loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
19:1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he
had slain all the prophets with the sword.
19:2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods
do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of
them by to morrow about this time.
19:3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to
Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
19:4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came
and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he
might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I
am not better than my fathers.
19:5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel
touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
19:6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals,
and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him
down again.
19:7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched
him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.
19:8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of
that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
19:9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the
word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou
here, Elijah?
19:10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts:
for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine
altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am
left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
19:11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD.
And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the
mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD
was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was
not in the earthquake:
19:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire:
and after the fire a still small voice.
19:13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in
his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And,
behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here,
Elijah?
19:14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts:
because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down
thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only,
am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
19:15 And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the
wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king
over Syria:
19:16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over
Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint
to be prophet in thy room.
19:17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of
Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu
shall Elisha slay.
19:18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which
have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
19:19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who
was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the
twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.
19:20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I
pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee.
And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?
19:21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew
them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave
unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah,
and ministered unto him.
20:1 And Benhadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and
there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots; and
he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it.
20:2 And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and
said unto him, Thus saith Benhadad,
20:3 Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children,
even the goodliest, are mine.
20:4 And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king,
according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have.
20:5 And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Benhadad,
saying, Although I have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me
thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children;
20:6 Yet I will send my servants unto thee to morrow about this time,
and they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy servants; and
it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put
it in their hand, and take it away.
20:7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and
said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief: for he
sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and
for my gold; and I denied him not.
20:8 And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not
unto him, nor consent.
20:9 Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Benhadad, Tell my lord the
king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will
do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and
brought him word again.
20:10 And Benhadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and
more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the
people that follow me.
20:11 And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him
that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.
20:12 And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was
drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his
servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array
against the city.
20:13 And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel,
saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou seen all this great multitude?
behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know
that I am the LORD.
20:14 And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by
the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall
order the battle? And he answered, Thou.
20:15 Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces,
and they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he numbered all
the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand.
20:16 And they went out at noon. But Benhadad was drinking himself drunk
in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped
him.
20:17 And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first;
and Benhadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out
of Samaria.
20:18 And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive;
or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.
20:19 So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the
city, and the army which followed them.
20:20 And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled; and Israel
pursued them: and Benhadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with
the horsemen.
20:21 And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and
chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.
20:22 And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go,
strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for at the return
of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee.
20:23 And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods
are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us
fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than
they.
20:24 And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his
place, and put captains in their rooms:
20:25 And number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse
for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in
the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened
unto their voice, and did so.
20:26 And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Benhadad
numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.
20:27 And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present,
and went against them: and the children of Israel pitched before them
like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country.
20:28 And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel,
and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD
is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I
deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that
I am the LORD.
20:29 And they pitched one over against the other seven days. And so it
was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and the children of
Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day.
20:30 But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell
upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left. And Benhadad
fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.
20:31 And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the
kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee,
put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the
king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life.
20:32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their
heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Benhadad
saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my
brother.
20:33 Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come
from him, and did hastily catch it: and they said, Thy brother Benhadad.
Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Benhadad came forth to him; and he
caused him to come up into the chariot.
20:34 And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took from
thy father, I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thee in
Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send thee
away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him
away.
20:35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his
neighbour in the word of the LORD, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man
refused to smite him.
20:36 Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of
the LORD, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall
slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him,
and slew him.
20:37 Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And
the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him.
20:38 So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and
disguised himself with ashes upon his face.
20:39 And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said,
Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man
turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by
any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else
thou shalt pay a talent of silver.
20:40 And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the
king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast
decided it.
20:41 And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king
of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.
20:42 And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let
go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction,
therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.
20:43 And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and
came to Samaria.
21:1 And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite
had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of
Samaria.
21:2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I
may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and
I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good
to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.
21:3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give
the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.
21:4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the
word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I
will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down
upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.
21:5 But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy
spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?
21:6 And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite,
and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please
thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will
not give thee my vineyard.
21:7 And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the
kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I
will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
21:8 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal,
and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his
city, dwelling with Naboth.
21:9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set
Naboth on high among the people:
21:10 And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness
against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then
carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.
21:11 And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were
the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as
it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them.
21:12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.
21:13 And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him:
and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the
presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king.
Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones,
that he died.
21:14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.
21:15 And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned,
and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the
vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for
money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.
21:16 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that
Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to
take possession of it.
21:17 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
21:18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria:
behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to
possess it.
21:19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast
thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him,
saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of
Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.
21:20 And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he
answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil
in the sight of the LORD.
21:21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy
posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall,
and him that is shut up and left in Israel,
21:22 And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of
Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the
provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to
sin.
21:23 And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat
Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.
21:24 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him
that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.
21:25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work
wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
21:26 And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all
things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children
of Israel.
21:27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his
clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in
sackcloth, and went softly.
21:28 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
21:29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he
humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but
in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.
22:1 And they continued three years without war between Syria and
Israel.
22:2 And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of
Judah came down to the king of Israel.
22:3 And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth
in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of
the king of Syria?
22:4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to
Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou
art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.
22:5 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee,
at the word of the LORD to day.
22:6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four
hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to
battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the LORD shall
deliver it into the hand of the king.
22:7 And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD
besides, that we might enquire of him?
22:8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man,
Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate
him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And
Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
22:9 Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither
Micaiah the son of Imlah.
22:10 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each
on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the
entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before
them.
22:11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he
said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until
thou have consumed them.
22:12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead,
and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the king's hand.
22:13 And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him,
saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king
with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of
them, and speak that which is good.
22:14 And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me,
that will I speak.
22:15 So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall
we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he
answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the
hand of the king.
