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 Chapter 1
1:1 And Moab repelled against Israel
after the death of Achaab.
2 And Ochozias
fell through the lattice that was in his upper chamber in Samaria and was sick;
and he sent messengers, and said to them, Go and enquire of Baal fly, the god of
Accaron, whether I shall recover of this my sickness. And they went to enquire
of him. 3 And an angel of the Lord
called Eliu the Thesbite, saying, Arise, and go to meet the messengers of
Ochozias king of Samaria, and thou shalt say to them, Is it because there
is no God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baal fly, the God of
Accaron? but it shall not be so. 4
For thus saith the Lord, The bed on which thou art gone up, thou
shalt not come down from it, for thou shalt surely die. And Eliu went, and said
so to them.
5 And the messengers returned to him,
and he said to them, Why have ye returned? 6
And they said to him, A man came up to meet us, and said to us,
Go, return to the king that sent you, and say to him, Thus saith the Lord, Is
it because there is no God in Israel, that thou goest to enquire of
Baal fly, the God of Accaron? it shall not be so: the bed on which
thou art gone up, thou shalt not come down from it, for thou shalt surely die.
7 So they returned and reported to
the king as Eliu said: and he said to them, What was the manner of the
man who went up to mid you, and spoke to you these words?
8 And they said to him, He was a hairy man, and
girt with a leathern girdle about his loins. And he said, This is Eliu the
Thesbite.
9 And he sent to him a captain of fifty
and his fifty; and he went up to him: and, behold, Eliu sat on the top of a
mountain. And the captain of fifty spoke to him, and said, O man of God, the
king has called thee, come down. 10
And Eliu answered and said to the captain of fifty, And if I am a man of
God, fire shall come down out of heaven, and devour thee and thy fifty. And fire
came down out of heaven, and devoured him and his fifty.
11 And the king sent a second time to him another captain
of fifty, and his fifty. And the captain of fifty spoke to him, and said, O man
of God, thus says the king, Come down quickly. 12
And Eliu answered and spoke to him, and said, If I am a
man of God, fire shall come down out of heaven, and devour thee and thy fifty.
And fire came down out of heaven, and devoured him and his fifty.
13 And the king sent yet again a captain
and his fifty. And the third captain of fifty came, and knelt on his knees
before Eliu, and entreated him, and spoke to him and said, O man of God, let my
life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thine eyes.
14 Behold, fire came down from
heaven, and devoured the two first captains of fifty: and now, I pray, let my
life be precious in thine eyes. 15
And the angel of the Lord spoke to Eliu, and said, Go down with him, be not
afraid of them. And Eliu rose up, and went down with him to the king.
16 And Eliu spoke to him, and said, Thus
saith the Lord, Why hast thou sent messengers to enquire of Baal fly, the god of
Accaron? it shall not be so: the bed on which thou art gone up,
thou shalt not come down from it, for thou shalt surely die.
17 So he died according to the word of
the Lord which Eliu has spoken. 18
And the rest of the acts of Ochozias which he did, behold, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? and Joram son of
Achaab reigns over Israel in Samaria twelve years beginning in the
eighteenth year of Josaphat king of Juda: and he did that which was evil in the
sight of the Lord, only not as his brethren, nor as his mother: and he removed
the pillars of Baal which his father made, and broke them in pieces: only he was
joined to the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who led Israel to sin; he departed
not from them. And the Lord was very angry with the house of Achaab.
Chapter 2
2:1 And it came to pass, when the Lord
was going to take Eliu with a whirlwind as it were into heaven, that Eliu and
Elisaie went out of Galgala. 2 And
Eliu said to Elisaie, Stay here, I pray thee; for God has sent me to Baethel.
And Elisaie said, As the Lord lives and thy soul lives, I will not leave
thee; so they came to Baethel. 3 And
the sons of the prophets who were in Baethel came to Elisaie, and said to him,
Dost thou know, that the Lord this day is going to take thy lord away from thy
head? And he said, Yea, I know it; be silent. 4
And Eliu said to Elisaie, Stay here, I pray thee; for the
Lord has sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the Lord lives and thy soul
lives, I will not leave thee. And they came to Jericho.
5 And the sons of the prophets who were
in Jericho drew near to Elisaie, and said to him, Dost thou know that the Lord
is about to take away thy master to-day from thy head? And he said, Yea, I know
it; hold your peace. 6 And
Eliu said to him, Stay here, I pray thee, for the Lord has sent me to Jordan.
And Elisaie said, As the Lord lives and thy soul lives, I will not leave
thee: and they both went on. 7 And
fifty men of the sons of the prophets went also, and they stood opposite
afar off: and both stood on the bank of Jordan. 8
And Eliu took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and
smote the water: and the water was divided on this side and on that side, and
they both went over on dry ground.
9 And it came to pass while they were
crossing over, that Eliu said to Elisaie, Ask what I shall do for thee before I
am taken up from thee. And Elisaie said, Let there be, I pray thee, a double
portion of thy spirit upon me. 10
And Eliu said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: if thou shalt see me
when I am taken up from thee, then shall it be so to thee; and if not, it shall
not be so.
11 And it came to pass as they were
going, they went on talking; and, behold, a chariot of fire, and horses of fire,
and it separated between them both; and Eliu was taken up in a whirlwind as it
were into heaven. 12 And Elisaie
saw, and cried, Father, father, the chariot of Israel, and the horseman thereof!
And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his garments, and rent them into two
pieces. 13 And Elisaie took up the
mantle of Eliu, which fell from off him upon Elisaie; and Elisaie returned, and
stood upon the brink of Jordan; 14
and he took the mantle of Eliu, which fell from off him, and smote the water,
and said, Where is the Lord God of Eliu? and he smote the waters, and they were
divided hither and thither; and Elisaie went over.
15 And the sons of the prophets who were
in Jericho on the opposite side saw him, and said, The spirit of Eliu has rested
upon Elisaie. And they came to meet him, and did obeisance to him to the ground.
16 And they said to him, Behold now,
there are with thy servants fifty men of strength: let them go now, and
seek thy lord: peradventure the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up, and cast
him into Jordan, or on one of the mountains, or on one of the hills. And Elisaie
said, Ye shall not send. 17 And they
pressed him until he was ashamed; and he said, Send. And they sent fifty men,
and sought three days, and found him not. 18
And they returned to him, for he dwelt in Jericho: and Elisaie
said, Did I not say to you, Go not?
19 And the men of the city said to
Elisaie, Behold, the situation of the city is good, as our lord
sees; but the waters are bad, and the ground barren.
20 And Elisaie said, Bring me a new
pitcher, and put salt in it. And they took one, and brought it to
him. 21 And Elisaie went out to the
spring of the waters, and cast salt therein, and says, Thus saith the Lord, I
have healed these waters; there shall not be any longer death thence or barren
land. 22 And the waters were
healed until this day, according to the word of Elisaie which he spoke.
23 And he went up thence to Baethel: and
as he was going up by the way there came up also little children from the city,
and mocked him, and said to him, Go up, bald-head, go up.
24 And he turned after them, and saw them, and cursed them
in the name of the Lord. And, behold, there came out two bears out of the wood,
and they tore forty and two children of them. 25
And he went thence to mount Carmel, and returned thence to
Samaria.
Chapter 3
3:1 And Joram the son of Achaab began to
reign in Israel in the eighteenth year of Josaphat king of Juda, and he reigned
twelve years. 2 And he did that
which was evil in the sight of the Lord, only not as his father, nor as his
mother: and he removed the pillars of Baal which his father had made.
3 Only he adhered to the sin of Jeroboam
the son of Nabat, who made Israel to sin; he departed not from it.
4 And Mosa king of Moab was a
sheep-master, and he rendered to the king of Israel in the beginning of the
year, a hundred thousand lambs, and a hundred thousand rams, with the wool.
5 And it came to pass, after the
death of Achaab, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
6 And king Joram went forth in that day
out of Samaria, and numbered Israel. 7
And he went and sent to Josaphat king of Juda, saying, The king
of Moab has rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to war? And
he said, I will go up: thou art as I, I am as thou; as my people, so is
thy people, as my horses, so are thy horses. 8
And he said, What way shall I go up? and he said, The way
of the wilderness of Edom. 9 And the
king of Israel went, and the king of Juda, and the king of Edom: and they
fetched a compass of seven days’ journey; and there was no water for the army,
and for the cattle that went with them.
10 And the king of Israel said, Alas!
that the Lord should have called the three kings on their way, to give them into
the hand of Moab. 11 And Josaphat
said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may enquire of the Lord
by him? And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered and said,
There is here Elisaie son of Saphat, who poured water on the hands of Eliu.
12 And Josaphat said, He has the
word of the Lord. And the king of Israel, and Josaphat king of Juda, and the
king of Edom, went down to him.
13 And Elisaie said to the king of
Israel, What have I to do with thee? go to the prophets of thy father, and the
prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said to him, Has the Lord called
the three kings to deliver them into the hands of Moab? 14
And Elisaie said, As the Lord of hosts before whom
I stand lives, unless I regarded the presence of Josaphat the king of Juda, I
would not have looked on thee, nor seen thee. 15
And now fetch me a harper. And it came to pass, as the harper
harped, that the hand of the Lord came upon him. 16
And he said, Thus saith the Lord, Make this valley full of
trenches. 17 For thus saith the
Lord, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain, yet this valley shall be
filled with water, and ye, and your flocks, and your cattle shall drink.
18 And this is a light thing
in the eyes of the Lord: I will also deliver Moab into your hand.
19 And ye shall smite every strong city,
and ye shall cut down every good tree, and ye shall stop all wells of water, and
spoil every good piece of land with stones.
