And they said unto him - A man, came up to meet us, and said unto us - Go, return unto the king who sent you, and ye shall say unto him, Thus, saith Yahweh - Is it, because there is no God in Israel, that, thou, art sending to enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron? Therefore, from the bed whereunto thou hast gone up, shalt thou not come down, for thou shalt, surely die.

And he said unto them, What was the manner of the man who came up to meet you, - and spake unto you these words?

And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came forth unto Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that, to-day, Yahweh is taking away thy lord, from thy head? And he said - I also, know, be silent.

Then drew near the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho, unto Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that, to-day, Yahweh is taking away thy lord from thy head? And he said - I also, know; be silent.

And, when the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho, over against him, saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah, resteth, on Elisha. So they came to meet him, and bowed themselves down to him, to the ground.

So Jehoshaphat said - Is there not, here, a prophet of Yahweh, that we may enquire of Yahweh, from him? Then answered one of the servants of the king of Israel, and said, Here, is Elisha son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.

Then said Elisha - By the life of Yahweh of hosts, before whom I stand, were it not that, the countenance of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would lift up, I would neither look at thee, nor see thee.

Now, all Moab, had heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, - so they came together, from all who could gird on a girdle and upwards, and took their stand at the border.

So he took his firstborn son who was to have reigned in his stead, and offered him up as an ascending-sacrifice upon the wall. And so it came to pass that there was great indignation against Israel. And they brake up from against him, and returned to their own land.

Now, a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets, made outcry unto Elisha, saying - Thy servant, my husband, is dead, and, thou, knowest that, thy servant, was one who revered Yahweh, - now, the creditor, hath come to take my two boys to himself as bondmen.

Now, the Syrians, had gone out in companies, and had brought back out of the land of Israel, a little maiden, - who became an attendant on the wife of Naaman.

And she said unto her mistress, Ah! would that my lord were before the prophet, who is in Samaria! then, would he set him free from his leprosy.

And he went in and told his lord, saying, - Thus and thus, hath spoken the maiden who is of the land of Israel!

But he said - By the life of Yahweh, before whom I stand, I will not accept one. And, though he urged him to accept it, yet did he refuse.

Then was the heart of the king of Syria disquieted concerning this thing, - and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not tell me, who of our men are for the king of Israel?

Then said one of his servants, None, my lord O king, - but, Elisha, the prophet, who is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words which thou speakest in thy bed-chamber.

And he said - Do not fear, - for, more, are, they who are with us, than, they who are with them.

Then Elisha said unto them - This, is not the way, neither is, this, the city, follow me, that I may lead you unto the man, whom ye would secure! So he led them to Samaria.

And he said - Thou shalt not smite. Them whom thou hadst taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow, wouldst, thou, have been smiting? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go their way unto their lord.

Then responded one of his servants, and said - Let there be taken, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which have been left therein, there they are, according to all the multitude of Israel who have been left therein, there they are, according to all the multitude of Israel, who have been consumed, - and let us send and see!

Now, the king, had set the officer on whose hand he leaned, in charge over the gate, and the people trode upon him in the gate, that he died, - as spake the man of God, who said it when the messenger came down to him.

And so it was, just as he was recounting to the king how he had restored the dead to life, lo! the woman whose son he had restored to life, began making outcry unto the king, for her house and for her field. Then said Gehazi, My lord, O king! this, is the woman, and, this, her son, whom, Elisha, restored to life.

So he departed from Elisha, and came in unto his lord, who said to him, What said, Elisha, unto thee? And he said. He told me thou wouldst, recover.

And he lifted up his face unto the lattice, and said - Who, is with me? Who? And there looked out unto him, two or three eunuchs.

Now, Ahab, had seventy sons in Samaria, - so Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel - the elders, and unto them who had been foster-parents for Ahab, saying:

Then wrote he unto them a second letter, saying - If, mine, ye are, and, unto my voice, ye intend to hearken, take ye the heads of the men who are sons of your lord, and come in unto me about this time to-morrow, in Jezreel. Now, the sons of the king, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who had been bringing them up.

And it came to pass, in the morning, that he went out and took his stand, and said unto all the people, Righteous, are, ye! Lo! I, conspired against my lord, and slew him, but, who, smote, all these?

so, Jehu, lighted upon the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are, ye? And they said - Brethren of Ahaziah, are, we; so we came down to salute the sons of the king, and the sons of the queen.