22:16 And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee
that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the
LORD?
22:17 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep
that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let
them return every man to his house in peace.
22:18 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee
that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?
22:19 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the
LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him
on his right hand and on his left.
22:20 And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and
fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on
that manner.
22:21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and
said, I will persuade him.
22:22 And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go
forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.
And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do
so.
22:23 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the
mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil
concerning thee.
22:24 But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on
the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to
speak unto thee?
22:25 And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou
shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.
22:26 And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto
Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;
22:27 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and
feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I
come in peace.
22:28 And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath
not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.
22:29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to
Ramothgilead.
22:30 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise
myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the
king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.
22:31 But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that
had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great,
save only with the king of Israel.
22:32 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw
Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they
turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.
22:33 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived
that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing
him.
22:34 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of
Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the
driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host;
for I am wounded.
22:35 And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in
his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out
of the wound into the midst of the chariot.
22:36 And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going
down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own
country.
22:37 So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the
king in Samaria.
22:38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs
licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word
of the LORD which he spake.
22:39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the
ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they
not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
22:40 So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his
stead.
22:41 And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the
fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.
22:42 Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign;
and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name
was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
22:43 And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not
aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD:
nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered
and burnt incense yet in the high places.
22:44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.
22:45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he
shewed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Judah?
22:46 And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of
his father Asa, he took out of the land.
22:47 There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king.
22:48 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold: but
they went not; for the ships were broken at Eziongeber.
22:49 Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my
servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.
22:50 And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his
fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reigned in
his stead.
22:51 Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the
seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years
over Israel.
22:52 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of
his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the
son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin:
22:53 For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the
LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.
2 Kings
Chapter
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
1:1 Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
1:2 And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that
was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto
them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover
of this disease.
1:3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up
to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it
not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of
Baalzebub the god of Ekron?
1:4 Now therefore thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not come down from
that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah
departed.
1:5 And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why
are ye now turned back?
1:6 And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said
unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him,
Thus saith the LORD, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel,
that thou sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore
thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but
shalt surely die.
1:7 And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to
meet you, and told you these words?
1:8 And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle
of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.
1:9 Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And
he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he
spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.
1:10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man
of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy
fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his
fifty.
1:11 Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his
fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the
king said, Come down quickly.
1:12 And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let
fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire
of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
1:13 And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And
the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees
before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray
thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious
in thy sight.
1:14 Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two
captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life
now be precious in thy sight.
1:15 And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be
not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.
1:16 And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast
sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not
because there is no God in Israel to enquire of his word? therefore thou
shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt
surely die.
1:17 So he died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had
spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram
the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son.
1:18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
2:1 And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven
by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
2:2 And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD
hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth,
and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to
Bethel.
2:3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to
Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy
master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your
peace.
2:4 And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the
LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as
thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
2:5 And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha,
and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master
from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your
peace.
2:6 And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD
hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul
liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.
2:7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view
afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.
2:8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the
waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went
over on dry ground.
2:9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto
Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee.
And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon
me.
2:10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou
see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not,
it shall not be so.
2:11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that,
behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted
them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
2:12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot
of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took
hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
2:13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went
back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
2:14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the
waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had
smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went
over.
2:15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw
him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came
to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
2:16 And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants
fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest
peradventure the Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up, and cast him upon
some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send.
2:17 And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They
sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not.
2:18 And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he
said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?
2:19 And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the
situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is
naught, and the ground barren.
2:20 And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they
brought it to him.
2:21 And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt
in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters;
there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.
2:22 So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of
Elisha which he spake.
2:23 And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by
the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked
him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
2:24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name
of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and
tare forty and two children of them.
2:25 And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he
returned to Samaria.
3:1 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria
the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve
years.
3:2 And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his
father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his
father had made.
3:3 Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,
which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.
3:4 And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king
of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with
the wool.
3:5 But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab
rebelled against the king of Israel.
3:6 And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all
Israel.
3:7 And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The
king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab
to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy
people, and my horses as thy horses.
3:8 And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way
through the wilderness of Edom.
3:9 So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of
Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days' journey: and there was
no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them.
3:10 And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called these
three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!
3:11 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that
we may enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's
servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which
poured water on the hands of Elijah.
3:12 And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king
of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
3:13 And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with
thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy
mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath
called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of
Moab.
3:14 And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand,
surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king
of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.
3:15 But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel
played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.
3:16 And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches.
3:17 For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye
see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink,
both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.
3:18 And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will
deliver the Moabites also into your hand.
3:19 And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and
shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every
good piece of land with stones.
3:20 And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was
offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the
country was filled with water.
3:21 And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to
fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour,
and upward, and stood in the border.
3:22 And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the
water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood:
3:23 And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they
have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.
3:24 And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up
and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went
forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country.
3:25 And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast
every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of
water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kirharaseth left they the
stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it.
3:26 And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him,
he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through
even unto the king of Edom: but they could not.
3:27 Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead,
and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great
indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to
their own land.
4:1 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the
prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou
knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to
take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.
4:2 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what
hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing
in the house, save a pot of oil.
4:3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours,
even empty vessels; borrow not a few.
4:4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and
upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt
set aside that which is full.
4:5 So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons,
who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.
4:6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto
her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a
vessel more. And the oil stayed.
4:7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the
oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.
4:8 And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a
great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that
as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.
4:9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is
an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.
4:10 Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us
set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick:
and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.
4:11 And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the
chamber, and lay there.
4:12 And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when
he had called her, she stood before him.
4:13 And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been
careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest
thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she
answered, I dwell among mine own people.
4:14 And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered,
Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.
