When Azariah the chief priest and all the priests turned towards him, lo! he, was leprous, in his forehead, so they hastened him from thence, - yea, even he himself, hurried to go out, because Yahweh had smitten him.

And it came to pass that, Uzziah the king, was a leper until the day of his death, and dwelt in a house apart - a leper, for he was cut off from the house of Yahweh, - and, Jotham his son, was over the house of the king, judging the people of the land.

Now, the rest of the story of Uzziah, first and last, hath Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet, written.

And Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of burial that pertained unto the kings, for they said, A leper, he is. And Jotham his son reigned in his stead.

twenty-five years old, was Jotham when he began to reign, and, sixteen years, reigned he in Jerusalem, - and, the name of his mother, was Jerushah, daughter of Zadok.

And he did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to all that Uzziah his father had done, only he entered not into the temple of Yahweh, - though still were the people acting corruptly.

He, built the upper gate of the house of Yahweh,-and, on the wall of Ophel, built he extensively.

Cities also, built he, in the hill country of Judah, - and, in the thick woods, built he fortresses and towers.

He, also made war against the king of the sons of Ammon, and prevailed against them, and the sons of Ammon gave him, during that year, a hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and, of barley, ten thousand, - this, did the sons of Ammon render him, both in the second year, and the third.

But, the rest of the story of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, lo! there they are written in the book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.

Twenty-five years old, was he when he began to reign, - and, sixteen years, reigned he in Jerusalem.

And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him, in the city of David, - and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.

Twenty years old, was Ahaz when he began to reign, and, sixteen years, reigned he in Jerusalem, - but he did not that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, like David his father;

and, he, burned incense, in the valley of the son of Hinnom,-and burnt his sons, in the fire, according to the abominable ways of the nations, whom Yahweh dispossessed from before the sons of Israel.

And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and upon the hills, - and under every green tree.

Wherefore Yahweh his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria, who smote him, and carried away captive from him a large body of captives, and brought them into Damascus, - yea, even into the hand of the king of Israel, was he delivered, who smote him with a great smiting.

And Pekah son of Remaliah slew, in Judah, a hundred and twenty thousand in one day, all, sons of valour,-because they had forsaken Yahweh, God of their fathers.

And Zichri a hero of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah son of the king, and Azrikam, chief ruler of the house, - and Elkanah, that was next unto the king.

And the sons of Israel, carried away captive, from among their brethren two hundred thousand, wives, sons and daughters, moreover also, of much spoil, did they plunder them, - and brought the spoil to Samaria.

But, in that place, was a prophet unto Yahweh, Oded his name, so he went out to meet the host that was coming unto Samaria, and said unto them, Lo! in the wrath of Yahweh, God of your fathers, against Judah, hath he delivered them into your hand, - and ye have slain them in a rage, until, to the heavens, it hath reached.

Now, therefore, ye, are thinking to tread down, the children of Judah and Jerusalem, as servants and as handmaids for yourselves. But is it not so - that, ye yourselves, are altogether guilty against Yahweh your God?

Now, therefore, hearken unto me, and restore the captives whom ye have taken captive from among your brethren, - for, the glow of the anger of Yahweh, is over you.

Then rose up certain of the chiefs of the sons of Ephraim - Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai, - against them who were coming in from the army;

and said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither, for, with guilt against Yahweh already upon us, ye, are thinking to add unto our sins, and unto our guilt, - for great is the guilt we have, and fierce is the anger over Israel.

So the armed men left the captives, and tile plunder, before the rulers, and all the convocation.

Then rose up the men who have been expressed by name - and took the captives, and, all who were naked among them, clothed they out of the spoil, and arrayed them and sandalled them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and conducted them with asses for every one that was exhausted, and brought them to Jericho the city of palm-trees, near unto their brethren, - and then returned to Samaria.

At that time, sent King Ahaz unto the kings of Assyria to help him.

For again had, the Edomites, come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives;

and, the Philistines, had spread themselves out against the cities of the lowland and of the south, pertaining to Judah, and had captured Beth-shemesh and Aijalon and Gederoth, and Soco with its villages, and Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo, with its villages, - and dwelt there.

For Yahweh had brought Judah low, because of Ahaz king of Israel, - for he had given the rein in Judah, and, been grievously unfaithful, with Yahweh.

And Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, came against him, - and distressed him, but strengthened him not.

For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of Yahweh, and out of the house of the king, and the rulers, - and gave unto the king of Assyria, but he helped him not.

And, in the time of his distress, he yet further acted unfaithfully with Yahweh, - he, King Ahaz!

For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus who had smitten him, and said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria are helping them, unto them, will I sacrifice, that they may help me. But, they, served to seduce him and all Israel.

And Ahaz gathered together the utensils of the house of God, and brake away the fittings of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of Yahweh, - and made for himself altars at every corner in Jerusalem;

and, in every several city of Judah, made he high places, for burning incense unto other gods, - and provoked Yahweh, God of his fathers.

