Chapter 5
CHAPTER XXV A son of twenty and five years hath Amaziah reigned, and twenty and nine years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Jehoadon of Jerusalem. And he doth that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah, only not with a perfect heart. And it cometh to pass, when the kingdom hath been strong upon him, that he slayeth his servants,
though smiting the king his father, and their sons he hath not put to death, but did as is written in the law in the book of Moses, whom Jehovah commanded, saying, Fathers do not die for sons, and sons die not for fathers, but each for his own sin they die. And Amaziah gathereth Judah, and appointeth them according to the house of the fathers, for heads of the thousands, and for heads of the hundreds, for all Judah and Benjamin.
And he inspecteth them from a son of twenty years and upward, and findeth them three hundred thousand chosen ones, going forth to the host, holding spear and target. And he hireth out of Israel a hundred thousand mighty ones of valor, with a hundred talents of silver. And a man of God hath come in unto him, saying, O king, the host of Israel doth not go with thee, for Jehovah is not with Israel, all the sons of Ephraim.
But if thou art going, do it. Be strong for battle. God doth cause thee to stumble before an enemy, for there is power in God to help, and to cause to stumble. And Amaziah saith to the man of God, And what to do for the hundred talents that I have given to the troop of Israel? And the man of God saith, Jehovah hath more to give to thee than this. And Amaziah separateth them, for the troop that hath come in unto him from Ephraim to go to their own place.
And their anger doth burn mightily against Judah, and they turn back to their place in the heat of anger. And Amaziah hath strengthened himself, and leadeth his people, and goeth to the valley of salt, and smiteth the sons of Seir ten thousand. And ten thousand alive have the sons of Judah taken captive, and they bring them to the top of the rock, and cast them from the top of the rock,
and all of them have been broken. And the sons of the troop that Amaziah hath sent back from going with him to battle, they rush against cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Beth-horon, and smite of them three thousand, and seize much prey. And it cometh to pass, after the coming in of Amaziah from smiting the Edomites,
that he bringeth in the gods of the sons of Seir, and establisheth them to him for gods, and before them doth bow himself, and to them he maketh perfume. And the anger of Jehovah burneth against Amaziah, and he sendeth unto him a prophet, and he saith unto him, Why hast thou sought the gods of the people that have not delivered their people out of thy hand?
And it cometh to pass, in his speaking unto him, that he saith to him, For a counsellor to the king have we appointed thee? Cease for thee! Why do they smite thee? And the prophet ceaseth, and saith, I have known that God hath counselled to destroy thee,
because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened to my counsel. And Amaziah king of Judah taketh counsel, and sendeth unto Joash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu king of Israel, saying, Come, we look one another in the face. And Joash king of Israel sendeth unto Amaziah king of Judah, saying,
The thorn that is in Lebanon hath sent unto the cedar that is in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son for a wife, and pass by doth a beast of the field that is in Lebanon, and treadeth down the thorn. Thou hast said, Lo, I have smitten Edom, and thy heart hath lifted thee up to boast. Now abide in thy house.
Why dost thou stir thyself up in evil, that thou hast fallen, thou and Judah with thee? And Amaziah hath not hearkened, for from God it is in order to give them into hand, because they have sought the gods of Edom. And go up doth Joash king of Israel, and they look one another in the face,
he and Amaziah king of Judah, in Beth Shemesh, that is Judah's. And Judah is smitten before Israel, and they flee each to his tents. And Amaziah king of Judah, son of Joash, son of Jehoahaz, hath Joash king of Israel caught in Beth Shemesh, and bringeth him into Jerusalem, and breaketh down in the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the gate of the corner
four hundred cubits, and taketh all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that are found in the house of God with Obed-Edom, and the treasures of the house of the king, and the sons of the pledges, and turneth back to Samaria. And Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah,
liveth after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years. And the rest of the matters of Amaziah, the first and the last, lo, are they not written on the books of the kings of Judah and Israel? And from the time that Amaziah hath turned aside from after Jehovah, they make a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem,
and he fleeth to Lachish, and they send after him to Lachish, and put him to death there, and lift him up on the horses, and bury him with his fathers in the city of Judah. Chapter 26 And all the people of Judah take Uzziah,
