Category: 2 Chronicles

Jehoram Becomes King Over Judah

1 Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. His son Jehorambecame king in his place.

2 He had brothers, sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah.

3 Their father had given them many gifts of silver, gold, and valuable things, along with fortified citiesin Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.

4 When Jehoram had established himself over his father’s kingdom, he strengthened his position by killing with the sword all his brothers as well as some of the princes of Israel.

Judah’s King Jehoram

5 Jehoramwas 32 years old when he became king and reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

6 He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done,for Ahab’s daughter was his wife.He did what was evil in theLord’s sight,

7 but because of the covenant theLordhad made with David, He was unwilling to destroy the house of David since theLordhad promisedto give a lampto David and to his sons forever.

8 During Jehoram’s reign, Edom rebelled against Judah’s domination and appointed their own king.

9 So Jehoram crossed into Edom with his commanders and all his chariots. Then at night he set out to attack the Edomites who had surrounded him and the chariot commanders.

10 And now Edom is still in rebellion against Judah’s domination today. Libnah also rebelled at that time against his domination because he had abandoned Yahweh, the God of his ancestors.

11 Jehoram also built high placesin the hillsof Judah, and he caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves,and he led Judah astray.

Elijah’s Letter to Jehoram

12 Then a letter came to Jehoram from Elijah the prophet, saying:

This is what Yahweh, the God of your ancestor David says: “Because you have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphator in the ways of Asa king of Judah

13 but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel,have caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves like the house of Ahabprostituted itself, and also have killed your brothers,your father’s family, who were better than you,

14 Yahweh is now about to strike your people, your sons, your wives, and all your possessions with a horrible affliction.

15 You yourself will be struck with many illnesses, including a disease of the intestines, until your intestines come out day after day because of the disease.”

Jehoram’s Last Days

16 TheLordput it into the mind of the Philistines and the Arabswho live near the Cushites to attack Jehoram.

17 So they went to war against Judah and invaded it. They carried off all the possessions found in the king’s palace and also his sons and wives; not a son was left to him except Jehoahaz,his youngest son.

18 After all these things, theLordafflicted him in his intestines with an incurable disease.

19 This continued day after day until two full years passed. Then his intestines came out because of his disease, and he died from severeillnesses. But his people did not hold a fire in his honor like the fire in honor of his fathers.

20 Jehoramwas 32 years old when he became king; he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. He died to no one’s regretand was buried in the city of David but not in the tombs of the kings.

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Judah’s King Ahaziah

1 Then the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, his youngest son, king in his place, because the troops that had come with the Arabsto the camp had killed all the older sons.So Ahaziah son of Jehoram became king of Judah.

2 Ahaziahwas 22years old when he became king and reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah, granddaughterof Omri.

3 He walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother gave him evil advice.

4 So he did what was evil in theLord’s sight like the house of Ahab, for they were his advisers after the death of his father, to his destruction.

5 He also followed their advice and went with Joramson of Israel’s King Ahab to fight against Hazael, king of Aram, in Ramoth-gilead. The Arameanswounded Joram,

6 so he returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds they inflicted on him in Ramoth-gileadwhen he fought against Aram’s King Hazael. Then Judah’s King Ahaziahson of Jehoram went down to Jezreel to visit Joram son of Ahab since Joram was ill.

7 Ahaziah’s downfall came from God when he went to Joram.When Ahaziah arrived, he went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi,whom theLordhad anointed to destroy the house of Ahab.

8 So when Jehu executed judgment on the house of Ahab,he found the rulers of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers who were serving Ahaziah, and he killed them.

9 Then Jehu looked for Ahaziah,and Jehu’s soldiers captured him (he was hiding in Samaria). So they brought Ahaziah to Jehu, and they killed him. The soldiers buried him, for they said, “He is the grandson of Jehoshaphat who sought theLordwith all his heart.”So no one from the house of Ahaziah had the strength to rule the kingdom.

Athaliah Usurps the Throne

10 WhenAthaliah, Ahaziah’s mother, saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to annihilate all the royal heirsof the house of Judah.

11 Jehoshabeath,the king’s daughter, rescued Joash son of Ahaziah from the king’s sons who were being killed and put him and the one who nursed him in a bedroom. Now Jehoshabeath was the daughter of King Jehoram and the wife of Jehoiada the priest. Since she was Ahaziah’s sister, she hid Joash from Athaliah so that she did not kill him.

