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PARALEIPOMENON 2 (CHRONICLES 2)

CHAPTERS 21-30

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21

ΚΑΙ ἐκοιμήθη ᾿Ιωσαφὰτ μετὰ τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐτάφη ἐν πόλει Δαυίδ, καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ᾿Ιωρὰμ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἀντ' αὐτοῦ.

2 καὶ αὐτῷ ἀδελφοὶ υἱοὶ ᾿Ιωσαφὰτ ἕξ, ᾿Αζαρίας καὶ ᾿Ιεϊὴλ καὶ Ζαχαρίας καὶ ᾿Αζαρίας καὶ Μιχαὴλ καὶ Σαφατίας· πάντες οὗτοι υἱοὶ ᾿Ιωσαφὰτ βασιλέως ᾿Ιούδα.

3 καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ὁ πατὴρ αὐτῶν δόματα πολλά, ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον καὶ ὅπλα μετὰ τῶν πόλεων τετειχισμένων ἐν ᾿Ιούδᾳ· καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν ἔδωκε τῷ ᾿Ιωράμ, ὅτι οὗτος ὁ πρωτότοκος.

4 καὶ ἀνέστη ᾿Ιωρὰμ ἐπὶ τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκραταιώθη καὶ ἀπέκτεινε πάντας τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ ἐν ρομφαίᾳ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀρχόντων ᾿Ισραήλ.

5 ὄντος αὐτοῦ τριάκοντα καὶ δύο ἐτῶν, κατέστη ᾿Ιωρὰμ ἐπὶ τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ καὶ ὀκτὼ ἔτη ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ.

6 καὶ ἐπορεύθη ἐν ὁδῷ βασιλέων ᾿Ισραήλ, ὡς ἐποίησεν οἶκος ᾿Αχαάβ, ὅτι θυγάτηρ ᾿Αχαὰβ ἦν αὐτοῦ γυνή, καὶ ἐποίησε τὸ πονηρὸν ἐναντίον Κυρίου.

7 καὶ οὐκ ἐβούλετο Κύριος ἐξολοθρεῦσαι τὸν οἶκον Δαυὶδ διὰ τὴν διαθήκην, ἣν διέθετο τῷ Δαυίδ, καὶ ὡς εἶπεν αὐτῷ δοῦναι αὐτῷ λύχνον καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας.

8 ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἀπέστη ᾿Εδὼμ ἀπὸ τοῦ ᾿Ιούδα καὶ ἐβασίλευσαν ἐφ' ἑαυτοὺς βασιλέα.

9 καὶ ᾤχετο ᾿Ιωρὰμ μετὰ τῶν ἀρχόντων καὶ πᾶσα ἡ ἵππος μετ' αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐγένετο καὶ ἠγέρθη νυκτὸς καὶ ἐπάταξεν ᾿Εδὼμ τὸν κυκλοῦντα αὐτὸν καὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας τῶν ἁρμάτων, καὶ ἔφυγεν ὁ λαὸς εἰς τὰ σκηνώματα αὐτῶν.

10 καὶ ἀπέστη ἀπὸ ᾿Ιούδα ᾿Εδὼμ ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης· τότε ἀπέστη Λομνὰ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ ἀπὸ χειρὸς αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἐγκατέλιπε Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ·

11 καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἐποίησεν ὑψηλὰ ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν ᾿Ιούδα καὶ ἐξεπόρνευσε τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἀπεπλάνησε τὸν ᾿Ιούδαν.

12 καὶ ἦλθεν αὐτῷ ἐν γραφῇ παρὰ ᾿Ηλιοὺ τοῦ προφήτου λέγων· τάδε λέγει Κύριος Θεὸς Δαυὶδ τοῦ πατρός σου· ἀνθ' ὧν οὐκ ἐπορεύθης ἐν ὁδῷ ᾿Ιωσαφὰτ τοῦ πατρός σου καὶ ἐν ὁδοῖς ᾿Ασὰ βασιλέως ᾿Ιούδα

13 καὶ ἐπορεύθης ἐν ὁδοῖς βασιλέων ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ἐξεπόρνευσας τὸν ᾿Ιούδαν καὶ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, ὡς ἐξεπόρνευσεν οἶκος ᾿Αχαάβ, καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφούς σου υἱοὺς τοῦ πατρός σου τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς ὑπὲρ σὲ ἀπέκτεινας,

14 ἰδοὺ Κύριος πατάξει σε πληγὴν μεγάλην ἐν τῷ λαῷ σου καὶ ἐν τοῖς υἱοῖς σου καὶ ἐν γυναιξί σου καὶ ἐν πάσῃ τῇ ἀποσκευῇ σου.

15 καὶ σὺ ἐν μαλακίᾳ πονηρᾷ, ἐν νόσῳ κοιλίας, ἕως οὗ ἐξέλθῃ ἡ κοιλία σου μετὰ τῆς μαλακίας ἐξ ἡμερῶν εἰς ἡμέρας.

16 καὶ ἐπήγειρε Κύριος ἐπὶ ᾿Ιωρὰμ τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους καὶ τοὺς ῎Αραβας καὶ τοὺς ὁμόρους τῶν Αἰθιόπων,

17 καὶ ἀνέβησαν ἐπὶ ᾿Ιούδαν καὶ κατεδυνάστευον καὶ ἀπέστρεψαν πᾶσαν τὴν ἀποσκευήν, ἣν εὗρον ἐν οἴκῳ τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐ κατελείφθη αὐτῷ υἱός, ἀλλ' ἢ ᾿Οχοζίας ὁ μικρότατος τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ.

18 καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα πάντα ἐπάταξεν αὐτὸν Κύριος εἰς τὴν κοιλίαν μαλακίαν, ᾗ οὐκ ἔστιν ἰατρεία.

19 καὶ ἐγένετο ἐξ ἡμερῶν εἰς ἡμέρας, καὶ ὡς ἦλθε καιρὸς τῶν ἡμερῶν ἡμέρας δύο, ἐξῆλθεν ἡ κοιλία αὐτοῦ μετὰ τῆς νόσου, καὶ ἀπέθανεν ἐν μαλακίᾳ πονηρᾷ. καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησεν ὁ λαὸς αὐτοῦ ἐκφορὰν καθὼς ἐκφορὰν πατέρων αὐτοῦ.

20 ἦν τριάκοντα καὶ δύο ἐτῶν, ὅτε ἐβασίλευσε, καὶ ὀκτὼ ἔτη ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ· καὶ ἐπορεύθη οὐκ ἐν ἐπαίνῳ καὶ ἐτάφη ἐν πόλει Δαυὶδ καὶ οὐκ ἐν τάφοις τῶν βασιλέων.

22

ΚΑΙ ἐβασίλευσαν οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ τὸν ᾿Οχοζίαν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν μικρὸν ἀντ' αὐτοῦ, ὅτι πάντας τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους ἀπέκτεινε τὸ ἐπελθὸν ἐπ' αὐτοὺς λῃστήριον, οἱ ῎Αραβες καὶ οἱ ᾿Αλιμοζονεῖς· καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ᾿Οχοζίας υἱὸς ᾿Ιωρὰμ βασιλέως ᾿Ιούδα.

2 ὢν ἐτῶν εἴκοσιν ᾿Οχοζίας ἐβασίλευσε καὶ ἐνιαυτὸν ἕνα ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ ὄνομα τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ Γοθολία θυγάτηρ ᾿Αμβρί.

3 καὶ οὗτος ἐπορεύθη ἐν ὁδῷ οἴκου ᾿Αχαάβ, ὅτι μήτηρ αὐτοῦ ἦν σύμβουλος τοῦ ἁμαρτάνειν·

4 καὶ ἐποίησε τὸ πονηρὸν ἐναντίον Κυρίου ὡς οἶκος ᾿Αχαάβ, ὅτι αὐτοὶ ἦσαν αὐτῷ σύμβουλοι μετὰ τὸ ἀποθανεῖν τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ, τοῦ ἐξολοθρεῦσαι αὐτόν,

5 καὶ ἐν ταῖς βουλαῖς αὐτῶν ἐπορεύθη καὶ ἐπορεύθη μετὰ ᾿Ιωρὰμ υἱοῦ ᾿Αχαὰβ βασιλέως ᾿Ισραὴλ εἰς πόλεμον ἐπὶ ᾿Αζαὴλ βασιλέα Συρίας εἰς Ραμὼθ Γαλαάδ· καὶ ἐπάταξαν οἱ τοξόται τὸν ᾿Ιωράμ.

6 καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν ᾿Ιωρὰμ τοῦ ἰατρευθῆναι εἰς ᾿Ιεζράελ ἀπὸ τῶν πληγῶν, ὧν ἐπάταξαν αὐτὸν οἱ Σύροι ἐν Ραμὼθ ἐν τῷ πολεμεῖν αὐτὸν πρὸς ᾿Αζαὴλ βασιλέα Συρίας· καὶ ᾿Οχοζίας υἱὸς ᾿Ιωρὰμ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ιούδα κατέβη θεάσασθαι τὸν ᾿Ιωρὰμ υἱὸν ᾿Αχαὰβ εἰς ᾿Ιεζράελ, ὅτι ἠρρώστει.

7 καὶ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐγένετο καταστροφὴ ᾿Οχοζίᾳ ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ᾿Ιωράμ· καὶ ἐν τῷ ἐλθεῖν αὐτὸν ἐξῆλθε μετ' αὐτοῦ ᾿Ιωρὰμ πρὸς ᾿Ιοὺ υἱὸν Ναμεσσεΐ χριστὸν Κυρίου εἰς τὸν οἶκον ᾿Αχαάβ.

8 καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἐξεδίκησεν ᾿Ιοὺ τὸν οἶκον ᾿Αχαάβ, καὶ εὗρε τοὺς ἄρχοντας ᾿Ιούδα καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ᾿Οχοζίου λειτουργοῦντας τῷ ᾿Οχοζίᾳ καὶ ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτούς.

9 καὶ εἶπε τοῦ ζητῆσαι τὸν ᾿Οχοζίαν, καὶ κατέλαβον αὐτὸν ἰατρευόμενον ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ καὶ ἤγαγον αὐτὸν πρὸς ᾿Ιού, καὶ ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἔθαψαν αὐτόν, ὅτι εἶπαν· υἱὸς ᾿Ιωσαφάτ ἐστιν, ὃς ἐζήτησε τὸν Κύριον ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ. καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἐν οἴκῳ ᾿Οχοζίᾳ κατισχῦσαι δύναμιν περὶ τῆς βασιλείας.

10 Καὶ Γοθολία ἡ μήτηρ ᾿Οχοζίου εἶδεν ὅτι τέθνηκεν ὁ υἱὸς αὐτῆς καὶ ἠγέρθη καὶ ἀπώλεσε πᾶν τὸ σπέρμα τῆς βασιλείας ἐν οἴκῳ ᾿Ιούδα.

11 καὶ ἔλαβεν ᾿Ιωσαβὲθ θυγάτηρ τοῦ βασιλέως τὸν ᾿Ιωὰς υἱὸν ᾿Οχοζίου καὶ ἔκλεψεν αὐτὸν ἐκ μέσου υἱῶν τοῦ βασιλέως τῶν θανατουμένων καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὸν καὶ τὴν τροφὸν αὐτοῦ εἰς ταμιεῖον τῶν κλινῶν· καὶ ἔκρυψεν αὐτὸν ᾿Ιωσαβὲθ θυγάτηρ τοῦ βασιλέως ᾿Ιωράμ, ἀδελφὴ ᾿Οχοζίου, γυνὴ ᾿Ιωδαὲ τοῦ ἱερέως, καὶ ἔκρυψεν αὐτὸν ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς Γοθολίας, καὶ οὐκ ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτόν.

12 καὶ ἦν μετ' αὐτοῦ ἐν οἴκῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ κατακεκρυμμένος ἓξ ἔτη, καὶ Γοθολία ἐβασίλευσεν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.

23

ΚΑΙ ἐν τῷ ἔτει τῷ ὀγδόῳ ἐκραταίωσεν ᾿Ιωδαὲ καὶ ἔλαβε τοὺς ἑκατοντάρχους, τὸν ᾿Αζαρίαν υἱὸν ᾿Ιωρὰμ καὶ τὸν ᾿Ισμαὴλ υἱὸν ᾿Ιωανὰν καὶ τὸν ᾿Αζαρίαν υἱὸν ᾿Ωβὴδ καὶ τὸν Μαασαίαν υἱὸν ᾿Αδαΐα καὶ τὸν ᾿Ελισαφὰν υἱὸν Ζαχαρίου, μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ εἰς οἶκον Κυρίου.

2 καὶ ἐκύκλωσαν τὸν ᾿Ιούδαν καὶ συνήγαγον τοὺς Λευίτας ἐκ πασῶν τῶν πόλεων ᾿Ιούδα καὶ ἄρχοντας πατριῶν τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ ἦλθον εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλήμ.

3 καὶ διέθεντο πᾶσα ἡ ἐκκλησία ᾿Ιούδα διαθήκην ἐν οἴκῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ ἔδειξεν αὐτοῖς τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ἰδοὺ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ βασιλέως βασιλευσάτω, καθὼς ἐλάλησε Κύριος ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον Δαυίδ.

4 νῦν ὁ λόγος οὗτος, ὃν ποιήσετε· τὸ τρίτον ἐξ ὑμῶν εἰσπορευέσθωσαν τὸ σάββατον, τῶν ἱερέων καὶ τῶν Λευιτῶν, καὶ εἰς τὰς πύλας τῶν εἰσόδων,

5 καὶ τὸ τρίτον ἐν οἴκῳ τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ τὸ τρίτον ἐν τῇ πύλῃ τῇ μέσῃ, καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἐν αὐλαῖς οἴκου Κυρίου.

