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

And he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells, for, much cattle, had he, both in the lowland, and in the plain, - husbandmen and vinedressers, in the mountains and in the fruitful field, for, a lover of the soil, was he.

The whole number of the ancestral chiefs pertaining to the heroes of valour, was two thousand and six hundred;

and, under their direction, was the force of a host, three hundred and seven thousand five hundred, ready to make war, with the strength of a force, - for helping the king against an enemy.

And he made in Jerusalem, inventions invented of the inventor, to be upon the towers and upon the turrets, for throwing with arrows, and with great stones, - so that his name went forth afar, for he was marvellously helped, until that he was strong.

But, when he became strong, uplifted was his heart, unto ruin, for he acted unfaithfully against Yahweh his God, - and entered into the temple of Yahweh, to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

Then was Uzziah wroth, and, in his hand, was a censer, to burn incense, - and, when he was wroth with the priests, a leprosy, shot forth in his forehead, before the priests, in the house of Yahweh, from off the altar of incense.

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.

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.

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

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;

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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

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

Thus was there great rejoicing, in Jerusalem, - for, since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel, there had not been the like of this, in Jerusalem.

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.

and brought in the heave-offering and the tithe and the hallowed things, faithfully, - and, over them, as chief ruler, was Cononiah the Levite, and Shimei his brother, next;

And, Kore, son of Imnah the Levite, the door-keeper on the east, was over the freewill offerings of God, - to give the heave-offering of Yahweh, and the most holy things.

And Hezekiah did thus, throughout all Judah, - and he did that which was good and right and faithful, before Yahweh his God.

And, when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, - and that, his face, was - to war, against Jerusalem,

And he took courage, and built all the wall that was broken down and carried up thereon towers, and, on the outside, another wall, and strengthened Millo, the city of David,-and made weapons in abundance, and bucklers,

After this, Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants towards Jerusalem, himself, being near Lachish, and all his imperial might with him, - unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that was in Jerusalem, saying:

And, many, were bringing in a present unto Yahweh, to Jerusalem, and precious things, unto Hezekiah king of Judah, - so that he was exalted in the eyes of all the nations, from thenceforth.

In those days, was Hezekiah sick unto death, - and, when he prayed unto Yahweh, he was entreated of him and, a wonderful token, he gave him.

But, not according to the benefit done unto him, did Hezekiah make return, for uplifted was his heart, - and so there came upon him, wrath, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.

Yet verily, with regard to the ambassadors of the rulers of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire concerning the wonderful token which came to pass in the land, God left him, - to prove him, to take note of all that was in his heart.

Twelve years old, was Manasseh when he began to reign, - and, fifty-five years, reigned he in Jerusalem.

And he did the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh,-according to the abominable ways of the nations, whom Yahweh dispossessed from before the sons of Israel.

And, he, caused his sons to pass through the fire, in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and practised hidden arts and used divination, and practised sorcery, and appointed a necromancer, and a wizard, - he exceeded in doing the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger;

and, when he prayed unto him, then was he entreated of him, and hearkened unto his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem, unto his own kingdom, and so Manasseh came to know, that, Yahweh, is God.

both his prayer and how God was entreated of him - and all his sin and his treacherous act, and the sites whereon he built high places, and set up the Sacred Stems and the images, before he humbled himself, there they are, written in the story of the seers.

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

And he did the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, as Manasseh his father had done, - and, unto all the images which Manasseh his father had made, Amon offered sacrifice, and did serve them.

Eight years old, was Josiah when he begun to reign, - and, thirty-one years, reigned he in Jerusalem.

And he did that which was right, in the eyes of Yahweh, - and walked in the ways of David his father, and turned not aside, to the right hand or to the left.

also over the burden-bearers, and such as took the lead, for everyone who was working in any manner of service, - and, of the Levites, were scribes and officers and doorkeepers.

Then Shaphan took in the book unto the king, and returned yet further unto the king a message, saying, - All that was delivered into the hand of thy servants, they are doing;

and they have poured out the silver, that was found in the house of Yahweh, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and into the hand of the doers of the work.

Because tender was thy heart, and thou didst humble thyself before God when thou heardest his words against this place and against the inhabitants thereof, and didst humble thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes and weep before me, therefore, I also, have heard, is the declaration of Yahweh.

Thus was the service prepared, - and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the commandment of the king.

the singers also, the sons of Asaph, were in their place, according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the seer of the king, and, the doorkeepers, were at the several doors, - there was no need for them to remove from their service, for, their brethren the Levites, prepared for them.

Thus was all the service of Yahweh prepared on that day; to keep the passover, and to offer up the ascending-sacrifice, upon the altar of Yahweh, - according to the commandment of King Josiah.

And there had not been kept, a passover like it, in Israel, since the days of Samuel the prophet, - yea, none of the kings of Israel, had kept such a passover as was kept by Josiah and the priests and the Levites and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah, was kept this passover.

So his servants took him away out of the war-chariot, and conveyed him in a second chariot which he had, and carried him to Jerusalem, and he died, and was buried in the sepulchres of his fathers, - and, all Judah and Jerusalem, were mourning over Josiah.

Twenty-three years old, was Joahaz when he began to reign, - and, three months, reigned he in Jerusalem.

Twenty-five years old, was Jehoiakim when he began to reign, and, eleven years, reigned he in Jerusalem, - and he did the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh his God.

