Category: 2 Kings

Queen Athaliah Rules in Judah

1 When Athaliah, the mother of King Ahaziah of Judah, learned that her son was dead, she began to destroy the rest of the royal family.

2 But Ahaziah’s sister Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram,took Ahaziah’s infant son, Joash, and stole him away from among the rest of the king’s children, who were about to be killed. She put Joash and his nurse in a bedroom, and they hid him from Athaliah, so the child was not murdered.

3 Joash remained hidden in the Temple of theLordfor six years while Athaliah ruled over the land.

Revolt against Athaliah

4 In the seventh year of Athaliah’s reign, Jehoiada the priest summoned the commanders, the Carite mercenaries, and the palace guards to come to the Temple of theLord. He made a solemn pact with them and made them swear an oath of loyalty there in theLord’s Temple; then he showed them the king’s son.

5 Jehoiada told them, “This is what you must do. A third of you who are on duty on the Sabbath are to guard the royal palace itself.

6 Another third of you are to stand guard at the Sur Gate. And the final third must stand guard behind the palace guard. These three groups will all guard the palace.

7 The other two units who are off duty on the Sabbath must stand guard for the king at theLord’s Temple.

8 Form a bodyguard around the king and keep your weapons in hand. Kill anyone who tries to break through. Stay with the king wherever he goes.”

9 So the commanders did everything as Jehoiada the priest ordered. The commanders took charge of the men reporting for duty that Sabbath, as well as those who were going off duty. They brought them all to Jehoiada the priest,

10 and he supplied them with the spears and small shields that had once belonged to King David and were stored in the Temple of theLord.

11 The palace guards stationed themselves around the king, with their weapons ready. They formed a line from the south side of the Temple around to the north side and all around the altar.

12 Then Jehoiada brought out Joash, the king’s son, placed the crown on his head, and presented him with a copy of God’s laws.They anointed him and proclaimed him king, and everyone clapped their hands and shouted, “Long live the king!”

The Death of Athaliah

13 When Athaliah heard the noise made by the palace guards and the people, she hurried to theLord’s Temple to see what was happening.

14 When she arrived, she saw the newly crowned king standing in his place of authority by the pillar, as was the custom at times of coronation. The commanders and trumpeters were surrounding him, and people from all over the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. When Athaliah saw all this, she tore her clothes in despair and shouted, “Treason! Treason!”

15 Then Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders who were in charge of the troops, “Take her to the soldiers in front of the Temple,and kill anyone who tries to rescue her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be killed in the Temple of theLord.”

16 So they seized her and led her out to the gate where horses enter the palace grounds, and she was killed there.

Jehoiada’s Religious Reforms

17 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between theLordand the king and the people that they would be theLord’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.

18 And all the people of the land went over to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They demolished the altars and smashed the idols to pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.

Jehoiada the priest stationed guards at the Temple of theLord.

19 Then the commanders, the Carite mercenaries, the palace guards, and all the people of the land escorted the king from the Temple of theLord. They went through the gate of the guards and into the palace, and the king took his seat on the royal throne.

20 So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was peaceful because Athaliah had been killed at the king’s palace.

21 Joashwas seven years old when he became king.

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Joash Repairs the Temple

1 Joashbegan to rule over Judah in the seventh year of King Jehu’s reign in Israel. He reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother was Zibiah from Beersheba.

2 All his life Joash did what was pleasing in theLord’s sight because Jehoiada the priest instructed him.

3 Yet even so, he did not destroy the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there.

4 One day King Joash said to the priests, “Collect all the money brought as a sacred offering to theLord’s Temple, whether it is a regular assessment, a payment of vows, or a voluntary gift.

5 Let the priests take some of that money to pay for whatever repairs are needed at the Temple.”

6 But by the twenty-third year of Joash’s reign, the priests still had not repaired the Temple.

7 So King Joash called for Jehoiada and the other priests and asked them, “Why haven’t you repaired the Temple? Don’t use any more money for your own needs. From now on, it must all be spent on Temple repairs.”

8 So the priests agreed not to accept any more money from the people, and they also agreed to let others take responsibility for repairing the Temple.

9 Then Jehoiada the priest bored a hole in the lid of a large chest and set it on the right-hand side of the altar at the entrance of the Temple of theLord. The priests guarding the entrance put all of the people’s contributions into the chest.

10 Whenever the chest became full, the court secretary and the high priest counted the money that had been brought to theLord’s Temple and put it into bags.

11 Then they gave the money to the construction supervisors, who used it to pay the people working on theLord’s Temple—the carpenters, the builders,

12 the masons, and the stonecutters. They also used the money to buy the timber and the finished stone needed for repairing theLord’s Temple, and they paid any other expenses related to the Temple’s restoration.

13 The money brought to the Temple was not used for making silver bowls, lamp snuffers, basins, trumpets, or other articles of gold or silver for the Temple of theLord.