6 καὶ μὴ εἰσελθέτω εἰς οἶκον Κυρίου ἐὰν μὴ οἱ ἱερεῖς καὶ οἱ Λευῖται καὶ οἱ λειτουργοῦντες τῶν Λευιτῶν· αὐτοὶ εἰσελεύσονται, ὅτι ἅγιοί εἰσι, καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς φυλασσέτω φυλακὰς Κυρίου.

7 καὶ κυκλώσουσιν οἱ Λευῖται τὸν βασιλέα κύκλῳ, ἀνδρὸς σκεῦος σκεῦος ἐν χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὁ εἰσπορευόμενος εἰς τὸν οἶκον ἀποθανεῖται· καὶ ἔσονται μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐκπορευομένου καὶ εἰσπορευομένου αὐτοῦ.

8 καὶ ἐποίησαν οἱ Λευῖται καὶ πᾶς ᾿Ιούδα κατὰ πάντα, ὅσα ἐνετείλατο αὐτοῖς ᾿Ιωδαὲ ὁ ἱερεύς, καὶ ἔλαβον ἕκαστος τοὺς ἄνδρας αὐτοῦ ἀπ' ἀρχῆς τοῦ σαββάτου ἕως ἐξόδου τοῦ σαββάτου, ὅτι οὐ κατέλυσεν ᾿Ιωδαὲ ὁ ἱερεὺς τὰς ἐφημερίας.

9 καὶ ἔδωκεν ᾿Ιωδαὲ τὰς μαχαίρας καὶ τοὺς θυρεοὺς καὶ τὰ ὅπλα, ἃ ἦν τοῦ βασιλέως Δαυίδ, ἐν οἴκῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ.

10 καὶ ἔστησε τὸν λαὸν πάντα, ἕκαστον ἐν τοῖς ὅπλοις αὐτοῦ, ἀπὸ τῆς ὠμίας τοῦ οἴκου τῆς δεξιᾶς ἕως τῆς ὠμίας τῆς ἀριστερᾶς τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου καὶ τοῦ οἴκου ἐπὶ τὸν βασιλέα κύκλῳ.

11 καὶ ἐξήγαγε τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ἔδωκεν ἐπ' αὐτὸν τὸ βασίλειον καὶ τὰ μαρτύρια, καὶ ἐβασίλευσαν καὶ ἔχρισαν αὐτὸν ᾿Ιωδαὲ ὁ ἱερεὺς καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπαν· ζήτω ὁ βασιλεύς.

12 καὶ ἤκουσε Γοθολία τὴν φωνὴν τοῦ λαοῦ τρεχόντων καὶ ἐξομολογουμένων καὶ αἰνούντων τὸν βασιλέα καὶ εἰσῆλθε πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα εἰς οἶκον Κυρίου.

13 καὶ εἶδε καὶ ἰδοὺ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ τῆς στάσεως αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς εἰσόδου οἱ ἄρχοντες καὶ αἱ σάλπιγγες καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες περὶ τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς τῆς γῆς ηὐφράνθη καὶ ἐσάλπισαν ταῖς σάλπιγξι καὶ οἱ ᾄδοντες ἐν τοῖς ὀργάνοις ᾠδοὶ καί ὑμνοῦντες αἶνον· καὶ διέρρηξε Γοθολία τὴν στολὴν αὐτῆς καὶ ἐβόησεν· ἐπιτιθέμενοι ἐπιτίθεσθε.

14 καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ᾿Ιωδαὲ ὁ ἱερεύς, καὶ ἐνετείλατο ᾿Ιωδαὲ ὁ ἱερεὺς τοῖς ἑκατοντάρχοις καὶ τοῖς ἀρχηγοῖς τῆς δυνάμεως καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ἐκβάλετε αὐτὴν ἐκτὸς τοῦ οἴκου καὶ εἰσέλθατε ὀπίσω αὐτῆς, καὶ ἀποθανέτω μαχαίρᾳ· ὅτι εἶπεν ὁ ἱερεύς· μὴ ἀποθανέτω ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου.

15 καὶ ἔδωκαν αὐτῇ ἄνεσιν καὶ διῆλθε διὰ τῆς πύλης τῶν ἱππέων τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ ἐθανάτωσαν αὐτὴν ἐκεῖ.

16 καὶ διέθετο ᾿Ιωδαὲ διαθήκην ἀνὰ μέσον αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ τοῦ βασιλέως εἶναι λαὸν τῷ Κυρίῳ.

17 καὶ εἰσῆλθε πᾶς ὁ λαὸς τῆς γῆς εἰς οἶκον Βάαλ καὶ κατέσπασαν αὐτὸν καὶ τὰ θυσιαστήρια αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ εἴδωλα αὐτοῦ ἐλέπτυναν καὶ τὸν Ματθὰν ἱερέα Βάαλ ἐθανάτωσαν ἐναντίον τῶν θυσιαστηρίων αὐτοῦ.

18 καὶ ἐνεχείρισεν ᾿Ιωδαὲ ὁ ἱερεὺς τὰ ἔργα οἴκου Κυρίου διὰ χειρὸς ἱερέων καὶ Λευιτῶν καὶ ἀνέστησε τὰς ἐφημερίας τῶν ἱερέων καὶ τῶν Λευιτῶν, ἃς διέστειλε Δαυὶδ ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου καὶ ἀνενέγκαι ὁλοκαυτώματα Κυρίῳ, καθὼς γέγραπται ἐν νόμῳ Μωυσῆ, ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ καὶ ἐν ᾠδαῖς διὰ χειρὸς Δαυίδ.

19 καὶ ἔστησαν οἱ πυλωροὶ ἐπὶ τὰς πύλας οἴκου Κυρίου, καὶ οὐκ εἰσελεύσεται ἀκάθαρτος εἰς πᾶν πρᾶγμα.

20 καὶ ἔλαβε τοὺς πατριάρχας καὶ τοὺς δυνατοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ πάντα τὸν λαὸν τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐπεβίβασαν τὸν βασιλέα εἰς οἶκον Κυρίου, καὶ εἰσῆλθε διὰ τῆς πύλης τῆς ἐσωτέρας εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ ἐκάθισαν τὸν βασιλέα ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου τῆς βασιλείας.

21 καὶ ηὐφράνθη πᾶς ὁ λαὸς τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἡ πόλις ἡσύχασε, καὶ τὴν Γοθολίαν ἐθανάτωσαν μαχαίρᾳ.

24

ΩΝ ἐτῶν ἑπτὰ ᾿Ιωὰς ἐν τῷ βασιλεύειν αὐτὸν καὶ τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ ὄνομα τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ Σαβιὰ ἐκ Βηρσαβεέ.

2 καὶ ἐποίησεν ᾿Ιωὰς τὸ εὐθὲς ἐνώπιον Κυρίου πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ᾿Ιωδαὲ τοῦ ἱερέως.

3 καὶ ἔλαβεν ᾿Ιωδαέ δύο γυναῖκας ἑαυτῷ, καὶ ἐγέννησαν υἱοὺς καὶ θυγατέρας.

4 καὶ ἐγένετο μετά ταῦτα καί ἐγένετο ἐπὶ καρδίαν ᾿Ιωὰς ἐπισκευάσαι τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου.

5 καὶ συνήγαγε τοὺς ἱερεῖς καὶ τοὺς Λευίτας καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ἐξέλθατε εἰς τὰς πόλεις ᾿Ιούδα καὶ συναγάγετε ἀπὸ παντὸς ᾿Ισραὴλ ἀργύριον κατισχῦσαι τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου ἐνιαυτὸν κατ' ἐνιαυτὸν καὶ σπεύσατε λαλῆσαι· καὶ οὐκ ἔσπευσαν οἱ Λευῖται.

6 καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ιωὰς τὸν ᾿Ιωδαέ τὸν ἄρχοντα καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· διατί οὐκ ἐπεσκέψω περὶ τῶν Λευιτῶν τοῦ εἰσενέγκαι ἀπὸ ᾿Ιούδα καὶ ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ τὸ κεκριμένον ὑπὸ Μωυσῆ ἀνθρώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅτι ἐξεκκλησίασε τὸν ᾿Ισραὴλ εἰς τὴν σκηνὴν τοῦ μαρτυρίου;

7 ὅτι Γοθολία ἦν ἡ ἄνομος, καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτῆς κατέσπασαν τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ γὰρ τὰ ἅγια οἴκου Κυρίου ἐποίησαν ταῖς Βααλίμ.

8 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς· γενηθήτω γλωσσόκομον καὶ τεθήτω ἐν πύλῃ οἴκου Κυρίου ἔξω·

9 καὶ κηρυξάτωσαν ἐν ᾿Ιούδᾳ καὶ ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ εἰσενέγκαι Κυρίῳ, καθὼς εἶπε Μωυσῆς παῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπὶ τὸν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ.

10 καὶ ἔδωκαν πάντες ἄρχοντες καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς καὶ εἰσέφερον καὶ ἐνέβαλλον εἰς τὸ γλωσσόκομον, ἕως οὗ ἐπληρώθη,

11 καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς εἰσέφερον τὸ γλωσσόκομον πρὸς τοὺς προστάτας τοῦ βασιλέως διὰ χειρὸς τῶν Λευιτῶν καὶ ὡς εἶδον ὅτι ἐπλεόνασε τὸ ἀργύριον, καὶ ἦλθεν ὁ γραμματεὺς τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ὁ προστάτης τοῦ ἱερέως τοῦ μεγάλου καὶ ἐξεκένωσαν τὸ γλωσσόκομον καὶ κατέστησαν εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ· οὕτως ἐποίουν ἡμέραν ἐξ ἡμέρας καὶ συνήγαγον ἀργύριον πολύ.

12 καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὸ ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ ᾿Ιωδαὲ ὁ ἱερεὺς τοῖς ποιοῦσι τὰ ἔργα εἰς ἐργασίαν οἴκου Κυρίου, καὶ ἐμισθοῦντο λατόμους καὶ τέκτονας ἐπισκευάσαι τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου καὶ χαλκεῖς σιδήρου καὶ χαλκοῦ ἐπισκευάσαι τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου.

13 καὶ ἐποίουν οἱ ποιοῦντες τὰ ἔργα, καὶ ἀνέβη μῆκος τῶν ἔργων ἐν χερσὶν αὐτῶν καὶ ἀνέστησαν τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου ἐπὶ τὴν στάσιν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐνίσχυσαν.

14 καὶ ὡς συνετέλεσαν, ἤνεγκαν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ πρὸς ᾿Ιωδαὲ τὸ κατάλοιπον τοῦ ἀργυρίου, καὶ ἐποίησαν σκεύη εἰς οἶκον Κυρίου, σκεύη λειτουργικὰ ὁλοκαυτωμάτων καὶ θυΐσκας χρυσᾶς καὶ ἀργυρᾶς· καὶ ἀνήνεγκαν ὁλοκαυτώσεις ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου διαπαντὸς πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ᾿Ιωδαέ.

15 Καὶ ἐγήρασεν ᾿Ιωδαὲ πλήρης ἡμερῶν καὶ ἐτελεύτησεν ὢν ἑκατὸν καὶ τριάκοντα ἐτῶν ἐν τῷ τελευτᾶν αὐτόν·

16 καὶ ἔθαψαν αὐτὸν ἐν πόλει Δαυὶδ μετὰ τῶν βασιλέων, ὅτι ἐποίησεν ἀγαθωσύνην μετὰ ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ μετὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ.

17 καὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ τὴν τελευτὴν ᾿Ιωδαὲ εἰσῆλθον οἱ ἄρχοντες ᾿Ιούδα καὶ προσεκύνησαν τὸν βασιλέα· τότε ἐπήκουσεν αὐτοῖς ὁ βασιλεύς.

18 καὶ ἐγκατέλιπον τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου Θεοῦ τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν καὶ ἐδούλευον ταῖς ᾿Αστάρταις καὶ τοῖς εἰδώλοις· καὶ ἐγένετο ὀργὴ ἐπὶ ᾿Ιούδαν καὶ ἐπὶ ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ.

19 καὶ ἀπέστειλε πρὸς αὐτοὺς προφήτας ἐπιστρέψαι πρὸς Κύριον, καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν· καὶ διεμαρτύρατο αὐτοῖς, καὶ οὐχ ὑπήκουσαν.

20 καὶ πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἐνέδυσε τὸν ᾿Αζαρίαν τὸν τοῦ ᾿Ιωδαὲ τὸν ἱερέα καὶ ἀνέστη ἐπάνω τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ εἶπε· τάδε λέγει Κύριος· τί παραπορεύεσθε τὰς ἐντολὰς Κυρίου; καὶ οὐκ εὐοδωθήσεσθε, ὅτι ἐγκατελίπετε τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ἐγκαταλείψει ὑμᾶς.

21 καὶ ἐπέθεντο αὐτῷ καὶ ἐλιθοβόλησαν αὐτὸν δι' ἐντολῆς ᾿Ιωὰς τοῦ βασιλέως ἐν αὐλῇ οἴκου Κυρίου.

22 καὶ οὐκ ἐμνήσθη ᾿Ιωὰς τοῦ ἐλέους, οὗ ἐποίησεν ᾿Ιωδαὲ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ μετ' αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐθανάτωσε τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ. καὶ ὡς ἀπέθνησκεν, εἶπεν· ἴδοι Κύριος καὶ κρινάτω.