20 And it came to pass in the morning,
when the sacrifice was offered, that, behold! waters came from the way of Edom,
and the land was filled with water.
21 And all Moab heard that the three
kings were come up to fight against them; and they cried out on every side,
even all that were girt with a girdle, and they said, Ho! and stood upon the
border. 22 And they rose early in
the morning, and the sun rose upon the waters, and Moab saw the waters on the
opposite side red as blood. 23 And
they said, This is the blood of the sword; and the kings have fought, and
each man has smitten his neighbour; now then to the spoils, Moab.
24 And they entered into the camp of
Israel; and Israel arose and smote Moab, and they fled from before them; and
they went on and smote Moab as they went. 25
And they razed the cities, and cast every man his stone on every
good piece of land and filled it; and they stopped every well, and cut
down every good tree, until they left only the stones of the wall cast
down; and the slingers compassed the land, and smote it.
26 And the king of Moab saw that the battle
prevailed against him; and he took with him seven hundred men that drew sword,
to cut through to the king of Edom: and they could not. 27
And he took his eldest son whom he had designed to reign
in his stead, and offered him up for a whole-burnt-offering on the walls. And
there was a great indignation against Israel; and they departed from him, and
returned to their land.
Chapter 4
4:1 And one of the wives of the sons of
the prophets cried to Elisaie, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou
knowest that thy servant feared the Lord: and the creditor is come to take my
two sons to be his servants. 2 And
Elisaie said, What shall I do for thee? tell me what thou hast in the house. And
she said, Thy servant has nothing in the house, except oil wherewith I anoint
myself. 3 And he said to her, Go,
borrow for thyself vessels without of all thy neighbours, even empty
vessels; borrow not a few. 4 And
thou shalt go in and shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and thou shalt
pour forth into these vessels, and remove that which is filled.
5 And she departed from him, and shut the
door upon herself and upon her sons: they brought the vessels near to her, and
she poured in until the vessels were filled. 6
And she said to her sons, Bring me yet a vessel. And they said to
her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. 7
And she came and told the man of God: and Elisaie said,
Go, and sell the oil, and thou shalt pay thy debts, and thou and thy sons shall
live of the remaining oil.
8 And a day came, when Elisaie passed
over to Soman, and there was a great lady there, and she constrained him
to eat bread: and it came to pass as often as he went into the city, that
he turned aside to eat there. 9 And
the woman said to her husband, See now, I know that this is a holy man of
God who comes over continually to us. 10
Let us now make for him an upper chamber, a small place; and let
us put there for him a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it
shall come to pass that when he comes in to us, he shall turn in thither.
11 And a day came, and he went in
thither, and turned aside into the upper chamber, and lay there.
12 And he said to Giezi his servant, Call
me this Somanite. and he called her, and she stood before him.
13 And he said to him, Say now to her,
Behold, thou hast taken all this trouble for us; what should I do for thee? Hast
thou any request to make to the king, or to the captain of the host? And
she said, I dwell in the midst of my people. 14
And he said to Giezi, What must we do for her? and Giezi his
servant said, Indeed she has no son, and her husband is old.
15 And he called her, and she stood by
the door. 16 And Elisaie said to
her, At this time next year, as the season is, thou shalt be
alive, and embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, do not lie to thy servant.
17 And the woman conceived, and bore
a son at the very time, as the season was, being alive, as Elisaie said to her.
18 And the child grew: and it came to
pass when he went out to his father to the reapers, 19
that he said to his father, My head, my head. and his
father said to a servant, carry him to his mother. 20
And he carried him to his mother, and he lay upon her
knees till noon, and died. 21 And
she carried him up and laid him on the bed of the man of god; and she shut the
door upon him, and went out. 22 And
she called her husband, and said, Send now for me one of the young men, and one
of the asses, and I will ride quickly to the man of God, and return.
23 And he said, Why art thou going to him
to-day? It is neither new moon, nor the Sabbath. And she said, It is
well.
24 And she saddled the ass, and said to
her servant, Be quick, proceed: spare not on my account to ride, unless I shall
tell thee. Go, and thou shalt proceed, and come to the man of God to mount
Carmel. 25 And she rode and came to
the man of God to the mountain: and it came to pass when Elisaie saw her coming,
that he said to Giezi his servant, See now, that Somanite comes.
26 Now run to meet her, and thou shalt say,
Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it
well with the child? and she said, It is well. 27
And she came to Elisaie to the mountain, and laid hold of
his feet; and Giezi drew near to thrust her away. And Elisaie said, Let her
alone, for her soul is much grieved in her, and the Lord has hidden it
from me, and has not told it me. 28
And she said, Did I ask a son of my lord? For did I not say, Do
not deal deceitfully with me?
29 And Elisaie said to Giezi, Gird up
thy loins, and take my staff in thy hand, and go: if thou meet any man, thou
shalt not salute him, and if a man salute thee thou shalt not answer him: and
thou shalt lay my staff on the child’s face. 30
And the mother of the child said, As the Lord lives and
as thy soul lives, I will not leave thee. And Elisaie arose, and went after
her. 31 And Giezi went on before
her, and laid his staff on the child’s face: but there was neither voice nor any
hearing. So he returned to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not
awaked.
32 And Elisaie went into the house, and,
behold, the dead child was laid upon his bed. 33
And Elisaie went into the house, and shut the door upon
themselves, the two, and prayed to the Lord. 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 bowed
himself upon him, and the flesh of the child grew warm. 35
And he returned, and walked up and down in the house: and
he went up, and bowed himself on the child seven times; and the child opened his
eyes. 36 And Elisaie cried out to
Giezi, and said, Call this Somanite. So he called her, and she came in to him:
and Elisaie said, Take thy son. 37
And the woman went in, and fell at his feet, and did obeisance bowing to
the ground; and she took her son, and went out.
38 And Elisaie returned to Galgala: and
a famine was in the land; and the sons of the prophets sat before him:
and Elisaie said to his servant, Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the
sons of the prophets. 39 And he went
out into the field to gather herbs, and found a vine in the field, and gathered
of it wild gourds, his garment full; and he cast it into the caldron of pottage,
for they knew them not. 40
And he poured it out for the men to eat: and it came to pass, when they were
eating of the pottage, that lo! they cried out, and said, There is death
in the pot, O man of God. And they could not eat. 41
And he said, Take meal, and cast it into the pot. And
Elisaie said to his servant Giezi, Pour out for the people, and let them eat.
And there was no longer there any hurtful thing in the pot.
42 And there came a man over from
Baetharisa, and brought to the man of God twenty barley loaves and cakes of
figs, of the first-fruits. And he said, Give to the people, and let them eat.
43 And his servant said, Why should
I set this before a hundred men? and he said, Give to the people, and let them
eat; for thus saith the Lord, They shall eat and leave. 44
And they ate and left, according to the word of the Lord.
Chapter 5
5:1 Now Naiman, the captain of the host
of Syria, was a great man before his master, and highly respected, because by
him the Lord had given deliverance to Syria, and the man was mighty in strength,
but a leper. 2 And the
Syrians went forth in small bands, and took captive out of the land of Israel a
little maid: and she waited on Naiman’s wife. 3
And she said to her mistress, O that my lord were before the
prophet of God in Samaria; then he would recover him from his leprosy.
4 And she went in and told her lord, and
said, Thus and thus spoke the maid from the land of Israel.
5 And the king of Syria said to Naiman,
Go to, go, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel. And he went, and took
in his hand ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten
changes of raiment. 6 And he brought
the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now then, as soon as this letter shall
reach thee, behold, I have sent to thee my servant Naiman, and thou shalt
recover him from his leprosy. 7 And
it came to pass, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he rent
his garments, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this
man sends to me to recover a man of his leprosy? consider, however, I pray
you, and see that this man seeks an occasion against me.
8 And it came to pass, when Elisaie
heard that the king of Israel had rent his garments, that he sent to the king of
Israel, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy garments? Let Naiman, I pray thee,
come to me, and let him know that there is a prophet in Israel.
9 So Naiman came with horse and chariot,
and stood at the door of the house of Elisaie. 10
And Elisaie sent a messenger to him, saying, Go and wash seven
times in Jordan, and thy flesh shall return to thee, and thou shalt be cleansed.
11 And Naiman was angry, and
departed, and said, Behold, I said, He will by all means come out to me, and
stand, and call on the name of his God, and lay his hand upon the place, and
recover the leper. 12 Are not
the Abana and Pharphar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of
Israel? may I not go and wash in them, and be cleansed? and he turned and went
away in a rage. 13 And his servants
came near and said to him, Suppose the prophet had spoken a great thing
to thee, wouldest thou not perform it? yet he has but said to thee, Wash, and be
cleansed. 14 So Naiman went down,
and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the word of Elisaie: and
his flesh returned to him as the flesh of a little child, and he was cleansed.
15 And he and all his company returned
to Elisaie, and he came and stood before him, and said, Behold, I know that
there is no God in all the earth, save only in Israel: and now receive a
blessing of thy servant. 16 And
Elisaie said, As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will not take
one. And he pressed him to take one: but he would not.
17 And Naiman said, Well then, if not, let
there be given to thy servant, I pray thee, the load of a yoke of mules;
and thou shalt give me of the red earth: for henceforth thy servant will not
offer whole-burnt-offering or sacrifice to other gods, but only to the Lord by
reason of this thing. 18 And
l let the Lord be propitious to thy servant when my master goes into the house
of Remman to worship there, and he shall lean on my hand, and I shall bow down
in the house of Remman when he bows down in the house of Remman; even let the
Lord, I pray, be merciful to thy servant in this matter.
19 And Elisaie said to Naiman, Go in peace. And he
departed from him a little way.