12 While Athaliah ruled over the land, he was hiding with them in God’s temple six years.

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Athaliah Overthrown

1 Then, in the seventh year,Jehoiada summoned his courage and took the commanders of hundreds into a covenant with him: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri.

2 They made a circuit throughout Judah. They gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah and the heads of the families of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.

3 Then the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in God’s temple. Jehoiada said to them, “Here is the king’s son! He must reign, just as theLordpromisedconcerning David’s sons.

4 This is what you are to do: a third of you, priests and Levites who are coming on duty on the Sabbath,are to be gatekeepers.

5 A third are to be at the king’s palace, and a third are to be at the Foundation Gate, and all the troops will be in the courtyards of theLord’s temple.

6 No one is to enter theLord’s temple but the priests and those Levites who serve;they may enter because they are holy, but all the people are to obey the requirement of theLord.

7 You must completely surround the king with weapons in hand. Anyone who enters the temple is to be put to death. You must be with the king in all his daily tasks.”

8 So the commanders of hundreds did everything Jehoiada the priest commanded. They each brought their men — those coming on duty on the Sabbath and those going off duty on the Sabbath — for Jehoiada the priest did not release the divisions.

9 Jehoiada the priest gave to the commanders of hundreds King David’s spears, shields, and quiversthat were in God’s temple.

10 Then he stationed all the troops with their weapons in hand surrounding the king — from the right side of the temple to the left side, by the altar and by the temple.

11 They brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, gave him the testimony,and made him king. Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and cried, “Long live the king! ”

12 When Athaliah heard the noise from the troops, the guards, and those praising the king, she went to the troops in theLord’s temple.

13 As she looked, there was the king standing by his pillarat the entrance. The commanders and the trumpeters were by the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpetswhile the singers with musical instruments were leading the praise. Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed, “Treason, treason! ”

14 Then Jehoiada the priest sent out the commanders of hundreds, those in charge of the army, saying, “Take her out between the ranks, and put anyone who follows her to death by the sword,” for the priest had said, “Don’t put her to death in theLord’s temple.”

15 So they arrested her, and she went by the entrance of the Horses’ Gateto the king’s palace, where they put her to death.

Jehoiada’s Reforms

16 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, the king, and the people that they would be theLord’s people.

17 So all the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They broke its altars and images into pieces and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, at the altars.

18 Then Jehoiada put the oversight of theLord’s temple into the hands of the Levitical priests,whom David had appointedover theLord’s temple, to offer burnt offerings to theLordas it is written in the law of Moses,with rejoicing and song ordained byDavid.

19 He stationed gatekeepersat the gates of theLord’s temple so that nothing unclean could enter for any reason.

20 Then he took with him the commanders of hundreds, the nobles, the governors of the people, and all the people of the land and brought the king down from theLord’s temple. They entered the king’s palace through the Upper Gate and seated the king on the throne of the kingdom.

21 All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet, for they had put Athaliah to death by the sword.

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Judah’s King Joash

1 Joashwas seven years old when he became king and reigned 40 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beer-sheba.

2 Throughout the time of Jehoiada the priest, Joash did what was right in theLord’s sight.

3 Jehoiada acquired two wives for him, and he was the father of sons and daughters.

Repairing the Temple

4 Afterward,Joash took it to heart to renovatetheLord’s temple.

5 So he gathered the priests and Levites and said, “Go out to the cities of Judah and collect money from all Israel to repair the temple of your God as needed year by year,and do it quickly.”

However, the Levites did not hurry.

6 So the king called Jehoiada the high priest and said, “Why haven’t you required the Levites to bring from Judah and Jerusalem the tax imposed by theLord’s servant Moses and the assembly of Israel for the tentof the testimony?

7 For the sons of that wicked Athaliah broke into theLord’s temple and even used the sacred things of theLord’s temple for the Baals.”

8 At the king’s command a chest was made and placed outside the gate of theLord’s temple.

9 Then a proclamationwas issued in Judah and Jerusalem that the tax God’s servant Moses imposed on Israel in the wilderness be brought to theLord.

10 All the leaders and all the people rejoiced, brought the tax, and put it in the chest until it was full.

11 Whenever the chest was brought by the Levites to the king’s overseers, and when they saw that there was a large amount of money, the king’s secretary and the high priest’s deputy came and emptied the chest, picked it up, and returned it to its place. They did this daily and gathered the money in abundance.