14 It was paid to the workmen, who used it for the Temple repairs.

15 No accounting of this money was required from the construction supervisors, because they were honest and trustworthy men.

16 However, the money that was contributed for guilt offerings and sin offerings was not brought into theLord’s Temple. It was given to the priests for their own use.

The End of Joash’s Reign

17 About this time King Hazael of Aram went to war against Gath and captured it. Then he turned to attack Jerusalem.

18 King Joash collected all the sacred objects that Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, the previous kings of Judah, had dedicated, along with what he himself had dedicated. He sent them all to Hazael, along with all the gold in the treasuries of theLord’s Temple and the royal palace. So Hazael called off his attack on Jerusalem.

19 The rest of the events in Joash’s reign and everything he did are recorded inThe Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.

20 Joash’s officers plotted against him and assassinated him at Beth-millo on the road to Silla.

21 The assassins were Jozacarson of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer—both trusted advisers. Joash was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Then his son Amaziah became the next king.

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Jehoahaz Rules in Israel

1 Jehoahaz son of Jehu began to rule over Israel in the twenty-third year of King Joash’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria seventeen years.

2 But he did what was evil in theLord’s sight. He followed the example of Jeroboam son of Nebat, continuing the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit.

3 So theLordwas very angry with Israel, and he allowed King Hazael of Aram and his son Ben-hadad to defeat them repeatedly.

4 Then Jehoahaz prayed for theLord’s help, and theLordheard his prayer, for he could see how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel.

5 So theLordprovided someone to rescue the Israelites from the tyranny of the Arameans. Then Israel lived in safety again as they had in former days.

6 But they continued to sin, following the evil example of Jeroboam. They also allowed the Asherah pole in Samaria to remain standing.

7 Finally, Jehoahaz’s army was reduced to 50 charioteers, 10 chariots, and 10,000 foot soldiers. The king of Aram had killed the others, trampling them like dust under his feet.

8 The rest of the events in Jehoahaz’s reign—everything he did and the extent of his power—are recorded inThe Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.

9 When Jehoahaz died, he was buried in Samaria. Then his son Jehoashbecame the next king.

Jehoash Rules in Israel

10 Jehoash son of Jehoahaz began to rule over Israel in the thirty-seventh year of King Joash’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria sixteen years.

11 But he did what was evil in theLord’s sight. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.

12 The rest of the events in Jehoash’s reign and everything he did, including the extent of his power and his war with King Amaziah of Judah, are recorded inThe Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.

13 When Jehoash died, he was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. Then his son Jeroboam II became the next king.

Elisha’s Final Prophecy

14 When Elisha was in his last illness, King Jehoash of Israel visited him and wept over him. “My father! My father! I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!” he cried.

15 Elisha told him, “Get a bow and some arrows.” And the king did as he was told.

16 Elisha told him, “Put your hand on the bow,” and Elisha laid his own hands on the king’s hands.

17 Then he commanded, “Open that eastern window,” and he opened it. Then he said, “Shoot!” So he shot an arrow. Elisha proclaimed, “This is theLord’s arrow, an arrow of victory over Aram, for you will completely conquer the Arameans at Aphek.”

18 Then he said, “Now pick up the other arrows and strike them against the ground.” So the king picked them up and struck the ground three times.

19 But the man of God was angry with him. “You should have struck the ground five or six times!” he exclaimed. “Then you would have beaten Aram until it was entirely destroyed. Now you will be victorious only three times.”

20 Then Elisha died and was buried.

Groups of Moabite raiders used to invade the land each spring.

21 Once when some Israelites were burying a man, they spied a band of these raiders. So they hastily threw the corpse into the tomb of Elisha and fled. But as soon as the body touched Elisha’s bones, the dead man revived and jumped to his feet!

22 King Hazael of Aram had oppressed Israel during the entire reign of King Jehoahaz.

23 But theLordwas gracious and merciful to the people of Israel, and they were not totally destroyed. He pitied them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And to this day he still has not completely destroyed them or banished them from his presence.

24 King Hazael of Aram died, and his son Ben-hadad became the next king.

25 Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz recaptured from Ben-hadad son of Hazael the towns that had been taken from Jehoash’s father, Jehoahaz. Jehoash defeated Ben-hadad on three occasions, and he recovered the Israelite towns.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/2KI/13-52a37330841564627d55786c69566c47.mp3?version_id=116—

Amaziah Rules in Judah

1 Amaziah son of Joash began to rule over Judah in the second year of the reign of King Jehoashof Israel.

2 Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother was Jehoaddin from Jerusalem.

3 Amaziah did what was pleasing in theLord’s sight, but not like his ancestor David. Instead, he followed the example of his father, Joash.

