Whereupon Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, "I have offended. But depart from me, and what thou puttest on me that I will bear." And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.

Thou wilt haply speak a light word, that thou hast counsel and power to make war. On whom then dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?

Dost thou trust to the staff of this broken reed Egypt, on which if a man lean it will run into his hand and pierce it? For even so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.

And now join thyself to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able to set riders upon them:

neither let Hezekiah make you trust to the LORD, saying: the LORD will surely rid us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hands of the king of Assyria.'

till I come and fetch you to as good a land as yours is: a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees, of oil and of honey. And ye shall live and not die. And hearken not unto Hezekiah for he will beguile you, saying: the LORD shall deliver us.'

For I will send him a blast that he shall hear tidings, and so return to his own land: And I will overthrow him with the sword even in his own land.'"

And because thou settest up thy bristles against me, and that thy raging is come up to mine ears: therefore I will put a ring in thy nose and a bit in thy lips, and will bring thee back again the same way thou camest.

For I will defend this city and save it, for mine own sake and for David my servant's sake."

"Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people: 'Thus sayeth the LORD God of David thy father. I have heard thy prayer and seen thy tears. Behold, I will heal thee, and this day three days thou shalt go up into the house of the LORD.

And I will lengthen thy days yet fifteen years, and will deliver both thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and will defend this city for mine own sake, and for David my servant's sake."

Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, "What is the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third day?"

And Isaiah said, "This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back again ten degrees?"

And Hezekiah said, "It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees. Therefore I will not that: but let the shadow go backward ten degrees."

And he built altars in the very house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, "In Jerusalem I will put my name."

And he put an image of a grove that he had made, even in the very temple of which the LORD had said to David and to Solomon his son, "In this house and in Jerusalem which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name forever.

Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers: so that they will be diligent to do all I have commanded them, and all the law that my servant Moses commanded them."

Therefore thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel: Behold, I will bring such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that the ears of all that hear it shall tingle at it.

And I will stretch over Jerusalem the squaring line of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab. And I will wipe out Jerusalem, as a man would wipe a dish, and when he hath wiped it, turneth it upside down.

And though I leave a remnant of mine inheritance, yet I will deliver them into the hands of them that hate them, and they shall be robbed and spoiled of all their enemies:

thus sayeth the LORD: behold I will bring evil upon this place and on the dwellers therein - even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read -

And therefore, see, I will receive ye unto thy fathers and will fetch thee unto thy grave in peace, thine eyes shall see none of the evil which I will bring upon this place." And they brought the king word again.

But the LORD said, "I will put Judah, too, out of my sight, as I have done Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I have said, 'My name shall be there.'"

But Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, "If thou shalt bless me, and enlarge my coasts, and shalt let thine hand be with me, and wilt keep me from evil that it vex me not." And God sent him his desire.

And of Manasseh, there fell certain unto David when he went with the Philistines against Saul to battle, but helped them not. For the lords of the Philistines took counsel and sent him away saying, "He will fall to his master Saul to the Jeopardy of our heads."

And of the children of Issachar which were men that had understanding in the right time to know what Israel ought to do: The heads of them were two hundred, and all their brethren at their will.

And David asked God, saying, "Shall I go against the Philistines and wilt thou deliver them into mine hands?" And the LORD said to him: "Go, for I will deliver them into thine hand."

And when thou hearest a sound go in the tops of the pear trees, then go out to battle: for God will go out before thee to smite the host of the Philistines."

'To thee I will give the land of Canaan, to be the portion of your inheritance.'

And I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will make it fast, and they shall dwell under it and shall move no more. Neither shall the children of wickedness vex them any more as at the beginning,

and since the time I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and will bring under all thine enemies - for I told thee that the LORD would build thee a house.

But when thy days be expired, that thou must go after thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons and will settle his kingdom.

He shall build me a house, and I will establish his seat forever.

I will be his father and he shall be my son, and I will not put my mercy away from him as I did from him that was before thee.

But I will set him in mine house and in my kingdom forever, and his seat shall be sure forever.'"

