For it was thrust into Ahaziah of God to go to Joram, and that when he was come, he should go out with Joram against Jehu the son of Nimshi whom the LORD had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab.

And he was with them hid in the house of God six years. And Athaliah reigned over the land.

And all the congregation made a bond with the king in the house of God. And Jehoiada said to them, "Behold, the king's son must reign over the children of David, as the LORD hath said.

and another third part shall be in the king's house; and another third part shall be in the gate of the foundation, and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the LORD.

And Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds spears and shields and bucklers that pertained to king David and were in the house of God.

And they brought out the king's son and put upon him the crown and the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and said, "God save the king."

And they laid hands on her, and when she was come out to the entering of the horse gate in the king's house, they slew her there.

And he took the captains of hundreds and the nobles, and the governors of the people and all the folk of the land, and brought the king down out of the house of the LORD, and they went through the high gate in the king's house, and set the king upon the seat of the kingdom.

And upon that he gathered together the priests and the Levites and said to them, "Go out through the cities of Judah and gather of all Israel silver, to strengthen the house of your God, year by year, and see that ye haste the thing." Howbeit, the Levites were slack.

For wicked Athaliah and her children had broken the house of God, and had thereto bestowed all the dedicated gifts of the house of the LORD, about Baals.

Wherefore at the king's commandment, they made a coffer, and set it at the gate of the house of the LORD:

and made proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem to bring in to the LORD the taxation of Moses the servant of God, which he set upon Israel in the wilderness.

And the workmen wrought and the work mended through their hands: and they made the house of God as it ought to be, and strengthened it.

And they buried him in the city of David among the kings because he had done good in Israel, and on God and on his house.

And so they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and Images. And then came there wrath upon Judah and Jerusalem, for this their trespasses' sake.

Notwithstanding yet God sent Prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD. And they testified unto them. But they would not hear.

And the spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stepped up above the people and said to them, "Thus sayeth God: 'Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD? Ye shall therefore not prosper, but as ye have forsaken him, so shall he forsake you.'"

And though the army of Syria came with a small company of men, yet the LORD delivered a very great host into their hands, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. And thereto they served Joash according.

And his sons, and the sum of the tax that came to him, and the foundation of the house of God, are written in the story of the book of kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.

But there came a man of God to him and said, "King, let not the army of Israel go with thee: for the LORD is not with Israel neither with any of the house of Ephraim.

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 Amaziah said again to the man of God, "What shall we do then, for the hundred talents which I have given unto the host of Israel?" And the man of God said, "The LORD is able to give thee much more than that."

And as the prophet spake to him, he said to the prophet, "Have men made thee of the king's counsel? Cease, lest thou be beaten." And the prophet ceased, and said, "I am sure that God hath taken counsel to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and obeyest not my counsel."

But Amaziah rested not: for it came of God, even to deliver them into the hands of their enemies - and that because they had sought the gods of the Edomites.

And Joash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah at Bethshemesh: and brought him to Jerusalem, and tare the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits long.

And he took all the gold and silver and all the Jewels that were found in the house of God, with Obededom and the treasure of the king's house and hostages, and returned to Samaria.

And he sought God while Zechariah - which taught in the visions of God - lived: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.

And God helped him against the Philistines and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal, and against the Meunites.

Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem over the corner gate, and over the valley gate, and over other corners, and made them strong.

And in his greatness his heart arose, that he was marred: and transgressed against the LORD his God. For he went into the temple of the LORD to burn cense upon the altar of incense.

And they stepped to Uzziah the king and said to him, "It pertaineth not to thee, Uzziah, to burn cense unto the LORD; but to the priests the children of Aaron that are consecrated for to burn incense. Come out of the sanctuary, for thou hast trespassed, and it shall be no worship to thee before the LORD God."

He built the high gate of the temple of the LORD, and on the wall Ophel he built much.

And Jotham became mighty, because he directed his way before the LORD his God.

Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of the Syrians: which beat him and carried away a great multitude of his captive into Damascus. And thereto he was delivered into the hand of the king of Israel which slew of his a mighty slaughter.

For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah a hundred and twenty thousand in one day, and all fighting men: and that because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.