23 καὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ τὴν συντέλειαν τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἀνέβη ἐπ' αὐτὸν δύναμις Συρίας καὶ ἦλθεν ἐπὶ ᾿Ιούδαν καὶ ἐπὶ ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ κατέφθειραν πάντας τοὺς ἄρχοντας τοῦ λαοῦ ἐν τῷ λαῷ καὶ πάντα τά σκῦλα αὐτῶν ἀπέστειλαν τῷ βασιλεῖ Δαμασκοῦ·

24 ὅτι ἐν ὀλίγοις ἀνδράσι παρεγένετο δύναμις Συρίας, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς παρέδωκεν εἰς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν δύναμιν πολλὴν σφόδρα, ὅτι ἐγκατέλιπον Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν· καὶ μετὰ ᾿Ιωὰς ἐποίησε κρίματα.

25 καὶ μετὰ τὸ ἀπελθεῖν αὐτοὺς ἀπ' αὐτοῦ, ἐν τῷ ἐγκαταλιπεῖν αὐτὸν ἐν μαλακίαις μεγάλαις καὶ ἐπέθεντο αὐτῷ οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ ἐν αἵμασιν υἱοῦ ᾿Ιωδαέ τοῦ ἱερέως καὶ ἐθανάτωσαν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῆς κλίνης αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀπέθανε· καὶ ἔθαψαν αὐτὸν ἐν πόλει Δαυὶδ καὶ οὐκ ἔθαψαν αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ τάφῳ τῶν βασιλέων.

26 καὶ οἱ ἐπιθέμενοι ἐπ' αὐτὸν Ζαβὲδ ὁ τοῦ Σαμαὰθ ὁ ᾿Αμμανίτης καὶ ᾿Ιωζαβὲδ ὁ τοῦ Σομαρὼθ ὁ Μωαβίτης

27 καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ πάντες, καὶ προσῆλθον αὐτῷ οἱ πέντε. καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἰδοὺ γεγραμμένα ἐπὶ τὴν γραφὴν τῶν βασιλέων· καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ᾿Αμασίας υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἀντ' αὐτοῦ.

25

ΩΝ εἴκοσι καὶ πέντε ἐτῶν ἐβασίλευσεν ᾿Αμασίας καὶ εἰκοσιεννέα ἔτη ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ ὄνομα τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ ᾿Ιωαδὲν ἀπὸ ῾Ιερουσαλήμ.

2 καὶ ἐποίησε τὸ εὐθὲς ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐν καρδίᾳ πλήρει.

3 καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς κατέστη ἡ βασιλεία ἐν χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐθανάτωσε τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ τοὺς φονεύσαντας τὸν βασιλέα πατέρα αὐτοῦ·

4 καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν οὐκ ἀπέκτεινε κατὰ τὴν διαθήκην τοῦ νόμου Κυρίου, καθὼς γέγραπται, ὡς ἐνετείλατο Κύριος λέγων· οὐκ ἀποθανοῦνται πατέρες ὑπὲρ τέκνων, καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ οὐκ ἀποθανοῦνται ὑπὲρ πατέρων, ἀλλ' ἢ ἕκαστος τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ἁμαρτίᾳ ἀποθανοῦνται.

5 καὶ συνήγαγεν ᾿Αμασίας τὸν οἶκον ᾿Ιούδα καὶ ἀνέστησεν αὐτοὺς κατ' οἴκους πατριῶν αὐτῶν εἰς χιλιάρχους καὶ ἑκατοντάρχους ἐν παντὶ ᾿Ιούδᾳ καὶ ῾Ιερουσαλήμ· καὶ ἠρίθμησεν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ εἰκοσαετοῦς καὶ ἐπάνω καὶ εὗρεν αὐτοὺς τριακοσίας χιλιάδας ἐξελθεῖν εἰς πόλεμον δυνατοὺς κρατοῦντας δόρυ καὶ θυρεόν.

6 καὶ ἐμισθώσατο ἀπὸ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἑκατὸν χιλιάδας δυνατοὺς ἰσχύϊ ἑκατὸν ταλάντων ἀργυρίου.

7 καὶ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἦλθε πρὸς αὐτὸν λέγων· βασιλεῦ, οὐ πορεύσεται μετὰ σοῦ δύναμις ᾿Ισραήλ, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι Κύριος μετά ᾿Ισραήλ, πάντων τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Εφραίμ.

8 ὅτι ἐὰν ὑπολάβῃς κατισχῦσαι ἐν τούτοις, καὶ τροπώσεταί σε Κύριος ἐναντίον τῶν ἐχθρῶν, ὅτι ἐστὶ παρὰ Κυρίου καὶ ἰσχῦσαι καὶ τροπώσασθαι.

9 καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αμασίας τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ τί ποιήσω τὰ ἑκατὸν τάλαντα, ἃ ἔδωκα τῇ δυνάμει ᾿Ισραήλ; καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἔστι τῷ Κυρίῳ δοῦναί σοι πλεῖστα τούτων.

10 καὶ διεχώρισεν ᾿Αμασίας τῇ δυνάμει τῇ ἐλθούσῃ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀπὸ ᾿Εφραὶμ ἀπελθεῖν εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐθυμώθησαν σφόδρα ἐπὶ ᾿Ιούδαν καὶ ἐπέστρεψαν εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτῶν ἐν ὀργῇ θυμοῦ.

11 καὶ ᾿Αμασίας κατίσχυσε καὶ παρέλαβε τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπορεύθη εἰς τὴν κοιλάδα τῶν ἁλῶν καὶ ἐπάταξεν ἐκεῖ τοὺς υἱοὺς Σηεὶρ δέκα χιλιάδας·

12 καὶ δέκα χιλιάδας ἐζώγρησαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ιούδα καὶ ἔφερον αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον τοῦ κρημνοῦ καὶ κατεκρήμνιζον αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ ἄκρου τοῦ κρημνοῦ, καὶ πάντες διερρήγνυντο.

13 καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ τῆς δυνάμεως, οὓς ἀπέστρεψεν ᾿Αμασίας τοῦ μὴ πορευθῆναι μετ' αὐτοῦ εἰς πόλεμον, καὶ ἐπέθεντο ἐπὶ τὰς πόλεις ᾿Ιούδα ἀπὸ Σαμαρείας ἕως Βαιθωρὼν καὶ ἐπάταξαν ἐν αὐτοῖς τρεῖς χιλιάδας καὶ ἐσκύλευσαν σκῦλα πολλά.

14 καὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ τὸ ἐλθεῖν ᾿Αμασίαν πατάξαντα τὴν ᾿Ιδουμαίαν καὶ ἤνεγκε πρὸς αὐτοὺς τοὺς θεοὺς υἱῶν Σηεὶρ καὶ ἔστησεν αὐτοὺς ἑαυτῷ εἰς θεοὺς καὶ ἐναντίον αὐτῶν προσεκύνει καὶ αὐτὸς αὐτοῖς ἔθυε.

15 καὶ ἐγένετο ὀργὴ Κυρίου ἐπὶ ᾿Αμασίαν, καὶ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτῷ προφήτην καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· τί ἐζήτησας τοὺς Θεοὺς τοῦ λαοῦ, οἳ οὐκ ἐξείλοντο τὸν λαὸν ἑαυτῶν ἐκ χειρός σου;

16 καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ λαλῆσαι αὐτῷ πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· μὴ σύμβουλον τοῦ βασιλέως δέδωκά σε; πρόσεχε ἵνα μὴ μαστιγωθῇς. καὶ ἐσιώπησεν ὁ προφήτης καὶ εἶπεν, ὅτι γινώσκω ὅτι ἐβούλετο ἐπὶ σοὶ τοῦ καταφθεῖραί σε, ὅτι ἐποίησας τοῦτο καὶ οὐκ ἐπήκουσας τῆς συμβουλίας μου.

17 καὶ ἐβουλεύσατο ᾿Αμασίας ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ιούδα καὶ ἀπέστειλε πρὸς ᾿Ιωὰς υἱὸν ᾿Ιωάχαζ υἱοῦ ᾿Ιηοὺ βασιλέα ᾿Ισραὴλ λέγων· δεῦρο καὶ ὀφθῶμεν προσώποις.

18 καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ᾿Ιωὰς βασιλεὺς ᾿Ισραὴλ πρὸς ᾿Αμασίαν βασιλέα ᾿Ιούδα λέγων· ὁ ἀχοὺχ ὁ ἐν τῷ Λιβάνῳ ἀπέστειλε πρὸς τὴν κέδρον τὴν ἐν τῷ Λιβάνῳ λέγων· δὸς τὴν θυγατέρα σου τῷ υἱῷ μου εἰς γυναῖκα. καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐλεύσεται τά θηρία τοῦ ἀγροῦ τὰ ἐν τῷ Λιβάνῳ· καὶ ἦλθον τὰ θηρία καὶ κατεπάτησαν τὸν ἀχούχ.

19 εἶπας· ἰδοὺ ἐπάταξα τὴν ᾿Ιδουμαίαν καὶ ἐπαίρει σε ἡ καρδία σου ἡ βαρεῖα· νῦν κάθισον ἐν οἴκῳ σου καὶ ἱνατί συμβάλλεις ἐν κακίᾳ καὶ πεσῇ σὺ καὶ ᾿Ιούδας μετὰ σοῦ;

20 καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσεν ᾿Αμασίας, ὅτι παρὰ Κυρίου ἐγένετο τοῦ παραδοῦναι αὐτὸν εἰς χεῖρας, ὅτι ἐξεζήτησε τοὺς θεοὺς τῶν ᾿Ιδουμαίων.

21 καὶ ἀνέβη ᾿Ιωὰς βασιλεὺς ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ ὤφθησαν ἀλλήλοις αὐτὸς καὶ ᾿Αμασίας βασιλεὺς ᾿Ιούδα ἐν Βαιθσαμύς, ἥ ἐστι τοῦ ᾿Ιούδα.

22 καὶ ἐτροπώθη ᾿Ιούδας κατὰ πρόσωπον ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ ἔφυγεν ἕκαστος εἰς τὸ σκήνωμα αὐτοῦ.

23 καὶ τὸν ᾿Αμασίαν βασιλέα ᾿Ιούδα τὸν τοῦ ᾿Ιωὰς υἱοῦ ᾿Ιωάχαζ κατέλαβεν ᾿Ιωὰς βασιλεὺς ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν Βαιθσαμὺς καὶ εἰσήγαγεν αὐτὸν εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ κατέσπασεν ἀπὸ τοῦ τείχους ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, ἀπὸ πύλης ᾿Εφραὶμ ἕως πύλης γωνίας τετρακοσίους πήχεις·

24 καὶ πᾶν τὸ χρυσίον καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον καὶ πάντα τὰ σκεύη τὰ εὑρεθέντα ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου καὶ παρὰ τῷ ᾿Αβδεδὸμ καὶ τοὺς θησαυροὺς οἴκου τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν συμμίξεων καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν εἰς Σαμάρειαν.

25 καὶ ἔζησεν ᾿Αμασίας ὁ τοῦ ᾿Ιωὰς βασιλεὺς ᾿Ιούδα μετὰ τὸ ἀποθανεῖν ᾿Ιωὰς τὸν τοῦ ᾿Ιωάχαζ βασιλέα ᾿Ισραὴλ ἔτη δεκαπέντε.

26 καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ λόγοι ᾿Αμασίου οἱ πρῶτοι καὶ οἱ ἔσχατοι οὐκ ἰδοὺ γεγραμμένοι ἐπὶ βιβλίου βασιλέων ᾿Ιούδα καὶ ᾿Ισραήλ;

27 καὶ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ, ᾧ ἀπέστη ᾿Αμασίας ἀπὸ Κυρίου, καὶ ἐπέθεντο αὐτῷ ἐπίθεσιν, καὶ ἔφυγεν ἀπὸ ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ εἰς Λαχίς· καὶ ἀπέστειλαν κατόπισθεν αὐτοῦ εἰς Λαχὶς καὶ ἐθανάτωσαν αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ.

28 καὶ ἀνέλαβον αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῶν ἵππων καὶ ἔθαψαν αὐτὸν μετὰ τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ ἐν πόλει Δαυίδ.

26

ΚΑΙ ἔλαβε πᾶς ὁ λαὸς τῆς γῆς τὸν ᾿Οζίαν, καὶ αὐτὸς υἱὸς ἑκκαίδεκα ἐτῶν, καὶ ἐβασίλευσαν αὐτὸν ἀντὶ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ᾿Αμασίου.

2 αὐτὸς ᾠκοδόμησε τὴν Αἰλάθ, αὐτὸς ἐπέστρεψεν αὐτὴν τῷ ᾿Ιούδᾳ μετὰ τὸ κοιμηθῆναι τὸν βασιλέα μετὰ τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ.

3 υἱὸς ἑκκαίδεκα ἐτῶν ἐβασίλευσεν ᾿Οζίας καὶ πεντήκοντα καὶ δύο ἔτη ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ ὄνομα τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ ᾿Ιεχελία ἀπὸ ῾Ιερουσαλήμ.

4 καὶ ἐποίησε τὸ εὐθὲς ἐνώπιον Κυρίου κατὰ πάντα, ὅσα ἐποίησεν ᾿Αμασίας ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ.

5 καὶ ἦν ἐκζητῶν τὸν Κύριον ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Ζαχαρίου τοῦ συνιόντος ἐν φόβῳ Κυρίου· καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτοῦ ἐζήτησε τὸν Κύριον, καὶ εὐώδωσεν αὐτῷ Κύριος.

6 καὶ ἐξῆλθε καὶ ἐπολέμησε πρὸς τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους καὶ κατέσπασε τὰ τείχη Γὲθ καὶ τὰ τείχη ᾿Ιαβνὴ καὶ τὰ τείχη ᾿Αζώτου καὶ ᾠκοδόμησε πόλεις ᾿Αζώτου καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀλλοφύλοις.

