And he said to the judges, Take heed what you do. For you do not judge for man, but for Jehovah, who is with you in the judgment.

And now let the fear of Jehovah be on you. Be careful and act wisely, for there is no iniquity with Jehovah our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.

And Jehoshaphat set some of the Levites and of the priests and of the chief of the fathers of Israel in Jerusalem for the judgment of Jehovah, and for controversies, when they returned to Jerusalem.

And he charged them, saying, And you shall act in the fear of Jehovah, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.

And behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of Jehovah. And Zebadiah the son of Ishmael is the ruler of the house of Judah for all the king's matters. Also the Levites shall be officers before you. Take courage and act, and Jehovah shall be with the good.

And Jehoshaphat feared and set himself to seek Jehovah, and called for a fast throughout all Judah.

And they lived in it. And they have built You a temple in it for Your name, saying,

If evil comes on us, whether the sword, judgment, or plague, or famine, and we stand before this house and in Your presence (for Your name is in this house) and cry to You in our affliction, then You will hear and help.

O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no might against this great company which comes against us. Nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.

And he said, Listen, all Judah, and you people of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat! So says Jehovah to you, Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude. For the battle is not yours, but God's.

You shall not fight in this battle. Set yourselves and stand, and see the salvation of Jehovah with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not fear nor be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, for Jehovah will be with you.

And he consulted with the people, and he appointed singers to Jehovah and praisers to praise the beauty of holiness as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise Jehovah, for His mercy endures forever.

For the sons of Ammon and Moab stood up against the people of mount Seir to completely kill and destroy. And when they had made an end of the people of Seir, everyone helped to destroy another.

And Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their plunder, they found among them in abundance both riches and precious jewels in great number with the dead bodies, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away. And they were three days in gathering of the plunder, it was so much.

And on the fourth day they gathered themselves in the Valley of Blessing. For there they blessed Jehovah. And the name of the same place was called the Valley of Blessing until this day.

And they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in front of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy. For Jehovah had made them to rejoice over their enemies.

And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that Jehovah fought against the enemies of Israel.

And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was quiet. For his God gave him rest round about.

But, the high places were not taken away, for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts to the God of their fathers.

And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like the house of Ahab for he had the daughter of Ahab for a wife. And he did the evil in the eyes of Jehovah.

And it happened as days and as the time went out, at the end of two years, his bowels fell out because of his sickness. And he died of painful diseases. And his people made no burning for him like the burning of his fathers.

And the people of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his place. For the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had killed all the older ones. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.

He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab. For his mother was his counselor to do wickedly.

And he did evil in the sight of Jehovah like the house of Ahab. For they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his ruin.

And he looked for Ahaziah. And they caught him (for he was hidden in Samaria), and brought him to Jehu. And when they had killed him, they buried him because they said, He is the son of Jehoshaphat who looked to Jehovah with all his heart. And the house of Ahaziah had no power still to keep the kingdom.

But Jehoshabeath the daughter of the king took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons who were killed. And she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. And Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah) hid him from Athaliah so that she did not kill him.

But let none come into the house of Jehovah except the priests, and those of the Levites who minister. They shall go in, for they are holy. But all the people shall keep the watch of Jehovah.

And the Levites and all Judah did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest had commanded. And every man took his men who were to come in on the sabbath, with the ones who were to go out on the sabbath. For Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss the divisions.

And Jehoiada the priest brought out the commanders of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, Take her out of the ranks. And whoever follows her shall be killed with the sword. For the priest said, Do not kill her in the house of Jehovah.

And Jehoiada took two wives for him, and he fathered sons and daughters.

And the king called for Jehoiada and said to him, Why have you not made the Levites bring in the collection out of Judah and out of Jerusalem, according to Moses the servant of Jehovah, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?

For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, have broken up the house of God. And also all the dedicated things of the house of Jehovah they have given to Baals.

And when they had finished, they brought the rest of the silver before the king and Jehoiada. Of this silver were made vessels for the house of Jehovah, vessels to minister and to offer, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they continually offered burnt offerings in the house of Jehovah all the days of Jehoiada.

And they left the house of Jehovah, the God of their fathers, and served Asherahs and idols. And wrath came on Judah and Jerusalem for this their guilt.

For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and Jehovah delivered a very great army into their hand, because they had forsaken the God of the fathers. And they executed judgment against Joash.

And when they had departed from him (for they left him in great diseases), his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed, and he died. And they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.

But he did not kill their sons, but as it is written in the Law in the book of Moses, where Jehovah commanded, saying, The father shall not die for the sons, nor shall the sons die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin.

And Amaziah gathered Judah and made them commanders over thousands and commanders over hundreds, according to the houses of the fathers, for all Judah and Benjamin. And he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them three hundred thousand choice men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield.

And he hired a hundred thousand mighty men of war out of Israel for a hundred talents of silver.

But a man of God came to him saying, O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for Jehovah is not with Israel, with all the sons of Ephraim.

But if you will go, do it! Be strong for the battle, for God shall make you fall before the enemy, for God has power to help and to throw down.

And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, Jehovah is able to give you much more than this.

And Jehoash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son for a wife. And a beast of the field in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle down.

But Amaziah would not hear; for it was from God, so that He might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom.

And Jehoash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate, four hundred cubits.

And the Ammonites paid tribute to Uzziah. And his name spread abroad even to the entrance of Egypt, for he was made very strong.

And he built towers in the desert, and dug many wells. For he had many cattle, both in the low country and in the plains. He also had husbandmen and vinedressers in the mountains, and in Carmel. For he loved the earth.

And Uzziah prepared for them, for all the army, shields and spears and helmets and coats of armor and bows and stones for the slings.