But, the rest of the story of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he made, and that which was found upon him, there they are, written in the book of the Kings of Israel and Judah, - and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.

Eight years old, was Jehoiachin when he began to reign, and, three months and ten days, reigned he in Jerusalem, and he did the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh;

Twenty-one years old, was Zedekiah when he began to reign, - and, eleven years, reigned he in Jerusalem.

And he did the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh his God,-he humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet, from the mouth of Yahweh.

yet became they mockers of the messengers of God, and despisers of his words, and mimics of his prophets, - until the mounting up of the wrath of Yahweh against his people, until there was no healing.

Then arose the ancestral chiefs of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, - even every one whose spirit God had aroused, to go up to build the house of Yahweh, which was in Jerusalem;

And, of the sons of the priests, the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, - the sons of Barzillai, who took of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after their name.

All the gathered host together, was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty;

And, a portion of the ancestral chiefs, when they came to the house of Yahweh which was in Jerusalem, offered voluntarily for the house of God, to set it up on its basis.

But, when the seventh month was come, and the sons of Israel were in cities, then did the people gather themselves together as one man, unto Jerusalem.

Then arose - Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his brethren, and built the altar of the God of Israel, - to offer thereon ascending-sacrifices, as it was written in the law of Moses, the man of God.

So they settled the altar upon its stands, for, dread, was upon them, because of the peoples of the countries, - therefore caused they to go up thereon, ascending-sacrifices unto Yahweh, ascending-sacrifices for the morning and for the evening.

And they kept the festival of booths, as it was written, - and the ascending-offering of each day upon its own day, by number, according to regulation, the matter of a day upon its day;

But, many of the priests and the Levites and the ancestral chiefs, who were old men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, were weeping with a loud voice, - many, however, shouting and rejoicing, with voice raised on high;

so that the people could not distinguish the noise of the shout of joy, from the noise of the weeping of the people, - for, the people, did shout with a great shout, and, the noise, was heard afar off.

And, in the days of Artaxerxes, wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his associates, unto Artaxerxes, king of Persia, - and, the writing of the letter, was written in Aramean, and was to be interpreted as Aramean.

so that search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers, so shalt thou find out in the book of records - and shalt ascertain, that, this city, is a rebellious city, and one that causeth damage unto kings and provinces, and that, rebellion, have they been wont to cause in the midst thereof since the days of age-past time, - for this cause, was this city laid waste.

The letter which ye sent unto us, was distinctly read before me;

Then ceased the work of the house of God, which was in Jerusalem, - yea it did cease, until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Then arose - Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God, which was in Jerusalem, - and, with them, were the prophets of God, strengthening them.

Nevertheless, the eye of their God, was upon the elders of Judah, and they did not forbid them, until the matter, unto Darius, should come, - and, then, answer be returned by letter, concerning this.

a message, sent they unto him, - and, thus, was it written therein, Unto Darius the king, all prosperity!

And, thus, returned they, answer, to us saying, - We, are servants of the God of the heavens and the earth, and are building the house which was built these many years ago, which, a great king of Israel, built and completed.

Moreover also, the utensils of the house of God, of gold and silver, which, Nebuchadnezzar, had brought forth out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, and had brought into the temple of Babylon, Cyrus the king, brought them forth, out of the temple of Babylon, - and they were delivered to one Sheshbazzar by name, whom he made, pasha;

Then, this Sheshbazzar, came, he laid the foundations of the house of God, which was in Jerusalem, - and, since then, even until now, it hath been in building, and is not finished.

And there was found in Achmetha, in the fortress which is in the province of Media, a roll, - and, thus, was it written therein, as a record: -

Moreover also, the utensils of the house of God, of gold and silver, which, Nebuchadnezzar, took forth out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, let them again be taken to the temple which is in Jerusalem every one to its place, and lay them up in the house of God.

And this house was finished, by the third day of the month Adar, - the which was the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

And they set up the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, over the service of God, which was in Jerusalem, - as it is written, in the Book of Moses.

And he entered Jerusalem, in the fifth month, - the same, was the seventh year of the king.

For, on the first of the first month, was a beginning made of coming up from Babylon, - and, on the first of the fifth month, entered he into Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.

For I was ashamed to ask of the king, a band of soldiers and horsemen, to help us against the enemy in the way, because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God, is upon all who seek him, for good, But, his power and his anger, are against all who forsake him.

Then brake we up from the river of Ahava, on the twelfth of the first month, to journey unto Jerusalem, - and, the hand of our God, was upon us, and he delivered us from the grasp of the enemy and of the lier in wait, by the way.

And, on the fourth day, was weighed - the silver and the gold and the utensils, in the house of our God, unto the hand of Meremoth son of Uriah, the priest, and, with him, was Eleazar son of Phinehas, - and, with them, were Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui, Levites:

by the number and by the weight of the whole, - and all the weight, was written down, at that time.

Then arose Ezra from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib, - and, when he came thither, bread, did he not eat, and, water, did he not drink, for he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of them of the Exile.

Then were gathered together all the men of Judah and Benjamin unto Jerusalem, within three days, the same, was the ninth month, on the twentieth of the month, - and all the people remained in the broadway of the house of God, trembling concerning the thing, and because of the heavy rains.

The story of Nehemiah, son of Hacaliah, - and it came to pass, in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, when, I, was in Shusan the fortress,