7 καὶ κατίσχυσεν αὐτὸν Κύριος ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ῎Αραβας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐπὶ τῆς πέτρας καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς Μιναίους.

8 καὶ ἔδωκαν οἱ Μιναῖοι δῶρα τῷ ᾿Οζίᾳ, καὶ ἦν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἕως εἰσόδου Αἰγύπτου, ὅτι κατίσχυσεν ἕως ἄνω.

9 καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ᾿Οζίας πύργους ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν πύλην τῆς γωνίας καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν πύλην τῆς φάραγγος καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν γωνιῶν καὶ κατίσχυσε.

10 καὶ ᾠκοδόμησε πύργους ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ ἐλατόμησε λάκκους πολλούς, ὅτι κτήνη πολλὰ ὑπῆρχεν αὐτῷ ἐν Σεφηλᾷ καὶ ἐν τῇ πεδινῇ καὶ ἀμπελουργοὶ ἐν τῇ ὀρεινῇ καὶ ἐν τῷ Καρμήλῳ, ὅτι γεωργὸς ἦν.

11 καὶ ἐγένετο τῷ ᾿Οζίᾳ δύναμις ποιοῦσα πόλεμον καὶ ἐκπορευομένη εἰς παράταξιν εἰς πόλεμον καὶ εἰσπορευομένη εἰς παράταξιν εἰς ἀριθμόν, καὶ ἦν ὁ ἀριθμὸς αὐτῶν διὰ χειρὸς ᾿Ιεϊὴλ τοῦ γραμματέως καὶ Μαασίου τοῦ κριτοῦ, διὰ χειρὸς ᾿Ανανίου τοῦ διαδόχου τοῦ βασιλέως.

12 πᾶς ὁ ἀριθμὸς τῶν πατριαρχῶν τῶν δυνατῶν εἰς πόλεμον δισχίλιοι ἑξακόσιοι,

13 καὶ μετ' αὐτῶν δύναμις πολεμικὴ τριακόσιαι χιλιάδες καὶ ἑπτακισχίλιοι καί πεντακόσιοι· οὗτοι οἱ ποιοῦντες πόλεμον ἐν δυνάμει ἰσχύος βοηθῆσαι τῷ βασιλεῖ ἐπὶ τοὺς ὑπεναντίους.

14 καὶ ἡτοίμασεν αὐτοῖς ᾿Οζίας πάσῃ τῇ δυνάμει θυρεοὺς καὶ δόρατα καὶ περικεφαλαίας καὶ θώρακας καὶ τόξα καὶ σφενδόνας εἰς λίθους.

15 καὶ ἐποίησεν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ μηχανὰς μεμηχανευμένας λογιστοῦ τοῦ εἶναι ἐπὶ τῶν πύργων καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν γωνιῶν βάλλειν βέλεσι καὶ λίθοις μεγάλοις· καὶ ἠκούσθη ἡ κατασκευὴ αὐτῶν ἕως πόρρω, ὅτι ἐθαυμαστώθη τοῦ βοηθῆναι, ἕως οὗ κατίσχυσε.

16 Καὶ ὡς κατίσχυσεν, ὑψώθη ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ τοῦ καταφθεῖραι, καὶ ἠδίκησεν ἐν Κυρίῳ Θεῷ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν ναὸν Κυρίου θυμιάσαι ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον τῶν θυμιαμάτων.

17 καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ ᾿Αζαρίας ὁ ἱερεὺς καὶ μετ' αὐτοῦ ἱερεῖς τοῦ Κυρίου ὀγδοήκοντα υἱοὶ δυνατοὶ

18 καὶ ἔστησαν ἐπὶ ᾿Οζίαν τὸν βασιλέα καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ· οὐ σοί, ᾿Οζία, θυμιάσαι τῷ Κυρίῳ, ἀλλ' ἢ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν υἱοῖς ᾿Ααρὼν τοῖς ἡγιασμένοις θυμιάσαι· ἔξελθε ἐκ τοῦ ἁγιάσματος, ὅτι ἀπέστης ἀπὸ Κυρίου, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται σοι τοῦτο εἰς δόξαν παρὰ Κυρίου Θεοῦ.

19 καὶ ἐθυμώθη ᾿Οζίας, καὶ ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ τὸ θυμιατήριον τοῦ θυμιάσαι ἐν τῷ ναῷ, καὶ ἐν τῷ θυμωθῆναι αὐτὸν πρὸς τοὺς ἱερεῖς καὶ ἡ λέπρα ἀνέτειλεν ἐν τῷ μετώπῳ αὐτοῦ ἐναντίον τῶν ἱερέων ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου ἐπάνω τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου τῶν θυμιαμάτων.

20 καὶ ἐπέστρεψε πρὸς αὐτὸν ᾿Αζαρίας ὁ ἱερεὺς ὁ πρῶτος καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς, καὶ ἰδοὺ αὐτὸς λεπρὸς ἐν τῷ μετώπῳ· καὶ κατέσπευσαν αὐτὸν ἐκεῖθεν, καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἔσπευσεν ἐξελθεῖν, ὅτι ἤλεγξεν αὐτὸν Κύριος.

21 καὶ ᾿Οζίας ὁ βασιλεὺς ἦν λεπρὸς ἕως ἡμέρας τῆς τελευτῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν οἴκῳ ἀφφουσὼθ ἐκάθητο λεπρός, ὅτι ἀπεσχίσθη ἀπὸ οἴκου Κυρίου· καὶ ᾿Ιωάθαμ ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ κρίνων τὸν λαὸν τῆς γῆς.

22 καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ λόγοι ᾿Οζίου οἱ πρῶτοι καὶ οἱ ἔσχατοι γεγραμμένοι ὑπὸ ᾿Ιεσσίου τοῦ προφήτου.

23 καὶ ἐκοιμήθη ᾿Οζίας μετὰ τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔθαψαν αὐτὸν μετὰ τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ τῆς ταφῆς τῶν βασιλέων, ὅτι εἶπαν ὅτι λεπρός ἐστι. καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ᾿Ιωάθαμ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἀντ' αὐτοῦ.

27

ΥΙΟΣ εἴκοσι καὶ πέντε ἐτῶν ᾿Ιωάθαμ ἐν τῷ βασιλεῦσαι αὐτὸν καὶ ἑκκαίδεκα ἔτη ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ ὄνομα τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ ῾Ιερουσὰ θυγάτηρ Σαδώκ.

2 καὶ ἐποίησε τὸ εὐθὲς ἐνώπιον Κυρίου κατὰ πάντα, ἃ ἐποίησεν ᾿Οζίας ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ' οὐκ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν ναὸν Κυρίου, καὶ ἔτι ὁ λαὸς κατεφθείρετο.

3 αὐτὸς ᾠκοδόμησε τὴν πύλην οἴκου Κυρίου τὴν ὑψηλὴν καὶ ἐν τείχει τοῦ ᾿Οφλὰ ᾠκοδόμησε πολλά· καὶ πόλεις ᾠκοδόμησεν

4 ἐν ὄρει ᾿Ιούδα καὶ ἐν τοῖς δρυμοῖς καὶ οἰκήσεις καὶ πύργους.

5 αὐτὸς ἐμαχέσατο πρὸς βασιλέα υἱῶν ᾿Αμμὼν καὶ κατίσχυσεν ἐπ' αὐτόν· καὶ ἐδίδουν αὐτῷ οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Αμμὼν καὶ κατ' ἐνιαυτὸν ἑκατὸν τάλαντα ἀργυρίου καὶ δέκα χιλιάδας κόρων πυροῦ καὶ κριθῶν δέκα χιλιάδας· ταῦτα ἔφερεν αὐτῷ βασιλεὺς υἱῶν ᾿Αμμὼν κατ' ἐνιαυτὸν ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ ἔτει καὶ ἐν τῷ δευτέρῳ καὶ τῷ τρίτῳ.

6 καὶ κατίσχυσεν ᾿Ιωάθαμ, ὅτι ἡτοίμασε τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ ἐναντίον Κυρίου Θεοῦ αὐτοῦ.

7 καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ λόγοι ᾿Ιωάθαμ καὶ ὁ πόλεμος καὶ αἱ πράξεις αὐτοῦ ἰδοὺ γεγραμμέναι ἐπὶ βιβλίῳ βασιλέων ᾿Ιούδα καὶ ᾿Ισραήλ.

9 καὶ ἐκοιμήθη ᾿Ιωάθαμ μετὰ τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐτάφη ἐν πόλει Δαυίδ, καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ῎Αχαζ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἀντ' αὐτοῦ.

28

ΥΙΟΣ εἴκοσι καὶ πέντε ἐτῶν ἦν ῎Αχαζ ἐν τῷ βασιλεύειν αὐτὸν καὶ ἑκκαίδεκα ἔτη ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ· καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησε τὸ εὐθὲς ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, ὡς Δαυὶδ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ.

2 καὶ ἐπορεύθη κατὰ τὰς ὁδοὺς βασιλέων ᾿Ισραήλ· καὶ γὰρ γλυπτὰ ἐποίησε

3 τοῖς εἰδώλοις αὐτῶν καὶ ἔθυεν ἐν Βενεννὸμ καὶ διῆγε τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ διὰ πυρὸς κατὰ τὰ βδελύγματα τῶν ἐθνῶν, ὧν ἐξωλόθρευσε Κύριος ἀπὸ προσώπου υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ,

4 καὶ ἐθυμία ἐπὶ τῶν ὑψηλῶν καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν δωμάτων καὶ ὑποκάτω παντὸς ξύλου ἀλσώδους.

5 καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτὸν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς αὐτοῦ διὰ χειρὸς βασιλέως Συρίας, καὶ ἐπάταξεν ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ᾐχμαλώτευσεν ἐξ αὐτῶν αἰχμαλωσίαν πολλὴν καὶ ἤγαγεν εἰς Δαμασκόν· καὶ γὰρ εἰς χεῖρας βασιλέως ᾿Ισραὴλ παρέδωκεν αὐτόν, καὶ ἐπάταξεν ἐν αὐτῷ πληγὴν μεγάλην.

6 καὶ ἀπέκτεινε Φακεὲ ὁ τοῦ Ρομελία βασιλεὺς ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν ᾿Ιούδᾳ ἐν μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν δυνατῶν ἰσχύϊ ἐν τῷ καταλιπεῖν αὐτοὺς Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν.

7 καὶ ἀπέκτεινε Ζεχρὶ ὁ δυνατὸς τοῦ ᾿Εφραὶμ τὸν Μαασὰ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τὸν ᾿Εζρικὰν ἡγούμενον τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν ῾Ελκανὰ τὸν διάδοχον τοῦ βασιλέως.

8 καὶ ᾐχμαλώτισαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτῶν τριακοσίας χιλιάδας, γυναῖκας καὶ υἱοὺς καὶ θυγατέρας, καὶ σκῦλα πολλὰ ἐσκύλευσαν ἐξ αὐτῶν καὶ ἤνεγκαν τὰ σκῦλα εἰς Σαμάρειαν.

9 καὶ ἐκεῖ ἦν ὁ προφήτης τοῦ Κυρίου, ᾿Ωδὴδ ὄνομα αὐτῷ, καὶ ἐξῆλθεν εἰς ἀπάντησιν τῆς δυνάμεως τῶν ἐρχομένων εἰς Σαμάρειαν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ἰδοὺ ὀργὴ Κυρίου Θεοῦ τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν ἐπὶ ᾿Ιούδαν, καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὰς χεῖρας ὑμῶν, καὶ ἀπεκτείνατε ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐν ὀργῇ· καὶ ἕως τῶν οὐρανῶν ἔφθακε.

10 καὶ νῦν υἱοὺς ᾿Ιούδα καὶ ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ὑμεῖς λέγετε κατακτήσασθαι εἰς δούλους καὶ δούλας· οὐκ ἰδού εἰμι μεθ' ὑμῶν μαρτυρῆσαι Κυρίῳ Θεῷ ὑμῶν;

11 καὶ νῦν ἀκούσατέ μου καὶ ἀποστρέψατε τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν, ἣν ᾐχμαλωτεύσατε τῶν ἀδελφῶν ὑμῶν, ὅτι ὀργὴ θυμοῦ Κυρίου ἐφ' ὑμῖν.

12 καὶ ἀνέστησαν ἄρχοντες ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Εφραίμ, Οὐδείας ὁ τοῦ ᾿Ιωανοῦ καὶ Βαραχίας ὁ τοῦ Μωσολαμὼθ καὶ ᾿Εζεκίας ὁ τοῦ Σελλὴμ καὶ ᾿Αμασίας ὁ τοῦ ᾿Ελδαΐ, ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐρχομένους ἀπὸ τοῦ πολέμου,

13 καὶ εἶπαν αὐτοῖς· οὐ μὴ εἰσαγάγητε τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν ὧδε πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ὅτι εἰς τὸ ἁμαρτάνειν τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐφ' ἡμᾶς ὑμεῖς λέγετε, προσθεῖναι ἐπὶ ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἡμῶν καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἄγνοιαν ἡμῶν, ὅτι πολλὴ ἡ ἁμαρτία ἡμῶν καὶ ὀργὴ θυμοῦ Κυρίου ἐπὶ τὸν ᾿Ισραήλ.

14 καὶ ἀφῆκαν οἱ πολεμισταὶ τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν καὶ τὰ σκῦλα ἐναντίον τῶν ἀρχόντων καὶ πάσης τῆς ἐκκλησίας.