And Jehu sent throughout all Israel, and all the servants of Baal came in, so that there was not left remaining a man, who had not come in, - and they entered the house of Baal, and the house of Baal was filled, from door to door.

Then said he to him who was over the wardrobe chamber, Bring forth vestments for all the servants of Baal. And he brought forth for them the vestments.

And, when they entered to offer sacrifices and ascending-offerings, Jehu, set him, outside, eighty men, and said - The man who shall escape, of the men whom I am bringing into your power, his own life, shall be for, his life.

And the captains of hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and they took every man his men who were coming in on the sabbath, with them who were going out on the sabbath, - and came unto Jehoiada the priest.

And Jehoash said unto the priests, - All the silver of the hallowed things, that is brought into the house of Yahweh - the silver of one who transgresseth, the silver of their persons by the estimate of, each one, - all the silver which it cometh into any man's heart to bring into the house of Yahweh,

then used they to give the silver that had been weighed out, into the hands of the doers of the work, who had oversight of the house of Yahweh, - and they brought it forth, to the carpenters, and to the builders, who were working upon the house of Yahweh;

And it came to pass that, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand, he smote his servants who smote the king his father;

He, restored the boundary of Israel, from the entering in of Hamath, unto the sea of the waste plain, - according to the word of Yahweh, God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, son of Amittai, the prophet, who was of Gath-hepher.

but walked in the way of the kings of Israel, - moreover also, me made, his son, pass through the fire, according to the abominable practices of the nations, whom Yahweh dispossessed from before the sons of Israel;

So Ahaz sent messengers unto Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, Thy servant and thy son, I am, - Come up and save 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.

And he did the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, - only, not like the kings of Israel who were before him.

And thus it came to pass that Israel sinned against Yahweh their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, - yea they did reverence to other gods;

and walked in the statutes of the nations, whom Yahweh had dispossessed from before the sons of Israel, - and in the statutes of the kings of Israel, which they had made.

and burned incense there, in all the high places, like the nations whom Yahweh drave out from before them, - and did things that were wicked, so as to provoke Yahweh to anger;

And Yahweh testified against Israel and against Judah, through all his prophets - every one who had a vision, saying - Turn ye from your wicked ways, and keep my commandments, my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers; and which I sent unto you through my servants the prophets.

Howbeit they hearkened not, - but stiffened their neck, like the neck of their fathers, who trusted not in Yahweh their God;

but rejected his statutes, and his covenant, which he solemnised with their fathers, and his testimonies wherewith he testified against them, - and followed vanity, and became vain, and followed the nations that were round about them, as to whom Yahweh charged them, so that they should not do like them.

Therefore spake they unto the king of Assyria, saying, The nations whom thou hast removed and settled in the cities of Samaria, know not the custom of the God of the land, - and he hath sent among them lions, and lo! they are slaying them, because they know not the custom of the God of the land.

So the king of Assyria commanded, saying - Carry thither, one of the priests, whom ye brought away captive from thence, that they may go, and dwell there, - and teach them the custom of the God of the land.

Then came one of the priests whom they had carried away captive from Samaria, and dwelt in Bethel, - and he began teaching them how they should do reverence unto Yahweh.

Thus became they reverers of Yahweh, - and yet made for themselves, from the whole compass of them, priests of high places, who became offerers for them in the house of the high places.

With, whom, Yahweh solemnised a covenant, and commanded them saying - Ye shall not revere other gods, - nor bow down to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them;

But, Yahweh - who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, with great might, and with arm outstretched, him, shall ye revere, - and to him, shall ye bow down, and to him, shall ye sacrifice;

Then called they for the king, and there went out unto them Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, - and Shebnah, the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph, the recorder.

Thou hast said - they are only words of the lips! - Counsel and might have I for the war. Now, in whom dost thou trust, that thou hast rebelled against me?

Now, lo! thou dost trust thyself on the support of this bruised cane, on Egypt, whereon, if a man lean, it will enter his hand and lay it open, - so, is Pharaoh king of Egypt, to all who trust upon him.

Then said Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah, unto Rab-shakeh: Speak, we pray thee, unto thy servants in the, Syrian, language, for, we, can, understand, it, - and do not speak with us in, the Jews', language, in the ears of the people who are upon the wall.

But Rab-shakeh said unto them - Is it, concerning thy lord, and concerning thee, that my lord hath sent me to speak these things? Is it not concerning the men who are tarrying upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung and drink their own water with you?

Who are they, among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country, out of my hand, - that, Yahweh, should deliver, Jerusalem, out of my hand?

