and did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nabat which made Israel sin.
And Ohoziah fell thorow a lattice window out of an upper chamber that he had in Samaria, and fell sick. Then he sent messengers saying unto them: go and enquire of Beelzebub the God of Akaron, whether I shall recover of this disease.
But the Angel of the LORD spake to Eliah the Thesbite, up and go against the messengers of the king of Samaria and say unto them: Is it because there is no God in Israel, that ye go to ask thorow Beelzebub the God of Akaron.
And they said unto him there came a man against us and said unto us: go and turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him: Thus sayeth the LORD. Is it because there is no God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire thorow Beelzebub the God of Akaron? Therefore thou shalt not come down from the bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.
Then the king sent unto him a captain over fifty with his fifty. And when the captain was come to him, behold: he sat on the top of an hill. And the captain said unto him: man of God, the king biddeth thee come down.
And Eliah answered and said to the captain over the fifty: if I be a man of God, fire come down from heaven and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came fire down from heaven and devoured him and his fifty.
And the king went again and sent to him another captain over fifty with his fifty, which answered and said unto him: Oh man of God, thus sayeth the king: make haste and come down.
And Eliah answered and said unto them: if I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came fire down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
And the king sent again the third captain over fifty. And when the third captain over fifty was come up to him, he fell on his knees before Eliah and besought him and said unto him: Oh man of God, let my life and the life of these fifty thy servants be precious in thy sight.
Behold there came fire down from heaven and burnt up the two fore captains over fifty with their fifties. But let my life now be precious in thy sight.
And he said unto the king, thus sayeth the LORD: for as much as thou sentest messengers to ask thorow Beelzebub the God of Akaron, as though there had been no God in Israel to ask thorow his word? therefore thou shalt not come off the bed on which thou art ascended, but shalt surely die.
And so he died according to the word of the LORD which Eliah spake, and Jehoram was made king in his stead, the second year of Jehoram son of Jehosaphat king of Juda, because he had no son.
And Eliah said to Eliseus, tarry here, I pray thee, for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. But Eliseus said: as surely as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And when they came to Bethel,
the children of the Prophets that were at Bethel came out to Eliseus and said to him: knowest thou not how that the LORD will take away thy master from thee this day? And he said, I know it too, hold your peace.
Then said Eliah to Eliseus: tarry here a fellowship, for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said: as surely as the LORD liveth, and as surely as thy soul liveth, I will not leave|forsake| thee, and so they went to Jericho.
And the children of the Prophets that were at Jericho came to Eliseus and said unto him: art thou not ware that the LORD will take away thy master from thee this day? And he answered: I know it also, hold your peace.
And Eliah said to him: tarry I pray thee here, for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. But he said: as surely as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And so they went both of them together.
And then Eliah took his mantle and wrapped it together and smote the water, and it divided itself, part the one way and part the other, and they two went over on the dry land.
And as soon as they were over, Eliah said to Eliseus, ask what I shall do for thee yer I be taken away from thee. And Eliseus said: let me, I pray thee, have thy spirit double in me.
And he said: thou hast asked a hard thing. Nevertheless if thou see me when I am taken away from thee, thou shalt have it so: if thou do not, it shall not be.
And as they went walking and talking: behold, there came a chariot of fire and horses of fire and put them asunder. And Eliah went up in the whirlwind to heaven.
And Eliseus saw and cried: O my father, O my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof, and saw him no more: and therefore took his own clothes and rent them in two pieces.
and took the mantle of Eliah that fell from him, and smote the water and said: where is the LORD God of Eliah where is he? And when he had smitten the water it divided part this way and part that way, and Eliseus went over.
And the children of the Prophets of Jericho which saw from afar, said: the spirit of Eliah doth rest on Eliseus, and went against him and bowed to the earth unto him.
And they said unto him: see, there be among thy servants fifty lusty men: let them go and seek thy master: happily the spirit of the LORD hath taken him up and cast him upon some mountain or in some valley. And he said: send not.
Nevertheless yet they lay upon him, till he was a shamed, and said: send, and they sent fifty men which sought him three days and three nights, but found him not.
And he went unto the spring of the water and cast the salt in thither, and said thus sayeth the LORD: I heal this water, there shall not come henceforth either death or barrenness.
And he went from thence up to Bethel. And as he was going up in the way, there came little lads out of the city and mocked him, and said to him: go up thou bald head, go up thou baldhead.
And he turned back and looked on them and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came two Bears out of the wood and tare forty two of the boys.
And he wrought that was evil in the sight of the LORD: but not like his father or his mother, for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made.
And Mesa king of Moab which was rich of sheep (and was wont to render unto the king of Israel an hundredth thousand lambs and as many rams with the wool)
And then went and sent to Jehosaphat king of Juda saying: the king of Moab hath rebelled against me, wilt thou go with me against the Moabites to battle? And he said: I will go, and will be as thou, and my people shall be as thine, and my horses as thine.
And the king of Israel took his journey with the king of Juda and the king of Edom. And when they had compassed the way seven days, there was no water for the host nor for the cattle that they had with them.
But Jehosaphat said: is there here no prophet of the LORD's, that we may enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said: here is Eliseus the son of Saphat which poured water on the hands of Eliah. And Jehosaphat said:
And Eliseus said to the king of Israel: what have I to do with thee? Get thee to the prophets of thy father and of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him: Oh nay, but hath the LORD called these three kings to deliver them into the hands of the Moabites?
And Eliseus said, as sure as the LORD of Hosts liveth (in whose sight I stand) and it were not that I regard the presence of Jehosaphat the king of Juda, I would not look toward thee, nor yet see ye.
For thus sayeth the LORD: ye shall see neither wind nor rain, and yet this brook shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, and your beasts and your cattle also.
And ye shall destroy all strong towns and all goodly cities, and shall fall all pleasant trees and stop{stoppe} all the wells of water, and mar all good plots of ground with stones.
And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come to fight against them, they gathered together, from the youngest that was able to put on harness and so upward, and waited in the borders.
And when they came to the Host of Israel, the Israelites stood up and laid on the Moabites, that they fled before them: And so they entered the land and destroyed the Moabites.
And they overthrew the cities, and on every good parcel of land, cast every man his stone and over covered it, and stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees. And as long as the stones thereof did remain in the walls of Brick the slingers went upon it and beat it.
And when the king of Moab saw, that the battle was so strong for him, he took with him seven hundredth men that drew the sword, to have broken up unto the king of Edom. But they could not.
And then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the walls. And there came so great wrath upon Israel, that they departed from him and returned to their own land.
And there cried a certain woman of the wives of the children of the prophets unto Eliseus saying: thy servant my husband is dead, and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD. And the creditor is come to fetch my two sons, to be his bondmen.
And Eliseus said to her: What shall I do for thee? Tell me, what hast thou in thine house? And she said thy handmaid hath nothing at all in her house, save a pitcher with oil.
And it fell on a day, that Eliseus came to Sunam, where was a rich woman that took him in for to eat bread. And as oft as he came that way, he turned in thither to eat bread.
Let us make him a chamber with a little wall, and let us set him there a bed, a table, a stool and a candlestick, that he may turn in thither, when he cometh to us.
And Eliseus said to him, say to her I pray thee: see, thou hast made all this provision for us, what shall we do for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king or to the captain of the Host? And she said I dwell among mine own people.