4:15 And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the
door.
4:16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou
shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not
lie unto thine handmaid.
4:17 And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha
had said unto her, according to the time of life.
4:18 And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to
his father to the reapers.
4:19 And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a
lad, Carry him to his mother.
4:20 And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on
her knees till noon, and then died.
4:21 And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and
shut the door upon him, and went out.
4:22 And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee,
one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of
God, and come again.
4:23 And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither
new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.
4:24 Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go
forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.
4:25 So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it
came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to
Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite:
4:26 Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well
with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And
she answered, It is well:
4:27 And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by
the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God
said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath
hid it from me, and hath not told me.
4:28 Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not
deceive me?
4:29 Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in
thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if
any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of
the child.
4:30 And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy
soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her.
4:31 And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face
of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he
went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.
4:32 And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was
dead, and laid upon his bed.
4:33 He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed
unto the LORD.
4:34 And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his
mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and
stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
4:35 Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up,
and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and
the child opened his eyes.
4:36 And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called
her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son.
4:37 Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the
ground, and took up her son, and went out.
4:38 And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the
land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said
unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons
of the prophets.
4:39 And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild
vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred
them into the pot of pottage: for they knew them not.
4:40 So they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass, as they
were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, O thou man of
God, there is death in the pot. And they could not eat thereof.
4:41 But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he
said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm
in the pot.
4:42 And there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of God
bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn
in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may
eat.
4:43 And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred
men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith
the LORD, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof.
4:44 So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof,
according to the word of the LORD.
5:1 Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great
man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given
deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a
leper.
5:2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away
captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on
Naaman's wife.
5:3 And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the
prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.
5:4 And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the
maid that is of the land of Israel.
5:5 And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto
the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of
silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
5:6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when
this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my
servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.
5:7 And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter,
that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive,
that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy?
wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against
me.
5:8 And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of
Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore
hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know
that there is a prophet in Israel.
5:9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at
the door of the house of Elisha.
5:10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan
seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be
clean.
5:11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought,
He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the
LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
5:12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the
waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and
went away in a rage.
5:13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My
father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou
not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and
be clean?
5:14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan,
according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like
unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
5:15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and
came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there
is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee,
take a blessing of thy servant.
5:16 But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will
receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
5:17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy
servant two mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth
offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the
LORD.
5:18 In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master
goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my
hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in
the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing.
5:19 And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little
way.
5:20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my
master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands
that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him,
and take somewhat of him.
5:21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running
after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is
all well?
5:22 And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold,
even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the
sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and
two changes of garments.
5:23 And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him,
and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of
garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them
before him.
5:24 And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and
bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.
5:25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto
him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no
whither.
5:26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man
turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive
money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and
sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?
5:27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto
thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as
snow.
6:1 And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place
where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.
6:2 Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a
beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he
answered, Go ye.
6:3 And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And
he answered, I will go.
6:4 So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down
wood.
6:5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and
he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.
6:6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place.
And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.
6:7 Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and
took it.
6:8 Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with
his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.
6:9 And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that
thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.
6:10 And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told
him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.
6:11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this
thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew
me which of us is for the king of Israel?
6:12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha,
the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that
thou speakest in thy bedchamber.
6:13 And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him.
And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.
6:14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host:
and they came by night, and compassed the city about.
6:15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone
forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots.
And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
6:16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than
they that be with them.
6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that
he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw:
and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round
about Elisha.
6:18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and
said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them
with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
6:19 And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the
city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he
led them to Samaria.
6:20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha
said, LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the LORD
opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of
Samaria.
6:21 And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My
father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?
6:22 And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite
those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set
bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to
their master.
6:23 And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten
and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the
bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
6:24 And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria
gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
6:25 And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged
it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the
fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.
6:26 And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried
a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.
6:27 And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help
thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?
6:28 And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered,
This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and
we will eat my son to morrow.
6:29 So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the
next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.
6:30 And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman,
that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people
looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.
6:31 Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha
the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.
6:32 But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the
king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he
said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take
away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold
him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?
6:33 And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down
unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the LORD; what should I
wait for the LORD any longer?
7:1 Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD,
To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a
shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.
7:2 Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God,
and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this
thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but
shalt not eat thereof.
7:3 And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and
they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?
7:4 If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the
city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now
therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they
save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.
7:5 And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the
Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of
Syria, behold, there was no man there.
7:6 For the LORD had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of
chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and
they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us
the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon
us.
7:7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents,
and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for
their life.
7:8 And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they
went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver,
and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered
into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.
7:9 Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of
good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light,
some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and
tell the king's household.
7:10 So they came and called unto the porter of the city: and they told
them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was
no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and asses tied, and
the tents as they were.
7:11 And he called the porters; and they told it to the king's house
within.
7:12 And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, I will
now shew you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we be
hungry; therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in
the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall catch them
alive, and get into the city.
7:13 And one of his servants answered and said, Let some take, I pray
thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city,
(behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it:
behold, I say, they are even as all the multitude of the Israelites that
are consumed:) and let us send and see.
7:14 They took therefore two chariot horses; and the king sent after the
host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see.
7:15 And they went after them unto Jordan: and, lo, all the way was full
of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste.
And the messengers returned, and told the king.
7:16 And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So a
measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley
for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.
7:17 And the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned to have the
charge of the gate: and the people trode upon him in the gate, and he
died, as the man of God had said, who spake when the king came down to
him.
7:18 And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king,
saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour
for a shekel, shall be to morrow about this time in the gate of Samaria:
7:19 And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if
the LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he
said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat
thereof.
7:20 And so it fell out unto him: for the people trode upon him in the
gate, and he died.