But there was a prophet of the LORD's named Obed which went out to the host which came to Samaria and said to them, "See, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he delivered them into your hands. And ye have slain them with cruelness that reacheth up to heaven.

And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem and to make them bondmen and bondwomen. What other thing do ye - ye unhappy - than offend the LORD your God?

And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God and brake them, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and made him altars in all corners of Jerusalem.

And in all the cities of Judah, city by city, he made hill altars to burn incense unto other gods, and angered the LORD God of his fathers.

and said unto them, "Hear me ye Levites: purify yourselves and hallow the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and bring out the filthiness out of the holy place.

For our fathers have trespassed and done evil favouredly in the eyes of the LORD our God: and have forsaken him, and turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD and turned to their backs.

And beside that they have shut up the doors of the porch and quenched the lamps and have neither burned cense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel.

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

And they set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, psalteries and harps according to the commandments of David and of Gad the king's seer of visions and of Nathan the prophet. For so was the commandment of the LORD through the hand, of his prophets.

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.

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.

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 thereto the hand of God was in Judah, to make them of one accord to do the commandment of the king and the captains, which was according to the word of the LORD.

And they stood in their standing after their manner according to the law of Moses, the man of God. And the priests sprinkled the blood, receiving it of the hands of the Levites.

"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 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.

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 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 Jehiel, Azariah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath and Benaiah were overseers ordained by Conaniah and Shimei his brother, at the appointment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God.

And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, porter of the East door, had the oversight of the freewill offerings of God, to give heave offerings unto the LORD, and was over things most holy.

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 he set Captains of war over the people and gathered them together unto the large street of the gate of the city and spake gently to them, saying,

With him is an arm of flesh: But with us is the LORD our God for to help us and to fight our battles!" And the people were well couraged with the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Hezekiah deceiveth you, to deliver you to death, hunger and thirst, saying, 'The LORD our God shall rid us out of the hand of the king of Assyria!'

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?

Wherefore now let not Hezekiah deceive you, either persuade you of this fashion, nor yet believe him. For as no god among so many nations and kingdoms, was able to rid his people out of mine hand and the hands of my fathers: even so much less shall your God keep you out of mine hand!"

And yet more did his servants speak against the LORD God and against his servant Hezekiah.

And thereto he wrote a letter to rail on the LORD God of Israel and spake therein, saying, "As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, no more shall the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand."

And they spake against the God of Jerusalem; as against the gods of the nations of the earth, which are the work of the hands of men.

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.

And he made him towns because he had cattle of sheep and oxen great abundance. For God had given him substance exceeding much.

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.

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,

And when he was in tribulation he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself exceedingly before the God of his fathers,

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.

And he made an altar unto the LORD and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and charged Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel.

Nevertheless, the people did offer still in the hill altars; howbeit unto the LORD their God only.

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.

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:

And in the eighteenth year of his reign when he had purged the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.

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

And as for the king of Judah, which sent you to enquire of the LORD, so shall ye say unto him: Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel concerning the words which thou hast heard:

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.

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 his lords gave willingly both unto the people and also unto the priests and unto the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for Passover offerings two thousand and six hundred lambs and kids, and three hundred oxen.

And the singers the children of Asaph stood in their standing according to the commandment of David and Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun the king's seer of visions: and the porters waited at every gate, and might not depart from their service. But their brethren the Levites prepared for them.

And the other sent messengers to him, saying, "What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I came not against thee now at this time, but against a house with whom I have war, and God bade me haste. Leave off therefore and meddle not with God, which is with me, lest he destroy thee."

Nevertheless, Josiah turned not his face from him, but made him ready to fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Neco out of the mouth of God. And when he was come to fight in the valley of Megiddo,

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.

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

And thereto he rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar which had received an oath of him by God, and was too stiff necked and too hard hearted to turn unto the LORD God of Israel.

And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, sending them betimes: for he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place.

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 all the vessels of the house of God both great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king and his lords he carried to Babylon, every whit.

And they burnt the house of God and brake down the walls of Jerusalem and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire with all the goodly stuff thereof, and marred it.

"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.'"