40 days of doing anything will produce change. It doesn’t matter if it’s eating doughnuts or tending to your garden…after 40 days of consistent attention in any area of your life, you will see a change. The same is true for reading the Bible. Imagine the changes we might see in our lives if we read the Bible each day? During this series, “40 Days in the Word” we will explore Jesus’ invitation to love him, learn from him and to live for him. More than just a series of forming Biblical habits, join us as we talk through the power of life change that is available to all of us. Join us for the sixth and final week in this series.
going to celebrate the progress of the last 3 months of
our Cannonball Campaign. After the Sanctuary Service,
we will be serving special treats and coffee. After the
North Auditorium Service, we will have a water slide for
the kids and Kona Ice for all. Kids bring your swimsuits and
towels.
We are going to have a BBQ and Baptisms on Sunday,
August 27th at 11:45 am. If you are interested in getting
baptised please click here. We will send you additional
information and answer any questions you may have.
If you'd like to join us in reading through Scripture this year.
Here are the texts we're reading this week:
Luke 11-12
2 Thessalonians 2-3
Psalms 145-150
2 Chronicles 22-36
Luke 11:1 One time Yeshua was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of the talmidim said to him, “Sir, teach us to pray, just as Yochanan taught his talmidim.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say:
‘Father,
May your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come.
3 Give us each day the food we need.
4 Forgive us our sins, for we too forgive everyone who has wronged us.
And do not lead us to hard testing.’”
5 He also said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend; and you go to him in the middle of the night and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine who has been travelling has just arrived at my house, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ 7 Now the one inside may answer, ‘Don’t bother me! The door is already shut, my children are with me in bed — I can’t get up to give you anything!’ 8 But I tell you, even if he won’t get up because the man is his friend, yet because of the man’s hutzpah he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
9 “Moreover, I myself say to you: keep asking, and it will be given to you; keep seeking, and you will find; keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who goes on asking receives; and he who goes on seeking finds; and to him who continues knocking, the door will be opened.
11 “Is there any father here who, if his son asked him for a fish, would instead of a fish give him a snake? 12 or if he asked for an egg would give him a scorpion? 13 So if you, even though you are bad, know how to give your children gifts that are good, how much more will the Father keep giving the Ruach HaKodesh from heaven to those who keep asking him!”
14 He was expelling a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the man who had been mute spoke; and the people were astounded. 15 But some of them said, “It is by Ba‘al-Zibbul” — the ruler of the demons — “that he expels the demons.” 16 And others, trying to trap him, demanded from him a sign from Heaven. 17 But he, knowing what they were thinking, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, with one house collapsing on another. 18 So if the Adversary too is divided against himself, how can his kingdom survive? I’m asking because you claim it is by Ba‘al-Zibbul that I drive out the demons. 19 If I drive out demons by Ba‘al-Zibbul, by whom do your people drive them out? So, they will be your judges! 20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God,[a] then the Kingdom of God has come upon you!
21 “When a strong man who is fully equipped for battle guards his own house, his possessions are secure. 22 But when someone stronger attacks and defeats him, he carries off all the armor and weaponry on which the man was depending, and divides up the spoils. 23 Those who are not with me are against me, and those who do not gather with me are scattering.
24 “When an unclean spirit comes out of a person, it travels through dry country seeking rest. On finding none, it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ 25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they come and live there — so that in the end the person is worse off than he was before.”
27 As Yeshua was saying these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice to call out, “How blessed is the mother that gave birth to you and nursed you from her breast!” 28 But he said, “Far more blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it!”
29 As the people crowded around him, Yeshua went on to say, “This generation is a wicked generation! It asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it — except the sign of Yonah. 30 For just as Yonah became a sign to the people of Ninveh, so will the Son of Man be for this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will appear at the Judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Shlomo, and what is here now is greater than Shlomo. 32 The people of Ninveh will stand up at the Judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they turned to God from their sins when Yonah preached, and what is here now is greater than Yonah.
33 “No one who has kindled a lamp hides it or places it under a bowl; rather, he puts it on a stand, so that those coming in may see its light. 34 The lamp of your body is the eye. When you have a ‘good eye,’ [that is, when you are generous,] your whole body is full of light; but when you have an ‘evil eye,’ [when you are stingy,] your body is full of darkness. 35 So take care that the light in you is not darkness! 36 If, then, your whole body is filled with light, with no part dark, it will be wholly lighted, as when a brightly lit lamp shines on you.”
37 As Yeshua spoke, a Parush asked him to eat dinner with him; so he went in and took his place at the table; 38 and the Parush was surprised that he didn’t begin by doing n’tilat yadayim before the meal. 39 However, the Lord said to him, “Now then, you P’rushim, you clean the outside of the cup and plate; but inside, you are full of robbery and wickedness. 40 Fools! Didn’t the One who made the outside make the inside too? 41 Rather, give as alms what is inside, and then everything will be clean for you!
42 “But woe to you P’rushim! You pay your tithes of mint and rue and every garden herb, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You have an obligation to do these things — but without disregarding the others!
43 “Woe to you P’rushim, because you love the best seat in the synagogues and being greeted deferentially in the marketplaces!
44 “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.”
45 One of the experts in Torah answered him, “Rabbi, by saying these things you are insulting us also.” 46 Yeshua said, “Woe to you Torah experts too! You load people down with burdens they can hardly bear, and you won’t lift a finger to help them!
47 “Woe to you! You build tombs in memory of the prophets, but your fathers murdered them! 48 Thus you testify that you completely approve of what your fathers did — they did the killing, you do the building! 49 Therefore the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and emissaries; they will kill some and persecute others’; 50 so that on this generation will fall the responsibility for all the prophets’ blood that has been shed since the world was established, 51 from the blood of Hevel to the blood of Z’kharyah, who was killed between the altar and the Holy Place. Yes, I tell you, the responsibility for it will fall on this generation!
52 “Woe to you Torah experts! For you have taken away the key of knowledge! Not only did you yourselves not go in, you also have stopped those who were trying to enter!”
53 As Yeshua left that place, the Torah-teachers and the P’rushim began to oppose him bitterly and to provoke him to express his views on all sorts of subjects, 54 laying traps to catch him in something he might say.
12:1 Meanwhile, as a crowd in the tens of thousands gathered so closely as to trample each other down, Yeshua began to say to his talmidim first, “Guard yourselves from the hametz of the P’rushim, by which I mean their hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing covered up that will not be uncovered, or hidden that will not become known. 3 What you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops.
4 “My friends, I tell you: don’t fear those who kill the body but then have nothing more they can do. 5 I will show you whom to fear: fear him who after killing you has authority to throw you into Gei-Hinnom! Yes, I tell you, this is the one to fear! 6 Aren’t sparrows sold for next to nothing, five for two assarions? And not one of them has been forgotten by God. 7 Why, every hair on your head has been counted! Don’t be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows.
8 “Moreover, I tell you, whoever acknowledges me in the presence of others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels. 9 But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before God’s angels. 10 Also, everyone who says something against the Son of Man will have it forgiven him; but whoever has blasphemed the Ruach HaKodesh will not be forgiven.
11 “When they bring you before the synagogues and the ruling powers and the authorities, don’t worry about how you will defend yourself or what you will say; 12 because when the time comes, the Ruach HaKodesh will teach you what you need to say.”
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Rabbi, tell my brother to share with me the property we inherited.” 14 But Yeshua answered him, “My friend, who appointed me judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 Then to the people he said, “Be careful to guard against all forms of greed, because even if someone is rich, his life does not consist in what he owns.” 16 And he gave them this illustration: “There was a man whose land was very productive. 17 He debated with himself, ‘What should I do? I haven’t enough room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and I’ll store all my wheat and other goods there. 19 Then I’ll say to myself, “You’re a lucky man! You have a big supply of goods laid up that will last many years. Start taking it easy! Eat! Drink! Enjoy yourself!”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night you will die! And the things you prepared — whose will they be?’ 21 That’s how it is with anyone who stores up wealth for himself without being rich toward God.”
22 To his talmidim Yeshua said, “Because of this I tell you, don’t worry about your life — what you will eat or drink; or about your body — what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24 Think about the ravens! They neither plant nor harvest, they have neither storerooms nor barns, yet God feeds them. You are worth much more than the birds! 25 Can any of you by worrying add an hour to his life? 26 If you can’t do a little thing like that, why worry about the rest? 27 Think about the wild irises, and how they grow. They neither work nor spin thread; yet, I tell you, not even Shlomo in all his glory was clothed as beautifully as one of these. 28 If this is how God clothes grass, which is alive in the field today and thrown in the oven tomorrow, how much more will he clothe you! What little trust you have!
29 “In other words, don’t strive after what you will eat and what you will drink — don’t be anxious. 30 For all the pagan nations in the world set their hearts on these things. Your Father knows that you need them too. 31 Rather, seek his Kingdom; and these things will be given to you as well. 32 Have no fear, little flock, for your Father has resolved to give you the Kingdom! 33 Sell what you own and do tzedakah — make for yourselves purses that don’t wear out, riches in heaven that never fail, where no burglar comes near, where no moth destroys. 34 For where your wealth is, there your heart will be also.
35 “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit, 36 like people waiting for their master’s return after a wedding feast; so that when he comes and knocks, they will open the door for him without delay. 37 Happy the slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes! Yes! I tell you he will put on his work clothes, seat them at the table, and come serve them himself! 38 Whether it is late at night or early in the morning, if this is how he finds them, those slaves are happy.
39 “But notice this: no house-owner would let his house be broken into if he knew when the thief was coming. 40 You too, be ready! For the Son of Man will come when you are not expecting him.”