15 καὶ ἀνέστησαν ἄνδρες, οἳ ἐπεκλήθησαν ἐν ὀνόματι, καὶ ἀντελάβοντο τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας καὶ πάντας τοὺς γυμνοὺς περιέβαλον ἀπὸ τῶν σκύλων καὶ ἐνέδυσαν αὐτοὺς καὶ ὑπέδυσαν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἔδωκαν φαγεῖν καὶ ἀλείψασθαι καὶ ἀντελάβοντο καὶ ἐν ὑποζυγίοις παντὸς ἀσθενοῦντος καὶ κατέστησαν αὐτοὺς εἰς ῾Ιεριχὼ πόλιν Φοινίκων πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐπέστρεψαν εἰς Σαμάρειαν.

16 ᾿Εν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ῎Αχαζ πρὸς βασιλέα ᾿Ασσοὺρ βοηθῆσαι αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν τούτῳ,

17 ὅτι οἱ ᾿Ιδουμαῖοι ἐπέθεντο καὶ ἐπάταξαν ἐν ᾿Ιούδᾳ καὶ ᾐχμαλώτισαν αἰχμαλωσίαν

18 καὶ οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι ἐπέθεντο ἐπὶ τὰς πόλεις τῆς πεδινῆς καὶ ἀπὸ λιβὸς τοῦ ᾿Ιούδα καὶ ἔλαβον τὴν Βαιθσαμὺς καὶ τὴν ᾿Αϊλὼν καὶ τὴν Γαδηρὼθ καὶ τὴν Σωχὼ καὶ τὰς κώμας αὐτῆς καὶ τὴν Θαμνὰ καὶ τὰς κώμας αὐτῆς καὶ τὴν Γαμζὼ καὶ τὰς κώμας αὐτῆς καὶ κατῴκησαν ἐκεῖ·

19 ὅτι ἐταπείνωσε Κύριος τὸν ᾿Ιούδαν διὰ ῎Αχαζ βασιλέα ᾿Ιούδα, ὅτι ἀπέστη ἀποστάσει ἀπὸ Κυρίου.

20 καὶ ἦλθεν ἐπ' αὐτὸν Θαγλαθφελλασὰρ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ασσοὺρ καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτόν.

21 καὶ ἔλαβεν ῎Αχαζ τὰ ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου καὶ τὰ ἐν οἴκῳ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τῶν ἀρχόντων καὶ ἔδωκε τῷ βασιλεῖ ᾿Ασσοὺρ καὶ οὐκ εἰς βοήθειαν αὐτῷ ἦν,

22 ἀλλ' ἢ τῷ θλιβῆναι αὐτόν. καὶ προσέθηκε τοῦ ἀποστῆναι ἀπὸ Κυρίου. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ῎Αχαζ·

23 ἐκζητήσω τοὺς θεοὺς Δαμασκοῦ τοὺς τύπτοντάς με· καὶ εἶπεν ὅτι θεοὶ βασιλέως Συρίας αὐτοὶ κατισχύσουσιν αὐτούς, αὐτοῖς τοίνυν θύσω, καὶ ἀντιλήψονταί μου. καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐγένοντο αὐτῷ εἰς σκῶλον καὶ παντὶ ᾿Ισραήλ.

24 καὶ ἀπέστησεν ῎Αχαζ τὰ σκεύη οἴκου Κυρίου καὶ κατέκοψεν αὐτὰ καὶ ἔκλεισε τὰς θύρας οἴκου Κυρίου καὶ ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ θυσιαστήρια ἐν πάσῃ γωνίᾳ ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ·

25 καὶ ἐν πάσῃ πόλει καὶ πόλει ἐν ᾿Ιούδᾳ ἐποίησεν ὑψηλὰ θυμιᾶν θεοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις, καὶ παρώργισαν Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν.

26 καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ λόγοι αὐτοῦ καὶ αἱ πράξεις αὐτοῦ αἱ πρῶται καὶ ἔσχαται ἰδοὺ γεγραμμέναι ἐπὶ βιβλίῳ βασιλέων ᾿Ιούδα καὶ ᾿Ισραήλ.

27 καὶ ἐκοιμήθη ῎Αχαζ μετὰ τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐτάφη ἐν πόλει Δαυίδ, ὅτι οὐκ εἰσήνεγκαν αὐτὸν εἰς τοὺς τάφους τῶν βασιλέων ᾿Ισραήλ· καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ᾿Εζεκίας υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἀντ' αὐτοῦ.

29

ΚΑΙ ᾿Εζεκίας ἐβασίλευσεν ὢν εἴκοσι καὶ πέντε ἐτῶν καὶ εἴκοσιν ἐννέα ἔτη ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ ὄνομα τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ ᾿Αββὰ θυγάτηρ Ζαχαρίου.

2 καὶ ἐποίησε τὸ εὐθὲς ἐνώπιον Κυρίου κατὰ πάντα, ὅσα ἐποίησε Δαυὶδ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ.

3 καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἔστη ἐπὶ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ, ἐν τῷ μηνὶ τῷ πρώτῳ ἀνέῳξε τὰς θύρας οἴκου Κυρίου καὶ ἐπεσκεύασεν αὐτάς.

4 καὶ εἰσήγαγε τοὺς ἱερεῖς καὶ τοὺς Λευίτας καὶ κατέστησεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ κλῖτος τὸ πρὸς ἀνατολὰς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·

5 ἀκούσατε, οἱ Λευῖται, νῦν ἁγνίσθητε καὶ ἁγνίσατε τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου Θεοῦ τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν καὶ ἐκβάλετε τὴν ἀκαθαρσίαν ἐκ τῶν ἁγίων·

6 ὅτι ἀπέστησαν οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν καὶ ἐποίησαν τὸ πονηρὸν ἐναντίον Κυρίου Θεοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ ἐγκατέλιπαν αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπέστρεψαν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τῆς σκηνῆς Κυρίου καὶ ἔδωκαν αὐχένα

7 καὶ ἀπέκλεισαν τὰς θύρας τοῦ ναοῦ καὶ ἔσβεσαν τοὺς λύχνους καὶ θυμίαμα οὐκ ἐθυμίασαν καὶ ὁλοκαυτώματα οὐ προσήνεγκαν ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ Θεῷ ᾿Ισραήλ.

8 καὶ ὠργίσθη ὀργῇ Κύριος ἐπὶ τὸν ᾿Ιούδαν καὶ τὴν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοὺς εἰς ἔκστασιν καὶ εἰς ἀφανισμὸν καὶ εἰς συρισμόν, ὡς ὑμεῖς ὁρᾶτε τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ὑμῶν.

9 καὶ ἰδοὺ πεπλήγασιν οἱ πατέρες ὑμῶν ἐν μαχαίρᾳ, καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες ὑμῶν καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες ὑμῶν ἐν αἰχμαλωσίᾳ ἐν γῇ οὐκ αὐτῶν, ὃ καὶ νῦν ἐστιν.

10 ἐπὶ τούτοις νῦν ἐστιν ἐπὶ καρδίας διαθέσθαι διαθήκην Κυρίου Θεοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ ἀποστρέψει τὴν ὀργὴν τοῦ θυμοῦ αὐτοῦ ἀφ' ἡμῶν.

11 καὶ νῦν μὴ διαλίπητε, ὅτι ἐν ὑμῖν ᾑρέτικε Κύριος στῆναι ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ λειτουργεῖν καὶ εἶναι αὐτῷ λειτουργοῦντας καὶ θυμιῶντας.

12 καὶ ἀνέστησαν οἱ Λευῖται, Μαὰθ ὁ τοῦ ᾿Αμασὶ καὶ ᾿Ιωὴλ ὁ τοῦ ᾿Αζαρίου ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Καὰθ καὶ ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Μεραρὶ Κὶς ὁ τοῦ ᾿Αβδὶ καὶ ᾿Αζαρίας ὁ τοῦ ᾿Ιαλλελήλ, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν Γεδσωνὶ ᾿Ιωδαὰδ ὁ τοῦ Ζεμμὰθ καὶ ᾿Ιωαδὰμ ὁ τοῦ ᾿Ιωαχά,

13 καὶ τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ελισαφὰν Ζαμβρὶ καὶ ᾿Ιεϊήλ, καὶ τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ασὰφ Ζαχαρίας καὶ Ματθανίας,

14 καὶ τῶν υἱῶν Αἰμὰν ᾿Ιεϊὴλ καὶ Σεμεΐ, καὶ τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ιδιθοὺν Σαμαίας καὶ ᾿Οζιήλ,

15 καὶ συνήγαγον τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ ἡγνίσθησαν κατὰ τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ βασιλέως διὰ προστάγματος Κυρίου καθαρίσαι τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου.

16 καὶ εἰσῆλθον οἱ ἱερεῖς ἔσω εἰς τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου ἁγνίσαι καὶ ἐξέβαλον πᾶσαν τὴν ἀκαθαρσίαν τὴν εὑρεθεῖσαν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ Κυρίου καὶ εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν οἴκου Κυρίου, καὶ ἐδέξαντο οἱ Λευῖται ἐκβαλεῖν εἰς τὸν χειμάρρουν Κέδρων ἔξω.

17 καὶ ἤρξαντο τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ πρώτῃ νουμηνίᾳ τοῦ πρώτου μηνὸς ἁγνίσαι καὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ὀγδόῃ τοῦ μηνὸς εἰσῆλθαν εἰς τὸν ναὸν Κυρίου καὶ ἥγνισαν τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου ἐν ἡμέραις ὀκτὼ καὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρισκαιδεκάτῃ τοῦ μηνὸς τοῦ πρώτου συνετέλεσαν.

18 καὶ εἰσῆλθαν ἔσω πρὸς ᾿Εζεκίαν τὸν βασιλέα καὶ εἶπαν· ἡγνίσαμεν πάντα τὰ ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου, τὸ θυσιαστήριον τῆς ὁλοκαυτώσεως καὶ τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν τράπεζαν τῆς προθέσεως καὶ τὰ σκεύη αὐτῆς·

19 καὶ πάντα τὰ σκεύη, ἃ ἐμίανεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ῎Αχαζ ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ἀποστασίᾳ αὐτοῦ, ἡτοιμάκαμεν καὶ ἡγνίκαμεν, ἰδού ἐστιν ἐναντίον τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου Κυρίου.

20 καὶ ὤρθρισεν ᾿Εζεκίας ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ συνήγαγε τοὺς ἄρχοντας τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἀνέβη εἰς οἶκον Κυρίου

21 καὶ ἀνήνεγκε μόσχους ἑπτά, κριοὺς ἑπτά, ἀμνοὺς ἑπτά, χιμάρους αἰγῶν ἑπτὰ περὶ ἁμαρτίας, περὶ τῆς βασιλείας καὶ περὶ τῶν ἁγίων καὶ περὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ εἶπε τοῖς υἱοῖς ᾿Ααρὼν τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ἀναβαίνειν ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον Κυρίου.

22 καὶ ἔθυσαν τοὺς μόσχους, καὶ ἐδέξαντο οἱ ἱερεῖς τὸ αἷμα καὶ προσέχεαν ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον· καὶ ἔθυσαν τοὺς κριούς, καὶ προσέχεαν τὸ αἷμα ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον· καὶ ἔθυσαν τοὺς ἀμνούς, καὶ περιέχεον τὸ αἷμα τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ·

23 καὶ προσήγαγον τοὺς χιμάρους τοὺς περὶ ἁμαρτίας ἐναντίον τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, καὶ ἐπέθηκαν τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν ἐπ' αὐτούς,

24 καὶ ἔθυσαν αὐτοὺς οἱ ἱερεῖς καί ἐξιλάσαντο τὸ αἷμα αὐτῶν πρὸς τὸ θυσιαστήριον καὶ ἐξιλάσαντο περὶ παντὸς ᾿Ισραήλ, ὅτι εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς, περὶ παντὸς ᾿Ισραὴλ ἡ ὁλοκαύτωσις καὶ τὰ περὶ ἁμαρτίας.

25 καὶ ἔστησε τοὺς Λευίτας ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου ἐν κυμβάλοις καί ἐν νάβλαις καὶ ἐν κινύραις κατὰ τὴν ἐντολὴν Δαυὶδ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ Γὰδ τοῦ ὁρῶντος τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ Νάθαν τοῦ προφήτου, ὅτι διὰ ἐντολῆς Κυρίου τὸ πρόσταγμα ἐν χειρὶ τῶν προφητῶν.

26 καὶ ἔστησαν οἱ Λευῖται ἐν ὀργάνοις Δαυὶδ καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς ταῖς σάλπιγξι.

27 καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Εζεκίας ἀνενέγκαι τὴν ὁλοκαύτωσιν ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον· καὶ ἐν τῷ ἄρξασθαι ἀναφέρειν τὴν ὁλοκαύτωσιν ἤρξαντο ᾄδειν Κυρίῳ, καὶ σάλπιγγες πρὸς τὰ ὄργανα Δαυὶδ βασιλέως ᾿Ισραήλ.

28 καὶ πᾶσα ἡ ἐκκλησία προσεκύνει, καὶ οἱ ψαλτῳδοὶ ᾄδοντες, καὶ σάλπιγγες σαλπίζουσαι, ἕως οὗ συνετελέσθη ἡ ὁλοκαύτωσις.

29 καὶ ὡς συνετέλεσαν ἀναφέροντες, ἔκαμψεν ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ πάντες οἱ εὑρεθέντες καὶ προσεκύνησαν.

30 καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Εζεκίας ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες τοῖς Λευίταις ὑμνεῖν τὸν Κύριον ἐν λόγοις Δαυὶδ καὶ ᾿Ασὰφ τοῦ προφήτου· καὶ ὕμνουν ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ καὶ ἔπεσον καὶ προσεκύνησαν.

