The Lord provided a deliverer for Israel and they were freed from Syria's power. The Israelites once more lived in security.

One day some men were burying a man when they spotted a raiding party. So they threw the dead man into Elisha's tomb. When the body touched Elisha's bones, the dead man came to life and stood on his feet.

But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places.

But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places.

But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. He built the Upper Gate to the Lord's temple.

At that time King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel attacked Jerusalem. They besieged Ahaz, but were unable to conquer him.

Then Ahaz took the silver and gold that were in the Lord's temple and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent it as tribute to the king of Assyria.

The Israelites said things about the Lord their God that were not right. They built high places in all their cities, from the watchtower to the fortress.

But they did not pay attention and were as stubborn as their ancestors, who had not trusted the Lord their God.

When they first moved in, they did not worship the Lord. So the Lord sent lions among them and the lions were killing them.

They were worshiping the Lord and at the same time serving their own gods in accordance with the practices of the nations from which they had been deported.

The people were silent and did not respond, for the king had ordered, "Don't respond to him."

Were the nations whom my ancestors destroyed -- the nations of Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden in Telassar -- rescued by their gods?

That very night the Lord's messenger went out and killed 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp. When they got up early the next morning, there were all the corpses.

The king went up to the Lord's temple, accompanied by all the people of Judah, all the residents of Jerusalem, the priests, and the prophets. All the people were there, from the youngest to the oldest. He read aloud all the words of the scroll of the covenant that had been discovered in the Lord's temple.

The king ordered Hilkiah the high priest, the high-ranking priests, and the guards to bring out of the Lord's temple all the items that were used in the worship of Baal, Asherah, and all the stars of the sky. The king burned them outside of Jerusalem in the terraces of Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel.

He tore down the quarters of the male cultic prostitutes in the Lord's temple, where women were weaving shrines for Asherah.

He removed from the entrance to the Lord's temple the statues of horses that the kings of Judah had placed there in honor of the sun god. (They were kept near the room of Nathan Melech the eunuch, which was situated among the courtyards.) He burned up the chariots devoted to the sun god.

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to the city while his generals were besieging it.

The king of Babylon deported to Babylon all the soldiers (there were 7,000), as well as 1,000 craftsmen and metal workers. This included all the best warriors.

The enemy broke through the city walls, and all the soldiers tried to escape. They left the city during the night. They went through the gate between the two walls that is near the king's garden. (The Babylonians were all around the city.) Then they headed for the Jordan Valley.

Zedekiah's sons were executed while Zedekiah was forced to watch. The king of Babylon then had Zedekiah's eyes put out, bound him in bronze chains, and carried him off to Babylon.

Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard, deported the rest of the people who were left in the city, those who had deserted to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the craftsmen.

From the city he took a eunuch who was in charge of the soldiers, five of the king's advisers who were discovered in the city, an official army secretary who drafted citizens for military service, and sixty citizens from the people of the land who were discovered in the city.

All of the officers of the Judahite army and their troops heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah to govern. So they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. The officers who came were Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maacathite.

But in the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family, came with ten of his men and murdered Gedaliah, as well as the Judeans and Babylonians who were with him at Mizpah.

Then all the people, from the youngest to the oldest, as well as the army officers, left for Egypt, because they were afraid of what the Babylonians might do.

He spoke kindly to him and gave him a more prestigious position than the other kings who were with him in Babylon.

Two sons were born to Eber: the first was named Peleg, for during his lifetime the earth was divided; his brother's name was Joktan.

Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan.

Ishmael's firstborn son was Nebaioth; the others were Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael.

The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the sons of Keturah.

These were the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king ruled over the Israelites: Bela son of Beor; the name of his city was Dinhabah.

The tribal chiefs of Edom were: Timna, Alvah, Jetheth,

Magdiel, Iram. These were the tribal chiefs of Edom.

These were the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; Issachar and Zebulun;

The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, and Shelah. These three were born to him by Bathshua, a Canaanite woman. Er, Judah's firstborn, displeased the Lord, so the Lord killed him.

Their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. Zeruiah's three sons were Abshai, Joab, and Asahel.

Caleb son of Hezron fathered sons by his wife Azubah (also known as Jerioth). Her sons were Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon.

(Geshur and Aram captured the towns of Jair, along with Kenath and its sixty surrounding towns.) All these were descendants of Makir, the father of Gilead.

The sons of Jerahmeel, Hezron's firstborn, were Ram, the firstborn, Bunah, Oren, Ozem, and Ahijah.

The sons of Ram, Jerahmeel's firstborn, were Maaz, Jamin, and Eker.

The sons of Onam were Shammai and Jada. The sons of Shammai: Nadab and Abishur.

The sons of Jonathan: Peleth and Zaza. These were the descendants of Jerahmeel.

These were the descendants of Caleb. The sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrath: Shobal, the father of Kiriath Jearim,

The sons of Shobal, the father of Kiriath Jearim, were Haroeh, half of the Manahathites,

These were the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron: The firstborn was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel; the second was Daniel, whose mother was Abigail from Carmel;

These six were born to David in Hebron, where he ruled for seven years and six months. He ruled thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

These were the sons born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon -- the mother of these four was Bathsheba the daughter of Ammiel.