41 Kefa said, “Sir, are you telling this parable for our benefit only or for everyone’s?” 42 The Lord replied, “Nu, who is the faithful and sensible manager whose master puts him in charge of the household staff to give them their share of food at the proper time? 43 It will go well with that servant if he is found doing his job when his master comes. 44 Yes, I tell you he will put him in charge of all he owns. 45 But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking his time coming,’ and starts bullying the men- and women-servants, and eating and drinking, getting drunk, 46 then his master will come on a day when the servant isn’t expecting him, at a time he doesn’t know in advance; his master will cut him in two and put him with the disloyal. 47 Now the servant who knew what his master wanted but didn’t prepare or act according to his will, will be whipped with many lashes; 48 however, the one who did what deserves a beating, but didn’t know, will receive few lashes. From him who has been given much, much will be demanded — from someone to whom people entrust much, they ask still more.
49 “I have come to set fire to the earth! And how I wish it were already kindled! 50 I have an immersion to undergo — how pressured I feel till it’s over! 51 Do you think that I have come to bring peace in the Land? Not peace, I tell you, but division! 52 For from now on, a household of five will be divided, three against two, two against three.
53 Father will be divided against son
and son against father,
mother against daughter
and daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”[Luke 12:53 Micah 7:6]
54 Then to the crowds Yeshua said, “When you see a cloud-bank rising in the west, at once you say that a rainstorm is coming; 55 and when the wind is from the south, you say there will be a heat wave, and there is. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky — how is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time? 57 Why don’t you decide for yourselves what is the right course to follow? 58 If someone brings a lawsuit against you, take pains to settle with him first; otherwise he will take the matter to court, and the judge will turn you over to the bailiff, and the bailiff will throw you in jail. 59 I tell you, you won’t get out of there till you have paid the last penny!”
2 Thessalonians 2:1 But in connection with the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah and our gathering together to meet him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to be easily shaken in your thinking or anxious because of a spirit or a spoken message or a letter supposedly from us claiming that the Day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way.
For the Day will not come until after the Apostasy has come and the man who separates himself from Torah has been revealed, the one destined for doom. 4 He will oppose himself to everything that people call a god or make an object of worship; he will put himself above them all, so that he will sit in the Temple of God and proclaim that he himself is God.[2 Thessalonians 2:4 Ezekiel 28:2]
5 Don’t you remember that when I was still with you, I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, so that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For already this separating from Torah is at work secretly, but it will be secretly only until he who is restraining is out of the way. 8 Then the one who embodies separation from Torah will be revealed, the one whom the Lord Yeshua will slay with the breath of his mouth[2 Thessalonians 2:8 Isaiah 11:4; Job 4:9] and destroy by the glory of his coming.
9 When this man who avoids Torah comes, the Adversary will give him the power to work all kinds of false miracles, signs and wonders. 10 He will enable him to deceive, in all kinds of wicked ways, those who are headed for destruction because they would not receive the love of the truth that could have saved them. 11 This is why God is causing them to go astray, so that they will believe the Lie. 12 The result will be that all who have not believed the truth, but have taken their pleasure in wickedness, will be condemned.
13 But we have to keep thanking God for you always, brothers whom the Lord loves, because God chose you as firstfruits for deliverance by giving you the holiness that has its origin in the Spirit and the faithfulness that has its origin in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our Good News, so that you could have the glory of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
15 Therefore, brothers, stand firm; and hold to the traditions you were taught by us, whether we spoke them or wrote them in a letter. 16 And may our Lord Yeshua the Messiah himself and God our Father, who has loved us and by his grace given us eternal comfort and a good hope, 17 comfort your hearts and strengthen you in every good word and deed.
3:1 Finally, brothers, pray for us that the Lord’s message may spread rapidly and receive honor, just as it did with you; 2 and that we may be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has trust. 3 But the Lord is worthy of trust; he will make you firm and guard you from the Evil One. 4 Yes, united with the Lord we are confident about you, that you are doing the things we are telling you to do, and that you will keep on doing them. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and the perseverance which the Messiah gives.
6 Now, in the name of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah we command you, brothers, to stay away from any brother who is leading a life of idleness, a life not in keeping with the tradition you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you must imitate us, that we were not idle when we were among you. 8 We did not accept anyone’s food without paying; on the contrary, we labored and toiled, day and night, working so as not to be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not that we hadn’t the right to be supported, but so that we could make ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: if someone won’t work, he shouldn’t eat! 11 We hear that some of you are leading a life of idleness — not busy working, just busybodies! 12 We command such people — and in union with the Lord Yeshua the Messiah we urge them — to settle down, get to work, and earn their own living. 13 And you brothers who are doing what is good, don’t slack off! 14 Furthermore, if anyone does not obey what we are saying in this letter, take note of him and have nothing to do with him, so that he will be ashamed. 15 But don’t consider him an enemy; on the contrary, confront him as a brother and try to help him change.
16 Now may the Lord of shalom himself give you shalom always in all ways. The Lord be with all of you.
17 The greeting in my own handwriting: From Sha’ul. This is the mark of genuineness in every letter, this is what my handwriting looks like.
18 The grace of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah be with you all.
Psalms 145:1 (0) Praise. By David:
(1) I will praise you to the heights, my God, the king;
I will bless your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless you;
I will praise your name forever and ever.
3 Great is Adonai and greatly to be praised;
his greatness is beyond all searching out.
4 Each generation will praise your works to the next
and proclaim your mighty acts.
5 I will meditate on the glorious splendor
of your majesty and on the story of your wonders.
6 People will speak of your awesome power,
and I will tell of your great deeds.
7 They will gush forth the fame of your abounding goodness,
and they will sing of your righteousness.
8 Adonai is merciful and compassionate,
slow to anger and great in grace.
9 Adonai is good to all;
his compassion rests on all his creatures.
10 All your creatures will thank you, Adonai,
and your faithful servants will bless you.
11 They will speak of the glory of your kingship,
and they will tell about your might;
12 to let everyone know of your mighty acts
and the glorious majesty of your kingship.
13 Your kingship is an everlasting kingship,
your reign continues through all generations.
14 Adonai supports all who fall
and lifts up all who are bent over.
15 The eyes of all are looking to you;
you give them their food at the right time.
16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 Adonai is righteous in all his ways,
full of grace in all he does.
18 Adonai is close to all who call on him,
to all who sincerely call on him.
19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
20 Adonai protects all who love him,
but all the wicked he destroys.
21 My mouth will proclaim the praise of Adonai;
all people will bless his holy name forever and ever.
146:1 Halleluyah!
Praise Adonai, my soul!
2 I will praise Adonai as long as I live.
I will sing praise to my God all my life.
3 Don’t put your trust in princes
or in mortals, who cannot help.
4 When they breathe their last, they return to dust;
on that very day all their plans are gone.
5 Happy is he whose help is Ya‘akov’s God,
whose hope is in Adonai his God.
6 He made heaven and earth,
the sea and everything in them;
he keeps faith forever.
7 He secures justice for the oppressed,
he gives food to the hungry.
Adonai sets prisoners free,
8 Adonai opens the eyes of the blind,
Adonai lifts up those who are bent over.
Adonai loves the righteous.
9 Adonai watches over strangers,
he sustains the fatherless and widows;
but the way of the wicked he twists.
10 Adonai will reign forever,
your God, Tziyon, through all generations.
Halleluyah!
147:1 Halleluyah!
How good it is to sing praises to our God!
How sweet, how fitting to praise him!
2 Adonai is rebuilding Yerushalayim,
gathering the dispersed of Isra’el.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines how many stars there are
and calls them all by name.
5 Our Lord is great, his power is vast,
his wisdom beyond all telling.
6 Adonai sustains the humble
but brings the wicked down to the ground.
7 Sing to Adonai with thanks,
sing praises on the lyre to our God.
8 He veils the sky with clouds;
he provides the earth with rain;
he makes grass grow on the hills;
9 he gives food to the animals,
even to the young ravens when they cry.
10 He takes no delight in the strength of a horse,
no pleasure in a runner’s speed.
11 Adonai takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who wait for his grace.
12 Glorify Adonai, Yerushalayim!
Praise your God, Tziyon!
13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates,
he blesses your children within you,
14 he brings peace within your borders,
he gives you your fill of the finest wheat.
15 He sends his word out over the earth,
his command runs swiftly.
16 Thus he gives snow like wool,
scatters hoarfrost like ashes,
17 sends crystals of ice like crumbs of bread —
who can withstand such cold?
18 Then he sends his word out and melts them;
he makes the winds blow, and the water flows.
19 He reveals his words to Ya‘akov,
his laws and rulings to Isra’el.
20 He has not done this for other nations;
they do not know his rulings.
Halleluyah!
148:1 Halleluyah!
Praise Adonai from the heavens!
Praise him in the heights!
2 Praise him, all his angels!
Praise him, all his armies!
3 Praise him, sun and moon!
Praise him, all shining stars!
4 Praise him, highest heaven,
and waters above the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of Adonai;
for he commanded, and they were created.
6 He established them forever and ever;
he has given a law to which they must conform.
7 Praise Adonai from the earth,
sea monsters and watery depths,
8 fire and hail, snow and mist,
storm-winds that obey his word,
9 mountains and every hill,
fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals and all livestock,
creeping reptiles, flying birds,
11 kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers on earth,
12 young men and women alike,
old men and children.
13 Let them praise the name of Adonai,
for his name alone is exalted;
his glory is above both earth and heaven.
14 He has increased the power of his people,
granted praise to all his faithful,
to the descendants of Isra’el,
a people close to him.
Halleluyah!
149:1 Halleluyah!
Sing to Adonai a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
2 Let Isra’el rejoice in their maker,
let Tziyon’s children take joy in their king.
3 Let them praise his name with dancing,
make melody to him with tambourine and lyre;
4 for Adonai takes delight in his people,
he crowns the humble with salvation.
5 Let the faithful exult gloriously,
let them sing for joy on their beds.
6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats,
but a two-edged sword in their hands
7 to carry out vengeance on the nations
and punishment on the peoples,
8 to bind their kings with chains
and put their nobles in irons,
9 to execute the judgments decreed for them;
for this will glorify all his faithful.
