come to me. Let no one stay away for I have a great offering to make to Baal. Anyone who is not present will be put to death.« Jehu did this with deceit. It was his purpose to destroy the servants of Baal.
20 Jehu said: »Let there be a special holy meeting for the worship of Baal.« So a public statement was made.
21 Jehu sent through all Israel; and all the servants of Baal came, not one kept away. They entered the house of Baal. It was full from one end to the other end.
22 Jehu said to the keeper of the robes: »Get out robes for all the servants of Baal.« So he got out robes for them.
23 Jehu, with Jehonadab, the son of Rechab, went into the house of Baal. He said to the servants of Baal: »Make a search with care, to see that no servant of Jehovah is with you, but only servants of Baal.«
24 They went in to make offerings and burned offerings. Jehu put eighty men outside. He told them: »If any man whom I give into your hands escapes, he who lets him go will forfeit his own life for that life.«
25 As soon as he finished offering the burned offering Jehu said to the armed men and the captains: »Go in and put them to death! Do not let one come out!« So they put them to the sword. Pulling the images to the ground, they went into the holy place of the house of Baal.
26 They removed the image of Asherah from the house of Baal and burned it.
27 The altar of Baal was pulled down and the house of Baal was broken up and made an unclean place, as it is to this day.
28 Jehu put an end to the worship of Baal in Israel.
29 But Jehu did not keep himself from all the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and the evil he made Israel do. The gold calves were still worshiped in Bethel and in Dan.
30 Jehovah said to Jehu: »You have done well by doing what is right in my eyes. You carried out my purpose for the family of Ahab. Therefore your sons will be kings of Israel to the fourth generation.«
31 But Jehu did not take care to keep the law of Jehovah with all his heart. He did not keep himself from the sin that Jeroboam did and made Israel do.
32 Jehovah began to reduce the size of Israel's territory. King Hazael of Syria conquered all the Israelite territory
33 east of the Jordan, as far south as the town of Aroer on the Arnon River. This included the territories of Gilead and Bashan, where the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and East Manasseh lived.
34 Everything else that Jehu did, including his brave deeds, is recorded in The History of the Kings of Israel.
35 He died and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz succeeded him as king.
36 Jehu had ruled in Samaria as king of Israel for twenty-eight years.
1 King Ahaziah's mother Athaliah learned of her son's murder. She gave orders for all the members of the royal family to be killed.
2 Only Ahaziah's son Jehoash escaped. He was about to be killed with the others, but was rescued by his aunt Jehosheba, who was King Jehoram's daughter and Ahaziah's half sister. She hid him and his nurse in a bedroom in the Temple.
3 Jehosheba took care of the boy and kept him hidden in the Temple for six years. During this time Athaliah ruled as queen.
4 In the seventh year Jehoiada the priest sent for the officers in charge of the royal bodyguard and of the palace guards, and told them to come to the Temple. He made them agree under oath to what he planned to do. He showed them King Ahaziah's son Joash
5 and gave them the following orders: »When you come on duty on the Sabbath, one third of you are to guard the palace.
6 »One third are to stand guard at the Sur Gate. The other third are to stand guard at the gate behind the other guards.
7 »The two groups that go off duty on the Sabbath are to stand guard at the Temple to protect the king.
8 »You are to guard King Jehoash with drawn swords and stay with him wherever he goes. Anyone who comes near you is to be killed.«
9 The officers obeyed Jehoiada's instructions and brought their men to him, those going off duty on the Sabbath and those going on duty.
10 He gave the officers the spears and shields that had belonged to King David and had been kept in the Temple.
11 He stationed the men with drawn swords all around the front of the Temple, to protect the king.
12 Then Jehoiada led Joash out and placed the crown on his head. He gave him a copy of the laws governing kingship. Then Jehoash was anointed and proclaimed king. The people clapped their hands and shouted: »Long live the king!«
13 Queen Athaliah heard the noise being made by the guards and the people. She hurried to the Temple, where the crowd had gathered.
14 There she saw the new king standing by the column at the entrance of the Temple, as was the custom. The officers and the trumpeters surrounded him, and the people were all shouting joyfully and blowing trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes in distress and shouted: »Treason! Treason!«
15 Jehoiada the priest did not want Athaliah killed in the Temple area. He ordered the army officers: »Take her out between the rows of guards, and kill anyone who tries to rescue her.«
16 They seized her and took her to the palace. There at the Horse Gate they killed her.
17 The priest Jehoiada had King Jehoash and the people make a covenant with Jehovah that they would be Jehovahs people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.
18 The people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and the idols, and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars. Jehoiada put guards on duty at the Temple,
19 Jehoiada the priest, the officers, the royal bodyguard, and the palace guards escorted the king from the Temple to the palace. All the people followed them. Jehoash entered by the Guard Gate and took his place on the royal throne.
20 All the people were happy. The city was quiet, now that Athaliah had been killed in the palace.
21 Jehoash was seven years old when he became king.
1 Jehoash became king of Judah. It was the seventh year of Jehu's rule over Israel. Jehoash ruled for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba.
2 Jehoash did what was right in the eyes of Jehovah all his days, because he was guided by the teaching of Jehoiada the priest.
3 The high places were not taken away. The people continued making offerings and burning them in the high places.
4 Jehoash said to the priests: »All the money of the holy things, which comes into the house of Jehovah, the amount fixed for every man's payment, and all the money given by any man freely by motivation of his heart,
5 »Let the priests take, every man from his friends and neighbors, to make good what is damaged in the Temple, wherever it is to be seen.«
6 But in the twenty-third year of King Jehoash, the priests had not made good the damaged parts of the Temple.
7 He called in Jehoiada and the other priests and asked them: »Why are you not repairing the Temple? From now on you are not to keep the money you receive. You must hand it over, so that the repairs can be made.«
8 The priests agreed to this and also agreed not to make the repairs in the Temple.
9 Then Jehoiada took a box, made a hole in the lid, and placed the box by the altar, on the right side as one enters the Temple. The priests on duty at the entrance put in the box all the money given by the worshipers.
10 Whenever there was a large amount of money in the box, the royal secretary and the High Priest would come, melt down the silver, and weigh it.
11 After recording the exact amount, they would hand the silver over to the men in charge of the work in the Temple. These would pay the carpenters, the builders,
12 the masons, and the stonecutters, buy the timber and the stones used in the repairs, and pay all other necessary expenses.
13 None of the money was used to pay for making silver cups, bowls, trumpets, or tools for tending the lamps, or any other article of silver or of gold.
14 It was all used to pay the workers and to buy the materials used in the repairs.
15 The men in charge of the work were very honest. There was no need to require them to account for the funds.
16 The money given for the repayment offerings and for the offerings for sin was not deposited in the box. It belonged to the priests.