4 Amaziah did not destroy the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there.

5 When Amaziah was well established as king, he executed the officials who had assassinated his father.

6 However, he did not kill the children of the assassins, for he obeyed the command of theLordas written by Moses in the Book of the Law: “Parents must not be put to death for the sins of their children, nor children for the sins of their parents. Those deserving to die must be put to death for their own crimes.”

7 Amaziah also killed 10,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. He also conquered Sela and changed its name to Joktheel, as it is called to this day.

8 One day Amaziah sent messengers with this challenge to Israel’s king Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz and grandson of Jehu: “Come and meet me in battle!”

9 But King Jehoash of Israel replied to King Amaziah of Judah with this story: “Out in the Lebanon mountains, a thistle sent a message to a mighty cedar tree: ‘Give your daughter in marriage to my son.’ But just then a wild animal of Lebanon came by and stepped on the thistle, crushing it!

10 “You have indeed defeated Edom, and you are proud of it. But be content with your victory and stay at home! Why stir up trouble that will only bring disaster on you and the people of Judah?”

11 But Amaziah refused to listen, so King Jehoash of Israel mobilized his army against King Amaziah of Judah. The two armies drew up their battle lines at Beth-shemesh in Judah.

12 Judah was routed by the army of Israel, and its army scattered and fled for home.

13 King Jehoash of Israel captured Judah’s king, Amaziah son of Joash and grandson of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh. Then he marched to Jerusalem, where he demolished 600 feetof Jerusalem’s wall, from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate.

14 He carried off all the gold and silver and all the articles from the Temple of theLord. He also seized the treasures from the royal palace, along with hostages, and then returned to Samaria.

15 The rest of the events in Jehoash’s reign and everything he did, including the extent of his power and his war with King Amaziah of Judah, are recorded inThe Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.

16 When Jehoash died, he was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. And his son Jeroboam II became the next king.

17 King Amaziah of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of King Jehoash of Israel.

18 The rest of the events in Amaziah’s reign are recorded inThe Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.

19 There was a conspiracy against Amaziah’s life in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. But his enemies sent assassins after him, and they killed him there.

20 They brought his body back to Jerusalem on a horse, and he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David.

21 All the people of Judah had crowned Amaziah’s sixteen-year-old son, Uzziah,as king in place of his father, Amaziah.

22 After his father’s death, Uzziah rebuilt the town of Elath and restored it to Judah.

Jeroboam II Rules in Israel

23 Jeroboam II, the son of Jehoash, began to rule over Israel in the fifteenth year of King Amaziah’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria forty-one years.

24 He did what was evil in theLord’s sight. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.

25 Jeroboam II recovered the territories of Israel between Lebo-hamath and the Dead Sea,just as theLord, the God of Israel, had promised through Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath-hepher.

26 For theLordsaw the bitter suffering of everyone in Israel, and that there was no one in Israel, slave or free, to help them.

27 And because theLordhad not said he would blot out the name of Israel completely, he used Jeroboam II, the son of Jehoash, to save them.

28 The rest of the events in the reign of Jeroboam II and everything he did—including the extent of his power, his wars, and how he recovered for Israel both Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah—are recorded inThe Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.

29 When Jeroboam II died, he was buried in Samariawith the kings of Israel. Then his son Zechariah became the next king.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/2KI/14-21c2dce0546ac1e8e402f8013b7dbc53.mp3?version_id=116—

Uzziah Rules in Judah

1 Uzziahson of Amaziah began to rule over Judah in the twenty-seventh year of the reign of King Jeroboam II of Israel.

2 He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother was Jecoliah from Jerusalem.

3 He did what was pleasing in theLord’s sight, just as his father, Amaziah, had done.

4 But he did not destroy the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there.

5 TheLordstruck the king with leprosy,which lasted until the day he died. He lived in isolation in a separate house. The king’s son Jotham was put in charge of the royal palace, and he governed the people of the land.

6 The rest of the events in Uzziah’s reign and everything he did are recorded inThe Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.

7 When Uzziah died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. And his son Jotham became the next king.

Zechariah Rules in Israel

8 Zechariah son of Jeroboam II began to rule over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of King Uzziah’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria six months.

9 Zechariah did what was evil in theLord’s sight, as his ancestors had done. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.

10 Then Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against Zechariah, assassinated him in public,and became the next king.

11 The rest of the events in Zechariah’s reign are recorded inThe Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.

12 So theLord’s message to Jehu came true: “Your descendants will be kings of Israel down to the fourth generation.”

Shallum Rules in Israel

13 Shallum son of Jabesh began to rule over Israel in the thirty-ninth year of King Uzziah’s reign in Judah. Shallum reigned in Samaria only one month.

14 Then Menahem son of Gadi went to Samaria from Tirzah and assassinated him, and he became the next king.

15 The rest of the events in Shallum’s reign, including his conspiracy, are recorded inThe Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.