For thou Lord hast told thy servant, that thou wilt build him a house. And therefore thy servant hath found in his heart to pray before thee.

Then said David, "I will show kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father dealt kindly with me." And thereupon David sent messengers to comfort him over the death of his father. And when the servants of David were come into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun to comfort him,

and said, "If the Syrians be too strong for me, succor me, and if the children of Ammon be too good for thee, I will help thee.

But king David said to Ornan, "Not so, but I will buy it for as much money as it is worth. I will not take that which is thine, for the LORD, and offer burnt offering without cost."

For David thus thought, "Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be built for the LORD, must exceed in greatness, that it may be spoken of and praised in all lands. I will therefore make ordinance for it." And so David prepared abundance before his death.

Behold, a son shall be born thee which shall be a man of rest, for I will give him rest from all his enemies round about. And his name shall be Solomon: for I will send rest and peace upon Israel in his days.

He shall build a house for my name, and he shall be my son, and I will be his father, and will establish the seat of his kingdom upon Israel forever.'

And he said unto me, 'Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father,

and will establish his kingdom forever. If he will harden himself to do my commandments, and my laws, as it goeth this day.'

And thou, Solomon my son: know God thy father and serve him with a pure heart and lust of soul. For the LORD searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of thoughts. If thou shalt seek him, he will be found of thee: But and if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off forever.

wisdom and knowledge shall be given thee, and I will give thee treasure, riches, and glory also, that among the kings before thee or after thee, none was or shall be like thee."

And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need, and will bring it to thee in ships by sea to port Joppa: and thence thou mayest carry them to Jerusalem."

Then Solomon said, "The LORD hath spoken it, how that he will dwell in darkness.

Now, LORD God of Israel, make good unto my father David thy servant that which thou hast promised him, saying, 'Thou shalt not be without one or other in my sight that shall sit upon the seat of Israel. Of this condition, yet: if thy children will take heed to their ways to walk in my law, as thou hast walked before me.'

Yet if my people that are named after my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my presence, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and be merciful to their sins, and will heal their land.

then I will establish the seat of thy kingdom, according to the covenant I made with David thy father, saying: thou shalt have ever one or other that shall rule in Israel.

then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them, and will cast this house which I have sanctified for my name out of my sight, and will make a proverb and a tale of it among all nations.

"Thy father made us a grievous yoke: but remit thou somewhat of the grievous service of thy father and of his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee."

And they told him saying, "If thou shalt be kind to this people and please them and shalt speak loving words to them, they will be thy servants forever."

For where my father put a heavy yoke upon you I will put more thereto, and where my father chastised you with whips I will chastise you with scorpions.'"

and answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, "If my father made your yoke grievous, I will add thereto, and where my father chastised you with whips, I will chastise you with scorpions."

Then came Shemaiah the Prophet to Rehoboam and to the lords of Judah that were gathered to Jerusalem for fear of Shishak, and said to them, "Thus sayeth the LORD, 'Ye have left me, and therefore will I leave you also in the hands of Shishak.'"

And when the LORD saw that they submitted themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah saying, "They have humbled themselves, and therefore I will not destroy them. But I will deliver them somewhat, and my wrath shall not fall upon Jerusalem.

Moreover, see: God is with us in the forward; and his priests, and the roaring trumpets to cry alarm against you. Ye children of Israel, fight not with the LORD God of your fathers: for it will not prosper with you."

And he went out against Asa and said to him, "Hear me Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The LORD is with you, while ye be with him, and if ye shall seek him, he will be found of you: but and if ye shall forsake him, he will forsake you.

There will come many days in Israel, in which there shall be no true God - nor priest that teacheth, nor any law.

For one nation shall destroy another, and one city another: for God will trounce them with all adversity.

And Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, "Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth in Gilead?" And he answered him, "I will be as thou, and my people shall be as thine and we will be with thee in the war."

And Micaiah said, "As truly as the LORD liveth, even what my God sayeth, that will I speak."

there came out a spirit and stood before the LORD and said, 'I will deceive him.' And the LORD said to him, 'How?'

And he said, 'I will go out and will be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.' And the LORD said, 'Thou shalt deceive him and shalt prevail, go out and do even so.'