17 King Hazael of Syria attacked the city of Gath and conquered it. Then he decided to attack Jerusalem.
18 King Jehoash of Judah took all the offerings that his predecessors Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah had dedicated to Jehovah, added to them his own offerings and all the gold in the treasuries of the Temple and the palace, and sent them all as a gift to King Hazael, who then led his army away from Jerusalem.
19 The rest of the history of Jehoash is recorded in The Annals of the Kings of Judah.
20 His own officials plotted against him and killed him at the House of the Mound on the road that goes down to Silla.
21 Jehoash's officials Jozacar, son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad, son of Shomer, executed him. They buried him with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Amaziah succeeded him as king.
1 Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, became king over Israel in Samaria. He ruled for seventeen years. It was the twenty-third year of Joash, son of Ahaziah, king of Judah.
2 He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah, copying the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, which he did and made Israel do. He did not keep himself from them.
3 The wrath of Jehovah burned against Israel! He gave them up into the power of Hazael, king of Aram, and into the power of Benhadad, the son of Hazael, again and again.
4 Then Jehoahaz prayed to Jehovah. Jehovah listened to him. He saw how cruelly the king of Aram crushed Israel.
5 Jehovah gave Israel a savior, so that they became free from the hands of the Aramaeans. The children of Israel were living in their tents as in the past.
6 Still they did not give up the sin of Jeroboam. This he made Israel do and they continued. There was an image of Asherah in Samaria.
7 Out of all his army, Jehoahaz had only fifty horsemen and ten carriages and ten thousand footmen. The king of Aram had given them up to destruction, crushing them like dust.
8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all he did, and his great power are recorded in the Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.
9 Jehoahaz went to rest with his fathers. He was buried at Samaria. Joash his son became king.
10 In the thirty-seventh year of the rule of Jehoash king of Judah, Joash son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria. He ruled for sixteen years.
11 He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah, not turning away from the sin of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, which he did and made Israel do. He continued sinning.
12 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash, and all he did, and the force with which he went to war against Amaziah, king of Judah, are recorded in the Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.
13 Joash went to rest with his fathers. They buried Jehoash in Samaria with the kings of Israel. Jeroboam took his place as king.
14 Elisha became ill with the disease that caused his death. Jehoash, king of Israel, came down to him, and weeping over him said: »My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!«
15 Elisha said to him: »Take bow and arrows« So he took bow and arrows.
16 He said to the king of Israel: »Put your hand on the bow« So he put his hand on it; and Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.
17 Then he said: »Let the window be open to the east.« So he got it open. Then Elisha said: »Let the arrow go!« So he let it go. He said: »Jehovahs arrow of salvation, of salvation over Aram for you will overcome the Aramaeans in Aphek and put an end to them.«
18 He said: »Take the arrows!« So he took them. He said to the king of Israel: »Send them down into the earth.« He did so three times and no more.
19 Then the man of God was angry with him and said: »If you had done it five or six times, then you would have overcome Aram completely. Now you will only overcome them three times.
20 Elisha died and they buried him. Now in the spring of the year, armed bands of Moabites frequently came, overrunning the land.
21 While they were burying a dead man they saw a band coming. They put the man quickly into the place where Elisha's body was. The dead mans body touched Elisha's bones. The man came to life again and got up on his feet.
22 Israel was crushed under the power of Hazael, king of Aram, all the days of Jehoahaz.
23 But Jehovah was kind to them and had pity on them, caring for them, because of his agreement with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He would not put them to destruction or send them away from his presence until now.
24 Then Hazael king of Aram died. Benhadad his son became king in his place.
25 Jehoash son of Jehoahaz captured again from Benhadad, the son of Hazael, the towns he had taken from Jehoahaz, his father, in war. Three times Jehoash defeated him and recovered the towns of Israel.
1 Amaziah son of Jehoash became king of Judah. It was in the second year of Jehoash son of Joahaz king of Israel.
2 Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Jehoaddin of Jerusalem.
3 He did what was right in the eyes of Jehovah. Though not like David his forefather; he did as Joash his father had done.
4 Still the high places were not taken away. The people continued making offerings and burning them in the high places.
5 As soon as he firmly established the kingdom he immediately put to death those servants who had taken the life of his father, the king.
6 But he did not put their children to death. The orders of Jehovah recorded in the book of the law of Moses say: »The fathers are not to be put to death for the children, or the children for their fathers; but each man shall be put to death for his own sin.«
7 He put to the sword twelve thousand men of Edom in the Valley of Salt. He captured Sela in war, and named it Joktheel, as it is to this day.
8 Then Amaziah sent representatives to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying: »Come let us have a meeting face to face.«
9 Jehoash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying: »The thorn-tree in Lebanon sent to the cedar in Lebanon, saying: Give your daughter to my son for a wife. A beast from the woodland in Lebanon went by, crushing the thorn under his feet.
10 »It is true that you have overcome Edom and your heart is uplifted. Let that glory be enough for you and stay in your own country. Why do you make causes for trouble, putting yourself and Judah with you in danger of downfall?«
11 But Amaziah paid no attention. So Jehoash king of Israel went to Amaziah king of Judah to meet face to face at Bethshemesh in Judah.
12 Judah was defeated by Israel and every man fled home.
13 Jehoash king of Israel made Amaziah king of Judah son of Jehoash, son of Ahaziah, prisoner at Bethshemesh. He went to Jerusalem and had the wall of Jerusalem pulled down from the Gate of Ephraim to the gate in the angle, six hundred feet.
14 He took all the gold and silver and all the vessels in the Temple of Jehovah and in the storehouse of the king, together with those whose lives would be the price of broken faith, and went back to Samaria.
15 The rest of the acts of Jehoash, and his power, and how he went to war with Amaziah, king of Judah, are recorded in the Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.
16 Jehoash went to rest with his fathers. They buried him in Samaria with the kings of Israel. Jeroboam his son became king in his place.
17 Amaziah, the son of Jehoash, king of Judah, went on living for fifteen years after the death of Jehoash, son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel.
18 The rest of the acts of Amaziah are recorded in the book of the History of the Kings of Judah.
19 Conspiracy was plotted against him in Jerusalem. He went in flight to Lachish, but they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there.
20 They took his body on horseback and buried him with his fathers in Jerusalem, the town of David.
21 Then all the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah.
22 He was the builder of Elath, which he got back for Judah after the death of the king.
23 Jeroboam son of Joash king of Israel became king in Samaria. He ruled for forty-one years. This was in the fifteenth year of the rule of Amaziah son of Joash the king of Judah.
24 He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah. He did not turn away from the sin which Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, did and made Israel do.
25 He got back the old limits of Israel from the way into Hamath to the sea of the Arabah. This was what Jehovah said by his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet of Gathhepher.
