God's First Truth: Tyndale/Rogers






THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS

The Fourth Book of Kings (after the Latin)

The 1st Chapter

Ohoziah the son of Ahab began to reign upon Israel in Samaria, the seventeenth year of Jehosaphat king of Juda, and was king over Israel two year, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nabat which made Israel sin. And he served Baal and bowed himself to him and angered the Lord God of Israel, in all things, as did his father. And the Moabites rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.

And Ohoziah fell through a lattice window out of an upper chamber that he had in Samaria, and fell sick. Then he sent messengers saying unto them: go and enquire of Beelzebub the God of Akaron, whether I shall recover of this disease. But the Angel of the Lord spake to Eliah the Thesbite, up and go against the messengers of the king of Samaria and say unto them: Is it because there is no God in Israel, that ye go to ask through Beelzebub the God of Akaron. Therefore thus saith the Lord: thou shalt not come down from the bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt die. And Eliah departed.

And the messengers turned back again unto him. And he said unto them: why are ye thus come again? And they said unto him there came a man against us and said unto us: go and turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him: Thus saith the Lord. Is it because there is no God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire through Beelzebub the God of Akaron? Therefore thou shalt not come down from the bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And he said to them: what manner a man was that which met you and told you these words? And they said unto him: it was an hairy man and girded with a girdle of a skin about his loins. And he said unto them: it is Eliah the Thesbite.

Then the king sent unto him a captain over fifty with his fifty. And when the captain was come to him, behold: he sat on the top of an hill. And the captain said unto him: man of God, the king biddeth thee come down. And Eliah answered and said to the captain over the fifty: if I be a man of God, fire come down from heaven and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came fire down from heaven and devoured him and his fifty. And the king went again and sent to him another captain over fifty with his fifty, which answered and said unto him: Oh man of God, thus saith the king: make haste and come down. And Eliah answered and said unto them: if I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came fire down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

And the king sent again the third captain over fifty. And when the third captain over fifty was come up to him, he fell on his knees before Eliah and besought him and said unto him: Oh man of God, let my life and the life of these fifty thy servants be precious in thy sight. Behold there came fire down from heaven and burnt up the two fore captains over fifty with their fifties. But let my life now be precious in thy sight. Then said the Angel of the Lord unto Eliah: go down with him, and be not afraid of him. And he went down with him unto the king.

And he said unto the king, thus saith the Lord: for as much as thou sentest messengers to ask through Beelzebub the God of Akaron, as though there had been no God in Israel to ask through his word? therefore thou shalt not come off the bed on which thou art ascended, but shalt surely die. And so he died according to the word of the Lord which Eliah spake, and Jehoram was made king in his stead, the second year of Jehoram son of Jehosaphat king of Juda, because he had no son. The rest of the deeds of Ohoziah which he did, are written in the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

The 2nd Chapter

And it chanced when the Lord would take up Eliah to heaven in a whirlwind, that Eliah and Eliseus were going from Galgal. And Eliah said to Eliseus, tarry here, I pray thee, for the Lord hath sent me to Bethel. But Eliseus said: as surely as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And when they came to Bethel, the children of the Prophets that were at Bethel came out to Eliseus and said to him: knowest thou not how that the Lord will take away thy master from thee this day? And he said, I know it too, hold your peace.

Then said Eliah to Eliseus: tarry here a fellowship, for the Lord hath sent me to Jericho. And he said: as surely as the Lord liveth, and as surely as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee, and so they went to Jericho. And the children of the Prophets that were at Jericho came to Eliseus and said unto him: art thou not ware that the Lord will take away thy master from thee this day? And he answered: I know it also, hold your peace. And Eliah said to him: tarry I pray thee here, for the Lord hath sent me to Jordan. But he said: as surely as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And so they went both of them together. And fifty men of the sons of the Prophets went and stood in sight afar off, as they two stood by Jordan.

And then Eliah took his mantle and wrapped it together and smote the water, and it divided itself, part the one way and part the other, and they two went over on the dry land. And as soon as they were over, Eliah said to Eliseus, ask what I shall do for thee before I be taken away from thee. And Eliseus said: let me, I pray thee, have thy spirit double in me. And he said: thou hast asked a hard thing. Nevertheless if thou see me when I am taken away from thee, thou shalt have it so: if thou do not, it shall not be. And as they went walking and talking: behold, there came a chariot of fire and horses of fire and put them asunder. And Eliah went up in the whirlwind to heaven. And Eliseus saw and cried: O my father, O my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof, and saw him no more: and therefore took his own clothes and rent them in two pieces.

And then he took up the mantle of Eliah that fell from him, and went back again and stood by Jordans side, and took the mantle of Eliah that fell from him, and smote the water and said: where is the Lord God of Eliah where is he? And when he had smitten the water it divided part this way and part that way, and Eliseus went over. And the children of the Prophets of Jericho which saw from afar, said: the spirit of Eliah doth rest on Eliseus, and went against him and bowed to the earth unto him. And they said unto him: see, there be among thy servants fifty lusty men: let them go and seek thy master: happily the spirit of the Lord hath taken him up and cast him upon some mountain or in some valley. And he said: send not. Nevertheless yet they lay upon him, till he was a shamed, and said: send, and they sent fifty men which sought him three days and three nights, but found him not. And they came again to him, for he tarried at Jericho. And he said to them, did I not say unto you that ye should not go?

Then the men of Jericho said to Eliseus: behold the city standeth pleasantly as my Lord saith, but the water is nought and the ground barren. And he said: bring me a new cruse and put salt therein. And they brought it to him. And he went unto the spring of the water and cast the salt in thither, and said thus saith the Lord: I heal this water, there shall not come henceforth either death or barrenness. And the water was healthsome ever after according to the saying of Eliseus which he spake.

And he went from thence up to Bethel. And as he was going up in the way, there came little lads out of the city and mocked him, and said to him: go up thou bald head, go up thou baldhead. And he turned back and looked on them and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came two Bears out of the wood and tare forty two of the boys. And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence went again to Samaria.

The 3rd Chapter

Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign upon Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehosaphat king of Juda, and continued twelve year. And he wrought that was evil in the sight of the Lord: but not like his father or his mother, for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made. Nevertheless he continued in the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nabat which made Israel sin, and shrank not therefrom.

And Mesa king of Moab which was rich of sheep (and was wont to render unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs and as many rams with the wool) rebelled against the king of Israel after the death of Ahab. And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same season, and numbered all Israel. And then went and sent to Jehosaphat king of Juda saying: the king of Moab hath rebelled against me, wilt thou go with me against the Moabites to battle? And he said: I will go, and will be as thou, and my people shall be as thine, and my horses as thine. And he said: what way shall we go? And the other answered: the way through the wilderness of Edom.

And the king of Israel took his journey with the king of Juda and the king of Edom. And when they had compassed the way seven days, there was no water for the host nor for the cattle that they had with them. Then said the king of Israel: Alas, the Lord hath called together these three kings to deliver them into the hands of the Moabites. But Jehosaphat said: is there here no prophet of the Lords, that we may enquire of the Lord by him? And one of the king of Israels servants answered and said: here is Eliseus the son of Saphat which poured water on the hands of Eliah. And Jehosaphat said: the word of the Lord is with him. And so the king of Israel, and Jehosaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

And Eliseus said to the king of Israel: what have I to do with thee? Get thee to the prophets of thy father and of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him: Oh nay, but hath the Lord called these three kings to deliver them into the hands of the Moabites? And Eliseus said, as sure as the Lord of Hosts liveth (in whose sight I stand) and it were not that I regard the presence of Jehosaphat the king of Juda, I would not look toward thee, nor yet see ye. But now bring me a minstrel.

And as the minstrel played, the hand of the Lord was upon him. And he said: thus biddeth the Lord, make this brook full of ditches. For thus saith the Lord: ye shall see neither wind nor rain, and yet this brook shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, and your beasts and your cattle also. And this is yet but a small thing in the sight of the Lord: But he will give the Moabites into your hands also. And ye shall destroy all strong towns and all goodly cities, and shall fall all pleasant trees and stop all the wells of water, and mar all good plots of ground with stones. And in the morning about offering time: there came such a water that way from Edom that the country was filled with water.

And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come to fight against them, they gathered together, from the youngest that was able to put on harness and so upward, and waited in the borders.

And they being up early in the morning, the *son arose and shone upon the water. And when the Moabites saw the water afar off, as red as blood, they said: it is blood, the kings have fought together and one slain another. Now therefore ye Moabites get you to the spoil. And when they came to the Host of Israel, the Israelites stood up and laid on the Moabites, that they fled before them: And so they entered the land and destroyed the Moabites. And they overthrew the cities, and on every good parcel of land, cast every man his stone and over covered it, and stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees. And as long as the stones thereof did remain in the walls of Brick the slingers went upon it and beat it. *son: sonne exactly as it appears in the text, else where sun is written sunne.

