laid down in His Word as right behavior. only way to a life of victory over the sinful

laid down in His Word as right behavior. only way to a life of victory over the sinful

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and against Judah, through all the prophets and through all the seers, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.”

offspring of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hands of plunderers, until he had cast them out of his sight.

21 For he tore Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. And Jeroboam drove Israel away from following the LORD, and caused them to commit a great sin. 22 For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did. They did not depart from them, 23 until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So Israel was taken away out of their own land to Assyria, as it is to this day.

14 However, they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like the necks of their fathers who did not believe in the LORD their God. 15 And they rejected his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them. And they followed vanity and became vain, and went after the nations that were around them, concerning whom the LORD had commanded them not to do like them.

24 And the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon and from Cuthah and from Ava and from Hamath and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria in place of the children of Israel. And they possessed Samaria, and lived in its cities. 25 And it so happened, when they began to live there, that they did not fear the LORD, so the LORD sent lions among them, which killed some of them. 26 Therefore they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations which you have removed, and placed in the cities of Samaria, do not know the ways of the God of the land. Therefore he has sent lions among them, and, lo and behold, they are killing them, because they do know not the ways of the God of the land.”

16 And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made cast metal images for themselves, two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the starry host of heaven, and served Baal. 17 And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and sorcery, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger.

18 Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight. None was left except the tribe of Judah alone. 19 Judah also did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the customs of Israel which they made. 20 And the LORD rejected all the

27 Then the king of Assyria commanded,

Israel’s apostasy God raised up some of the greatest men of God who ever lived: the prophets Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Hosea, Amos, and others not so well known. He spoke through them repeatedly to warn and exhort the people, but all to no avail. Nothing – no promises, no threats, no punishment, no rewards – nothing at all would keep them from following the desires of their depraved hearts. In other words, they were ordinary sinful people like all other people in the world. 17:14 Ex 32:9; 33:3; Deut 9:23,24; Ps 78:22; 106:24; Prov 29:1; Acts 7:51. 17:15 “Covenant” – Ex 19:5,6; 24:6-8. “Vain” – see Ps 115:8. “Nations that were around” – Deut 12:2932. They did the exact opposite of all God laid down in His Word as right behavior. 17:16 Deut 4:15-19; 1 Kings 12:28; 14:15-23; 16:31. “A grove” – or “Asherah pole” – note at Jud 3:7.

“Judah” – 1 Kings 11:31,32. 17:19 16:3; 1 Kings 14:22,23. The fall of the northern kingdom of Israel should have been a warning to Judah. But they did not learn from that and became even worse than Israel (Jer 3:6-11; Ezek 16:51,52). Eventually they went the same way of punishment and captivity. Do we learn from Bible history? See Rom 15:4; 1 Cor 10:1-12.

We would make a big mistake if we thought we were, by nature, better than those sinful, stubborn and rebellious people of Israel and Judah. See Rom 3:9. Verses 7-17 reveal what the heart of man is like. In words of the New Testament the people whose actions are described here walked “after the flesh”, followed their sinful natures (Gal 5:16-21). Now, as then, the only way to a life of victory over the sinful nature is knowing God, loving God, and walking in the power of God’s Spirit (Rom 8:3,4; Gal 5:16). 17:20 10:32,33; 13:3,20; 15:29; 24:2; Jud 2:14. 17:21 1 Kings 11:11,31; 12:20,28-33. 17:23 Verse 13; 1 Kings 14:14-16; Hos 10:1-7; 11:5; Amos 5:27. This is the origin of the Samaritans who appear in the New Testament (Luke 9:52; 10:33; John 4:9,39; Acts 8:5-9). 17:25 The land belonged to Jehovah God and He had given it to His people Israel. These foreign idolaters had no right to live

“Starry host” – a sin God said was worthy of death. See Deut 17:2-5.

“Baal” – note at Jud 2:11. 17:17 Lev 19:26; Deut 18:10-12; 1 Kings 21:22. “Through the fire” – note at 16:3. 17:18 “Angry” – notes on God’s anger at Num 25:3; Ps 90:7-11; etc.

“His sight” – away from God’s land into exile.

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saying, “Take there one of the priests whom you brought from there; and let him go and live there, and let him teach them the ways of the God of the land.” 28 Then one of the priests whom they had taken away from Samaria came and lived in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD.

who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm, and him you shall worship, and to him you shall sacrifice. 37 And you shall be careful to do the statutes and the ordinances and the law and the commandment which he wrote for you, forever. And you shall not fear other gods. 38 And you shall not forget the covenant that I have made with you, nor shall you fear other gods. 39 But you shall fear the LORD your God. Then he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.”

29 However each nation made gods of their own, and put them in the shrines of the high places which the Samaritans had made, each nation in the cities where they lived. 30 And the men of Babylon made Succoth Benoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31 and the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. 32 So they feared the LORD, but made priests of the high places for themselves from the lowest of them, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places. 33 They feared the LORD, yet served their own gods, in accordance with the custom of the nations whom they took away from there.

40 However they did not listen, but did according to their former custom. 41 So these nations feared the LORD, and served their carved images, together with their children and their children’s children. As their fathers did, so they have done to this day.

Now it came about in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah, king of Israel, that Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign. 2 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Abi. She was the daughter of Zachariah. 3 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, in everything just as his father David had done. 4 He removed the high places and smashed the images and cut down the groves, and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel had burned incense to it, and

34 To this day they practice the former customs. They do not fear the LORD, nor do they follow their statutes or their ordinances, or the law and commandments which the LORD commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel, 35 with whom the LORD made a covenant, and charged them, saying, “You shall not fear other gods, nor bow down to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them. 36 But you shall fear the LORD

there. When they did not even so much as acknowledge Jehovah, they paid the penalty for it. 17:28 “Bethel” – 1 Kings 12:29,32. Bethel had been a center of the apostate religion founded by Jeroboam. 17:29 “High places” – 1 Kings 12:31; 13:33. 17:32,33 Verse 41. It seems they believed that all gods and all religions were good. They did not want to ignore Jehovah – they had found that to be dangerous (v 25). But they did not want to worship Him exclusively, and in their blindness did not see the necessity of doing so. Compare 1 Kings 18:21; Matt 6:24. The true God does not accept the worship of those who try to worship other gods with Him (v 35-39). See Ex 20:1-6; Jer 7:1-11; 2 Cor 6:14-18. But men are very slow to understand this truth. The very dangerous lie of syncretism is widely accepted by men in every era, including ours. 17:35-38 Ex 20:2-6,23; Deut 4:23; 5:32,33; 6:12,13; 10:20; 22:20. 17:39 Ex 23:22; Deut 20:1-4; 23:14. 18:1-3 2 Chron 29:1,2. 18:1 Ahaz, Hezekiah’s father, was one of the worst of Judah’s kings (16:1-4), yet Hezekiah was one of the very best. Not one of us needs to remain captive to ancestry and background. God’s grace can triumph

over everything. 18:2 “Twenty-nine years” – part of this time he shared the throne with Ahaz. Some events in his reign are recorded in 2 Chronicles chapters 29-32 and Isaiah chapters 36-39.

“Abi” – or “Abijah.” Abijah means “Jehovah is father” or “Jehovah is my father.” Perhaps Hezekiah’s godliness and good character resulted from his mother’s example and training. Many men of God owe a great deal to their godly mothers. 18:3 No king in Israel and only a few in Judah are compared favorably in the Bible with David – only Asa, Hezekiah, Josiah, and, to some extent, Jehoshaphat. 18:4 “High places” – 1 Kings 3:2. “The groves” – or “Asherah poles” – 1 Kings 16:23. “Bronze serpent” – see Num 21:8,9. That which once had been a means of blessing had become an idol. This is a tendency in human nature and we must learn to resist it. No means which God uses for our blessing is to be worshiped, but only God who gives the blessing. We must never idolize any form, pattern, thing, or man.

“Nehushtan” – this sounds like the Hebrew for bronze and snake and unclean thing.

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he called it Nehushtan.

of the LORD, and in the treasuries of the king’s house.

5 He trusted in the LORD God of Israel, so that after him there was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, nor were there any before him. 6 For he clung to the LORD, and did not turn away from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses. 7 And the LORD was with him, and he was successful wherever he went. And he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and did not serve him. 8 He defeated the Philistines, as far as Gaza and its territories, from the watchman’s tower to the fortified city.

16 At that time Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.

17 And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish with a great army to king Hezekiah at Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they had come up, they came and stood by the aqueduct of the upper pool, which is on the road to the Fuller’s Field. 18 And when they had called out for the king, Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, came out to them.