8:1 Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life,
saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever
thou canst sojourn: for the LORD hath called for a famine; and it shall
also come upon the land seven years.
8:2 And the woman arose, and did after the saying of the man of God: and
she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the
Philistines seven years.
8:3 And it came to pass at the seven years' end, that the woman returned
out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry unto the
king for her house and for her land.
8:4 And the king talked with Gehazi the servant of the man of God,
saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath
done.
8:5 And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored
a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored
to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi
said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom
Elisha restored to life.
8:6 And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king
appointed unto her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers,
and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land,
even until now.
8:7 And Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king of Syria was
sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come hither.
8:8 And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and go,
meet the man of God, and enquire of the LORD by him, saying, Shall I
recover of this disease?
8:9 So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of
every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood
before him, and said, Thy son Benhadad king of Syria hath sent me to
thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?
8:10 And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly
recover: howbeit the LORD hath shewed me that he shall surely die.
8:11 And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed:
and the man of God wept.
8:12 And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I
know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their
strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay
with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women
with child.
8:13 And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do
this great thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD hath shewed me that thou
shalt be king over Syria.
8:14 So he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to
him, What said Elisha to thee? And he answered, He told me that thou
shouldest surely recover.
8:15 And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and
dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and
Hazael reigned in his stead.
8:16 And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel,
Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat
king of Judah began to reign.
8:17 Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he
reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
8:18 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house
of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the
sight of the LORD.
8:19 Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah for David his servant's sake,
as he promised him to give him alway a light, and to his children.
8:20 In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a
king over themselves.
8:21 So Joram went over to Zair, and all the chariots with him: and he
rose by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about, and the
captains of the chariots: and the people fled into their tents.
8:22 Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. Then
Libnah revolted at the same time.
8:23 And the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they
not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
8:24 And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers
in the city of David: and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.
8:25 In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did
Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign.
8:26 Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he
reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Athaliah, the
daughter of Omri king of Israel.
8:27 And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the
sight of the LORD, as did the house of Ahab: for he was the son in law
of the house of Ahab.
8:28 And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to the war against Hazael
king of Syria in Ramothgilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram.
8:29 And king Joram went back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds
which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael
king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to
see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.
9:1 And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets,
and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine
hand, and go to Ramothgilead:
9:2 And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of
Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from
among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber;
9:3 Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus
saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the
door, and flee, and tarry not.
9:4 So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to
Ramothgilead.
9:5 And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and
he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which
of all us? And he said, To thee, O captain.
9:6 And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his
head, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I have
anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel.
9:7 And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge
the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants
of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel.
9:8 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from
Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left
in Israel:
9:9 And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son
of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah:
9:10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there
shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.
9:11 Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one said unto
him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And he said
unto them, Ye know the man, and his communication.
9:12 And they said, It is false; tell us now. And he said, Thus and thus
spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king
over Israel.
9:13 Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under
him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is
king.
9:14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against
Joram. (Now Joram had kept Ramothgilead, he and all Israel, because of
Hazael king of Syria.
9:15 But king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds
which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of
Syria.) And Jehu said, If it be your minds, then let none go forth nor
escape out of the city to go to tell it in Jezreel.
9:16 So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay
there. And Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram.
9:17 And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied
the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram
said, Take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it
peace?
9:18 So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus saith
the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace?
turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came
to them, but he cometh not again.
9:19 Then he sent out a second on horseback, which came to them, and
said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu answered, What hast
thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me.
9:20 And the watchman told, saying, He came even unto them, and cometh
not again: and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of
Nimshi; for he driveth furiously.
9:21 And Joram said, Make ready. And his chariot was made ready. And
Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his
chariot, and they went out against Jehu, and met him in the portion of
Naboth the Jezreelite.
9:22 And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it
peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of
thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?
9:23 And Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is
treachery, O Ahaziah.
9:24 And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram
between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down
in his chariot.
9:25 Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in the
portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite: for remember how that,
when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the LORD laid this
burden upon him;
9:26 Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of
his sons, saith the LORD; and I will requite thee in this plat, saith
the LORD. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground,
according to the word of the LORD.
9:27 But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of
the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also
in the chariot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which is by
Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there.
9:28 And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried
him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of David.
9:29 And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to
reign over Judah.
9:30 And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she
painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.
9:31 And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who
slew his master?
9:32 And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my
side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs.
9:33 And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of
her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her
under foot.
9:34 And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see
now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a king's daughter.
9:35 And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the
skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.
9:36 Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the
word of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite,
saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel:
9:37 And the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the
field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is
Jezebel.
10:1 And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and
sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them
that brought up Ahab's children, saying,
10:2 Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master's sons
are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fenced city
also, and armour;
10:3 Look even out the best and meetest of your master's sons, and set
him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house.
10:4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood
not before him: how then shall we stand?
10:5 And he that was over the house, and he that was over the city, the
elders also, and the bringers up of the children, sent to Jehu, saying,
We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not
make any king: do thou that which is good in thine eyes.
10:6 Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be
mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men
your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to morrow this time.
Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of
the city, which brought them up.
10:7 And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took
the king's sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in
baskets, and sent him them to Jezreel.
10:8 And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought
the heads of the king's sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at
the entering in of the gate until the morning.
10:9 And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood,
and said to all the people, Ye be righteous: behold, I conspired against
my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?
10:10 Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word
of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the
LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah.
10:11 So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel,
and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left
him none remaining.
10:12 And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he was at
the shearing house in the way,
10:13 Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who
are ye? And they answered, We are the brethren of Ahaziah; and we go
down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen.
10:14 And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew
them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither
left he any of them.