31 καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ᾿Εζεκίας καὶ εἶπε· νῦν ἐπληρώσατε τὰς χεῖρας ὑμῶν Κυρίῳ, προσαγάγετε καί φέρετε θυσίας αἰνέσεως εἰς οἶκον Κυρίου· καὶ ἀνήνεγκεν ἡ ἐκκλησία θυσίας καὶ αἰνέσεις εἰς οἶκον Κυρίου καὶ πᾶς πρόθυμος τῇ καρδίᾳ ὁλοκαυτώσεις.

32 καὶ ἐγένετο ὁ ἀριθμὸς τῆς ὁλοκαυτώσεως, ἧς ἀνήνεγκεν ἡ ἐκκλησία, μόσχοι ἑβδομήκοντα, κριοὶ ἑκατόν, ἀμνοὶ διακόσιοι· εἰς ὁλοκαύτωσιν Κυρίῳ πάντα ταῦτα.

33 καὶ οἱ ἡγιασμένοι μόσχοι ἑξακόσιοι, πρόβατα τρισχίλια.

34 ἀλλ' ἢ οἱ ἱερεῖς ἦσαν ὀλίγοι καὶ οὐκ ἠδύναντο ἐκδεῖραι τὴν ὁλοκαύτωσιν, καὶ ἀντελάβοντο αὐτῶν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτῶν οἱ Λευῖται, ἕως οὗ συνετελέσθη τὸ ἔργον καὶ ἕως οὗ ἡγνίσθησαν οἱ ἱερεῖς, ὅτι οἱ Λευῖται προθύμως ἥγνισαν παρὰ τοὺς ἱερεῖς.

35 καὶ ἡ ὁλοκαύτωσις πολλὴ ἐν τοῖς στέασι τῆς τελειώσεως τοῦ σωτηρίου καὶ τῶν σπονδῶν τῆς ὁλοκαυτώσεως· καὶ κατωρθώθη τὸ ἔργον ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου.

36 καὶ ηὐφράνθη ᾿Εζεκίας καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς διὰ τὸ ἡτοιμακέναι τὸν Θεὸν τῷ λαῷ, ὅτι ἐξάπινα ἐγένετο ὁ λόγος.

30

ΚΑΙ ἀπέστειλεν ᾿Εζεκίας ἐπὶ πάντα ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ᾿Ιούδα καὶ ἐπιστολὰς ἔγραψαν ἐπὶ τὸν ᾿Εφραὶμ καὶ Μανασσῆ ἐλθεῖν εἰς οἶκον Κυρίου εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ποιῆσαι τὸ φασὲκ τῷ Κυρίῳ Θεῷ ᾿Ισραήλ.

2 καὶ ἐβουλεύσατο ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες καὶ πᾶσα ἡ ἐκκλησία ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ποιῆσαι τὸ φασὲκ τῷ μηνὶ τῷ δευτέρῳ·

3 οὐ γὰρ ἠδυνάσθησαν ποιῆσαι αὐτὸ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ὅτι οἱ ἱερεῖς οὐχ ἡγνίσθησαν ἱκανοί, καὶ ὁ λαὸς οὐ συνήχθη εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλήμ.

4 καὶ ἤρεσεν ὁ λόγος ἐναντίον τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ἐναντίον τῆς ἐκκλησίας.

5 καὶ ἔστησαν λόγον διελθεῖν κήρυγμα ἐν παντὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἀπὸ Βηρσαβεὲ ἕως Δάν, ἐλθόντας ποιῆσαι τὸ φασὲκ Κυρίῳ Θεῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, ὅτι πλῆθος οὐκ ἐποίησε κατά τὴν γραφήν.

6 καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν οἱ τρέχοντες σὺν ταῖς ἐπιστολαῖς παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τῶν ἀρχόντων εἰς πάντα ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ᾿Ιούδαν κατὰ τὸ πρόσταγμα τοῦ βασιλέως λέγοντες· οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐπιστρέψατε πρὸς Κύριον Θεὸν ῾Αβραὰμ καὶ ᾿Ισαὰκ καὶ ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ ἐπιστρέψει τοὺς ἀνασεσωσμένους τοὺς καταλειφθέντας ἀπὸ χειρὸς βασιλέως ᾿Ασσούρ·

7 καὶ μὴ γίνεσθε καθὼς οἱ πατέρες ὑμῶν καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ ὑμῶν, οἳ ἀπέστησαν ἀπὸ Κυρίου Θεοῦ πατέρων αὐτῶν, καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς εἰς ἐρήμωσιν, καθὼς ὑμεῖς ὁρᾶτε.

8 καὶ νῦν μὴ σκληρύνητε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν ὡς οἱ πατέρες ὑμῶν· δότε δόξαν Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ καὶ εἰσέλθετε εἰς τὸ ἁγίασμα αὐτοῦ, ὃ ἡγίασεν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ δουλεύσατε τῷ Κυρίῳ Θεῷ ὑμῶν, καὶ ἀποστρέψει ἀφ' ὑμῶν θυμὸν ὀργῆς.

9 ὅτι ἐν τῷ ἐπιστρέφειν ὑμᾶς πρὸς Κύριον οἱ ἀδελφοὶ ὑμῶν καὶ τὰ τέκνα ὑμῶν ἔσονται ἐν οἰκτιρμοῖς ἔναντι πάντων τῶν αἰχμαλωτισάντων αὐτούς, καὶ ἀποστρέψει εἰς τὴν γῆν ταύτην, ὅτι ἐλεήμων καὶ οἰκτίρμων Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, καὶ οὐκ ἀποστρέψει τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἀφ' ὑμῶν, ἐάν ἐπιστρέψωμεν πρὸς αὐτόν.

10 καὶ ἦσαν οἱ τρέχοντες διαπορευόμενοι πόλιν ἐκ πόλεως ἐν τῷ ὄρει ᾿Εφραὶμ καὶ Μανασσῆ καὶ ἕως Ζαβουλών, καὶ ἐγένοντο ὡς καταγελῶντες αὐτῶν καὶ καταμωκώμενοι·

11 ἀλλὰ ἄνθρωποι ᾿Ασὴρ καὶ ἀπὸ Μανασσῆ καὶ ἀπὸ Ζαβουλὼν ἐνετράπησαν καὶ ἦλθον εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ εἰς ᾿Ιούδα.

12 καὶ ἐγένετο χεὶρ Κυρίου δοῦναι αὐτοῖς καρδίαν μίαν ἐλθεῖν τοῦ ποιῆσαι κατὰ τὰ προστάγματα τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τῶν ἀρχόντων ἐν λόγῳ Κυρίου,

13 καὶ συνήχθησαν εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ λαὸς πολὺς τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὴν ἑορτὴν τῶν ἀζύμων ἐν τῷ μηνὶ τῷ δευτέρῳ, ἐκκλησία πολλὴ σφόδρα.

14 καὶ ἀνέστησαν καὶ καθεῖλαν τὰ θυσιαστήρια τὰ ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ καὶ πάντα, ἐν οἷς ἐθυμίων τοῖς ψευδέσι, κατέσπασαν καὶ ἔρριψαν εἰς τὸν χειμάρρουν Κέδρων.

15 καὶ ἔθυσαν τὸ φασὲκ τῇ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ τοῦ μηνὸς τοῦ δευτέρου· καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς καὶ οἱ Λευῖται ἐνετράπησαν καὶ ἡγνίσθησαν καὶ εἰσήνεγκαν ὁλοκαυτώματα ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου.

16 καὶ ἔστησαν ἐπὶ τὴν στάσιν αὐτῶν κατὰ τὸ κρίμα αὐτῶν, κατὰ τὴν ἐντολὴν Μωυσῆ ἀνθρώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς ἐδέχοντο τὰ αἵματα ἐκ χειρὸς τῶν Λευιτῶν·

17 ὅτι πλῆθος τῆς ἐκκλησίας οὐχ ἡγνίσθη, καὶ οἱ Λευῖται ἦσαν τοῦ θύειν τὸ φασὲκ παντὶ τῷ μὴ δυναμένῳ ἁγνισθῆναι τῷ Κυρίῳ.

18 ὅτι τὸ πλεῖστον τοῦ λαοῦ ἀπὸ ᾿Εφραὶμ καὶ Μανασσῆ καὶ ᾿Ισσάχαρ καὶ Ζαβουλὼν οὐχ ἡγνίσθησαν, ἀλλ' ἔφαγον τὸ φασὲκ παρὰ τὴν γραφήν. καὶ προσηύξατο ᾿Εζεκίας περὶ αὐτῶν λέγων· Κύριος ἀγαθὸς ἐξιλασάσθω

19 ὑπὲρ πάσης καρδίας κατευθυνούσης ἐκζητῆσαι Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν καὶ οὐ κατὰ τὴν ἁγνείαν τῶν ἁγίων.

20 καὶ ἐπήκουσε Κύριος τῷ ᾿Εζεκίᾳ καὶ ἰάσατο τὸν λαόν.

21 καὶ ἐποίησαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ οἱ εὑρεθέντες ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ τὴν ἑορτὴν τῶν ἀζύμων ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ μεγάλῃ καὶ καθυμνοῦντες τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμέραν καθ' ἡμέραν καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς καὶ οἱ Λευῖται ἐν ὀργάνοις τῷ Κυρίῳ.

22 καὶ ἐλάλησεν ᾿Εζεκίας ἐπὶ πᾶσαν καρδίαν τῶν Λευιτῶν καὶ τῶν συνιόντων σύνεσιν ἀγαθὴν τῷ Κυρίῳ· καὶ συνετέλεσαν τὴν ἑορτὴν τῶν ἀζύμων ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας θύοντες θυσίαν σωτηρίου καὶ ἐξομολογούμενοι τῷ Κυρίῳ Θεῷ τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν.

23 καὶ ἐβουλεύσατο ἡ ἐκκλησία ἅμα ποιῆσαι ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας ἄλλας· καὶ ἐποίησαν ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ.

24 ὅτι ᾿Εζεκίας ἀπήρξατο τῷ ᾿Ιούδᾳ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ χιλίους μόσχους καὶ ἑπτακισχίλια πρόβατα, καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες ἀπήρξαντο τῷ λαῷ μόσχους χιλίους καὶ πρόβατα δέκα χιλιάδας, καὶ τὰ ἅγια τῶν ἱερέων εἰς πλῆθος.

25 καὶ ηὐφράνθη πᾶσα ἡ ἐκκλησία, οἱ ἱερεῖς καὶ οἱ Λευῖται καὶ πᾶσα ἡ ἐκκλησία ᾿Ιούδα καὶ οἱ εὑρεθέντες ἐξ ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ οἱ προσήλυτοι οἱ ἐλθόντες ἀπὸ γῆς ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ οἱ κατοικοῦντες ᾿Ιούδα.

26 καὶ ἐγένετο εὐφροσύνη μεγάλη ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ· ἀπὸ ἡμερῶν Σαλωμὼν υἱοῦ Δαυὶδ βασιλέως ᾿Ισραὴλ οὐκ ἐγένετο τοιαύτη ἑορτὴ ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ.

27 καὶ ἀνέστησαν οἱ ἱερεῖς οἱ Λευῖται καὶ εὐλόγησαν τὸν λαόν· καὶ ἐπηκούσθη ἡ φωνὴ αὐτῶν, καὶ ἦλθεν ἡ προσευχὴ αὐτῶν εἰς τὸ κατοικητήριον τὸ ἅγιον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν.

PARALEIPOMENON 2

21

And Josaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Joran his son reigned in his stead.

2 And he had brothers, the six sons of Josaphat, Azarias, and Jeiel, and Zacharias, and Azarias, and Michael, and Zaphatias: all these were the sons of Josaphat king of Juda.

3 And their father gave them many gifts, silver, and gold, and arms, together with fortified cities in Juda: but he gave the kingdom to Joram, for he was the first-born.

4 And Joram entered upon his kingdom, and strengthened himself, and slew all his brothers with the sword, and some of the princes of Israel.

5 When he was thirty and two years old, Joram succeeded to his kingdom, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

6 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Achaab; for a daughter of Achaab was his wife: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord:

7 nevertheless the Lord would not utterly destroy the house of David, because of the covenant which he made with David, and as he said to him that he would give a light to him and his sons for ever.

8 In those days Edom revolted from Juda, and they made a king over themselves.

9 And Joram went with the princes, and all the cavalry with him: and it came to pass that he arose by night, and smote Edom that compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots, and the people fled to their tents.

10 And Edom revolted from Juda until this day. Then Lomna at that time revolted from under his hand, because he forsook the Lord God of his fathers.

11 For he built high places in the cities of Juda, and caused the dwellers in Jerusalem to go a-whoring, and led Juda astray.

12 And there came to him a message in writing from Eliu the prophet, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of thy father David, Because thou hast not walked in the way of thy father Josaphat, nor in the ways of Asa king of Juda,

13 but hast walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and hast caused Juda and the dwellers in Jerusalem to go a-whoring, as the house of Achaab caused Israel to go a-whoring, and thou hast slain thy brethren, the sons of thy father, who were better than thyself;

14 behold, the Lord shall smite thee with a great plague among thy people, and thy sons, and thy wives, and all thy store:

15 and thou shalt be afflicted with a grievous disease, with a disease of the bowels, until thy bowels shall fall out day by day with the sickness.

16 So the Lord stirred up the Philistines against Joram, and the Arabians, and those who bordered on the Æthiopians:

17 and they went up against Juda, and prevailed against them, and took away all the store which they found in the house of the king, and his sons, and his daughters; and there was no son left to him but Ochozias the youngest of his sons.

18 And after all these things the Lord smote him in the bowels with an incurable disease.

19 And it continued from day to day: and when the time of the days came to two years, his bowels fell out with the disease, and he died by a grievous distemper: and his people performed no funeral, like the funeral of his fathers.