26 Jehovah saw the bitter affliction of Israel. There was no one left, bond or free. There was no help for Israel.
27 Jehovah had not said that the name of Israel was to be taken away from the earth. So he gave them a savior in Jeroboam, the son of Joash.
28 Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all he did, and his power, and how he went to war with Damascus, causing the wrath of Jehovah to be turned away from Israel, are recorded in the book of the History of the Kings of Israel.
29 Jeroboam went to rest with his fathers. He was buried with the kings of Israel. Zechariah his son became king in his place.
1 Azariah son of Amaziah became king of Judah. This was in the twenty-seventh year of the rule of Jeroboam, king of Israel.
2 Azariah was sixteen years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for fifty-two years. His mother's name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.
3 He did what was right in the eyes of Jehovah, as his father Amaziah had done.
4 He did not take away the high places. The people still continued to make and burn offerings in the high places.
5 Jehovah sent disease on the king and he became a leper. To the day of his death he lived separately in his private house. Jotham his son was over his house, judging the people of the land.
6 Now the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all he did are recorded in the Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.
7 Azariah slept with his fathers. He was buried with his fathers in the town of David. Jotham his son became king in his place.
8 In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah, king of Judah, Zechariah, son of Jeroboam, was king over Israel for six months.
9 He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah, as his father had done, not turning away from the sin which Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, did and made Israel do.
10 Shallum, the son of Jabesh conspired against him. He attacked him in Ibleam and killed him. Shallum became king in his place.
11 Now the rest of the acts of Zechariah are recorded in the Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.
12 Jehovah spoke to Jehu: »Your sons to the fourth generation will be kings of Israel. It happened that way.«
13 Shallum son of Jabesh became king and ruled in Samaria for one month. It was in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah, king of Judah.
14 Then Menahem son of Gadi went up from Tirzah to Samaria. He attacked Shallum, son of Jabesh, in Samaria. He killed him and made himself king in his place.
15 Now the rest of the acts of Shallum, and the conspiracy he committed, are recorded in the Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.
16 Then Menahem sent destruction on the people of Tappuah and the nearby territory. He attacked it because they would not let him come in. He had all the pregnant women cut open.
17 In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel. He ruled in Samaria for ten years.
18 He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah. He did not keep himself from the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat. He causes Israel to sin too.
19 Pul king of Assyria came against the land. Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver to let him keep the kingdom.
20 Menahem extracted the money from men of wealth in Israel. Every man gave fifty silver shekels to give to the king of Assyria. The king of Assyria turned back and did not stop in the land.
21 The rest of the acts of Menahem are recorded in the Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.
22 Menahem slept with his fathers. Pekahiah his son became king in his place.
23 Pekahiah son of Menahem became king over Israel in Samaria. He ruled two years. It was in the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah.
24 He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah. He did not turn from the sin Jeroboam son of Nebat committed and caused Israel to commit.
25 Pekah son of Remaliah, his captain, conspired against him. He attacked him in the king's great house in Samaria. Fifty men of Gilead were with him. He killed the king and became king in his place.
26 Now the rest of the acts of Pekahiah are recorded in the Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.
27 Pekah son of Remaliah became king over Israel in Samaria. He ruled twenty years. It was in the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah.
28 He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah. He did not turn from the sin Jeroboam son of Nebat committed and caused Israel to commit.
29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel Tiglathpileser king of Assyria captured Ijon and Abelbethmaacah and Janoah and Kedesh and Hazor and Gilead and Galilee and all the land of Naphtali. He took the people captive to Assyria.
30 Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah. He attacked him and killed him. He became king in his place. It was in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah king of Judah.
31 The rest of the acts of Pekah are recorded in the Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.
32 Jotham son of Uzziah became king of Judah. It was in the second year of Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel.
33 He was twenty-five years old when he became king. He ruled sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok.
34 Jotham did what was right in the eyes of Jehovah, as his father Uzziah had done.
35 But he did not take away the high places. The people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. He was the builder of the higher gate of the Temple of Jehovah.
36 The rest of the acts of Jotham are recorded in the Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.
37 At that time Jehovah first sent Rezin, king of Aram, and Pekah, son of Remaliah, against Judah.
38 Jotham died and was buried in the royal tombs in David's City. His son Ahaz succeeded him as king.
1 Ahaz son of Jotham became king of Judah. It was in the seventeenth year of the reign of Pekah son of Remaliah as king of Israel.
2 Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king. He ruled sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the eyes of Jehovah his God, as David his father did.
3 He walked in ways of the kings of Israel. He even offered his son to walk through the fire. He copied the disgusting ways of the nations. Jehovah sent the people of the nations out of the land before the children of Israel.
4 He made offerings and burned them on the high places and on the hills and under every green tree.
5 Rezin king of Aram, and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came to Jerusalem to make war. They attacked Ahaz but could not conquer him.
6 Then the king of Edom got Elath back for Edom, and sent the Jews out of Elath. The Edomites returned to Elath where they are living to this day.
7 Ahaz sent representatives to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, saying: »I am your servant and your son. Come help me against the kings of Aram and Israel who have taken up arms against me.«
8 Ahaz took the silver and gold in the Temple of Jehovah and in the king's storehouse, and sent them as an offering to the king of Assyria.
9 The king of Assyria, in answer to his request, went up against Damascus and captured it. He took its people away as prisoners to Kir, and put Rezin to death.
10 Then King Ahaz went to Damascus for a meeting with Tiglathpileser king of Assyria. There he saw the altar at Damascus. King Ahaz sent a drawing of the altar, giving the design of it and all the details of its structure to Urijah the priest.
11 Urijah made an altar from the drawing King Ahaz sent from Damascus. He had it ready by the time King Ahaz came back from Damascus.
12 When the king came from Damascus, he saw the altar. He went up on it and made an offering.
13 He made his burned offering and his meal offering and his drink offering there, draining out the blood of his peace offerings on the altar.
14 He removed the copper alter that was before Jehovah from the front of the Temple between his altar and the Temple of Jehovah. He put it on the north side of his altar.
15 King Ahaz gave orders to Urijah the priest: »Make the morning burned offering and the evening meal offering and the king's burned offering and meal offering, with the burned offerings of all the people and their meal offerings and drink offerings, on the great altar. Put on it all the blood of the burned offerings and of the animals that are offered. But the bronze altar will be for my use to get directions from Jehovah.«
16 Urijah the priest did everything as the king said.
17 King Ahaz took off the sides of the wheeled bases, and took down the great water-vessel from off the copper bulls which were under it and put it on a floor of stone.
18 He removed the covered way they built in the Temple court and the kings outer entrance. This was because of the king of Assyria.