and he is a son of sixteen years, and cause him to reign instead of his father Amaziah. He hath built Eloth, and restoreth it to Judah, after the king's lying with his fathers. A son of sixteen years is Uzziah in his reigning,
and fifty in two years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Jechaliah of Jerusalem. And he doth that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that Amaziah his father did. And he is as one seeking God in the days of Zechariah,
who hath understanding in visions of God. And in the days of his seeking Jehovah, God hath caused him to prosper. And he goeth forth, and fighteth with the Philistines, and breaketh down the wall of Gath,
and the wall of Jabnah, and the wall of Ashdod, and buildeth cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines. And God helpeth him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who are dwelling in Gurbaal,
and the Mehunim. And the Ammonites give a present to Uzziah, and his name goeth unto the entering inn of Egypt, for he strengthened himself greatly. And Uzziah buildeth towers in Jerusalem by the gate of the corner,
and by the gate of the valley, and by the angle, and strengtheneth them. And he buildeth towers in the wilderness, and diggeth many wells, for he had much cattle, both in the low country and in the plain,
husbandmen and vinedressers in the mountains, and in Carmel, for he was a lover of the ground. And Uzziah hath a force making war, going forth to the host by troops, in the number of their reckoning by the hand of J.I.L. the scribe,
and Maasaiah the officer, by the hand of Hananiah, one of the heads of the king. The whole number of heads of the fathers of the mighty ones of valor is two thousand and six hundred, and by their hand is the force of the host,
three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred warriors, with mighty power to give help to the king against the enemy. And Uzziah prepareth for them, for all the host, shields and spears and helmets and coats of mail and bows, even to stones of the slings.
And he maketh in Jerusalem inventions, a device of an inventor, to be on the towers and on the corners, to shoot with arrows and with great stones, and his name goeth out unto a distance,
for he hath been wonderfully helped till that he hath been strong. And at his being strong, his heart hath been high unto destruction, and he trespasseth against Jehovah his God, and goeth in unto the temple of Jehovah to make perfume,
upon the altar of perfume. And Azariah the priest goeth in after him, and with him priests of Jehovah, eighty sons of valor. And they stand up against Uzziah the king,
and say to him, Not for thee, O Uzziah, to make perfume to Jehovah, but for priests, sons of Aaron,
who are sanctified to make perfume. Go forth from the sanctuary, for thou hast trespassed, and it is not to thee for honor from Jehovah God. And Uzziah is wroth,
and in his hand is a censer to make perfume, and in his being wroth with the priests, the leprosy hath risen in his forehead, before the priests in the house of Jehovah, from beside the altar of perfume.
And Azariah the head priest looketh unto him, and all the priests. And lo, he is leprous in his forehead, and they hasten him thence,
and also he himself hath hastened to go out, for Jehovah hath plagued him. And Uzziah the king is a leper unto the day of his death, and inhabiteth a separate house, a leper,
for he hath been cut off from the house of Jehovah. And Jotham his son is over the house of the king, judging the people of the land. And the rest of the matters of Uzziah, the first and the last,
hath Isaiah son of Amoz the prophet written, And Uzziah lieth with his fathers, and they bury him with his fathers in the field of the burying-place that the kings have. For they said,
He is a leper, and reigned off Jotham his son in his stead. Chapter 27 A son of twenty and five years is Jotham in his reigning, and sixteen years he hath reigned in Jerusalem,
and the name of his mother is Jerushah, daughter of Zadok. And he doth that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that Uzziah his father did. Only he hath not come in unto the temple of Jehovah, and again are the people doing corruptly.
He hath built the upper gate of the house of Jehovah, and in the wall of Ophel he hath built abundantly, and cities he hath built in the hill country of Judah, and in the forests he hath built palaces and towers. And he hath fought with the king of the sons of Ammon,
and prevaileth over them. And the sons of Ammon give to him in that year a hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand cores of wheat, and of barley ten thousand.
This have the sons of Ammon returned to him both in the second year and in the third. And Jotham doth strengthen himself, for he hath prepared his ways before Jehovah his God. And the rest of the matters of Jotham,
and all his battles and his ways, lo, they are written on the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. A son of twenty and five years was he in his reigning, and sixteen years he hath reigned in Jerusalem. And Jotham lieth with his fathers,
and they bury him in the city of David, and reigned doth Ahaz his son in his stead. Chapter 28 A son of twenty years is Ahaz in his reigning, and sixteen years he hath reigned in Jerusalem.