10:15 And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son
of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is
thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab
answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand;
and he took him up to him into the chariot.
10:16 And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they
made him ride in his chariot.
10:17 And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab
in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the
LORD, which he spake to Elijah.
10:18 And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them,
Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much.
10:19 Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his
servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great
sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live.
But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the
worshippers of Baal.
10:20 And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they
proclaimed it.
10:21 And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal
came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into
the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to
another.
10:22 And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth
vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth
vestments.
10:23 And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of
Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there
be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers
of Baal only.
10:24 And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings,
Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I
have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life
shall be for the life of him.
10:25 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the
burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in,
and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of
the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the
city of the house of Baal.
10:26 And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and
burned them.
10:27 And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of
Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.
10:28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
10:29 Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made
Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden
calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.
10:30 And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in
executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house
of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the
fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.
10:31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel
with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which
made Israel to sin.
10:32 In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote
them in all the coasts of Israel;
10:33 From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the
Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon,
even Gilead and Bashan.
10:34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his
might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings
of Israel?
10:35 And Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria.
And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.
10:36 And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty
and eight years.
11:1 And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead,
she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.
11:2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took
Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons which
were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber
from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.
11:3 And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. And
Athaliah did reign over the land.
11:4 And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over
hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into
the house of the LORD, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath
of them in the house of the LORD, and shewed them the king's son.
11:5 And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do;
A third part of you that enter in on the sabbath shall even be keepers
of the watch of the king's house;
11:6 And a third part shall be at the gate of Sur; and a third part at
the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, that
it be not broken down.
11:7 And two parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath, even they
shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about the king.
11:8 And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his
weapons in his hand: and he that cometh within the ranges, let him be
slain: and be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in.
11:9 And the captains over the hundreds did according to all things that
Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men that were
to come in on the sabbath, with them that should go out on the sabbath,
and came to Jehoiada the priest.
11:10 And to the captains over hundreds did the priest give king David's
spears and shields, that were in the temple of the LORD.
11:11 And the guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, round
about the king, from the right corner of the temple to the left corner
of the temple, along by the altar and the temple.
11:12 And he brought forth the king's son, and put the crown upon him,
and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him;
and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king.
11:13 And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people,
she came to the people into the temple of the LORD.
11:14 And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the
manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the
people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets: and Athaliah rent
her clothes, and cried, Treason, Treason.
11:15 But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds,
the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the
ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest
had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD.
11:16 And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which
the horses came into the king's house: and there was she slain.
11:17 And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the
people, that they should be the LORD's people; between the king also and
the people.
11:18 And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and
brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces
thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And
the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD.
11:19 And he took the rulers over hundreds, and the captains, and the
guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king
from the house of the LORD, and came by the way of the gate of the guard
to the king's house. And he sat on the throne of the kings.
11:20 And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in
quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword beside the king's house.
11:21 Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign.
12:1 In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years
reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba.
12:2 And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all
his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
12:3 But the high places were not taken away: the people still
sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.
12:4 And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated
things that is brought into the house of the LORD, even the money of
every one that passeth the account, the money that every man is set at,
and all the money that cometh into any man's heart to bring into the
house of the LORD,
12:5 Let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and
let them repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall
be found.
12:6 But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash
the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.
12:7 Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other
priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the
house? now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but
deliver it for the breaches of the house.
12:8 And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people,
neither to repair the breaches of the house.
12:9 But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid
of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh into
the house of the LORD: and the priests that kept the door put therein
all the money that was brought into the house of the LORD.
12:10 And it was so, when they saw that there was much money in the
chest, that the king's scribe and the high priest came up, and they put
up in bags, and told the money that was found in the house of the LORD.
12:11 And they gave the money, being told, into the hands of them that
did the work, that had the oversight of the house of the LORD: and they
laid it out to the carpenters and builders, that wrought upon the house
of the LORD,
12:12 And to masons, and hewers of stone, and to buy timber and hewed
stone to repair the breaches of the house of the LORD, and for all that
was laid out for the house to repair it.
12:13 Howbeit there were not made for the house of the LORD bowls of
silver, snuffers, basons, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of
silver, of the money that was brought into the house of the LORD:
12:14 But they gave that to the workmen, and repaired therewith the
house of the LORD.
12:15 Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they
delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt
faithfully.
12:16 The trespass money and sin money was not brought into the house of
the LORD: it was the priests'.
12:17 Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and
took it: and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.
12:18 And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that
Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had
dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all the gold that was found
in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and in the king's house, and
sent it to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem.
12:19 And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, are they
not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
12:20 And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and slew Joash in
the house of Millo, which goeth down to Silla.
12:21 For Jozachar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer,
his servants, smote him, and he died; and they buried him with his
fathers in the city of David: and Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.
13:1 In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah king of
Judah Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria,
and reigned seventeen years.
13:2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, and
followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to
sin; he departed not therefrom.
13:3 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he
delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand
of Benhadad the son of Hazael, all their days.
13:4 And Jehoahaz besought the LORD, and the LORD hearkened unto him:
for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed
them.
13:5 (And the LORD gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from
under the hand of the Syrians: and the children of Israel dwelt in their
tents, as beforetime.
13:6 Nevertheless they departed not from the sins of the house of
Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but walked therein: and there remained
the grove also in Samaria.)
13:7 Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen,
and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria had
destroyed them, and had made them like the dust by threshing.
13:8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his
might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings
of Israel?
13:9 And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in
Samaria: and Joash his son reigned in his stead.
13:10 In the thirty and seventh year of Joash king of Judah began
Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned
sixteen years.
13:11 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD; he
departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made
Israel sin: but he walked therein.