Halleluyah!
150:1 Halleluyah!
Praise God in his holy place!
Praise him in the heavenly dome of his power!
2 Praise him for his mighty deeds!
Praise him for his surpassing greatness!
3 Praise him with a blast on the shofar!
Praise him with lute and lyre!
4 Praise him with tambourines and dancing!
Praise him with flutes and strings!
5 Praise him with clanging cymbals!
Praise him with loud crashing cymbals!
6 Let everything that has breath praise Adonai!
Halleluyah!
2 Chronicles 22:1 The people living in Yerushalayim made Achazyah his youngest son king in place of him, since the raiding party that had invaded the camp with the Arabs had killed all the older ones. So Achazyah the son of Y’horam king of Y’hudah reigned. 2 Achazyah was forty-two years old when he began his reign, and he ruled for one year in Yerushalayim. His mother’s name was ‘Atalyahu the daughter of ‘Omri. 3 He too lived after the example of the house of Ach’av, because his mother was his counselor in acting wickedly. 4 So he did what was evil from Adonai’s perspective, as had the house of Ach’av; because, to his destruction, they were his counselors after his father died; 5 and he lived his life by their advice.
With Y’horam the son of Ach’av, king of Isra’el, he went to war against Haza’el king of Aram at Ramot-Gil‘ad, where the Aramim wounded Yoram. 6 He returned to Yizre‘el to be healed of the wounds which they had inflicted on him at Ramah while fighting Haza’el king of Aram. Achazyah the son of Y’horam, king of Y’hudah, went down to visit Y’horam the son of Ach’av in Yizre‘el, because he was not feeling well.
7 Through Achazyah’s visit to Yoram, God brought about his downfall. After he arrived, he accompanied Yoram against Yehu the son of Nimshi, whom Adonai had anointed to cut off the house of Ach’av. 8 But it happened that when Yehu was executing judgment on the house of Ach’av, he found the leading men of Y’hudah and Achazyah’s nephews in attendance on Achazyah and killed them. 9 Then he went searching for Achazyah; they caught him where he had been hiding in Shomron, brought him to Yehu and killed him. But [his subjects] buried him, because they said, “He was the [grand]son of Y’hoshafat, who sought Adonai with all his heart.”
At this point there was no one in the house of Achazyah strong enough to rule the kingdom. 10 When ‘Atalyah the mother of Achazyah saw that her son was dead, she set about destroying the entire royal family of the house of Y’hudah. 11 But Y’hoshav‘at the daughter of the king took Yo’ash the son of Achazyah, stole him away from among the princes who were being slaughtered, and sequestered him and his nurse in a bedroom. Thus Y’hoshav‘at the daughter of King Y’horam, wife of Y’hoyada the cohen and sister of Achazyah, hid him from ‘Atalyah, so that he was not killed. 12 He remained hidden with them in the house of God for six years; during this time ‘Atalyah ruled the land.
23:1 In the seventh year Y’hoyada took courage and formed a conspiracy with certain captains of hundred-man platoons — ‘Azaryah the son of Yerocham, Yishma‘el the son of Y’hochanan, ‘Azaryah the son of ‘Oved, Ma‘aseiyahu the son of ‘Adayahu and Elishafat the son of Zikhri. 2 They canvassed Y’hudah and gathered the L’vi’im from all the cities of Y’hudah, together with the clan heads of Isra’el, and came to Yerushalayim. 3 The whole assembly made an agreement with the king in the house of God. [Y’hoyada] addressed them: “Here! The king’s son will reign, as Adonai said in regard to the descendants of David! 4 Here is what you are to do: of you cohanim and L’vi’im who come on duty on Shabbat, a third are to guard the gates, 5 a third the royal palace and a third the Gate of the Foundation; while all the people are to remain in the courtyards of the house of Adonai. 6 No one is to enter the house of Adonai except the cohanim and those L’vi’im who are actually performing the service. These may enter, because they are holy; but all the people are to observe Adonai’s order. 7 The L’vi’im are to surround the king, each man with his weapons in his hand. Anyone who enters the house is to be killed. Stay with the king whenever he enters or leaves.”
8 The L’vi’im and all Y’hudah did exactly as Y’hoyada the cohen ordered. Each took his men, those coming on duty on Shabbat and those going off duty on Shabbat (for Y’hoyada the cohen did not dismiss the divisions). 9 Y’hoyada the cohen issued to the captains of hundreds the spears and the large and small shields that had been King David’s and were kept in the house of God. 10 He then positioned all the people, each man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, alongside the altar, alongside [the exterior of] the house and around the king. 11 Then they brought out the king’s son, crowned him, gave him [a copy of] the testimony and thus made him king. Y’hoyada and his sons anointed him, and they shouted, “Long live the king!”
12 When ‘Atalyah heard the sound of the people running and praising the king, she entered the house of Adonai where the people were, 13 looked and saw the king standing there on his platform at the entrance, with the leaders and trumpeters next to the king. All the people of the land were celebrating and blowing the trumpets; while the singers with their musical instruments were leading songs of praise. At this, ‘Atalyah tore her clothes and cried, “Treason! Treason!” 14 Y’hoyada the cohen brought out the captains of hundreds who were in charge of the army and said to them, “Escort her out past the ranks [of guards]; but anyone who follows her, let him be put to the sword.” For the cohen had said, “Do not put her to death in the house of Adonai.” 15 So they took her by force and led her by the horses’ entry to the king’s palace, and there they put her to death.
16 Y’hoyada made a covenant between himself, all the people and the king, that they would be Adonai’s people. 17 Then all the people went to the house of Ba‘al and broke it down; they smashed his altars and images and killed Mattan the priest of Ba‘al in front of the altars.
18 Y’hoyada appointed officers for the house of Adonai under the supervision of the cohanim and L’vi’im, whom David had assigned turns of duty in the house of Adonai, to offer the burnt offerings of Adonai, as written in the Torah of Moshe, with rejoicing and singing in keeping with David’s orders. 19 He stationed guards at the gates of the house of Adonai, so that no one who was unclean in any respect could enter. 20 He took the captains of hundreds, the men of rank, the rulers of the people and all the people of the land; and they brought the king down from the house of Adonai, going through the Upper Gate to the royal palace, and seated the king on the royal throne. 21 All the people of the land celebrated, and at last the city was quiet. That is how they killed ‘Atalyah with the sword.
24:1 Yo’ash was seven years old when he began his reign, and he reigned forty years in Yerushalayim. His mother’s name was Tzivyah, from Be’er-Sheva. 2 Yo’ash did what was right from Adonai’s perspective throughout the lifetime of Y’hoyada the cohen. 3 Y’hoyada chose two wives for him, and he became the father of sons and daughters.
4 Some time later, Yo’ash decided to restore the house of Adonai. 5 He gathered the cohanim and L’vi’im and said to them, “Go out to the cities of Y’hudah, and collect money each year from all Isra’el to repair the house of your God. See that you do this promptly.” But when the L’vi’im procrastinated, 6 the king summoned Y’hoyada the chief and said to him, “Why haven’t you demanded that the L’vi’im bring in from Y’hudah and Yerushalayim the tax prescribed by Moshe the servant of Adonai and by the community of Isra’el, for the tent of the testimony?” 7 For the sons of that wicked ‘Atalyahu had broken up the house of God, and they had given all the consecrated things belonging to the house of Adonai to the ba‘alim.
8 Then, at the king’s order, they made a box and placed it outside the entrance to the house of Adonai. 9 They proclaimed throughout Y’hudah and Yerushalayim that the tax Moshe the servant of God had imposed on Isra’el in the desert should be brought in for Adonai. 10 All the leaders and all the people were glad to bring in their contributions and put them in the box, until it was full. 11 When the box was brought to the king’s officials by the L’vi’im, and when they saw how much money there was, the king’s secretary and the chief cohen’s official came and emptied the box; then they took it and returned it to its place. They did this daily, and they collected money in abundance.
12 The king and Y’hoyada gave it to those in charge of taking care of the house of Adonai. They, in turn, hired stone-workers and carpenters to restore the house of Adonai, also iron- and bronze-workers to repair the house of Adonai. 13 The workers got on with their tasks, so that the restoration progressed well, until they had returned the house of God to its earlier condition and strengthened it. 14 When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money to the king and Y’hoyada, and it was used to make equipment for the house of Adonai — articles for ministry, buckets, fire pans, and utensils of gold and silver. So they offered burnt offerings in the house of Adonai regularly throughout the time of Y’hoyada.
15 But Y’hoyada grew old; and when he was full of days, he died. He was 130 years old when he died. 16 They buried him in the City of David among the kings, because he had served Isra’el, God and his house well.
17 After Y’hoyada died, the leaders of Y’hudah came and prostrated themselves before the king. Then the king listened to them; 18 and they abandoned the house of Adonai the God of their ancestors and served the sacred poles and the idols. In consequence of their guilt, [God’s] anger fell on Y’hudah and Yerushalayim. 19 In spite of this, he sent them prophets to bring them back to Adonai; they warned them, but they wouldn’t pay attention. 20 The Spirit of God covered Z’kharyah the son of Y’hoyada the cohen; he stood above the people and addressed them: “Thus says God: ‘Why are you transgressing the mitzvot of Adonai and courting disaster? Because you have abandoned Adonai, he has abandoned you.” 21 But they conspired against him and stoned him to death at the order of the king in the courtyard of the house of Adonai. 22 Thus Yo’ash the king did not remember the kindness which Y’hoyada, [Z’kharyah’s] father, had done for him, but put his son to death. As he was dying he said, “May Adonai see this and take vengeance!”
23 The following spring, the army of Aram came up against him. They attacked Y’hudah and Yerushalayim, slaughtered all the people’s leaders and sent all their spoil to the king of Dammesek. 24 Although the army of Aram attacked with only a small company of men, Adonai handed over a very great army to them, because they had abandoned Adonai the God of their ancestors. Thus they executed judgment against Yo’ash.