12 Then the king and Jehoiada gave it to those in charge of the labor on theLord’s temple, who were hiring stonecutters and carpenters to renovate theLord’s temple, also blacksmiths and coppersmiths to repair theLord’s temple.

13 The workmen did their work, and through them the repairs progressed. They restored God’s temple to its specifications and reinforced it.

14 When they finished, they presented the rest of the money to the king and Jehoiada, who made articles for theLord’s temple with it — articles for ministry and for making burnt offerings, and ladlesand articles of gold and silver. They regularly offered burnt offerings in theLord’s temple throughout Jehoiada’s life.

Joash’s Apostasy

15 Jehoiada died when he was old and full of days; he was 130 years old at his death.

16 He was buried in the city of David with the kingsbecause he had done what was good in Israel with respect to God and His temple.

17 However, after Jehoiada died, the rulers of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them,

18 and they abandoned the temple of Yahweh, the God of their ancestors and served the Asherah poles and the idols.So there was wrathagainst Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs.

19 Nevertheless, He sent them prophetsto bring them back to theLord; they admonished them, but the people would not listen.

20 The Spirit of God took control ofZechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood above the people and said to them, “This is what God says, ‘Why are you transgressing theLord’s commands and you do not prosper?Because you have abandoned theLord, He has abandoned you.’ ”

21 But they conspired against him and stoned him at the king’s command in the courtyard of theLord’s temple.

22 King Joash didn’t remember the kindness that Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had extended to him, but killed his son. While he was dying, he said, “May theLordsee and demandan account.”

Aramean Invasion of Judah

23 At the turn of the year, an Aramean army went to war against Joash.They entered Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the leaders of the people among them and sent all the plunder to the king of Damascus.

24 Although the Aramean army came with only a few men, theLordhanded overa vast army to them because the people of Judah had abandonedYahweh, the God of their ancestors. So they executed judgment on Joash.

Joash Assassinated

25 Whenthe Arameans saw that Joash had many wounds, they left him. His servants conspired against him, and killed him on his bed, because he had shed the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.

26 Those who conspired against him were Zabad, son of the Ammonite woman Shimeath, and Jehozabad, son of the Moabite woman Shimrith.

27 Concerning his sons, the many oracles about him, and the restorationof theLord’s temple, they are recorded in the Writingof the Book of the Kings. His son Amaziah became king in his place.

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Judah’s King Amaziah

1 Amaziahbecame king when he was 25 years old and reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem.

2 He did what was right in theLord’s sight but not wholeheartedly.

3 As soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp,he executed his servants who had murdered his father the king.

4 However, he did not put their children to death, because — as it is written in the Law, in the book of Moses,where theLordcommanded — “Fathers must not die because of children, and children must not die because of fathers, but each one will die for his own sin.”

Amaziah’s Campaign against Edom

5 Then Amaziah gathered Judah and assembled them according to ancestral house, according to commanders of thousands, and according to commanders of hundreds. He numbered those 20 years old or morefor all Judah and Benjamin. He found there to be 300,000 choice men who could serve in the army, bearing spear and shield.

6 Then for 7,500 poundsof silver he hired 100,000 brave warriors from Israel.

7 However, a man of Godcame to him and said, “King, do not let Israel’s army go with you, for theLordis not with Israel — all the Ephraimites.

8 But if you go with them, do it! Be strong for battle! But God will make you stumble before the enemy,for God has the power to helpor to make one stumble.”

9 Then Amaziah said to the man of God, “What should I do about the 7,500 poundsof silver I gave to Israel’s division? ”

The man of God replied, “TheLordis able to give you much more than this.”

10 So Amaziah released the division that came to him from Ephraim to go home. But they got very angry with Judah and returned home in a fierce rage.

11 Amaziah strengthened his position and led his people to the Valley of Salt. He struck down 10,000 Seirites,

12 and the Judahites captured 10,000 alive. They took them to the top of a cliff where they threw them off, and all of them were dashed to pieces.

13 As for the men of the division that Amaziah sent back so they would not go with him into battle, they raided the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth-horon, struck down 3,000 of their people, and took a great deal of plunder.

14 After Amaziah came from the attack on the Edomites, he brought the gods of the Seiritesand set them up as his gods. He worshiped before them and burned incense to them.