20 He was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he departed without honour, and was buried in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

22

And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ochozias his youngest son king in his stead: for the band of robbers that came against them, even the Arabians and the Alimazonians, had slain all the elder ones. So Ochozias son of Joram king of Juda reigned.

2 Ochozias began to reign when he was twenty years old, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Gotholia, the daughter of Ambri.

3 And he walked in the way of the house of Achaab; for his mother was his counsellor to do evil.

4 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord as the house of Achaab had done: for they were his counselors after the death of his father to his destruction.

5 And he walked in their counsels, and he went with Joram son of Achaab king of Israel to war against Azael king of Syria to Ramoth Galaad: and the archers smote Joram.

6 And Joram returned to Jezrael to be healed of the wounds wherewith the Syrians smote him in Ramoth, when he fought against Azael king of Syria. And Ochozias son of Joram, king of Juda, went down to see Joram the son of Achaab at Jezrael because he was sick.

7 And destruction from God came upon Ochozias in his coming to Joram; for when he had come, Joram went out with him against Jeu the son of Namessei, the anointed of the Lord against the house of Achaab.

8 And it came to pass, when Jeu was taking vengeance on the house of Achaab, that he found the princes of Juda and the brethren of Ochozias ministering to Ochozias, and he slew them.

9 And he gave orders to seek Ochozias: and they took him while he was healing his wounds in Samaria, and they brought him to Jeu, and he slew him; and they buried him, for they said, He is the son of Josaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart. So there was none in the house of Ochozias to secure their power in the kingdom.

10 And Gotholia the mother of Ochozias saw that her son was dead, and she arose and destroyed all the seed royal in the house of Juda.

11 But Josabeeth, the daughter of the king, took Joas the son of Ochozias and rescued him secretly out of the midst of the sons of the king that were put to death, and she placed him and his nurse in a bedchamber. So Josabeeth daughter of king Joram, sister of Ochozias, wife of Jodae the priest, hid him, and she even hid him from Gotholia, and she did not slay him.

12 And he was with him hid in the house of God six years; and Gotholia reigned over the land.

 
23

And in the eighth year Jodae strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azarias the son of Joram, and Ismael the son of Joanan, and Azarias the son of Obed, and Maasaeas the son of Adia, and Elisaphan the son of Zacharias, with him unto the house of the Lord.

2 And they went round about Juda, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Juda, and heads of the families of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.

3 and all the congregation of Juda made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he shewed them the king’s son, and said to them, Lo, let the king’s son reign, as the Lord said concerning the house of David.

4 Now this is the thing which ye shall do. Let a third part of you, even of the priests and of the Levites, enter in on the sabbath, even into the gates of the entrances;

5 and let a third part be in the house of the king; and another third at the middle gate: and all the people in the courts of the Lord’s house.

6 And let not any one enter into the house of the Lord, except the priests and the Levites, and the servants of the Levites; they shall enter in, because they are holy: and let all the people keep the watch of the Lord.

7 And the Levites shall compass the king round about, every man’s weapon in his hand; and whoever else goes into the house shall die: but they shall be with the king when he goes out, and when he comes in.

8 And the Levites and all Juda did according to all that the priest Jodae commanded them, and they took each his men from the beginning of the sabbath to the end of the sabbath, for Jodae the priest did not dismiss the courses.

9 And Jodae gave to the men the swords, and the shields, and the arms, which had belonged to King David, in the house of God.

10 And he set the whole people, every man with his arms, from the right side of the house to the left side of the altar and the house, over against the king round about.

11 And he brought out the king’s son, and put on him the crown and the testimony, and Jodae the priest and his sons proclaimed him king, and anointed him, and said, Long live the king!

12 And Gotholia heard the sound of the people running, and acknowledging and praising the king: and she went in to the king into the house of the Lord.

13 And she looked, and, behold, the king stood in his place, and the princes and trumpets were at the entrance, and the princes were round the king: and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded the trumpets, and there were the singers singing with instruments, and singing hymns of praise. and Gotholia rent her robe, and cried, ye surely are plotting against me.

14 And Jodae the priest went forth, and Jodae the priest charged the captains of hundreds, even the captains of the host, and said to them, Thrust her forth outside the house, and follow her, and let her be slain with the sword. For the priest said, Let her not be slain in the house of the Lord.

15 So they let her go out; and she went through the horsemen’s gate of the house of the king, and they slew her there.

16 And Jodae made a covenant between himself, and the people, and the king, that the people should be the Lord’s.

17 And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and tore down it and its altars, and they ground his images to powder, and they slew Matthan the priest of Baal before his altars.

18 And Jodae the priest committed the works of the house of the Lord into the and of the priests and Levites, and he re-established the courses of the priests and Levites which David appointed over the house of the Lord, and he appointed them to offer whole-burnt-offerings to the Lord, as it is written in the law of Moses, with gladness, and with songs by the hand of David.

19 And the porters stood at the gates of the house of the Lord, that no one unclean in any respect should enter in.

20 And he took the heads of families, and the mighty men, and the chiefs of the people, and all the people of the land, and they conducted the king into the house of the Lord; and he went through the inner gate into the king’s house, and they seated the king on the throne of the kingdom.

21 And all the people of the land rejoiced; and the city was quiet: and they slew Gotholia.

24

Joas was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Sabia of Bersabee.

2 And Joas did that which right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jodae the priest.

3 And Jodae took to himself two wives, and they bore sons and daughters.

4 And it came to pass afterward that it came into the heart of Joas to repair the house of the Lord.

5 And he gathered the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out into the cities of Juda, and collect money of all Israel to repair the house of the Lord from year to year, and make haste to speak of it. But the Levites hasted not.

6 And king Joas called Jodae the chief, and said to him, Why hast thou not looked after the Levites, so that they should bring from Juda and Jerusalem that which was prescribed by Moses the man of God, when he assembled Israel at the tabernacle of witness?

7 For Gotholia was a transgressor, and her sons tore down the house of God; for they offered the holy things of the house of the Lord to Baalim.

8 And the king said, Let a box be made, and let it be put at the gate of the house of the Lord without.

9 And let men proclaim in Juda an in Jerusalem, that the people should bring to the Lord, as Moses the servant of God spoke concerning Israel in the wilderness.

10 And all the princes and all the people gave, and brought in, and cast into the box until it was filled.

11 And it came to pass, when they brought in the box to the officers of the king by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that the money was more than sufficient, then came the king’s scribe, and the officer of the high priest, and emptied the box, and restored it to its place. Thus they did day by day, and collected much money.

12 And the king and Jodae the priest gave it to the workmen employed in the service of the house of the Lord, and they hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the Lord, also smiths and braziers to repair the house of the Lord.

13 And the workmen wrought, and the works prospered in their hands, and they established the house of the Lord on its foundation, and strengthened it.

14 And when they had finished it, they brought to the king and to Jodae the remainder of the money, and they made vessels for the house of the Lord, vessels of service for whole-burnt-offerings, and gold and silver censers: and they offered up whole-burnt-offerings in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Jodae.

15 And Jodae grew old, being full of days, and he died, being a hundred and thirty years old at his death.

16 And they buried him with the kings in the city of David, because he had dealt well with Israel, and with God and his house.

17 And it came to pass after the death of Jodae, that the princes of Juda went in, and did obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened to them.

18 And they forsook the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served the Astartes and idols: and there was wrath upon Juda and Jerusalem in that day.

19 yet he sent prophets to them, to turn them to the Lord; but they hearkened not: and he testified to them, but they obeyed not.

20 And the Spirit of God came upon Azarias the son of Jodae the priest, and he stood up above the people, and said, Thus saith the Lord, Why do ye transgress the commandments of the Lord? so shall ye not prosper; for ye have forsaken the Lord, and he will forsake you.

21 And they conspired against him, and stone him by command of king Joas in the court of the Lord’s house.

22 So Joas remembered not the kindness which his father Jodae had exercised towards him, but slew his son. And as he died, he said, The Lord look upon it, and judge.

23 And it came to pass after the end of the year, that the host of Syria went up against him, and came against Juda and Jerusalem: and they slew all the chiefs of the people among the people, and all their spoils they sent to the king of Damascus.

24 For the army of Syria came with few men, yet God gave into their hands a very large army, because they had forsaken the God of their fathers; and he brought judgments on Joas.

25 And after they had departed from him, when they had left him in sore diseases, then his servants conspired against him because of the blood of the son of Jodae the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died, and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchre of the kings.

26 And they that conspired against him were Zabed the son of Samaath the Ammanite, and Jozabed the son of Samareth the Moabite.

27 And all his sons, and the five came to him: and the other matters, behold, they are written in the book of the kings. And Amasias his son reigned in his stead.

 
25

Amasias began to reign when he was twenty and five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Joadaen of Jerusalem.

2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart.

3 And it came to pass, when the kingdom was established in his hand, that he slew his servants who had slain the king his father.

4 But he slew not their sons, according to the covenant of the law of the Lord, as it is written, and as the Lord commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, and the sons shall not die for the fathers, but they shall die each for his own sin.

5 And Amasias assembled the house of Juda, and appointed them according to the houses of their families for captains of thousands and captains of hundreds in all Juda and Jerusalem: and he numbered them from twenty years old and upwards, and found them three hundred thousand able to go out to war, holding spear and shield.

6 Also he hired of Israel a hundred thousand mighty men for a hundred talents of silver.

7 And there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the host of Israel go with thee; for the Lord is not with Israel, even all the sons of Ephraim.

8 For if thou shalt undertake to strengthen thyself with these, then the lord shall put thee to flight before the enemies: for it is of the Lord both to strengthen and to put to flight.

9 And Amasias said to the man of God, But what shall I do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God said, The Lord can give thee much more than these.

10 And Amasias separated from the army that came to him from Ephraim, that they might go away to their place; and they were very angry with Juda, and they returned to their place with great wrath.

11 And Amasias strengthened himself, and took his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote there the children of Seir ten thousand.

12 And the children of Juda took ten thousand prisoners, and they carried them to the top of the precipice, and cast them headlong from the top of the precipice, and they were all dashed to pieces.

13 And the men of the host whom Amasias sent back so that they should not go with him to battle, went and attacked the cities of Juda, from Samaria to Baethoron; and they smote three thousand among them, and took much spoil.

14 And it came to pass, after Amasias had returned from smiting Idumea, that he brought home the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up for himself as gods, and bowed down before them, and he sacrificed to them.

15 And the anger of the Lord came upon Amasias, and he sent him a prophet, and he said to him, Why hast thou sought the gods of the people, which have not rescued their own people out of thine hand?

16 And it came to pass when the prophet was speaking to him, that he said to him, have I made thee king’s counsellor? take heed lest thou be scourged: and the prophet forebore, and said, I know that God is disposed against thee to destroy thee, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not hearkened to my counsel.

17 And Amasias king of Juda took counsel, and sent to Joas, son of Joachaz, son of Jeu, king of Israel, saying, Come, and let us look one another in the face.

18 And Joas king of Israel sent to Amasias king of Juda, saying, The thistle that was in Libanus sent to the cedar that was in Libanus, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife; but, behold, thy wild beasts of the field that are in Libanus shall come: and the wild beasts did come, and trod down the thistle.

19 Thou hast said, Behold, I have smitten Idumea, and thy stout heart exalts thee: now stay at home; for why dost thou implicate thyself in mischief, that thou shouldest fall, and Juda with thee.

20 Nevertheless Amasias hearkened not, for it was of the Lord to deliver him into the enemy’s hands, because he sought after the gods of the Idumeans.

21 So Joas king of Israel went up; and they saw one another, he and Amasias king of Juda, in Baethsamys, which is of Juda.

22 And Juda was put to flight before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent.

23 And Joas king of Israel took prisoner Amasias king of Juda, son of Joas, son of Joachaz, in Baethsamys, and brought him to Jerusalem; and he pulled down part of the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.

24 And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the Lord and with Abdedom, and the treasures of the king’s house, and the hostages, and he returned to Samaria.

25 And Amasias the son of Joas king of Juda lived after the death of Joas the son of Joachaz king of Israel fifteen years.

26 And the rest of the acts of Amasias, the first and the last, Lo! are they not written in the book of the kings of Juda and Israel?

27 And at the time when Amasias departed from the Lord, then they formed a conspiracy against him; and he fled from Jerusalem to Lachis: and they sent after him to Lachis, and slew him there.

28 And they took him up on horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of David.

 
26

Then all the people of the land took Ozias, and he was sixteen years old, and they made him king in the room of his father Amasias.

2 He built Ælath, he recovered it to Juda, after the king slept with his fathers.

3 Ozias began to reign at the age of sixteen years, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jechelia of Jerusalem.

4 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that Amasias his father did.

5 And he sought the Lord in the days of Zacharias, who understood the fear of the Lord; and in his days he sought the Lord, and the Lord prospered him.

6 And he went out and fought against the Philistines, and pulled down the walls of Geth, and the walls of Jabner, and the walls of Azotus, and he built cities near Azotus, and among the Philistines.

7 And the Lord strengthened him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt on the rock, and against the Minaeans.

8 And the Minaeans gave gifts to Ozias; and his fame spread as far as the entering in of Egypt, for he strengthened himself exceedingly.

9 And Ozias built towers in Jerusalem, both at the gate of the corners, and at the valley gate, and at the corners and he fortified them.

10 And he built towers in the wilderness, and dug many wells, for he had many cattle in the low country and in the plain; and vinedressers in the mountain country and in Carmel: for he was a husbandman.

11 And Ozias had a host of warriors, and that went out orderly to war, and returned orderly in number; and their number was made by the hand of Jeiel the scribe, and Maasias the judge, by the hand of Ananias the king’s deputy.

12 The whole number of the chiefs of families of the mighty men of war was two thousand six hundred;

13 and with them was a warrior force, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred: these waged war mightily to help the king against his enemies.

14 And Ozias prepared for them, even for all the host, shields, and spears, and helmets, and breastplates, and bows, and slings for stones.