Then he said: by such a time, as soon as the fruit can live, thou shalt embrace a son, and she said, Oh nay my lord thou man of God, do not lie unto the handmaid.
And so she went and came unto the man of God, to mount Carmel. And when the man of God saw her a far, he said to Gihezi his servant: see, where our servant cometh.
Then she went to the man of God up to the hill and caught him by the feet. And Gihezi went to her, to thrust her away. But the man of God said: let her alone, for her soul is vexed, and the LORD hath hid it from me and hath not told it me.
Then he said to Gihezi: gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand and away. If any man meet thee, salute him not. And if any salute thee, answer him not again. And put my staff upon the boy.
Notwithstanding the mother of the child said: as sure as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And then he arose and followed her.
Gihezi went before them and put the staff upon the lad. But there was neither voice nor attending. And then he went again against his master and told him saying: it hath not awaked the lad.
And he went up and lay upon the lad, and put his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes, and the palm of his hands on the palm of his hands, and spread himself upon the lad that the flesh of the child waxed warm.
And went again and walked once up and down in the house, and then went up and spread himself upon him. And the lad sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.
When Eliseus was come to Gilgal again, there was a dearth in the land, and the children of the prophets dwelt with him. Then he said to his servant, put on a great pot, and make pottage for the children of the prophets.
And one went out into the field, to gather herbs, and found as it were a wild vine, and gathered thereof Coloquintidaes his lapful, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage, they unwitting.
And they poured out for the men to eat. And when they had tasted of the pottage, they cried out and said: there is death in the pot thou man of God, and could not eat thereof.
There came a man from Baalsalisa and brought the man of God bread of first fruits, even twenty loaves of barley, and new corn in a cloth he had. And Eliseus bade put it before the people that they might eat. Then his minister said:
what should I set this before an hundredth men? And he said: set it before the people and let them eat. For thus sayeth the LORD: they shall eat and leave.
Naaman captain of the Host to the king of Siria, was great with his master and well taken: for thorow him the LORD saved Siria. And he was an active man, and yet a leper.
And there had gone a company of Soldiers out of Siria a running, and had brought out of the country of Israel a little maid, which was with Naaman's wife.
And the king of Siria said: go thy way, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he went and took with him ten talents of silver and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiments.
And he brought the letter to the king of Israel containing this tenor: Now when this letter is come up to thee: Behold I have sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou shouldest rid him of his leprosy.
And when the king of Israel had read the letter, he rent his clothes and said: am I God, to slay and to make alive, that he should send to me, for to deliver a man from his leprosy. But consider I pray you, and see, how he picketh quarrels with me.
And when Eliseus the man of God, heard how that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, he sent to the king saying: wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.
Then Eliseus sent a messenger saying: go and wash thee in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee as before, and thou shalt be clean.
And Naaman was wroth and went away, and said: Behold, I thought in myself, he would have come out, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and put his hand on the place of the disease, and so take away the leprosy.
Are not Abanah and Pharphar, rivers of Damasco, better than all the waters of Israel? Might I not rather wash in them and be clean? And so he turned and departed in an anger.
Then came his servants and communed with him and said: Father if the prophet had bid thee done some great thing, oughtest thou not to have done it? How much rather then shouldest thou do it, while he sayeth to thee only, wash and be clean.
Then he went down and washed seven times in Jordan, as the man of God bade, and his flesh changed, like unto the flesh of a little boy, and he was clean.
Then he turned again to the man of God and all his company with him, and came and stood before him and said: Behold I know that there is no God in all the world, but in Israel. And now I pray thee take a blessing of thy servant.
But he said as surely as the LORD liveth before whom I stand, I will receive none. And the other would have constrained him to receive: but he would not do it.
And Naaman said, if thou wilt not: yet I pray thee, may there not be given to thy servant the burthen of two mules of earth. For thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt sacrifice nor offering unto any other God, than to the LORD.
But herein the LORD{Lord} be merciful to thy servant, for when my master goeth into the house of Remon to worship there, he leaneth on mine hand, and I must worship in the house of Remon, let the LORD{Lorde} I pray thee be merciful unto thy servant in this case.
Gihezi the servant of Eliseus the man of God, said: see, my master hath kept off, this Sirian Naaman that he would not receive of his hand that he offered. As surely as the LORD liveth I will run after him and take somewhat.
And he said yea. But my master hath sent me saying: see, there be two young men come to me out of Ephraim of the children of the prophets: give them I pray thee, one talent of silver and a couple of good garments.
And Naaman said: adventure and take two talents of silver in two bags, with two goodly garments: and delivered them unto two of his servants, to bear it before him.
And he said: went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned and came of his chariot against thee? Is it a time to receive silver and to receive garments, olive trees, vineyards, oxen, sheep, menservants and maidservants?
And the heart of the king of Siria was troubled therewith, that he sent for his servants and said to them: will ye not shew me which of us telleth the king of Israel?
And one of his servants said: nay my lord king: Eliseus the prophet that is in Israel, he telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy sleeping chamber.
And when the servant of the men of God rose up early and was gone out: Behold: there was an Host round about the town with horses and chariots. Then said his lad to him: Alas master, what shall we do?
And Eliseus prayed and said: LORD open the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Eliseus.
And when the soldiers came down to him, Eliseus prayed unto the LORD and said: Smite this people with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the desire of Eliseus.
Then Eliseus said unto them this is not the way, nor this is not the town: But follow me and I will bring you to the man ye seek. And he led them to Samaria.
When they were come to Samaria, Eliseus said: LORD, open their eyes and let them see. And the LORD opened their eyes that they saw. And behold they were in the midst of Samaria.
And he said: smite them not. But smite them thou takest with thine own sword and with thine own bow. But set bread and water before them, and let them eat and drink, and go to their master.
And he made great ordinance before them. And when they had eaten and drunk, sent them away, and they went to their master. And so the Soldiers of Siria came no more into the land of Israel.
And there arose great dearth in Samaria: for they had besieged it, until an Ass's head was worth four score sicles of silver, and the fourth part of a Cab of doves' dung worth five sicles.
Then said the king to her: what aileth thee? And she answered: this woman here said to me, bring thy son and let us eat him today, and we will eat mine tomorrow.
When the king heard the words of the woman, he rent his clothes even as he was walking on the walls. And when the people looked upon him: see, he was clothed in sack under.
And as Eliseus sat in his house and the elders with him, the king sent one from him. But yer the messenger came at him, he said to the elders: see you not how the son of this murderer hath sent, to take off mine head? Be circumspect therefore when the messenger cometh, and shut the door, and thrust him back therewith: for the sound of his master's feet followeth him.
And while he yet talked with them: Behold the messenger was come unto him. And he said: behold, this evil is of the LORD, what more shall we look for of the LORD.
Then Eliseus said: hear the word of the LORD: for thus sayeth the LORD: tomorrow this time a bushel of fine flour shall be sold for a sicle and two bushels of Barley for another in the gates of Samaria.
Then a great lord on whose hand the king leaned, answered the man of God and said, though the LORD would make windows in heaven, yet would not this be. And he said again: Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes and shalt not eat thereof.
though we thought that we might come into the city, yet is the dearth so great in the city, that we shall there die. And if we tarry here, we are but dead also. Now therefore come and let us flee to the Host of the Sirians: if they save our lives, we shall live: And if they kill us, then are we dead.