And when the king of Moab saw, that the battle was so strong for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew the sword, to have broken up unto the king of Edom. But they could not. And then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the walls. And there came so great wrath upon Israel, that they departed from him and returned to their own land.

The 4th Chapter

And there cried a certain woman of the wives of the children of the prophets unto Eliseus saying: thy servant my husband is dead, and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord.

And the creditor is come to fetch my two sons, to be his bondmen. And Eliseus said to her: What shall I do for thee? Tell me, what hast thou in thine house? And she said thy handmaid hath nothing at all in her house, save a pitcher with oil. And he said: Go and borrow thee in other places, of all thy neighbors, empty vessels and that not a few. And then go and shut the door to thee and to thy sons, and pour out into all those vessels, and put the full always aside.

And she went from him, and shut the door to her and her sons. And they brought to her, and she poured out. And when the vessels were full, she said to her son: bring yet a vessel. And he said: there is no more. And then the oil ceased. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said: go and sell the Oil and pay thy creditor. And live thou and thy children of the rest.

And it fell on a day, that Eliseus came to Sunam, where was a rich woman that took him in for to eat bread. And as oft as he came that way, he turned in thither to eat bread. And she said unto her husband: see, I perceive that the man of God is perfect, and cometh always by us. Let us make him a chamber with a little wall, and let us set him there a bed, a table, a stool and a candlestick, that he may turn in thither, when he cometh to us.

And it fortuned on a time that he came thither and turned into the chamber and lay there. Then he said to Gihezi his servant: call this Sunamite. And he called her, and she came before him. And Eliseus said to him, say to her I pray thee: see, thou hast made all this provision for us, what shall we do for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king or to the captain of the Host?

And she said I dwell among mine own people. Then he said, what is to be done for her? And Gihezi said: Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old. And he said: call her. And he called her. And she came and stood at the door. Then he said: by such a time, as soon as the fruit can live, thou shalt embrace a son, and she said, Oh nay my Lord thou man of God, do not lie unto the handmaid. And the wife conceived and bare a son the same season that Eliseus had said unto her, as soon as the fruit could have life.

And when the lad was great, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father, to the harvest time. And there he complained unto his father, my head, my head. And his father said to a lad, carry him to his mother. And he took him and brought him to his mother. And he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. And she carried him up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door to him, and went out, and came to her husband and said: send me one of the young men and an Ass that I may run to the man of God.

And he said: wherefore wilt thou go to him today, while it is neither new moon nor Sabbath day. And she said: be content. Then she saddled an Ass and said to the lad: lead away and make me not cease riding, until I bid thee.

And so she went and came unto the man of God, to mount Carmel. And when the man of God saw her a far, he said to Gihezi his servant: see, where our servant cometh. Now run against her, and ask her, whether it be all well with her, and with her husband and with the lad. And she said: all is well. Then she went to the man of God up to the hill and caught him by the feet. And Gihezi went to her, to thrust her away. But the man of God said: let her alone, for her soul is vexed, and the Lord hath hid it from me and hath not told it me. Then she said: did I desire a son of my Lord? did I not say, that thou shouldest not bring me in a fools Paradise?

Then he said to Gihezi: gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand and away. If any man meet thee, salute him not. And if any salute thee, answer him not again. And put my staff upon the boy. Notwithstanding the mother of the child said: as sure as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And then he arose and followed her. Gihezi went before them and put the staff upon the lad. But there was neither voice nor attending. And then he went again against his master and told him saying: it hath not awaked the lad.

And when Eliseus was come to the house: Behold, the lad was dead and laid upon his bed. And he went in and shut the door to the lad and him, and prayed unto the Lord. And he went up and lay upon the lad, and put his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes, and the palm of his hands on the palm of his hands, and spread himself upon the lad that the flesh of the child waxed warm. And went again and walked once up and down in the house, and then went up and spread himself upon him. And the lad sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. And he called Gihezi and said: Call for this Sunamite. And he called her. And when she was come to him, he said: take thy son. Then she went and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son and went out. When Eliseus was come to Galgal again, there was a *darth in the land, and the children of the prophets dwelt with him. Then he said to his servant, put on a great pot, and make pottage for the children of the prophets. And one went out into the field, to gather herbs, and found as it were a wild vine, and gathered thereof *Coloquintidaes his lapful, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage, they unwitting. And they poured out for the men to eat. And when they had tasted of the pottage, they cried out and said: there is death in the pot thou man of God, and could not eat thereof. Then he said: bring meal. And he cast it into the pot and said: fill for the people that they may eat, and there was no harm in the pot. *darth: dearth; famine, shortage of food. *Coloquintidaes: unknown, plant? but apparently poisonous.

There came a man from Baalsalisa and brought the man of God bread of first fruits, even twenty leaves of barley, and new corn in a cloth he had. And Eliseus bade put it before the people that they might eat. Then his minister said: what should I set this before an hundred men? And he said: set it before the people and let them eat. For thus saith the Lord: they shall eat and leave.

And he set it before them, and they ate and left, according to the word of the Lord.

The 5th Chapter

Naaman captain of the Host to the king of Siria, was great with his master and well taken:

for through him the Lord saved Siria. And he was an active man, and yet a leper. And there had gone a company of Soldiers out of Siria a running, and had brought out of the country of Israel a little maid, which was with Naamans wife. And the Damsel said unto her lady: I would my master were with a prophet that is in Samaria: he would deliver him of his leprosy. And she went and told her husband saying: thus and thus saith the maid that is out of the land of Israel.

And the king of Siria said: go thy way, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he went and took with him ten talents of silver and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiments. And he brought the letter to the king of Israel containing this tenor: Now when this letter is come up to thee: Behold I have sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou shouldest rid him of his leprosy. And when the king of Israel had read the letter, he rent his clothes and said: am I God, to slay and to make alive, that he should send to me, for to deliver a man from his leprosy. But consider I pray you, and see, how he picketh quarrels with me. And when Eliseus the man of God, heard how that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, he sent to the king saying: wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.

And Naaman came with his horses and his chariot, and stood at the door of Eliseus. Then Eliseus sent a messenger saying: go and wash thee in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee as before, and thou shalt be clean. And Naaman was wroth and went away, and said: Behold, I thought in myself, he would have come out, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and put his hand on the place of the disease, and so take away the leprosy. Are not Abanah and Pharphar, rivers of Damasco, better than all the waters of Israel? Might I not rather wash in them and be clean? And so he turned and departed in an anger. Then came his servants and communed with him and said: Father if the prophet had bid thee done some great thing, oughtest thou not to have done it? How much rather then shouldest thou do it, while he saith to thee only, wash and be clean. Then he went down and washed seven times in Jordan, as the man of God bade, and his flesh changed, like unto the flesh of a little boy, and he was clean.

Then he turned again to the man of God and all his company with him, and came and stood before him and said. Behold I know that there is no God in all the world, but in Israel. And now I pray thee take a blessing of thy servant. But he said as surely as the Lord liveth before whom I stand, I will receive none. And the other would have constrained him to receive: but he would not do it. And Naaman said, if thou wilt not: yet I pray thee, may there not be given to thy servant the burden of two mules of earth. For thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt sacrifice nor offering unto any other God, than to the Lord. But herein the Lord be merciful to thy servant, for when my master goeth into the house of Remon to worship there, he leaneth on mine hand, and I must worship in the house of Remon, let the Lord I pray thee be merciful unto thy servant in this case.

And he said to him: go in peace. And when he was departed from him a furlong of ground, Gihezi the servant of Eliseus the man of God, said: see, my master hath kept off, this Sirian Naaman that he would not receive of his hand that he offered. As surely as the Lord liveth I will run after him and take somewhat. And so Gihezi went after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him coming after him, he came down off the chariot against him, and said: is all well? And he said yee.

But my master hath sent me saying: see, there be two young men come to me out of Ephraim of the children of the prophets: give them I pray thee, one talent of silver and a couple of good garments. And Naaman said: adventure and take two talents of silver in two bags, with two goodly garments: and delivered them unto two of his servants, to bear it before him.

And he went in the dark and took it of their hands and bestowed it in the house, and let the men go, and they departed.

Then he went and stood before his master. And Eliseus said to him: whence cometh Gihezi? And he said: thy servant went no whither. And he said: went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned and came of his chariot against thee?

Is it a time to receive silver and to receive garments, olive trees, vineyards, oxen, sheep, menservants and maidservants? The leprosy therefore of Naaman cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from him a leper as white as snow.