19 The rest of the things Ahaz did are recorded in the Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.
20 Ahaz slept with his fathers. He was buried in the town of David. Hezekiah his son became king in his place.
1 Hoshea son of Elah became king over Israel in Samaria. This was in the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah. Hoshea ruled for nine years.
2 He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah. Though he was not like the kings of Israel before him.
3 Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against him. Hoshea became his servant and sent him offerings.
4 Hoshea's treachery became clear to the king of Assyria. He had sent representatives to the king of Egypt. He did not send his offering to the king of Assyria like he did in previous years. So the king of Assyria had him put in chains and locked in prison.
5 Then the king of Assyria invaded the land and advanced to Samaria. He besieged the city for three years.
6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria. He led the Israelites away to Assyria. He stationed them in Halah and Habor on the Gozan River, and in the towns of the Medes.
7 The wrath intense anger of Jehovah came on Israel because they had done evil against Jehovah their God, who took them out of the land of Egypt from under the yoke of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. They worshipped other gods.
8 They lived by the rules of the nations whom Jehovah sent out from before the children of Israel.
9 The children of Israel secretly did things that were not right according to Jehovah their God. They built high places for themselves in all their towns, from the watchtower to the walled towns.
10 They erected pillars of stone and wood on every high hill and under every green tree.
11 They burned their offerings in all the high places, as those nations did whom Jehovah sent away from them. They did evil things, moving Jehovah to anger.
12 They made themselves servants of disgusting things. Even though Jehovah said: »You should not do this.«
13 Jehovah sent his messengers and prophets to warn Israel and Judah: »Abandon your evil ways and obey my commands. The commandments contained in the Law I gave to your ancestors. I handed them on to you through my servants the prophets.«
14 They would not obey. They were stubborn like their ancestors. They did not trust in Jehovah their God.
15 They refused to obey his instructions. They did not keep the covenant he made with their ancestors. They disregarded his warnings. They worshiped worthless idols and became worthless themselves. They followed the customs of the surrounding nations, disobeying Jehovahs command not to imitate them.
16 They broke all the laws of Jehovah their God. They made two metal bull-calves to worship. They also made an image of the goddess Asherah. Also they worshiped the stars and served the god Baal.
17 They caused their sons and their daughters to go through the fire to be sacrificed. They made use of secret arts and unnatural powers, and gave themselves up to doing evil in the eyes of Jehovah, till they provoked him to anger.
18 Jehovah was very angry with Israel. He removed them from his sight. Only the tribe of Judah kept its place.
19 But even Judah did not obey the commands of Jehovah their God. They were guided by the rules Israel made.
20 So Jehovah would have nothing to do with all the offspring of Israel. He caused trouble for them. He gave them up into the hands of their attackers, till he had sent them away from before his face.
21 He tore Israel from the house of David and made Jeroboam son of Nebat king. Jeroboam drove them away from the laws of Jehovah and made them do a great sin.
22 The children of Israel walked in all the sins Jeroboam committed. They did not depart from these sins.
23 Jehovah removed Israel from his sight as he said he would through all his servants the prophets. Israel was taken away from their land to Assyria, to this day.
24 Then the king of Assyria took men from Babylon and from Cuthah and Avva and Hamath and Sepharvaim, and put them in the towns of Samaria in place of the children of Israel. They acquired Samaria for their heritage, living in its towns.
25 When they first lived there they did not respect Jehovah. So Jehovah sent lions among them, causing some of them to die.
26 They said to the king of Assyria: »The nations you have taken as prisoners and put in the towns of Samaria have no knowledge of the way of the god of the land. He has sent lions among them causing their death. This is because they have no knowledge of his way.«
27 Then the king of Assyria gave orders, saying: »Send one of the priests you took from there. Let him live there and teach the people the way of the god of the land.«
28 So one of the priests they had taken away as a prisoner from Samaria came back. He lived in Bethel and taught them how to worship Jehovah.
29 EVERY NATION MADE GODS FOR THEMSELVES. They put them in the houses of the high places the Samaritans had made.
30 The men of Babylon made Succothbenoth and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,
31 The Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites gave their children to be burned in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.
32 So they worshipped Jehovah. They appointed priests from the people for the high places. The priests were to make offerings for them in the houses of the high places.
33 They worshipped Jehovah, but they gave honor to their gods like the nations did from whom they had been taken as prisoners.
34 So to this day they go on in their old ways. They do not worship Jehovah. They do not keep his orders, his ways, or the law Jehovah gave to the children of Jacob. They are the ones he gave the name Israel.
35 Jehovah made an agreement with them and gave them orders, saying: You are to have no other gods. You are not to worship them or be their servants or make them offerings.
36 »Jehovah took you out of the land of Egypt with his great power and his outstretched arm. He is your God, to whom you are to give worship and make offerings:
37 »You are to obey and do forever the law he put in writing for you. You are to have no other gods.
38 »You are to keep in memory the agreement I made with you. You are to have no other gods.
39 »You are to worship Jehovah your God. It is he who will give you salvation from the hands of all who are against you.«
40 But they paid no attention and they continued in their old way.
41 So these nations worshiped Jehovah and they still served the images idols they had made. Their children and their children's children did the same. They do just as their fathers did to this very day.
1 Hezekiah son of Ahaz became king of Judah. It was in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel.
2 Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah.
3 He did what was right in the eyes of Jehovah as David his father had done.
4 He removed the high places. He broke the stone pillars to bits, and cut down the Asherah poles. The brass snake that Moses had made was crushed to powder at his command, because in those days the children of Israel had offerings burned before it, and he gave it the name Nehushtan.
5 Hezekiah had faith in Jehovah, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah who were before him.
6 For his heart was fixed on Jehovah. He did not turn from his ways. Hezekiah obeyed Jehovahs commandments that Jehovah gave to Moses.
7 Jehovah was with Hezekiah. He did well in everything he did. He took up arms against the king of Assyria and was his servant no longer.
8 He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its limits, from the tower of the watchman to the walled town.
9 It was the fourth year of King Hezekiah, the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel. Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria and laid siege to it.
10 It was captured at the end of three years. Samaria was taken in the sixth year of Hezekiah's rule, which was the ninth year of Hoshea, king of Israel.
11 The king of Assyria took Israel away as prisoners into Assyria. They placed them in Halah and in Habor on the river Gozan, and in towns of the Medes.
12 They did not obey the voice of Jehovah their God. In fact they went against his agreement, even against everything ordered by Moses, the servant of Jehovah. They did not listen to or obey Jehovah.
13 Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came up against all the walled towns of Judah and took them.
14 Hezekiah sent a message to Sennacherib at Lachish: »I have done wrong. Stop your attack and I will pay whatever you demand.« The emperor's answer was that Hezekiah should send him ten tons of silver and one ton of gold.