For the Lord{Lorde} had made the host of the Sirians hear a noise of chariots and a noise of horses, and the noise of a great Host. In so much that they said one to another: see, the king of Israel hath hired against us, the kings of the Hethites and the kings of Egypt, to come upon us.
And upon that they arose and fled in the dark, and left their tents, their horses, their Asses and the field they had pitched even as it was, and fled for their lives.
And when these lepers came to the edge of the Host, they went into a tent and did eat and drink and carried thence silver, gold and raiment, and went and hid it: and came again and entered into another, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.
Then they said one to another: it is not well that we do, for this day is a day to bring tidings. And if we hold our peace, and tarry till it be daylight, we shall find a mischief. Now therefore come, let us go and tell the king's household.
And so they went and called to the porter of the city and told them saying: we came to the pavilions of the Sirians: and see, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses and Asses tied, and the tents even as they were.
And the king arose in the night and said to his servants: I will shew you, how the Sirians have served us. They know that we are oppressed with hunger, and therefore are gone out of their pavilions to hide themselves in the field saying: They will come out of the city, and then we shall catch them alive and get into the city.
And one of his servants answered and said: Let men take five of the horses that remain and are left in the city. Behold they are as good as all the multitude that are left in the city: and as good as all the multitude of the city that are consumed, and let us send and see.
And they followed after them even unto Jordan: and see, all the way was full of clothes and vessels which the Sirians had cast from them for haste. And the messengers returned and told the king.
And then the people went out and robbed the tents of the Sirians. And so a bushel of flour was sold for a sicle, and two bushels of barley for a sicle, according to the word of the LORD.
And the king set the lord on whose hand he leaned, to keep the gate. And the people trod him in the gate, that he died, according to the saying of the man of God which he said, when the king came down to him.
And it came to pass according to the word of the man of God to the king saying: two bushels of barley for a sicle and a bushel of flour for another shall be tomorrow this time in the gates of Samaria.
And the lord answered the man of God and said: though the LORD made windows in heaven, yet would not this be. And the other said: Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, and shalt not eat thereof.
Then spake Eliseus unto the woman whose son he had restored to life again, saying: up and go both thou and thine house, and sojourn where thou thinkest best, for the LORD will call a dearth which shall come on the land seven years.
And the woman arose and did after the saying of the man of God, and went both she and her household and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years.
And at the seven years' end, when the woman was come again out of the land of the Philistines she went out to speak to the king for her house and for her land.
And it chanced as he was telling the king how he restored a dead body to life again that the woman whose son he revived, cried to the king for her house and her land. Then said Gihezi: My lord king, this is the woman and this is her son which Eliseus brought to life again.
And the king asked the woman, and she told him. And so the king sent with her one of his chamberlains saying: restore all that pertaineth to her, with all the fruits of the field, since the day she left the land, unto this time.
Then said the king to Hazael: take a present with thee and go against the man of God and ask the LORD by him whether I shall recover of this my disease or no.
And Hazael went to meet him and took presents with him, even of all the good things of Damasco, as much as forty Camels could bear, and came and presented himself before him and said: thy son Benhadad king of Siria hath sent me to thee, saying: shall I recover of this my disease.
And Hazael said: why weepeth my lord: And he answered: for I know that thou shalt do evil unto the children of Israel: their strong cities thou shalt set on fire, and their young men thou shalt slay with the sword, and shalt dash out the brains of their sucking children: and all to tear their women with child.
And Hazael said: what is thy servant which am but a dog, that I should do this great thing? And Eliseus said: for the LORD hath shewed me, that thou shalt be king of Siria.
And so he departed from Eliseus and came to his master, which said to him. What said Eliseus to thee? And he said: he told me that thou shouldest recover.
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab for the daughter(Peshitta: sister) of Ahab was his wife, and he did that displeased the LORD.
And Jehoram went to Seir, and all his chariots with him. And he rose by night and laid on the Edomites, which compassed him in, and the captains of his chariot and the people fled into their tents.
Two and twenty year old(Septuagint Gr. a son of 22 years, in reigning) was Ohoziah when he began to reign, and reigned one year in Jerusalem, his mother's name was Athaliah daughter of Amri king of Israel.
Wherefore king Jehoram went back again, to be healed in Jezrahel of the wounds which the Sirians had given him at Ramoth, when he fought with Hazael king of Siria. And Ohoziah the son of Jehoram king of Juda went down to see Jehoram of son of Ahab in Jezrahel because he was sick.
And Eliseus the prophet called unto one of the children of the prophets, and said to him: gird up thy loins and take this box of oil in thine hand and get thee to Ramoth in Gilead.
And when thou comest thither, thou shalt there see Jehu the son of Jehosaphat the son of Namsi and go to him, and make him arise up from among his brethren and carry him to a secret chamber.
And take the box of oil and pour it on his head and say, thus sayeth the LORD: I have anointed thee to be king over Israel. And then open the door and flee, and tarry not.
and when he came, the captains of the Host were sitting together. And he said: I have an errand to thee Sir captain. And Jehu said, unto which of all of us? And he said: to thee O captain.
And he arose and went into the house. And the other poured the oil on his head and said to him, thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel: I have anointed thee to be king over Israel the people of the LORD,
that thou slay the household of Ahab thy master. For I (sayeth the LORD) will avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, of the hand of Jezabel
(for the whole house of Ahab shall be destroyed) and I will destroy unto Ahab what pisseth against the wall, and so much as the prisoned or that is forsaken in Israel,
And when Jehu was come out to the servants of his lord, they said to him: is all peace? Wherefore came this mad fellow unto thee? And he said to him: ye know the person and his communication.
And they said: it is not so. But tell us a fellowship. And he said, thus and thus spake he to me saying: Thus sayeth the LORD: I have anointed thee to be king over Israel.
And so Jehu the son of Jehosaphat the son of Namsi conspired against Jehoram. And Jehoram had been waiting at Ramoth Gilead, and all Israel with him for fear of Hazael king of Siria,
and was returned to be healed in Jezrahel, of the wounds which the Sirians had given him as he fought with Hazael king of Siria. Then said Jehu: If it be your minds, then let no man escape out of the city, to go and tell in Jezrahel.
And the watchmen that stood on the tower in Jezrahel spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said: I see a company. And Jehoram said: take an horseman and send against them, and let him ask whether it be peace.
And there went one on horseback against him and said: thus sayeth the king: is it peace? And Jehu answered: what hast thou to do with peace? turn and come after me. And the watchman told saying: the messenger came to them but he cometh not again.
Then he sent out another on horseback, which came to them and said, thus sayeth the king: is it peace? And Jehu answered, what hast thou to do with peace? turn and come after me.
And the watchman told saying: he came to them, but he cometh not again, and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Namsi, for he driveth as he were mad.
Then said Jehoram, make ready. And they made ready his chariot. And Jehoram king of Israel, and Ohoziah king of Juda went out either in his chariot against Jehu, and met him in the furlong of Naboth the Jezrahelite.
And when Jehoram saw Jehu, he said: is it peace Jehu? And he said, what peace should there be, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezabel and her witchcrafts are so great?