20 And Giezi the servant of Elisaie
said, Behold, my Lord has spared this Syrian Naiman, so as not to take of his
hand what he has brought: as the Lord lives, I will surely run after him, and
take somewhat of him. 21 So Giezi
followed after Naiman: and Naiman saw him running after him, and turned back
from his chariot to meet him. 22 And
Giezi said, All is well: my master has sent me, saying, Behold, now are
there come to me two young men of the sons of the prophets from mount Ephraim;
give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of raiment.
23 And Naiman said, Take two talents
of silver. And he took two talents of silver in two bags, and two changes of
raiment, and put them upon two of his servants, and they bore them before him.
24 And he came to a secret place,
and took them from their hands, and laid them up in the house, and dismissed the
men.
25 And he went in himself and stood
before his master; and Elisaie said to him, 26
Whence comest thou, Giezi? and Giezi said, Thy servant has
not been hither or thither. And Elisaie said to him, Went not my heart with
thee, when the man returned from his chariot to meet thee? and now thou hast
received silver, and now thou hast received raiment, and olive yards, and
vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants.
27 The leprosy also of Naiman shall cleave
to thee, and to thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence leprous,
like snow.
Chapter 6
6:1 And the sons of the prophets said to
Elisaie, Behold now, the place wherein we dwell before thee is too narrow for
us. 2 Let us go, we pray thee, unto
Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and make for ourselves a habitation
there. 3 And he said, Go. And one of
them said gently, Come with thy servants. And he said, I will go.
4 And he went with them, and they came to
Jordan, and began to cut down wood. 5
And behold, one was cutting down a beam, and the axe head fell
into the water: and he cried out, Alas! master: and it was hidden.
6 And the man of God said, Where did it
fall? and he shewed him the place: and he broke off a stick, and threw it in
there, and the iron came to the surface. 7
And he said, Take it up to thyself. And he stretched out his
hand, and took it.
8 And the king of Syria was at war with
Israel: and he consulted with his servants, saying, I will encamp in such a
place. 9 And Elisaie sent to the
king of Israel, saying, Take heed that thou pass not by that place, for the
Syrians are hidden there. 10 And the
king of Israel sent to the place which Elisaie mentioned to him, and saved
himself thence not once or twice.
11 And the mind of the king of Syria was
very much disturbed concerning this thing; and he called his servants, and said
to them, Will ye not tell me who betrays me to the king of Israel?
12 And one of his servants said, Nay, my
Lord, O king, for Elisaie the prophet that is in Israel reports to the king of
Israel all the words whatsoever thou mayest say in thy bedchamber.
13 And he said, Go, see where this man
is, and I will send and take him. And they sent word to him, saying, Behold,
he is in Dothaim.
14 And he sent thither horses, and
chariots, and a mighty host: and they came by night, and compassed about the
city. 15 And the servant of Elisaie
rose up early and went out; and, behold, a host compassed the city, and horses
and chariots: and the servant said to him, O master, what shall we do?
16 And Elisaie said, Fear not, for they who
are with us are more than they that are with them.
17 And Elisaie prayed, and said, Lord, open, I pray thee,
the eyes of the servant, and let him see. And the Lord opened his eyes, and he
saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses, and there were
chariots of fire round about Elisaie. 18
And they came down to him; and he prayed to the Lord, and said,
Smite, I pray thee, this people with blindness. And he smote them with
blindness, according to the word of Elisaie. 19
And Elisaie said to them, This is not the city, and this
is not the way: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek.
And he led them away to Samaria. 20
And it came to pass when they entered into Samaria, that Elisaie said, Open, I
pray thee, O Lord, their eyes, and let them see. And the Lord opened their eyes,
and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
21 And the king of Israel said to
Elisaie, when he saw them, Shall I not verily smite them, my
father? 22 And he said, Thou shalt
not smite them, unless thou wouldest smite those whom thou hast taken captive
with thy sword and with thy bow: set bread and water before them, and let them
eat and drink, and depart to their master. 23
And he set before them a great feast, and they ate and drank: and
he dismissed them and they departed to their master. And the bands of Syria came
no longer into the land of Israel.
24 And it came to pass after this, that
the son of Ader king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up, and besieged
Samaria. 25 And there was a great
famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass’s head was
valued at fifty pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s
dung at five pieces of silver.
26 And the king of Israel was passing by
on the wall, and a woman cried to him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.
27 And he said to her, Unless the Lord help
thee, whence shall I help thee? from the corn-floor, or from the wine-press?
28 And the king said to her, What is
the matter with thee? And the woman said to him, This woman said
to me, Give thy son, and we will eat him to-day, and we will eat my son
to-morrow. 29 So we boiled my son,
and ate him; and I said to her on the second day, Give thy son, and let us eat
him: and she has hidden her son. 30
And it came to pass, when the king of Israel heard the words of the woman,
that he rent his garments; and he passed by on the wall, and the people saw
sackcloth within upon his flesh. 31
And he said, God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisaie shall stand
upon him this day.
32 And Elisaie was sitting in his house,
and the elders were sitting with him; and the king sent a man before him:
before the messenger came to him, he also said to the elders, Do ye see that
this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? See, as soon as the
messenger shall have come, shut the door, and forcibly detain him at the door:
is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?
33 While he was yet speaking with them, behold, a
messenger came to him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the Lord; why
should I wait for the Lord any longer?
Chapter 7
7:1 And Elisaie said, Hear thou the word
of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord, As at this time, to-morrow a measure of fine
flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a
shekel, in the gates of Samaria. 2
And the officer on whose hand the king rested, answered Elisaie, and said,
Behold, if the Lord shall make flood-gates in heaven, might this thing
be? and Elisaie said, Behold, thou shalt see with thine eyes, but shalt not eat
thereof.
3 And there were four leprous men by the
gate of the city: and one said to his neighbour, Why sit we here until we die?
4 If we should say, Let us go into
the city, then there is famine in the city, and we shall die there: and
if we sit here, then we shall die. Now then come, and let us fall upon the camp
of the Syrians: if they should take us alive, then we shall live; and if they
should put us to death, then we shall only die. 5
And they rose up while it was yet night, to go into the
camp of Syria; and they came into a part of the camp of Syria, and behold, there
was no man there. 6 For the
Lord had made the army of Syria to hear a sound of chariots, and a sound of
horses, even the sound of a great host: and each man said to his
fellow, Now has the king of Israel hired against us the kings of the Chettites,
and the kings of Egypt, to come against us. 7
And they arose and fled while it was yet dark, and left their
tents, and their horses, and their asses in the camp, as they were, and fled for
their lives.
8 And these lepers entered a little way
into the camp, and went into one tent, and ate and drank, and took thence
silver, and gold, and raiment; and they went and returned thence, and entered
into another tent, and took thence, and went and hid the spoil.
9 And one man said to his neighbour,
We are not doing well thus: this day is a day of glad tidings, and we
hold our peace, and are waiting till the morning light, and shall find mischief:
now them come, and let us go into the city, and report to the house of
the king.
10 So they went and cried toward the
gate of the city, and reported to them, saying, We went into the camp of Syria,
and, behold, there is not there a man, nor voice of man, only horses tied and
asses, and their tents as they were. 11
And the porters cried aloud, and reported to the house of the
king within.
12 And the king rose up by night, and
said to his servants, I will now tell you what the Syrians have done to us. They
knew that we are hungry; and they have gone forth from the camp and hidden
themselves in the field, saying, They will come out of the city, and we shall
catch them alive, and go into the city. 13
And one of his servants answered and said, Let them now take five
of the horses that were left, which were left here; behold, they are the number
left to all the multitude of Israel; and we will send thither and see.
14 So they took two horsemen; and the king
of Israel sent after the king of Syria, saying, Go, and see.
15 And they went after them even to Jordan:
and, behold, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had
cast away in their panic. and the messengers returned, and brought word to the
king.
16 And the people went out, and
plundered the camp of Syria: and a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel,
according to the word of the Lord, and two measures of barley for a shekel.
17 And the king appointed the
officer on whose hand the king leaned to have charge over the gate: and
the people trampled on him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had
said, who spoke when the messenger came down to him. 18
So it came to pass as Elisaie had spoken to the king,
saying, Two measures of barley shall be sold for a shekel, and a measure
of fine flour for a shekel; and it shall be as at this time to-morrow in the
gate of Samaria. 19 And the officer
answered Elisaie, and said, Behold, if the Lord makes flood-gates in
heaven, shall this thing be? and Elisaie said, Behold, thou shalt see it
with thine eyes, but thou shalt not eat thereof. 20
And it was so: for the people trampled on him in the gate, and he
died.
Chapter 8
8:1 And Elisaie spoke to the woman,
whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thy
house, and sojourn wherever thou mayest sojourn: for the Lord has called for a
famine upon the land; indeed it is come upon the land for seven years.
2 And the woman arose, and did
according to the word of Elisaie, both she and her house; and they sojourned in
the land of the Philistines seven years.
3 And it came to pass after the
expiration of the seven years, that the woman returned out of the land of the
Philistines to the city; and came to cry to the king for her house and for her
lands. 4 And the king spoke to Giezi
the servant of Elisaie the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the
great things which Elisaie has done. 5
And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had
restored to life the dead son, behold, the woman whose son Elisaie restored to
life came crying to the king for her house and for her lands. And Giezi
said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son,
whom Elisaie restored to life. 6 And
the king asked the woman, and she told him: and the king appointed her a eunuch,
saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field from the day
that she left the land until now.
7 And Elisaie came to Damascus; and the
king of Syria the son of Ader was ill, and they brought him word, saying, The
man of God is come hither. 8 And the
king said to Azael, Take in thine hand a present, and go to meet the man of God,
and enquire of the Lord by him, saying, Shall I recover of this my disease?