Then came in Eliakim son of Hilkiah who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder, unto Hezekiah, with rent clothes, - and they told him the words of Rab-shakeh.

and sent Eliakim who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, - unto Isaiah the prophet, son of Amoz;

It may be that Yahweh thy God will hear all the words of Rab-shakeh, whom the king of Assyria his lord hath sent, to reproach a Living God, and will rebuke the words, which Yahweh thy God hath heard, - Wherefore lift thou up a prayer, for the remnant that remaineth.

Thus, shall ye, speak, unto Hezekiah king of Judah, saying - Let not thy God in whom thou art trusting beguile thee, saying, - Jerusalem shall not be given over, into the hand of the king of Assyria.

Did the gods of the nations, deliver them, whom my fathers destroyed, Gozan, and Haran, - and Rezeph, and the sons of Eden, who were in Telassar?

Bow down, O Yahweh, thine ear, and hear, Open, O Yahweh, thine eyes, and see, - yea hear thou the words of Sennacherib, who hath sent - To reproach a Living God!

Whom, hast thou reproached, and insulted? and, against whom, hast thou lifted high thy voice? yea thou hast proudly raised thine eyes, against the Holy One of Israel.

and, of thy sons who shall issue from thee, whom thou shalt beget, shall they take away, - and they shall become eunuchs, in the palace of the king of Babylon.

And he did the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, - after the abominable practices of the nations, whom Yahweh had dispossessed from before the sons of Israel.

Because Manasseh king of Judah hath made these abominations - hath done that which is wicked, more than all which the Amorites did who were before him, and hath caused, even Judah, to sin with his manufactured gods,

Then the people of the land smote all who had conspired against King Amon, - and the people of the land made, Josiah his son, king, in his stead.

that they may give it into the hand of the doers of the work, who have oversight of the house of Yahweh, that they may give it to the doers of the work, who are in the house of Yahweh, to repair the breaches of the house;

Then came Shaphan the scribe unto the king, and brought the king word again, - and said - Thy servants have poured out the silver that was found in the house, and have delivered it unto the hand of the doers of the work, who have oversight of the house of Yahweh.

And she said unto them, Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, Say ye unto the man who hath sent you unto me:

But, unto the king of Judah, who hath sent you to enquire of Yahweh, thus, shall ye say unto him, - Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard:

and he put down the idol-priests, whom the kings of Judah had appointed, so that incense might be burned in the high places, in the cities of Judah, and round about Jerusalem, - them also that burned incense to Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the constellations, and to all the army of the heavens;

And, when Josiah turned, and saw the graves which were there, in the mount, he sent and took the bones out of the graves, and burned upon the altar, and defiled it, - according to the word of Yahweh, which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these things.

Then said he - What is yonder erection, which I do see? And the men of the city said unto him - The grave of the man of God, who came in out of Judah, and proclaimed these things, which thou hast done, concerning the altar of Bethel.

And he said - Let him rest, let, no man, disturb his bones. So they let his bones rest, with the bones of the prophet who came in out of Samaria.

and he sacrificed all the priests of the high places, who were there, by the altars, and burned human bones thereupon, - and returned to Jerusalem.

Surely there had not been held such a passover as this, from the days of the Judges who judged Israel, - nor all the days of the kings of Israel, and the kings of Judah;

Moreover also, them who had familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the household gods, and the manufactured gods, and the abominations which were to be seen in the land of Judah, and in Jerusalem, did Josiah consume, - that he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had found in the house of Yahweh.

And, like him, was no king, before him, who turned unto Yahweh with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses, - neither, after him, arose one, like him.

And, all the men of might - seven thousand, and artificers and smiths - a thousand, all who were valiant and ready to make war, the king of Babylon brought them captive to Babylon.

And, the walls of Jerusalem round about, did all the force of the Chaldeans who were with the chief of the royal executioners, break down.

And, the residue of the people who were left in the city, and the disheartened who fell away unto the king of Babylon, and the residue of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan, chief of the royal executioners, carry away captive.

and, out of the city, took he one courtier who himself was set over the men of war, and five men of them who were wont to see the face of the king, who were found in the city, and the scribe - general of the army, who used to muster the people of the land, - and sixty men of the people of the land, who were found in the city;

But, as for the people who were left in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon left remaining, he set over them Gedaliah, son of Ahikam son of Shaphan.

And it came to pass, in the seventh month, that Ishmael son of Nethaniah a son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, that he died, - and the Jews and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah.

and he spake with him kind words, - and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon;