Josiah's good reign:

more.

II. CHRONICLES.

He repairs the temple. himself; but Amon trespassed more and ber for couplings, and to floor the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed. 24 And his servants conspired against 12 And the men did the work faithhim, and slew him in his own house. fully and the overseers of them were 25 But the people of the land slew Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the all them that had conspired against king sons of Merari; and Zechariah and MeAmon; and the people of the land made shullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to Josiah his son king in his stead. set it forward; and other of the Levites, all that could skill of instruments of music.

Jos

CHAP. XXXIV.

OSIAH was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.

2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.

13 Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and were overseers of all that wrought the work in any manner of service: and of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters.

14 And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of 3 ¶ For in the eighth year of his reign, the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found a book while he was yet young, he began to seek of the law of the LORD given by Moses. after the God of David his father: and in 15 And Hilkiah answered and said to the twelfth year he began to purge Judah Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book and Jerusalem from the high places, and of the law in the house of the LORD. And the groves, and the carved images, and the Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan. molten images. 16 And Shaphan carried the book to

4 And they brake down the altars of the king, and brought the king word back Baalim in his presence; and the images, again, saying, All that was committed to that were on high above them, he cut down; thy servants, they do it.

and the groves, and the carved images, 17 And they have gathered together the and the molten imes, he brake in pieces, money that was found in the house of the and made dust of them, and strewed it up- LORD, and have delivered it into the hand on the graves of them that had sacrificed of the overseers, and to the hand of the unto them. workmen.

5 And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.

6 And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about.

7 And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.

18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.

19 And it came to pass when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes.

20 And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king's, saying, 21 Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and 8 Now in the eighteenth year of his for them that are left in Israel, and in Jureign, when he had purged the land, and dah, concerning the words of the book that the house, he sent Shaphan the son of is found for great is the wrath of the Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the LORD that is poured out upon us, because city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the re- our fathers have not kept the word of the corder, to repair the house of the LORD LORD, to do after all that is written in this his God. book.

:

9 And when they came to Hilkiah the 22 And Hilkiah, and they that the king high priest, they delivered the money that had appointed, went to Huldah the prowas brought into the house of God, which phetess, the wife of Shallum the son of the Levites that kept the doors had ga-Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the thered of the hand of Manasseh and wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, in the college :) and they spake to her to and of all Judah and Benjamin; and they that effect. returned to Jerusalem.

23 And she answered them, Thus 10 And they put it in the hand of the saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell ye the workmen that had the oversight of the man that sent you to me, house of the LORD, and they gave it to the 24 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will workmen that wrought in the house of the bring evil upon this place, and upon the LORD, to repair and mend the house : inhabitants thereof, even all the curses 11 Even to the artificers and builders that are written in the book which they gave they it, to buy hewn stone, and tim-, have read before the king of Judah:

The covenant renewed.

CHAP. XXXV.

Josiah's solemn passover.

25 Because they have forsaken me, and all Israel, which were holy unto the LORD have burned incense unto other gods, that Put the holy ark in the house which Solothey might provoke me to anger with all mon the son of David king of Israel did the works of their hands; therefore my build: it shall not be a burden upon your wrath shall be poured out upon this place, shoulders: serve now the LORD your God, and shall not be quenched. and his people Israel, 26 And as for the king of Judah, who 4 And prepare yourselves by the houses sent you to inquire of the LORD, so shall of your fathers after your courses, accordye say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God ing to the writing of David king of Israel, of Israel concerning the words which thou and according to the writing of Solomon hast heard; his son:

27 Because thy heart was tender, and 5 And stand in the holy place according thou didst humble thyself before God to the divisions of the families of the fawhen thou heardest his words against this thers of your brethren the people, and after place, and against the inhabitants thereof, the division of the families of the Levites. and humbledst thyself before me, and 6 So kill the passover, and sanctify didst rend thy clothes, and weep before yourselves, and prepare your brethren, me; I have even heard thee also,saith the that they may do according to the word of LORD. the LORD by the hand of Moses.