And Jehu took a bow in his hand and smote Jehoram between the shoulders, that the arrow came out at his breast. And he fell down three fold in his chariot.
Then he said to Badakar a lord of his, take and cast him in the plat of ground of Naboth the Jezrahelite. For I remember as I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, how the LORD spake these words against him:
I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and of his sons, said the LORD, and I will quite him in this ground, sayeth the LORD. Now therefore take him and cast him in the plat of ground according to the word of the LORD.
And when Ohoziah the king of Juda saw that, he fled the way to the garden house. And Jehu followed after him and said: smite him also. And they smote him in his chariot at the going up to Sur by Jeblaam, and he fled to Magedo and there died.
And then when he was come in and had eaten and drunk, he said: go and visit I pray you, yonder cursed creature, and bury her, for she is a king's daughter.
And they came again and told him. And he said: it is the word of the LORD which he spake by the hand of his servant Eliah the Thesbite saying: in the field of Jezrahel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezabel,
Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria unto the elders that were lords of Jezrahel, and to them that nursed up Ahab's children saying: now at the coming of these letters to you,
And the governor of the king's house and of the city and of the elders and the nurses sent to Jehu saying: we are thy servants and will do all that thou shalt bid us: we will make no man king: but do thou what seemeth good in thine eyes.
Then he wrote another letter to them saying: If ye be mine and will obey my voice, then take the heads of your master's sons and come to me to Jezrahel, by tomorrow this time. And the king's sons were seventy persons with the great men of the city which nourished them.
And when the letter came to them, they took the king's children and slew them in number, seventy persons, and put their heads in coffins and sent them to him to Jezrahel.
And there came a messenger and told him saying: they have brought the heads of the king's sons. And he said: let them put them on two heaps in the entering of the gate, till it be day.
And in the morning he went out and stood and said to all the folk, ye be righteous: for see, I conspired against my master and slew him: But who slew these?
consider now how there is nothing of the LORD's word fallen to the earth, which he spake against the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that he spake to his servant Eliah.
And so Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab, in Jezrahel, and all that were great with him, and his companions and his priests, until he had left him nought remain.
he met with the brethren of Ohoziah king of Juda, and said what are ye? and they said, the brethren of Ohoziah are we, and go to salute the children of the king and of the queen.
And he said: take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the well beside the house where the shepherds bind their sheep, in number forty two persons, that he left none of them.
And when he was departed thence he met with Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming against him. And Jehu saluted him and said to him: is thine heart right, as mine heart is with thine. And Jehonadab said, yea that it is. If it be, then give me thine hand. And he gave his hand, and the other took him up to him into the chariot
And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had wiped him out, according to the saying of the LORD which he spake to Eliah.
Now therefore call unto me all the Prophets of Baal and all his servants and all his priests that none be lacking. For I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal: and if any be missed, he shall not live. But Jehu did it for a subtlety, to destroy the servants of Baal.
Then Jehu sent thorowout all Israel. And all the servants of Baal came, that there was not a man left behind that came not. And when they were come into the temple of Baal, the temple was full from one end to another.
And Jehu went with Jehonadab son of Rechab into the house of Baal: and said to the servants of Baal: search and look that there be none here with you of the servants of the LORD, but the servants of Baal onely.
And they went in, to offer sacrifice and burnt offerings. But Jehu appointed him four score men without and said: If any of the men that I shall bring unto your hands escape, he that letteth him go shall die for him.
And as soon as he had made an end of offering of burnt sacrifice, he said to them of the guard and to the lords: go in and slay them, let none come out. And they smote them with the edge of the sword. And the guard and the lords cast them out, and went unto the city of the house of Baal,
Then the LORD said to Jehu, because thou hast lustily done that pleaseth me, and hast done to the house of Ahab all that was in mine heart, therefore shall thy children in the fourth generation sit on the seat of Israel.
But Jehu cared not to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam which made Israel sin.
from Jordan Eastward: even all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, the Rubenites and the Manassites, from Aroer upon the river of Arnon, with Gilead and Basan.
But Jehosaba the daughter of king Jehoram and sister of Ohoziah, took Jehoas the son of Ohoziah and stole him from among the king's sons that were slain, and his nurse with him, out of a sleeping chamber, and hid him from Athaliah, that he was not slain.
And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over hundreds with the captains and them of the guard, and took them into him into the house of the LORD, and made a bond with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the LORD, and shewed them the king's son.
And another third part shall be at the gate Sur: and another third part shall be at the gate behind the guard chamber, and so shall ye keep the watch of the house of Mesah,
and shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapon in his hand. And whosoever cometh within the ranges shall die for it. And see that ye be with the king as he goeth out and in.
And the captains over the hundreds did all the things as Jehoiada the priest commanded: and took every man his men, that is, them that came in the Sabbath day with them that went out the Sabbath day, and went to Jehoiada the priest.
And the guard stood every man with his weapon in his hand round about the king, from the right corner of the temple to the left along by the altar and the temple.
And he brought out the son of the king and put the crown upon him, and delivered him the witness, and made him king and anointed him. And they clapped their hands and said: God save the king.
And when she saw the king stand by a pillar (as the manner was) and the singers and the trumpets by the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing, and the blowing of the trumpets, she rent her clothes and cried, treason, treason.
And Jehoiada the priest commanded the Captains of the hundreds that had the rule of the host, and said to them: have her out without the ranges, and if any follow her, let him die with the sword: for the priest said, she may not be slain in the house of the LORD.
And Jehoiada made a bond both between the LORD and the king, and between the people and the LORD, that they should be the LORD's people: and also between the king and the people.
Then all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and destroyed his altars, and brake down his Images lustily, and slew Nathan the priest of Baal before the altar. And the priest set watchmen in the house of the LORD,
and took the rulers over hundreds and the captains and the guard and all the people of the land: And they brought the king from the house of the LORD and went the way of the gate of the guard of the king's house. And he sat him down on the seat of the kings.
And Jehoas said to the priest: all the silver that is dedicate and brought to the house of the LORD in current money, that is to say, the money that every man is set at, with all the money that every man's heart giveth him to bring into the house of the LORD,
let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance, and let them repair the broken places of the temple in all the places where ought is found decayed.
Then king Jehoas called for Jehoiada the priest and for the other priests also, and said to them: why repair ye not the broken places of the temple? Now therefore see ye receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it to repair the temple withal.
Then Jehoiada the priest took a coffer and bored a hole in the lid of it, and put it beside the altar on the right side as a man cometh in to the house of the LORD. And into that did the priests that kept the doors, put all the money that was brought into the house of the LORD.
And when they saw that there was much money in the coffer the king's scribe and the high priest came, and knit up the money that was found in the house of the LORD, after they had told it.
And they gave the money by sums into the hands of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of the LORD: and they brought it out to the carpenters and builders that wrought upon the house of the LORD,
and to masons and hewers of stone, to buy timber and free stone, to repair the decay in the house of the LORD and all that, that needeth repairing in the house:
howbeit there was not made in the house of the LORD, bowls of silver, shredding knives, basins, trumpets or any other instruments of gold or silver, of the money that was brought for the house of the LORD.
