Wherefore the wrath of the LORD fell on Judah and Jerusalem: and he scattered them and made them so thin that men hiss at it, even as ye see with your eyes.

Now have I in my heart to strike a covenant with the LORD God of Israel: that his wrath may cease.

And the priests went into the house of the LORD to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the LORD, and in the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it and carried it out into the brook Kidron.

They began the first day of the first month to purify, and came the eighth day to the porch of the LORD: so that they had purged the house of the LORD in eight days; in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.

And the priests slew them and offered the blood of them upon the altar, to make satisfaction for all Israel, for the king said that the burnt offering and the sin offering should serve for all Israel.

And when they had made an end of the burnt offering, the king and all that were with him kneeled down and bowed themselves and gave praise and thanks.

And Hezekiah the king and the lords bade the Levites to praise the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph the seer of visions. And the Levites praised that they rejoiced again, and the other stooped and bowed themselves.

And Hezekiah answered, and said, "Now that ye have filled your hands to the LORD, go to and bring in the sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD." And the congregation brought in the sacrifices and thank offerings, and all that were willing brought burnt offerings.

And beside that they dedicated six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep.

And thereto the burnt offerings were many with the fat of the peace offerings and the drink offerings that belonged to the burnt offerings. And so the service pertaining to the house of the LORD went forward.

And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had made the folk so ready: for the thing was suddenly done.

And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and thereto wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to offer Passover unto the LORD God of Israel.

For they could not keep it at that time: for there were not priests enough sanctified, neither was the people gathered together to Jerusalem.

And they decreed that it should be proclaimed throughout all Israel from Beersheba to Dan, that they should come and hold the feast of the Passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not often done it, as it is written how they should.

And the messengers went with letters of the hand of the king and of his lords throughout all Israel and Judah, at the commandment of the king; which said, "Children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, and so will he turn to the remnant of you that are escaped out of the hands of the king of Assyria.

And be ye not like your fathers and your brethren which trespassed against the LORD of your fathers, which therefore gave them up that they are wasted, as ye see.

Wherefore, be not stiff-necked like unto your fathers, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and come to his holy place which he hath sanctified forever, and serve the LORD your God, that his wrath may turn from you.

For if ye turn unto the LORD, then your brethren and your children shall find compassion in the presence of them that hold them captive, that they may come again unto this land: for the LORD your God is full of mercy and compassion, and will not turn his face from you, if ye turn again to him."

And they arose and put away the altars that were in Jerusalem. And thereto all the incense they did away and cast them into the brook Kidron.

And because there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: and therefore did the Levites slay Passover for all that were not clean to sanctify them to the LORD.

There was very much people out of Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun that were not clean, and therefore did eat Passover otherwise than writing specifieth. But Hezekiah prayed for them, and said,

"The good LORD be merciful to all that set their hearts to seek the God that is the LORD God of their fathers, though they do it not according to the cleanness of the holy place."

And so the children of Israel that were found at Jerusalem, held the feast of sweet bread seven days with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day with loud instruments.

And Hezekiah spake heartily unto the Levites that had good understanding of the LORD. And they did eat that feast seven days long and offered peace offerings and thanked the LORD God of their fathers.

For Hezekiah king of Judah gave for heave offerings to the congregation a thousand oxen and seven thousand sheep. And the lords gave to the congregation for heave offerings a thousand oxen and ten thousand sheep. And the priests sanctified themselves, that they were enough.

And all the congregation of Judah with the priests and Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel and the strangers, both that came out of the land of Israel and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced:

And when they had finished all this, then all Israel that were found in cities of Judah went out and brake the Images and cut down the groves, and all to break the hill altars and the other altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had made an end of them. And afterward all the children of Israel returned every man to his possession in their own cities.

And he bade the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the part of the priests and Levites, that they might be maintained in the law of the LORD.

And the children of Israel and Judah that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithes of oxen and sheep, and tithes of dedicated things which were dedicated to the LORD their God, and put them on heaps.

And to the males also that were reckoned from three years and above, among all that went into the house of the LORD day by day, to do service and to wait by course.

And to the priests that were reckoned in the households of their fathers from twenty years and above, to wait when their courses came.

And to them that were reckoned throughout all their babes, wives, sons and daughters throughout all the congregation.