15 Hezekiah sent him all the silver in the Temple and in the palace treasury.
16 Hezekiah had the gold from the doors of Jehovahs Temple and from the doorposts plated by him. He stripped it off and gave it to the king of Assyria.
17 The king of Assyria sent his commander-in-chief Tartan , his quartermaster, and his field commander with a large army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They stood at the channel for the Upper Pool on the road to the Laundryman's Field.
18 They sent for the king, and Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, who was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, came out to them.
19 The Rabshakeh said to them: »Say to Hezekiah: These are the words of the great king, the king of Assyria: »In what are you placing your hope?
20 »You say you have counsel and military strength for war. These are only words. To whom are you looking for support that you rebel against me?
21 »You rely on Egypt that broken reed of a staff. If a man leans on it relies on its power his hand strength will be pierced wounded diminished . So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who put their faith in him.
22 »If you say to me: We trust in Jehovah our God, is he not the one whose high places and altars have been taken away by Hezekiah. For he told Judah and Jerusalem that worship may only be given before this altar in Jerusalem?
23 »And now, make an agreement with my master, the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able to put horsemen on them.
24 »How then can you put to shame the least of my master's servants? You put your hope in Egypt for chariots and horsemen:
25 »Have I now come to destroy this place without Jehovah? It was Jehovah who said to me: Go up against this land and make it waste.«
26 Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and Shebna and Joah said to the Rabshakeh the commander : »Will you kindly make use of the Aramaean language in talking to your servants. We are used to it. Do not use the Jews' language in the hearing of the people on the wall.«
27 He replied: »Do you think you and the king are the only ones the king sent me to say these things? No, I am also talking to the people who are sitting on the wall. They will have to eat their excrement and drink their own urine, just as you will.«
28 The official stood up and shouted in Hebrew: »Listen to what the king of Assyria is telling you!
29 »He warns you: Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. Hezekiah cannot save you.
30 »Do not let Hezekiah convince you to rely on Jehovah. Do not think that Jehovah will save you or that he will stop our Assyrian army from capturing you.«
31 »Do not listen to Hezekiah. The king of Assyria commands you to come out of the city and surrender. Make peace with me and you will be allowed to eat grapes from your own vines and figs from your own trees, and to drink water from your own wells cisterns .
32 »The king will resettle you in a country much like your own. There are vineyards to give wine and there is grain for making bread there. It is a land of olives, olive oil, and honey. Do what he commands and you will not die. Do not let Hezekiah fool you into thinking Jehovah will rescue you.
33 »Did the gods of other nations save their countries from the king of Assyria?
34 »Where are they now? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Did anyone save Samaria?
35 »When did any of the gods of all these countries ever save their country from our king? What makes you think Jehovah can save Jerusalem?«
36 The people kept quiet. They did as King Hezekiah told them. They did not say a word.
37 Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah tore their clothes in grief. They reported to the king what the Assyrian official had said.
1 When King Hezekiah heard their report he tore his clothes in grief. He dressed in sackcloth and went to the Temple of Jehovah.
2 He sent Eliakim the official in charge of the palace, Shebna the court secretary, and the senior priests to the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz. They also were dressed in sackcloth.
3 They said to him: »This is what Hezekiah says: Today is a day filled with misery, punishment, and disgrace. We are like a woman who is about to give birth but does not have the strength to do it.
4 »The Assyrian emperor sent his chief official to insult the living God. May Jehovah your God hear these insults and punish those who spoke them. So pray to God for those of our people who survive.«
5 King Hezekiah's men went to Isaiah.
6 Isaiah responded to them: »Tell this to your master: This is what Jehovah says: »Do not be afraid of the message you heard when the Assyrian king's assistants slandered me.
7 »I am going to put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own country. I will have him assassinated in his own country.« «
8 The field commander returned and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah. He had heard that the king left Lachish.
9 Sennacherib heard that King Tirhakah of Sudan was coming to fight him. Sennacherib sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying:
10 »Tell King Hezekiah of Judah: Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you by saying that Jerusalem will not be put under the control of the king of Assyria.
11 »You heard what the kings of Assyria did to all countries. They totally destroyed them. Will you be rescued?
12 »Did the gods of the nations that my ancestors destroyed rescue Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar?
13 »Where is the king of Hamath? Where is the king of Arpad? And where is the king of the cities of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?«
14 Hezekiah read the letters from the messengers. Then he went to Jehovahs Temple and shared them with Jehovah.
15 He prayed: »Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, you are enthroned above the angels. You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You made heaven and earth.
16 »Turn your ear listen pay attention to me, O Jehovah, and listen. Open your eyes, Jehovah, and see. Listen to the message Sennacherib sent to defy the living God.
17 »It is true Jehovah. The kings of Assyria have devastated nations.
18 »They threw the gods from these countries into fires because these gods are not real gods. They are only wooden and stone statues made by human hands. So the Assyrians have destroyed them.
19 »Rescue us from Assyria's control, O Jehovah our God, so that all the kingdoms on earth will know that you alone are Jehovah God.«
20 Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: »This is what Jehovah the God of Israel says: You prayed to me about King Sennacherib of Assyria. I have heard you.
21 »This is Jehovahs message to Sennacherib: My people, the virgin daughter of Zion, despise you and laugh at you. My people in Jerusalem shake their heads behind your back.
22 »Whom are you defying and slandering? Against whom are you shouting? Who are you looking at so arrogantly? It is the Holy One of Israel!
23 »You defy Jehovah and through your servants you say: With my many chariots I ride up the high mountains, up the slopes of Lebanon. I cut down its tallest cedars and its finest cypresses. I travel to its most distant borders and its most fertile forests.
24 »I will dig wells and drink foreign water. I will dry up all the streams of Egypt with the soles of my feet.«
25 »Have you not heard? I did this long ago. I planned it in the past. Now I make it happen so that you will turn fortified cities into piles of rubble.
26 »The inhabitants of these cities are weak, discouraged, and ashamed. They will be like plants in the field, like fresh green grass on the roofs, scorched before it grows up.
27 »I know when you get up and sit down. I know when you go out and come in. I know how you rage against me.
28 »Since you rage against me and you boast in my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bridle in your mouth. I will make you go back the way you came.
29 »This will be a sign for you, Hezekiah: You will eat what grows by itself this year and next year. But in the third year you will plant and harvest, plant vineyards, and eat what is produced.
30 »The remnant in Judah who survives will flourish like plants that send roots deep into the ground and produce fruit.
31 »There will be a remnant of people in Jerusalem and on Mount Zion who will survive. Jehovah is determined to make this happen.
32 »This is what Jehovah said about the Assyrian king: He will not enter this city or shoot a single arrow against it. No soldiers with shields will come near the city. No siege mounds will be built around it.