But Jehoas king of Juda took all the dedicate things that Jehosaphat, Jehoram and Ohoziah his fathers, kings of Juda, had dedicate, and that he himself had dedicated, and all the gold that could be found in the treasure of the house of the LORD and of the king's house, and sent it to Hazael king of Siria: and so he departed from Jerusalem.
Jozabar the son of Semaath and Jehozabad the son of Somer his servants, smote him, that he died. And they buried him with his fathers in the city of David. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.
In the twenty third year of Jehoas son of Ohoziah king of Juda, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu was made king over Israel in Samaria, and continued seventeen year.
And he wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD: for he followed the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nabat which made Israel sin, and departed not there from.
Wherefore the LORD was angry with Israel, and delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Siria, and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael all their days.
And therefore the LORD gave Israel a deliverer and they went out from under the hands of the Sirians. And the children of Israel dwelt in their tents as before time.
Nevertheless they departed not from the sin of the house of Jeroboam which made Israel sin, but walked therein. And there remained a grove also in Samaria still:
But there were left of the people to Jehoahaz, but fifty horsemen and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen for the king of Siria had destroyed them and made them like threshed chaff.
and did unhappily in the sight of the LORD and departed in nothing from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat that made Israel sin, but walked therein.
The remnant of the acts of Joas and all he did, and his power, how he fought with Amaziah king of Juda, are written in the chronicle book of the kings of Israel.
When Eliseus was fallen sick of the sickness whereof he died, Joas king of Israel came to him and wept to him, and said: O father, father the chariot of Israel and the horsemen of the same.
And he said to the king of Israel: put thine hand upon the bow, and when he had put his hand upon the bow, Eliseus put his hands upon the king's hands.
Then he said, open a window eastward: and he opened. And Eliseus said: shoot, and he shot. And he said: the arrow of help of the LORD, and the arrow of help against the Sirians, for thou shalt beat the Sirians in Aphek till thou have consumed them.
And the man of God was angry with him and said: thou shouldest have smitten five or six times, and then thou hadst smitten the Sirians till thou hadst consumed them: where now thou shalt beat them but thrice.
And it chanced as they were burying a man, that they spied the Soldiers, and therefore cast the man into the sepulchre of Eliseus. And as soon as the man came and touched the bones of Eliseus, he revived and stood up on his feet.
But the LORD had mercy on them and pitied them and turned to them because of his appointment made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and would not destroy them, either cast them from him as yet.
And when Joas the son of Jehoahaz went again and took out of the hand of Benhadad son of Hazael, the cities which he had taken away out of the hands of Jehoahaz his father, with war. And three times did Joas beat him and brought the cities of Israel again.
But the children of those murderers he slew not, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, where the LORD commanded saying: the fathers shall not die for the children's cause, nor the children for the deeds of their fathers: But every man shall be slain for his own sin.
And he slew of the Edomites in the salt valley ten thousand, and took the town Sela with strength of battle, and called the name of it Jektheel ever after.
But Joas king of Israel sent again to Amaziah king of Juda saying: A thistle in Libanon sent to a cypress tree in Libanon saying: give thy daughter to my son to wife. But the wild beasts in Libanon went and trod down the thistle.
Because thou hast beaten the Edomites, therefore thine heart riseth. Be glorious: but tarry at home. For what needest thou to provoke to mischief, that thou shouldest be overthrown and Juda with thee.
And Joas king of Israel took Amaziah king of Juda, son of Jehoas son of Ohoziah, at Bethsames. And then he went to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundredth cubits.
And he took all the gold and silver and all the vessels that were found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasure of the king's house, and hostages thereto: and then returned to Samaria again.
The rest of the acts of Joas which he did, and his power, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Juda, are written in the chronicles of the kings of Israel:
He restored the coasts of Israel from the entering of Hemath unto the sea, in the wild fields, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel which he spake thorow his servant Jonas the son of Amithai the prophet, which was of Geth Opher.
For the LORD had seen how that the affliction of Israel was exceeding bitter, in so much that the prisoned and the forsaken were at an end. And there was no helper unto Israel.
And the LORD had not yet said that men should put out the name of Israel from under heaven. And therefore he holp them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joas.
The rest of the deeds of Jeroboam, and all he did, and his power how he fought, and how he restored Damasco and Hemath to Juda in Israel are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
And the LORD smote the king, that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in an house at liberty, and Jotham the king's son governed the house and judged the people of the land.
For Manahem the son of Gadi came up from Therzah and went to Samaria and smote Selum the son of Jabes in Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.
The same time Manahem destroyed Thaphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Therzah (because they opened not to him) he smote and rent all the women with child.
And Manahem raised the money in Israel, upon all men of substance, for to give the king of Assiria fifty sicles of silver apiece. And the king of Assiria turned back again and tarried not there in the land.
And Phakeh the son of Romeliah a lord of his conspired against him and slew him in the palace of the king's house, with Argob and Ariah and fifty men with him that were Gileadites: and when he had killed him, reigned in his room.
In the days of Phakeh king of Israel, came Teglath Phalasar king of Assiria, and took Aion, Abel, Beth, Maach, Janoah, Kades, Hazor, Gilead, Galile, and all the land of Nephthali, and carried them away to Assiria.
And Hosea the son of Elah conspired treason against Phakeh the son of Romeliah and smote him and slew him and reigned in his stead, the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Oziah.
But they put not away the hill altars: for the people offered and burnt incense still in the hill altars, he built the highest door in the house of the LORD.
Twenty year old was he when he was made king: and reigned sixteen year in Jerusalem, and did not that was right in the eyes of the LORD his God, like David his father:
But went in the way of the kings of Israel, and thereto he offered his son in fire, after the abomination of the heathen which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
At the same time Razin king of Siria brought Ailath again to Siria, and rid the Jews thence. And the Sirians went to Ailath and dwelt therein unto this day.
Then Ahaz sent messengers to Teglath Phalasar king of Assiria, saying: I am thy servant and thy son, come and deliver me out of the hand of the king of Siria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which are risen against me.
And Ahaz took the silver and the gold that was found in the house of the LORD and in the treasure of the king's house, and sent it for a reward to the king of Assiria.
And king Ahaz went against Teglath Phalasar king of Assiria, to Damasco. And when he saw a certain altar that was at Damasco, he sent to Uriah the priest the pattern of the altar and the fashion of all the workmanship thereof.
And Uriah the priest made an altar in all points like to the pattern which king Ahaz had sent from Damasco, and had finished it by the king's coming from Damasco.
And he burnt his burnt offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offering, and poured his drink offering and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings upon the said altar.
And the brazen altar that was before the LORD, he fetched from before the house, from between the altar and the house of the LORD, and put it on the north side of the said altar.
And the king commanded Uriah the Priest saying: upon the great altar set on fire, in the morning burnt offerings, and in the evening meat offerings and the king's burntsacrifice and his meatoffering, and the burntofferings of all the people of the land and their meatofferings and their drinkofferings, and pour thereon all the blood of all manner of offerings. But the brazen altar shall be for me, to enquire with.
And king Ahaz brake the sides of the bottoms and took the lavers from off them, and took down the sea from off the brazen oxen that were under it, and put it upon a pavement of stone.
And thereto the pulpit for the Sabbath that they had made in the house, and the king's entry without turned he to the house of the LORD, for fear of the king of Assiria.