25 After they had left him — and they left him seriously wounded — his own servants conspired against him because he had shed the blood of the sons of Y’hoyada the cohen; and they killed him in his own bed. After he died, they buried him in the City of David, but they didn’t bury him in the tombs of the kings. 26 Those who conspired against him were Zavad the son of Shim‘at the ‘Amonit and Y’hozavad the son of Shimrit the Mo’avit.
27 As for his sons, the heavy tribute imposed on him, and the rebuilding of the house of God, they are recorded in the commentary of the Annals of the Kings. Then Amatzyahu his son took his place as king.
25:1 Amatzyahu was twenty-five years old when he began his reign, and he ruled for twenty-nine years in Yerushalayim. His mother’s name was Y’ho‘adan, from Yerushalayim. 2 He did what was right from Adonai’s perspective, but not wholeheartedly.
3 As soon as he had the kingdom firmly in his control, he put to death the servants of his who had assassinated the king his father. 4 But he did not put their children to death; rather, he acted according to what is written in the Torah, in the scroll of Moshe, as Adonai ordered when he said, “Fathers are not to die for the children, nor are the children to die for the fathers; every person will die for his own sin.”
5 Amatzyahu assembled Y’hudah together and put them in order by clans under captains of thousands and captains of hundreds — all Y’hudah and Binyamin. He registered everyone twenty years old and older, and found that there were 300,000 select troops able to go to war, capable of using spears and shields. 6 He also hired 100,000 strong, brave men from Isra’el for three-and-a-third tons of silver. 7 But a man of God came to him and said, “King, don’t let the army of Isra’el go with you; because Adonai is not with Isra’el or with any of the people of Efrayim. 8 And if you do go, then no matter how fiercely you fight, God will cause you to fail before the enemy. For God has the power to help and to cause failure.” 9 Amatzyahu said to the man of God, “But what do we do about the three-and-a-third tons [of silver] I paid for Isra’el’s army?” The man of God answered, “Adonai can give you far more than that!” 10 Then Amatzyahu separated out the battalion that had come to him from Efrayim and told them to go back home — which made their anger burn hotly against Y’hudah, and they returned home enraged.
11 Amatzyahu took courage, led his people out and went to the Salt Valley, where he killed 10,000 of the people of Se‘ir. 12 The people of Y’hudah took another 10,000 away alive, brought them to the top of the Rock and threw them off the top of the Rock, so that they were all dashed to pieces.
13 Meanwhile, the men in the army that Amatzyahu had sent back and hadn’t allowed to join him in battle fell on the cities of Y’hudah, all the way from Shomron to Beit-Horon, killed 3,000 of them and took much spoil.
14 After Amatzyahu returned from the slaughter of the people from Edom, he brought the gods of the people of Se‘ir and set them up as his own gods, prostrating himself before them and offering incense to them. 15 As a result, the anger of Adonai blazed up against Amatzyah, and he sent him a prophet, who said to him, “Why have you sought out the gods of those people, when they couldn’t even rescue their own people from you?” 16 But as [the prophet] was speaking to him, he interrupted him: “Were you made an adviser to the king? You had better stop before you get yourself killed!” So the prophet stopped, but he added, “I know that God is planning to destroy you for having done this and for refusing to listen to my advice.”
17 Then, after taking counsel, Amatzyah king of Y’hudah sent a challenge to Yo’ash the son of Y’ho’achaz, the son of Yehu, king of Isra’el: “Come on, let’s have it out face-to-face.” 18 Yo’ash the king of Isra’el sent this reply to Amatzyah king of Y’hudah: “Once, in the L’vanon, the thistle sent a message to the cedar: ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ But a wild animal passed by the thistle and squashed it. 19 You say you defeated Edom, which is true; so you’re excited and itching for more glory. But now, stay home! Why provoke calamity, to your own ruin, yours and Y’hudah’s too?” 20 But Amatzyah wouldn’t listen. And this was from God, so that he could hand them over [to their enemies], because they had sought the gods of Edom. 21 So Yo’ash king of Isra’el went up; and he and Amatzyah king of Y’hudah had it out face-to-face at Beit-Shemesh, which belongs to Y’hudah. 22 Y’hudah was defeated by Isra’el, and every man fled to his tent. 23 Yo’ash king of Isra’el took Amatzyah king of Y’hudah, the son of Yo’ash the son of Y’ho’achaz, prisoner at Beit-Shemesh. Then he brought him to Yerushalayim and demolished the wall of Yerushalayim between the Gate of Efrayim and the Corner Gate, a section 600 feet long. 24 [He took] all the gold and silver, all the articles he could find in the house of God, with ‘Oved-Edom, and the treasures of the royal palace, together with hostages; then he returned to Shomron.
25 Amatzyahu the son of Yo’ash, king of Y’hudah, lived another fifteen years after the death of Yo’ash son of Y’ho’achaz king of Isra’el. 26 Other activities of Amatzyah, from beginning to end, are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Y’hudah and Isra’el.
27 From the time that Amatzyahu turned away from following Adonai, they formed a conspiracy against him in Yerushalayim. So he fled to Lakhish; but they followed him to Lakhish and killed him there. 28 They brought his body back on horses and buried him with his ancestors in the City of Y’hudah.
26:1 Meanwhile, all the people of Y’hudah had taken ‘Uziyahu at the age of sixteen and made him king in place of his father Amatzyahu. 2 He recovered Eilot for Y’hudah and rebuilt it; it was after this that the king [Amatzyahu] slept with his ancestors.
3 ‘Uziyahu was sixteen years old when he began his reign, and he ruled for fifty-two years in Yerushalayim. His mother’s name was Y’kholyahu, from Yerushalayim. 4 He did what was right from Adonai’s perspective, following the example of everything his father Amatzyahu had done. 5 He consulted God during the lifetime of Z’kharyahu, who understood visions of God; and as long as he consulted Adonai, God gave him success.
6 He went out to fight the P’lishtim, breaking down the walls of Gat, Yavneh and Ashdod; and he built cities in the area of Ashdod and among the P’lishtim. 7 God helped him against the P’lishtim, against the Arabs living in Gur-Ba‘al, and against the Me‘unim. 8 The ‘Amonim brought tribute to ‘Uziyahu, and his fame spread abroad as far as the Egyptian frontier, since he kept growing stronger.
9 ‘Uziyahu built towers in Yerushalayim at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate and at the Angle, and fortified them. 10 He built towers in the desert and dug many cisterns, because he had much livestock, likewise in the Sh’felah and the coastal plain. He had farmers and vineyard-workers in the hills and in the fertile lands, because he loved the soil.
11 ‘Uziyahu had a standing army of fit soldiers divided into units according to the census taken by the secretary Ye‘i’el and the officer Ma‘aseiyah, under the direction of Hananyah, one of the king’s officials. 12 The total number of clan heads over these strong, brave men was 2,600. 13 They directed a trained army of 307,500 fighting men, a strong force supporting the king in war against the enemy. 14 ‘Uziyahu equipped them, the whole army, with shields, spears, helmets, armor, bows and slingstones.
15 In Yerushalayim he built devices designed by experts for the towers and angles, from which to shoot arrows and lob large stones. His fame spread far and wide, for he was miraculously helped, until he became strong.
16 But when he was strong, he became arrogant, which caused him to become corrupt, so that he sinned against Adonai his God by going into the temple of Adonai to burn incense on the incense altar. 17 ‘Azaryahu the cohen went in after him, and with him were eighty of Adonai’s cohanim, brave men. 18 They stood up to ‘Uziyahu the king; they told him, “It isn’t your job, ‘Uziyahu, to burn incense to Adonai! The job of burning incense belongs to the cohanim, the descendants of Aharon, who have been consecrated. Get out of the sanctuary! You have trespassed, and Adonai, God, will not honor you for this.” 19 This made ‘Uziyahu angry as he stood there with a censer in his hand ready to burn incense; and in his anger at the cohanim, tzara‘at broke out on his forehead right in front of the cohanim in the house of Adonai beside the altar for incense. 20 ‘Azaryahu the chief cohen and all the cohanim stared at him — there he was, with tzara‘at on his forehead! Quickly they threw him out of there; and indeed, he himself hurried to get out, because Adonai had struck him. 21 ‘Uziyahu the king had tzara‘at until his dying day; he lived in a separate house because he had tzara‘at, and was not allowed into the house of Adonai. Meanwhile, Yotam the king’s son ran the king’s household and was regent over the people of the land.
22 Other activities of ‘Uziyahu, from beginning to end, were recorded by Yesha‘yahu the prophet, the son of Amotz. 23 So ‘Uziyahu slept with his ancestors, and they buried him with his ancestors in the graveyard belonging to the kings, because they said, “He had tzara‘at.” Then Yotam his son took his place as king.
27:1 Yotam was twenty-five years old when he began his reign, and he ruled for sixteen years in Yerushalayim. His mother’s name was Yerushah the daughter of Tzadok. 2 He did what was right from Adonai’s perspective, following the example of everything his father ‘Uziyah had done, except that he did not enter the temple of Adonai. Nevertheless, the people acted corruptly.
3 He built the Upper Gate of the house of Adonai and added considerably to the wall of the ‘Ofel. 4 He built cities in the hills of Y’hudah, and in the wooded areas he built forts and towers.
5 He fought with the king of the people of ‘Amon and defeated them. That year the people of ‘Amon paid him tribute of three-and-a-third tons of silver, 50,000 bushels of wheat and 50,000 [bushels] of barley. The people of ‘Amon paid him the same amount the second and third years also. 6 Thus Yotam became strong, because he prepared his ways [of doing things] before Adonai his God.