33 »He will go back by the same road he came. He will not enter the city. I, Jehovah, have spoken!«
34 I will defend this city and protect it. It is for the sake of my own honor and because of the promise I made to my servant David.
35 It happened that night. Jehovahs angel killed one hundred and eighty five thousand soldiers in the Assyrian camp. The next morning the Judeans saw all the corpses.
36 King Sennacherib of Assyria returned to his home at Nineveh and stayed there.
37 While he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, Adrammelech and Sharezer assassinated him. They escaped to the land of Ararat. His son Esarhaddon succeeded him as king.
1 Hezekiah became ill and was about to die. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz said to him: »This is what Jehovah says: Give final instructions to your household. You will not recover. You will die.«
2 Hezekiah faced the wall and prayed to Jehovah:
3 »Jehovah, Please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and truth. And consider my whole heart devoted to you. I have done what is good in your eyes.« Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 Isaiah had not gone as far as the middle courtyard when Jehovah spoke to him:
5 »Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people: This is what Jehovah God of your ancestor David says: »I heard your prayer. I saw your tears. Now I will heal you. The day after tomorrow you will go to Jehovahs Temple.
6 »I will add fifteen more years to your life. I will rescue you and defend this city from the control of the king of Assyria. I do this for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.« «
7 Then Isaiah said: »Get a fig cake, and put it on the boil so that the king will get well.«
8 King Hezekiah said to Isaiah: »What is the sign to prove that Jehovah will heal me and that three days later I will be able to go to the Temple?«
9 Isaiah replied: »Jehovah will give you a sign to prove that he will keep his promise. Would you prefer to have the shadow on the stairway go forward ten steps or go back ten steps?«
10 Then Hezekiah said: »It is an easy matter to have the shadow go forward ten steps. So have it go back ten steps.«
11 Isaiah prayed to Jehovah and Jehovah made the shadow go back ten steps on the stairway set up by King Ahaz.
12 The king of Babylonia, Merodach Baladan son of Baladan heard that King Hezekiah was sick. So he sent him a letter and a present.
13 Hezekiah welcomed the messengers and showed them his wealth. He showed his silver and gold. He also let them look at his spices and perfumes. He even showed all his military equipment. There was nothing in his storerooms or anywhere in his kingdom that he did not show them.
14 The prophet Isaiah went to King Hezekiah and asked: »Where did these men come from and what did they say to you?« Hezekiah answered: »They came from a very distant country, from Babylonia.«
15 Isaiah then said: »What did they see in your palace?« Hezekiah replied: »They saw everything in my palace. I showed them everything in my treasury.«
16 Isaiah said to Hezekiah: »Hear the word of Jehovah!«
17 »Jehovah says: The time will come when everything in your palace, everything your ancestors have stored up to this day, will be taken away to Babylon. Nothing will be left.
18 »Some of your own descendants will be taken away. They will become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.«
19 Hezekiah said to Isaiah: »The word of Jehovah that you spoke is good. He added: »Is it not good that there is peace and security as long as I live?«
20 Everything else about Hezekiah, all his heroic acts and how he made the pool and tunnel to bring water into the city is written in the official records of the Kings of Judah.
21 Hezekiah slept in death with his ancestors. His son Manasseh succeeded him as king.
1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for fifty-five years. His mother's name was Hephzibah.
2 He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah. He copied the disgusting ways of those nations Jehovah sent out before the children of Israel.
3 He built the high places that Hezekiah his father destroyed. He made altars for Baal. Then he made an Asherah as Ahab, king of Israel, had done. Manasseh was a worshipper and servant of all the stars of heaven.
4 He built heathen altars in the Temple of Jehovah. The same Temple that Jehovah spoke of when he said: »In Jerusalem will I put my name.«
5 And he built altars for all the stars of heaven in the two outer courts of the Temple of Jehovah.
6 He made his own son pass through fire. He burned him as an offering to Molech. He practiced reading the future; gave positions to those who had control of spirits and to wonder-workers. He did much evil in the eyes of Jehovah and provoked him to anger.
7 He made an image of the goddess Asherah and set it in the Temple of Jehovah. This is the same Temple that Jehovah said to David and to Solomon his son: »In this house, and in Jerusalem, the town which I have made mine out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever for a very long time .
8 »And never again will I send the feet of Israel wandering from the land that I gave to their fathers. If only they will take care to do all my orders, and obey all the law my servant Moses gave them.«
9 But they would not listen. Manasseh enticed them to do evil. In fact they committed more evil than the nations whom Jehovah destroyed before the children of Israel.
10 Jehovah said through his servants the prophets:
11 »Manasseh king of Judah committed detestable sins. He did more evil than all the Amorites before him. He enticed Judah to do evil with his false gods.
12 »Because of this, says Jehovah the God of Israel: I will send such evil on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of all who hear of it will burn.
13 »The line of Samaria and the weight of Ahab will be stretched over Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be washed clean as a plate is washed, and turned over on its face.
14 »I will discard the rest of my heritage. I will give them into the hands of their enemies. They will take their property and their goods for themselves.
15 »Because they have done evil in my eyes. They moved me to anger from the day their fathers came out of Egypt till this day.«
16 Even more, Manasseh killed many innocent men. He filled Jerusalem from one end to the other with blood. He also caused Judah to sin and do evil in the eyes of Jehovah.
17 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all he did, and his sins, are recorded in the book of the history of the kings of Judah.
18 So Manasseh went to rest with his fathers. He was buried in the garden of his house, in the garden of Uzza. Amon his son became king in his place.
19 Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for two years. His mother's name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.
20 He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah as Manasseh his father had done.
21 He followed all the practices of his father. He was a servant and worshipper of the false gods to which his father had been a servant.
22 Amon turned away from Jehovah the God of his fathers. He did not walk in his ways.
23 The servants of Amon conspired against him. They killed the king in his house.
24 But the people of the land put to death all those who had taken part in the design against the king. Then they made Josiah his son king in his place.
25 Now the rest of the acts which Amon did, are recorded in the Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.
26 He was buried in his tomb in the garden of Uzza. Josiah his son became king in his place.
1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother's name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.
2 He did what was right in the eyes of Jehovah. He walked in the ways of David his father, without turning to the right hand or to the left.
3 Now in the eighteenth year after he became king, Josiah sent Shaphan son of Azaliah son of Meshullam the scribe, to the Temple of Jehovah. He said to him:
4 »Go to Hilkiah the high priest. Let him count the money brought into the Temple of Jehovah that the keepers of the door gathered from the people.
5 »Let them deliver it to the workmen who have oversight of the work of Jehovahs Temple. Then they can pay it to the workmen who are making good what was damaged in the Temple of Jehovah.
6 »To the woodworkers and the builders and the stonecutters; and for getting wood and cut stones for building the Temple.