And he hath not done that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah as David his father, and walketh in the ways of the kings of Israel, and also molten images hath made for Baalim, and himself hath made perfume in the valley of the son of Hinnom,
and burneth his sons with fire according to the abominations of the nations that Jehovah dispossessed from the presence of the sons of Israel, and sacrificeth and maketh perfume in high places, and on the heights, and under every green tree.
And Jehovah his God giveth him into the hand of the king of Aram, and they smite him, and take captive from him a great captivity, and bring them into Damascus, and also into the hand of the king of Israel he hath been given, and he smiteth him a great smiting.
And Pekah son of Remaliah slayeth in Judah a hundred and twenty thousand in one day, the whole are sons of valor, because of their forsaking Jehovah God of their fathers. And Zichri, a mighty one of Ephraim, slayeth Maaseiah son of the king,
and Azrakam leader of the house, and Elkanah second to the king. And the sons of Israel take captive of their brethren two hundred thousand wives, sons, and daughters, and also much spoil they have seized from them,
and they bring in the spoil to Samaria. And there hath been there a prophet of Jehovah, Oded is his name, and he goeth out before the host that hath come in to Samaria, and saith to them,
Lo, in the fury of Jehovah God of your fathers against Judah, he hath given them into your hand, and ye slay among them in rage, unto the heavens it hath come. And now, sons of Judah and Jerusalem,
ye are saying to subdue for men servants and for maid servants to you. But are there not with you causes of guilt before Jehovah your God? And now hear me, and send back the captives whom ye have taken captive of your brethren, for the heat of the anger of Jehovah is upon you.
And certain of the heads of the sons of Ephraim, Azariah son of Johanan, Barachiah son of Meshelamoth, and Jehazkiah son of Shalom, and Amasa son of Hadlai,
rise up against those coming in from the host, and say to them, Ye do not bring in the captives hither, for to guilt against Jehovah on us, ye are saying to add unto our sin and unto our guilt,
for abundant is the guilt we have, and the fierceness of anger on Israel. And the armed men leave the captives, and the prey before the heads and all the assembly. And the men who have been expressed by name rise,
and take hold on the captives, and all their naked ones they have clothed from the spoil. Yea, they clothe them, and shoo them, and cause them to eat and drink,
and anoint them, and lead them on asses, even every feeble one, and bring them into Jericho, the city of Palms,
near their brethren, and turn back to Samaria. At that time hath King Ahaz sent unto the king of Ashur to give help to him. And again the Edomites have come,
and smite in Judah, and take captive a captivity. And the Philistines have rushed against the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and capture Beth Shemesh,
and Eijalon, and Gederoth, and Shoko, and its villages, and Timnah,
and its villages, and Gimzo, and its villages, and dwell there. For Jehovah hath humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel,
for he made free with Judah, even to commit a trespass against Jehovah. And Tilgath Pelnezer king of Ashur cometh in unto him, and doth distress him, and hath not strengthened him.
Though Ahaz hath taken a portion out of the house of Jehovah, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and giveth to the king of Ashur, yet it is no help to him.
And in the time of his distress, he addeth to trespass against Jehovah, this king Ahaz, and he sacrificeth to the gods of Damascus, those smiting him,
and saith, Because the gods of the kings of Aram are helping them, to them I sacrifice, and they help me. And they have been to him to cause him to stumble,
and to all Israel. And Ahaz gathereth the vessels of the house of God, and cutteth in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shutteth the doors of the house of Jehovah, and maketh to himself altars in every corner in Jerusalem.
And in every city and city of Judah, he hath made high places to make perfume to other gods, and provoketh Jehovah God of his fathers. And the rest of his matters, and all his ways,
the first and the last, lo, they are written on the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. And Ahaz lieth with his fathers, and they bury him in the city in Jerusalem,
but have not brought him in to the graves of the kings of Israel, and rain doth Hezekiah his son in his stead. Chapter 29 Hezekiah hath reigned, a son of twenty and five years,
and twenty and nine years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Abijah, daughter of Zechariah. And he doth that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that David his father did.