9 And Azael went to meet him, and he
took a present in his hand, and all the good things of Damascus, forty camels’
load, and came and stood before him, and said to Elisaie, Thy son the son of
Ader, the king of Syria, has sent me to thee to enquire, saying, Shall I recover
of this my disease? 10 And Elisaie
said, Go, say, Thou shalt certainly live; yet the Lord has shewed me that thou
shalt surely die. 11 And he stood
before him, and fixed his countenance till he was ashamed: and the man of
God wept. 12 And Azael said, Why
does my lord weep? And he said, Because I know all the evil that thou wilt do to
the children of Israel: thou wilt utterly destroy their strong holds with fire,
and thou wilt slay their choice men with the sword, and thou wilt dash their
infants against the ground, and their women with child thou wilt rip up.
13 And Azael said, Who is thy
servant? a dead dog, that he should do this thing? And Elisaie said, The Lord
has shewn me thee ruling over Syria. 14
And he departed from Elisaie, and went in to his lord; and he
said to him, What said Elisaie to thee? and he said, He said to me, Thou shalt
surely live. 15 And it came to pass
on the next day that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and put it
on his face, and he died: and Azael reigned in his stead.
16 In the fifth year of Joram son of
Achaab king of Israel, and while Josaphat was king of Juda, Joram the son of
Josaphat king of Juda began to reign. 17
Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he
reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 18
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house
of Achaab; for the daughter of Achaab was his wife: and he did that which was
evil in the sight of the Lord. 19
But the Lord would not destroy Juda for David his servant’s sake, as he said he
would give a light to him and to his sons continually.
20 In his days Edom revolted from under
the hand of Juda, and they made a king over themselves. 21
And Joram went up to Sior, and all the chariots that were
with him: and it came to pass after he had arisen, that he smote Edom who
compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots; and the people fled to
their tents. 22 Yet Edom revolted
from under the hand of Juda till this day. Then Lobna revolted at that time.
23 And the rest of the acts of Joram,
and all that he did, behold, are not these written in the book of the chronicles
of the kings of Juda? 24 So Joram
slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of his
father David: and Ochozias his son reigned in his stead.
25 In the twelfth year of Joram son of
Achaab king of Israel, Ochozias son of Joram began to reign.
26 Twenty and two years old was
Ochozias when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem: and the
name of his mother was Gotholia, daughter of Ambri king of Israel.
27 And he walked in the way of the house of
Achaab, and did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as did the house
of Achaab. 28 And he went with Joram
the son of Achaab to war against Azael king of the Syrians in Remmoth Galaad;
and the Syrians wounded Joram. 29
And king Joram returned to be healed in Jezrael of the wounds with which they
wounded him in Remmoth, when he fought with Azael king of Syria. And Ochozias
son of Joram went down to see Joram the son of Achaab in Jezrael, because he was
sick.
Chapter 9
9:1 And Elisaie the prophet called one
of the sons of the prophets, and said to him, Gird up thy loins, and take this
cruse of oil in thy hand, and go to Remmoth Galaad. 2
And thou shalt enter there, and shalt see there Ju the son
of Josaphat son of Namessi, and shalt go in and make him rise up from among his
brethren, and shalt bring him into a secret chamber. 3
And thou shalt take the cruse of oil, and pour it
on his head, and say thou, Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over
Israel: and thou shalt open the door, and flee, and not tarry.
4 And the young man the prophet went to
Remmoth Galaad.
5 And he went in, and, behold, the
captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have a message to thee, O
captain. And Ju said, To which of all us? And he said, To thee, O captain.
6 And he arose, and went into the
house: and he poured the oil upon his head, and said to him, Thus saith the Lord
God of Israel, I have anointed thee to be king over the people of the Lord, even
over Israel. 7 And thou shalt
utterly destroy the house of Achaab thy master from before me, and shalt avenge
the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the
Lord, at the hand of Jezabel, 8 and
at the hand of the whole house of Achaab: and thou shalt utterly cut off from
the house of Achaab every male, and him that is shut up and left in Israel.
9 And I will make the house of
Achaab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, and as the house of Baasa
the son of Achia. 10 And the dogs
shall eat Jezabel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury
her. And he opened the door, and fled.
11 And Ju went forth to the servants of
his lord, and they said to him, Is all well? Why came this mad fellow in
to thee? And he said to them, Ye know the man, and his communication.
12 And they said, It is wrong: tell
us now. And Ju said to them, Thus and thus spoke he to me, saying, —and he said,
Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee to be king over Israel.
13 And when they heard it, they hasted, and
took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and
blew with the trumpet, and said, Ju is king.
14 So Ju the son of Josaphat the son of
Namessi conspired against Joram, and Joram was defending Remmoth Galaad, he and
all Israel, because of Azael king of Syria. 15
And king Joram had returned to be healed in Jezrael of the wounds
which the Syrians had given him, in his war with Azael king of Syria.
And Ju said, If your heart is with me, let there not go forth
out of the city one fugitive to go and report to Jezrael.
16 And Ju rode and advanced, and came down to Jezrael; for
Joram king of Israel was getting healed in Jezrael of the arrow-wounds wherewith
the Syrians had wounded him in Rammath in the war with Azael king of
Syria; for he was strong and a mighty man: and Ochozias king of Juda was
come down to see Joram. 17 And there
went up a watchman upon the tower of Jezrael, and saw the dust made by Ju
as he approached; and he said, I see dust. And Joram said, Take a horseman, and
send to meet them, and let him say, Peace. 18
And there went a horseman to meet them, and said, Thus says the
king, Peace. And Ju said, What hast thou to do with peace? turn behind me. And
the watchman reported, saying, The messenger came up to them, and has not
returned. 19 And he sent another
horseman, and he came to him, and said, Thus says the king, Peace. And Ju said,
What hast thou to do with peace? turn behind me. 20
And the watchman reported, saying, He came up to them, and has
not returned: and the driver drives Ju the son of Namessi, for it is with
furious haste. 21 And Joram
said, Make ready. And one made ready the chariot: and Joram the king of Israel
went forth, and Ochozias king of Juda, each in his chariot, and they went to
meet Ju, and found him in the portion of Nabuthai the Jezraelite.
22 And it came to pass when Joram saw Ju,
that he said, Is it peace, Ju? And Ju said, How can it be peace?
as yet there are the whoredoms of thy mother Jezabel, and her abundant
witchcrafts. 23 And Joram turned his
hands, and fled, and said to Ochozias, Treachery, Ochozias.
24 And Ju bent his bow with his full
strength, and smote Joram between his arms, and his arrow went out at his heart,
and he bowed upon his knees. 25 And
Ju said to Badecar his chief officer, Cast him into the portion of ground
of Nabuthai the Jezraelite, for I and thou remember, riding as we were on
chariots after Achaab his father, that the Lord took up this burden against him,
saying, 26 Surely, I have
seen yesterday the blood of Nabuthai, and the blood of his sons, saith the Lord;
and I will recompense him in this portion, saith the Lord. Now then, I pray
thee, take him up and cast him into the portion, according to the word of the
Lord.
27 And Ochozias king of Juda saw it,
and fled by the way of Baethgan. And Ju pursued after him, and said, Slay
him also. And one smote him in the chariot at the going up of Gai, which is
Jeblaam: and he fled to Mageddo, and died there. 28
And his servants put him on a chariot, and brought him to
Jerusalem, and they buried him in his sepulchre in the city of David.
29 And in the eleventh year of Joram
king of Israel, Ochozias began to reign over Juda.
30 And Ju came to Jezrael; and Jezabel
heard of it, and coloured her eyes, and adorned her head, and looked
through the window. 31 And Ju
entered into the city; and she said, Had Zambri, the murderer of his master,
peace? 32 And he lifted up his face
toward the window, and saw her, and said, Who art thou? Come down with me. And
two eunuchs looked down towards him. 33
And he said, Throw her down. And they threw her down;
and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and they
trampled on her. 34 And Ju
went in and ate and drank, and said, Look now, after this cursed woman, and bury
her, for she is a king’s daughter. 35
And they went to bury her; but they found nothing of her but the
skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands. 36
And they returned and told him. And he said, It is the
word of the Lord, which he spoke by the hand of Eliu the Thesbite, saying, In
the portion of Jezrael shall the dogs eat the flesh of Jezabel.
37 And the carcass of Jezabel shall be as
dung on the face of the field in the portion of Jezrael, so that they shall not
say, This is Jezabel.
Chapter 10
10:1 And Achaab had seventy sons
in Samaria. And Ju wrote a letter, and sent it into Samaria to the rulers of
Samaria, and to the elders, and to the guardians of the children of
Achaab, saying. 2 Now then, as soon
as this letter shall have reached you, whereas there are with you the
sons of your master, and with you chariots and horses, and strong cities, and
arms, 3 do ye accordingly look out
the best and fittest among your master’s sons, and set him on the throne of his
father, and fight for the house of your master. 4
And they feared greatly, and said, Behold, two kings stood not
before him: and how shall we stand? 5
So they that were over the house, and they that were over the
city, and the elders and the guardians, sent to Ju, saying, We also are
thy servants, and whatsoever thou shalt say to us we will do; we will not make
any man king: we will do that which is right in thine eyes.
6 And Ju wrote them a second letter,
saying, If ye are for me, and hearken to my voice, take the heads of the
men your master’s sons, and bring them to me at this time to-morrow in
Jezrael. Now the sons of the king were seventy men; these great men of the city
brought them up. 7 And it came to
pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king’s sons, and slew
them, even seventy men, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to
him at Jezrael. 8 And a messenger
came and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king’s
sons. And he said, Lay them in two heaps by the door of the gate until
the morning. 9 And the morning came,
and he went forth, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye are righteous:
behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?