And the king of Assiria found treason in Hosea, because he had sent messengers to Sua king of Egypt, and sent no presents unto the king of Assiria, as he was yearly wont to do. Therefore the king of Assiria besieged him and put him in prison.
And in the ninth year of Hosea, the king of Assiria took Samaria and carried Israel away unto Assiria and put them in Hala, in Habor on the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
For the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God which brought them out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharao king of Egypt, and feared other gods.
And they walked in the ordinance of the heathen which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel, and in the things which the kings of Israel had made.
And the children of Israel wrapped themselves in things that were not well toward the LORD their God. And they built them Hillaltars in all their cities, both in the towers where they kept watch and also in the strong towns.
And there they sacrificed in the Hillaltars, as did the heathen which the LORD carried away at their coming, and wrought wicked deeds, to anger the LORD withal.
And the LORD testified to Israel and to Juda, by all the prophets and by all the sears, saying: Turn from your wicked ways and keep my commandments and mine ordinances according to all the laws which I commanded your fathers, and as I sent to you by my servants the prophets.
And they refused his ordinances and his appointment that he had made with their fathers, and the witness which he had witnessed to them and followed vanity and became vain, like to the heathen that were round about them, of which the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them.
But they left the commandments of the LORD their God and made them Images of metal, even two calves: and made groves and bowed themselves unto all the Host of heaven, and served Baal.
And they sacrificed their sons and their daughters in fire, and used witchcraft and enchantments, and were sold to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, for to anger him.
Therefore the LORD cast up all the seed of Israel and vexed them and delivered them into the hands of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.
And Israel divided themselves, from the house of David, and made Jeroboam the son of Nabat king. Which Jeroboam thrust Israel away from the LORD and made them sin a great sin.
until the LORD had put Israel away out of his sight, as he said by all his servants the prophets. And so he translated Israel out of their land to Assiria, even unto this day.
And the king of Assiria brought from Babylon and from Cutha, and from Ava and from Hemath and from Sepharuaim, and put them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel. And they possessed Samaria and dwelt in the cities thereof.
Then men told the king of Assiria, saying: The nations which thou hast translated and put in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land, and therefore he hath sent lions upon them, which slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land.
Then the king of Assiria commanded saying: carry thither one of the priests which ye brought thence, and let him go and dwell there, and teach them the fashion how to serve the God of the country.
How be it every nation made their own gods and put them in the houses of the Hillaltars which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities where they dwelt.
And they feared the LORD, yet they made them priests of the lowest of the people, for the Hillaltars, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the Hillaltars.
Unto this day they do after the old manner: they neither fear the LORD, neither do after their own ordinances and customs, and after the law and commandment which the LORD commanded the children of Jacob whose name he called Israel,
And even so did these nations fear the LORD and serve their images thereto: and so did their children, and their children's children too. Even as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.
He put away the hillaltars, and brake the images and cut down the groves, and all to brake the brazen serpent that Moses made. For unto those days the children of Israel did burn sacrifice to it, and called it Nehustan.
And the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hosea son of Elah king of Israel, came Salmanasar king of Assiria upon Samaria and besieged it.
because they would not hearken unto the voice of the LORD their God. But transgressed his appointment, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would neither hear nor do.
Whereupon Hezekiah king of Juda sent to the king of Assiria to Lachis saying: I have offended. But depart from me, and what thou puttest on me that I will bear. And the king of Assiria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Juda three hundredth talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.
And the said season Hezekiah rent off the doors of the temple of the LORD and the pillars, which the said Hezekiah king of Juda covered over, and gave them to the king of Assiria.
And the king of Assiria sent Tharthan and Rabsaris, and Rabsakeh from Lachis to king Hezekiah with a great Host to Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem, and went and stood by the conduit of the uppermost pool which is in the way to the fuller's field,
and called to the king. And there came out to them, Eliakim the son of Helkiah steward of household, and Sobnah the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder;
And then Rabsakeh said unto them. Tell ye Hezekiah I pray you: Thus sayeth the great king, the king of Assiria; What confidence is this that thou hast?
dost thou trust to the staff of this broken reed Egypt, on which if a man lean it will run into his hand and pierce it: For even so is Pharao king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.
If ye say unto me, we trust in the LORD our God. Is not that he whose hillaltars and other altars too, Hezekiah hath put down, and hath said to Juda and Jerusalem, bow yourselves before this altar here in Jerusalem.
(and if thou be not) how then art thou able to resist one of the least dukes of my master's servants? or trustest thou to Egypt for chariots and horsemen?
Moreover thinkest thou that I am come without the bidding of the LORD to this place to destroy it? nay: the LORD said to me: Go up to this land, and destroy it.
Then said Eliakim the son of Helkiah and Sobnah and Joah, to Rabsakeh: speak we pray thee to thy servants in the Sirians' language, for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' tongue, in the ears of the people that are on the walls.
And Rabsakeh said unto them: hath my master sent me only to thy master and to thee, to speak these words, or rather to the men that keep on the walls, that they shall eat their own dirt, and drink their own piss with you.
neither let Hezekiah make you trust to the LORD saying: the LORD will surely rid us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hands of the king of Assiria.
Hearken not unto Hezekiah, for thus sayeth the king of Assiria. Deal kindly with me, and come out to me. And then eat every man of his own vine, and of his own fig tree, and drink every man of the water of his own well,
till I come and fetch you to as good a land as yours is: a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees, of oil and of honey. And ye shall live and not die. And hearken not unto Hezekiah for he will beguile you, saying: the LORD shall deliver us.
Then Eliakim the steward of household, and Sobnah the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes rent and told him the words of Rabsakeh.
Furthermore he sent Eliakim steward of the household and Sobnah the scribe, and the elders of the Priests clothed in sack, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.
And they said to him, thus sayeth Hezekiah: this day is a day of tribulation, rebuking and railing. Even as when the children are ready to be born, and the mothers have no power to be delivered.
Oh that the LORD thy God would hear all the words of Rabsakeh whom the king of Assiria his master hath sent to rail on the living God, and to rebuke him with words which the LORD thy God hath heard. Wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left.
Isaiah said to them: So shall we say to your master. Thus sayeth the LORD: be not afraid of the words thou heardest, with which the young men of the king of Assiria have railed on me.
And he heard tidings of Therhakah king of the black Moors, how that he was come out to fight against him. And thereupon he departed and sent messengers unto Hezekiah saying:
Thus say to Hezekiah king of Juda, let not thy God carry thee out of the way, in whom thou so trustest saying: Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assiria.
hath the gods of the heathen delivered them which mine ancestries have destroyed: as Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar?
When Hezekiah had received the letter of the hand of the messenger and had read it: he went into the house of the LORD and laid it abroad before the LORD.
And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD and said: LORD God of Israel which dwellest between the Cherubs, thou art God alone over all the kingdoms of the earth, and thou hast made both heaven and earth.
And Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah saying: thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel, that thou hast prayed to me concerning Sennaherib king of Assiria, I have heard it.
This is the thing that the LORD sayeth of him: he hath despised thee, O virgin daughter of Sihon: he hath shaked his head at thee, thou daughter of Jerusalem:
whom hast thou railed on, and whom hast thou reviled? Against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and hast lift up thine eyes so high? Even against the holy of Israel.