7 Other activities of Yotam, all his wars and his ways [of doing things] are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Isra’el and Y’hudah. 8 He was twenty-five years old when he began his reign, and he ruled for sixteen years in Yerushalayim. 9 Yotam slept with his ancestors and they buried him in the City of David. Then Achaz his son took his place as king.
28:1 Achaz was twenty years old when he began his reign, and he ruled sixteen years in Yerushalayim. But he did not do what was right from the perspective of Adonai, as David his ancestor had done. 2 Rather, he lived in the manner of the kings of Isra’el and made cast metal images for the ba‘alim. 3 Moreover, he made offerings in the Ben-Hinnom Valley and even burned up his own children as sacrifices, in keeping with the horrible practices of the pagans, whom Adonai had thrown out ahead of the people of Isra’el. 4 He also sacrificed and offered on the high places, on the hills and under any green tree.
5 Because of this, Adonai his God handed him over to the king of Aram; they attacked him and carried off from his people a great number of captives, bringing them to Dammesek.
In addition, he was handed over to the king of Isra’el, who inflicted on him a great massacre. 6 For Pekach the son of Remalyah killed in Y’hudah 120,000 men in one day, all of them brave men, because they had abandoned Adonai, the God of their ancestors. 7 And Zikhri, a champion from Efrayim, killed Ma‘aseiyah the king’s son, ‘Azrikam the administrator of the household and Elkanah, who was second only to the king. 8 The people of Isra’el took captive from their kinsmen 200,000 wives, sons and daughters; they also captured from them much spoil, which they brought to Shomron.
9 But a prophet of Adonai named ‘Oded was there; he went out to meet the army coming to Shomron and said to them, “Look, it’s because Adonai the God of your fathers was angry with Y’hudah that he has handed them over to you, and you have slaughtered them in a fury that has reached up to heaven. 10 Now you intend to force the people from Y’hudah and Yerushalayim into subjection as your slaves; but haven’t you guilty deeds of your own that you committed against Adonai your God? 11 Therefore listen to me now; and send the captives back, the people you have taken captive from your kinsmen; because the fierce anger of Adonai is on you.”
12 At this, some of the leaders of the people of Efrayim — ‘Azaryahu the son of Y’hochanan, Berekhyahu the son of Meshilemot, Y’chizkiyah the son of Shalum and ‘Amasa the son of Hadlai — protested against those who were returning from the war, 13 saying to them, “Don’t bring the captives here, because you intend to do something that will bring guilt on us against Adonai. It will only add to our sins and guilt, for our guilt is great, and there is fierce anger against Isra’el.”
14 So the armed soldiers left the captives and the spoil there with the leaders and the whole community; 15 while the men named above took charge of the captives and from the spoil clothed those among them who were inadequately clothed, giving them garments and shoes, providing them food and drink and anointing them with oil. After placing all the weak among them on donkeys, they brought them to Yericho, the City of Date-Palms, to their kinsmen; only then did they return to Shomron.
16 It was at that time that King Achaz sent to the kings of Ashur to help him. 17 For again the people from Edom had come, attacking Y’hudah and carrying off captives. 18 The P’lishtim too had invaded the cities in the Sh’felah and in the Negev of Y’hudah; they had captured Beit-Shemesh, Ayalon, G’derot, Sokho with its villages, Timnah with its villages and Gimzo with its villages; and they settled there. 19 For Adonai brought Y’hudah low because of Achaz king of Isra’el, since he had caused disturbances in Y’hudah and acted very treacherously against Adonai.
20 Tilgat-Piln’eser king of Ashur attacked and besieged Achaz instead of strengthening him — 21 even though Achaz had stripped the house of Adonai and the palaces of the king and princes and had given the plunder to the king of Ashur, it didn’t help him at all.
22 During his time of distress this same King Achaz added to his treachery against Adonai 23 by sacrificing to the gods of Dammesek, who had attacked him, reasoning, “The gods of the kings of Aram helped them, so I will sacrifice to them, and then they’ll help me.” But they became the ruin of him and of all Isra’el. 24 Achaz collected the equipment from the house of God, broke to pieces the equipment from the house of God and sealed the doors of the house of Adonai; then he made himself altars in every corner of Yerushalayim. 25 In every city of Y’hudah he made high places for offering to other gods, thus provoking Adonai the God of his ancestors.
26 Other activities of Achaz and his ways [of doing things], from beginning to end, are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Y’hudah and Isra’el. 27 Achaz slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city, in Yerushalayim; because they did not bring him to the tombs of the kings of Isra’el. Then Hizkiyahu his son took his place as king.
29:1 Hizkiyahu was twenty-five years old when he began his reign, and he ruled for twenty-nine years in Yerushalayim. His mother’s name was Aviyah the daughter of Z’kharyah. 2 He did what was right from Adonai’s perspective, following the example of everything David his ancestor had done.
3 In the first month of the first year of his reign, he reopened the doors of the house of Adonai and repaired them. 4 Then he brought in the cohanim and L’vi’im, assembled them in the open space to the east, 5 and said to them, “Listen to me, L’vi’im: consecrate yourselves now, consecrate the house of Adonai the God of your ancestors, and remove the filth from the Holy Place. 6 For our ancestors acted treacherously, they did what is evil from the perspective of Adonai our God, they abandoned him, they turned their faces away from where Adonai lives and turned their backs on him. 7 They sealed the doors of the vestibule, put out the lamps and stopped burning incense and offering burnt offerings in the Holy Place to the God of Isra’el.
8 “Because of this, Adonai’s anger has settled on Y’hudah and Yerushalayim; and he has made them an object of horror, astonishment and mocking — as you can see with your own eyes. 9 Here, our ancestors have fallen by the sword; and on this account our sons, daughters and wives have gone into captivity.
10 “Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with Adonai the God of Isra’el, so that his furious anger will turn away from us. 11 My sons, now is not a time for being negligent; for you are the ones Adonai chose to stand before him and serve him as his ministers, offering him incense.”
12 Then the L’vi’im set about the task — Machat the son of ‘Amasai and Yo’el the son of ‘Azaryahu from the descendants of the K’hati; of the sons of M’rari, Kish the son of ‘Avdi and ‘Azaryahu the son of Yehallel’el; of the Gershuni, Yo’ach the son of Zimah and ‘Eden the son of Yo’ach; 13 of the descendants of Elitzafan, Shimri and Ye‘i’el; of the descendants of Asaf, Z’kharyahu and Matanyahu; 14 of the descendants of Heman, Yechi’el and Shim‘i; and of the descendants of Y’dutun, Sh’ma‘yah and ‘Uzi’el.
15 They gathered their kinsmen, consecrated themselves and, in keeping with the king’s order and Adonai’s words, went in to cleanse the house of Adonai. 16 The cohanim went in to cleanse the inner part of the house of Adonai; all the unclean things they found in the sanctuary of Adonai they brought out into the courtyard of the house of Adonai, where the L’vi’im took and carried them out to Vadi Kidron. 17 They began consecrating on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they reached the vestibule of Adonai. Then they consecrated the house of Adonai in eight more days; so that on the sixteenth day of the first month, they had finished. 18 Then they went to Hizkiyahu the king in [the palace] and said, “We have cleansed all the house of Adonai, including the altar for burnt offerings, with all its equipment, and the table for the showbread, with all its equipment. 19 Moreover, we have reconditioned and consecrated all the articles that King Achaz threw out during his reign, when he was sinning; and they are there, in front of the altar of Adonai.”
20 Next morning, Hizkiyahu the king got up early, gathered the leading men of the city and went up to the house of Adonai. 21 They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs and seven male goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary and for Y’hudah; and he ordered the cohanim to offer them on the altar of Adonai. 22 After slaughtering the bulls, the cohanim took the blood and splashed it against the altar. Next, they slaughtered the rams and splashed the blood against the altar and also slaughtered the lambs and splashed the blood against the altar. 23 After bringing the male goats for the sin offering close to the king and the assembly and laying their hands on them, 24 the cohanim slaughtered them and made a sin offering with their blood on the altar to make atonement for all Isra’el; for the king had ordered that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be for all Isra’el.
25 He stationed the L’vi’im in the house of Adonai with cymbals, lyres and lutes, in keeping with the order of David, Gad the king’s seer and Natan the prophet; for the mitzvah had come from Adonai through his prophets. 26 The L’vi’im stood with the instruments of David and the cohanim with the trumpets. 27 Hizkiyahu ordered that the burnt offering should be offered on the altar. The moment the burnt offering began, the song of Adonai also began, accompanied by the trumpets and the instruments of David king of Isra’el. 28 The whole assembly prostrated themselves, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.
29 When the offering was over, the king and everyone present with him bowed down and prostrated themselves. 30 Then Hizkiyahu the king and the leaders ordered the L’vi’im to sing praises to Adonai, using the words of David and of Asaf the seer. They sang praises until they were filled with joy, and they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves.
31 Hizkiyahu responded by saying, “Now that you have consecrated yourselves to Adonai, come close, and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of Adonai. So the community brought in sacrifices and thank offerings, and as many as were willing volunteered burnt offerings. 32 In all, the burnt offerings brought by the congregation totaled 70 bulls, 100 rams and 200 lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to Adonai. 33 The consecrated gifts amounted to 600 oxen and 3,000 sheep. 34 Only there weren’t enough cohanim to skin and butcher all the burnt offerings, so their colleagues the L’vi’im assisted them until the work was finished and the cohanim had consecrated themselves (for the L’vi’im had been more diligent to consecrate themselves than the cohanim). 35 Besides the abundance of burnt offerings, there was the fat of the peace offerings and drink offerings for each burnt offering.
Thus the service of the house of Adonai was restored. 36 Hizkiyahu and all the people rejoiced over what God had prepared for the people, since it had all happened so suddenly.
