The Bible Part 92

29:21 And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the LORD.

29:22 So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the altar: likewise, when they had killed the rams, they sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and they sprinkled the blood upon the altar.

29:23 And they brought forth the he goats for the sin offering before the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them: 29:24 And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel.

29:25 And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets.

29:26 And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.

29:27 And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar.

And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel.

29:28 And all the congregation wors.h.i.+pped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.

29:29 And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and wors.h.i.+pped.

29:30 Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and wors.h.i.+pped.

29:31 Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD. And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings.

29:32 And the number of the burnt offerings, which the congregation brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, an hundred rams, and two hundred lambs: all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD.

29:33 And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep.

29:34 But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.

29:35 And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order.

29:36 And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that G.o.d had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly.

30:1 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Mana.s.seh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the pa.s.sover unto the LORD G.o.d of Israel.

30:2 For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the pa.s.sover in the second month.

30:3 For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

30:4 And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.

30:5 So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the pa.s.sover unto the LORD G.o.d of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written.

30:6 So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD G.o.d of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of a.s.syria.

30:7 And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespa.s.sed against the LORD G.o.d of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.

30:8 Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your G.o.d, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.

30:9 For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compa.s.sion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your G.o.d is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.

30:10 So the posts pa.s.sed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Mana.s.seh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

30:11 Nevertheless divers of Asher and Mana.s.seh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

30:12 Also in Judah the hand of G.o.d was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the LORD.

30:13 And there a.s.sembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.

30:14 And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.

30:15 Then they killed the pa.s.sover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD.

30:16 And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of G.o.d: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites.

30:17 For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the pa.s.sovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD.

30:18 For a mult.i.tude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Mana.s.seh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the pa.s.sover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one 30:19 That prepareth his heart to seek G.o.d, the LORD G.o.d of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.

30:20 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.

30:21 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD.

30:22 And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD G.o.d of their fathers.

30:23 And the whole a.s.sembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness.

30:24 For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.

30:25 And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.

30:26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.

30:27 Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.

31:1 Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Mana.s.seh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.

31:2 And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the LORD.

31:3 He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of the LORD.

31:4 Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the law of the LORD.

31:5 And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the t.i.the of all things brought they in abundantly.

31:6 And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the t.i.the of oxen and sheep, and the t.i.the of holy things which were consecrated unto the LORD their G.o.d, and laid them by heaps.

31:7 In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month.

31:8 And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD, and his people Israel.

31:9 Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps.

31:10 And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the LORD hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.

31:11 Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the LORD; and they prepared them, 31:12 And brought in the offerings and the t.i.thes and the dedicated things faithfully: over which Cononiah the Levite was ruler, and s.h.i.+mei his brother was the next.

31:13 And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under the hand of Cononiah and s.h.i.+mei his brother, at the commandment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of G.o.d.

31:14 And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter toward the east, was over the freewill offerings of G.o.d, to distribute the oblations of the LORD, and the most holy things.

31:15 And next him were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their set office, to give to their brethren by courses, as well to the great as to the small: 31:16 Beside their genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even unto every one that entereth into the house of the LORD, his daily portion for their service in their charges according to their courses; 31:17 Both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of their fathers, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their charges by their courses; 31:18 And to the genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their set office they sanctified themselves in holiness: 31:19 Also of the sons of Aaron the priests, which were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every several city, the men that were expressed by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all that were reckoned by genealogies among the Levites.

31:20 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his G.o.d.

31:21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of G.o.d, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his G.o.d, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

32:1 After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of a.s.syria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself.

32:2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem, 32:3 He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were without the city: and they did help him.

32:4 So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of a.s.syria come, and find much water? 32:5 Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts and s.h.i.+elds in abundance.

32:6 And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them, saying, 32:7 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of a.s.syria, nor for all the mult.i.tude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: 32:8 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our G.o.d to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

32:9 After this did Sennacherib king of a.s.syria send his servants to Jerusalem, (but he himself laid siege against Lachish, and all his power with him,) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying, 32:10 Thus saith Sennacherib king of a.s.syria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem? 32:11 Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The LORD our G.o.d shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of a.s.syria? 32:12 Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall wors.h.i.+p before one altar, and burn incense upon it? 32:13 Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of other lands? were the G.o.ds of the nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand? 32:14 Who was there among all the G.o.ds of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your G.o.d should be able to deliver you out of mine hand? 32:15 Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no G.o.d of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your G.o.d deliver you out of mine hand? 32:16 And his servants spake yet more against the LORD G.o.d, and against his servant Hezekiah.

32:17 He wrote also letters to rail on the LORD G.o.d of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the G.o.ds of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the G.o.d of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand.

32:18 Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' speech unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city.

32:19 And they spake against the G.o.d of Jerusalem, as against the G.o.ds of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man.

32:20 And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.

32:21 And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of a.s.syria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his G.o.d, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.

32:22 Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of a.s.syria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side.

32:23 And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.

32:24 In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed unto the LORD: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign.

32:25 But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.

32:26 Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

32:27 And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour: and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for s.h.i.+elds, and for all manner of pleasant jewels; 32:28 Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks.

32:29 Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance: for G.o.d had given him substance very much.

32:30 This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.

32:31 Howbeit in the business of the amba.s.sadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, G.o.d left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.

32:32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

32:33 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. And Mana.s.seh his son reigned in his stead.

33:1 Mana.s.seh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem: 33:2 But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.

33:3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and wors.h.i.+pped all the host of heaven, and served them.

33:4 Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.

33:5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.

33:6 And he caused his children to pa.s.s through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

33:7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of G.o.d, of which G.o.d had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: 33:8 Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.

33:9 So Mana.s.seh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.

33:10 And the LORD spake to Mana.s.seh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.

33:11 Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of a.s.syria, which took Mana.s.seh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

33:12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his G.o.d, and humbled himself greatly before the G.o.d of his fathers, 33:13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Mana.s.seh knew that the LORD he was G.o.d.

33:14 Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compa.s.sed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah.

33:15 And he took away the strange G.o.ds, and the idol out of the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.

33:16 And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD G.o.d of Israel.

33:17 Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the LORD their G.o.d only.

33:18 Now the rest of the acts of Mana.s.seh, and his prayer unto his G.o.d, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the LORD G.o.d of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel.

33:19 His prayer also, and how G.o.d was intreated of him, and all his sins, and his trespa.s.s, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers.

33:20 So Mana.s.seh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

33:21 Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem.

33:22 But he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did Mana.s.seh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto all the carved images which Mana.s.seh his father had made, and served them; 33:23 And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Mana.s.seh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespa.s.sed more and more.

33:24 And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house.

33:25 But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.