9 And it came about in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah, king of Israel, that Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, came up against Samaria and besieged it. 10 And at the end of three years they took it. Samaria was taken in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is, the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel. 11 And the king of Assyria took Israel away to Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. 12 This occurred because they did not obey the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant and all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear or do them.

19 And Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: what is this hope you are trusting in? 20 You say (but they are only vain words), ‘I have counsel and strength for the war.’ Now in whom do you trust, that you rebel against me? 21 Now, see, you are trusting in the staff of that bruised reed, in Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him. 22 But if you say to me, ‘We trust in the LORD our God,’ is not he the one whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?’

13 Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. 14 And Hezekiah, king of Judah, sent word to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, “I have done wrong. Withdraw from me. I will pay whatever you impose on me.” And the king of Assyria demanded from Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. 15 And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house

23 “Now therefore, please give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver two thousand horses to you, if you on your part are able to set riders on them. 24 How then will you turn away the face of one of the least of the captains of my master’s servants, and put your trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? 25 Have I

18:5 A similar thing is said about Hezekiah’s great-grandson Josiah. See 23:25. Faith is the quality in which Hezekiah excelled. Compare 19:14-19. 18:6 “Clung” – Deut 6:18; 10:20; 11:22; 13:4. 18:7 “Successful” – Gen 39:2,3; Josh 1:7; 1 Sam 18:14. “Rebelled” – Judah had fallen under the power of Assyria during the reign of Hezekiah’s father (16:7-10). 18:8 Compare 2 Chron 28:18. When God works with His people, sad and evil conditions can be reversed. 18:9-11 17:3-6. 18:12 17:7-20. 18:13 2 Chron 32:1; Isa 36:1. 18:14 “Wrong” – Hezekiah refers to his rebellion against Assyria (v 7). But he may have been wrong in calling it wrong, since it was a result of God’s working with him. Hezekiah had a temporary failure of faith. Do not we all have to confess sometimes

as the man in Mark 9:24 did?

“Talent” – one talent is about 34 kilograms. 18:15,16 12:18; 16:8; 1 Kings 15:18,19. Giving God’s possessions to a foreign, idolatrous king could not have been right, and it did not stop the king of Assyria. 18:17 “Jerusalem” – there are two other accounts of what follows in the rest of this chapter and the following two chapters – 2 Chronicles chapter 32 and Isaiah chapters 36-39.

“Fuller’s Field” – Isa 7:3. 18:19 Little did he know that Hezekiah’s trust was in the Creator of the universe – one who could send one angel and crush the whole army of Assyria (v 5; 19:35). 18:20-25 The object of this speech, begun with much sarcasm, was to destroy the people’s confidence so they would surrender Jerusalem without a fight. He says they should have no confidence in their army (vs 20,23,24), in any agreement they may have

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now come up against this place to destroy it, without the LORD? The LORD said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it.’”

their country out of my hands, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?’”

36 But the people kept silent and did not answer him a word, for the king’s command was as follows: “Do not answer him.”

26 Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah and Shebna and Joah said to Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in the Syrian language, for we understand it ; and do not talk with us in the Jews’ language in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.”

37 Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn and told him the words of Rabshakeh.

27 But Rabshakeh said to them, “Has my master sent me only to your master and to you, to speak these words? Has he not sent me to the men who are sitting on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own urine with you?” 28 Then Rabshakeh stood and shouted with a loud voice in the Jews’ language and spoke, saying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria. 29 Thus says the king: Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you out of his hand. 30 And do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, ‘The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city will not be delivered into the hands of the king of Assyria.’

And it came about, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the LORD. 2 And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz. 3 And they said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah: ‘This day is a day of trouble and of rebuke and blasphemy; for the children have come to the point of birth and there is no strength to deliver them. 4 It may be the LORD your God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom his master, the king of Assyria, has sent to reproach the living God, and will rebuke the words which the LORD your God has heard. Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.’”

31 “Do not listen to Hezekiah. For thus says the king of Assyria: ‘Make peace with me through a gift and come out to me, and then each man of you eat from his own vine and each one from his fig tree, and each one drink the water from his cistern, 32 until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive oil and of honey, so that you may live and not die. And do not listen to Hezekiah, when he persuades you, saying, “The LORD will deliver us.” 33 Has any of the gods of the nations ever delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 34 Where are the gods of Hamath and of Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? Have they delivered Samaria out of my hands? 35 Among all the gods of the countries, who are those who have delivered

5 So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah. 6 And Isaiah said to them, “Thus shall you say to your master: Thus says the LORD, ‘Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. 7 Look, I will put a spirit in him, and he will hear a report and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.’”

8 So Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah, for he had heard that he had departed from Lachish.

9 And when the king heard a report about

made with Egypt (vs 21,24), or in God (v 22). And he tried to convince them it was God’s will for them to surrender (v 25). 18:27-35 The commander continued his attempt to destroy the people’s confidence in both God and Hezekiah. He knew that if they surrendered their confidence they would surrender the city. This was what is known in our day as psychological warfare. He put the choice before them – complete famine (v 27) or plenty (v 31), death or life (v 32). He tried to convince them that Jehovah was as weak and useless as the gods of other nations Assyria had trampled on. And he emphasized the might of the Assyrians (the most powerful nation in the world at that time). 18:36 The people did not forsake their confidence. 18:37 “Clothes torn” – a symbol of great

agitation (Gen 37:34; 2 Sam 13:3; Job 2:12). 19:1-35 2 Chron 21:1-21; Isa 37:1-38. 19:1 6:30; Gen 37:34; 1 Kings 21:27; Est 4:1. 19:2 “Isaiah” – the first mention in the Bible of one of the greatest of all the prophets and the author of the book which bears his name. 19:3 “No strength to deliver them” – words which indicate pain, weakness, and crisis. 19:4 “Reproach” – 1 Sam 17:26,36,45. “Living God” – Deut 5:26; Josh 3:10; 1 Sam 17:26; Ps 42:2; Jer 10:10. “Remnant” – Isa 1:9; 10:20; 11:11. 19:6 “Afraid” – Gen 15:1; Ex 14:13,14; Josh 1:9. If men fear God they need not fear men (Matt 10:26-31). 19:7 Prov 21:1; 19:21. 19:9 Verse 7.

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Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, “Look, he has come out to fight against you,” he again sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying, 10 “Thus shall you speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Do not let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you, saying, ‘Jerusalem will not be delivered into the hands of the king of Assyria.’ 11 Look, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, utterly destroying them. And will you be delivered? 12 Have the gods of the nations delivered those which my fathers destroyed, Gozan, and Haran and Rezeph, and the children of Eden who were in Thelasar? 13 Where is the king of Hamath and the king of Arpad and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena and Ivah?”

and laughs you to scorn. The daughter of Jerusalem shakes her

head at you. 22 Whom have you reproached and blasphemed? And against whom have you raised

your voice, and lifted up your eyes on high? Against the Holy One of Israel. 23 Through your messengers you have reproached the Lord, and have said, “With my many chariots I have come

up to the height of the mountains,

to the sides of Lebanon, and I cut down its tall cedar trees and

14 And Hezekiah received the letter from the hands of the messengers and read it, and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD and spread it before the LORD. 15 And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD and said, “O LORD God of Israel, who dwells between the cherubim, you are God of all the kingdoms of the earth, you alone. You have made heaven and earth. 16 LORD, incline your ear, and hear. LORD, open your eyes and see, and hear the words Sennacherib has sent him to reproach the living God.

its choice fir trees, and I entered its most distant lodgings,

and its finest forest. 24 I have dug and drunk foreign water, and with the soles of my feet I have

dried up all the rivers of besieged

places.”

25 ‘The LORD says, Did you not heard long ago how I have

done it, and in ancient times that I have formed

17 “It is true, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, 18 and have thrown their gods into the fire. For they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. Therefore they have destroyed them. 19 Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beg you, save us out of his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you are the LORD God, you only.”

this plan ? Now I have carried it out, so that you

would be for turning fortified

cities into heaps of ruins. 26 Therefore their inhabitants had little power. They were dismayed and disgraced. They were like the grass of the field,

and like the green plant, like the grass on the housetops, and like grain blasted before it

20 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent word to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘I have heard what you have prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria.’ 21 This is the word that the LORD has spoken concerning him:

has grown up. 27 But I know your dwelling place, and your going out and your coming in, and your rage against me.

‘The virgin daughter of Zion despises you,

19:10-13 18:30-35. 19:15 “Cherubim” – Ex 25:22; Ps 80:1; 99:1. “You alone” – Isa 43:10; 44:6; 45:5,21. Jehovah God was sovereign over Assyria also, though the Assyrians did not know it. 19:16 “Reproach” – v 4. 19:18 Ps 115:4; Isa 44:9-20; Jer 10:3-5; Acts 17:29. 19:19 Ex 9:16; Josh 4:24; 1 Sam 17:46; 1 Kings 8:42,43; Ps 83:18. 19:20 “I have heard” – 20:5. Hezekiah was the kind of man God listened to, and his prayers were of the kind God could answer. If we want God to hear our prayers we must live in a way that is pleasing to God. 19:21 “Virgin daughter” – Isa 47:1; Jer

14:17; 18:13; 46:11; Lam 2:13. 19:22 “Reproached” – vs 4-6. “Holy One of Israel” – a phrase very common in Isaiah. See Isa 1:4. 19:23,24 Here is the pride and arrogance so common in worldly rulers and so hateful to God – Prov 3:34; 6:16,17; Isa 2:10-18. Concerning the pride of Assyria see Isa 10:12. 19:25 “I have carried it out” – the Assyrians thought they had accomplished their victories by their own military power and skill. Actually they were like a mere rod in God’s hand to accomplish His purposes (Isa 10:5,6,13-15). Compare Isa 45:1; Jer 51:20-23. 19:26 Ps 37:2; 129:6. 19:27 Ps 139:2,3; Heb 4:13.

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28 Because your rage against me and your arrogance have come up into

34 For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.’”

my ears, I will put my hook in your nose, and my bridle in your mouth, and I will turn you back on the road

35 And it came about that night, that the angel of the LORD went out and struck down a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians. And when the people arose early in the morning, there were all the dead bodies! 36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed. He set out and returned, and lived at Nineveh.

by which you came.’

29 “And this will be a sign to you, Hezekiah: This year you will eat what grows by

itself, and in the second year what springs

37 And it happened that as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword, and escaped into the land of Armenia. And his son Esarhaddon reigned in his place.

from it, and in the third year sow and reap and

plant vineyards and eat its fruits. 30 And the remnant of the house of Judah that has escaped will once again

In those days Hezekiah became sick and was near death. And the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, came to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Set your house in order, for you are going to die and not live.’”

take root downward, and bear fruit upward. 31 For out of Jerusalem a remnant will go out, and those who escape will go out of

2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the LORD, saying, 3 “I beg you, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before you in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

Mount Zion. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will

do this.

32 “Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria:

4 And it so happened that before Isaiah had gone out into the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 5 “Turn back and tell Hezekiah the leader of my people: ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of your father David: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears. Now I will heal you. On the third day you will go up to the house of the LORD. 6 And I will add fifteen years to your days. And I will deliver you and this city

‘He will not come into this city, or shoot an arrow there, or come before it with shield, or throw up an embankment against it. 33 He will return by the way that he came, and will not come into this city,

says the LORD.

God answered (v 20; 20:5). Let us strive to be like them in faith and in faithfulness. 19:35 “Angel of the LORD” – note at Gen 16:7. To punish one nation for its sins God may use the armies of another nation, but He does not need to use that means. See Isa 31:8. Compare Ex 12:29; 2 Sam 24:16; Rev 19:15,19-21. 19:36 “Departed” – vs 7,28. Once again God’s Word was completely fulfilled.

19:28 19:33,36; Ezek 19:9; 29:4; 38:4. God can do just as He pleases with any nation or army on earth (Dan 4:34,35). 19:29 Evidently the Assyrians had taken the harvest from the fields of Judah or destroyed it. The promise to Hezekiah is that in the third year both the Assyrians and the effects of their invasion would be gone. 19:30 “Remnant” – v 4. Even in the most perilous of times, even in the most apostate of conditions, God always keeps some people for Himself. 19:31 “Zeal of the LORD” – Isa 9:7; 26:11; 42:13; 59:17; 63:15. 19:32-34 God Himself, in His zeal for His people, would defend Jerusalem. This is what preserved the city, not Hezekiah’s acts of 18:13-15. 19:34 “Defend” – if God is our defense what is there to fear (Rom 8:31; Heb 13:6)?

“Nineveh” – the capital of Assyria. 19:37 “His sons” – this was the end of the mighty monarch who dared to insult and blaspheme the true God (vs 22,23). 20:1-21 2 Chron 32:24-33; Isa 38:1-39:8. 20:3 18:3-6. Compare Neh 5:19; 13:14,22; Ps 18:23-26. 20:4 “Word of the LORD came” – Jer 1:2; Ezek 1:3; Jonah 1:1; Hag 1:1; Zech 1:1; etc. 20:5 “I have heard” – 19:20; Ps 39:12; 56:8; 65:2. “Heal” – Ex 15:26; 1 Sam 2:6; Ps 103:3. 20:6 “I will deliver” – these words seem to

“David’s sake” – 1 Kings 11:13,36; 15:4. David was the kind of man whom God wanted to do things for, even after his death. Hezekiah was the kind of man whose prayers

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from the hands of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.’”

And Hezekiah said, “They came from a far country, from Babylon.”

15 And he said, “What did they see in your house?”

7 And Isaiah said, “Take a lump of figs.” And they took it and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.

And Hezekiah answered, “They saw everything that is in my house. There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them.”

8 And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What is the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I will go up to the house of the LORD on the third day?”

16 And Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD. 17 ‘See, the days are coming that all that is in your house, and what your fathers have stored up to this day, will be carried into Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD. 18 And some of your sons, your own offspring who will be born to you, will be taken away by them, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’”

9 And Isaiah said, “This is the sign you have from the LORD, that the LORD will do what he has spoken: Shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go backward ten degrees?”

10 And Hezekiah answered, “It is an easy thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees. No, but let the shadow go backward ten degrees.”

11 And Isaiah the prophet cried out to the LORD, and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, from which it had gone down in the sundial of Ahaz.

19 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good.” And he said, “Is it not good, if there are peace and truth in my days?”

12 At that time Berodach Baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. 13 And Hezekiah listened to them, and showed them all his treasure house, the silver and the gold and the spices and the valuable oil, and his armoury, and all that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house, or in all his dominion, that Hezekiah did not show them.

20 And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and all his might, and how he made a pool and a channel and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Judah? 21 And Hezekiah slept with his ancestors, and his son Manasseh reigned in his stead.

Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hephzibah. 2 And he did what was evil in the sight

14 Then Isaiah the prophet came to king Hezekiah and said to him, “What did these men say? And where did they come from to you?”

indicate that Hezekiah’s illness and recovery preceded the events of the previous chapter. It appears that if Hezekiah’s life had not been lengthened, he would not have been alive when Sennacherib’s army came against Jerusalem. Also Manasseh, Judah’s worst king, would never have been born (20:1). When God acts in answer to man’s prayers it can have a profound effect on later events. 20:7 “Lump of figs” – God said He would heal Hezekiah. But God’s prophet did not think that this excluded the use of human means of healing. God may use human remedies and medicines in His work of healing, though He is in no way dependent on them, and He may heal directly and altogether miraculously when He wishes. 20:8 “Sign” – note on signs at Isa 7:10,11. God did not rebuke Hezekiah for asking for a sign, but gave him one. See also Judges 6:17,36-40. 20:10 Isa 38:8. This “sundial” was probably the stairway of Ahaz, constructed in such a way that it revealed the time of day. As the sun’s position in the sky moves to the west, shadows cast by things on earth naturally lengthen toward the east. For the shadows to shorten would have been contrary to nature, and, so, miraculous. God, who made the heavens and the earth, has no difficulty

influencing any part He wishes at any time. See Josh 10:12-14. 20:13 “Treasure” – see 18:15. This indicates that the visit of the messengers from Babylon took place before the army of Assyria invaded Judah in 18:13. When the Babylonians came there was still great wealth in Jerusalem, and pride had entered the heart of Hezekiah (2 Chron 32:25-27). 20:17,18 24:12-15; 25:7,13-15; 2 Chron 33:11. “Eunuchs” – this word was sometimes used to mean those who served in a king’s palace whether they were literal eunuchs or not. 20:19 1 Sam 3:18. 20:20 “Annals” – note at 1 Kings 14:19. 20:21 “Slept” – note at 1 Kings 2:10. 21:1-9 2 Chron 33:1-9. Manasseh reigned longer than any other king of Judah, and during the first part of his reign he was the worst of all Judah’s kings. At that time evil came to its dreadful climax in that kingdom. He finally repented (2 Chron 33:10-16), but his repentance could not undo all the evil he had done. 21:1 “Twelve” – if God had not added 15 years to Hezekiah’s life (20:6), Manasseh would not have been born. 21:2 Instead of following his father, he

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of the LORD, following the abominations of the nations whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel. 3 For he rebuilt the high places which his father Hezekiah had destroyed, and he raised up altars for Baal, and made a grove, like Ahab king of Israel did, and he worshipped all the starry host of heaven and served them. 4 And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, “In Jerusalem I will put my name.” 5 And he built altars for all the starry host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. 6 And he made his son pass through the fire, and practiced witchcraft, and used divination, and had dealings with spiritists and mediums. He did much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger.

Jerusalem the measuring line of Samaria, and the plumb line of the house of Ahab, and I will wipe Jerusalem like a man wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. 14 And I will forsake the remnant of my inheritance, and deliver them into the hands of their enemies; and they will become a prey and plunder to all their enemies, 15 because they have done what is evil in my sight and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came out of Egypt to this day.”

16 Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood until he filled Jerusalem from one end to the other, besides his sin with which he caused Judah to sin, doing what was evil in the sight of the LORD.

17 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh and all that he did, and his sin that he committed, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Judah? 18 And Manasseh slept with his ancestors, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza; and his son Amon reigned in his stead.

7 And a carved image of Asherah that he had made, he set up in the temple of which the LORD said to David and to his son Solomon, “I will put my name forever in this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel. 8 Nor will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers, if only they will be careful to do all that I have commanded them, and in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.” 9 But they did not listen, and Manasseh led them astray to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel.

19 Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Meshullemeth; she was the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. 20 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done. 21 And he walked in all the way in which his father walked, and served the idols that his father served and worshipped them, 22 and he forsook the LORD God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of the LORD.

10 And the LORD spoke by his servants the prophets, saying, 11 “Because Manasseh king of Judah has done these abominations, and has acted more wickedly than all the Amorites who were before him, and has also caused Judah to sin with his idols, 12 thus says the LORD God of Israel: See, I am going to bring such a disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that both ears of whoever hears of it will tingle. 13 And I will stretch over

23 And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and killed the king in his own house. 24 And the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against king Amon, and the people of the land made his son Josiah king in his place.

25 Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he

followed his grandfather (16:3). 21:3 “High places” – 18:4; note at 1 Kings 3:2. “Baal” – note at Jud 2:11. “A grove” – or “Asherah pole” – Jud 3:7.

21:11 “Amorites” – Gen 15:16; 1 Kings 21:26. 21:12 Jer 15:4; 19:3; Hab 1:5. 21:13 22:16-19; Isa 34:11; Amos 7:7-9,17. “Measuring line” – here this means preparing them for destruction. 21:14 “I will forsake” – that is, He would not defend them from punishment (Jer 6:9). He did not, and will never, forsake the remnant of His people permanently (Isa 54:6-8). 21:15 “Egypt” – see Deut 9:24; Jud 2:1023; 2 Kings 17:7-17. 21:16 24:3,4. After all that, was it possible for Manasseh to repent, turn to the Lord and be saved? See 2 Chron 33:11-16. 21:17 “Annals” – 1 Kings 14:19. 21:18 “Slept” – 1 Kings 2:10. 21:19-24 2 Chron 23:21-25. 21:22 He followed his father’s evil ways, but not his good ways which Manasseh displayed after his repentance.

“Ahab” – 1 Kings 16:30-33. “Host” – Deut 17:2-5; 1 Kings 17:16. 21:4 “Name” – 2 Sam 7:13; 1 Kings 8:29; 9:3. 21:5 23:4,5,12. Compare Ezek 8:5-18. 21:6 He seemed determined to do everything that God hated and commanded not to be done – Lev 18:21; 19:26,31; 20:2; Deut 18:10-14.

“Through the fire” – note at 16:3. “Anger” – notes at Num 25:3; Ps 90:7-11; etc. 21:7 Deut 16:21. 21:8 2 Sam 7:10. 21:9 “Nations. . .destroyed” – Deut 12:29-31; 31:3; Josh 21:43-45; 24:15.

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did, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Judah? 26 And he was buried in his tomb in the garden of Uzza, and his son Josiah reigned in his stead.

that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hands of the workers who have the oversight of the house of the LORD.” 10 And Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has delivered a book to me.” And Shaphan read it in the king’s presence.

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jedidah. She was the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath. 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of his father David, and did not turn aside to the right or to the left.

11 And it came about that when the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. 12 And the king gave an order to Hilkiah the priest and Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, and Achbor, the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah, a servant of the king, saying, 13 “Go, inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of the LORD that burns against us, because our fathers did not listen to the words of this book, to do according to all that which is written concerning us.”

3 And it came about in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying, 4 “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may count the money which has been brought into the house of the LORD, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people; 5 and let them deliver it into the hands of the workers who have the oversight of the house of the LORD, and let them give it to those who are doing the work which is going on in the house of the LORD, repairing the damaged places in the house, 6 to the carpenters and builders and masons, and to buy timber and cut stone to repair the house. 7 However, no accounting needs to be made with them about the money that was delivered into their hands, because they have dealt faithfully.”

14 So Hilkiah the priest and Ahikam and Achbor and Shaphan and Asahiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the second district), and they spoke with her.

15 And she said to them, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Tell the man who sent you to me, 16 thus says the LORD: See, I will bring disaster on this place and on its inhabitants, according to all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read, 17 because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, provoking me to anger with all the works of their hands. Therefore my wrath will burn against this place, and will not be quenched.’ 18 But you shall say this to the king

8 And Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. 9 And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, bringing word back to the king, and said, “Your servants have collected the money

22:1-20 2 Chron 34:1-28. 22:1 “Josiah” – 1 Kings 13:2. Josiah was one of the best of all Judah’s kings, his father, Amon, one of the worst. Compare 18:1,2. Perhaps Josiah’s mother made all the difference. Her name means “beloved.” 22:2 “David” – 18:3. “Or to the left” – Deut 5:32; Josh 1:7. 22:4 12:4,9,10. The repairs in the reign of Joash had been undertaken about 190 years before. 22:7 12:15. Having honest and faithful men is a great blessing in any work of God, but often it seems that such men are very hard to find. 22:8 “Book of the law” – this phrase usually meant either the entire Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible), or the book of Deuteronomy (Deut 31:24-26; 2 Chron 34:14). 22:11-13 The contents of the book of the law seem to have been new to Josiah. This is an indication of the degraded state into which the nation had sunk and how God’s law was disregarded during the long reign of Manasseh. Josiah, reading the book, is

appalled at the extent of their disobedience. One reason many in Christian circles are not disturbed at their own condition and the condition of the people is ignorance of the Word of God, a lack of spiritual understanding of it. Compare Rom 7:7; etc. When we are enlightened to understand God’s Word, and when we take it seriously, we will see at once how far short of its standards we come. 22:11 “Tore” – 19:1; Gen 37:34; 2 Sam 13:31. 22:12 “Ahikam” – 25:22. 22:13 Lev 26:27,28; Deut 28:20,45-57. Notes on God’s anger at Num 25:3; Ps 90:7-11; etc. 22:14 Other women in the Bible who had the gift of prophecy were Miriam the sister of Moses (Ex 15:20), Deborah (Jud 4:4), Anna (Luke 2:36), and Philip’s daughters (Acts 21:9). Both the prophets Jeremiah and Zephaniah lived during the reign of Josiah. But for some undisclosed reason Hilkiah and the others did not go to either of them. 22:16 See the references given in v 13. 22:17 Deut 29:24-28.

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of Judah who sent you to inquire of the LORD: ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel concerning the words which you have heard, 19 because your heart was tender, and you have humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I have also heard you, says the LORD. 20 Therefore, I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes will not see all the disaster which I will bring on this place.’” And they brought back word to the king.

Judah had ordained to burn incense on the high places in the cities of Judah and in the places around Jerusalem, also those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and to the moon and to the planets, and to all the starry host of heaven. 6 And he brought the Asherah pole from the house of the LORD outside Jerusalem to the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and ground it to powder and threw its ashes on the graves of the children of the people. 7 And he tore down the houses of the male shrine prostitutes that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for Asherah.

8 And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba, and broke down the high places at the gates that were at the entrance of the Gate of Joshua, the governor of the city, which were on a person’s left at the city gate. 9 Nevertheless the priests of the high places did not come up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they ate of the unleavened bread among their brethren.

And the king sent word, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem. 2 And the king went up into the house of the LORD,and with him went all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests and the prophets and all the people, both small and great. And in their hearing he read all the words of the book of the covenant which had been found in the house of the LORD. 3 And the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the LORD, to follow the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people took their stand for the covenant.

10 And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, so that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire to Molech. 11 And he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun, at the entrance of the house of the LORD, by the room of Nathan-Melech, an official, which was in the court, and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire.

4 And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order and the doorkeepers, to bring out of the temple of the LORD all the articles that were made for Baal and for Asherah and for all the starry host of heaven. And he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron and took their ashes to Bethel. 5 And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of

12 And the king broke down the altars that were on the roof of the upper room of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD. And he smashed them there and threw their dust into the brook Kidron. 13 And the king defiled the high places that were before

22:19 A very important spiritual concept is here – 1 Kings 21:29; 2 Chron 7:14; 33:12,13; Ps 51:17; Isa 57:15; 66:2; Matt 18:2,3; Jam 4:6. If we want God to hear us we must humble ourselves and be responsive to His Word – John 15:7. 22:20 20:19; 23:30. 23:2 22:8. 23:3 “Stood by a pillar” – 11:14. “Covenant” – the covenant God made with Israel through Moses – Ex 19:5; 24:3-8; Deut 4:1-6; 5:1-22.

“Hosts” – 17:16; 21:3,5; Deut 17:2-5; Ezek 8:15,16. 23:6 “Asherah” – note at Jud 3:7. 23:7 Note at 1 Kings 14:24. 23:8 “High places” – 18:4; 21:3. 23:10 Lev 18:21; Deut 18:10; 1 Kings 11:5,7; Isa 30:33; Jer 7:31,32; 19:5,6; Ezek 23:37-39.

“Fire” – note at 16:3. 23:11 Sun worship was absolutely forbidden – Deut 4:19. It is called detestable (Deut 17:2-5), which means that the true God hates and despises it. See Rom 1:25. We must worship the Creator, not the things the Creator has made. 23:12 21:5. Though Manasseh repented toward the end of his reign and destroyed some of the places where idolatry had been, it would seem from this that he did not destroy them all. Or else his son Amon restored them. 23:13 See 1 Kings 11:5,7. These had

“Took their stand” – they had done so at other times in their history (Ex 19:8; 24:3,7; Deut 5:27; Josh 24:16-18,21,24; 2 Chron 15:12; 23:16,17. Compare Jer 42:5,6). 23:4 These must have been put there by Josiah’s father Amon (21:21,22). Notes on Baal and Ashtoreth at Jud 2:11; 1 Kings 11:5; 16:31. 23:5 “Idolatrous priests” – compare 1 Kings 12:31; 13:33,34; Hos 10:5; Zeph 1:4. “High places” – 1 Kings 3:22.

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Jerusalem, which were on the right of the Mount of Corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth, the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh, the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom, the abomination of the children of Ammon. 14 And he broke the images in pieces and cut down the groves and filled their places with the bones of men.

priests of the high places who were there on the altars, and burned men’s bones on them, and returned to Jerusalem.

21 And the king commanded all the people, saying, “Keep the Passover to the LORD your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant.” 22 Surely no such Passover was kept from the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah. 23 But in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, this Passover was held before the LORD in Jerusalem.

15 Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin, had made, both that altar and the high place he broke down, and burned the high place and crushed it to powder, and burned the grove. 16 And as Josiah turned around, he saw the tombs that were there in the mountain, and sent men and removed the bones from the tombs, and burned them on the altar and polluted it, according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these words.

24 Moreover Josiah put away the spiritists and the mediums and the images and the idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might carry out the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had found in the house of the LORD. 25 And there was no king like him before him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him.

17 Then he said, “What is that tombstone that I see?” And the men of the city told him, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things that you have done against the altar of Bethel.”

26 Nevertheless the LORD did not turn from the fierceness of his great wrath, his anger which burned against Judah because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked him. 27 And the LORD said, “I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, ‘My name will be there.’”

18 And he said, “Let him alone. Do not let anyone move his bones.” So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet who came out of Samaria.

19 And also all the shrines of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made, provoking the LORD to anger, Josiah took away and did to them just as he had done everything in Bethel. 20 And he killed all the

28 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Judah?

29 In his days Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt went

this does not mean that either of these men was sinless and perfect. 23:26 “Anger” – notes at Num 25:3; Ps 90:7-11.

remained there for three hundred years, through the reigns of even the best of Judah’s kings.

“Milcom” – Molech. 23:14 “Bones” – these would defile those sites. 23:15,16 1 Kings 12:28-33. Josiah thus fulfilled a prophecy uttered nearly three hundred years before – 1 Kings 13:2. 23:17,18 1 Kings 13:1,30-32. 23:20 17:27,28,33,34. These were priests of the apostate religious system that came into existence after the northern kingdom Israel had gone into captivity. 23:21 “Passover” – Ex 12:3; Lev 23:5; Deut 16:2-8; 2 Chron 35:1-19. 23:24 “Spiritists” – Ex 22:18; Lev 19:31; 20:6; Deut 18:10-12; 2 Kings 21:6; Isa 8:19. “Images and idols” – notice that these also are called “abominations.” 23:25 Hezekiah and Josiah are the only two kings of Judah who receive unqualified commendation in the Bible. Hezekiah was highly praised particularly for his faith (18:5), Josiah for his turning to God and for his zeal for the law of Moses. Of course,

“Manasseh” – 21:11-13,15; Jer 15:4. Manasseh repented and was forgiven, but there were consequences of his sins and the sins of the people which they had to bear. Compare 2 Sam 12:10-14. For all the thoroughness of Josiah’s reformation, Judah did not escape the judgment of God. The people outwardly submitted to Josiah’s work of reformation, but they did not take to heart his principles. This is clear from the book of Jeremiah which was written in the days of Josiah and his sons (see Jer 3:6-10). Jehoahaz and Eliakim, Josiah’s sons, both “did evil in the eyes of the Lord” (vs 32,37). 23:27 “Israel” – 17:18-23; 18:11. “Cast off” – but only for a time, not forever (Jer 30:18; 31:38-40).

“My Name” – 1 Kings 8:29; 2 Kings 21:4,7. 23:28 “Annals” – 1 Kings 14:19. 23:29 2 Chron 35:20-27. Assyria was being attacked by Babylon. Egypt went to help Assyria because it feared the rising power

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up to the river Euphrates against the king of Assyria, and king Josiah went against him. And when Neco saw him he killed him at Megiddo. 30 And his servants took his dead body in a chariot from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem and buried him in his own tomb. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz, the son of Josiah, and anointed him and made him king in his father’s place.

his servant for three years. Then he turned and rebelled against him. 2 And the LORD sent against him raiding bands of the Chaldeans and bands of the Syrians and bands of the Moabites and bands of the children of Ammon; and he sent them against Judah to destroy it, in accordance with the word of the LORD which he spoke through his servants the prophets. 3 Surely this came on Judah at the command of the LORD, to remove them out of his sight, because of the sins of Manasseh, for all that he did, 4 and also for the innocent blood that he shed. For he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, which the LORD would not pardon.

31 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal; she was the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 32 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, in everything just as his ancestors had done. 33 And Pharaoh Neco put him in chains at Riblah in the land of Hamath, so that he might not reign in Jerusalem, and he imposed on the land a fine of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. 34 And Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in place of his father Josiah, and changed his name to Jehoiakim, and took Jehoahaz away and went to Egypt, where he died. 35 And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed the land to give the money in accordance with the command of Pharaoh. He exacted the silver and the gold from the people of the land, from each one according to his assessment, to give it to Pharaoh Neco.

5 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Judah? 6 So Jehoiakim slept with his ancestors, and his son Jehoiachin reigned in his place.

7 And the king of Egypt no longer came again out of his land, for the king of Babylon had taken all that had been in the possession of the king of Egypt from the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates.

8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother’s name was Nehushta. She was the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. 9 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, in everything just as his father had done.

36 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Zebudah; she was the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. 37 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, in everything just as his ancestors had done.

10 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. 11 And Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came against the city, and his servants besieged it. 12 And Jehoiachin, the king of Judah, went out to the king of Babylon, he and his mother and his servants and his officials and his officers; and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign. 13 And he carried out

In his days Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came up, and Jehoiakim became

of Babylon. Josiah wanted Babylon to prevail. Babylon did, but this eventually resulted in disaster to Judah. 23:30-34 2 Chron 36:1-4. 23:32 “Ancestors” – not Josiah, but Amon and Manasseh (21:2-7,20-22). 23:33 “Riblah”, “Hamath” – north of Israel in present-day Syria.

God often raised up enemies to punish Israel for its sin.