He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, hath opened the doors of the house of Jehovah, and strengtheneth them, and bringeth in the priests and the Levites,
and gathereth them to the broad place to the east. And he saith to them, Hear me, O Levites, now sanctify yourselves, and sanctify the house of Jehovah,
God of your fathers, and bring out the impurity from the sanctuary. For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which is evil in the eyes of Jehovah our God, and forsake him,
and turn round their faces from the tabernacle of Jehovah, and give the neck. Also, they have shut the doors of the porch, and quenched the lamps, and perfume they have not made,
and burnt offering have not caused to ascend in the sanctuary to the God of Israel. And the wrath of Jehovah is on Judah and Jerusalem, and he giveth them for a trembling, for an astonishment,
and for a hissing, as ye are seeing with your eyes. And lo, fallen have our fathers by the sword, and our sons,
and our daughters, and our wives, are in captivity for this. Now, with my heart, to make a covenant before Jehovah God of Israel,
and the fierceness of his anger doth turn back from us. My sons, be not now at rest, for on you hath Jehovah fixed to stand before him,
to serve him, and to be to him ministering and making perfume. And the Levites rise, Mahath son of Amasai, and Joel son of Azariah,
of the sons of the Kohaphite, and of the sons of Merari, Kish son of Abdi, and Azariah son of Jehalalel, and of the Gershonite,
Joah son of Zima, and Eden son of Joah, and of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeiel, and of the sons of Asaph,
Zechariah and Mataniah, and of the sons of Heman, Jehiel and Shemai, and of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uziel.
And they gather their brethren, and sanctify themselves, and come in according to the command of the king in the matters of Jehovah, to cleanse the house of Jehovah.
And the priests come in to the inner part of the house of Jehovah, to cleanse it, and bring out all the uncleanness that they have found in the temple of Jehovah,
to the court of the house of Jehovah. And the Levites receive it, to take it out to the brook Kidron without. And they begin on the first of the first month to sanctify,
and on the eighth day of the month they have come to the porch of Jehovah, and they sanctify the house of Jehovah in eight days. And on the sixteenth day of the first month
they have finished. And they come in within unto Hezekiah the king, and say, We have cleansed all the house of Jehovah,
and the altar of the burnt offering, and all its vessels, and the table of the arrangement, and all its vessels, and all the vessels that King Ahaz
cast away in his reign, in his trespass, we have prepared and sanctified, and lo, they are before the altar of Jehovah.
And Hezekiah the king riseth early, and gathereth the heads of the city, and goeth up to the house of Jehovah. And they bring in seven bullocks, and seven rams,
and seven lambs, and seven young he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah.
And he saith to sons of Aaron the priests, to cause them to ascend on the altar of Jehovah. And they slaughter the oxen, and the priests receive the blood, and sprinkle on the altar,
and they slaughter the rams, and sprinkle the blood on the altar, and they slaughter the lambs, and sprinkle the blood on the altar. And they bring nigh the he goats of the sin offering
before the king and the assembly, and they lay their hands upon them. And the priests slaughter them, and make a sin offering with their blood on the altar, to make atonement for all Israel.
For all Israel, said the king, is the burnt offering and the sin offering. And he appointeth the Levites in the house of Jehovah with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, by the command of David and of Gad,
seer of the king, and of Nathan the prophet, for by the hand of Jehovah is the command by the hand of his prophets. And the Levites stand with the instruments of David,
and the priests with the trumpets. And Hezekiah saith to cause the burnt offering to ascend on the altar, and at the time the burnt offering began, began the song of Jehovah,
and the trumpets, even by the hands of the instruments of David, king of Israel. And all the assembly are doing obeisance, and the singers singing,
and the trumpeters blowing. The whole is till the completion of the burnt offering. And at the completion of the offering up, bowed have the king and all those found with him, and do obeisance.
And Hezekiah the king saith, and the princes to the Levites to give praise to Jehovah in the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they praise unto joy,
and they bow and do obeisance. And Hezekiah answereth, and saith, Now ye have filled your hand to Jehovah, come nigh,
and bring in sacrifices and thank-offerings to the house of Jehovah. And the assembly bring in sacrifices and thank-offerings, and every willing-hearted one burnt-offerings.
And the number of the burnt-offerings that the assembly have brought in is seventy oxen, a hundred rams, lambs two hundred,
for a burnt-offering to Jehovah are all these. And the sanctified things are oxen six hundred, and sheep three thousand.
Only the priests have become few, and have not been able to strip the whole of the burnt-offerings, and their brethren the Levites strengthen them
till the completion of the work, and till the priests sanctify themselves, for the Levites are more upright of heart to sanctify themselves
than the priests. And also burnt-offerings are in abundance with fat of the peace-offerings, and with oblations
for the burnt-offering, and the service of the house of Jehovah is established. And rejoice doth Hezekiah and all the people
because of God's giving preparation to the people, for the thing hath been suddenly. Chapter 30 And Hezekiah sendeth unto all Israel
and Judah, and also letters he hath written unto Ephraim and Manasseh, to come in to the house of Jehovah in Jerusalem,
to make a Passover to Jehovah, God of Israel. And the king taketh counsel, and his heads, and all the assembly in Jerusalem,
to make the Passover in the second month, for they have not been able to make it at that time, for the priests have not
sanctified themselves sufficiently, and the people have not been gathered to Jerusalem. And the thing is right in the eyes of the king,
and in the eyes of all the assembly. And they establish the thing, to cause to pass over an intimation into all Israel, from Beersheba even unto Dan,
to come in to make a Passover to Jehovah God of Israel in Jerusalem, for not for a long time had they done as it is written.
And the runners go with letters from the hand of the king and his heads into all Israel and Judah, even according to the command
of the king, saying, O sons of Israel, turn back unto Jehovah God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,
and he doth turn back unto the escaped part that is left of you from the hand of the kings of Asher. And do not be like your fathers
and like your brethren who trespassed against Jehovah God of their fathers, and he giveth them to desolation as ye do see.
Now harden not your neck like your fathers. Give a hand to Jehovah, and come in to his sanctuary that he hath sanctified to the age,
and serve Jehovah your God, and the fierceness of his anger doth turn back from you. For in your turning back unto Jehovah, your brethren and your sons
have mercies before their captors, even to return to this land. For gracious and merciful is Jehovah your God, and he doth not turn aside
the face from you if ye turn back unto him. And the runners are passing over from city to city, in the land of Ephraim and Manasseh,
even unto Zebulun, and they are laughing at them and mocking at them. Only certain from Asher and Manasseh and from Zebulun
have been humbled and come into Jerusalem. Also in Judah hath the hand of God been to give to them
one heart to do the command of the king and of the heads in the matter of Jehovah. And much people are gathered
to Jerusalem to make the feast of unleavened things in the second month, a mighty assembly
for multitude. And they arise and turn aside the altars that are in Jerusalem,
and all the perfume altars they have turned aside and cast them to the brook Kidron. And they slaughter
the Passover offering on the fourteenth of the second month, and the priests and the Levites
have been ashamed and sanctify themselves and bring in burnt offerings to the house of Jehovah. And they stand
on their station according to their ordinance, according to the law of Moses, the man of God, the priests
are sprinkling the blood out of the hand of the Levites. For many are in the assembly who have not
sanctified themselves, and the Levites are over the slaughtering of the Passover offerings for everyone not clean
to sanctify him to Jehovah. For a multitude of the people, many from Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun,
have not been cleansed, but have eaten the Passover otherwise than it is written. But Hezekiah, prayed for them,
saying, Jehovah, who is good, doth receive atonement for everyone
who hath prepared his heart to seek God, Jehovah, God of his fathers, yet not according
to the cleansing of the sanctuary. And Jehovah hearkeneth unto Hezekiah and healeth the people.
And the sons of Israel, those found in Jerusalem, make the feast of unleavened things seven days
with great joy. And giving praise to Jehovah day by day are the Levites and the priests
with instruments of praise before Jehovah. And Hezekiah speaketh unto the heart
of all the Levites, those giving good understanding concerning Jehovah. And they eat the appointed thing
seven days, sacrificing sacrifices of peace offerings, and making confession to Jehovah,
God of their fathers. And all the assembly take counsel to keep other seven days, and they keep seven days
with joy. for Hezekiah king of Judah hath presented to the assembly a thousand bullocks
and seven thousand sheep. And the heads have presented to the assembly bullocks a thousand,
and sheep ten thousand, and priests sanctify themselves in abundance. And all the assembly
of Judah rejoice and the priests and the Levites and all the assembly, those coming in
from Israel, and the sojourners, those coming in from the land of Israel, and those dwelling
in Judah. And there is great joy in Jerusalem, for from the days of Solomon,
son of David, king of Israel, there is not like this in Jerusalem. And the priests,
the Levites, rise and bless the people, and their voices heard, and their prayer cometh into his holy habitation
to the heavens. Recording by Mark Penfold