30:1 Then Hizkiyahu sent to all Isra’el and Y’hudah, and wrote letters also to Efrayim and M’nasheh, summoning them to the house of Adonai in Yerushalayim, to keep the Pesach to Adonai the God of Isra’el. 2 For the king, his officials and the entire Yerushalayim community had agreed to keep the Pesach in the second month. 3 They had not been able to observe it at the proper time because the cohanim had not consecrated themselves in sufficient number; also the people had not assembled in Yerushalayim. 4 The idea had seemed right to the king and to the whole community; 5 so they issued a decree that it should be proclaimed throughout all Isra’el, from Be’er-Sheva to Dan, that they should come to keep the Pesach to Adonai the God of Isra’el at Yerushalayim; for only a few had been observing it as prescribed.
6 So runners went with the letters from the king and his officers throughout all Isra’el and Y’hudah. They conveyed the king’s order: “People of Isra’el! Turn back to Adonai, the God of Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov! Then he will return to those of you who remain, who escaped capture by the kings of Ashur. 7 Don’t be like your ancestors, or like your kinsmen who sinned against Adonai the God of their ancestors, with the result that he allowed them to become an object of horror, as you see. 8 Don’t be stiffnecked now, as your ancestors were. Instead, yield yourselves to Adonai; enter his sanctuary, which he has made holy forever; and serve Adonai your God; so that his fierce anger will turn away from you. 9 For if you turn back to Adonai, your kinsmen and children will find that those who took them captive will have compassion on them, and they will come back to this land. Adonai your God is compassionate and merciful; he will not turn his face away from you if you return to him.”
10 So the runners passed from city to city through the territory of Efrayim and M’nasheh, as far as Z’vulun; but the people laughed at them and made fun of them. 11 Nevertheless, some from Asher, M’nasheh and Z’vulun were humble enough to come to Yerushalayim. 12 Also in Y’hudah the hand of God was at work, uniting their hearts to do what the king and the leaders had ordered in accordance with the word of Adonai.
13 Thus, many people assembled in Yerushalayim to keep the festival of Matzot in the second month, a huge crowd. 14 First they set about removing the altars that were in Yerushalayim, and they also removed all the altars for incense and threw them in Vadi Kidron. 15 Then they slaughtered the Pesach lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. Ashamed of themselves, the cohanim and L’vi’im had consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings into the house of Adonai. 16 Now they stood at their stations, as prescribed in the Torah of Moshe the man of God; the cohanim splashed the blood given to them by the L’vi’im. 17 For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves; therefore the L’vi’im were responsible for slaughtering the Pesach lambs and consecrating them to Adonai on behalf of everyone who was not clean. 18 For a large number of the people, especially from Efrayim, M’nasheh, Yissakhar and Z’vulun, had not cleansed themselves but ate the Pesach lamb anyway, despite what is written. For Hizkiyahu had prayed for them, “May Adonai, who is good, pardon 19 everyone who sets his heart on seeking God, Adonai, the God of his ancestors, even if he hasn’t undergone the purification prescribed in connection with holy things.” 20 Adonai heard Hizkiyahu and healed the people.
21 The people of Isra’el there in Yerushalayim observed the festival of Matzot for seven days with great joy; while every day the L’vi’im and cohanim praised Adonai, singing to Adonai with the accompaniment of loud instruments. 22 Hizkiyahu spoke encouragingly to all the L’vi’im who were well skilled in the service of Adonai. Thus they ate throughout the festival for the seven days, offering sacrifices of peace offerings and giving thanks to Adonai, the God of their ancestors.
23 Then the whole assembly decided to celebrate for yet another seven days, and they observed those seven days too with joy. 24 For Hizkiyahu king of Y’hudah gave the assembly a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep for offerings, while the leaders gave the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep; and great numbers of cohanim consecrated themselves. 25 All the people who had assembled from Y’hudah rejoiced, as did the cohanim and L’vi’im, those assembled from Isra’el, and the foreigners who had come from the territory of Isra’el or who lived in Y’hudah. 26 So there was great joy in Yerushalayim; for since the time of Shlomo the son of David, king of Isra’el, there had been nothing like it in Yerushalayim. 27 Then the cohanim, who were L’vi’im, stood up and blessed the people; [Adonai] heard their voice, and their prayer came up to the holy place where he lives, heaven.
31:1 After all this was over, all Isra’el who were there went out to the cities of Y’hudah and smashed the standing-stones, chopped down the sacred poles, and broke down the high places and altars throughout Y’hudah, Binyamin, Efrayim and M’nasheh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the people of Isra’el returned to their own cities, each to his own possession.
2 Hizkiyahu re-established the divisions of the cohanim and L’vi’im in accordance with the way the divisions had been before, with each man assigned his task, both the cohanim and the L’vi’im, for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to serve, to give thanks and to praise at the gates of Adonai’s camp. 3 He determined a portion of the king’s property to be given for the burnt offerings, that is, for the morning and evening burnt offerings and for burnt offerings on Shabbats, Rosh-Hodesh and the designated times, as prescribed by the Torah of Adonai. 4 He also ordered the people living in Yerushalayim to contribute the portion meant for the cohanim and L’vi’im, so that they would be submitting themselves to the Torah of Adonai. 5 As soon as the order was issued, the people of Isra’el gave in abundance from the firstfruits of the grain, wine, olive oil, honey and other agricultural produce; they brought the required tenth and more. 6 The people of Isra’el and Y’hudah living in the cities of Y’hudah also brought the required tenth of oxen and sheep and the required tenth of consecrated gifts that had been dedicated to Adonai their God, and piled them in heaps. 7 They began accumulating these heaps in the third month and completed them in the seventh month. 8 When Hizkiyahu and the leaders came and saw the heaps, they blessed Adonai and his people Isra’el. 9 When Hizkiyahu asked the cohanim and L’vi’im about the heaps, 10 ‘Azaryahu the chief cohen, from the house of Tzadok, answered him, “Ever since the people began bringing offerings into the house of Adonai, we have had enough to eat and plenty left over; for Adonai has blessed his people, and what is left over is this massive supply.”
11 Then Hizkiyahu ordered storerooms prepared in the house of Adonai. After preparing them, 12 they faithfully brought in the offerings, the required tenths and the consecrated things. Konanyahu the Levi was put in charge of them, with Shim‘i his brother as his assistant. 13 Hizkiyahu the king and ‘Azaryahu the ruler of the house of God appointed Yechi’el, ‘Azazyahu, Nachat, ‘Asah’el, Yerimot, Yozavad, Eli’el, Yismachyah, Machat and B’nayahu as supervisors to serve under Konanyah and Shim‘i his brother. 14 Kore the son of Yimnah the Levi, gatekeeper at the East Gate, was responsible for the voluntary offerings to God; he had to distribute the offerings made to Adonai and the especially holy gifts. 15 Under him were ‘Eden, Minyamin, Yeshua, Sh’ma‘yahu, Amaryahu and Sh’khanyahu, in the cities of the cohanim, faithfully making the distributions to their kinsmen by divisions, to great and small alike. 16 Every male three years and older entitled to enter the house of Adonai was given his daily share for performing his duties according to his division, regardless of how he was recorded in the genealogies. 17 Likewise, those recorded in the genealogies of the cohanim by clans received shares, as did the L’vi’im twenty years and older who were performing their duties in their assigned divisions. 18 When shares were assigned, all their little ones, wives, sons and daughters were also recorded in the genealogies, throughout the entire community; for in their faithfulness to this task they consecrated themselves. 19 Finally, shares were assigned to the descendants of Aharon, the cohanim, who lived in the pasture-lands surrounding their cities — in each city they were mentioned by name. Thus portions were distributed to all the males among the cohanim and to all whose genealogies showed that they belonged to the L’vi’im.
20 This is what Hizkiyahu did throughout all Y’hudah. He accomplished things that were good, right and faithful before Adonai his God. 21 Every project that he undertook in order to seek his God, whether in the service of the house of God or in connection with the Torah and the mitzvot, he did with all his heart; and so he succeeded.
32:1 After these events and this faithfulness of [Hizkiyahu’s], Sancheriv king of Ashur came, invaded Y’hudah and besieged the fortified cities, thinking that he would break in [and capture] them. 2 When Hizkiyahu saw that Sancheriv had come and intended to attack Yerushalayim, 3 he consulted his leading men and military advisers about sealing off the water in the springs outside the city. After gaining their support, 4 a large crowd was gathered to block all the springs and the stream flowing through the countryside. They reasoned, “Why should the kings of Ashur come and find an ample supply of water?” 5 Then, taking courage, he rebuilt all the broken sections of the wall, raised towers on it, built another wall outside that, strengthened the Millo in the City of David, and made a large quantity of spears and shields. 6 He appointed military commanders over the people, then gathered them before him in the open space at the city gate and spoke these words of encouragement to them: 7 “Be strong! Take courage! Don’t be afraid or distressed on account of the king of Ashur or all the horde he brings with him. For the One with us is greater than the one with him — 8 he has human strength, but we have Adonai our God to help us and fight our battles!” The people took heart at the words of Hizkiyahu king of Y’hudah.
9 After this, while Sancheriv and all his army were besieging Lakhish, he sent his envoys to Yerushalayim, to Hizkiyahu king of Y’hudah and to all Y’hudah who were there in Yerushalayim, with this message: 10 “This is what Sancheriv king of Ashur says: ‘What gives you the confidence that you can endure a siege against Yerushalayim? 11 Hasn’t Hizkiyahu deluded you? Isn’t he condemning you to death by starvation and thirst when he says, “Adonai our God will save us from the king of Ashur”? 12 Isn’t this the same Hizkiyahu who removed [your God’s] high places and altars and ordered Y’hudah and Yerushalayim to worship before one altar and offer sacrifices only on it? 13 Don’t you realize what I and my ancestors have done to all the peoples of the other countries? Were the gods of these nations able to do a thing to rescue their country from me? 14 Who of all the gods of those nations that my ancestors completely destroyed was able to rescue his people from me? How then will your God rescue you from me? 15 Don’t let Hizkiyahu mislead you or delude you this way, don’t believe him. For no god of any nation or kingdom has ever been able to rescue his people from me or my ancestors; how much less will your God rescue you from me!’”