15 And he made in Jerusalem machines invented by a wise contriver, to be upon the towers and upon the corners, to cast darts and great stones: and the fame of their preparation was heard at a distance; for he was wonderfully helped, till he was strong.

16 And when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction; and he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to turn incense on the altar of incense.

17 And there went in after him Azarias the priest, and with him eighty priests of the Lord, mighty men.

18 And they withstood Ozias the king, and said to him, It is not for thee, Ozias, to burn incense to the Lord, but only for the priests the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to sacrifice: go forth of the sanctuary, for thou hast departed from the Lord; and this shall not be for glory to thee from the Lord god.

19 And Ozias was angry, and in his hand was the censer to burn incense in the temple: and when he was angry with the priests, then the leprosy rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, over the altar of incense.

20 And Azarias the chief priest, and the other priests, turned to look at him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead; and they got him hastily out thence, for he also hasted to go out, because the Lord had rebuked him.

21 And Ozias the king was a leper to the day of his death, and he dwelt as a leper in a separate house; for he was cut off from the house of the Lord: and Joathan his son was set over his kingdom, judging the people of the land.

22 And the rest of the acts of Ozias, the first and the last, are written by Jessias the prophet.

23 And Ozias slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial place of the kings, for they said, He is a leper; and Joatham his son reigned in his stead.

 
27

Joatham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jerusa, daughter of Sadoc.

2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Ozias did: but he went not into the temple of the Lord. And still the people corrupted themselves.

3 He built the high gate of the house of the Lord, and he built much in the wall of Opel, and he built cities.

4 In the mountain of Juda, and in the woods, he built both dwelling-places and towers.

5 He fought against the king of the children of Ammon, and prevailed against him: and the children of Ammon gave him even annually a hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. These the king of the children of Ammon brought to him annually in the first and second and third years.

6 Joatham grew strong, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God.

7 And the rest of the acts of Joatham, and his war, and his deeds, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Juda and Israel.

9 And Joatham slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Achaz his son reigned in his stead.

28

Achaz was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and he did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord, as David his father.

2 But he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, for he made graven images.

3 And he sacrificed to their idols in the valley of Benennom, and passed his children through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel.

4 And he burnt incense upon the high places, and upon the roofs, and under every shady tree.

5 And the Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and he smote him, and took captive of them a great band of prisoners, and carried him to Damascus. Also God delivered him into the hands of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter.

6 And Phakee the son of Romelias king of Israel, slew in Juda in one day a hundred and twenty thousand mighty men; because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers.

7 And Zechri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maasias the king’s son, and Ezrican the chief of his house, and Elcana the king’s deputy.

8 And the children of Israel took captive of their brethren three hundred thousand, women, and sons, and daughters, and they spoiled them of much property, and brought the spoils to Samaria.

9 And there was there a prophet of the Lord, his name was Oded: and he went out to meet the host that were coming to Samaria, and said to them, Behold, the wrath of the Lord God of your fathers is upon Juda, and he has delivered them into your hands, and ye have slain them in wrath, and it has reached even to heaven.

10 And now ye talk of keeping the children of Juda and Jerusalem for servants and handmaidens. Lo, am I not with you to testify for the Lord your God?

11 And now hearken to me, and restore the prisoners of your brethren whom ye have taken: for the fierce anger of the Lord is upon you.

12 And the chiefs of the sons of Ephraim rose up, Udias the son of Joanas, and Barachias the son of Mosolamoth, and Ezekias the son of Sellem, and Amasias the son of Eldai, against those that came from the war,

13 and said to them, Ye shall not bring in hither the prisoners to us, for whereas sin against the Lord is upon us, ye mean to add to our sins, and to our trespass: for our sin is great, and the fierce anger of the Lord is upon Israel.

14 So the warriors left the prisoners and the spoils before the princes and all the congregation.

15 And the men who were called by name rose up, and took hold of the prisoners, and clothed all the naked from the spoils, and gave them garments and shoes, and gave them food to eat, and oil to anoint themselves with, and they helped also every one that was weak with asses, and placed them in Jericho, the city of palm-trees, with their brethren; and they returned to Samaria.

16 At that time king Achaz sent to the king of Assyria to help him, and on this occasion,

17 because the Idumeans had attacked him, and smitten Juda, and taken a number of prisoners.

18 Also the Philistines had made an attack on the cities of the plain country, and the cities of the south of Juda, and taken Baethsamys, and Ælon, and Galero, and Socho and her villages, and Thamna and her villages, and Gamzo and her villages: and they dwelt there.

19 For the Lord humbled Juda because of Achaz king of Juda, because he grievously departed from the Lord.

20 And there came against him Thalgaphellasar king of Assyria, and he afflicted him.

21 And Achaz took the things that were in the house of the Lord, and the things in the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave them to the king of Assyria: but he was no help to him,

22 but only troubled him in his affliction: and he departed yet more from the Lord, and king Achaz said,

23 I will seek after the gods of Damascus that smite me. And he said, Forasmuch as the gods of the king of Syria themselves strengthen them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, and they will help me. But they became a stumbling-block to him, and to all Israel.

24 And Achaz removed the vessels of the house of the Lord, and cut them in pieces, and shut the doors of the house of the Lord, and made to himself altars in every corner in Jerusalem:

25 and in each several city in Juda he made high places to burn incense to strange gods: and they provoked the Lord God of their fathers.

26 And the rest of his acts, and his deeds, the first and the last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Juda and Israel.

27 And Achaz slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David; for they did not bring him into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Ezekias his son reigned in his stead.

29

And Ezekias began to reign at the age of twenty-five years, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Abia, daughter of Zacharias.

2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done.

3 And it came to pass, when he was established over his kingdom, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord, and repaired them.

4 And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and put them on the east side, and said to them,

5  Hear, ye Levites: now sanctify yourselves, and sanctify the house of the Lord God of your fathers, and cast out the impurity from the holy places.

6 For our fathers have revolted, and done that which was evil before the Lord our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their face from the tabernacle of the Lord, and have turned their back.

7 And they have shut up the doors of the temple, and put out the lamps, and have not burnt incense, and have not offered whole-burnt-offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel.

8 And the Lord was very angry with Juda and Jerusalem, and made them an astonishment, and a desolation, and a hissing, as ye see with your eyes.

9 And, behold, your fathers have been smitten with the sword, and your sons and your daughters and your wives are in captivity in a land not their own, as it is even now.

10 Therefore it is now in my heart to make a covenant, a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that he may turn away his fierce wrath from us.

11 And now be not wanting to your duty, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before him to minister, and to be ministers and burners of incense to him.

12 Then the Levites rose up, Maath the son of Amasi, and Joel the son of Azarias, of the sons of Caath: and of the sons of Merari, Kis the son of Abdi, and Azarias the son of Haelel: and of the sons of Gedsoni, Jodaad the son of Zemmath, and Joadam: these were the sons of Joacha.

13 And of the sons of Elisaphan; Zambri, and Jeiel: and of the sons of Asaph; Zacharias, and Matthanias: 14 and of the sons of Æman; Jeiel, and Semei: and of the sons of Idithun; Samaisa, and Oziel.

15 And they gathered their brethren, and they purified themselves according to the king’s command by the order of the Lord, to purify the house of the Lord.

16 And the priests entered into the house of the Lord, to purify it, and they cast out all the uncleanness that was found in the house of the Lord, even into the court of the house of the Lord: and the Levites received it to cast into the brook of Kedron without.

17 And Ezekias began on the first day, even on the new moon of the first month, to purify, and on the eighth day of the month they entered into the temple of the Lord: and they purified the house of the Lord in eight days; and on the thirteenth day of the first month they finished the work.

18 And they went in to king Ezekias, and said, We have purified all the things in the house of the Lord, the altar of whole-burnt-offering, and its vessels, and the table of shew-bread, and its vessels;

19 and all the vessels which king Achaz polluted in his reign, in his apostasy, we have prepared and purified: behold, they are before the altar of the Lord.

20 And king Ezekias rose early in the morning, and gathered the chief men of the city, and went up to the house of the Lord.

21 And he brought seven calves, seven rams, seven lambs, seven kids of goats for a sin-offering, for the kingdom, and for the holy things, and for Israel: and he told the priests the sons of Aaron to go up to the altar of the Lord.

22 And they slew the calves, and the priests received the blood, and poured it on the altar: and they slew the rams, and poured the blood upon the altar: also they slew the lambs, and poured the blood round the altar.

23 And they brought the goats for a sin-offering before the king and the congregation; and laid their hands upon them.

24 And the priests slew them, and offered their blood as a propitiation on the altar; and they made atonement for all Israel: for the king said, The whole-burnt-offering, and the sin-offering are for all Israel.

25 And he stationed the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, and lutes, and harps, according to the commandment of king David, and of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet: for by the commandment of the Lord the order was in the hand of the prophets.

26 And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.

27 And Ezekias told them to offer up the whole-burnt-offering on the altar: and when they began to offer the whole-burnt-offering, they began to sing to the Lord, and the trumpets accompanied the instruments of David king of Israel.

28 And all the congregation worshipped, and the psalm-singers were singing, and the trumpets sounding, until the whole-burnt-sacrifice had been completely offered.

29 And when they had done offering it, the king and all that were present bowed, and worshipped.

30 And king Ezekias and the princes told the Levites to sing hymns to the Lord in the words of David, and of Asaph the prophet: and they sang hymns with gladness, and fell down and worshipped.

31 Then Ezekias answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves to the Lord, bring near and offer sacrifices of praise in the house of the Lord. And the congregation brought sacrifices and thank-offerings into the house of the Lord; and every one who was ready in his heart brought whole-burnt-offerings.

32 And the number of the whole-burnt-offerings which the congregation brought, was seventy calves, a hundred rams, two hundred lambs: all these were for a whole-burnt-offering to the Lord.

33 And the consecrated calves were six hundred, and the sheep three thousand.

34 But the priests were few, and could not flay the whole-burnt-offering, so their brethren the Levites helped them, until the work was finished, and until the priests had purified themselves: for the Levites more zealously purified themselves than the priests.

35 And the whole-burnt-offering was abundant, with the fat of the complete peace-offering, and the drink-offerings of the whole-burnt-sacrifice. So the service was established in the house of the Lord.

36 And Ezekias and all the people rejoiced, because God has prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly.

30

And Ezekias sent to all Israel and Juda, and wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasse, that they should come into the house of the Lord to Jerusalem, to keep the passover to the Lord God of Israel.

2 For the king, and the princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, designed to keep the passover in the second month.

3 For they could not keep it at that time, because a sufficient number of priest had not purified themselves, and the people was not gathered to Jerusalem.

4 And the proposal pleased the king and the congregation.

5 And they established a decree that a proclamation should go through all Israel, from Bersabee to Dan, that they should come and keep the passover to the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem: for the multitude had not done it lately according to the scripture.

6 And the posts went with the letters from the king and the princes to all Israel and Juda, according to the command of the king, saying, Children of Israel, return to the Lord God of Abraam, and Isaac, and Israel, and bring back them that have escaped even those that were left of the hand of the king of Assyria.

7 And be not as your fathers, and your brethren, who revolted from the Lord God of their fathers, and he gave them up to desolation, as ye see.

8 And now harden not your hearts, as your fathers did: give glory to the Lord God, and enter into his sanctuary, which he has sanctified for ever: and serve the Lord your God, and he shall turn away his fierce anger from you.

9 For when ye turn to the Lord, your brethren and your children shall be pitied before all that have carried them captives, and he will restore you to this land: for the Lord our God is merciful and pitiful, and will not turn away his face from you, if we return to him.

10 So the posts went through from city to city in mount Ephraim, and Manasse, and as far as Zabulon: and they as it were laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

11 But the men of Aser, and some of Manasses and of Zabulon, were ashamed, and came to Jerusalem and Juda.

12 And the hand of the Lord was present to give them one heart to come, to do according to the commands of the king and of the princes, by the word of the Lord.

13 And a great multitude were gathered to Jerusalem to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.

14 And they arose, and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all on which they burnt incense to false gods they tore down and cast into the brook Kedron.

15 Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites repented, and purified themselves, and brought whole-burnt-offerings into the house of the Lord.

16 And they stood at their post, according to their ordinance, according to the commandment of Moses the man of God: and the priests received the blood from the hand of the Levites.

17 For a great part of the congregation was not sanctified; and the Levites were ready to kill the passover for every one who could not sanctify himself to the Lord.

18 For the greatest part of the people of Ephraim, and Manasse, and Issachar, and Zabulon, had not purified themselves, but ate the passover contrary to the scripture. On this account also Ezekias prayed concerning them, saying, The good Lord be merciful

19  with regard to every heart that sincerely seeks the Lord God of their fathers, and is not purified according to the purification of the sanctuary.

20 And the Lord hearkened to Ezekias, and healed the people.

21 And the children of Israel who were present in Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great joy; and they continued to sing hymns to the Lord daily, and the priests and the Levites played on instruments to the Lord.

22 And Ezekias encouraged all the Levites, and those that had good understanding of the Lord: and they completely kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days, offering peace-offerings, and confessing to the Lord God of their fathers.

23 And the congregation purposed together to keep other seven days: and they kept seven days with gladness.

24 For Ezekias set apart for Juda, even for the congregation, a thousand calves and seven thousand sheep; and the princes set apart for the people a thousand calves and ten thousand sheep: and the holy things of the priests abundantly.

25 And all the congregation, the priests and the Levites, rejoiced, and all the congregation of Juda, and they that were present of Jerusalem, and the strangers that came from the land of Israel, and the dwellers in Juda.

26 And there was great joy in Jerusalem: from the days of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not such a feast in Jerusalem.

27 Then the priests the Levites rose up and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came into his holy dwelling-place, even into heaven.
 

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