O our God, wilt thou not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that cometh against us. Neither know we what to do: but our eyes be unto thee."

Therefore, behold, the LORD will smite thee with a mighty plague in thy folk, in thy children, in thy wives and in thy goods.

Or else if thou needs wilt, then go and do it, and make thyself strong to battle: and thou shalt see, that God shall make thee fall before thine enemies. For God hath power to help or to cast down."

And Joash king of Israel sent again to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, "A thistle in Lebanon sent to a Cedar tree of Lebanon saying, 'Give thy daughter to my son to wife.' But there came the wild beasts of Lebanon and trod down the thistle.

For he offered unto the gods of them of Damascus which beat him, and said, "Because the gods of the Syrians help them, therefore will I offer to them, that they may help me also." But they were his destruction and the destruction of all Israel.

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.

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 he put the carved Image of an Idol which he had made, in the house of God - Of which house, God said to David and to Solomon his son, "In this house here in Jerusalem which I have chosen out of all the tribes, I will put my name forever,

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,

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 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.

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."

But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the other ancient fathers of Israel answered them, "It belongeth not to you, but to us to build the house unto our God: for we ourselves will build alone unto the LORD our God of Israel, as Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us."

I have commanded, that all they of the people of Israel, and of the priests and Levites in my realm, which are minded of their own good will to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee;

and that thou shouldest take with thee, silver and gold, which the king and the lords of his counsel give of their own good will unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is at Jerusalem,

and all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the country of Babylon; with it that the people and priests give of their own good will unto the house of God at Jerusalem.

And look: what it liketh thee and thy brethren to do with the remnant of the money, that do after the will of your God.

And whosoever will not diligently fulfill the law of thy God, and the king's law, shall have his judgment for the deed, whether it be unto death, or to be banished, or to be condemned in goods, or to be put in prison."

and said unto them, "Ye are holy unto the LORD, therefore are these vessels holy also, and so is the silver and the gold that is given of a good will unto the LORD God of your fathers:

As for us, we have turned back, and have let go thy commandments, to make contract with the people of these abominations. Wilt thou then be wroth at us, till we be utterly consumed, so that nothing remain, and there be no deliverance?

for now will we make a covenant with our God, that we shall put away all the wives - and such as are born of them - according to the counsel of the LORD and of them that fear the commandment of our God, that we may do according to the law.

Get thee up therefore, for the matter belongeth unto thee. We will be with thee; be of good comfort, and do it."

Yet call to remembrance the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, and saidest, 'If ye transgress, then will I scatter you abroad among the nations.

But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments and do them: though ye were cast out unto the uttermost part of heaven, yet will I gather you from thence, and will bring you from thence, even unto the place that I have chosen for my name to dwell there.'

And the king said unto me, the queen his wife sitting by him, "How long shall thy journey continue, and when wilt thou come again?" And it pleased the king to send me, and I set him a time,

But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant of the Ammonites, and Geshem the Arabian heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, "What is this that ye do? Will ye fall away again from the king?"

and we will be laboring in the work." And the half part of them held the spears from the morning spring, till the stars came forth.

and I advised so in my mind, that I rebuked the councilors and the rulers, and said unto them, "Will ye require usury one of another?" And I brought a great congregation against them,

and said unto them, "We, after our ability, have bought our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the Heathen. And will ye sell your brethren, whom we have bought unto us?" Then held they their peace, and could find nothing to answer.

Then said they, "We will restore them again and will require nothing of them and will do as thou hast spoken." And I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do so.

wherein was written, "It is told the Heathen, and Geshem hath said it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for the which cause thou buildest the wall, and wilt be their king in these matters;

And I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, and he had shut himself within, and said, "Let us come together in to the house of God, even unto the midst of the temple, and shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee, yea even in the night will they come to put thee to death."

But I said, "Should any such man as I flee? Who is that, being as I am, that will go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in."

Then reproved I them sore, and said unto them, "Why tarry ye all night about the wall? If ye do it once again, I will lay hands upon you." From that time forth came they no more on the Sabbath.