28 Behold, I will gather thee to thy 7 And Josiah gave to the people, of the fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy flock, lambs and kids, all for the passovergrave in peace, neither shall thine eyes offerings, for all that were present, to the see all the evil that I will bring upon this number of thirty thousand, and three thouplace, and upon the inhabitants of the sand bullocks: these were of the king's same. So they brought the king word substance.

again. 8 And his princes gave willingly unto 29 ¶ Then the king sent and gathered the people, to the priests, and to the Letogether all the elders of Judah and Jeru- vites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, salem. rulers of the house of God, gave unto the 30 And the king went up into the house priests for the passover-offerings two thouof the LORD, and all the men of Judah sand and six hundred small cattle, and and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the three hundred oxen.

priests, and the Levites, and all the peo- 9 Conaniah also, and Shemaiah, and Neple, great and small: and he read in their thaneel,his brethren, and Hashabiah, and Jeears all the words of the book of the cove-iel, and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave nant that was found in the house of the unto the Levites for passover-offerings five LORD. thousand small cattle,and five hundredoxen.

31 And the king stood in his place, and| 10 So the service was prepared, and the made a covenant before the LORD, to walk priests stood in their place, and the Levites after the LORD, and to keep his command- in their courses, according to the king's ments, and his testimonies, and his sta- commandment.

tutes, with all his heart, and with all his 11 And they killed the passover, and soul, to perform the words of the cove- the priests sprinkled the blood from their nant which are written in this book. hands, and the Levites flayed them. 32 And he caused all that were present 12 And they removed the burnt-offerin Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. ings, that they might give according to And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did ac- the divisions of the families of the people, cording to the covenant of God, the God to offer unto the LORD, as it is written in of their fathers. the book of Moses. And so did they with

33 And Josiah took away all the abomi- the oxen. nations out of all the countries that pertain- 13 And they roasted the passover with ed to the children of Israel, and made all fire according to the ordinance: but the that were present in Israel to serve, even other holy offerings sod they in pots, and to serve the LORD their God. And all his in caldrons, and in pans, and divided them days they departed not from following the speedily among all the people. LORD, the God of their fathers.

MOR

14 And afterward they made ready for CHAP. XXXV. themselves, and for the priests: because OREOVER, Josiah kept a passover the priests the sons of Aaron were busied unto the LORD in Jerusalem: and in offering of burnt-offerings and the fat they killed the passover on the fourteenth until night; therefore the Levites prepared day of the first month. for themselves, and for the priests the

2 And he set the priests in their charges, sons of Aaron. and encouraged them to the service of the house of the LORD,

15 And the singers the sons of Asaph were in their place, according to the com

3 And said unto the Levites that taught mandment of David, and Asaph, and He

Josiah is slain.

II. CHRONICLES. Pharaoh deposes Jehoahaz. man, and Jeduthun the king's seer; and him king in his father's stead in Jerusalem. the porters waited at every gate; they 2 Jehoahaz was twenty and three years might not depart from their service; for old when he began to reign, and he reigned their brethren the Levites prepared for three months in Jerusalem.

them.

3 And the king of Egypt put him down

16 So all the service of the LORD was at Jerusalem, and condemned the land in prepared the same day, to keep the passo- a hundred talents of silver and a talent of ver, and to offer burnt-offerings upon the gold.

altar of the LORD, according to the com- 4 And the king of Egypt made Eliakim mandment of king Josiah. his brother king over Judah and Jerusa17 And the children of Israel that were lem, and turned his name to Jehoiakim. present kept the passover at that time, and And Necho took Jehoahaz his brother, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days. carried him to Egypt.

18 And there was no passover like to 5 Jehoiakim was twenty and five that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel years old when he began to reign, and he the prophet; neither did all the kings of reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, he did that which was evil in the sight of and the priests, and the Levites, and all the LORD his God. Judah and Israel that were present, and 6 Against him came up Nebuchadnezthe inhabitants of Jerusalem. zar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.

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

7 Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the 20 T After all this, when Josiah had vessels of the house of the LORD to Babyprepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt lon, and put them in his temple at Babylon. came up to fight against Charchemish by 8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him. and his abominations which he did, and 21 But he sent ambassadors to him, that which was found in him, behold, they saying, What have I to do with thee, thou are written in the book of the kings of king of Judah? I come not against thee Israel and Judah. And Jehoiachin his son this day, but against the house wherewith reigned in his stead. I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy

thee not.

9Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight 22 Nevertheless Josiah would not turn of the LORD. his face from him, but disguised himself 10 And when the year was expired, that he might fight with him, and hearken- king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought ed not unto the words of Necho from the him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels mouth of God, and came to fight in the of the house of the LORD, and made Zedevalley of Megiddo. kiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.

23 And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded.

11 ¶ Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.