15 So theLord’s anger was against Amaziah, and He sent a prophet to him, who said, “Why have you sought a people’s gods that could not deliver their own people from your hand? ”

16 While he was still speaking to him, the king asked, “Have we made you the king’s counselor? Stop, why should you lose your life? ”

So the prophet stopped, but he said, “I know that God intends to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my advice.”

Amaziah’s War With Israel’s King Joash

17 King Amaziah of Judah took counseland sent word to Jehoashson of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us meet face to face.”

18 King Jehoash of Israel sent word to King Amaziah of Judah, saying, “The thistle that was in Lebanon sent a message to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle.

19 You have said, ‘Look, Ihave defeated Edom,’ and you have become overconfidentthat you will get glory. Now stay at home. Why stir up such trouble so that you fall and Judah with you? ”

20 But Amaziah would not listen, for this turn of events was from God in order to hand them over to their enemies because they went after the gods of Edom.

21 So King Jehoash of Israel advanced. He and King Amaziah of Judah faced off at Beth-shemesh in Judah.

22 Judah was routed before Israel, and each fled to his own tent.

23 King Jehoash of Israel captured Judah’s King Amaziah son of Joash, son of Jehoahaz,at Beth-shemesh. Then Jehoash took him to Jerusalem and broke down 200 yardsof Jerusalem’s wall from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate.

24 He took all the gold, silver, all the utensils that were found with Obed-edomin God’s temple, the treasures of the king’s palace, and the hostages. Then he returned to Samaria.

Amaziah’s Death

25 Judah’s King Amaziahson of Joash lived 15 years after the death of Israel’s King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz.

26 The rest of the events of Amaziah’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

27 From the time Amaziah turned from following theLord, a conspiracy was formed against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. However, men were sent after him to Lachish, and they put him to death there.

28 They carried him back on horses and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.

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Judah’s King Uzziah

1 All the peopleof Judah took Uzziah,who was 16 years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah.

2 He rebuilt Elothand restored it to Judah after Amaziah the king rested with his fathers.

3 Uzziah was 16 years oldwhen he became king and reigned 52 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecoliah from Jerusalem.

4 He did what was right in theLord’s sight as his father Amaziah had done.

5 He sought Godthroughout the lifetime of Zechariah, the teacher of the fearof God. During the time that he sought theLord, God gave him success.

Uzziah’s Exploits

6 Uzziah went out to wage war against the Philistines,and he tore down the wall of Gath, the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod. Then he built cities in the vicinity of Ashdod and among the Philistines.

7 God helped him against the Philistines, the Arabs that live in Gur-baal, and the Meunites.

8 The Ammonitesgave Uzziah tribute money,and his fame spread as far as the entrance of Egypt, for God made him very powerful.

9 Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate,the Valley Gate,and the corner buttress, and he fortified them.

10 Since he had many cattle both in the Judean foothillsand the plain, he built towers in the desert and dug many wells.And since he was a lover of the soil, he had farmers and vinedressers in the hills and in the fertile lands.

11 Uzziah had an army equipped for combat that went out to war by division according to their assignments, as recorded by Jeiel the court secretary and Maaseiah the officer under the authority of Hananiah, one of the king’s commanders.

12 The total number of heads of families was 2,600 brave warriors.

13 Under their authority was an army of 307,500 equipped for combat, a powerful force to help the king against the enemy.

14 Uzziah provided the entire army with shields, spears, helmets, armor, bows and slingstones.

15 He made skillfully designed devices in Jerusalem to shoot arrows and catapult large stones for use on the towers and on the corners. So his fame spread even to distant places, for he was marvelously helped until he became strong.

Uzziah’s Disease

16 But when he became strong, he grew arrogantand it led to his own destruction. He acted unfaithfully against theLordhis God by going into theLord’s sanctuary to burn incense on the incense altar.

17 Azariahthe priest, along with 80 brave priests of theLord, went in after him.

18 They took their standagainst King Uzziah and said, “Uzziah, you have no right to offer incense to theLord— only the consecrated priests, the descendants of Aaron, have the right to offer incense.Leave the sanctuary, for you have acted unfaithfully! You will not receive honor from theLordGod.”

19 Uzziah, with a firepan in his hand to offer incense, was enraged. But when he became enraged with the priests, in the presence of the priests in theLord’s temple beside the altar of incense, a skin diseasebroke out on his forehead.

20 Then Azariah the chief priest and all the priests turned to him and saw that he was diseased on his forehead. They rushed him out of there. He himself also hurried to get out because theLordhad afflicted him.