For to the fidelity of them did men commit their sanctified gifts. And thereto among the children of Aaron the priests were men named by name in the fields of the suburbs of all their cities, city by city, for to give portions to all the males of the priests and to all that were reckoned among the Levites.

And of this manner did Hezekiah, throughout all Judah; and did that was good, right and truth, before the LORD his God.

And in all the works that he began in the service of the house of God, to seek his God after the law and commandment, that did he with all his heart, and prospered.

And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem,

he took counsel with his captains and men of might, to stop the water of the fountains that were without the city - and they were content to help him.

And so there gathered much people together and stopped all the wells, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land; intending that the kings of Assyria should not find much water when they came.

"Pluck up your hearts and be strong: Be not afraid or in any wise discouraged for dread of the king of Assyria, and of the great multitude that is with him: for there is one greater with us than with him.

After that Sennacherib king of Assyria sent of his servants to Jerusalem - he himself lying before Lachish, and all his kingdom with him - unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying,

"Thus sayeth Sennacherib king of Assyria: Wherein do ye trust, O ye that are besieged in Jerusalem?

Is it not that Hezekiah that put down his hill altars and his other altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, 'Before one altar ye shall bow yourselves and upon that offer also?'

Which of all the gods was it, of those nations that my fathers destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand?

And they cried with a loud voice in the Jewish language, unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the walls, to fear them and to dismay them, that they might have taken the city.

And the LORD sent an angel and destroyed all the men of war and the lords and captains of the host of the king of Assyria, that he turned his face, with shame, towards his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, he was there overthrown with the sword - even by them that issued out of his bowels.

Insomuch that many brought presents unto the LORD to Jerusalem and precious gifts to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.

But when the ambassadors of the lords of Babylon were sent to him to enquire of the wonder that chanced in the land, God left him: to tempt him, that all that was in his heart might be known.

But Manasseh made Judah and the inhabiters of Jerusalem to err and to do worse than the heathen which the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel.

and made intercession to him: and he was entreated of him and heard his prayer and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. And then Manasseh knew how that the LORD was very God.

After that, he built a wall without the city of David on the west side of Gihon in the brook and so forth to the fish gate and round about Ophel, and brought it up of a very great height, and put captains of war in all the strong cities of Judah.

And he took away the strange gods and the Idol out of the house of God, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of God and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.

The rest of the acts of Manasseh and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers of visions that spake to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, are written among the deeds of the Kings of Israel.

And he did that displeased the LORD like unto Manasseh his father, for Amon sacrificed to all the carved Images which Manasseh his father made, and served them,

And the people of the land slew all that had conspired against king Amon. And thereto the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his room.

And he did that pleased the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, bowing neither to the righthand nor to the left.

Insomuch that the eighth year of his reign, when he was yet a lad, he began to seek after the God of David his father. And in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of hill altars, groves, carved Images, and Images of metal:

so that they brake down the altars of Baals even in his presence, and the Idols that were upon them he caused to be destroyed. And the groves, carved Images, and Images of metal he brake and made dust of them, and strawed it upon the graves of them that had offered to them.

And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, men delivered them the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the entries had gathered of the hands of Manasseh and Ephraim and of all that yet remained in Israel and of all Judah and Benjamin and of the inhabiters of Jerusalem.

And they put it in the hands of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of the LORD. which gave it to the laborers that wrought on the house of the LORD, to repair and mend it,

And over the bearers of burdens and over all that wrought, in whatsoever workmanship it were, went there scribes, officers and porters of the Levites.

And as they brought out the money that was brought into the house, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of the LORD given by Moses.

And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king word again, saying, "All that was committed to thy servants, that do they:

And they have poured out the money that was found in the house of the LORD and have delivered into the hands of the overseers of the workmen."

"Go and enquire of the LORD for me and for them that are left in Israel and Judah concerning the words of the book that is found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that is fallen upon us, because our fathers kept not the word of the LORD, to do after all that is written in this book."

And Hilkiah, with them that pertained to the king, went to Huldah, a prophetess, wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe - which prophetess dwelt in Jerusalem in the second ward - and they communed so with her.