Menahem Rules in Israel

16 At that time Menahem destroyed the town of Tappuahand all the surrounding countryside as far as Tirzah, because its citizens refused to surrender the town. He killed the entire population and ripped open the pregnant women.

17 Menahem son of Gadi began to rule over Israel in the thirty-ninth year of King Uzziah’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria ten years.

18 But Menahem did what was evil in theLord’s sight. During his entire reign, he refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.

19 Then King Tiglath-pileserof Assyria invaded the land. But Menahem paid him thirty-seven tonsof silver to gain his support in tightening his grip on royal power.

20 Menahem extorted the money from the rich of Israel, demanding that each of them pay fifty piecesof silver to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned from attacking Israel and did not stay in the land.

21 The rest of the events in Menahem’s reign and everything he did are recorded inThe Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.

22 When Menahem died, his son Pekahiah became the next king.

Pekahiah Rules in Israel

23 Pekahiah son of Menahem began to rule over Israel in the fiftieth year of King Uzziah’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria two years.

24 But Pekahiah did what was evil in theLord’s sight. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.

25 Then Pekah son of Remaliah, the commander of Pekahiah’s army, conspired against him. With fifty men from Gilead, Pekah assassinated the king, along with Argob and Arieh, in the citadel of the palace at Samaria. And Pekah reigned in his place.

26 The rest of the events in Pekahiah’s reign and everything he did are recorded inThe Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.

Pekah Rules in Israel

27 Pekah son of Remaliah began to rule over Israel in the fifty-second year of King Uzziah’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria twenty years.

28 But Pekah did what was evil in theLord’s sight. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.

29 During Pekah’s reign, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria attacked Israel again, and he captured the towns of Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, and Hazor. He also conquered the regions of Gilead, Galilee, and all of Naphtali, and he took the people to Assyria as captives.

30 Then Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah and assassinated him. He began to rule over Israel in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah.

31 The rest of the events in Pekah’s reign and everything he did are recorded inThe Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.

Jotham Rules in Judah

32 Jotham son of Uzziah began to rule over Judah in the second year of King Pekah’s reign in Israel.

33 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok.

34 Jotham did what was pleasing in theLord’s sight. He did everything his father, Uzziah, had done.

35 But he did not destroy the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there. He rebuilt the upper gate of the Temple of theLord.

36 The rest of the events in Jotham’s reign and everything he did are recorded inThe Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.

37 In those days theLordbegan to send King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah of Israel to attack Judah.

38 When Jotham died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. And his son Ahaz became the next king.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/2KI/15-cb3754c6353a683d56b75065f7b75fa4.mp3?version_id=116—

Ahaz Rules in Judah

1 Ahaz son of Jotham began to rule over Judah in the seventeenth year of King Pekah’s reign in Israel.

2 Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. He did not do what was pleasing in the sight of theLordhis God, as his ancestor David had done.

3 Instead, he followed the example of the kings of Israel, even sacrificing his own son in the fire.In this way, he followed the detestable practices of the pagan nations theLordhad driven from the land ahead of the Israelites.

4 He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the pagan shrines and on the hills and under every green tree.

5 Then King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah of Israel came up to attack Jerusalem. They besieged Ahaz but could not conquer him.

6 At that time the king of Edomrecovered the town of Elath for Edom.He drove out the people of Judah and sent Edomitesto live there, as they do to this day.

7 King Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria with this message: “I am your servant and your vassal.Come up and rescue me from the attacking armies of Aram and Israel.”

8 Then Ahaz took the silver and gold from the Temple of theLordand the palace treasury and sent it as a payment to the Assyrian king.

9 So the king of Assyria attacked the Aramean capital of Damascus and led its population away as captives, resettling them in Kir. He also killed King Rezin.

10 King Ahaz then went to Damascus to meet with King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria. While he was there, he took special note of the altar. Then he sent a model of the altar to Uriah the priest, along with its design in full detail.

11 Uriah followed the king’s instructions and built an altar just like it, and it was ready before the king returned from Damascus.

12 When the king returned, he inspected the altar and made offerings on it.

13 He presented a burnt offering and a grain offering, he poured out a liquid offering, and he sprinkled the blood of peace offerings on the altar.

14 Then King Ahaz removed the old bronze altar from its place in front of theLord’s Temple, between the entrance and the new altar, and placed it on the north side of the new altar.

15 He told Uriah the priest, “Use the new altarfor the morning sacrifices of burnt offering, the evening grain offering, the king’s burnt offering and grain offering, and the burnt offerings of all the people, as well as their grain offerings and liquid offerings. Sprinkle the blood from all the burnt offerings and sacrifices on the new altar. The bronze altar will be for my personal use only.”

16 Uriah the priest did just as King Ahaz commanded him.

17 Then the king removed the side panels and basins from the portable water carts. He also removed the great bronze basin called the Sea from the backs of the bronze oxen and placed it on the stone pavement.