But, the rest of his story, and all his ways, first and last, there they are, written the book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel, - and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.

And, Hezekiah, began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and, twenty-nine years, reigned he in Jerusalem, - and, the name of his mother, was Abijah, daughter of Zechariah.

And he did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, - according to all that, David his father, had done.

He, in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of Yahweh, and repaired them.

And he brought in the priests, and the Levites, - and gathered them together in the broadway on the east;

and said unto them, Hear me, O Levites! Now, hallow yourselves, and hallow the house of Yahweh, God of your fathers, and take forth the impure thing out of the holy place.

For our fathers have acted unfaithfully and done the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh our God, and have forsaken him,-and have turned round their faces from the habitation of Yahweh, and have offered their backs.

Moreover they have shut up the doors of the porch, and have quenched the lamps, and, incense, have they not burned,-and, ascending-sacrifice, have they not caused to go up in the holy place, unto the God of Israel.

Thus hath it come to pass, that, the wrath of Yahweh, hath been upon Judah and Jerusalem, - and he hath delivered them up as a terror and as an astonishment and as hissing, even as, ye, can see with your own eyes.

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

Now, is it near my heart, to solemnise a covenant unto Yahweh, God of Israel, - that he may turn from him the glow of his anger.

My sons! now, do not be faulty, - for, of you, hath Yahweh made choice, to stand before him, and to wait upon him, and to be his attendants and burners of incense.

Then arose the Levites - Mahath son of Amasai, and Joel son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites, and, of the sons of Merari, Kish son of Abdi, and Azariah son of Jehallelel, - and, of the Gershonites, Joah son of Zimmah, and Eden son of Joah;

and, of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeiel, - and, of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah, and Mattaniah;

and, of the sons of Heman, Jehiel and Shimei, - and, of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah, and Uzziel;

and they gathered together their brethren, who hallowed themselves, and came in according to the command of the king, in the things of Yahweh, - to purify the house of Yahweh.

So the priests entered into the inner part of the house of Yahweh, to make purification, and they brought out every unclean thing which they found in the temple of Yahweh, into the court of the house of Yahweh, - where the Levites received it, to carry it forth to the Kidron ravine outside.

And they began, on the first of the first month, to hallow, - and, on the eighth day of the month, they came to the porch of Yahweh, so they hallowed the house of Yahweh in eight days, - and, on the sixteenth day of the first month, they finished.

Then came they in unto Hezekiah the king, and said, We have purified all the house of Yahweh, - the altar of ascending-sacrifice, and all the utensils thereof, and the table for setting in array, and all the utensils thereof.

And, all the utensils which King Ahaz in his reign rejected when he acted unfaithfully, have we made ready and hallowed, - and, there they are, before the altar of Yahweh.

So Hezekiah the king rose up early, and gathered together the rulers of the city, - and went up to the house of Yahweh.

And they brought in seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven young sheep, and seven he-goats for bearing sin, for the kingdom and for the sanctuary and for Judah, - and he bade the sons of Aaron, the priests, cause them to ascend upon the altar of Yahweh.

So they slaughtered the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and dashed it against the altar, - and they slaughtered the rams, and dashed the blood against the altar, and slaughtered the young sheep, and dashed the blood against the altar.

And they brought near the he-goats for bearing sin, before the king, and the convocation, - and they leaned their hands upon them;

and the priests slaughtered them, and sin-cleansed, with their blood, the altar, to put a propitiatory-covering over all Israel,-because, for all Israel, did the king appoint the ascending-sacrifice and the offering for bearing sin.

And he caused the Levites to stand in the house of Yahweh, with cymbals and with harps and with lyres, by the commandment of David, and of Gad the seer of the king, and of Nathan the prophet, - for, by the hand of Yahweh, came the commandment by the hand of his prophets.

So the Levites took their stand, with the instruments of David, and the priests, with the trumpets.

And Hezekiah gave word, to cause the ascending-sacrifice to go up on the altar, - and, when the ascending-sacrifice began, the singing unto Yahweh began, and the trumpets, even under the direction of the instruments of David, king of Israel.

And, all the convocation, were bowing themselves in prostration, and, the song, was resounding and the trumpets were blowing,-the whole, until the completing of the ascending-sacrifice.

And, when the offering was complete, the king knelt down and all who were present with him, and bowed themselves in prostration.

And Hezekiah the king and the rulers gave word to the Levites, to offer praise unto Yahweh, in the words of David, and of Asaph the seer, - so they offered praise right joyfully, and bent their heads and bowed themselves in prostration.

Then responded Hezekiah and said - Now, have ye consecrated yourselves unto Yahweh. Draw near, and bring in sacrifices and thank-offerings unto the house of Yahweh,-So the convocation brought sacrifices and thank-offerings, and, everyone of a willing heart, brought ascending-sacrifices.