10 See now that there shall not fall
to the ground anything of the word of the Lord which the Lord spoke against the
house of Achaab: for the Lord has performed all that he spoke of by the hand of
his servant Eliu. 11 And Ju smote
all that were left of the house of Achaab in Jezrael, and all his great men, and
his acquaintance, and his priests, so as not to leave him any remnant.
12 And he arose and went to Samaria,
and he was in the house of sheep-shearing in the way.
13 And Ju found the brethren of Ochozias
king of Juda, and said, Who are ye? And they said, We are the
brethren of Ochozias, and we have come down to salute the sons of the king, and
the sons of the queen. 14 And he
said, Take them alive. And they slew them at the shearing-house, forty and two
men: he left not a man of them.
15 And he went thence and found Jonadab
the son of Rechab coming to meet him; and he saluted him, and Ju said to
him, Is thy heart right with my heart, as my heart is with thy heart? And
Jonadab said, It is. And Ju said, If it is then, give me thy hand. And he gave
him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot.
16 And he said to him, Come with me, and see me zealous
for the Lord. And he caused him to sit in his chariot.
17 And he entered into Samaria, and
smote all that were left of Achaab in Samaria, until he had utterly destroyed
him, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke to Eliu.
18 And Ju gathered all the people, and said
to them, Achaab served Baal a little; Ju shall serve him much.
19 Now then do all ye the prophets
of Baal call all his servants and his priests to me; let not a man be wanting:
for I have a great sacrifice to offer to Baal; every one who shall be
missing shall die. But Ju did it in subtilty, that he might destroy the servants
of Baal.
20 And Ju said, Sanctify a solemn
festival to Baal, and they made a proclamation. 21
And Ju sent throughout all Israel, saying, Now then let all
Baal’s servants, and all his priests, and all his prophets come, let
none be lacking: for I am going to offer a great sacrifice; whosoever shall be
missing, shall not live. So all the servants of Baal came, and all his priests,
and all his prophets: there was not one left who came not. And they entered into
the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was filled from one end to the other.
22 And he said to the man who was
over the house of the wardrobe, Bring forth a robe for all the servants of Baal.
And the keeper of the robes brought forth to them. 23
And Ju and Jonadab the son of Rechab entered into the
house of Baal, and said to the servants of Baal, Search, and see whether there
is among you any of the servants of the Lord, or only the servants of Baal, by
themselves. 24 And he went in to
offer sacrifices and whole-burnt-offerings; and Ju set for himself eighty men
without, and said, Every man who shall escape of the men whom I bring into your
hand, the life of him that spares him shall go for his life.
25 And it came to pass, when he had
finished offering the whole-burnt-offering, that Ju said to the footmen and to
the officers, Go ye in and slay them; let not a man of them escape. So they
smote them with the edge of the sword, and the footmen and the officers cast
the bodies forth, and went to the city of the house of Baal.
26 And they brought out the pillar of Baal,
and burnt it. 27 And they tore down
the pillars of Baal, and made his house a draught-house until this day.
28 So Ju abolished Baal out of Israel.
29 Nevertheless Ju departed not from
following the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who led Israel to sin: these
were the golden heifers in Baethel and in Dan.
30 And the Lord said to Ju, Because of
all thy deeds wherein thou hast acted well in doing that which was right in my
eyes, according to all things which thou hast done to the house of Achaab as
they were in my heart, thy sons to the fourth generation shall sit upon the
throne of Israel. 31 But Ju took no
heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart: he
departed not from following the sins of Jeroboam, who made Israel to sin.
32 In those days the Lord began to cut
Israel short; and Azael smote them in every coast of Israel;
33 from Jordan eastward all the land of
Galaad belonging to the Gadites, of Gaddi and that of Ruben, and of Manasses,
from Aroer, which is on the brink of the brook of Arnon, and Galaad and Basan.
34 And the rest of the acts of Ju, and
all that he did, and all his might, and the wars wherein he engaged, are
not these things written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
35 And Ju slept with his fathers;
and they buried him in Samaria: and Joachaz his son reigned in his stead.
36 And the days which Ju reigned over
Israel were twenty-eight years in Samaria.
Chapter 11
11:1 And Gotholia the mother of Ochozias
saw that her son was dead, and she destroyed all the seed royal.
2 And Josabee daughter of king Joram,
sister of Ochozias, took Joas the son of her brother, and stole him from among
the king’s sons that were put to death, secreting him and his nurse in
the bedchamber, and hid him from the face of Gotholia, and he was not slain.
3 And he remained with her hid in
the house of the Lord six years: and Gotholia reigned over the land.
4 And in the seventh year Jodae sent and
took the captains of hundreds of the Chorri and of the Rhasim, and brought them
to him into the house of the Lord, and made a covenant of the Lord with them,
and adjured them, and Jodae shewed them the king’s son. 5
And charged them, saying, This is the thing which
ye shall do. 6 Let a third part of
you go in on the sabbath-day, and keep ye the watch of the king’s house
in the porch; and another third in the gate of the high way, and a third at the
gate behind the footmen; and keep ye the guard of the house.
7 And there shall be two parties
among you, even every one that goes out on the Sabbath, and they shall keep the
guard of the Lord’s house before the king. 8
And do ye compass the king about every man with his weapon in his
hand, and he that goes into the ranges shall die: and they shall be with the
king in his going out and in his coming in.
9 And the captains of hundreds did all
things that the wise Jodae commanded; and they took each his men, both those
that went in on the sabbath-day, and those that went out on the sabbath-day, and
went in to Jodae the priest. 10 And
the priest gave to the captains of hundreds the swords and spears of king David
that were in the house of the Lord. 11
And the footmen stood each with his weapon in his hand from the
right corner of the house to the left corner of the house, by the altar
and the house round about the king. 12
And he brought forth the king’s son, and put upon him the crown
and gave him the testimony; and he made him king, and anointed him: and
they clapped their hands, and said, Long live the king.
13 And Gotholia heard the sound of the
people running, and she went in to the people to the house of the Lord.
14 And she looked, and, behold, the king
stood near a pillar according to the manner; and the singers and the trumpeters
were before the king and all the people of the land even rejoicing and
sounding with trumpets: and Gotholia rent her garments, and cried, A conspiracy,
a conspiracy. 15 And Jodae the
priest commanded the captains of hundreds who were over the host, and said to
them, Bring her forth without the ranges, and he that goes in after her
shall certainly die by the sword. For the priest said, Let her not however be
slain in the house of the Lord. 16
And they laid hands upon her, and went in by the way of the horses’ entrance
into the house of the Lord, and she was slain there.
17 And Jodae made a covenant between the
Lord and the king and the people, that they should be the Lord’s people; also
between the king and the people. 18
And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and tore it down,
and completely broke in pieces his altars and his images, and they slew Mathan
the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed overseers over
the house of the Lord. 19 And he
took the captains of the hundreds, and the Chorri, and the Rhasim, and all the
people of the land, and brought down the king out of the house of the Lord; and
they went in by the way of the gate of the footmen of the king’s house, and
seated him there on the throne of the kings. 20
And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was at
rest: and they slew Gotholia with the sword in the house of the king.
21 Joas was seven years old when
he began to reign.
Chapter 12
12:1 Joas began to reign in the seventh
year of Ju, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name
was Sabia of Bersabee. 2 And
Joas did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days that Jodae
the priest instructed him. 3 Only
there were not any of the high places removed, and the people still
sacrificed there, and burned incense on the high places.
4 And Joas said to the priests, As
for all the money of the holy things that is brought into the house of the
Lord, the money of valuation, as each man brings the money of valuation,
all the money which any man may feel disposed to bring into the house of the
Lord, 5 let the priests take it to
themselves, every man from the proceeds of his sale: and they shall
repair the breaches of the house in all places wheresoever a breach shall
be found.
6 And it came to pass in the
twenty-third year of king Joas the priests had not repaired the breaches
of the house. 7 And king Joas called
Jodae the priest, and the other priests, and said to them, Why have ye
not repaired the breaches of the house? now then receive no more money
from your sales, for ye shall give it to repair the breaches of the
house. 8 And the priests consented
to receive no more money of the people, and not to repair the breaches of the
house. 9 And Jodae the priest took a
chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it by the altar in the house
of a man belonging to the house of the Lord, and the priests that kept
the door put therein all the money that was found in the house of the
Lord.
10 And it came to pass, when they saw
that there was much money in the chest, that the king’s scribe and the
high priest went up, and they tied up and counted the money that was found in
the house of the Lord. 11 And they
gave the money that had been collected into the hands of them that wrought the
works, the overseers of the house of the Lord; and they gave it out to the
carpenters and to the builders that wrought in the house of the Lord.
12 And to the masons, and to the hewers of
stone, to purchase timber and hewn stone to repair the breaches of the house of
the Lord, for all that was spent on the house of the Lord to repair it.
13 Only there were not to be made
for the house of the Lord silver plates, studs, bowls, or trumpets, any vessel
of gold or vessel of silver, of the money that was brought into the house of the
Lord: 14 for they were to give it to
the workmen, and they repaired therewith the house of the Lord.
15 Also they took no account of the men
into whose hands they gave the money to give to the workmen, for they acted
faithfully. 16 Money for a
sin-offering, and money for a trespass-offering, whatever happened to be brought
into the house of the Lord, went to the priests.