13:12 And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his
might wherewith he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
13:13 And Joash slept with his fathers; and Jeroboam sat upon his
throne: and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
13:14 Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And
Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and
said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen
thereof.
13:15 And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto
him bow and arrows.
13:16 And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow.
And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king's
hands.
13:17 And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then
Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD's
deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt
smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.
13:18 And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto
the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and
stayed.
13:19 And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest
have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou
hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.
13:20 And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the
Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.
13:21 And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold,
they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of
Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha,
he revived, and stood up on his feet.
13:22 But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of
Jehoahaz.
13:23 And the LORD was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them,
and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his
presence as yet.
13:24 So Hazael king of Syria died; and Benhadad his son reigned in his
stead.
13:25 And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of
Benhadad the son of Hazael the cities, which he had taken out of the
hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times did Joash beat him, and
recovered the cities of Israel.
14:1 In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned
Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah.
14:2 He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and
reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was
Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
14:3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, yet not
like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his
father did.
14:4 Howbeit the high places were not taken away: as yet the people did
sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places.
14:5 And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his
hand, that he slew his servants which had slain the king his father.
14:6 But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto that
which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the LORD
commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the
children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every
man shall be put to death for his own sin.
14:7 He slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah
by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this day.
14:8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of
Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.
14:9 And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah,
saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in
Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed
by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.
14:10 Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath lifted thee
up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why shouldest thou meddle to
thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?
14:11 But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went
up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at
Bethshemesh, which belongeth to Judah.
14:12 And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every
man to their tents.
14:13 And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of
Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Bethshemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and
brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the
corner gate, four hundred cubits.
14:14 And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were
found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's
house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.
14:15 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might,
and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in
the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
14:16 And Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with
the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead.
14:17 And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death
of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.
14:18 And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the
book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
14:19 Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled
to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there.
14:20 And they brought him on horses: and he was buried at Jerusalem
with his fathers in the city of David.
14:21 And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen years
old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.
14:22 He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king
slept with his fathers.
14:23 In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah
Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and
reigned forty and one years.
14:24 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he
departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made
Israel to sin.
14:25 He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto
the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel,
which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the
prophet, which was of Gathhepher.
14:26 For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very
bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for
Israel.
14:27 And the LORD said not that he would blot out the name of Israel
from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of
Joash.
14:28 Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his
might, how he warred, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which
belonged to Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Israel?
14:29 And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of
Israel; and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead.
15:1 In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began
Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.
15:2 Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two
and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jecholiah of
Jerusalem.
15:3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according
to all that his father Amaziah had done;
15:4 Save that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed
and burnt incense still on the high places.
15:5 And the LORD smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of
his death, and dwelt in a several house. And Jotham the king's son was
over the house, judging the people of the land.
15:6 And the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they
not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
15:7 So Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his
fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.
15:8 In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did
Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.
15:9 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his
fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of
Nebat, who made Israel to sin.
15:10 And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him
before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.
15:11 And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written in
the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
15:12 This was the word of the LORD which he spake unto Jehu, saying,
Thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation.
And so it came to pass.
15:13 Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth
year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned a full month in Samaria.
15:14 For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, and came to
Samaria, and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and slew him,
and reigned in his stead.
15:15 And the rest of the acts of Shallum, and his conspiracy which he
made, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Israel.
15:16 Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the
coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore he
smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.
15:17 In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began
Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, and reigned ten years in
Samaria.
15:18 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he
departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,
who made Israel to sin.
15:19 And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem
gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him
to confirm the kingdom in his hand.
15:20 And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty
men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king
of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in
the land.
15:21 And the rest of the acts of Menahem, and all that he did, are they
not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
15:22 And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned
in his stead.
15:23 In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekahiah the son of
Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned two years.
15:24 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he
departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel
to sin.
15:25 But Pekah the son of Remaliah, a captain of his, conspired against
him, and smote him in Samaria, in the palace of the king's house, with
Argob and Arieh, and with him fifty men of the Gileadites: and he killed
him, and reigned in his room.
15:26 And the rest of the acts of Pekahiah, and all that he did, behold,
they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
15:27 In the two and fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekah the
son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned
twenty years.
15:28 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he
departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel
to sin.
15:29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of
Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and
Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried
them captive to Assyria.
15:30 And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son
of Remaliah, and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in his stead, in
the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.
15:31 And the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he did, behold,
they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
15:32 In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel
began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign.
15:33 Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he
reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jerusha,
the daughter of Zadok.
15:34 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD: he did
according to all that his father Uzziah had done.
15:35 Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed
and burned incense still in the high places. He built the higher gate of
the house of the LORD.
15:36 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did, are they
not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
15:37 In those days the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the king
of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.
15:38 And Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers
in the city of David his father: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.
16:1 In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son
of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.
16:2 Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned
sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the
sight of the LORD his God, like David his father.
16:3 But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his
son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the
heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel.
16:4 And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the
hills, and under every green tree.
16:5 Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel
came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not
overcome him.
16:6 At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and
drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt
there unto this day.
16:7 So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, saying,
I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of
the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise
up against me.
16:8 And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of
the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent it for a
present to the king of Assyria.
16:9 And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: for the king of Assyria
went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people of it
captive to Kir, and slew Rezin.
16:10 And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglathpileser king of
Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to
Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it,
according to all the workmanship thereof.
16:11 And Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that king
Ahaz had sent from Damascus: so Urijah the priest made it against king
Ahaz came from Damascus.
16:12 And when the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar:
and the king approached to the altar, and offered thereon.
16:13 And he burnt his burnt offering and his meat offering, and poured
his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings, upon
the altar.
16:14 And he brought also the brasen altar, which was before the LORD,
from the forefront of the house, from between the altar and the house of
the LORD, and put it on the north side of the altar.