“Chaldeans” – they were Babylonians (see 25:4). “Prophets” – Isa 39:5-7; Jer 12:7-9; Ezek 23:23-27. 24:3 “Manasseh” – 21:1-16; 23:26,27; Jer 15:3,4. 24:4 21:16. The blood of those godly people cried from the ground for vengeance (compare Gen 4:10), and God could not ignore it. God is merciful and ready, yes, eager, to forgive when men repent and seek Him (Ex 34:6,7; Isa 55:7,8). But the people of Judah did not repent. 24:5 “Annals” – 1 Kings 14:19. 24:6 “Slept” – note at 1 Kings 2:10. “Jehoiachin” – Jer 22:18,19. 24:7 The territory mentioned here was not in Egypt itself but was controlled by Egypt. 24:12 “Eighth year” – 597 B.C.; Jer 24:1; 29:1,2. 24:13 20:17.

“A hundred talents” – one talent was about 34 kilograms. 23:34 Jehoahaz was also called Shallum – Jer 22:11,12; Ezek 19:3,4. 23:36 24:6; 2 Chron 36:5-8. 24:1-20 2 Chron 36:6-16. 24:1 “Nebuchadnezzar” – he was one of the most powerful and famous kings in ancient times. He made Babylon the strongest kingdom in the world of his day, and ruled it for 43 years (605 - 562 B.C.). 24:2 “The LORD sent” – Jer 25:9; 51:20. Compare 2:14; 6:1; 13:1; 1 Kings 11:9,14; 2 Chron 12:1,2; Isa 10:5,6; Hab 1:5,6. Throughout Israel’s history

2 KINGS 24:14 490

from there all the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the articles of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said. 14 And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the officials and all the valiant warriors, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths. No one remained except the poorest people of the land.

the king’s garden, though the Chaldeans were all around the city. And the king went on the way toward the plain. 5 And the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and caught up with him in the plains of Jericho; and all his army scattered from him. 6 So they took the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and they pronounced judgment on him. 7 And they killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with bronze fetters and carried him away to Babylon.

15 And he carried Jehoiachin away to Babylon, and he took into captivity the king’s mother and the king’s wives and his officers and the mighty men of the land, from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16 And the king of Babylon took captive to Babylon all the mighty men, seven thousand in number, and a thousand craftsmen and smiths, all who were strong and fit for war. 17 And the king of Babylon made Jehoiachin’s uncle Mattaniah king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah.

8 And in the fifth month, on the seventh of the month, which was in the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 9 And he burned the house of the LORD and the king’s house and all the houses of Jerusalem. He burned with fire every great man’s house. 10 And the whole army of the Chaldeans, that was with the commander of the guard, broke down the walls of Jerusalem all around. 11 Now Nebuzaradan, the commander of the guard, took away the rest of the people who were left in the city, and the fugitives who had defected to the king of Babylon, with the rest of the population. 12 But the commander of the guard left some of the poor of the land to be vineyard workers and farmers.

18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal. She was the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 19 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, in everything just as Jehoiakim had done. 20 For through the anger of the LORD it came about that until he had cast them out of his presence, in Jerusalem and Judah Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

13 And the Chaldeans broke in pieces the bronze pillars that were in the house of the LORD, and the stands and the bronze sea that was at the house of the LORD, and carried their bronze away to Babylon. 14 And they took away the pots and the shovels and the snuffers and the spoons and all the bronze articles with which the priests ministered. 15 And the commander of the guard took away the firepans and the bowls, and the gold and silver of those things which had gold or silver.

And it came about in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and encamped against it. And they built a siege wall against it all around. 2 And the city was besieged until the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. 3 And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land. 4 And the city was broken through, and all the men of war fled at night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by

16 As for the two pillars, one sea, and the stands which Solomon had made for the house of the LORD, the weight of the bronze of all these articles was beyond measure. 17 The height of one pillar was

24:14 25:12; Jer 24:1; 40:7; 52:28. 24:15 Jer 22:24-28. 24:17 Jer 37:1. 24:18 597-586 B.C. 24:19 23:37. 24:20 “Anger” – 22:13,17; 23:26; 2 Chron 36:16; Jer 21:5. Notes on God’s anger at Num 25:3; Ps 90:7-11; etc. 25:1-21 2 Chron 36:14-20; Jer 39:1-12. January 588 B.C. 25:1 Jer 34:1,2; Ezek 24:2. 25:2 586 B.C. 25:3 “Famine” – Jer 38:2-9; Lam 1:11; 2:20; 4:9,10; 5:10. This is one of the curses God said would come on them if they broke His covenant – Lev 26:26; Deut 28:53-57. 25:4 “Chaldeans” – they were Babylonians.

Chaldea was one of the main areas of the kingdom of Babylon and sometimes the whole kingdom was called by that name.

“The plain” – here means the Jordan valley, called the Arabah in Hebrew. 25:6 23:33; Jer 39:5; 52:9. 25:7 Jer 32:4,5; 34:2,3; 38:18; Ezek 12:13; 17:16. 25:8,9 Jer 17:27; 52:12,13. This was God’s temple, the place He had chosen for His name and presence. But because the people misused it and defiled it He Himself sent the Babylonians to destroy it. 25:10 Neh 1:3. 25:12 24:14; Jer 40:7. 25:13 “Pillars” – 1 Kings 7:15-22. These pillars had stood for 350 years.

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eighteen cubits, and the capital on it was of bronze; and the height of the capital was three cubits; and the woven work and pomegranates all around on the capital were all of bronze. And the second pillar was the same, with woven work.

Seraiah, the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah, the son of a Maachathite, they and their men, came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. 24 And Gedaliah took an oath before them and before their men, and said to them, “Do not be afraid to be the servants of the Chaldeans. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you.”

18 And the commander of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three doorkeepers.

19 And he took from the city an officer who had been appointed over the men of war, and five men of those who had been in the king’s presence, who were found in the city, and the principal scribe of the army, who conscripted the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the city; 20 and Nebuzaradan, the commander of the guard, took these and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 21 And the king of Babylon struck them down and killed them at Riblah in the land of Hamath.

25 But it came about in the seventh month, that Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal line, and ten men with him, came and struck down Gedaliah, killing him and the Jews and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. 26 And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the armies, arose and went to Egypt, for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.

27 And it came about in the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, that Evil Merodach, king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison 28 and spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat more prominent than the seats of the kings who were with him in Babylon, 29 and changed his prison garments. And Jehoiachin ate food regularly in his presence all the days of his life. 30 And as for his allowance, a regular allowance was given him by the king, a portion for each day, all the days of his life.

So Judah was carried away out of their land. 22 And as for the people that remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, ruler over them. 23 And when all the captains of the armies, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah and Johanan, the son of Careah, and

“Sea” – 1 Kings 7:23-26. 25:18-21 Jer 52:24-27. 25:18 “Seraiah” – Ezra 7:1. “Zephaniah” – Jer 21:1; 29:25; 37:3. He was not the prophet of the same name. 25:21 23:27; Lev 26:33; Deut 28:36; Jer 25:8-11. God’s people had been in the land for about 800 years, from the time of Joshua. God removed them from the land because they repeatedly broke His covenant and would not listen to His messengers (2 Chron 36:15-17; Jer 11:1-13). Their history showed that they were a sinful and rebellious people (as, indeed, all men are by nature. See notes at 17:13,19). But this was not the end of their story. Ezekiel, Daniel, and Esther record some of the events which took place during their exile from the

land. Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi (and, of course, the four Gospels and part of Acts) record some of their history when the exile was over. 25:22 Jer 39:14; 40:7. 25:25 Jer 40:13 – 41:15. 25:26 “Egypt” – this happened in spite of Jeremiah’s severe warnings and attempts to prevent it (Jer 41:16 – 43:7). 25:27 “Thirty-seventh year” – about 561 B.C. 25:30 Though God’s people went into exile, they were not completely destroyed, and David’s royal house survived, as God had promised it would (2 Sam 7:14-16). For a reason why Jehoiachin (and other exiles from Judah) found some kindness in Babylon see 1 Kings 8:50; Ps 106:46.

1 CHRONICLES

Title:

In the Hebrew Bible 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles were a single book. Jewish scholars divided them into two when they translated the Old Testament into Greek.

Author and date:

According to ancient Jewish tradition Ezra wrote both books of Chronicles, as well as Ezra and Nehemiah. These books were written probably between 450 and 430 BC.

Themes:

Genealogies tracing the origins of the people of Israel back to Abraham, Noah, and Adam. Most of this book gives events in the life of king David. In this way it can be compared with 2 Samuel. But this book emphasizes the greatness of David and has little to say about his sins and the punishment that came to him because of them. The story of his sin with Bathsheba is omitted; also the account of Absalom’s rebellion. This book teaches that the true glory of the Jewish nation could be found only in its relationship with Jehovah God. Obeying the one true God is the key to success and blessing.