7 »Since the workmen are honest, do not require them to account for the money you give them.«
8 The chief priest Hilkiah told the scribe Shaphan: »I found the Book of the Law in Jehovahs House.« Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, who then read it.
9 The scribe Shaphan reported to the king: »We have taken the money donated in the temple and have given it to the workmen who are in charge of Jehovahs House.«
10 Then the scribe Shaphan told the king: The priest Hilkiah has given me a book. Shaphan read it to the king.
11 When the king heard what the book of the Law said, he tore his clothes in distress.
12 The king gave an order to the priest Hilkiah, to Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, the scribe Shaphan, and the royal official Asaiah. He said:
13 »Go inquire of Jehovah on my behalf and for the people. This is concerning the words in this book that has been found. Jehovahs fierce anger is directed towards us because our ancestors did not obey the things in this book or do everything written in it.«
14 So the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to talk to the prophet Huldah. She was the wife of Shallum, son of Tikvah and grandson of Harhas. Shallum was in charge of the royal wardrobe. Huldah was living in the Second Part of Jerusalem.
15 She told them: »This is what Jehovah God of Israel says: Tell the man who sent you to me:
16 This is what Jehovah says: »I am going to bring disaster on this place and on the people living here. This is according to everything written in the book that the king of Judah has read.
17 »I will do this because they abandoned me. They sacrificed to other gods in order to make me furious. Therefore, my burning anger against this place will never be extinguished.« «
18 Huldah added: »Tell Judah's king who sent you to me to ask Jehovah a question. This is what Jehovah God of Israel says about the words you heard:
19 You had a change of heart and humbled yourself in front of Jehovah when you heard my words against this place and those who live here. I said that those who live here would be destroyed and cursed. You also tore your clothes in distress and cried in front of me. So I will listen to you,« declares Jehovah.
20 »That is why I will bring you to your ancestors. I will bring you to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see any of the disaster I will bring on this place.« « They reported this to the king.
1 Then the king sent for all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem to join him.
2 The king went up to the Temple of Jehovah. All the inhabitants of Judah young and old also went to Jehovahs Temple. Josiah read everything written in the Book of the Promise found in Jehovahs Temple so they could all hear it.
3 The king stood beside the pillar and made a promise to Jehovah that he would follow Jehovah and obey his commands, instructions, and laws with all his heart and mind. He confirmed the terms of the promise written in this book. All the people joined in the promise.
4 Then the king ordered the high priest Hilkiah, the priests who served under Hilkiah, and the doorkeepers to remove from Jehovahs Temple all utensils that had been made for Baal, Asherah, and the entire army of heaven. Josiah burned the utensils outside Jerusalem. It was in an open field near the Kidron Brook. Then he carried their ashes to Bethel.
5 He got rid of the pagan priests. The kings of Judah appointed them to sacrifice at the illegal places of worship in the cities of Judah and all around Jerusalem. They had been sacrificing to Baal, the sun god, the moon god, the constellations of the zodiac (Mazzalohth Constellation-Job 38:32), and the entire army of heaven.
6 He removed the pole dedicated to the goddess Asherah from the temple. He took it to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem. There he burned it in the Kidron Valley, ground it to dust, and threw its ashes on the tombs of the common people.
7 He tore down the houses of the male temple cult prostitutes who were in Jehovahs Temple. This is where women did weaving for Asherah.
8 He brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah from Geba to Beersheba and made the places where those priests sacrificed unclean. He tore down the worship site at the entrance of the Gate of Joshua, the gate named after the mayor of the city. The worship site was to the left of anyone going through the city gate.
9 The priests of the illegal worship sites had never gone to Jehovahs altar in Jerusalem. Instead, they ate their unleavened bread among the other worshipers.
10 Josiah also made Topheth in the valley of Ben Hinnom unclean so that people would never again sacrifice their sons or daughters by burning them to the god Molech.
11 He also removed the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the worship of the sun. He burned the chariots used in this worship.
12 The altars the kings of Judah built on the palace roof above King Ahaz' quarters, King Josiah tore down, along with the altars put up by King Manasseh in the two courtyards of the Temple. He smashed the altars to bits and threw them into Kidron Valley.
13 The king made the illegal places of worship east of Jerusalem unclean. They were on the southern part of the Hill of Destruction. King Solomon of Israel built them for Astarte the disgusting goddess of the Sidonians. Also made unclean were references to Chemosh the disgusting god of Moab, and Milcom the disgusting god of the Ammonites.
14 Josiah crushed the sacred stones. He cut down the poles dedicated to Asherah. And he filled their places with human bones.
15 He also tore down the altar at Bethel the place of worship made by Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin. He tore down both the altar and the place of worship. They burned the worship site. They crushed it into powder and burned the pole dedicated to Asherah.
16 Josiah turned and saw the tombs on the hill. He sent men to take the bones out of the tombs and burn them on the altar to make it unclean. This fulfilled the word of Jehovah announced by the man of God.
17 »What is that headstone I see over there?« Josiah asked. The men of the town said: »It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah. The one who foretold all these things you have done to the altar of Bethel.«
18 He said: »Let him be. Do not move his bones.« So they let his bones be with the bones of the prophet who came from Samaria.
19 Josiah removed all the houses of the high places the kings of Israel built in the towns of Samaria. This provoked Jehovah to anger and he did with them as he had done in Bethel.
20 He killed all the priests of the high places on the altars. Their bones were burned on the altars. Then the king went back to Jerusalem.
21 The king gave orders to all the people. He said: »Keep the Passover to Jehovah your God, as it says in this book of the law.«
22 Truly, such a Passover had not been kept in all the days of the judges of Israel or of the kings of Israel or the kings of Judah.
23 In the eighteenth year of the rule of King Josiah this Passover was kept to Jehovah in Jerusalem.
24 Josiah removed all the spirit mediums, the foretellers, the images, and the false gods, and all the disgusting things seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem. That way he could establish the words of the agreement recorded in the book Hilkiah the priest discovered in the Temple of Jehovah.
25 Never before had there been a king like him. He turned to Jehovah with all his heart and his entire mind and all his power. As the Law of Moses says: and after him there was no king like him.
26 Still the heat of Jehovahs anger was not turned back from Judah. This is because of all Manasseh had done in moving him to anger.
27 Jehovah said: »I will send Judah away from before my face, as I have sent Israel. I will have nothing more to do with this town. It is Jerusalem my town. And the holy house of which I said: My name will be there.«
28 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and all he did are recorded in the book of the History of the Kings of Judah.
29 In his days, Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt, sent his armies against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates. King Josiah went out against him. Josiah was killed when he saw him at Megiddo.