16 His envoys kept on speaking against Adonai, God; and against his servant Hizkiyahu. 17 He also wrote a letter insulting Adonai the God of Isra’el and speaking against him; it said, “Just as the gods of the nations of the other countries could not rescue their people from me, likewise Hizkiyahu’s God will not rescue his people from me.”
18 They were shouting loudly in the language of the Judeans to the people of Yerushalayim who were on the wall in order to terrify them and make them fearful, so that they could capture the city. 19 They spoke about the God of Yerushalayim in the same way as about the gods of the other peoples of the earth, which are merely human artifacts. 20 Because of this, Hizkiyahu the king and Yesha‘yahu the prophet, the son of Amotz, prayed and cried out to heaven. 21 Then Adonai sent an angel, who cut down the valiant warriors, the leaders and the officers in the king of Ashur’s camp, so that he had to return shamefaced to his own country. When he entered the house of his god, his own sons, whom he himself had fathered, put him to death with the sword there.
22 In this way Adonai rescued Hizkiyahu and those living in Yerushalayim from Sancheriv the king of Ashur and from everyone, caring for them in every respect. 23 Many people brought gifts to Adonai in Yerushalayim and items of value to Hizkiyahu king of Y’hudah, so that from then on he was regarded highly by all the nations.
24 Around this time, Hizkiyahu became ill to the point of death. But he prayed to Adonai, who answered him, even giving him a sign. 25 However, Hizkiyahu did not respond commensurately with the benefit done for him, because he had grown proud; thus he brought anger on himself and on Y’hudah and Yerushalayim as well. 26 But Hizkiyahu then humbled himself for his pride, both he and the people living in Yerushalayim, so that Adonai’s anger did not strike them during Hizkiyahu’s lifetime.
27 Hizkiyahu had vast riches and great honor. He provided himself with storage places for silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuable articles; 28 also storehouses for the harvest of grain, wine and olive oil; and stalls for all kinds of livestock and pens for the flocks. 29 He provided cities for himself and purchased flocks and herds in abundance, for God had made him extremely wealthy.
30 It was this same Hizkiyahu who blocked the upper outlet of the Gichon Spring and diverted the water straight down on the west side of the City of David.
Hizkiyahu succeeded in all that he did. 31 However, in the matter of the ambassadors from the princes of Bavel, who sent to him to learn of the marvel that had taken place in the land, God left him by himself, in order to test him, so that he might know everything that was in his heart.
32 Other activities of Hizkiyahu and his good deeds are recorded in the vision of Yesha‘yahu the prophet, the son of Amotz, and in the Annals of the Kings of Y’hudah and Isra’el. 33 Then Hizkiyahu slept with his ancestors, and they buried him by the path leading up to the tombs of the descendants of David. All Y’hudah and the people living in Yerushalayim honored him when he died, after which M’nasheh his son took his place as king.
33:1 M’nasheh was twelve years old when he began his reign, and he ruled for fifty-five years in Yerushalayim. 2 He did what was evil from Adonai’s perspective, following the disgusting practices of the nations whom Adonai had expelled ahead of the people of Isra’el. 3 For he rebuilt the high places which Hizkiyahu his father had smashed; he erected altars for the ba‘alim, made sacred poles and worshipped all the army of heaven and served them. 4 He erected altars in the house of Adonai, concerning which Adonai had said, “My name will be in Yerushalayim forever.” 5 He erected altars for all the army of heaven in the two courtyards of the house of Adonai. 6 He made his children pass through the fire [as a sacrifice] in the Ben-Hinnom Valley. He practiced soothsaying, divination and sorcery; and he appointed mediums and persons who used spirit guides. He did much that was evil from Adonai’s perspective, thus provoking him to anger. 7 He set the carved image of the idol he had made in the house of God, concerning which God had told David and Shlomo his son, “In this house and in Yerushalayim, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Isra’el, I will put my name forever. 8 Also I will not remove the feet of Isra’el from the land I assigned your ancestors, if only they will take heed to obey every order I have given them, that is, all the Torah, laws and rulings that came through Moshe.” 9 M’nasheh caused Y’hudah and the people of Yerushalayim to go astray, so that they did even worse things than the nations whom Adonai destroyed ahead of the people of Isra’el.
10 Adonai spoke to M’nasheh and to his people, but they paid no attention. 11 Therefore Adonai brought against them the commanders of the king of Ashur’s army. They took M’nasheh captive with hooks, bound him in chains and carried him off to Bavel. 12 Then, when he was in distress, he began to appease the anger of Adonai, abjectly humbling himself before the God of his ancestors. 13 He prayed to him; and God was moved by his plea, paid attention to his entreaty and brought him back to Yerushalayim, to his kingly office. Then M’nasheh understood that Adonai really is God.
14 After this he built an outer wall for the City of David on the west side of Gichon, in the valley, extending as far as the entrance at the Fish Gate; it encompassed the ‘Ofel, and he built it very high. He stationed army commanders in all the fortified cities of Y’hudah. 15 He removed the foreign gods and the idol from the house of Adonai and all the altars he had built on the hill of the house of Adonai and in Yerushalayim, and threw them out of the city. 16 He repaired the altar of Adonai and offered on it sacrifices as peace offerings and for thanksgiving; and he ordered Y’hudah to serve Adonai the God of Isra’el. 17 However, the people continued sacrificing on the high places, although only to Adonai their God.
18 Other activities of M’nasheh, his prayer to his God and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of Adonai the God of Isra’el are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Isra’el. 19 Also his prayer and how God was moved by his plea, all his sin and disloyalty, and the locations where he built high places and set up the sacred poles and carved images before he humbled himself are written in the History of the Seers.
20 Then M’nasheh slept with his ancestors and was buried at his own house, and Amon his son took his place as king.
21 Amon was twenty-two years old when he began his reign, and he ruled for two years in Yerushalayim. 22 He did what was evil from Adonai’s perspective, as had M’nasheh his father. Amon sacrificed to all the carved images that M’nasheh his father had made, and served them. 23 He did not humble himself before Adonai, as M’nasheh his father had done; rather, this Amon kept adding to his guilt.
24 His servants conspired against him and put the king to death in his own palace. 25 But the people of the land put to death all those who had been part of the conspiracy against King Amon. Then the people of the land made Yoshiyahu his son king in place of him.
34:1 Yoshiyahu was eight years old when he began his reign, and he ruled for thirty-one years in Yerushalayim. 2 He did what was right from Adonai’s perspective, living entirely in the manner of David his ancestor and turning away neither to the right nor to the left.
3 For in the eighth year of his reign, when he was still young, he began seeking after the God of David his father; and in the twelfth year, he began cleansing Y’hudah and Yerushalayim from the high places, the sacred poles, and the carved and cast metal images. 4 In his presence they broke down the altars of the ba‘alim, and he chopped down the pillars for sun-worship mounted above them. He smashed the sacred poles and the carved and cast metal images, grinding them to dust, which he threw on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 5 He burned the bones of the priests on their altars, thus cleansing Y’hudah and Yerushalayim. 6 He did likewise in the cities of M’nasheh, Efrayim, Shim‘on and even as far as Naftali, in their surrounding ruins. 7 He broke down the altars, beat the sacred poles and carved images to powder and chopped down the pillars for sun-worship throughout all the land of Isra’el. Then he returned to Yerushalayim.
8 In the eighteenth year of his reign, after he had cleansed the land and the house, he sent Shafan the son of Atzalyahu, Ma‘aseiyah the governor of the city and Yo’ach the son of Yo’achaz the recorder to repair the house of Adonai his God. 9 They went to Hilkiyahu the cohen hagadol and handed over to him the money that had been brought into the house of God, which the L’vi’im who guarded the doors had collected from M’nasheh, Efrayim, the rest of Isra’el and all Y’hudah and Binyamin. Then they returned to Yerushalayim. 10 They gave it to the supervisors of the work being done in the house of Adonai; and those doing the work in the house of Adonai used it to repair and restore the house — 11 that is, they gave it to the carpenters and construction-workers to purchase worked stone, timber for the crossbeams and roof beams for the houses which the kings of Y’hudah had destroyed. 12 The men did the work faithfully. Their supervisors were Yachat and ‘Ovadyahu, L’vi’im from the descendants of M’rari, also Z’kharyah and Meshulam from the descendants of the K’hatim to give direction; and other L’vi’im, all of whom could accompany singing with musical instruments. 13 They supervised those carrying the loads and everyone doing any kind of work; and there were also L’vi’im who were secretaries, officials and gatekeepers.
14 While bringing out the money that had been brought into the house of Adonai, Hilkiyahu the cohen found the scroll of the Torah of Adonai given by Moshe. 15 Hilkiyahu said to Shafan the secretary, “I have found the scroll of the Torah in the house of Adonai.” Hilkiyahu gave the scroll to Shafan. 16 Shafan the secretary brought the scroll to the king.
Turning to the king, he gave him this report: “Your servants are doing everything you ordered them to do. 17 They have poured out the money found in the house of Adonai and handed it over to the supervisors and workers.” 18 Then Shafan the secretary told the king, “Hilkiyahu the cohen hagadol gave me a scroll.” Shafan read it aloud before the king. 19 After the king had heard what was written in the Torah, he tore his clothes. 20 Then the king issued this order to Hilkiyahu, Achikam the son of Shafan, ‘Avdon the son of Mikhah, Shafan the secretary and ‘Asayah the king’s servant: 21 “Go, and consult Adonai for me and for the people left in Isra’el and Y’hudah in regard to what is written in this scroll which has been found. For Adonai must be furious at us, since our ancestors did not observe the word of Adonai and do everything written in this scroll.” 22 So Hilkiyahu and those the king had ordered went to Huldah the prophet, the wife of Shalum the son of Tok’hat, the son of Hasrat, keeper of the wardrobe — she lived in the Second Quarter of Yerushalayim — and spoke with her about this. 23 She told them, “Adonai the God of Isra’el says to tell the man who sent you to me 24 that Adonai says this: ‘I am going to bring calamity on this place and on its inhabitants, all the curses written in the scroll they read to the king of Y’hudah; 25 because they have abandoned me and offered to other gods, in order to provoke me with everything they do. Therefore my anger is poured out on this place and will not be quenched.’