Contents:

Genealogies from Adam to David.................................................................... 1:1 - 9:44

From Adam to Jacob’s sons ....................................................................... 1:1-54 Jacob’s 12 sons ....................................................................................... 2:1,2 Judah’s descendants................................................................................ 2:3 - 4:21 Jabez’s prayer ........................................................................................ 4:9,10 Simeon’s descendants .............................................................................. 24-43 Descendants of Reuben, Gad, Manasseh.................................................. 5:1-26 Levi’s descendants................................................................................... 6:1-80 Descendants of Issachar, Benjamin, Naphtali,

Manasseh, Ephraim, Asher ................................................................... 7:1-40 Benjamin’s descendants to Saul and his sons ............................................... 8:1-40 Jews who settled in Jerusalem after the exile in Babylon .............................. 9:1-34 Saul’s genealogy ..................................................................................... 9:35-44 The death of Saul ........................................................................................ 10:1-14 David becomes king ...................................................................................... 11:1-3 David conquers Jerusalem ............................................................................. 11:4-9 David’s mighty warriors ................................................................................. 11:10-47 David’s men who joined him in the desert ........................................................ 12:1-22 Those who joined David in Hebron ................................................................. 12:23-40 David tries to bring back the ark, Uzzah’s death ............................................... 13:1-14 David in Jerusalem ....................................................................................... 14:1-7 David defeats the Philistines .......................................................................... 14:8-17 David brings the ark to Jerusalem .................................................................. 15:1 - 16:6 David’s song of praise................................................................................... 16:7-36 God’s covenant with David ............................................................................ 17:1-15 David’s prayer ............................................................................................. 17:16-27 David’s conquests ........................................................................................ chapters 18-20 David’s sin in ordering a census ...................................................................... 21:1-8 The consequences of David’s sin .................................................................... 21:8-17 Stopping the sword of God’s angel ................................................................. 21:18-30 Preparations for building the temple ............................................................... 22:2-19

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The families of the Levites and their work ....................................................... 23:1-32 The divisions of the priests ............................................................................ 24:1-19 The singers for temple worship ...................................................................... 25:1-31 The gatekeepers of the temple ...................................................................... 26:1-19 Various officials ............................................................................................ 26:20-32 The army and its officers .............................................................................. 27:1-15 Other officers .............................................................................................. 27:16-34 David’s plans for the temple .......................................................................... 28:1-21 Gifts for the temple ...................................................................................... 29:1-9 David’s prayer ............................................................................................. 29:10-19 Solomon established as king .......................................................................... 29:21-25 The death of David ...................................................................................... 29:26-30

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Adam, Seth, Enosh, 2 Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered, 3 Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, 4 Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth. 5 The sons of Japheth: Gomer and Magog and Madai and Javan and Tubal and Meshech and Tiras. 6 And the sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz and Riphath and Togarmah. 7 And the sons of Javan: Elishah and Tarshish, Kittim and Dodanim.

are the sons of Ishmael. 32 Now the sons of Keturah, Abraham’s concubine: she bore Zimran and Jokshan and Medan and Midian and Ishbak and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan. 33 And the sons of Midian: Ephah and Epher and Hanoch and Abida and Eldaah. All these are the sons of Keturah.

34 And Abraham begot Isaac. The sons of Isaac: Esau and Israel. 35 The sons of Esau: Eliphaz, Reuel and Jeush and Jaalam and Korah. 36 The sons of Eliphaz: Teman and Omar, Zephi and Gatam, Kenaz and Timna and Amalek. 37 The sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.

8 The sons of Ham: Cush and Mizraim, Put and Canaan. 9 And the sons of Cush: Seba and Havilah and Sabta and Raamah and Sabtecha. And the sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan. 10 And Cush begot Nimrod. He began to be mighty on the earth. 11 And Mizraim begot Ludim and Anamim and Lehabim and Naphtuhim 12 and Pathrusim and Casluhim (of whom came the Philistines) and Caphthorim. 13 And Canaan begot Sidon, his firstborn, and Heth, 14 and the Jebusite and the Amorite and the Girgashite, 15 and the Hivite and the Arkite and the Sinite 16 and the Arvadite and the Zemarite and the Hamathite.

38 And the sons of Seir: Lotan and Shobal and Zibeon and Anah and Dishon and Ezar and Dishan. 39 And the sons of Lotan: Hori and Homam; and Timna was Lotan’s sister. 40 The sons of Shobal: Alian and Manahath and Ebal, Shephi and Onam. And the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. 41 The sons of Anah: Dishon. And the sons of Dishon: Amram and Eshban and Ithran and Cheran. 42 The sons of Ezer: Bilhan and Zavan and Jakan. The sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.

7 The sons of Shem: Elam and Asshur and Arphaxad and Lud and Aram and Uz and Hul and Gether and Meshech. 18 And Arphaxad begot Shelah, and Shelah begot Eber. 19 And to Eber were born two sons; the name of one was Peleg, because in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan. 20 And Joktan begot Almodad and Sheleph and Hazarmaveth and Jerah 21 and Hadoram and Uzal and Diklah 22 and Ebal and Abimael and Sheba 23 and Ophir and Havilah and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan.

43 Now these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the children of Israel: Bela, the son of Beor (and the name of his city was Dinhabah); 44 and when Bela died, Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his place. 45 And when Jobab died, Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. 46 And when Husham died, Hadad, the son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his place; and the name of his city was Avith. 47 And when Hadad died, Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place. 48 And when Samlah died, Shaul of Rehoboth by the River reigned in his place. 49 And when Shaul died, Baal-Hanan, the son of Achbor, reigned in his place. 50 And when Baal-Hanan died, Hadad reigned in his place; and the name of his city was Pai; and his wife’s name was Mehetabel. She

24 Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah, 25 Eber, Peleg, Reu, 26 Serug, Nahor, Terah, 27 Abram (he is Abraham).

28 The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael. 29 These are their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth; then Kedar and Adbeel and Mibsam, 30 Mishma and Dumah, Massa, Hadad and Tema, 31 Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These

1:1 Chapters 1-9 contain the most extensive genealogical records in the Bible. They show that the individuals of the Bible were rooted in history, were not characters of myths and legends, or born only in the brains of poets. They gave the people of God, returned from captivity in Babylon (9:1,2), a link with their past. They could see, almost at a glance, an outline of history from the first man on earth to the captivity, and God’s continuing purpose with them, His chosen people. 1:1-53 These genealogies are based on those in the book of Genesis – Gen 5:1-32; 10:1-32; 11:10-32; 25:1-26; 36:1-43. 1:1 Cain and Abel are not mentioned. The author traces the descendants of Seth only, because the nation Israel came from that line. 1:5 “Sons” – in Hebrew usage sons may

mean literal sons, or grandsons, or descendants, or successors, or even peoples. 1:8 “Mizraim” – Egypt. 1:10 “Begot” – in Hebrew usage this may not always mean “became the father of”, but can mean “became the grandfather of” or “became the ancestor of”, etc. 1:19 “Peleg” – the name means “division.” 1:27 Gen 11:26. From here on only the genealogies of the descendants of Abraham are given. 1:32 Gen 25:1. 1:34 “Israel” – Gen 25:24-26; 32:27,28. 1:43 “Edom” – Gen 25:30; Edom became the name of the land settled by Esau’s descendants. Often in their history they showed their hostility to the nation of Israel. 1:48 “The River” – the Euphrates.

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was the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab. 51 Hadad also died.

him Segub. 22 And Segub begot Jair, who had twenty-three cities in the land of Gilead. 23 And he took Geshur and Aram, with the towns of Jair, from them, with Kenath, and its towns, sixty cities. All these belonged to the sons of Machir, the father of Gilead. 24 And after Hezron died in CalebEphratah, Abiah, Hezron’s wife, bore him Ashur, the father of Tekoa.

And the dukes of Edom were duke Timnah, duke Aliah, duke Jetheth, 52 duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon, 53 duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar, 54 duke Magdiel, duke Iram. These are the dukes of Edom.

These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, 2 Dan, Joseph, and Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

25 And the sons of Jerahmeel, the firstborn of Hezron, were Ram the firstborn, and Bunah and Oren and Ozem and Ahijah. 26 Jerahmeel also had another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam. 27 And the sons of Ram, the firstborn of Jerahmeel, were Maaz and Jamin and Eker. 28 And the sons of Onam were Shammai and Jada. And the sons of Shammai: Nadab and Abishur. 29 And the name of the wife of Abishur was Abihail, and she bore him Ahban and Molid. 30 And the sons of Nadab: Seled and Appaim. But Seled died without children. 31 And the son of Appaim: Ishi. And the sons of Ishi: Sheshan, and the child of Sheshan, Ahlai. 32 And the sons of Jada, the brother of Shammai: Jether and Jonathan; and Jether died without children. 33 And the sons of Jonathan: Peleth and Zaza. These were the sons of Jerahmeel. 34 Now Sheshan had no sons, but daughters. And Sheshan had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Jarha. 35 And Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant as his wife, and she bore him Attai. 36 And Attai begot Nathan, and Nathan begot Zabad, 37 and Zabad begot Ephlal, and Ephlal begot Obed, 38 and Obed begot Jehu, and Jehu begot Azariah, 39 and Azariah begot Helez, and Helez begot Eleasah, 40 and Eleasah begot Sisamai, and Sisamai begot Shallum, 41 and Shallum begot Jekamiah, and Jekamiah begot Elishama.