30 His servants took his body in a carriage from Megiddo to Jerusalem. They buried him there. The people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah, and put the holy oil on him and made him king in place of his father.
31 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for three months. His mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
32 He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah, as his fathers had done.
33 And Pharaoh Necho put him in chains at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So that he was not king in Jerusalem. Pharaoh Necho extracted from the land a tax of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.
34 Then Pharaoh Necho made Eliakim son of Josiah king in place of Josiah his father. He changed his name to Jehoiakim. He took Jehoahaz away to Egypt, where he remained till he died.
35 Jehoiakim gave the silver and gold to Pharaoh. He ordered that the land be taxed to get the money. All the people of the land had to give silver and gold in order to make the payment to Pharaoh Necho.
36 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother's name was Zebidah daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.
37 He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah as his fathers had done.
1 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded Judah. Jehoiakim king of Judah was forced to serve him for three years. Then he rebelled and fought against him.
2 Jehovah sent raiding parties of Babylonians, Arameans, Moabites, and Ammonites against Jehoiakim to destroy Judah as Jehovah predicted through his servants the prophets.
3 This happened to Judah because Jehovah commanded it to happen. He wanted to remove the people of Judah from his sight because of Manasseh's sins and everything he had done,
4 and especially because of all the innocent people he killed. Jehovah would not forgive Manasseh for that.
5 The rest of the acts of Jehoiakim are written in the Book of the History of the Days of the Kings of Judah.
6 Jehoiakim slept with his fathers. Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place.
7 The king of Egypt did not leave his own country again because the king of Babylon captured all the territory from the River of Egypt to the Euphrates River. This territory belonged to the king of Egypt.
8 Jehoiakin was eighteen years old when he became king. He was king for three months in Jerusalem. His mother was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan from Jerusalem.
9 Following the example of his father, Jehoiachin sinned against Jehovah.
10 It was during his reign that the Babylonian army, commanded by King Nebuchadnezzar's officers, marched against Jerusalem and besieged it.
11 During the siege Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem in person.
12 King Jehoiachin of Judah, along with his mother, his sons, his officers, and the palace officials, surrendered to the Babylonians. In the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign he took Jehoiachin prisoner.
13 The Babylonians carried off to Babylon all the treasures in the Temple and the palace. As Jehovah foretold, Nebuchadnezzar broke up all the gold utensils King Solomon had made for use in the Temple.
14 Nebuchadnezzar carried away as prisoners the people of Jerusalem, all the royal princes, and all the leading men, ten thousand in all. He also deported all the skilled workers, including the blacksmiths, leaving only the poorest of the people behind in Judah.
15 He took Jehoiakin to Babylon as a captive. He also took the king's mother, wives, eunuchs, and the leading citizens of the land from Jerusalem as captives to Babylon.
16 Included as prisoners were all the men of war, seven thousand of them, and a thousand expert workmen and metalworkers, all of them strong and able to take up arms.
17 The king of Babylon installed Mattaniah, his father's brother, king in place of Jehoiachin. He changed his name to Zedekiah.
18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king. He was king in Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother's name was Hamutal, daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
19 He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah, as Jehoiakim had done.
20 This happened in Jerusalem and Judah because of Jehovahs anger. It continued until he had sent them all away from before him. Then Zedekiah took up arms and rebelled against the king of Babylon.
1 Now in the ninth year of his rule, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked Jerusalem with all his army. He took his position and laid siege to it. They built earthworks all round the town.
2 They surrounded the town and laid siege till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.
3 On the ninth day of the fourth month, the store of food in the town was almost gone. There was no food for the people of the land.
4 An opening was made in the wall of the town. All the men of war went in flight by night through the doorway between the two walls by the king's garden. The Chaldaeans were stationed around the town: and the king went by the way toward the plain of Arabah.
5 But the Chaldaean army went after the king. They overtook him in the lowlands of Jericho. All his army went in flight from him in every direction.
6 They made the king a prisoner and took him to the king of Babylon at Riblah to be judged.
7 They put the sons of Zedekiah to death before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, chained him with iron bands and took him to Babylon.
8 It was the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. Nebuzaradan, the captain of the armed men, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem.
9 He had the Temple of Jehovah, the king's house and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great house, burned with fire.
10 The army of the Chaldaeans under the command of the captain of the army broke down the walls around Jerusalem.
11 The rest of the people still in the town, and all those who had given themselves up to the king of Babylon, and all the rest of the workmen were taken away as prisoners by Nebuzaradan, the captain of the army.
12 He let the poorest of the land go on living there, to take care of the vines and the fields.
13 The copper pillars in the Temple of Jehovah, and the wheeled bases, and the great copper water-vessel in the Temple of Jehovah were broken up by the Chaldaeans. They took the copper to Babylon.
14 The pots and the spades and the scissors for the lights and the spoons, and all the copper vessels used in Jehovahs Temple were taken away.
15 The captain of the guard took all of the incense burners and bowls that were made of gold or silver.
16 The bronze from the two pillars, the pool, and the stands that Solomon made for Jehovahs Temple could not be weighed.
17 One pillar was twenty-seven feet high and had a copper crown on it that was four and one half feet high. The filigree and the pomegranates around the crown were all made of copper. The second pillar and its filigree were the same.
18 The captain of the guard took the high priest Seraiah, the second priest Zephaniah, and the three doorkeepers.
19 From the city he also took an army commander, five men who had access to the king whom he found in the city, the scribe who was in charge of the militia, and sixty of the common people whom he found in the city.
20 Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.
21 The king of Babylon executed them at Riblah in the territory of Hamath. So the people of Judah were captives when they left their land.
22 There were people who were still living in the land of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, did not take them captive. He made Gedaliah, son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, ruler over them.
23 The captains of the armed forces heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah ruler. They brought their men to Gedaliah at Mizpah. Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan, the son of Kareah, and Seraiah, the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah, the son of the Maacathite, came with all their men.
24 Then Gedaliah gave his oath to them and their men. He said: Have no fear because of the servants of the Chaldaeans. Go on living in the land under the rule of the king of Babylon, and all will be well.
25 In the seventh month, Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the king's seed, came with ten men and made an attack on Gedaliah, causing his death and the death of the Jews and the Chaldaeans who were with him at Mizpah.
26 Then all the people, small and great, and the captains of the forces, got up and went away to Egypt, for fear of the Chaldaeans.
27 In the thirty-seventh year after Jehoiachin king of Judah had been taken prisoner, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, Evil-merodach, king of Babylon, in the first year of his rule, took Jehoiachin, king of Judah, out of prison.
28 He said kind things to him and placed his seat higher than the seats of the other kings who were with him in Babylon.
29 His prison clothing was changed. He was a guest at the king's table every day for the rest of his life.
30 The king gave him a regular amount of food every day for the rest of his life.