The 6th Chapter

Then said the children of the prophets unto Eliseus: see, the place where we dwell with thee, is too little for us.

Let us there take every man a beam and build us a place there, to dwell in. And he said: go ye. And one said: begin I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he said: I will, and so went with them.

And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. And as one was heaving of a beam, the axe head fell into the water. And he cried out and said: Alas master, for it was lent me. And the man of God said: Where fell it? And he showed him the place. And he cut an helve and cast it in thither, and made the axe head swim. And he said: take it up to thee. And the other stretched his hand and caught it.

And the king of Siria fought against Israel, and took counsel with his servants saying: In such a place and in such a place will I pitch. And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel saying: Beware thou go not by such a place, for there are the Sirians gone down. And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there more than once or twice.

And the heart of the King of Siria was troubled therewith, that he sent for his servants and said to them: will ye not show me which of us telleth the king of Israel? And one of his servants said: nay my Lord king: Eliseus the prophet that is in Israel, he telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy sleeping chamber. Then he said: go and spy where he is that I may send and fetch him. And one told the king saying: see, he is in Dothan. And he sent thither horse and chariots and a great Host. And they came thither by night and compassed the town about.

And when the servant of the men of God rose up early and was gone out: Behold: there was an Host round about the town with horses and chariots. Then said his lad to him: Alas master, what shall we do? And he said: fear not, there are more with us than with them.

And Eliseus prayed and said: Lord open the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Eliseus. And when the soldiers came down to him, Eliseus prayed unto the Lord and said: Smite this people with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the desire of Eliseus.

Then Eliseus said unto them this is not the way, nor this is not the town: But follow me and I will bring you to the man ye seek. And he led them to Samaria.

When they were come to Samaria, Eliseus said: Lord, open their eyes and let them see. And the Lord opened their eyes that they saw. And behold they were in the midst of Samaria. And then said the king of Israel unto Eliseus when he saw them: shall I smite them, shall I smite them father : And he said: smite them not. But smite them thou takest with thine own sword and with thine own bow. But set bread and water before them, and let them eat and drink, and go to their master. And he made great ordinance before them. And when they had eaten and drunk, sent them away, and they went to their master. And so the Soldiers of Siria came no more into the land of Israel.

After this Benhadad king of Siria gathered all the Host, and went and besieged Samaria.

And there arose great dearth in Samaria: for they had besieged it, until an Asses head was worth four score sickles of silver, and the fourth part of a Cab of doves dung worth five sickles. And as the king of Israel walked upon the walls there cried a woman to him, saying: help, my Lord king. And he said: Nay, the Lord help thee. But wherewith should I help thee, with corn or wine?

Then said the king to her: what aileth thee? And she answered: this woman here said to me, bring thy son and let us eat him today, and we will eat mine tomorrow. And so we dressed my son and did eat him. And I said to her another day, bring thy son that we may eat him. But she hath hid her son.

When the king heard the words of the woman, he rent his clothes even as he was walking on the walls. And when the people looked upon him: see, he was clothed in sack under. Then he said: God do so and so to me: if the head of Eliseus the son of Saphat tarry on him this day. And as Eliseus sat in his house and the elders with him, the king sent one from him. But before the messenger came at him, he said to the elders: see you not how the son of this murderer hath sent, to take off mine head? Be circumspect therefore when the messenger cometh, and shut the door, and thrust him back therewith: for the sound of his masters feet followeth him. And while he yet talked with them: Behold the messenger was come unto him. And he said: behold, this evil is of the Lord, what more shall we look for of the Lord.

The 7th Chapter

Then Eliseus said: hear the word of the Lord: for thus saith the Lord: tomorrow this time a bushel of fine flour shall be sold for a sickle and two bushels of Barley for another in the gates of Samaria. Then a great Lord on whose hand the king leaned, answered the man of God and said, though the Lord would make windows in heaven, yet would not this be. And he said again: Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes and shalt not eat thereof.

And there were four lepers set without the gate of Samaria. And they said each to his companion, what sit we here until we die? though we thought that we might come into the city, yet is the dearth so great in the city, that we shall there die. And if we tarry here, we are but dead also. Now therefore come and let us flee to the Host of the Sirians: if they save our lives, we shall live: And if they kill us, then are we dead. And so they arose in the dark to go to the Host of the Sirians. And when they were come to the side of the Host of Siria: see, there was no man there.

For the Lord had made the Host of the Sirians hear a noise of chariots and a noise of horses, and the noise of a great Host. In so much that they said one to another: see, the king of Israel hath hired against us, the kings of the Hethites and the kings of Egypt, to come upon us. And upon that they arose and fled in the dark, and left their tents, their horses, their Asses and the field they had pitched even as it was, and fled for their lives. And when these lepers came to the edge of the Host, they went into a tent and did eat and drink and carried thence silver, gold and raiment, and went and hid it: and came again and entered into another, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.

Then they said one to another: it is not well that we do, for this day is a day to bring tidings. And if we hold our peace, and tarry till it be daylight, we shall find a mischief. Now therefore come, let us go and tell the kings household. And so they went and called to the porter of the city and told them saying: we came to the pavilions of the Sirians: and see, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses and Asses tied, and the tents even as they were.

Then the porters called and told the kings house within. And the king arose in the night and said to his servants: I will show you, how the Sirians have served us. They know that we are oppressed with hunger, and therefore are gone out of their pavilions to hide themselves in the field saying: They will come out of the city, and then we shall catch them alive and get into the city. And one of his servants answered and said: Let men take five of the horses that remain and are left in the city. Behold they are as good as all the multitude that are left in the city: and as good as all the multitude of the city that are consumed, and let us send and see.

And they took two chariots of horses, and the king sent after the Host of the Sirians saying: go and see. And they followed after them even unto Jordan: and see, all the way was full of clothes and vessels which the Sirians had cast from them for haste.

And the messengers returned and told the king. And then the people went out and robbed the tents of the Sirians. And so a bushel of flour was sold for a sickle, and two bushels of barley for a sickle, according to the word of the Lord. And the king set the Lord on whose hand he leaned, to keep the gate. And the people trod him in the gate, that he died, according to the saying of the man of God which he said, when the king came down to him.

And it came to pass according to the word of the man of God to the king saying: two bushels of barley for a sickle and a bushel of flour for another shall be tomorrow this time in the gates of Samaria. And the Lord answered the man of God and said: though the Lord made windows in heaven, yet would this not be. And the other said: Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, and shalt not eat thereof. And so it chanced: for the people trod him under feet in the gate, that he died.

The 8th Chapter

Then spake Eliseus unto the woman whose son he had restored to life again, saying: up and go both thou and thine house, and sojourn where thou thinkest best, for the Lord will call a dearth which shall come on the land seven years. And the woman arose and did after the saying of the man of God, and went both she and her household and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. And at the seven years end, when the woman was come again out of the land of the Philistines she went out to speak to the king for her house and for her land.

And the king was talking with Gihezi the servant to the man of God saying: tell me I pray thee, all the great deeds which Eliseus did. And it chanced as he was telling the king how he restored a dead body to life again that the woman whose son he revived, cried to the king for her house and her land. Then said Gihezi: My Lord king, this is the woman and this is her son which Eliseus brought to life again. And the king asked the woman, and she told him. And so the king sent with her one of his chamberlains saying: restore all that pertaineth to her, with all the fruits of the field, since the day she left the land, unto this time.

After that Eliseus went to Damasco, Benhadad the king of Siria being sick. And one told the king saying: The man of God is come hither. Then said the king to Hazael: take a present with thee and go against the man of God and ask the Lord by him whether I shall recover of this my disease or no. And Hazael went to meet him and took presents with him, even of all the good things of Damasco, as much as forty Camels could bear, and came and presented himself before him and said: thy son Benhadad King of Siria hath sent me to thee, saying: shall I recover of this my disease.

And Eliseus said to him: go and say to him, thou shalt recover, how be it the Lord hath showed me that he shall surely die. And the man of God began to look earnestly, in somuch that he was ashamed: and the man of God wept. And Hazael said: why weepeth my Lord: And he answered: for I know that thou shalt do evil unto the children of Israel: their strong cities thou shalt set on fire, and their young men thou shalt slay with the sword, and shalt dash out the brains of their sucking children: and all to tear their women with child.

And Hazael said: what is thy servant which am but a dog, that I should do this great thing? And Eliseus said: for the Lord hath showed me, that thou shalt be king of Siria. And so he departed from Eliseus and came to his master, which said to him. What said Eliseus to thee? And he said: he told me that thou shouldest recover. And on the morrow he took a rough cloth and dipped it in the water and spread it on his face, and he died, and Hazael reigned in his stead.