3 The sons of Judah: Er and Onan and Shelah. These three were born to him of the daughter of Shua the Canaanitess. And Er, the firstborn of Judah, was evil in the sight of the LORD; and he put him to death. 4 And Tamar, his daughter-in-law bore him Pharez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five.

5 The sons of Pharez: Hezron and Hamul. 6 And the sons of Zerah: Zimri and Ethan and Heman and Calcol and Dara; five of them in all. 7 And the sons of Carmi: Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the accursed thing. 8 And the son of Ethan: Azariah. 9 And the sons of Hezron, who were born to him: Jerahmeel and Ram and Chelubai. 10 And Ram begot Amminadab; and Amminadab begot Nahshon, leader of the children of Judah; 11 and Nahshon begot Salma, and Salma begot Boaz, 12 and Boaz begot Obed, and Obed begot Jesse. 13 And Jesse begot his firstborn Eliab, and Abinadab the second, and Shimma the third, 14 Nethaneel the fourth, Raddai the fifth, 15 Ozem the sixth, David the seventh; 16 their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah: Abishai and Joab and Asahel, three. 17 And Abigail bore Amasa; and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmaelite.

18 And Caleb the son of Hezron begot children of Azubah his wife, and of Jerioth; her sons are these: Jesher and Shobab and Ardon. 19 And when Azubah died, Caleb took Ephrath for himself, who bore him Hur. 20 And Hur begot Uri, and Uri begot Bezaleel.

42 Now the sons of Caleb, the brother of Jerahmeel, were Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph, and the sons of Mareshah, the father of Hebron. 43 And the sons of Hebron: Korah and Tappuah and Rekem and Shema. 44 And Shema begot Raham, the father of Jorkoam; and Rekem begot Shammai. 45 And the son of Shammai was Maon; and Maon was the father of Beth-zur. 46 And Ephah, Caleb’s concubine, bore Haran and

21 And afterwards Hezron went in to the daughter of Machir, the father of Gilead, whom he married when he was sixty years old; and she bore

2:1-2 Gen 35:23-26. In the following genealogies Zebulun and Dan are omitted. Judah is put first though he was the fourth son of Israel. 2:3-4 Gen 38:3-7; 29:30; Num 26:19-20. 2:5 Gen 46:12; Num 26:21. 2:6-8 Josh 7:1; 1 Kings 4:31. “Achar” (v 7) – the word means “disaster.” Achar is called Achan in Joshua 7:1, etc. 2:9 “Chelubai” – the same person as Caleb. 2:10 “Ram” – of course this name has no connection with any in India. It is from a

Hebrew word meaning “high” or “exalted.” 2:11,12 Ruth 4:19-22. “Salma” – a variant of Salmon. 2:16 2 Sam 2:18. 2:17 2 Sam 17:25. 2:20 “Bezalel” – Ex 31:2-11. 2:23 Num 32:41; Deut 3:14. “The towns of Jair” – in Hebrew “Havvoth-Jair.” 2:24 “Father” – here may mean political, civic, or military leader (also in vs 42,45, 49-52 and possibly elsewhere). 2:33 “Jerahmeel” – 1 Sam 27:10; 30:27-29.

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Moza and Gazez; and Haran begot Gazez. 47 And the sons of Jahdai: Regem and Jotham and Gesham and Pelet and Ephah and Shaaph. 48 Maachah, Caleb’s concubine, bore Sheber and Tirhanah. 49 She also bore Shaaph, the father of Madmannah, Sheva, the father of Machbenah, and the father of Gibea; and the daughter of Caleb was Achsa.

Eliphelet, nine. 9 These were all the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines; and Tamar was their sister.

10 And Solomon’s son was Rehoboam, Abia his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, 11 Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son, 12 Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son, 13 Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son, 14 Amon his son, Josiah his son. 15 And the sons of Josiah were the firstborn Johanan, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum.

50 These were the sons of Caleb, the son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah: Shobal, the father of Kirjath Jearim, 51 Salma, the father of Bethlehem, Hareph, the father of Beth-Gader. 52 And Shobal, the father of Kirjath Jearim, had sons: Haroeh, and half of the Manahethites. 53 And the families of Kirjath Jearim: the Ithrites and the Puhites and the Shumathites and the Mishraites. From them came the Zareathites and the Eshtaulites. 54 The sons of Salma: Bethlehem, and the Netophathites, Ataroth, the house of Joab, and half of the Manahethites, the Zorites. 55 And the families of the scribes who lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These are the Kenites who came from Hemath, the father of the house of Rechab.

16 And the sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son. 17 And the sons of Jeconiah: Assir, Salathiel his son, 18 and Malchiram and Pedaiah and Shenazar, Jecamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. 19 And the sons of Pedaiah were Zerubbabel and Shimei; and the sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam, and Hananiah, and Shelomith their sister; 20 And Hashubah and Ohel and Berechiah and Hasadiah, Jushab-Hesed, five. 21 And the sons of Hananiah: Pelatiah and Jesaiah; the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shechaniah. 22 And the sons of Shechaniah: Shemaiah; and the sons of Shemaiah: Hattush and Igeal and Bariah and Neariah and Shaphat, six. 23 And the sons of Neariah: Elioenai and Hezekiah and Azrikam, three. 24 And the sons of Elioenai were Hodaiah and Eliashib and Pelaiah and Akkub and Johanan and Dalaiah and Anani, seven.

Now these were the sons of David, who were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess; 2 the third, Absalom, the son of Maachah, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah, the son of Haggith; 3 the fifth, Shephatiah by Abital; the sixth, Ithream by his wife Eglah. 4 These six were born to him in Hebron; and there he reigned seven years and six months. And he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-three years. 5 And these were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea and Shobab and Nathan and Solomon, four, by Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel; 6 and Ibhar and Elishama and Eliphelet 7 and Nogah and Nepheg and Japhia 8 and Elishama and Eliada and

The sons of Judah: Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal. 2 And Reaiah, the son of Shobal, begot Jahath; and Jahath begot Ahumai and Lahad. These are the families of the Zorathites. 3 And these were of the father of Etam: Jezreel and Ishma and Idbash; and the name of their sister was Hazelelponi; 4 and Penuel, the father of Gedor,

2:55 “Of the scribes” – or “of the Sopherites” (the Hebrew word which means scribes here could be a proper name).

3:5 “Shimea” – a variant of Shammua. “Bathshua” = “Bathsheba” – 2 Sam 11:15,26,27; 12:24,25. 3:9 “Tamar” – 2 Sam 13:1. 3:11 “Jehoram” – or “Joram.” 3:15 Three sons of Josiah occupied the throne of Judah – Jehoiakim, Zedekiah, and Shallum. Shallum was also called Jehoahaz (2 Kings 23:30-35; Jer 22:11). 3:16 “Jeconiah” – a variant of Jehoiachin (also v 17).

“Kenites” – Num 10:29-32; Jud 1:16; 4:11. “Father of the house of Rechab” – or “father of Beth Rechab” (“beth” means “house” in Hebrew). 3:1-9 2 Sam 3:2-5; 5:13-16; 1 Chron 14:3-7. 3:1 “Daniel” – called Kileab in 2 Sam 3:3. Evidently this second son of David had two names. Daniel means “God is my judge.” It is likely that he died young. There is no mention of him apart from his birth, and later on Absalom, the third son, apparently thought he was next in line for the throne of David.

“Zedekiah”–evidently a different Zedekiah from the one in v 15. 3:17 Of Jehoiachin’s seven sons none became king of Judah. Compare Jer 22:30. 3:19 Ezra 3:2; Neh 12:1; Hag 1:12 say that Zerubbabel’s father was Shealtiel. Possibly Shealtiel died young and Pedaiah married his widow. See Deut 25:5,6. Or possibly Shealtiel had two names. 4:4 “Father” – here may mean either civic,

“Abigail” – 1 Sam 25:42. 3:2 “Absalom” – 2 Samuel chapters 13-18. “Adonijah” – 1 Kings 1:5-10; 2:13-25. 3:4 2 Sam 2:11; 4:4-5.

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