16:15 And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great
altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meat offering,
and the king's burnt sacrifice, and his meat offering, with the burnt
offering of all the people of the land, and their meat offering, and
their drink offerings; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt
offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and the brasen altar shall
be for me to enquire by.
16:16 Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all that king Ahaz
commanded.
16:17 And king Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the
laver from off them; and took down the sea from off the brasen oxen that
were under it, and put it upon the pavement of stones.
16:18 And the covert for the sabbath that they had built in the house,
and the king's entry without, turned he from the house of the LORD for
the king of Assyria.
16:19 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
16:20 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers
in the city of David: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.
17:1 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of
Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years.
17:2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as
the kings of Israel that were before him.
17:3 Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became
his servant, and gave him presents.
17:4 And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent
messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of
Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut
him up, and bound him in prison.
17:5 Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went
up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.
17:6 In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and
carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor
by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
17:7 For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the
LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from
under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods,
17:8 And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out
from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which
they had made.
17:9 And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not
right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all
their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.
17:10 And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and
under every green tree:
17:11 And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the
heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked
things to provoke the LORD to anger:
17:12 For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye
shall not do this thing.
17:13 Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all
the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways,
and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which
I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the
prophets.
17:14 Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks,
like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD
their God.
17:15 And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with
their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and
they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that
were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that
they should not do like them.
17:16 And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made
them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped
all the host of heaven, and served Baal.
17:17 And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the
fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do
evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
17:18 Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them
out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.
17:19 Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but
walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.
17:20 And the LORD rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them,
and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out
of his sight.
17:21 For he rent Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam
the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the
LORD, and made them sin a great sin.
17:22 For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam
which he did; they departed not from them;
17:23 Until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by
all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their
own land to Assyria unto this day.
17:24 And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah,
and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in
the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they
possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.
17:25 And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they
feared not the LORD: therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which
slew some of them.
17:26 Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations
which thou hast removed, and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not
the manner of the God of the land: therefore he hath sent lions among
them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of
the God of the land.
17:27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither one of
the priests whom ye brought from thence; and let them go and dwell
there, and let him teach them the manner of the God of the land.
17:28 Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria
came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD.
17:29 Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the
houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in
their cities wherein they dwelt.
17:30 And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth, and the men of Cuth
made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,
17:31 And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt
their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of
Sepharvaim.
17:32 So they feared the LORD, and made unto themselves of the lowest of
them priests of the high places, which sacrificed for them in the houses
of the high places.
17:33 They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner
of the nations whom they carried away from thence.
17:34 Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the
LORD, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances,
or after the law and commandment which the LORD commanded the children
of Jacob, whom he named Israel;
17:35 With whom the LORD had made a covenant, and charged them, saying,
Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve
them, nor sacrifice to them:
17:36 But the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with
great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye
worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice.
17:37 And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the
commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for
evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods.
17:38 And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget;
neither shall ye fear other gods.
17:39 But the LORD your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out
of the hand of all your enemies.
17:40 Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former
manner.
17:41 So these nations feared the LORD, and served their graven images,
both their children, and their children's children: as did their
fathers, so do they unto this day.
18:1 Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of
Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
18:2 Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he
reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was
Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.
18:3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according
to all that David his father did.
18:4 He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the
groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for
unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he
called it Nehushtan.
18:5 He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none
like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.
18:6 For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but
kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.
18:7 And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went
forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.
18:8 He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof,
from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.
18:9 And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was
the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser
king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.
18:10 And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year
of Hezekiah, that is in the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria
was taken.
18:11 And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and
put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities
of the Medes:
18:12 Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but
transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD
commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.
18:13 Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king
of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took
them.
18:14 And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish,
saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me
will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of
Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.
18:15 And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house
of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house.
18:16 At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the
temple of the LORD, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah
had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.
18:17 And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh
from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem. And
they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they
came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway
of the fuller's field.
18:18 And when they had called to the king, there came out to them
Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the
scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.
18:19 And Rabshakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith
the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein
thou trustest?
18:20 Thou sayest, (but they are but vain words,) I have counsel and
strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest
against me?
18:21 Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed,
even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and
pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.
18:22 But if ye say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that
he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and
hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in
Jerusalem?
18:23 Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of
Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on
thy part to set riders upon them.
18:24 How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least
of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for
horsemen?
18:25 Am I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy
it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
18:26 Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto
Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language;
for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' language in the
ears of the people that are on the wall.
18:27 But Rabshakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy
master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the
men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink
their own piss with you?
18:28 Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews'
language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king
of Assyria:
18:29 Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall
not be able to deliver you out of his hand:
18:30 Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD
will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the
hand of the king of Assyria.
18:31 Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make
an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye
every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye
every one the waters of his cistern:
18:32 Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a
land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil
olive and of honey, that ye may live, and not die: and hearken not unto
Hezekiah, when he persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.
18:33 Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out
of the hand of the king of Assyria?
18:34 Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of
Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine
hand?
18:35 Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have
delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver
Jerusalem out of mine hand?
18:36 But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for
the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
18:37 Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the
household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the
recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of
Rabshakeh.
19:1 And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his
clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of
the LORD.
19:2 And he sent Eliakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the
scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah
the prophet the son of Amoz.
19:3 And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of
trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy; for the children are come to the
birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.
19:4 It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh,
whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living
God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard:
wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left.
19:5 So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.
19:6 And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus
saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with
which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.
19:7 Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour,
and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the
sword in his own land.
19:8 So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring
against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.
19:9 And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is
come out to fight against thee: he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah,
saying,
19:10 Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy
God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be
delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
19:11 Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all
lands, by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered?