21 So King Uzziah was diseased to the time of his death.He lived in quarantinewith a serious skin disease and was excluded from access to theLord’s temple, while his son Jotham was over the king’s household governing the people of the land.

22 Now the prophet Isaiahson of Amoz wrote about the rest of the events of Uzziah’s reign, from beginning to end.

23 Uzziah rested with his fathers, and he was buried with his fathers in the burial ground of the kings’ cemetery,for they said, “He has a skin disease.” His son Jotham became king in his place.

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Judah’s King Jotham

1 Jotham was 25 years oldwhen he became king and reigned 16 years in Jerusalem.His mother’s name was Jerushah daughter of Zadok.

2 He did what was right in theLord’s sight as his father Uzziah had done. In addition, he didn’t enter theLord’s sanctuary,but the people still behaved corruptly.

3 Jotham built the Upper Gate of theLord’s temple, and he built extensively on the wall of Ophel.

4 He also built cities in the hill country of Judah and fortresses and towers in the forests.

5 He waged war against the king of the Ammonites. He overpowered the Ammonites, and that year they gave him 7,500 poundsof silver, 50,000 bushelsof wheat, and 50,000 bushelsof barley. They paid him the same in the second and third years.

6 So Jotham strengthened himself because he did not waver in obeyingtheLordhis God.

7 As for the rest of the eventsof Jotham’s reign, along with all his wars and his ways, note that they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.

8 He was 25 years old when he became king and reigned 16 years in Jerusalem.

9 Jotham rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. His son Ahaz became king in his place.

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Judah’s King Ahaz

1 Ahaz was 20 years oldwhen he became king and reigned 16 years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in theLord’s sightlike his ancestor David,

2 for he walked in the ways of the kings of Israeland made cast images of the Baals.

3 He burned incense in the Valley of Hinnomand burned his children inthe fire, imitating the detestable practices of the nations theLordhad dispossessed before the Israelites.

4 He sacrificed and burned incense on the high places,on the hills, and under every green tree.

5 So theLordhis God handed Ahaz overto the king of Aram. He attacked him and took many captives to Damascus.

Ahaz was also handed over to the king of Israel, who struck him with great force:

6 Pekah son of Remaliah killed 120,000 in Judah in one day — all brave men — because they had abandoned theLordGod of their ancestors.

7 An Ephraimite warrior named Zichri killed the king’s son Maaseiah, Azrikam governor of the palace, and Elkanah who was second to the king.

8 Then the Israelites took 200,000 captives from their brothers — women, sons, and daughters.They also took a great deal of plunder from them and brought it to Samaria.

9 A prophet of theLordnamed Oded was there. He went out to meet the army that came to Samaria and said to them, “Look, theLordGod of your ancestors handed them over to you because of His wrath against Judah,but you slaughtered them in a rage that has reached heaven.

10 Now you plan to reduce the people of Judah and Jerusalem, male and female, to slavery. Are you not also guilty before Yahweh your God?

11 Listen to me and return the captives you took from your brothers,for theLord’s burning anger is on you.”

12 So some men who were leaders of the Ephraimites — Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai — stood in opposition to those coming from the war.

13 They said to them, “You must not bring the captives here, for you plan to bring guilt on us from theLordto add to our sins and our guilt. For we have much guilt, and burning anger is on Israel.”

14 The army left the captives and the plunder in the presence of the officers and the congregation.

15 Then the men who were designated by nametook charge of the captives and provided clothes for their naked ones from the plunder. They clothed them, gave them sandals, food and drink,dressed their wounds, and provided donkeys for all the feeble. The Israelites brought them to Jericho, the City of Palms,among their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria.

16 At that time King Ahaz asked the king of Assyria for help.

17 The Edomites came again, attacked Judah, and took captives.

18 The Philistines also raided the cities of the Judean foothillsand the Negev of Judahand captured Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco and its villages, Timnah and its villages, Gimzo and its villages, and they lived there.

19 For theLordhumbled Judah because of King Ahaz of Judah,who threw off restraint in Judah and was unfaithful to theLord.

20 Then Tiglath-pileserking of Assyria came against Ahaz; he oppressed him and did not give him support.

21 Although Ahaz plundered theLord’s temple and the palace of the king and of the rulers and gave the plunder to the king of Assyria, it did not help him.

22 At the time of his distress, King Ahaz himself became more unfaithful to theLord.

23 He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him; he said, “Since the gods of the kings of Aram are helping them, I will sacrifice to them so that they will help me.”But they were the downfall of him and of all Israel.