18 In deference to the king of Assyria, he also removed the canopy that had been constructed inside the palace for use on the Sabbath day,as well as the king’s outer entrance to the Temple of theLord.

19 The rest of the events in Ahaz’s reign and everything he did are recorded inThe Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.

20 When Ahaz died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Then his son Hezekiah became the next king.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/2KI/16-0cd533dbcabc200637994a03db25746e.mp3?version_id=116—

Hoshea Rules in Israel

1 Hoshea son of Elah began to rule over Israel in the twelfth year of King Ahaz’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria nine years.

2 He did what was evil in theLord’s sight, but not to the same extent as the kings of Israel who ruled before him.

3 King Shalmaneser of Assyria attacked King Hoshea, so Hoshea was forced to pay heavy tribute to Assyria.

4 But Hoshea stopped paying the annual tribute and conspired against the king of Assyria by asking King So of Egyptto help him shake free of Assyria’s power. When the king of Assyria discovered this treachery, he seized Hoshea and put him in prison.

Samaria Falls to Assyria

5 Then the king of Assyria invaded the entire land, and for three years he besieged the city of Samaria.

6 Finally, in the ninth year of King Hoshea’s reign, Samaria fell, and the people of Israel were exiled to Assyria. They were settled in colonies in Halah, along the banks of the Habor River in Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

7 This disaster came upon the people of Israel because they worshiped other gods. They sinned against theLordtheir God, who had brought them safely out of Egypt and had rescued them from the power of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.

8 They had followed the practices of the pagan nations theLordhad driven from the land ahead of them, as well as the practices the kings of Israel had introduced.

9 The people of Israel had also secretly done many things that were not pleasing to theLordtheir God. They built pagan shrines for themselves in all their towns, from the smallest outpost to the largest walled city.

10 They set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles at the top of every hill and under every green tree.

11 They offered sacrifices on all the hilltops, just like the nations theLordhad driven from the land ahead of them. So the people of Israel had done many evil things, arousing theLord’s anger.

12 Yes, they worshiped idols,despite theLord’s specific and repeated warnings.

13 Again and again theLordhad sent his prophets and seers to warn both Israel and Judah: “Turn from all your evil ways. Obey my commands and decrees—the entire law that I commanded your ancestors to obey, and that I gave you through my servants the prophets.”

14 But the Israelites would not listen. They were as stubborn as their ancestors who had refused to believe in theLordtheir God.

15 They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors, and they despised all his warnings. They worshiped worthless idols, so they became worthless themselves. They followed the example of the nations around them, disobeying theLord’s command not to imitate them.

16 They rejected all the commands of theLordtheir God and made two calves from metal. They set up an Asherah pole and worshiped Baal and all the forces of heaven.

17 They even sacrificed their own sons and daughters in the fire.They consulted fortune-tellers and practiced sorcery and sold themselves to evil, arousing theLord’s anger.

18 Because theLordwas very angry with Israel, he swept them away from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained in the land.

19 But even the people of Judah refused to obey the commands of theLordtheir God, for they followed the evil practices that Israel had introduced.

20 TheLordrejected all the descendants of Israel. He punished them by handing them over to their attackers until he had banished Israel from his presence.

21 For when theLordtore Israel away from the kingdom of David, they chose Jeroboam son of Nebat as their king. But Jeroboam drew Israel away from following theLordand made them commit a great sin.

22 And the people of Israel persisted in all the evil ways of Jeroboam. They did not turn from these sins

23 until theLordfinally swept them away from his presence, just as all his prophets had warned. So Israel was exiled from their land to Assyria, where they remain to this day.

Foreigners Settle in Israel

24 The king of Assyria transported groups of people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and resettled them in the towns of Samaria, replacing the people of Israel. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its towns.

25 But since these foreign settlers did not worship theLordwhen they first arrived, theLordsent lions among them, which killed some of them.

26 So a message was sent to the king of Assyria: “The people you have sent to live in the towns of Samaria do not know the religious customs of the God of the land. He has sent lions among them to destroy them because they have not worshiped him correctly.”

27 The king of Assyria then commanded, “Send one of the exiled priests back to Samaria. Let him live there and teach the new residents the religious customs of the God of the land.”

28 So one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria returned to Bethel and taught the new residents how to worship theLord.

29 But these various groups of foreigners also continued to worship their own gods. In town after town where they lived, they placed their idols at the pagan shrines that the people of Samaria had built.

30 Those from Babylon worshiped idols of their god Succoth-benoth. Those from Cuthah worshiped their god Nergal. And those from Hamath worshiped Ashima.

31 The Avvites worshiped their gods Nibhaz and Tartak. And the people from Sepharvaim even burned their own children as sacrifices to their gods Adrammelech and Anammelech.

