behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Israel.
12:015:027 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.
12:015:028 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.
12:015:029 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.
12:015:030 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.
12:015:031 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.
12:015:032 In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel
began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign.
12:015:033 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.
12:015:034 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD: he
did according to all that his father Uzziah had done.
12:015:035 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.
12:015:036 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?
12:015:037 In those days the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the
king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.
12:015:038 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.
12:016:001 In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the
son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.
12:016:002 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.
12:016:003 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.
12:016:004 And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on
the hills, and under every green tree.
12:016:005 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.
12:016:006 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.
12:016:007 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.
12:016:008 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.
12:016:009 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.
12:016:010 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.
12:016:011 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.
12:016:012 And when the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the
altar: and the king approached to the altar, and offered
thereon.
12:016:013 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.
12:016:014 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.
12:016:015 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.
12:016:016 Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all that king Ahaz
commanded.
12:016:017 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.
12:016:018 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.
12:016:019 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?
12:016:020 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.
12:017:001 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son
of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years.
12:017:002 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, but
not as the kings of Israel that were before him.
12:017:003 Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea
became his servant, and gave him presents.
12:017:004 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.
12:017:005 Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and
went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.
12:017:006 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.
12:017:007 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,
12:017:008 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.
12:017:009 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.
12:017:010 And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and
under every green tree:
12:017:011 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:
12:017:012 For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye
shall not do this thing.
12:017:013 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.
12:017:014 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.
12:017:015 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.
12:017:016 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.
12:017:017 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.
12:017:018 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.
12:017:019 Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God,
but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.
12:017:020 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.
12:017:021 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.
12:017:022 For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam
which he did; they departed not from them;
12:017:023 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.
12:017:024 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.
12:017:025 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.
12:017:026 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.
12:017:027 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.
12:017:028 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.
12:017:029 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.
12:017:030 And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth, and the men of Cuth
made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,
12:017:031 And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites
burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech,
the gods of Sepharvaim.
12:017:032 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.
12:017:033 They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the
manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence.
12:017:034 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;
12:017:035 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:
12:017:036 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.
12:017:037 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.
12:017:038 And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not
forget; neither shall ye fear other gods.
12:017:039 But the LORD your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you
out of the hand of all your enemies.
12:017:040 Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former
manner.
12:017:041 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.
12:018:001 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.
12:018:002 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.
12:018:003 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD,
according to all that David his father did.
12:018:004 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.
12:018:005 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.
12:018:006 For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him,
but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.
12:018:007 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.
12:018:008 He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders
thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.
12:018:009 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.
12:018:010 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.
12:018:011 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:
12:018:012 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.
12:018:013 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.
12:018:014 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.
12:018:015 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.
12:018:016 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.
12:018:017 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.
12:018:018 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.
12:018:019 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?
12:018:020 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?
12:018:021 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.
12:018:022 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?
12:018:023 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.
12:018:024 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?
12:018:025 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.
12:018:026 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.
12:018:027 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?
12:018:028 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:
12:018:029 Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he
shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand:
12:018:030 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.
12:018:031 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:
12:018:032 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.
12:018:033 Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land
out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
12:018:034 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?
12:018:035 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?
12:018:036 But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word:
for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
12:018:037 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.
12:019:001 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.
12:019:002 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.
12:019:003 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.
12:019:004 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.
12:019:005 So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.
12:019:006 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.
12:019:007 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.
12:019:008 So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring
against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from
Lachish.
12:019:009 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,
12:019:010 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.
12:019:011 Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to
all lands, by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be
delivered?
12:019:012 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?
12:019:013 Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the
king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivah?
12:019:014 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.
12:019:015 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.
12:019:016 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.
12:019:017 Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the
nations and their lands,
12:019:018 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.
12:019:019 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.
12:019:020 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.
12:019:021 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.
12:019:022 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.
12:019:023 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.
12:019:024 I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of
my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places.
12:019:025 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.
12:019:026 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.
12:019:027 But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in,
and thy rage against me.
12:019:028 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.