The fifth year of Jehoram son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehosaphat being yet king of Juda, Jehoram the son of Jehosaphat, king of Juda, began to reign. Thirty two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab for the daughter of Ahab was his wife, and he did that displeased the Lord.

Neverthelater the Lord would not destroy Juda because of David his servant, as he promised him to give him a light in his children always.

And in his days Edom fell away from under the hand of Juda, and made them a king of their own. And Jehoram went to Seir, and all his chariots with him. And he rose by night and laid on the Edomites, which compassed him in, and the captains of his chariot and the people fled into their tents. And so the Edomites slipped away from under the hand of Juda unto this day. And then Lobnah slipped away too, even that same time.

The rest of the deeds of Jehoram and all he did, are written in the chronicles of the kings of Juda. And Jehoram rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Ohoziah his son reigned in his stead. The twelfth year of Jehoram son of Ahab, king of Israel, did Ohoziah the son of Jehoram king of Juda begin to reign.

Two and twenty year old was Ohoziah when he began to reign, and reigned one year in Jerusalem, his mothers name was Athaliah daughter of Amri king of Israel. And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab: for he was a son in law to the house of Ahab.

And Jehoram the son of Ahab went to war with Hazael king of Siria, at Ramoth in Galaad, and the Sirians wounded him. Wherefore king Jehoram went back again, to be healed in Jezrahel of the wounds which the Sirians had given him at Ramoth, when he fought with Hazael king of Siria. And Ohoziah the son of Jehoram king of Juda went down to see Jehoram of son of Ahab in Jezrahel because he was sick.

The 9th Chapter

And Eliseus the prophet called unto one of the children of the prophets, and said to him: gird up thy loins and take this box of oil in thine hand and get thee to Ramoth in Galaad. And when thou comest thither, thou shalt there see Jehu the son of Jehosaphat the son of Namsi and go to him, and make him arise up from among his brethren and carry him to a secret chamber. And take the box of oil and pour it on his head and say, thus saith the Lord: I have anointed thee to be king over Israel. And then open the door and flee, and tarry not. And the servant of the prophet got him to Ramoth in Galaad, and when he came, the captains of the Host were sitting together. And he said: I have an errand to thee Sir captain. And Jehu said, unto which of all of us? And he said: to thee O captain. And he arose and went into the house.

And the other poured the oil on his head and said to him, thus saith the Lord God of Israel: I have anointed thee to be king over Israel the people of the Lord, that thou slay the household of Ahab thy master. For I (saith the Lord) will avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, of the hand of Jezabel (for the whole house of Ahab shall be destroyed) and I will destroy unto Ahab what pisseth against the wall, and so much as the prisoned or that is forsaken in Israel, and will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nabat, and like the house of Baasa the son of Ahiah. And as for Jezabel the dogs shall eat her in the field of Jezrahel, and none shall bury her. And he opened the door and fled.

And when Jehu was come out to the servants of his Lord, they said to him: is all peace? Wherefore came this mad fellow unto thee? And he said to him: ye know the person and his communication. And they said: it is not so. But tell us a fellowship. And he said, thus and thus spake he to me saying: Thus saith the Lord: I have anointed thee to be king over Israel. And they hasted and took every man his mantle and put under him on an high bench at the top of the steps, and blew a trumpet and said: Jehu is king. And so Jehu the son of Jehosaphat the son of Namsi conspired against Jehoram. And Jehoram had been waiting at Ramoth Galaad, and all Israel with him for fear of Hazael king of Siria, and was returned to be healed in Jezrahel, of the wounds which the Sirians had given him as he fought with Hazael king of Siria.

Then said Jehu: If it be your minds, then let no man escape out of the city, to go and tell in Jezrahel. And Jehu rode and went to Jezrahel: for Jehoram lay there, and Ohoziah king of Juda was come to Jehoram. And the watchmen that stood on the tower in Jezrahel spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said: I see a company. And Jehoram said: take an horseman and send against them, and let him ask whether it be peace. And there went one on horseback against him and said: thus saith the king: is it peace? And Jehu answered: what hast thou to do with peace? turn and come after me. And the watchman told saying: the messenger came to them but he cometh not again.

Then he sent out another on horseback, which came to them and said, thus saith the king: is it peace? And Jehu answered, what hast thou to do with peace? turn and come after me. And the watchman told saying: he came to them, but he cometh not again, and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Namsi, for he driveth as he were mad.

Then said Jehoram, make ready. And they made ready his chariot. And Jehoram king of Israel, and Ohoziah king of Juda went out either in his chariot against Jehu, and met him in the furlong of Naboth the Jezrahelite. And when Jehoram saw Jehu, he said: is it peace Jehu? And he said, what peace should there be, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezabel and her witchcrafts are so great? And Jehoram turned his hand and fled, and said to Ohoziah: there is falsehood Ohoziah. And Jehu took a bow in his hand and smote Jehoram between the shoulders, that the arrow came out at his breast. And he fell down three fold in his chariot. Then he said to Badakar a lord of his, take and cast him in the plat of ground of Naboth the Jezrahelite.

For I remember as I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, how the Lord spake these words against him: I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and of his sons, said the Lord, and I will quit him in this ground, saith the Lord. Now therefore take him and cast him in the plat of ground according to the word of the Lord. And when Ohoziah the king of Juda saw that, he fled the way to the garden house. And Jehu followed after him and said: smite him also. And they smote him in his chariot at the going up to Sur by Jeblaam, and he fled to Magedo and there died.

And his servants carried him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of David. And in the eleventh year of Jehoram son of David, began Ohoziah to reign over Juda. And when Jehu was come to Jezrahel, Jezabel heard of it, and starched her eyes and tired her head and looked out at a window. And as Jehu entered at the gate she said: had Zamri peace which slew his master? And he lifted up his eyes to the window and said, who is of my side who ? And there looked out to him two or three lords that were chamberlains. And he said: Throw her down. And they threw her down. And he sprinkled of her blood upon the walls and on the horses, and trod her under foot.

And then when he was come in and had eaten and drunk, he said: go and visit I pray you, yonder cursed creature, and bury her, for she is a kings daughter. And when they came to bury her, they found no more of her, than the skull and the two feet and the two hands. And they came again and told him. And he said: it is the word of the Lord which he spake by the hand of his servant Eliah the Thesbite saying: in the field of Jezrahel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezabel, and the carcass of Jezabel shall be dung upon the earth, in the field of Jezrahel, that men shall not say, this is Jezabel.

The 10th Chapter

Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria unto the elders that were lords of Jezrahel, and to them that nursed up Ahabs children saying: now at the coming of these letters to you, ye have with you your masters sons, and ye have with you chariots and horses, and a strong city and harness. Therefore choose the best, and him that most pleaseth you of your masters sons, and put him on his fathers seat, and fight for your lords house. And they were accordingly afraid, and said: see, two kings were not able to stand before him, how shall we then stand?

And the governor of the kings house and of the city and of the elders and the nurses sent to Jehu saying: we are thy servants and will do all that thou shalt bid us: we will make no man king: but do thou what seemeth good in thine eyes.

Then he wrote another letter to them saying: If ye be mine and will obey my voice, then take the heads of your masters sons and come to me to Jezrahel, by tomorrow this time. And the kings sons were seventy persons with the great men of the city which nourished them. And when the letter came to them, they took the kings children and slew them in number, seventy persons, and put their heads in coffins and sent them to him to Jezrahel.

And there came a messenger and told him saying: they have brought the heads of the kings sons. And he said: let them put them on two heaps in the entering of the gate, till it be day.

And in the morning he went out and stood and said to all the folk, ye be righteous: for see, I conspired against my master and slew him: But who slew these? consider now how there is nothing of the Lords word fallen to the earth, which he spake against the house of Ahab: for the Lord hath done that he spake to his servant Eliah.

And so Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab, in Jezrahel, and all that were great with him, and his companions and his priests, until he had left him naught remain. And he arose and departed and went to Samaria. And as Jehu was come even to the house where the shepherds bind their sheep by the high way side, he met with the brethren of Ohoziah king of Juda, and said what are ye? and they said, the brethren of Ohoziah are we, and go to salute the children of the king and of the queen. And he said: take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the well beside the house where the shepherds bind their sheep, in number forty two persons, that he left none of them.

And when he was departed thence he met with Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming against him. And Jehu saluted him and said to him: is thine heart right, as mine heart is with thine. And Jehonadab said, yee that it is. If it be, then give me thine hand. And he gave his hand, and the other took him up to him into the chariot and said: go with me and see the zeal I have to the Lord, and made him ride with him in his chariot. And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had wiped him out, according to the saying of the Lord which he spake to Eliah.