17 Then went up Azael king of Syria, and
fought against Geth, and took it: and Azael set his face to go against
Jerusalem. 18 And Joas king of Juda
took all the holy things which Josaphat, and Joram, Ochozias, his fathers, and
kings of Juda had consecrated, and what he had himself dedicated, and all
the gold that was found in the treasures of the Lord’s house and the king’s
house, and he sent them to Azael king of Syria; and he went up from
Jerusalem.
19 And the rest of the acts of Joas, and
all that he did, behold, are not these things written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Juda? 20
And his servants rose up and made a conspiracy, and smote Joas in the house of
Mallo that is in Sela. 21 And
Jezirchar the son of Jemuath, and Jezabuth Somer’s son, his servants, smote him,
and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and
Amessias his son reigned in his stead.
Chapter 13
13:1 In the twenty-third year of Joas
son of Ochozias king of Juda began Joachaz the son of Ju to reign in Samaria,
and he reigned seventeen years. 2
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and
walked after the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who led Israel to sin; he
departed not from them.
3 And the Lord was very angry with
Israel, and delivered them into the hand of Azael king of Syria, and into the
hand of the son of Ader son of Azael, all their days. 4
And Joachaz besought the Lord, and the Lord hearkened to
him, for he saw the affliction of Israel, because the king of Syria afflicted
them. 5 And the Lord gave
deliverance to Israel, and they escaped from under the hand of Syria: and the
children of Israel dwelt in their tents as heretofore. 6
Only they departed not from the sins of the house of
Jeroboam, who led Israel to sin: they walked in them—moreover the grove also
remained in Samaria. 7 Whereas there
was not left any army to Joachaz, except fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and
ten thousand infantry: for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and they made
them as dust for trampling.
8 And the rest of the acts of Joachaz,
and all that he did, and his mighty acts are not these things written in
the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 9
And Joachaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in
Samaria: and Joas his son reigned in his stead.
10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joas
king of Juda, Joas the son of Joachaz began to reign over Israel in Samaria
sixteen years. 11 And he did that
which was evil in the sight of the Lord; he departed not from all the sin of
Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who led Israel to sin: he walked in it.
12 And the rest of the acts of Joas, and
all that he did, and his mighty acts which he performed together with Amessias
king of Juda, are not these written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Israel? 13 And Joas slept
with his fathers, and Jeroboam sat upon his throne, and he was buried in Samaria
with the kings of Israel.
14 Now Elisaie was sick of his sickness,
whereof he died: and Joas king of Israel went down to him, and wept over his
face, and said, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and
the horseman thereof! 15 And Elisaie
said to him, Take bow and arrows. And he took to himself a bow and arrows.
16 And he said to the king, Put thy
hand on the bow. And Joas put his hand upon it: and Elisaie put his hands
upon the king’s hands. 17 And he
said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. And Elisaie said, Shoot. And
he shot. And Elisaie said, The arrow of the Lord’s deliverance, and the
arrow of deliverance from Syria; and thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphec until
thou have consumed them. 18 And
Elisaie said to him, Take bow and arrows. And he took them. And he said
to the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And the king smote three times,
and stayed. 19 And the man of God
was grieved at him, and said, If thou hadst smitten five or six times, then thou
shouldest have smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed them; but now thou shalt
smite Syria only thrice.
20 And Elisaie died, and they buried
him. And the bands of the Moabites came into the land, at the beginning of the
year. 21 And it came to pass as they
were burying a man, that behold, they saw a band of men, and they cast
the man into the grave of Elisaie: and as soon as he touched the bones of
Elisaie, he revived and stood up on his feet.
22 And Azael greatly afflicted Israel
all the days of Joachaz. 23 And the
Lord had mercy and compassion upon them, and had respect to them because of his
covenant with Abraam, and Isaac, and Jacob; and the Lord would not destroy them,
and did not cast them out from his presence. 24
And Azael king of Syria died, and the son of Ader his son reigned
in his stead. 25 And Joas the son of
Joachaz returned, and took the cities out of the hand of the son of Ader the son
of Azael, which he had taken out of the hand of Joachaz his father in the war:
thrice did Joas smite him, and he recovered the cities of Israel.
Chapter 14
14:1 In the second year of Joas the son
of Joachaz king of Israel, did Amessias also the son of Joas the king of Juda
begin to reign. 2 Twenty and five
years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in
Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Joadim of Jerusalem.
3 And he did that which was right in the
sight of the Lord, but not as David his father: he did according to all things
that his father Joas did. 4 Only he
removed not the high places: as yet the people sacrificed and burnt incense on
the high places. 5 And it came to
pass when the kingdom was established in his hand, that he slew his servants
that had slain the king his father. 6
But he slew not the sons of those that had slain him; according
as it is written in the book of the laws of Moses, as the Lord gave commandment,
saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, and the children
shall not be put to death for the fathers; but every one shall die for his own
sins. 7 He smote of Edom ten
thousand in the valley of salt, and took the Rock in the war, and called its
name Jethoel until this day.
8 Then Amessias sent messengers to Joas
son of Joachaz son of Ju king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another
in the face. 9 And Joas the king of
Israel sent to Amessias king of Juda, saying, The thistle that was in Libanus
sent to the cedar that was in Libanus, saying, Give my daughter to thy son to
wife: and the wild beasts of the field that were in Libanus passed by and trod
down the thistle. 10 Thou hast
smitten and wounded Edom, and thy heart has lifted thee up: stay at home and
glorify thyself; for wherefore art thou quarrelsome to thy hurt? So both
thou wilt fall and Juda with thee.
11 Nevertheless Amessias hearkened not:
so Joas king of Israel went up, and he and Amessias king of Juda looked one
another in the face in Baethsamys of Juda. 12
And Juda was overthrown before Israel, and every man fled
to his tent. 13 And Joas king of
Israel took Amessias the son of Joas the son of Ochozias, in Baethsamys; and he
came to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, beginning at the
gate of Ephraim as far as the gate of the corner, four hundred cubits.
14 And he took the gold, and the silver,
and all the vessels that were found in the house of the Lord, and in the
treasures of the king’s house, and the hostages, and returned to Samaria.
15 And the rest of the acts of Joas,
even all that he did in his might, how he warred with Amessias king of Juda,
are not these things written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of
Israel? 16 And Joas slept with his
fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his
son reigned in his stead.
17 And Amessias the son of Joas king of
Juda lived after the death of Joas son of Joachaz king of Israel fifteen years.
18 And the rest of the acts of
Amessias, and all that he did, are not these written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Juda? 19
And they formed a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachis:
and they sent after him to Lachis, and slew him there. 20
And they brought him upon horses; and he was buried in
Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.
21 And all the people of Juda took
Azarias, and he was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his
father Amessias. 22 He built Æloth,
and restored it to Juda, after the king slept with his fathers.
23 In the fifteenth year of Amessias son
of Joas king of Juda began Jeroboam son of Joas to reign over Israel in Samaria
forty and one years. 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 Nabat, who led Israel to sin. 25
He recovered the coast of Israel from the entering in of
Æmath to the sea of Araba, according to the word of the Lord God of Israel,
which he spoke by his servant Jonas the son of Amathi, the prophet of
Gethchopher. 26 For the Lord saw
that the affliction of Israel was very bitter, and that they were few
in number, straitened and in want, and destitute, and Israel had no helper.
27 And the Lord said that he would
not blot out the seed of Israel from under heaven; so he delivered them by the
hand of Jeroboam the son of Joas.
28 And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam
and all that he did, and his mighty deeds, which he achieved in war, and how he
recovered Damascus and Æmath to Juda in Israel, are not these things
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
29 And Jeroboam slept with his fathers,
even with the kings of Israel; and Zacharias his son reigned in his stead.
Chapter 15
15:1 In the twenty-seventh year of
Jeroboam king of Israel Azarias the son of Amessias king of Juda began to reign.
2 Sixteen years old was he when he
began to reign, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s
name was Jechelia of Jerusalem. 3
And he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all things
that Amessias his father did. 4 Only
he took not away any of the high places: as yet the people sacrificed and
burnt incense on the high places.
5 And the Lord plagued the king, and he
was leprous till the day of his death; and he reigned in a separate house. And
Joatham the king’s son was over the household, judging the people of the
land.
6 And the rest of the acts of Azarias,
and all that he did, are not these written in the book of the chronicles
of the kings of Juda? 7 And Azarias
slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the city of
David: and Joatham his son reigned in his stead.
8 In the thirty and eighth year of
Azarias king of Juda Zacharias the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in
Samaria six months. 9 And he did
that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord, as his fathers had done: he
departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who made Israel to
sin. 10 And Sellum the son of Jabis
and others conspired against him, and they smote him in Keblaam,
and slew him, and he reigned in his stead. 11
And the rest of the acts of Zacharias, behold, they are written
in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. 12
This was the word of the Lord which he spoke to Ju,
saying, Thy sons of the fourth generation shall sit upon the throne of Israel:
and it was so.
13 And Sellum the son of Jabis reigned:
and in the thirty and ninth year of Azarias king of Juda began Sellum to reign a
full month in Samaria. 14 And Manaem
the son of Gaddi went up out of Tharsila, and came to Samaria, and smote Sellum
the son of Jabis in Samaria, and slew him. 15
And the rest of the acts of Sellum, and his conspiracy wherein he
was engaged, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings
of Israel.
16 Then Manaem smote both Thersa and all
that was in it, and its borders extending beyond Thersa, because they opened not
to him: and he smote it, and ripped up the women with child.
17 In the thirty and ninth year of
Azarias king of Juda began Manaem the son of Gaddi to reign over Israel in
Samaria ten years. 18 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 Nabat, who led Israel to sin. 19
In his days went up Phua king of the Assyrians against the
land: and Manaem gave to Phua a thousand talents of silver to aid him with his
power. 20 And Manaem raised the
silver by a tax upon Israel, even on every mighty man in wealth, to give
to the king of the Assyrians, fifty shekels levied on each man; and the
king of the Assyrians departed, and remained not there in the land.