32 These new residents worshiped theLord, but they also appointed from among themselves all sorts of people as priests to offer sacrifices at their places of worship.

33 And though they worshiped theLord, they continued to follow their own gods according to the religious customs of the nations from which they came.

34 And this is still going on today. They continue to follow their former practices instead of truly worshiping theLordand obeying the decrees, regulations, instructions, and commands he gave the descendants of Jacob, whose name he changed to Israel.

35 For theLordhad made a covenant with the descendants of Jacob and commanded them: “Do not worship any other gods or bow before them or serve them or offer sacrifices to them.

36 But worship only theLord, who brought you out of Egypt with great strength and a powerful arm. Bow down to him alone, and offer sacrifices only to him.

37 Be careful at all times to obey the decrees, regulations, instructions, and commands that he wrote for you. You must not worship other gods.

38 Do not forget the covenant I made with you, and do not worship other gods.

39 You must worship only theLordyour God. He is the one who will rescue you from all your enemies.”

40 But the people would not listen and continued to follow their former practices.

41 So while these new residents worshiped theLord, they also worshiped their idols. And to this day their descendants do the same.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/2KI/17-0322a92a61f1697214f588cb76c66448.mp3?version_id=116—

Hezekiah Rules in Judah

1 Hezekiah son of Ahaz began to rule over Judah in the third year of King Hoshea’s reign in Israel.

2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother was Abijah,the daughter of Zechariah.

3 He did what was pleasing in theLord’s sight, just as his ancestor David had done.

4 He removed the pagan shrines, smashed the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke up the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because the people of Israel had been offering sacrifices to it. The bronze serpent was called Nehushtan.

5 Hezekiah trusted in theLord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before or after his time.

6 He remained faithful to theLordin everything, and he carefully obeyed all the commands theLordhad given Moses.

7 So theLordwas with him, and Hezekiah was successful in everything he did. He revolted against the king of Assyria and refused to pay him tribute.

8 He also conquered the Philistines as far distant as Gaza and its territory, from their smallest outpost to their largest walled city.

9 During the fourth year of Hezekiah’s reign, which was the seventh year of King Hoshea’s reign in Israel, King Shalmaneser of Assyria attacked the city of Samaria and began a siege against it.

10 Three years later, during the sixth year of King Hezekiah’s reign and the ninth year of King Hoshea’s reign in Israel, Samaria fell.

11 At that time the king of Assyria exiled the Israelites to Assyria and placed them in colonies in Halah, along the banks of the Habor River in Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

12 For they refused to listen to theLordtheir God and obey him. Instead, they violated his covenant—all the laws that Moses theLord’s servant had commanded them to obey.

Assyria Invades Judah

13 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign,King Sennacherib of Assyria came to attack the fortified towns of Judah and conquered them.

14 King Hezekiah sent this message to the king of Assyria at Lachish: “I have done wrong. I will pay whatever tribute money you demand if you will only withdraw.” The king of Assyria then demanded a settlement of more than eleven tons of silver and one ton of gold.

15 To gather this amount, King Hezekiah used all the silver stored in the Temple of theLordand in the palace treasury.

16 Hezekiah even stripped the gold from the doors of theLord’s Temple and from the doorposts he had overlaid with gold, and he gave it all to the Assyrian king.

17 Nevertheless, the king of Assyria sent his commander in chief, his field commander, and his chief of stafffrom Lachish with a huge army to confront King Hezekiah in Jerusalem. The Assyrians took up a position beside the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is washed.

18 They summoned King Hezekiah, but the king sent these officials to meet with them: Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace administrator; Shebna the court secretary; and Joah son of Asaph, the royal historian.

Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem

19 Then the Assyrian king’s chief of staff told them to give this message to Hezekiah:

“This is what the great king of Assyria says: What are you trusting in that makes you so confident?

20 Do you think that mere words can substitute for military skill and strength? Who are you counting on, that you have rebelled against me?

21 On Egypt? If you lean on Egypt, it will be like a reed that splinters beneath your weight and pierces your hand. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is completely unreliable!

22 “But perhaps you will say to me, ‘We are trusting in theLordour God!’ But isn’t he the one who was insulted by Hezekiah? Didn’t Hezekiah tear down his shrines and altars and make everyone in Judah and Jerusalem worship only at the altar here in Jerusalem?

23 “I’ll tell you what! Strike a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you 2,000 horses if you can find that many men to ride on them!

24 With your tiny army, how can you think of challenging even the weakest contingent of my master’s troops, even with the help of Egypt’s chariots and charioteers?

25 What’s more, do you think we have invaded your land without theLord’s direction? TheLordhimself told us, ‘Attack this land and destroy it!’”

26 Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah said to the Assyrian chief of staff, “Please speak to us in Aramaic, for we understand it well. Don’t speak in Hebrew,for the people on the wall will hear.”