24 Then Ahaz gathered up the utensils of God’s temple, cut them into pieces,shut the doors of theLord’s temple,and made himself altars on every street corner in Jerusalem.

25 He made high places in every city of Judah to offer incense to other gods, and he provoked theLord, the God of his ancestors.

Ahaz’s Death

26 As for the rest of his deedsand all his ways, from beginning to end, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

27 Ahaz rested with his fathers and was buried in the city, in Jerusalem, but they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel. His son Hezekiah became king in his place.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/2CH/28-b3acb83e88d957153af61003bcbc5244.mp3?version_id=72—

Judah’s King Hezekiah

1 Hezekiah was 25 years oldwhen he became king and reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijahdaughter of Zechariah.

2 He did what was right in theLord’s sightjust as his ancestor David had done.

3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of theLord’s temple and repaired them.

4 Then he brought in the priests and Levites and gathered them in the eastern public square.

5 He said to them, “Hear me, Levites. Consecrate yourselvesnow and consecrate the temple of Yahweh, the God of your ancestors. Remove everything impure from the holy place.

6 For our fathers were unfaithful and did what is evil in the sight of theLordour God. They abandoned Him, turned their faces away from theLord’s tabernacle, and turned their backs on Him.

7 They also closed the doors of the portico, extinguished the lamps, did not burn incense, and did not offer burnt offerings in the holy place of the God of Israel.

8 Therefore, the wrath of theLordwas on Judah and Jerusalem, and He made them an object of terror, horror, and mockery,as you see with your own eyes.

9 Our fathers fell by the sword, and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity because of this.

10 It is in my heart now to make a covenant with Yahweh, the God of Israelso that His burning anger may turn away from us.

11 My sons, don’t be negligent now, for theLordhas chosen you to stand in His presence, to serve Him, and to be His ministers and burners of incense.”

Cleansing the Temple

12 Then the Levites stood up:

Mahathson of Amasai and Joel son of Azariah from the Kohathites;

Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of Jehallelel from the Merarites;

Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah from the Gershonites;

13 Shimri and Jeuel from the Elizaphanites;

Zechariah and Mattaniah from the Asaphites;

14 Jehieland Shimei from the Hemanites;

Shemaiah and Uzziel from the Jeduthunites.

15 They gathered their brothers together, consecrated themselves,and went according to the king’s command by the words of theLordto cleanse theLord’s temple.

16 The priests went to the entrance of theLord’s temple to cleanse it. They took all the unclean things they found in theLord’s sanctuary to the courtyard of theLord’s temple. Then the Levites received them and took them outside to the Kidron Valley.

17 They began the consecration on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the portico of theLord’s temple. They consecrated theLord’s temple for eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished.

18 Then they went inside to King Hezekiah and said, “We have cleansed the whole temple of theLord, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the table for the rows of the bread of the Presence and all its utensils.

19 We have set up and consecrated all the utensils that King Ahaz rejected during his reignwhen he became unfaithful. They are in front of the altar of theLord.”

Renewal of Temple Worship

20 King Hezekiah got up early, gathered the city officials, and went to theLord’s temple.

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 Judah. Then he told the descendants of Aaron, the priests, to offer them on the altar of theLord.

22 So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests received the blood and sprinkled it on the altar.They slaughtered the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar. They slaughtered the lambs and sprinkled the blood on the altar.

23 Then they brought the goats for the sin offering right into the presence of the king and the congregation, who laid their hands on them.

24 The priests slaughtered the goats and put their blood on the altar for a sin offering, to make atonement for all Israel,for the king said that the burnt offering and sin offering were for all Israel.

25 Hezekiah stationed the Levites in theLord’s temple with cymbals, harps, and lyresaccording to the command of David,Gad the king’s seer,and Nathan the prophet.For the command was from theLordthrough His prophets.

26 The Levites stood with the instruments of David,and the priests with the trumpets.

27 Then Hezekiah ordered that the burnt offering be offered on the altar. When the burnt offerings began, the song of theLordand the trumpets began, accompanied by the instruments of David king of Israel.

28 The whole assembly was worshiping, singing the song, and blowing the trumpets — all of this continued until the burnt offering was completed.

29 When the burnt offerings were completed, the king and all those present with him bowed down and worshiped.

30 Then King Hezekiah and the officials told the Levites to sing praise to theLordin the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with rejoicing and bowed down and worshiped.