21 And the rest of the acts of Manaem, and
all that he did, behold, are not these written in the book of the chronicles of
the kings of Israel? 22 And Manaem
slept with his fathers; and Phakesias his son reigned in his stead.
23 In the fiftieth year of Azarias king
of Juda, began Phakesias the son of Manaem to reign over Israel in Samaria two
years. 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 Nabat, who made Israel to sin. 25
And Phakee the son of Romelias, his officer, conspired against
him, and smote him in Samaria in the front of the king’s house, with Argob and
Aria, and with him there were fifty men of the four hundred: and he slew
him, and reigned in his stead. 26
And the rest of the acts of Phakesias, and all that he did, behold, they are
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
27 In the fifty-second year of Azarias
king of Juda began Phakee the son of Romelias to reign over Israel in Samaria
twenty years. 28 And he did that
which was evil in the eyes of the Lord: he departed not from all the sins of
Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who led Israel to sin. 29
In the days of Phakee king of Israel came
Thalgath-phellasar king of the Assyrians, and took Ain, and Abel, and Thamaacha,
and Anioch, and Kenez, and Asor, and Galaa, and Galilee, even all the
land of Nephthali, and carried them away to the Assyrians.
30 And Osee son of Ela formed a conspiracy
against Phakee the son of Romelias, and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in
his stead, in the twentieth year of Joatham the son of Azarias.
31 And the rest of the acts of Phakee, and
all that he did, behold, these are written in the book of the chronicles
of the kings of Israel.
32 In the second year of Phakee son of
Romelias king of Israel began Joatham the son of Azarias king of Juda to reign.
33 Twenty and five years old was he
when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and his
mother’s name was Jerusa daughter of Sadoc. 34
And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord,
according to all things that his father Azarias did. 35
Nevertheless he took not away the high places: as yet the
people sacrificed and burnt incense on the high places. He built the upper gate
of the Lord’s house. 36 And the rest
of the acts of Joatham, and all that he did, are not these written in the
book of the chronicles of the kings of Juda?
37 In those days the Lord began to send
forth against Juda Raasson king of Syria, and Phakee son of Romelias.
38 And Joatham slept with his fathers, and
was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Achaz his son
reigned in his stead.
Chapter 16
16:1 In the seventeenth year of Phakee
son of Romelias began Achaz the son of Joatham king of Juda to reign.
2 Twenty years old was Achaz when he began
to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not that which
was right in the eyes of the Lord his God faithfully, as David his father had
done. 3 And he walked in the way
of the kings of Israel, yea, he 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. 4 And he
sacrificed and burnt incense on the high places, and upon the hills, and under
every shady tree.
5 Then went up Raasson king of Syria and
Phakee son of Romelias king of Israel against Jerusalem to war, and besieged
Achaz, but could not prevail against him. 6
At that time Raasson king of Syria recovered Ælath to Syria, and
drove out the Jews from Ælath, and the Idumeans came to Ælath, and dwelt there
until this day. 7 And Achaz sent
messengers to Thalgath-phellasar king of the Assyrians, saying, I am thy servant
and thy son: come up, deliver me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out
of the hand of the king of Israel, who are rising up against me.
8 And Achaz took the silver and the gold
that was found in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and of the king’s
house, and sent gifts to the king. 9
And the king of the Assyrians hearkened to him: and the king of
the Assyrians went up to Damascus and took it, and removed the inhabitants, and
slew king Raasson.
10 And king Achaz went to Damascus to
meet Thalgath-phellasar king of the Assyrians at Damascus; and he saw an altar
at Damascus. And king Achaz sent to Urias the priest the pattern of the altar,
and its proportions, and all its workmanship. 11
And Urias the priest built the altar, according to all the
directions which king Achaz sent from Damascus.
12 And the king saw the altar, and went
up to it, 13 and offered his
whole-burnt-offering, and his meat-offering, and his drink-offering, and poured
out the blood of his peace-offerings on the brazen altar that was before the
Lord. 14 And he brought forward
the one before the house of the Lord from between the altar and the house of
the Lord, and he set it openly by the side of the altar northwards.
15 And king Achaz charged Urias the priest,
saying, Offer upon the great altar the whole-burnt-offering in the morning and
the meat-offering in the evening, and the whole-burnt-offering of the king, and
his meat-offering, and the whole-burnt-offering of all the people, and their
meat-offering, and their drink-offering; and thou shalt pour all the blood of
the whole-burnt-offering, and all the blood of any other sacrifice upon
it: and the brazen altar shall be for me in the morning.
16 And Urias the priest did according to all that king
Achaz commanded him. 17 And king
Achaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from off them, and
took down the sea from the brazen oxen that were under it, and set it upon a
base of stone. 18 And he made a base
for the throne in the house of the Lord, and he turned the king’s entrance
without in the house of the Lord because of the king of the Assyrians.
19 And the rest of the acts of Achaz,
even all that he did, are not these written in the book of the chronicles
of the kings of Juda? 20 And Achaz
slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Ezekias his son
reigned in his stead.
Chapter 17
17:1 In the twelfth year of Achaz king
of Juda began Osee the son of Ela to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years.
2 And he did evil in the eyes of the
Lord, only not as the kings of Israel that were before him.
3 Against him came up Salamanassar king
of the Assyrians; and Osee became his servant, and rendered him tribute.
4 And the king of the Assyrians found
iniquity in Osee, in that he sent messengers to Segor king of Egypt, and brought
not a tribute to the king of the Assyrians in that year: and the king of the
Assyrians besieged him, and bound him in the prison-house.
5 And the king of the Assyrians went up
against all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it for three
years.
6 In the ninth year of Osee the king of
the Assyrians took Samaria, and carried Israel away to the Assyrians, and
settled them in Alae, and in Abor, near the rivers of Gozan, and in
the mountains of the Medes. 7 For it
came to pass that the children of Israel had transgressed against the
Lord their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the
hand of Pharao king of Egypt, and they feared other gods,
8 and walked in the statutes of the nations which the Lord
cast out before the face of the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel
as many as did such things, 9
and in those of the children of Israel as many as secretly
practised customs, not as they should have done, against the Lord their
God: 10 and they built for
themselves high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to
the fortified city. And they made for themselves pillars and groves on every
high hill, and under every shady tree. 11
And burned incense there on all high places, as the nations
did whom the Lord removed from before them, and dealt with familiar spirits,
and they carved images to provoke the Lord to anger.
12 And they served the idols, of which the
Lord said to them, Ye shall not do this thing against the Lord.
13 And the Lord testified against Israel
and against Juda, even by the hand of all his prophets, and of every
seer, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my
ordinances, and all the law which I commanded your fathers, and all that
I sent to them by the hand of my servants the prophets. 14
But they hearkened not, and made their neck harder than
the neck of their fathers. 15 And
they kept not any of his testimonies which he charged them; and they walked
after vanities, and became vain, and after the nations round about them,
concerning which the Lord had charged them not to do accordingly.
16 They forsook the commandments of the
Lord their God, and made themselves graven images, even two heifers, and
they made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.
17 And they caused their sons and their
daughters to pass through the fire, and used divinations and auspices, and sold
themselves to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him.
18 And the Lord was very angry with
Israel, and removed them out of his sight; and there was only left the tribe of
Juda quite alone. 19 Nay even Juda
kept not the commandments of the Lord their God, but they walked according to
the customs of Israel which they practised, and rejected the Lord.
20 And the Lord was angry with the whole
seed of Israel, and troubled them, and gave them into the hand of them that
spoiled them, until he cast them out of his presence. 21
Forasmuch as Israel revolted from the house of David, and
they made Jeroboam the son of Nabat king: and Jeroboam drew off Israel from
following the Lord, and led them to sin a great sin. 22
And the children of Israel walked in all the sin of
Jeroboam which he committed; they departed not from it, 23
until the Lord removed Israel from his presence, as the
Lord spoke by all his servants the prophets; and Israel was removed from off
their land to the Assyrians until this day.
24 And the king of Assyria brought from
Babylon the men of Chutha, and men from Aia, and from Æmath, and
Seppharvaim, and they were settled in the cities of Samaria in the place of the
children of Israel: and they inherited Samaria, and were settled in its cities.
25 And it was so at the beginning of
their establishment there that they feared not the Lord, and the Lord
sent lions among them, and they slew some of them. 26
And they spoke to the king of the Assyrians, saying, The
nations whom thou hast removed and substituted in the cities of Samaria for
the Israelites, know not the manner of the God of the land: and he has sent
the lions against them, and, behold, they are slaying them, because they know
not the manner of the God of the land. 27
And the king of the Assyrians commanded, saying, Bring some
Israelites thence, and let them go and dwell there, and they shall teach
them the manner of the God of the land. 28
And they brought one of the priests whom they had removed from
Samaria, and he settled in Baethel, and taught them how they should fear the
Lord.
29 But the nations made each their own
gods, and put them in the house of the high places which the Samaritans had
made, each nation in the cities in which they dwelt. 30
And the men of Babylon made Socchoth Benith, and the men
of Chuth made Ergel, and the men of Haemath made Asimath.
31 And the Evites made Eblazer and Tharthac, and the
inhabitant of Seppharvaim did evil when they burnt their sons in the
fire to Adramelech and Anemelech, the gods of Seppharvaim.
32 And they feared the Lord, yet they
established their abominations in the houses of the high places which they made
in Samaria, each nation in the city in which they dwelt: and they feared the
Lord, and they made for themselves priests of the high places, and sacrificed
for themselves in the house of the high places. 33
And they feared the Lord, and served their gods according to the
manner of the nations, whence their lords brought them.