27 But Sennacherib’s chief of staff replied, “Do you think my master sent this message only to you and your master? He wants all the people to hear it, for when we put this city under siege, they will suffer along with you. They will be so hungry and thirsty that they will eat their own dung and drink their own urine.”

28 Then the chief of staff stood and shouted in Hebrew to the people on the wall, “Listen to this message from the great king of Assyria!

29 This is what the king says: Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you. He will never be able to rescue you from my power.

30 Don’t let him fool you into trusting in theLordby saying, ‘TheLordwill surely rescue us. This city will never fall into the hands of the Assyrian king!’

31 “Don’t listen to Hezekiah! These are the terms the king of Assyria is offering: Make peace with me—open the gates and come out. Then each of you can continue eating from your own grapevine and fig tree and drinking from your own well.

32 Then I will arrange to take you to another land like this one—a land of grain and new wine, bread and vineyards, olive groves and honey. Choose life instead of death!

“Don’t listen to Hezekiah when he tries to mislead you by saying, ‘TheLordwill rescue us!’

33 Have the gods of any other nations ever saved their people from the king of Assyria?

34 What happened to the gods of Hamath and Arpad? And what about the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Did any god rescue Samaria from my power?

35 What god of any nation has ever been able to save its people from my power? So what makes you think that theLordcan rescue Jerusalem from me?”

36 But the people were silent and did not utter a word because Hezekiah had commanded them, “Do not answer him.”

37 Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace administrator; Shebna the court secretary; and Joah son of Asaph, the royal historian, went back to Hezekiah. They tore their clothes in despair, and they went in to see the king and told him what the Assyrian chief of staff had said.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/2KI/18-b884e4194b90e89be679b646626a0854.mp3?version_id=116—

Hezekiah Seeks the Lord’s Help

1 When King Hezekiah heard their report, he tore his clothes and put on burlap and went into the Temple of theLord.

2 And he sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the court secretary, and the leading priests, all dressed in burlap, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz.

3 They told him, “This is what King Hezekiah says: Today is a day of trouble, insults, and disgrace. It is like when a child is ready to be born, but the mother has no strength to deliver the baby.

4 But perhaps theLordyour God has heard the Assyrian chief of staff,sent by the king to defy the living God, and will punish him for his words. Oh, pray for those of us who are left!”

5 After King Hezekiah’s officials delivered the king’s message to Isaiah,

6 the prophet replied, “Say to your master, ‘This is what theLordsays: Do not be disturbed by this blasphemous speech against me from the Assyrian king’s messengers.

7 Listen! I myself will move against him,and the king will receive a message that he is needed at home. So he will return to his land, where I will have him killed with a sword.’”

8 Meanwhile, the Assyrian chief of staff left Jerusalem and went to consult the king of Assyria, who had left Lachish and was attacking Libnah.

9 Soon afterward King Sennacherib received word that King Tirhakah of Ethiopiawas leading an army to fight against him. Before leaving to meet the attack, he sent messengers back to Hezekiah in Jerusalem with this message:

10 “This message is for King Hezekiah of Judah. Don’t let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you with promises that Jerusalem will not be captured by the king of Assyria.

11 You know perfectly well what the kings of Assyria have done wherever they have gone. They have completely destroyed everyone who stood in their way! Why should you be any different?

12 Have the gods of other nations rescued them—such nations as Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Tel-assar? My predecessors destroyed them all!

13 What happened to the king of Hamath and the king of Arpad? What happened to the kings of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?”

14 After Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it, he went up to theLord’s Temple and spread it out before theLord.

15 And Hezekiah prayed this prayer before theLord: “OLord, God of Israel, you are enthroned between the mighty cherubim! You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You alone created the heavens and the earth.

16 Bend down, OLord, and listen! Open your eyes, OLord, and see! Listen to Sennacherib’s words of defiance against the living God.

17 “It is true,Lord, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all these nations.

18 And they have thrown the gods of these nations into the fire and burned them. But of course the Assyrians could destroy them! They were not gods at all—only idols of wood and stone shaped by human hands.

19 Now, OLordour God, rescue us from his power; then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you alone, OLord, are God.”

Isaiah Predicts Judah’s Deliverance

20 Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent this message to Hezekiah: “This is what theLord, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer about King Sennacherib of Assyria.

21 And theLordhas spoken this word against him:

“The virgin daughter of Zion

despises you and laughs at you.

The daughter of Jerusalem

shakes her head in derision as you flee.

22 “Whom have you been defying and ridiculing?

Against whom did you raise your voice?

At whom did you look with such haughty eyes?

It was the Holy One of Israel!

23 By your messengers you have defied the Lord.

You have said, ‘With my many chariots

I have conquered the highest mountains—

yes, the remotest peaks of Lebanon.

I have cut down its tallest cedars

and its finest cypress trees.