19:12 Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have
destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden
which were in Thelasar?
19:13 Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king
of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivah?
19:14 And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers,
and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread
it before the LORD.
19:15 And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of
Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even
thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and
earth.
19:16 LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and
see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach
the living God.
19:17 Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations
and their lands,
19:18 And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but
the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed
them.
19:19 Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of
his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the
LORD God, even thou only.
19:20 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith
the LORD God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against
Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.
19:21 This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The
virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to
scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.
19:22 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast
thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against
the Holy One of Israel.
19:23 By thy messengers thou hast reproached the LORD, and hast said,
With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the
mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar
trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into
the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.
19:24 I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my
feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places.
19:25 Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and of ancient
times that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou
shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps.
19:26 Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were
dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the
green herb, as the grass on the house tops, and as corn blasted before
it be grown up.
19:27 But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and
thy rage against me.
19:28 Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine
ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy
lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.
19:29 And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such
things as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which
springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant
vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof.
19:30 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet
again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.
19:31 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that
escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.
19:32 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He
shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before
it with shield, nor cast a bank against it.
19:33 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall
not come into this city, saith the LORD.
19:34 For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and
for my servant David's sake.
19:35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went
out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and
five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they
were all dead corpses.
19:36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned,
and dwelt at Nineveh.
19:37 And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch
his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the
sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son
reigned in his stead.
20:1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah
the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set
thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
20:2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD,
saying,
20:3 I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee
in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in
thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
20:4 And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle
court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying,
20:5 Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith
the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have
seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go
up unto the house of the LORD.
20:6 And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee
and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend
this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
20:7 And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on
the boil, and he recovered.
20:8 And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the LORD
will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the
third day?
20:9 And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the
LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward
ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?
20:10 And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go
down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.
20:11 And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the
shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of
Ahaz.
20:12 At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon,
sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah
had been sick.
20:13 And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of
his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the
precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was
found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his
dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.
20:14 Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto
him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And
Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon.
20:15 And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah
answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is
nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.
20:16 And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD.
20:17 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that
which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried
into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.
20:18 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt
beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of
the king of Babylon.
20:19 Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which
thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in
my days?
20:20 And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how
he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city, are they
not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
20:21 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned
in his stead.
21:1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned
fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzibah.
21:2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the
abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children
of Israel.
21:3 For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had
destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did
Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served
them.
21:4 And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD
said, In Jerusalem will I put my name.
21:5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of
the house of the LORD.
21:6 And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and
used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he
wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to
anger.
21:7 And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the
house, of which the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this
house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of
Israel, will I put my name for ever:
21:8 Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the
land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do
according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the
law that my servant Moses commanded them.
21:9 But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil
than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of
Israel.
21:10 And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying,
21:11 Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and
hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before
him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols:
21:12 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing
such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both
his ears shall tingle.
21:13 And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the
plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth
a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.
21:14 And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver
them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a
spoil to all their enemies;
21:15 Because they have done that which was evil in my sight, and have
provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of
Egypt, even unto this day.
21:16 Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had
filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he
made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the
LORD.
21:17 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his
sin that he sinned, are they not written in the book of the chronicles
of the kings of Judah?
21:18 And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden
of his own house, in the garden of Uzza: and Amon his son reigned in his
stead.
21:19 Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he
reigned two years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Meshullemeth,
the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.
21:20 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his
father Manasseh did.
21:21 And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served
the idols that his father served, and worshipped them:
21:22 And he forsook the LORD God of his fathers, and walked not in the
way of the LORD.
21:23 And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew the king
in his own house.
21:24 And 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.
21:25 Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
21:26 And he was buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza: and
Josiah his son reigned in his stead.
22:1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jedidah,
the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.
22:2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and
walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the
right hand or to the left.
22:3 And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the
king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe,
to the house of the LORD, saying,
22:4 Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which
is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the door
have gathered of the people:
22:5 And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work,
that have the oversight of the house of the LORD: and let them give it
to the doers of the work which is in the house of the LORD, to repair
the breaches of the house,
22:6 Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and
hewn stone to repair the house.
22:7 Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was
delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully.
22:8 And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have
found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the
book to Shaphan, and he read it.
22:9 And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word
again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in
the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work,
that have the oversight of the house of the LORD.
22:10 And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest
hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.
22:11 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book
of the law, that he rent his clothes.
22:12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of
Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and
Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying,
22:13 Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all
Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the
wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have
not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that
which is written concerning us.
22:14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and
Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of
Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in
Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.
22:15 And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell
the man that sent you to me,
22:16 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place,
and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which
the king of Judah hath read:
22:17 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other
gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their
hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall
not be quenched.
22:18 But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the LORD,
thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching
the words which thou hast heard;
22:19 Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself
before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and
against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation
and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have
heard thee, saith the LORD.
22:20 Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou
shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see
all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the
king word again.
23:1 And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of
Judah and of Jerusalem.
23:2 And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of
Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests,
and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read
in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found
in the house of the LORD.
23:3 And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the
LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his
testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to
perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And
all the people stood to the covenant.
23:4 And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of
the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the
temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the
grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without
Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto
Bethel.
23:5 And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had
ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and
in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto
Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the
host of heaven.
23:6 And he brought out the grove from the house of the LORD, without
Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and
stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves
of the children of the people.
23:7 And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the
house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.
23:8 And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and
defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba
to Beersheba, and brake down the high places of the gates that were in
the entering in of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which
were on a man's left hand at the gate of the city.
23:9 Nevertheless the priests of the high places came not up to the
altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they did eat of the unleavened bread
among their brethren.
23:10 And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of
Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through
the fire to Molech.