And he made engines in Jerusalem, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and on the corners, to shoot arrows and great stones with. And his name spread far abroad. For he was wonderfully helped until he was strong.

But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to ruin. For he sinned against Jehovah his God, and went into the temple of Jehovah to burn incense on the altar of incense.

And they withstood Uzziah the king and said to him, It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but to the priests, the sons of Aaron who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the temple, for you have sinned. Nor shall it be for your honor from Jehovah God.

And Uzziah the king was a leper until the day of his death, and lived in a separate house a leper. For he was cut off from the house of Jehovah. And Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land.

And Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial of the kings. For they said, He is a leper. And his son Jotham reigned in his place.

For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and also made molded images for Baals.

And he burned incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burned his sons in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom Jehovah had cast out before the sons of Israel.

And now you intend to keep under the sons of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen to you. Are there not with you, even with you, sins against Jehovah your God?

And now hear me, and deliver again the captives which you have taken captive of your brothers. For the fierce wrath of Jehovah is on you.

And they said to them, You shall not bring the captives here. For we have offended Jehovah, and you intend to add to our sins and to our trespass. For our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.

For again the Edomites had come and had beaten Judah and had carried away captives.

For Jehovah brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel. For he loosed immorality in Judah, and sinned grievously against Jehovah.

For Ahaz took away a portion of the house of Jehovah, and of the house of the king, and of the rulers, and gave it to the king of Assyria. But it was no help to him.

For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus who struck him. And he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will sacrifice to them so that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel.

For our fathers have sinned and did the evil in the eyes of Jehovah our God, and have forsaken Him, and have turned away their faces from the house of Jehovah, and have turned their backs.

For lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this.

My sons, do not be negligent now. For Jehovah has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, and that you should minister to Him and burn incense.

And they brought seven bulls and seven rams and seven lambs and seven he-goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the priests, the sons of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of Jehovah.

And they brought out the he-goats for the sin offering before the king and the congregation. And they laid their hands on them.

And the priest killed them, and they made atonement with their blood on the altar, to make atonement for all Israel. For the king commanded the burnt offering and the sin offering to be made for all Israel.

And he set the Levites in the house of Jehovah with cymbals, with harps, and with lyres, according to the command of David, and of Gad the king's seer and Nathan the prophet. For the commandment was by the hand of Jehovah by His prophets.

And Hezekiah answered and said, And you have consecrated yourselves to Jehovah. Come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of Jehovah. And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings. And as many as were of a free heart brought burnt offerings.

And the number of the burnt offerings which the congregation brought was seventy oxen, a hundred rams, two hundred lambs. All these were for a burnt offering to Jehovah.

But the priests were too few, so that they could not skin all the burnt offerings. And their brothers the Levites helped them until the work was ended, and until the priests had sanctified themselves. For the Levites were more upright of heart to make themselves pure than the priests.

And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings and the drink offerings for every burnt offering. And the service of the house of Jehovah was set in order.

And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people. For the thing happened suddenly.

For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not made themselves pure enough, nor had the people gathered to Jerusalem.

And they established a decree to send a notice throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to Jehovah, the God of Israel at Jerusalem. For not many of them had done as it was written.

And do not be like your fathers and like your brothers who sinned against Jehovah, the God of their fathers, and He made them for a horror, as you see.

For if you turn again to Jehovah, your brothers and your sons will have mercies before those who lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land. For Jehovah your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.

And they arose and took away the altars in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense they took away, and threw them into the torrent Kidron.

For many in the congregation were not sanctified. And the Levites were over the killing of the passovers for every one who was not clean, to sanctify them to Jehovah.

For many of the people, many from Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not been cleansed, but ate the Passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, May the good LORD pardon everyone

For Hezekiah king of Judah gave to the congregation a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep. And the rulers gave to the congregation a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep. And a great number of priests sanctified themselves.

And there was great joy in Jerusalem. For from the days of Solomon the son of David the king of Israel there was nothing like this in Jerusalem.

And Hezekiah set the courses of the priests and the Levites according to their divisions, each according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of Jehovah.

And the king's portion from his goods was for burnt offerings, and for burnt offerings of the morning and the evening, and the burnt offerings of the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the Law of Jehovah.

And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of Jehovah, we have had enough to eat and have plenty left. For Jehovah has blessed His people, and this great store is left.

besides registering the males from three years and upward, to everyone who enters into the house of Jehovah, giving his daily portion for their service in their charges according to their divisions,

and to the genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation. For in their set office they set themselves apart in holiness.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of the king of Assyria, or for all the multitude with him. For there are more with us than with him.

And now do not let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade you in this way, nor yet believe him. For no god of any nation was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers. How much less shall your God deliver you out of my hand?

And for this reason Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to Heaven.

But Hezekiah did not give again according to the good done to him, for his heart was lifted up. And there was wrath on him and on Judah and Jerusalem.

And Hezekiah was humbled for the pride of his heart, he and the people of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of Jehovah did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah.

And Hezekiah had exceedingly much riches and honor. And he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all kinds of pleasant jewels.

And he made storehouses for the increase of grain and wine and oil, and stalls for all kinds of animals, and stalls for flocks.

And he provided himself cities, and possessions of flocks and herds, in abundance. For God had given him very many things.

For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for the Baals, and made Asherahs, and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served them.

And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of Jehovah.

And he caused his sons to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom. He also practiced secret arts, and used fortune-telling, and used witchcraft, and dealt with mediums, and with soothsayers. He did much evil in the sight of Jehovah in order to provoke Him to anger.

Nor will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have set apart for your fathers; only if they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.