26 “But you are to tell the king of Y’hudah, who sent you to consult Adonai, that Adonai the God of Isra’el also says this: ‘In regard to the words you have heard, 27 because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants — you humbled yourself before me, tore your clothes and cried before me — I have also heard you,’ says Adonai. 28 ‘Here, I will gather you to your ancestors; you will go to your grave in peace; and your eyes will not see all the calamity I am going to bring on this place and its inhabitants.’” So they brought back word to the king.
29 Then the king summoned and assembled all the leaders of Y’hudah and Yerushalayim. 30 The king went up to the house of Adonai with all the men of Y’hudah, those living in Yerushalayim, the cohanim, the L’vi’im and all the people, both great and small; and he read in their hearing everything written in the scroll of the covenant that had been found in the house of Adonai. 31 The king stood in his place and made a covenant in the presence of Adonai to live following Adonai, observing his mitzvot, instructions and laws wholeheartedly and with all his being, so as to perform the words of the covenant written in this scroll. 32 Then, after he had all the people in Yerushalayim and Binyamin stand in affirmation of it, the inhabitants of Yerushalayim acted in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.
33 Yoshiyahu removed all the abominable idols from all the territories belonging to the people of Isra’el, and he made everyone in Isra’el serve Adonai their God. Throughout his lifetime, they did not stop following Adonai, the God of their ancestors.
35:1 Yoshiyahu kept Pesach to Adonai in Yerushalayim. They slaughtered the Pesach lamb on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2 He assigned the cohanim to their posts and encouraged them to perform the service of the house of Adonai. 3 To the L’vi’im who were teaching all Isra’el and were holy for Adonai he said, “Put the holy ark in the house which Shlomo the son of David, king of Isra’el, built; after this, you will not have to carry it again. Now serve Adonai your God and his people Isra’el. 4 Organize yourselves by clans and duty divisions according to the arrangement written down by David king of Isra’el and Shlomo his son. 5 Stand in the Holy Place according to the divisions of the clans of your kinsmen the ordinary people, with part of a clan of L’vi’im serving each clan [of Isra’el]. 6 Then slaughter the Pesach lamb, consecrate yourselves, prepare what your kinsmen need, and act according to the word of Adonai given through Moshe.”
7 Yoshiyahu gave the ordinary people, to all who were present, 30,000 lambs and kids from the flock, all of them for Pesach offerings, and 3,000 bulls. These were from the king’s personal property. 8 Also his leading men voluntarily gave to the people and to the cohanim and L’vi’im. Hilkiyah, Z’kharyahu and Yechi’el, the rulers of the house of God, gave the cohanim 2,600 [lambs and kids] and 300 oxen for Pesach offerings. 9 Konanyah, his brothers Sh’ma‘yah and N’tan’el, and Hashavyah, Ye‘i’el and Yozavad, the head L’vi’im, gave the L’vi’im 5,000 [lambs and kids] and 500 oxen for Pesach offerings.
10 So the service was prepared; the cohanim stood at their posts; and the L’vi’im worked in their divisions, in keeping with the king’s order. 11 They slaughtered the Pesach lamb; the cohanim splashed [the blood, which they received from the L’vi’im], and the L’vi’im skinned and butchered them. 12 They removed the portions to be burned, in order to give them to the divisions of the clans of the ordinary people to present to Adonai, as written in the scroll of Moshe. They did the same with the oxen. 13 They roasted the Pesach lamb over fire, according to the rule; while they boiled the holy offerings in pots, kettles and pans and carried them quickly to all the ordinary people. 14 Afterwards, they prepared food for themselves and for the cohanim; because the cohanim, the descendants of Aharon, were busy till nightfall offering the fat and the portions to be burned up; this is why the L’vi’im prepared food both for themselves and for the cohanim the descendants of Aharon.
15 The singers the sons of Asaf were at their posts, as ordered by David — Asaf, Heman and Y’dutun the king’s seer. The gatekeepers were at every gate, and they did not need to leave their posts, because their brothers the L’vi’im prepared [food] for them.
16 Thus all the service of Adonai was prepared the same day for observing Pesach and offering burnt offerings on the altar of Adonai, in accordance with the order of King Yoshiyahu. 17 The people of Isra’el who were present observed the Pesach at that time and the festival of Matzot for seven days. 18 No Pesach like that had been kept in Isra’el since the days of Sh’mu’el the prophet, and none of the kings of Isra’el observe a Pesach such as Yoshiyahu observed, with the cohanim, L’vi’im, all Y’hudah, those of Isra’el who were present, and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim. 19 This Pesach was observed in the eighteenth year of Yoshiyahu.
20 After all this, and after Yoshiyahu had restored the house, N’kho king of Egypt went up to attack Kark’mish by the Euphrates River. King Yoshiyahu went out to oppose him; 21 but N’kho sent envoys to him with this message: “Do I have a conflict with you, king of Y’hudah? No, I am not coming today to attack you, but to attack the dynasty with whom I am at war. God has ordered to speed me along; so don’t meddle with God, who is with me; so that he won’t destroy you.” 22 Nevertheless, Yoshiyahu was determined to go after him. He disguised himself in order to fight against him and wouldn’t listen to what N’kho said, which was from the mouth of God. Then he went to fight in the Megiddo Valley. 23 There archers shot King Yoshiyahu. The king said to his servants, “Take me away, because I’m badly wounded.” 24 So his servants took him out of the chariot, transferred him to his second chariot and brought him to Yerushalayim. But he died, and he was buried in the tombs of his ancestors. All Y’hudah and Yerushalayim mourned Yoshiyahu. 25 Yirmeyahu composed a lament for Yoshiyahu; and all the men and women singers have sung of Yoshiyahu in their laments till this day. They made singing them a law in Isra’el, and they are recorded in the Laments.
26 Other activities of Yoshiyahu and all his good deeds in keeping with what is written in the Torah of Adonai, 27 also his accomplishments from beginning to end, are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Isra’el and Y’hudah.
36:1 Then the people of the land took Y’ho’achaz the son of Yoshiyahu and made him king in his father’s place, in Yerushalayim.
2 Y’ho’achaz was twenty-three years old when he began his reign, and he ruled for three months in Yerushalayim. 3 But the king of Egypt deposed him in Yerushalayim and imposed a penalty on the land of three-and-a-third tons of silver and sixty-six pounds of gold. 4 Then the king of Egypt made Elyakim his brother king over Y’hudah and Yerushalayim, changing his name to Y’hoyakim; N’kho took Yo’achaz his brother and carried him off to Egypt.
5 Y’hoyakim was twenty-five years old when he began his reign, and he ruled for eleven years in Yerushalayim. He did what was evil from the perspective of Adonai his God. 6 N’vukhadnetzar king of Bavel attacked him and bound him in chains to carry him off to Bavel. 7 N’vukhadnetzar also carried the articles in the house of Adonai away to Bavel and put them in his temple in Bavel. 8 Other activities of Y’hoyakim, including all the abominations he did publicly and those discovered later, are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Isra’el and Y’hudah. Then Y’hoyakhin his son took his place as king.
9 Y’hoyakhin was eight years old when he began his reign, and he ruled in Yerushalayim for three months and ten days. He did what was evil from Adonai’s perspective. 10 In the spring, King N’vukhadnetzar sent and had him brought to Bavel together with the valuable articles from the house of Adonai, and made Tzedekyah his brother king over Y’hudah and Yerushalayim.
11 Tzedekyah was twenty-one years old when he began his reign, and he ruled for eleven years in Yerushalayim. 12 He did what was evil from the perspective of Adonai his God. He did not humble himself before Yirmeyahu the prophet speaking on behalf of Adonai.
13 He also rebelled against King N’vukhadnetzar, who had made him swear loyalty to him by God; instead, he became stiffnecked and hardhearted, refusing to turn to Adonai the God of Isra’el. 14 In addition, the chief cohanim and the people grew increasingly unfaithful, following all the abominable practices of the other nations; and they polluted the house of Adonai, which he had consecrated in Yerushalayim. 15 Time after time, and frequently, Adonai, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers; because he had compassion on his people and on the place where he lived. 16 But they ridiculed God’s messengers, treating his words with contempt and scoffing at his prophets, until the anger of Adonai rose up against his people to the extent that there was no longer any remedy.
17 Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Kasdim, who put their young men to the sword in the house of their sanctuary. They had no compassion on either young men or young women, old men or gray-haired; God handed all of them over to him. 18 All the articles in the house of God, great and small; the supplies in the house of Adonai; and the supplies of the king and his leading men — all these he brought to Bavel. 19 Then they burned down the house of God, broke down the wall of Yerushalayim, put to flames all its palaces and destroyed everything in it of worth. 20 Those who had escaped the sword he carried off to Bavel, and they became slaves to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia. 21 Thus was fulfilled the word of Adonai spoken by Yirmeyahu, “until the land has been paid her Shabbats” — for as long as it lay desolate, it kept Shabbat, until seventy years had passed.
22 Now in the first year of Koresh king of Persia, so that the word of Adonai spoken by Yirmeyahu might be fulfilled, Adonai activated the spirit of Koresh king of Persia to proclaim throughout his entire kingdom, and put in writing as well: 23 “Here is what Koresh king of Persia says: Adonai, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms on earth, and he has charged me to build him a house in Yerushalayim, in Y’hudah. Whoever there is among you of all his people, may Adonai his God be with him! He may go up . . . .”
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