By the hand of thy messengers thou hast railed on the Lord{Lorde} and said: with the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains even along by the sides of Libanon, and have cut off the high Cedar trees and the lusty fir trees thereof even to the wood of Carmel that belongeth thereto.
But hast thou not heard how I have ordained such a thing a great while ago, and have prepared it from the beginning? And now I bring it forth and it shall be to destroy and to bring strong cities in to rude heaps of stones.
And the inhabiters of them shall be of little power, and faint hearted and confounded. They shall be like the grass of the field and green herbs, and as the hay on the tops of the houses which withereth or it come to any height.
And because thou settest up thy bristles against me, and that thy raging is come up to mine ears: therefore I will put a ring in thy nose and a bit in thy lips, and will bring thee back again the same way thou camest.
And this shall be a sign unto thee: eat this year of the fruits of the seed that fell out, and the next year, that waxeth of itself. And the third year sow ye and reap, plant vineyards and eat the fruits thereof.
For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, and a number that shall escape out of mount Sion: the zeal of the LORD of Hosts shall bring this thing to pass.
Wherefore thus sayeth the LORD, of the king of Assiria: he shall not come to this city, nor shoot arrow into it, nor come before with shield nor cast any bank against it:
And the self same night the Angel of the LORD went out and smote in the Host of the Assirians an hundredth and four score and five thousand. And when they were up early in the morning: behold, they were all dead corpses.
And as he was in his devotion kneeling in the house of Nisroch his God, Adramelech and Sarafar smote him with the sword. And they escaped into the land of Ararat, and Asarhadon his son reigned in his stead.
About that time Hezekiah was sick unto the death. And the Prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said to him: Thus sayeth the LORD: put thine household in an order, for thou shalt die and not live.
Oh LORD, remember yet how I have walked before thee truly and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight, and wept a great pace.
turn again and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people. Thus sayeth the LORD God of David thy father. I have heard thy prayer and seen thy tears. Behold, I will heal thee, and this day three days thou shalt go up into the house of the LORD.
And I will lengthen thy days yet fifteen year, and will deliver both thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assiria, and will defend this city for mine own sake, and for David my servant's sake.
And Isaiah said: this sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back again ten degrees?
And Hezekiah hearkened unto them and shewed them all that was in the spicery house, and his silver and gold and odours and precious ointments and his armory and all that was found in his treasure: there was nothing in his house or in all his realm, that he shewed them not.
Then came Isaiah the Prophet unto king Hezekiah and said to him: What say these men and from whence come they to thee? And Hezekiah said: they be come from a far country, even from Babylon.
And he said: what have they seen in thy house? And Hezekiah said: all that is in my house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasure that I have not shewed them.
Behold the day shall come, that all that is in thine house and that thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried to Babylon, and nothing shall be left sayeth the LORD.
And of thy sons that proceeded out of thee, which thou begattest, shall there be carried away, and shall be made chamberlains in the palace of the king of Babylon.
The remnant of the deeds of Hezekiah and all his power, and how he made a pool and a conduit and brought the water into the city, are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Juda.
And he went and built the hillaltars again, which Hezekiah his father had destroyed. And he reared up altars to Baal and made groves, as did Ahab king of Israel. And he bowed himself unto all the Host of heaven and served them.
And he offered his son in fire, and observed dismal days, and used witchcraft and maintained workers with spirits, and tellers of fortunes: and wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD to anger him.
And he put an image of a grove that he had made, even in the very temple of which the LORD had said to David and to Salomon his son, in this house and in Jerusalem which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever.
Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers: so that they will be diligent to do all I have commanded them, and all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.
But they hearkened not: for Manasseh had led them out of the way, to do more wickedness than did the heathen people which the LORD destroyed from before the children of Israel.
because Manasseh king of Juda hath done such abominations, and hath wrought wickedly above all that the Amorites which were before him did: and hath made Juda sin also with his Idols.
Therefore thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel. Behold, I will bring such evil upon Jerusalem and Juda, that the ears of all that hear it, shall tingle at it.
And I will stretch over Jerusalem the squaring line of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab. And I will wipe out Jerusalem, as a man would wipe a dish, and when he hath wiped it turneth it upside down.
And though I leave a remnant of mine inheritance, yet I will deliver them into the hands of them that hate them, and they shall be robbed and spoiled of all their enemies:
And thereto Manasseh shed innocent blood exceeding abundantly, in so much that he replenished Jerusalem in all corners, beside his sin wherewith he made Juda sin and to do evil in the sight of the LORD.
And Manasseh laid him to sleep with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, even in the garden of Oza: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.
Amon was twenty two year old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Mesalemeth the daughter of Haru of Jathbah.
Josiah was eight year old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Ididah the daughter of Adaiah of Bezecath.
And he did that seemed right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the ways of David his father, and bowed neither to the right hand nor to the left.
And the eighteenth year of his reign king Josiah sent Saphan the son of Azaliah the son of Mesulam the scribe to the house of the LORD, saying: go to Helkiah the high priest,
and let them deliver it into the hands of the workmen that have the oversight of the house of the LORD, which shall give it to them that work upon the house of the LORD, to repair the decayed places thereof,
And Helkiah the high priest said to Saphan the scribe: I have found the book of the law in the temple of the LORD, and Helkiah gave the book to Saphan, and he read it.
And then Saphan the scribe went to the king and brought him word again, and said: thy servants poured out the silver that was found in the temple, and have delivered it unto the workmen that have the oversight of the house of the LORD.
and commanded Helkiah the priest and Ahikam the son of Saphan and Achobor the son of Michaiah, and Saphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying:
go ye and seek of the LORD for me and the people and for all Juda, concerning the words of this book that is found. For it is a great wrath of the LORD that is kindled upon us, that our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do in all points as it is written therein.
And Helkiah the high priest and Ahikam, Achobor, Saphan, Asahiah went unto Oldah the Prophetess wife of Selum the son of Tekuah the son of Haraham keeper of the robes, which Prophetess dwelt in Jerusalem in the second ward, and communed with her.
thus sayeth the LORD: behold I will bring evil upon this place and on the dwellers therein: even all the words of the book which the king of Juda hath read,
because they have forsaken me and have brent offerings unto other gods, to anger me with all the works of their hands. Therefore is my wrath kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.
But to the king of Juda which sent you to enquire of the LORD, so shall ye say: thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel, as touching the words which thou heardest.
Because thine heart did melt and thou meekedest thyself before me the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place and the inhabiters of the same, how that it should be destroyed and made accursed: and tearest thy clothes and weepest before me: of that also I have heard sayeth the LORD.
And therefore see, I will receive ye unto thy fathers and will fetch thee unto thy grave in peace, thine eyes shall see none of the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.
And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Juda and all the inhabiters of Jerusalem with him, and the priests and the Prophets and all the people both small and great. And he read in the ears of them all the words of the book of the covenant, which was found in the house of the LORD.
And the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the LORD that they should walk after the LORD, and keep his commandments and his witnesses and his ordinances with all their hearts and all their souls, and make good the words of the said appointment that were written in the foresaid book. And all the people consented to the appointment.
And the king commanded Helkiah the high priest and the inferior priests and the keepers of the door, to bring out of the temple of the LORD, all the vessels that were made for Baal and for the grove and for all the Host of heaven. And he burnt them without Jerusalem in the fields of Cedron and carried the ashes of them into Bethel.