And it came to pass that, the number of ascending-sacrifices which the convocation brought, was - seventy bullocks, and a hundred rams, and two hundred young sheep, - as an ascending-sacrifice unto Yahweh, all these.

But, the hallowed beasts, were six hundred bullocks, and three thousand sheep.

Only, the priests, were too few, and were unable to flay all the ascending-sacrifices, - so their brethren the Levites strengthened them, until the work was complete and until the priests had hallowed themselves, for, the Levites, were more upright in heart to hallow themselves, than the priests.

Moreover also, the ascending-sacrifices, were in abundance, with the fat portions of the peace-offerings, and with the drink-offerings to every ascending-sacrifice,-thus was established the service of the house of Yahweh.

And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, because God had established it for the people, - for, suddenly, had the thing come about.

Then sent Hezekiah unto all Israel and Judah, moreover also, letters, wrote he unto Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come unto the house of Yahweh, in Jerusalem, - to keep a passover unto Yahweh, God of Israel.

Yea, the king and his rulers and all the convocation in Jerusalem, had taken counsel, - to keep the passover in the second month.

For they were unable to keep it at that time, - because, the priests, had not hallowed themselves in sufficient numbers, and, the people, had not gathered themselves unto Jerusalem.

And the thing was right, in the eyes of the king, - and in the eyes of all the convocation.

So they established a decree, to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba even unto Dan, that they should come in to keep a passover unto Yahweh the God of Israel, in Jerusalem, - for, not for a long time, had they kept it as written.

The runners, therefore, went with letters from the hand of the king and his rulers, throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, - Ye sons of Israel, return ye unto Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, and he will return unto the remnant, that which is left to you, out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.

And be not ye like your fathers, or like your brethren, who acted unfaithfully with Yahweh, God of your fathers, - who therefore delivered them up for an astonishment, as, ye yourselves, can see.

Now, do not stiffen your neck, like your fathers, - stretch forth the hand unto Yahweh, and enter into his sanctuary which he hath hallowed unto times age-abiding, and serve Yahweh your God, that he may turn from you the glow of his anger.

For, by your returning unto Yahweh, your brethren and your children, shall find compassion before their captors, so as to return unto this land. For, gracious and compassionate, is Yahweh your God, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye will return unto him.

So the runners were passing from city to city throughout the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, even unto Zebulun, - -but they were laughing them to scorn, and mocking them.

Howbeit, some, out of Asher and Manasseh and out of Zebulun, humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

Also, upon Judah, came the hand of God, to give them one heart, - to keep the commandment of the king and the rulers, as the word of Yahweh.

And there gathered themselves unto Jerusalem much people, to keep the festival of unleavened cakes, in the second month, - an exceeding large convocation.

Then rose they up, and removed the altars, which were in Jerusalem,-and, all the censers, removed they, and cast them into the Kidron ravine.

Then slaughtered they the passover, on the fourteenth of the second month, - and, the priests and the Levites, were put to shame, and hallowed themselves, and brought in the ascending-sacrifices of the house of Yahweh.

And they stood in their place, according to their regulation, according to the law of Moses the man of God, - the priests, dashing the blood, which they received at the hand of the Levites.

For there were many in the convocation, who had not hallowed themselves, - but, the Levites, were over the slaughtering of the passover-lambs, for every one who was, not pure, to hallow him unto Yahweh.

For, the multitude of the people, many out of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not purified themselves, for they did eat the passover, otherwise than as was written, - for Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, May Yahweh the Good, put a propitiatory-covering about

And Yahweh hearkened unto Hezekiah, and healed the people.

And so the sons of Israel who were found in Jerusalem kept the festival of unleavened cakes seven days, with great rejoicing, - and the Levites and the priests, were offering praise unto Yahweh day by day, with loud instruments, unto Yahweh.

And Hezekiah spake unto the heart of all the Levites who were giving good instruction respecting Yahweh, - and they did eat the appointed feast seven days, sacrificing the peace-offerings, and offering praise unto Yahweh, God of their fathers.

Then all the convocation took counsel, to keep seven days more, - and they kept seven days, with rejoicing.

For, Hezekiah king of Judah, presented to the convocation, a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep, and, the rulers, presented to the convocation, a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep,-and, priests in great numbers, hallowed themselves.

So all the convocation of Judah, and the priests and the Levites, and all the convocation that came in out of Israel, rejoiced, - also the sojourners who were coming in out of the land of Israel, and the dwellers in Judah.

Then rose up the priests the Levites, and blessed the people, and there was a hearkening unto their voice, - and their prayer entered into his holy dwelling-place, even into the heavens.

Now, when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went forth unto the cities of Judah, and brake in pieces the pillars - and cut down the Sacred Stems - and threw down the high places and the altars, out of all Judah and Benjamin - and throughout Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had made an end, - then all the sons of Israel returned every man to his own possession, unto their own cities.