The other nine were Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet,

These were all the sons of David, not counting the sons of his concubines. Tamar was their sister.

The five others were Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab-Hesed.

Reaiah the son of Shobal was the father of Jahath, and Jahath was the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the clans of the Zorathites.

These were the sons of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash. Their sister was Hazzelelponi.

Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer was the father of Hushah. These were the descendants of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah and the father of Bethlehem.

Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah.

Eshton was the father of Beth-Rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah, the father of Ir Nahash. These were the men of Recah.

Meonothai was the father of Ophrah. Seraiah was the father of Joab, the father of those who live in Ge Harashim, who were craftsmen.

(His Judahite wife gave birth to Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah.) These were the sons of Pharaoh's daughter Bithiah, whom Mered married.

They were the potters who lived in Netaim and Gederah; they lived there and worked for the king.

Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri, and Shaaraim. These were their towns until the reign of David.

They also lived in all the settlements that surrounded these towns as far as Baal. These were their settlements; they kept genealogical records.

Their clan leaders were: Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah,

These who are named above were the leaders of their clans. Their extended families increased greatly in numbers.

The sons of Reuben, Israel's firstborn -- (Now he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father's bed, his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph, Israel's son. So Reuben is not listed as firstborn in the genealogical records.

These were the sons of Abihail son of Huri, son of Jaroah, son of Gilead, son of Michael, son of Jeshishai, son of Jahdo, son of Buz.

All of them were listed in the genealogical records in the time of King Jotham of Judah and in the time of King Jeroboam of Israel.

The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men in their combined armies, warriors who carried shields and swords, were equipped with bows, and were trained for war.

They received divine help in fighting them, and the Hagrites and all their allies were handed over to them. They cried out to God during the battle; he responded to their prayers because they trusted in him.

These were the leaders of their families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were skilled warriors, men of reputation, and leaders of their families.

But they were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors and worshiped instead the gods of the native peoples whom God had destroyed before them.

Serving beside them were their fellow Levites, the descendants of Merari, led by Ethan, son of Kishi, son of Abdi, son of Malluch,

The rest of their fellow Levites were assigned to perform the remaining tasks at God's sanctuary.

These were the descendants of Aaron: His son Eleazar, his son Phinehas, his son Abishua,

These were the areas where Aaron's descendants lived: The following belonged to the Kohathite clan, for they received the first allotment:

They were allotted Hebron in the territory of Judah, as well as its surrounding pasturelands.

(But the city's land and nearby towns were allotted to Caleb son of Jephunneh.)

The descendants of Aaron were also allotted as cities of refuge Hebron, Libnah and its pasturelands, Jattir, Eshtemoa and its pasturelands,

Within the territory of the tribe of Benjamin they were allotted Geba and its pasturelands, Alemeth and its pasturelands, and Anathoth and its pasturelands. Their clans were allotted thirteen cities in all.

The rest of Kohath's descendants were allotted ten cities in the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh.

The clans of Merari's descendants were allotted twelve cities within the territory of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.

They were allotted as cities of refuge Shechem and its pasturelands (in the hill country of Ephraim), Gezer and its pasturelands,

The sons of Tola: Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Jibsam, and Samuel. They were leaders of their families. In the time of David there were 22,600 warriors listed in Tola's genealogical records.

The son of Uzzi: Izrachiah. The sons of Izrahiah: Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Isshiah. All five were leaders.

The sons of Bela: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri. The five of them were leaders of their families. There were 22,034 warriors listed in their genealogical records.

The sons of Beker: Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alameth. All these were the sons of Beker.

There were 20,200 family leaders and warriors listed in their genealogical records.

All these were the sons of Jediael. Listed in their genealogical records were 17,200 family leaders and warriors who were capable of marching out to battle.

The Shuppites and Huppites were descendants of Ir; the Hushites were descendants of Aher.

Maacah, Makir's wife, gave birth to a son, whom she named Peresh. His brother was Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rekem.

The son of Ulam: Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead, son of Makir, son of Manasseh.

The sons of Shemida were Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam.

his son Zabad, his son Shuthelah (Ezer and Elead were killed by the men of Gath, who were natives of the land, when they went down to steal their cattle.

On the border of Manasseh's territory were Beth-Shean and its surrounding towns, Taanach and its surrounding towns, Megiddo and its surrounding towns, and Dor and its surrounding towns. The descendants of Joseph, Israel's son, lived here.

The sons of Japhlet: Pasach, Bimhal, and Ashvath. These were Japhlet's sons.

All these were the descendants of Asher. They were the leaders of their families, the most capable men, who were warriors and served as head chiefs. There were 26,000 warriors listed in their genealogical records as capable of doing battle.

Bela's sons were Addar, Gera, Abihud,

These were the descendants of Ehud who were leaders of the families living in Geba who were forced to move to Manahath:

Jeuz, Sakia, and Mirmah. These were his sons; they were family leaders.