After that Jehu gathered all the people together and said to them: Ahab served Baal a little: but Jehu shall serve him a good. Now therefore call unto me all the Prophets of Baal and all his servants and all his priests that none be lacking . For I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal: and if any be missed, he shall not live. But Jehu did it for a subtlety, to destroy the servants of Baal. Wherefore Jehu said: Appoint a solemn feast for Baal, and they proclaimed it.

Then Jehu sent throughout all Israel. And all the servants of Baal came, that there was not a man left behind that came not. And when they were come into the temple of Baal, the temple was full from one end to another.

Then he said to the keeper of the vestry,(garment room) bring forth garments for the servants of Baal. And he brought them out garments. And Jehu went with Jehonadab son of Rechab into the house of Baal: and said to the servants of Baal: search and look that there be none here with you of the servants of the Lord, but the servants of Baal only. And they went in, to offer sacrifice and burnt offerings. But Jehu appointed him four score men without and said: If any of the men that I shall bring unto your hands escape, he that letteth him go shall die for him.

And as soon as he had made an end of offering of burnt sacrifice, he said to them of the guard and to the Lords: go in and slay them, let none come out. And they smote them with the edge of the sword. And the guard and the Lords cast them out, and went unto the city of the house of Baal, and fetched out the image out of the house of Baal and burnt it. And they brake the Image of Baal, and brake the house of Baal, and made a siege of it ever after.

And so Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel. But from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat which made Israel sin with the golden calves in Bethel and Dan, Jehu departed not.

Then the Lord said to Jehu, because thou hast lustily done that pleaseth me, and hast done to the house of Ahab all that was in mine heart, therefore shall thy children in the fourth generation sit on the seat of Israel. But Jehu cared not to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam which made Israel sin.

In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short, for Hazael slew them in all the coasts of Israel, from Jordan Eastward: even all the land of Galaad, the Gadites, the Rubenites and the Manassites, from Aroer upon the river of Arnon, with Galaad and Basan.

The rest of the acts of Jehu, and all he did, and all his power, are written in the chronicles of the kings of Israel. And when Jehu was laid to rest with his fathers, they buried him in Samaria, and Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead. And the time that Jehu reigned upon Israel in Samaria, was twenty eight years.

The 11th Chapter

And Athaliah the mother of Ohoziah, when she saw that her son was dead, she arose and slew all the seed of the kingdom. But Jehosaba the daughter of king Jehoram and sister of Ohoziah, took Jehoas the son of Ohoziah and stole him from among the kings sons that were slain, and his nurse with him, out of a sleeping chamber, and hid him from Athaliah, that he was not slain. And he was with her, hid in the house of the Lord six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land.

And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over hundreds with the captains and them of the guard, and took them into him into the house of the Lord, and made a bond with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the Lord, and showed them the kings son. And he commanded them saying: this is that ye must do: one third part of you shall come on the Sabbath day and keep the watch of the kings house: And another third part shall be at the gate Sur: and another third part shall be at the gate behind the guard chamber, and so shall ye keep the watch of the house of Mesah, and two portions of you: that is, all that go out the Sabbath day, shall keep the watch of the house of the Lord about the king, and shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapon in his hand. And whosoever cometh within the ranges shall die for it. And see that ye be with the king as he goeth out and in.

And the captains over the hundreds did all the things as Jehoiada the priest commanded: and took every man his men, that is, them that came in the Sabbath day with them that went out the Sabbath day, and went to Jehoiada the priest. And the priest gave to the captains over hundreds the spears and shields that were king Davids and had remained in the temple. And the guard stood every man with his weapon in his hand round about the king, from the right corner of the temple to the left along by the altar and the temple. And he brought out the son of the king and put the crown upon him, and delivered him the witness, and made him king and anointed him. And they clapped their hands and said: God save the king.

And when Athaliah heard the noise of the running of the people, she came to the people into the house of the Lord. And when she saw the king stand by a pillar (as the manner was) and the singers and the trumpets by the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing, and the blowing of the trumpets, she rent her clothes and cried, treason, treason. And Jehoiada the priest commanded the Captains of the hundreds that had the rule of the host, and said to them: have her out without the ranges, and if any follow her, let him die with the sword: for the priest said, she may not be slain in the house of the Lord.

And they laid hands on her, and she went the way that the horses of the kings went out and was slain there.

And Jehoiada made a bond both between the Lord and the king, and between the people and the Lord, that they should be the Lords people: and also between the king and the people. Then all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and destroyed his altars, and brake down his Images lustily, and slew Nathan the priest of Baal before the altar. And the priest set watchmen in the house of the Lord, and took the rulers over hundreds and the captains and the guard and all the people of the land: And they brought the king from the house of the Lord and went the way of the gate of the guard of the kings house.

And he sat him down on the seat of the kings. And all the people of the Lord rejoiced, and the city was in quiet. And they slew Athaliah with the sword in the house of the king.

The 12th Chapter

Jehoas was seven years old when he was made king. And he began to reign the seventh year of Jehu, and reigned forty year in Jerusalem. His mothers name was Zebiah Bersabe. And he did that pleased the Lord, as long as Jehoiada the Priest informed him. But they took not away the hill altars, for the people slew and offered still in the hill altars.

And Jehoas said to the priest: all the silver that is dedicate and brought to the house of the Lord in current money, that is to say, the money that every man is set at, with all the money that every mans heart giveth him to bring into the house of the Lord, let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance, and let them repair the broken places of the temple in all the places where ought is found decayed.

Neverthelater the priests had not mended unto the twenty third year of Jehoas, that was decayed in the temple. Then king Jehoas called for Jehoiada the priest and for the other priests also, and said to them: why repair ye not the broken places of the temple? Now therefore see ye receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it to repair the temple withal. And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people: But that it should go to the mending of the temple.

Then Jehoiada the priest took a coffer and bored a hole in the lid of it, and put it beside the altar on the right side as a man cometh in to the house of the Lord. And into that did the priests that kept the doors, put all the money that was brought into the house of the Lord. And when they saw that there was much money in the coffer the Kings scribe and the high priest came, and knit up the money that was found in the house of the Lord, after they had told it.

And they gave the money by sums into the hands of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of the Lord: and they brought it out to the carpenters and builders that wrought upon the house of the Lord, and to masons and hewers of stone, to buy timber and free stone, to repair the decay in the house of the Lord and all that, that needeth repairing in the house: how be it there was not made in the house of the Lord, bowls of silver, shredding knives, basins, trumpets or any other instruments of gold or silver, of the money that was brought for the house of the Lord. For they gave that to the workmen, to repair therewith the house of the Lord. Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hands they delivered that money to be bestowed on workmen: But they did it even of fidelity. How be it trespass money and sin money might not be brought into the house of the Lord, for it was the priests.

Then came Hazael king of Siria, and fought against Geth and took it, and appointed himself to go up to Jerusalem. But Jehoas king of Juda took all the dedicate things that Jehosaphat, Jehoram and Ohoziah his fathers, kings of Juda, had dedicate, and that he himself had dedicated, and all the gold that could be found in the treasure of the house of the Lord and of the kings house, and sent it to Hazael King of Siria: and so he departed from Jerusalem.

The remnant of the acts of Jehoas and all he did, are written in the chronicles of the kings of Juda. And his own servants arose and wrought treason, and slew Jehoas in the house Mello, in the way down to Sela. Jozabar the son of Semaath and Jehozabad the son of Somer his servants, smote him, that he died. And they buried him with his fathers in the city of David. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.

The 13th Chapter

In the twenty third year of Jehoas son of Ohoziah king of Juda, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu was made king over Israel in Samaria, and continued seventeen year. And he wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord: for he followed the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nabat which made Israel sin, and departed not there from. Wherefore the Lord was angry with Israel, and delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Siria, and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael all their days.

But Jehoahaz besought the Lord, and the Lord heard him. For he had seen the oppression of Israel, how the king of Siria oppressed them. And therefore the Lord gave Israel a deliverer and they went out from under the hands of the Sirians. And the children of Israel dwelt in their tents as before time. Nevertheless they departed not from the sin of the house of Jeroboam which made Israel sin, but walked therein. And there remained a grove also in Samaria still: But there were left of the people to Jehoahaz, but fifty horseman and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen for the King of Siria had destroyed them and made them like threshed chaff.

The rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all he did and his power are written in the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

And Jehoahaz rested with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria, and Joas his son reigned in his stead. In the thirty seventh year of Jehoas king of Juda, began Joas the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria, and continued sixteen year, and did unhappily in the sight of the Lord and departed in nothing from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat that made Israel sin, but walked therein.

The remnant of the acts of Joas and all he did, and his power, how he fought with Amaziah king of Juda, are written in the chronicle book of the Kings of Israel.