And she said unto them, "Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel: 'Tell ye the man that sent you to me,

even thus sayeth the LORD: See, I will bring evil upon this place and upon the inhabiters thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah,

Because thine heart did melt and thou didst meek thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place and against the inhabiters thereof, and humblest thyself before me, and tarest thy clothes and weepest before me, that have I heard also, sayeth the LORD.

Behold, I will take thee to thy fathers and thou shalt be put in thy grave in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the mischief that I will bring upon this place and upon the inhabiters of the same.'" And they brought the king word again.

And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah and the inhabiters of Jerusalem and the Priests and Levites and all the people great and small: and read all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the LORD.

And he made to come forth all that were found in Jerusalem and Benjamin, and the inhabiters of Jerusalem promised to keep the covenant of the God which was the God of their fathers.

And Josiah put away all manner of abominations out of all lands that pertained to the children of Israel, and brought all that were found in Israel, to serve the LORD their God. And they turned not aside from after the LORD God of their fathers as long as he lived.

And he said to the Levites that taught throughout all Israel and were sanctified unto the LORD, "Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; ye need not to bear it upon your shoulders. Wherefore now serve the LORD your God and his people Israel.

and kill Passover; sanctify and prepare your brethren that they may do according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses."

And Josiah gave to the common people in lambs and kids, for Passover offerings only, unto all that were present thirty thousand by tally, and three thousand oxen; even of the king's substance.

And so the children of Israel that could be found, offered Passover the same time and kept the feast of sweet bread seven days.

And there was no Passover like to that kept in Israel, from the time of Samuel the prophet: neither did any of the kings of Israel hold such a Passover feast as did Josiah and the priests and Levites and all Judah, and as much of Israel as could be had, and the inhabiters of Jerusalem.

And Jehoiakim was twenty five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did that displeased the LORD his God.

The rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his Abominations, and that was laid to his charge, are written in the book of the kings of Israel: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.

Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and did that displeased the LORD.

And he did that displeased the LORD his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet at the mouth of the LORD.

But they mocked the messengers of God and despised their words and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD so arose against his people that it was past remedy.

And so he brought upon them the king of Chaldeans and slew their young men with the sword in their holy temple, and neither spared young man nor maiden, neither old man, neither so much as him that stooped for age: But gave all into his hand.

And he carried away them that had escaped the sword to Babylon, where they were servants to him and his children, until the kingdom of Persia began to rule;

And the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to finish the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia that he made a proclamation throughout all this kingdom, and thereto to set it up in writing, saying,

"Thus sayeth Cyrus king of Persia: 'All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me, which hath charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem that is in the land of Judah. Wherefore, whosoever is among you of all his people, the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.'"

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he caused it to be proclaimed throughout all his empire, yea and by writing also, saying,

Whosoever now among you is of his people, the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel. He is the God that is at Jerusalem.

And whosoever remaineth yet in any manner of place, where he is a stranger, let the men of his place help him with silver and gold, with good and cattle, beside that which they willingly offer, for the house of God at Jerusalem.'"

And all they that were about them, strengthened their hands with vessels of silver and gold, with goods and cattle, and jewels, beside that which they gave of their own free will.

So that all the vessels both of gold and silver, were five thousand and four hundred. Sheshbazzar brought them all up, with them that came up out of the captivity of Babylon unto Jerusalem.

These are the children of the land that went up out of the captivity, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and in Judah, every one unto his city;

And Hathirsatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy, till there rose up a priest with the light and perfectness.

And certain of the chief fathers, when they came to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, they offered willingly unto the house of God, that it should be set in his place;

Afterward, the daily burnt offering also, and of the new moons and of all the feast days of the LORD that were hallowed, and all manner of freewill offerings, which they did of their own freewill unto the LORD.

In the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem: and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and above, to see that the work of the house of the LORD went forward.

so that the noise gave a great sound, insomuch that the people could not know the joyful sound for the noise of the weeping among the people: for the people shouted with a loud cry, so that the noise was heard afar off.

But when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel,

they came to Zerubbabel and to the principal fathers, and said unto them, "We will build with you: for we seek the Lord your God like as ye do. And we have done sacrifice unto him, since the time that Esarhaddon the king of Assyria brought us up hither."

and other of the people, whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and others that are now on this side the water.