I have reached its farthest corners

and explored its deepest forests.

24 I have dug wells in many foreign lands

and refreshed myself with their water.

With the sole of my foot

I stopped up all the rivers of Egypt!’

25 “But have you not heard?

I decided this long ago.

Long ago I planned it,

and now I am making it happen.

I planned for you to crush fortified cities

into heaps of rubble.

26 That is why their people have so little power

and are so frightened and confused.

They are as weak as grass,

as easily trampled as tender green shoots.

They are like grass sprouting on a housetop,

scorched before it can grow lush and tall.

27 “But I know you well—

where you stay

and when you come and go.

I know the way you have raged against me.

28 And because of your raging against me

and your arrogance, which I have heard for myself,

I will put my hook in your nose

and my bit in your mouth.

I will make you return

by the same road on which you came.”

29 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Here is the proof that what I say is true:

“This year you will eat only what grows up by itself,

and next year you will eat what springs up from that.

But in the third year you will plant crops and harvest them;

you will tend vineyards and eat their fruit.

30 And you who are left in Judah,

who have escaped the ravages of the siege,

will put roots down in your own soil

and will grow up and flourish.

31 For a remnant of my people will spread out from Jerusalem,

a group of survivors from Mount Zion.

The passionate commitment of theLordof Heaven’s Armies

will make this happen!

32 “And this is what theLordsays about the king of Assyria:

“His armies will not enter Jerusalem.

They will not even shoot an arrow at it.

They will not march outside its gates with their shields

nor build banks of earth against its walls.

33 The king will return to his own country

by the same road on which he came.

He will not enter this city,

says theLord.

34 For my own honor and for the sake of my servant David,

I will defend this city and protect it.”

35 That night the angel of theLordwent out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. When the surviving Assyrianswoke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere.

36 Then King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and returned to his own land. He went home to his capital of Nineveh and stayed there.

37 One day while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sonsAdrammelech and Sharezer killed him with their swords. They then escaped to the land of Ararat, and another son, Esarhaddon, became the next king of Assyria.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/2KI/19-6ab06d3c3290f8cd1687bfc4997d18eb.mp3?version_id=116—

Hezekiah’s Sickness and Recovery

1 About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to visit him. He gave the king this message: “This is what theLordsays: Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from this illness.”

2 When Hezekiah heard this, he turned his face to the wall and prayed to theLord,

3 “Remember, OLord, how I have always been faithful to you and have served you single-mindedly, always doing what pleases you.” Then he broke down and wept bitterly.

4 But before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard,this message came to him from theLord:

5 “Go back to Hezekiah, the leader of my people. Tell him, ‘This is what theLord, the God of your ancestor David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you, and three days from now you will get out of bed and go to the Temple of theLord.

6 I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my own honor and for the sake of my servant David.’”

7 Then Isaiah said, “Make an ointment from figs.” So Hezekiah’s servants spread the ointment over the boil, and Hezekiah recovered!

8 Meanwhile, Hezekiah had said to Isaiah, “What sign will theLordgive to prove that he will heal me and that I will go to the Temple of theLordthree days from now?”

9 Isaiah replied, “This is the sign from theLordto prove that he will do as he promised. Would you like the shadow on the sundial to go forward ten steps or backward ten steps?”

10 “The shadow always moves forward,” Hezekiah replied, “so that would be easy. Make it go ten steps backward instead.”

11 So Isaiah the prophet asked theLordto do this, and he caused the shadow to move ten steps backward on the sundialof Ahaz!

Envoys from Babylon

12 Soon after this, Merodach-baladanson of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent Hezekiah his best wishes and a gift, for he had heard that Hezekiah had been very sick.

13 Hezekiah received the Babylonian envoys and showed them everything in his treasure-houses—the silver, the gold, the spices, and the aromatic oils. He also took them to see his armory and showed them everything in his royal treasuries! There was nothing in his palace or kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.

14 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked him, “What did those men want? Where were they from?”

Hezekiah replied, “They came from the distant land of Babylon.”

15 “What did they see in your palace?” Isaiah asked.

“They saw everything,” Hezekiah replied. “I showed them everything I own—all my royal treasuries.”

16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Listen to this message from theLord:

17 The time is coming when everything in your palace—all the treasures stored up by your ancestors until now—will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says theLord.

18 Some of your very own sons will be taken away into exile. They will become eunuchs who will serve in the palace of Babylon’s king.”

19 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “This message you have given me from theLordis good.” For the king was thinking, “At least there will be peace and security during my lifetime.”

20 The rest of the events in Hezekiah’s reign, including the extent of his power and how he built a pool and dug a tunnelto bring water into the city, are recorded inThe Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.

21 Hezekiah died, and his son Manasseh became the next king.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/2KI/20-e6eddc7d61babe684943fc17ed37e3c7.mp3?version_id=116—