And when Joas was laid to rest with his fathers, Jeroboam sat upon his seat. And Joas was buried in Samaria among the kings of Israel.

When Eliseus was fallen sick of the sickness whereof he died, Joas king of Israel came to him and wept to him, and said: O father, father the chariot of Israel and the horsemen of the same. And Eliseus said unto him, bring bow and arrows. And he brought to him bow and arrows. And he said to the king of Israel: put thine hand upon the bow, and when he had put his hand upon the bow, Eliseus put his hands upon the kings hands. Then he said, open a window eastward: and he opened. And Eliseus said: shoot, and he shot. And he said: the arrow of help of the Lord, and the arrow of help against the Sirians, for thou shalt beat the Sirians in Aphek till thou have consumed them.

Then he said: take arrows: and he took. Then he said to the king of Israel, smite the ground: and he smote thrice and ceased.

And the man of God was angry with him and said: thou shouldest have smitten five or six times, and then thou hadst smitten the Sirians till thou hadst consumed them: where now thou shalt beat them but thrice.

When Eliseus was dead and buried the soldiers of the Moabites came into the land, the year following. And it chanced as they were burying a man, that they spied the Soldiers, and therefore cast the man into the sepulchre of Eliseus. And as soon as the man came and touched the bones of Eliseus, he revived and stood up on his feet.

And Hazael oppressed Israel, all the days of Jehoahaz. But the Lord had mercy on them and pitied them and turned to them because of his appointment made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and would not destroy them, either cast them from him as yet. And when Hazael king of Siria was dead, Benhadad his son reigned in his stead. And then Joas the son of Jehoahaz went again and took out of the hand of Benhadad son of Hazael, the cities which he had taken away out of the hands of Jehoahaz his father, with war. And three times did Joas beat him and brought the cities of Israel again.

The 14th Chapter

The second year of Joas son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of Jehoas king of Juda: he was twenty five year old when he began, and reigned twenty nine years in Jerusalem.

His mothers name was Jehoadan, and was of Jerusalem. And he did that pleased the Lord, yet not like David his father: but did in all things as Joas his father did.

Neither took they away the hill altars. But the people slew and offered still in the hill altars. And as soon as the kingdom was settled in his hand, he slew his servants that killed the king his father.

But the children of those murderers he slew not, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, where the Lord commanded saying: the fathers shall not die for the childrens cause, nor the children for the deeds of their fathers: But every man shall be slain for his own sin.

And he slew of the Edomites in the salt valley ten thousand, and took the town Sela with strength of battle, and called the name of it Jektheel ever after. After that Amaziah sent messengers to Joas the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu king of Israel saying: come, let us see each other. But Joas king of Israel sent again to Amaziah king of Juda saying: A thistle in Libanon sent to a cypress tree in Libanon saying: give thy daughter to my son to wife. But the wild beasts in Libanon went and trod down the thistle. Because thou hast beaten the Edomites, therefore thine heart riseth. Be glorious: but tarry at home. For what needest thou to provoke to mischief, that thou shouldest be overthrown and Juda with thee.

But Amaziah would not hear. And so Joas king of Israel went up, and he and Amaziah king of Juda saw either other at Bethsames in Juda. And Juda was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent. And Joas king of Israel took Amaziah king of Juda, son of Jehoas son of Ohoziah, at Bethsames. And then he went to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits. And he took all the gold and silver and all the vessels that were found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasure of the kings house, and hostages thereto: and then returned to Samaria again.

The rest of the acts of Joas which he did, and his power, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Juda, are written in the chronicles of the kings of Israel: and Joas laid him to rest with his fathers and was buried at Samaria among the kings of Israel: and Jeroboam his son reigned in his room.

Amaziah the son of Jehoas king of Juda lived after the death of Joas son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, fifteen year. And the remnant of the deeds of Amaziah, are written in the chronicles of the kings of Juda. And they conspired great treason against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachis. And they went after him to Lachis and slew him there. And they brought him on an horse and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David. And all the people of Juda took Azariah, which was sixteen years old and made him king for his father Amaziah. And he built Ailath and brought it again to Juda, after that the king was laid to rest with his fathers.

The fifteenth year of Amaziah son of Jehoas king of Juda, was Jeroboam son of Joas made king over Israel in Samaria and reigned forty one years, and wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord: for he turned in nothing from the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nabat which made Israel sin. He restored the coasts of Israel from the entering of Hemath unto the sea, in the wild fields, according to the word of the Lord God of Israel which he spake through his servant Jonas the son of Amithai the prophet, which was of Geth Opher. For the Lord had seen how that the affliction of Israel was exceeding bitter, in so much that the prisoned and the forsaken were at an end. And there was no helper unto Israel. And the Lord had not yet said that men should put out the name of Israel from under heaven. And therefore he help them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joas.

The rest of the deeds of Jeroboam, and all he did, and his power how he fought, and how he restored Damasco and Hemath to Juda in Israel are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. And Jeroboam laid him to rest with his fathers and with the kings of Israel, and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead.

The 15th Chapter

The twenty seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah son of Amaziah king of Juda began to reign.

Sixteen year old was he when he was made king, and he reigned forty two years in Jerusalem, his mothers name was Jecheliah, and was of Jerusalem. And he did that pleased the Lord in all things as did his father Amaziah: save that they put not the hill altars away: for the people offered and burned fat still in the hill altars.

And the Lord smote the king, that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in an house at liberty, and Jotham the kings son governed the house and judged the people of the land. The rest of the deeds of Azariah and all he did, are written in the chronicles of the kings of Juda. And Azariah laid him to sleep with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David, and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.

In the thirty eighth year of Azariah king of Juda, was Zachariah the son of Jeroboam made king upon Israel in Samaria, and reigned six months, and did that displeased the Lord, as did his fathers, and turned not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat which made Israel sin. And Selum the son of Jabes conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and killed him, and reigned in his stead.

The rest of the deeds of Zachariah are written in the chronicles of the kings of Israel. This is the saying that the Lord spake unto Jehu, saying: thy sons shall sit on the seat of Israel in the fourth generation. And it came to pass.

Selum the son of Jabes began to reign the thirty ninth year of Azariah king of Juda, and he reigned a month in Samaria. For Manahem the son of Gadi came up from Therzah and went to Samaria and smote Selum the son of Jabes in Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.

The rest of the deeds of Selum and the treason, which he conspired are written in the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

The same time Manahem destroyed Thaphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Therzah (because they opened not to him) he smote and rent all the women with child.

The thirty ninth year of Azariah king of Juda, began Manahem the son of Gadi to reign upon Israel, and continued ten years in Samaria. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and turned not all his days from the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nabat which made Israel sin. And Phul king of Assiria came upon the land.

And Manahem gave Phul a thousand talents of silver, to help him to stablish his kingdom. And Manahem raised the money in Israel, upon all men of substance, for to give the king of Assiria fifty sickles of silver apiece. And the king of Assiria turned back again and tarried not there in the land.

The rest of the deeds of Manahem and all he did, are written in the chronicles of the kings of Israel. And when Manahem was laid to rest with his fathers Phakeiah his son reigned in his stead.

The fiftieth year of Azariah king of Juda, began Phakeiah the son of Manahem to reign over Israel in Samaria, and continued two year, and wrought wickedly in the sight of the Lord and left not off from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nabat which made Israel sin. And Phakeh the son of Romeliah a Lord of his conspired against him and slew him in the palace of the Kings house, with Argob and Ariah and fifty men with him that were Galaadites: and when he had killed him, reigned in his room. The rest of the acts of Phakeiah and all he did are written in the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

And the fifty second year of Azariah king of Juda, began Phakeh the son of Romeliah to reign over Israel in Samaria and continued twenty year, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, and turned not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat that made Israel sin. In the days of Phakeh king of Israel, came Teglath Phalasar king of Assiria, and took Aion, Abel, Beth, Maach, Janoah, Kads, Hazor, Galaad, Galile, and all the land of Nephthali, and carried them away to Assiria.

And Hosea the son of Elah conspired treason against Phakeh the son of Romeliah and smote him and slew him and reigned in his stead, the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Oziah. The rest of the acts of Phakeh, and all he did, are written in the stories of the kings of Israel.

The second year of Phakeh son of Romeliah king of Israel, began Jotham the son of Oziah king of Juda to reign. Five and twenty year old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen year in Jerusalem. His mothers name was Jerusa the daughter of Zadok. And he did that was right in the sight of the Lord: even in all things as did his father Oziah, did he.

But they put not away the hill altars: for the people offered and burnt incense still in the hill altars, he built the highest door in the house of the Lord.

The rest of the deeds of Jotham and all he did, are written in the Chronicles of the kings of Juda.