34 Until this day they did according to
their manner: they fear the Lord, and they do according to their customs,
and according to their manner, and according to the law, and according to the
commandment which the Lord commanded the sons of Jacob, whose name he made
Israel. 35 And the Lord made a
covenant with them, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods,
neither shall ye worship them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:
36 but only to the Lord, who brought you up
out of the land of Egypt with great strength and with a high arm: him shall ye
fear, and him shall ye worship; to him shall ye sacrifice.
37 Ye shall observe continually the
ordinances, and the judgments, and the law, and the commandments which he wrote
for you to do; and ye shall not fear other gods. 38
Neither shall ye forget the covenant which he made with you: and
ye shall not fear other gods. 39 But
ye shall fear the Lord your God, and he shall deliver you from all your enemies.
40 Neither shall ye comply with their
practice, which they follow. 41 So
these nations feared the Lord, and served their graven images: yea, their sons
and their son’s sons do until this day even as their fathers did.
Chapter 18
18:1 And it came to pass in the third
year of Osee son of Ela king of Israel that Ezekias son of Achaz king of
Juda began to reign. 2 Five and
twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine
years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Abu, daughter of Zacharias.
3 And he did that which was right in
the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David did.
4 He removed the high places, and broke in
pieces the pillars, and utterly destroyed the groves, and the brazen serpent
which Moses made: because until those days the children of Israel burnt incense
to it: and he called it Neesthan. 5
He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; and after him there was not any like him
among the kings of Juda, nor among those that were before him.
6 And he clave to the Lord, he departed not
from following him; and he kept his commandments, as many as he commanded Moses.
7 And the Lord was with him; and he was
wise in all that he undertook: and he revolted from the king of the Assyrians,
and served him not. 8 He smote the
Philistines even to Gaza, and to the border of it, from the tower of the
watchmen even to the strong city.
9 And it came to pass in the fourth year
of King Ezekias (this is the seventh year of Osee son of Ela king of Israel,)that
Salamanassar king of the Assyrians came up against Samaria, and besieged it.
10 And he took it at the end of
three years, in the sixth year of Ezekias, (this is the ninth year of
Osee king of Israel, when Samaria was taken.) 11
And the king of the Assyrians carried away the Samaritans to
Assyria, and put them in Alae and in Abor, by the river Gozan, and in
the mountains of the Medes; 12
because they hearkened not to the voice of the Lord their God, and transgressed
his covenant, even in all things that Moses the servant of the Lord
commanded, and hearkened not to them, nor did them.
13 And in the fourteenth year of king
Ezekias came up Sennacherim king of the Assyrians against the strong cities of
Juda, and took them. 14 And Ezekias
king of Juda sent messengers to the king of the Assyrians to Lachis, saying, I
have offended; depart from me: whatsoever thou shalt lay upon me, I will bear.
And the king of Assyria laid upon Ezekias king of Juda a tribute of three
hundred talents of silver, and thirty talents of gold. 15
And Ezekias gave all the silver that was found in the
house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king’s house.
16 At that time Ezekias cut off the gold
from the doors of the temple, and from the pillars which Ezekias king
of Juda had overlaid with gold, and gave it to the king of the Assyrians.
17 And the king of the Assyrians sent
Tharthan and Raphis and Rapsakes from Lachis to king Ezekias with a strong force
against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem, and stood by the
aqueduct of the upper pool, which is by the way of the fuller’s field.
18 And they cried to Ezekias: and there
came to him Heliakim the son of Chelcias the steward, and Somnas the scribe, and
Joas the son of Saphat the recorder.
19 And Rapsakes said to them, Say now to
Ezekias, Thus says the king, the great king of the Assyrians, What is
this confidence wherein thou trustest? 20
Thou hast said, (but they are mere words,)I have
counsel and strength for war. Now then in whom dost thou trust, that thou hast
revolted from me? 21 See now, art
thou trusting for thyself on this broken staff of reed, even upon Egypt?
whosoever shall stay himself upon it, it shall even go into his hand, and pierce
it: so is Pharao king of Egypt to all that trust on him.
22 And whereas thou hast said to me, We
trust on the Lord God: is not this he, whose high places and altars
Ezekias has removed, and has said to Juda and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before
this altar in Jerusalem? 23 And now,
I pray you, make and agreement with my lord the king of the Assyrians, and I
will give thee two thousand horses, if thou shalt be able on thy part to set
riders upon them. 24 How then wilt
thou turn away the face of one petty governor, from among the least of my lord’s
servants? whereas thou trustest for thyself on Egypt for chariots and horsemen.
25 And now have we come up without
the Lord against this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me, Go up against
this land, and destroy it.
26 And Heliakim the son of Chelkias, and
Somnas, and Joas, said to Rapsakes, Speak now to thy servants in the Syrian
language, for we understand it; and speak not with us in the Jewish language:
and why dost thou speak in the ears of the people that are on the wall?
27 And Rapsakes said to them, Has my master
sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? has he not
sent me to the men who sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung,
and drink their own water together with you.
28 And Rapsakes stood, and cried with a
loud voice in the Jewish language, and spoke, and said, Hear the words of the
great king of the Assyrians: 29 thus
says the king, Let not Ezekias encourage you with words: for he shall not be
able to deliver you out of his hand. 30
And let not Ezekias cause you to trust on the Lord, saying, The
Lord will certainly deliver us; this city shall not be delivered into the hand
of the king of the Assyrians: hearken not to Ezekias: 31
for thus says the king of the Assyrians, Gain my favour,
and come forth to me, and every man shall drink of the wine of his own
vine, and every man shall eat of his own fig-tree, and shall drink water out of
his own cistern; 32 until I come and
remove you to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, and bread and
vineyards, a land of olive oil, and honey, and ye shall live and not die: and do
not ye hearken to Ezekias, for he deceives you, saying, The Lord shall deliver
you. 33 Have the Gods of the nations
at all delivered each their own land out of the hand of the king of the
Assyrians? 34 Where is the god of
Haemath, and of Arphad? where is the god of Seppharvaim, Ana, and Aba? for have
they delivered Samaria out of my hand? 35
Who is there among all the gods of the countries, who have
delivered their countries out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem
out of my hand?
36 But the men were silent, and
answered him not a word: for there was a commandment of the king, saying,
Ye shall not answer him. 37 And
Heliakim the son of Chelcias, the steward, and Somnas the scribe, and Joas the
son of Saphat the recorder came in to Ezekias, having rent their garments; and
they reported to him the words of Rapsakes.
Chapter 19
19:1 And it came to pass when king
Ezekias heard it, that he rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth, an went into
the house of the Lord. 2 And he sent
Heliakim the steward, and Somnas the scribe, and the elders of the priests,
clothed with sackcloth, to Esaias the prophet the son of Amos.
3 And they said to him, Thus says Ezekias,
This day is a day of tribulation, and rebuke, and provocation: for the
children are come to the travail-pangs, but the mother has no strength.
4 Peradventure the Lord thy God will
hear all the words of Rapsakes, whom the king of Assyria his master has sent to
reproach the living God and to revile him with the words which the Lord thy God
has heard: and thou shalt offer thy prayer for the remnant that is found.
5 So the servants of king Ezekias came
to Esaias. 6 And Esaias said to
them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the Lord, Be not afraid of
the words which thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of the
Assyrians have blasphemed. 7 Behold,
I send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a report, and shall return to his own
land; and I will overthrow him with the sword in his own land.
8 So Rapsakes returned, and found the
king of Assyria warring against Lobna: for he heard that he had departed
from Lachis. 9 And he heard
concerning Tharaca king of the Ethiopians, saying, Behold, he is come forth to
fight with thee: and he returned, and sent messengers to Ezekias, saying,
10 Let not thy God on whom thou trustest
encourage thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hands of the
king of the Assyrians. 11 Behold,
thou hast heard all that the kings of the Assyrians have done in all the lands,
to waste them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered? 12
Have the gods of the nations at all delivered them, whom
my fathers destroyed; both Gozan, and Charran, and Raphis, and the sons of Edem
who were in Thaesthen? 13 Where is
the king of Haemath, and the king of Arphad? and where is the king of the city
of Seppharvaim, of Ana, and Aba?
14 And Ezekias took the letter from the
hand of the messengers, and read it: and he went up to the house of the Lord, an
Ezekias spread it before the Lord, 15
and said, O Lord God of Israel that dwellest over the cherubs,
thou art the only god in all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven
and earth. 16 Incline thine ear, O
Lord, and hear: open, Lord, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of
Sennacherim, which he has sent to reproach the living God.
17 For truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria
have wasted the nations, 18 and have
cast their gods into the fire: because they are no gods, but the works of men’s
hands, wood and stone; and they have destroyed them. 19
And now, O Lord our God, deliver us out of his hand, and
all the kingdoms of the earth shall know that thou alone art the Lord
God.
20 And Esaias the son of Amos sent to
Ezekias, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, I have
heard thy prayer to me concerning Sennacherim king of the Assyrians.
21 This is the word which the Lord
has spoken against him; The virgin daughter of Sion has made light of thee, and
mocked thee; the daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head at thee.
22 Whom hast thou reproached, and whom hast
thou reviled? and against whom hast thou lifted up thy voice, and raised thine
eyes on high? Is it against the Holy One of Israel?
23 By thy messengers thou has reproached
the Lord, and hast said, I will go up with the multitude of my chariots, to the
height of the mountains, to the sides of Libanus, and I have cut down the height
of his cedar, and his choice cypresses; and I have come into the midst of
the forest and of Carmel. 24 I have
refreshed myse |