24 His servants therefore took him out of that chariot, and put him in the second 12 And he did that which was evil in chariot that he had; and they brought him the sight of the LORD his God, and humto Jerusalem, and he died, and was buried bled not himself before Jeremiah the in one of the sepulchres of his fathers. prophet speaking from the mouth of the And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for LORD. Josiah.

13 And he also rebelled against king

25 And Jeremiah lamented for Jo- Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him siah and all the singing men and the swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, singing women spake of Josiah in their and hardened his heart from turning unto lamentations to this day, and made them the LORD God of Israel.

are written in the lamentations.

an ordinance in Israel: and behold, they 14 Moreover, all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very 26 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, much after all the abominations of the and his goodness, according to that which heathen; and polluted the house of the was written in the law of the LORD, LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.

27 And his deeds, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.

15 And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes and sending; because he had comHEN the people of the land took Je- passion on his people, and on his dwelling

CHAP. XXXVI.

Thoabaz the son of Josiah, and made place:

The proclamation of Cyrus.

CHAP. I, II. Vessels of the temple restored.

16 But they mocked the messengers of sword carried he away to Babylon; where God, and despised his words, and misused they were servants to him and his sons his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: arose against his people, till there was no 21 To fulfil the word of the LORD by remedy. the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had 17 Therefore he brought upon them the enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she king of the Chaldees, who slew their young lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil men with the sword in the house of their threescore and ten years. sanctuary, and had no compassion upon 22 ¶ Now in the first year of Cyrus king young man or maiden, old man, or him of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken that stooped for age: he gave them all into by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomhis band. plished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of 18 And all the vessels of the house of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proGod, great and small, and the treasures of clamation throughout all his kingdom, and the house of the LORD, and the treasures of put it also in writing, saying, the king, and of his princes; all these he 23 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All brought to Babylon. the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD

19 And they burnt the house of God, and God of heaven given me; and he hath brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and charged me to build him a house in Jeburnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and rusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof. among you of all his people? The LORD his 20 And them that had escaped from the God be with him, and let him go up.

NOV

CHAP. I.

I EZRA.

8 Even those did Cyrus king of Persia OW in the first year of Cyrus king of bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the Persia, that the word of the LORD by treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshthe mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, bazzar, the prince of Judah. the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

3 Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.

9 And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,

10 Thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a second sort four hundred and ten, und other vessels a thousand.

11 All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.

CHAP. II.

te that went up out of the captiTOW these are the children of the pro

4 And whosoever remaineth in any place vity, of those which had been carried away, where he sojourneth, let the men of his whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babyplace help him with silver, and with gold, lon had carried away unto Babylon, and and with goods, and with beasts, besides came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, the free-will-offering for the house of God every one unto his city; that is in Jerusalem.

2 Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua,

5 Then rose up the chief of the fathers Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, Bilshan, Mizpar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. and the Levites, with all them whose spirit The number of the men of the people of God had raised, to go up to build the house Israel: of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.

3 The children of Parosh, two thousand

6 And all they that were about them a hundred seventy and two. strengthened their hands with vessels of 4 The children of Shephatiah, three silver, with gold, with goods, and with hundred seventy and two.

beasts, and with precious things, besides 5 The children of Arah, seven hundred all that was willingly offered. seventy and five.

7 Also Cyrus the king brought forth 6 The children of Pahath-moab, of the the vessels of the house of the LORD, which children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of eight hundred and twelve.

Jerusalem, and had put them in the house 7 The children of Elam, a thousand two of his gods; hundred fifty and four.

EZRA.

8 The children of Zattu, nine hundred shua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hoforty and five.

28 The men of Bethel and Ai, two hun-dren of Hattil, the children of Pochereth dred twenty and three.

of Zebaim, the children of Ami.

58 All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two.

59 And these were they which went up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer: but they could not shew their father's house, and their seed, whe

33 The children of Lod, Hadid, and ther they were of Israel: Ono, seven hundred twenty and five.

60 The children of Delaiah, the chil34 The children of Jericho, three hun-dren of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, dred forty and five. six hundred fifty and two.

61 T And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of 36 The priests: the children of Je-Koz, the children of Barzillai : which took daiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hun- a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the dred seventy and three. Gileadite, and was called after their

37 The children of Immer, a thousand name:

62 These sought their register among 38 The children of Pashur, a thousand those that were reckoned by genealogy, two hundred forty and seven. but they were not found: therefore were 39 The children of Harim, a thousand they, as polluted, put from the priesthood. and seventeen. 63 And the Tirshatha said unto them, 40 T The Levites: the children of Je- that they should not eat of the most holy