In those days the Lord began to send against Juda, Razin the king of Siria and Phakeh the son of Romeliah. And Jotham rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father, and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.

The 16th Chapter

The seventeenth year of Phakah son of Romeliah king of Israel, Ahaz son of Jotham king of Juda, began to reign. Twenty year old was he when he was made king: and reigned sixteen year in Jerusalem, and did not that was right in the eyes of the Lord his God, like David his father: But went in the way of the kings of Israel, and thereto he offered his son in fire, after the abomination of the heathen which the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.

And he offered and burnt the fat in the hill altars and on the hills and under every green tree.

Then Razin King of Siria and Phakeh son of Romeliah King of Israel came up to Jerusalem to fight. And they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him. At the same time Razin King of Siria brought Ailath again to Siria, and rid the Jews thence. And the Sirians went to Ailath and dwelt therein unto this day.

Then Ahaz sent messengers to Teglath Phalasar King of Assiria, saying: I am thy servant and thy son, come and deliver me out of the hand of the King of Siria, and out of the hand of the King of Israel, which are risen against me. And Ahaz took the silver and the gold that was found in the house of the Lord and in the treasure of the Kings house, and sent it for a reward to the King of Assiria. And the King of Assiria hearkened to him, and went to Damasco, and took it, and carried the people away to Kir and slew Razin.

And King Ahaz went against Teglath Phalasar King of Assiria, to Damasco. And when he saw a certain altar that was at Damasco, he sent to Uriah the priest the pattern of the altar and the fashion of all the workmanship thereof. And Uriah the priest made an altar in all points like to the pattern which king Ahaz had sent from Damasco, and had finished it by the kings coming from Damasco. And when the king was come from Damasco and saw the altar, he went to it and offered thereon. And he burnt his burnt offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offering, and poured his drink offering and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings upon the said altar. And the brazen altar that was before the Lord, he fetched from before the house, from between the altar and the house of the Lord, and put it on the north side of the said altar.

And the King commanded Uriah the Priest saying: upon the great altar set on fire, in the morning burnt offerings, and in the evening meat offerings and the kings burntsacrifice and his meatoffering, and the burntofferings of all the people of the land and their meatofferings and their drinkofferings, and pour thereon all the blood of all manner of offerings.

But the brazen altar shall be for me, to enquire with. And Uriah the priest did all things as King Ahaz commanded him. And king Ahaz brake the sides of the bottoms and took the lavers from off them, and took down the sea from off the brazen oxen that were under it, and put it upon a pavement of stone. And thereto the pulpit for the Sabbath that they had made in the house, and the kings entry without turned he to the house of the Lord, for fear of the king of Assiria. The rest of the deeds of Ahaz which he did are written in the Chronicles of the kings of Juda. And Ahaz laid him to rest with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his room.

The 17th Chapter

In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Juda, Hosea son of Elah began to reign in Samaria upon Israel, and continued nine year, and did that displeased the Lord, but not so evil as did the Kings of Israel that were before him. And Salmanasar king of Assiria came upon him, and Hosea became his servant and gave him presents. And the king of Assiria found treason in Hosea, because he had sent messengers to Sua king of Egypt, and sent no presents unto the king of Assiria, as he was yearly wont to do. Therefore the king of Assiria besieged him and put him in prison. And then the king of Assiria came throughout all the land, and came to Samaria and besieged it three year. And in the ninth year of Hosea, the king of Assiria took Samaria and carried Israel away unto Assiria and put them in Hala, in Habor on the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. For the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God which brought them out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharao king of Egypt, and feared other gods. And they walked in the ordinance of the heathen which the Lord cast out before the children of Israel, and in the things which the kings of Israel had made. And the children of Israel wrapped themselves in things that were not well toward the Lord their God. And they built them Hillaltars in all their cities, both in the towers where they kept watch and also in the strong towns.

And they made them Images and groves on every high hill and under every green tree. And there they sacrificed in the Hillaltars, as did the heathen which the Lord carried away at their coming, and wrought wicked deeds, to anger the Lord withal. And they served Idols, whereof the Lord had said to them: ye shall not do so.

And the Lord testified to Israel and to Juda, by all the prophets and by all the sears, saying: Turn from your wicked ways and keep my commandments and mine ordinances according to all the laws which I commanded your fathers, and as I sent to you by my servants the prophets. Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the necks of their fathers that did not believe the Lord their God. And they refused his ordinances and his appointment that he had made with their fathers, and the witness which he had witnessed to them and followed vanity and became vain, like to the heathen that were round about them, of which the Lord had charged them, that they should not do like them. But they left the commandments of the Lord their God and made them Images of metal, even two calves: and made groves and bowed themselves unto all the Host of heaven, and served Baal. And they sacrificed their sons and their daughters in fire, and used witchcraft and enchantments, and were sold to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, for to anger him.

Wherefore the Lord was exceeding wroth with Israel and put them out of his sight, that there was left but the tribe of Juda only, and thereto Juda kept not the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked in the ordinances of Israel which they had made. Therefore the Lord cast up all the seed of Israel and vexed them and delivered them into the hands of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight. And Israel divided themselves, from the house of David, and made Jeroboam the son of Nabat king. Which Jeroboam thrust Israel away from the Lord and made them sin a great sin. And so the children of Israel walked in all the sin of Jeroboam which he had set up, and departed not therefrom, until the Lord had put Israel away out of his sight, as he said by all his servants the prophets. And so he translated Israel out of their land to Assiria, even unto this day.

And the king of Assiria brought from Babylon and from Cutha, and from Ava and from Hemath and from Sepharuaim, and put them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel. And they possessed Samaria and dwelt in the cities thereof.

But at the beginning of their dwelling, they feared not the Lord. Wherefore the Lord sent lions upon them which slew them. Then men told the king of Assiria, saying: The nations which thou hast translated and put in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land, and therefore he hath sent lions upon them, which slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land.

Then the king of Assiria commanded saying: carry thither one of the priests which ye brought thence, and let him go and dwell there, and teach them the fashion how to serve the God of the country. And then one of the priests which they had carried thence, went and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the Lord. How be it every nation made their own Gods and put them in the houses of the Hillaltars which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities where they dwelt. The men of Babylon made Socoth, Benoth. The men of Cuth made Nergal. They of Hemath made Asima. The Evites made Nebahaz, and Tharthak. And the Sepharuites burnt their children in fire unto Adramelech and Anamelech, the Gods of Sepharuites. And they feared the Lord, yet they made them priests of the lowest of the people, for the Hillaltars, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the Hillaltars. And so they feared the Lord, and yet served their own Gods after the manner of the people from whence they were brought.

Unto this day they do after the old manner: they neither fear the Lord, neither do after their own ordinances and customs, and after the law and commandment which the Lord commanded the children of Jacob whose name he called Israel, and made an appointment with them and charged them saying: Fear not any other Gods, nor bow yourselves to them nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them: But to the Lord which brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm: him fear and to him bow and to him do sacrifice. And the ordinances, customs, law and commandment which I wrote for you, see that ye be diligent to do for evermore, and fear not any other gods. And the appointment that I have made with you, see ye forget not, and that you fear none other Gods: but the Lord your God ye shall fear, and he shall deliver you out of the hands of all your enemies. How be it they heard not, but did after the old manner. And even so did these nations fear the Lord and serve their images thereto: and so did their children, and their childrens children too. Even as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.

The 18th Chapter

In the third year of Hosea son of Ela, king of Israel reigned Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Juda.

Twenty five year old was he, when he began to reign, and reigned twenty nine year in Jerusalem. His mothers name was Abi the daughter of Zachariah, and he did that pleased the Lord in all things, like to David his father.

He put away the hillaltars, and brake the images and cut down the groves, and all to brake the brazen serpent that Moses made.

For unto those days the children of Israel did burn sacrifice to it, and called it Nehustan. He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him came none like him among all the Kings of Juda, neither among them that went before him. He clave to the Lord and departed not from him, but kept his commandments which the Lord commanded Moses. And the Lord was with him. And whatsoever he took in hand he did it wisely. And he rebelled against the king of Assiria and served him not. He beat the Philistines even unto Azah and the coasts thereof, both in castles of garrisons and strong cities too.

And the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hosea son of Elah king of Israel, came Salmanasar king of Assiria upon Samaria and besieged it. And they took it at the end of three years, which was the sixth of Hezekiah: that is to say the ninth year of Hosea king of Israel, was Samaria won. And the king of Assiria did carry away Israel unto Assiria, and put them in Halah and in Habor on the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes: because they would not hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God. But transgressed his appointment, and all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and would neither hear nor do.