31 Hezekiah concluded, “Now you are consecratedto theLord. Come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to theLord’s temple.” So the congregation brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all those with willing heartsbrought burnt offerings.

32 The number of burnt offerings the congregation brought was 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to theLord.

33 Six hundred bulls and 3,000 sheep were consecrated.

34 However, since there were not enough priests, they weren’t able to skin all the burnt offerings, so their Levite brothers helped themuntil the work was finished and until the priests consecrated themselves. For the Levites were more conscientiousto consecrate themselves than the priests were.

35 Furthermore, the burnt offerings were abundant, along with the fat of the fellowship offeringsand with the drink offeringsfor the burnt offering.

So the service of theLord’s temple was established.

36 Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced over how God had prepared the people, for it had come about suddenly.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/2CH/29-28820f22c54795b68e616281c72f2d85.mp3?version_id=72—

Celebration of the Passover

1 Then Hezekiah sent word throughout all Israel and Judah, and he also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh to come to theLord’s temple in Jerusalem to observe the Passover of Yahweh, the God of Israel.

2 For the king and his officials and the entire congregation in Jerusalem decided to observe the Passover of theLordin the second month,

3 because they were not able to observe it at the appropriate time. Not enough of the priests had consecrated themselvesand the people hadn’t been gathered together in Jerusalem.

4 The proposal pleased the king and the congregation,

5 so they affirmed the proposal and spread the message throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba to Dan,to come to observe the Passover of Yahweh, the God of Israel in Jerusalem, for they hadn’t observed it often,as prescribed.

6 So the courierswent throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the hand of the king and his officials, and according to the king’s command, saying, “Israelites, return to Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel so that He may return to those of you who remain, who have escaped from the grasp of the kings of Assyria.

7 Don’t be like your fathers and your brothers who were unfaithful to Yahweh, the God of their ancestorsso that He made them an object of horroras you yourselves see.

8 Don’t become obstinatenow like your fathers did. Give your allegianceto Yahweh, and come to His sanctuary that He has consecrated forever. Serve theLordyour God so that He may turn His burning anger away from you,

9 for when you return to Yahweh, your brothers and your sons will receive mercy in the presence of their captors and will return to this land.For Yahweh your God is gracious and merciful;He will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.”

10 The couriers traveled from city to city in the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun, but the inhabitantslaughed at them and mocked them.

11 But some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.

12 Also, the power of God was at work in Judah to unite themto carry out the command of the king and his officials by the word of theLord.

13 A very large assembly of people was gathered in Jerusalem to observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the second month.

14 They proceeded to take away the altars that were in Jerusalem,and they took away the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley.

15 They slaughtered the Passover lambon the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and Levites were ashamed, and they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to theLord’s temple.

16 They stood at their prescribed posts,according to the law of Moses, the man of God. The priests sprinkled the blood received from the hand of the Levites,

17 for there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves, and so the Levites were in charge of slaughtering the Passover lambs for every unclean person to consecrate the lambs to theLord.

18 A large number of the people — many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun — were ritually unclean, yet they had eaten the Passovercontrary to what was written.But Hezekiah had interceded for them, saying, “May the goodLordprovide atonement on behalf of

19 whoever sets his whole heart on seeking God,Yahweh, the God of his ancestors, even though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.”

20 So theLordheard Hezekiah and healed the people.

21 The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread seven days with great joy,and the Levites and the priests praised theLordday after day with loud instruments.

22 Then Hezekiah encouragedall the Levites who performed skillfully before theLord. They ate at the appointed festival for seven days, sacrificing fellowship offerings and giving thanks to Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.

23 The whole congregation decided to observeseven more days, so they observed seven days with joy,

24 for Hezekiah king of Judah contributed 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep for the congregation. Also, the officials contributed 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep for the congregation,and many priests consecrated themselves.

25 Then the whole assembly of Judah with the priests and Levites, the whole assembly that came from Israel, the foreigners who came from the land of Israel, and those who were living in Judah, rejoiced.

26 There was great rejoicing in Jerusalem, for nothing like this was known since the days of Solomon son of David, the king of Israel.

27 Then the priests and the Levitesstood to bless the people,and God heard their voice, and their prayer came into His holy dwelling placein heaven.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/2CH/30-03eb37723762c2076a3081f5e0030900.mp3?version_id=72—