And he put down the Camarites which the kings of Juda had set to burn offerings in the hillaltars in the cities of Juda round about Jerusalem and also them that burnt sacrifices unto Baal to the son and to the moon and to the planets, and to all the Host of heaven.
And he brought out the grove from the temple of the LORD without Jerusalem unto the brook Cedron, and stamped it to powder, and cast the dust thereof upon the graves of people of the country.
And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Juda, and defiled|suspended| the hillaltars where the priests did burn sacrifice, even from Gabaa to Bersabe. And he brake down the hillaltars of the Gates, that were in the entering of the gate of Josua the governor of the city, which were on the left hand of the gate of the city.
Nevertheless the priests of the hillaltars might not come at the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, save only they did eat of the sweet bread among their brethren.
he put down the horses that the kings of Israel had given to the son at the entering of the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Nathanmeleh the chamberlain which was of Paruarim, and burnt the chariots of the son with fire.
And the altars that were on the top of the parlour of Ahaz which the king of Juda had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, the king brake down, and ran thence and cast the dust of them into the brook Cedron.
And the hillaltars that before Jerusalem on the right hand of the mount Nashith, which Salomon king of Israel built to Astharoth the abomination of the Zidons and to Chamos the abomination of the Moabites, and to Milchom the abomination of the children of Ammon, the king defiled:
Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, the hillaltar made by Jeroboam the son of Nabat which made Israel sin: both the altar and also the hill he brake down and burnt the hill and stamped it to powder, and burnt the grove.
And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the graves that were in the mount and sent and fetched the bones out of the graves and burnt them upon the altar and polluted it according to the word of the LORD that the man of God had proclaimed, which openly had denounced the same things.
Then the king said: what meaneth yonder grave stone that I see? And the men of the city told him, it is the sepulchre of the man of God, which came from Juda and openly denounced the self same things that thou hast done to the altar of Bethel.
And thereto all the houses of the hillaltars of the cities of Samaria which the kings of Israel had made, to anger with all: Josiah put out of the way and did to them in all points as he did in Bethel.
For there was no passover held like that from the days of the judges that judged Israel, and thorowout all the days of the kings of Israel and of Juda.
And thereto workers with spirits, soothsayers, Images of witchcraft, idols and all other abominations that were spied in the land of Juda and in Jerusalem, Josiah put out of the way to make good the words of the law, which were written in the book that Helkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD:
like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, with all his soul, and all his might, according to all the law of Moses, neither after him arose there any such.
Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from his fierce and great wrath wherewith he was angry against Juda upon all the provocations that Manasseh provoked him.
But the LORD said: I will put Juda too, out of my sight, as I have done Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I have said, my name shall be there.
In his days Pharao Necoh king of Egypt went against the king of Assiria to the river of Euphrates. And king Josiah went against him, and was slain of him at Magedo when he had seen him.
And his servants carried him dead from Magedo and brought him to Jerusalem and buried him in his own sepulchre. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah and anointed him and made him king in his father's room.
And Jehoahaz was twenty three year old when he began to reign and reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Namital the daughter of Jeremiah of Lobnah.
And Pharao Necoh put him in bonds at Reblah in the land of Hemath in the time of his reign in Jerusalem, and put the land to a tribute of an hundredth talents of silver and a talent of gold.
And Pharao Necoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoakim, and took Jehoahaz away which when he came to Egypt died there.
And Jehoakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharao: how be it he taxed the land, to give the money at the commandment of Pharao and as every man was set at, so he required the silver and the gold of the people of the land, to give Pharao Necoh.
Jehoakim was twenty five year old when he began to reign, and he reigned an eleven year in Jerusalem. His mother was named Zebda the daughter of Phadaiah of Ramah.
And the LORD sent upon him men of war out of Galdey, out of Siria, out of the Moabites, and from the children of Ammon: and sent them into Juda, to destroy it, according to the saying of the LORD which he spake by his servants the Prophets.
But the king of Egypt came now no more out of his land: for the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Euphrates, all that pertained to the king of Egypt.
Jehoacin was eighteen year old when he began to reign,(Septuagint Gr. Joachim a son of 18 years in reigning) and reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother's name was Nehustha the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
And Jehoacin the king of Juda came out to the king of Babylon, with his mother, his servants, his lords and his chamberlains. And the king of Babylon took him, in the eighth year of his reign.
And he carried out thence all the treasure of the house of the LORD, and the treasure of the king's house, and brake all the vessels of gold which Salomon king of Israel had made, in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said.
And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the lords and all the men of might, to the number of ten thousand into captivity and all craftsmen and Joiners, none remaining save the poor people of the land.
And he carried away Jehoacin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the kings wives, and his chamberlains, and the mighty of the land carried he away from Jerusalem to Babylon.
And all the men of activity to the number of seven thousand, and craftsmen and joiners a thousand, all strong and apt for war, did the king of Babylon bring to Babylon to dwell.
Zedekiah was twenty one year old when he began to reign and he reigned an eleven year in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamital the daughter of Jeremiah of Lobnah.
For through the wrath of the LORD it so chanced to Jerusalem and Juda, until he had cast them out of his sight. And the said Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
Wherefore in the ninth year of his reign, the tenth day of the tenth month, came Nabuchodonozor king of Babylon with all his power to Jerusalem: and pitched against the town and made engines against it on every side.
And thereto the city was broken up: wherefore all the men of Arms fled by night, by a way thorow a gate, between two walls hard on the king's garden: the Caldeyes lying about the city. And the king went straight toward the desert.
And the seventh day of the fifth month which was in the nineteenth year of king Nabuchodonozor king of Babylon, came Nabusaradan servant of the king of Babylon and chief Marshal, unto Jerusalem:
And the pillars of brass that were in the house of the LORD and the bottoms, and the brazen sea that was in the house of the LORD the Caldeyes brake, and carried the brass of them to Babylon.
with the two pillars and the sea of brass and the bottoms which Salomon had made in the house of the LORD. The brass of all these vessels was without weight.
The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and the head thereon was brass and three cubits long with a wreath and pomegranates round about upon the head, all of brass. And of the same fashion was the second pillar with a wreath.
And out of the city he took a certain chamberlain that had the oversight of the men of war, and five men that were ever in the king's presence, which were found in the city, and Sopher the captain of the Host that taught the people of the land to make war, and three score men of the people of the land that were found in the city also.
And when all the captains of the men of war and the men heard that the king of Babylon had made Godoliah governor: there came to Godoliah to Mazphah: Ismael the son of Nathaniah and Johanan the son of Kareah and Saraiah the son of Thanehumeth the Netophathite and Jezoniah the son of Maachati and their men.
And Godoliah sware to them and to their men, and said to them: fear not ye the servants of the Caldeyes. But dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon and ye shall be in good condition.
But it chanced the seventh month after, that Ismael the son of Nathaniah the son of Elisama of the king's blood came, and ten men with him and smote Godoliah that he died: and so did he the Jews and the Caldeyes that were with him at Mazphah.
Notwithstanding yet the thirty seventh year after Jehoacin king of Juda was carried away, the twenty seventh day of the twelfth month, did Evilmerodach king of Babylon lift up the head of Jehoacin king of Juda out of the prison house,