The fourteenth year of King Hezekiah came Sennaherib king of Assiria against all the strong cities of Juda and took them. Whereupon Hezekiah king of Juda sent to the king of Assiria to Lachis saying: I have offended. But depart from me, and what thou puttest on me that I will bear. And the king of Assiria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Juda three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord and also the treasure of the kings house. And the said season Hezekiah rent off the doors of the temple of the Lord and the pillars, which the said Hezekiah king of Juda covered over, an gave them to the king of Assiria.

And the king of Assiria sent Tharthan and Rabsaris, and Rabsakeh from Lachis to king Hezekiah with a great Host to Jerusalem.

And they went up and came to Jerusalem, and went and stood by the conduit of the uppermost pool which is in the way to the fullers field, and called to the king. And there came out to them, Eliakim the son of Helkiah steward of household, and Sobnah the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, And then Rabsakeh said unto them. Tell ye Hezekiah I pray you: Thus saith the great king, the king of Assiria, What confidence is this that thou hast? thou will haply speak a light word, that thou hast counsel and power to make war. On whom then dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me? dost thou trust to the staff of this broken reed Egypt, on which if a man lean it will run into his hand and pierce it: For even so is Pharao king of Egypt unto all that trust on him. If ye say unto me, we trust in the Lord our God. Is not that he whose hillaltars and other altars too, Hezekiah hath put down, and hath said to Juda and Jerusalem, bow yourselves before this altar here in Jerusalem.

And now join thyself to my lord the king of Assiria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able to set riders upon them: (and if thou be not) how then art thou able to resist one of the least Dukes of my masters servants? or trustest thou to Egypt for chariots and horsemen? Moreover thinkest thou that I am come without the bidding of the Lord to this place to destroy it? nay: the Lord said to me: Go up to this land, and destroy it. Then said Eliakim the son of Helkiah and Sobnah and Joah, to Rabsakeh: speak we pray thee to thy servants in the Sirians language, for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews tongue, in the ears of the people that are on the walls. And Rabsakeh said unto them: hath my master sent me only to thy master and to thee, to speak these words, or rather to the men that keep on the walls, that they shall eat their own dirt, and drink their own piss with you.

And so Rabsakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews language, and spake saying: hear the saying of the great king, the king of Assiria. Thus saith the king: Let not Hezekiah beguile you, for he is not able to deliver you out of mine hand: neither let Hezekiah make you trust to the Lord saying: the Lord will surely rid us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hands of the king of Assiria. Hearken not unto Hezekiah, for thus saith the king of Assiria.

Deal kindly with me, and come out to me. And then eat every man of his own vine, and of his own fig tree, and drink every man of the water of his own well, till I come and fetch you to as good a land as yours is: a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees, of oil and of honey. And ye shall live and not die. And hearken not unto Hezekiah for he will beguile you, saying: the Lord shall deliver us. For have the Gods of the nations delivered any God his land, out of the hand of the king of Assiria? Where are the Gods of Hemath and of Arphad? where are the Gods of Sepharuaim of Ana and Auah? did they deliver Samaria out of mine hands? what God of any land hath delivered his land out of mine hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?

But the people held their peace and answered him not a word: for the king had commanded saying: answer him not. Then Eliakim the steward of household, and Sobnah the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes rent and told him the words of Rabsakeh.

The 19th Chapter

When king Hezekiah heard that, he rent his clothes and put on sack, and went into the house of the Lord.

Furthermore he sent Eliakim steward of the household and Sobnah the scribe, and the elders of the Priests clothed in sack, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. And they said to him, thus saith Hezekiah: this day is a day of tribulation, rebuking and railing. Even as when the children are ready to be born, and the mothers have no power to be delivered. Oh that the Lord thy God would hear all the words of Rabsakeh whom the king of Assiria his master hath sent to rail on the living God, and to rebuke him with words which the Lord thy God hath heard. Wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left. When the servants of king Hezekiah were come to Isaiah: Isaiah said to them: So shall we say to your master. Thus saith the Lord: be not afraid of the words thou heardest, with which the young men of the king of Assiria have railed on me. For I will send him a blast that he shall hear tidings, and so return to his own land: And I will overthrow him with the sword even in his own land.

And Rabsakeh went back again and found the king of Assiria fighting against Lobnah: for he had heard how that he was departed from Lachis. And he heard tidings of Therhakah king of the black Moors, how that he was come out to fight against him. And thereupon he departed and sent messengers unto Hezekiah saying. Thus say to Hezekiah king of Juda, let not thy God carry thee out of the way, in whom thou so trustest saying: Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the King of Assiria. Behold, thou hast heard what the Kings of Assiria have done to all lands, how they have utterly destroyed`them. And how then shouldest thou escape? hath the Gods of the heathen delivered them which mine ancestries have destroyed: as Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar? where is the king of Hemath, the King of Arphad, the King of the city of Sepharuaim, and the King of Ana and the King of Auah?

When Hezekiah had received the letter of the hand of the messenger and had read it: he went into the house of the Lord and laid it abroad before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said: Lord God of Israel which dwellest between the Cherubs, thou art God alone over all the kingdoms of the earth, and thou hast made both heaven and earth. Lord, bow thine ears and hear:

Open Lord thine eyes and see: and hear the words of Sennaherib which hath sent to rail on the living God. But of a truth, Lord, the Kings of Assiria have destroyed nations and their lands, and have set fire on their Gods. For they were no Gods, but the work of the hands of man: even wood and stone. And therefore they destroyed them. Now therefore Lord our God, save thou us out of his hand, that all the Kingdoms of the earth may know, that thou Lord art God alone.

And Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah saying: thus saith the Lord God of Israel, that thou hast prayed to me concerning Sennaherib king of Assiria, I have heard it. This is the thing that the Lord saith of him: he hath despised thee, O virgin daughter of Sihon: he hath shaked his head at thee, thou daughter of Jerusalem: whom hast thou railed on, and whom hast thou reviled?

Against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and hast lift up thine eyes so high? Even against the holy of Israel. By the hand of thy messengers thou hast railed on the Lord and said:

with the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains even along by the sides of Libanon, and have cut off the high Cedar trees and the lusty fir trees thereof even to the wood of Carmel that belongeth thereto. I have digged and drunk strange waters, and have dried up with the soles of my feet pools enclosed.

But hast thou not heard how I have ordained such a thing a great while ago, and have prepared it from the beginning? And now I bring it forth and it shall be to destroy and to bring strong cities in to rude heaps of stones. And the inhabiters of them shall be of little power, and faint hearted and confounded. They shall be like the grass of the field and green herbs, and as the hay on the tops of the houses which withereth or it come to any height. I know where thou dwellest, and thy coming out and going in know I too, and how thou settest up thy bristles against me.

And because thou settest up thy bristles against me, and that thy raging is come up to mine ears: therefore I will put a ring in thy nose and a bit in thy lips, and will bring thee back again the same way thou camest.

And this shall be a sign unto thee: eat this year of the fruits of the seed that fell out, and the next year, that waxeth of itself. And the third year sow ye and reap, plant vineyards and eat the fruits thereof. For the daughter of Juda that is escaped and left, shall yet again take rooting downward and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, and a number that shall escape out of mount Sion: the zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall bring this thing to pass.

Wherefore thus saith the Lord, of the king of Assiria: he shall not come to this city, nor shoot arrow into it, nor come before with shield nor cast any bank against it: but shall go back again the way he came, and shall not come at his city saith the Lord. For I will defend this city and save it, for mine own sake and for David my servants sake.

And the self same night the Angel of the Lord went out and smote in the Host of the Assirians an hundred and four score and five thousand. And when they were up early in the morning: behold, they were all dead corpses. And so Sennaherib king of Assiria avoided and departed and went again, and dwelt at Nineveh. And as he was in his devotion kneeling in the house of Nisroch his God, Adramelech and Sarafar smote him with the sword. And they escaped into the land of Ararat, and Asarhadon his son reigned in his stead.

The 20th Chapter

About that time Hezekiah was sick unto the death. And the Prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said to him: Thus saith the Lord: put thine household in an order, for thou shalt die and not live. And Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and besought the Lord saying: Oh Lord, remember yet how I have walked before thee truly and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight, and wept a great pace.

And Isaiah was scarce gone out into the middle of the city, but that the word of the Lord came to him saying: turn again and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people. Thus saith the Lord God of David thy father. I have heard thy prayer and seen thy tears. Behold, I will heal thee, and this day three days thou shalt go up into the house of the Lord. And I will lengthen thy days yet fifteen year, and will deliver both thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assiria, and will defend this city for mine own sake, and for David my servants sake. And Isaiah said: bring a lump of figs. And they brought and put it on the sore, and he recovered.

Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah: what is the sign, that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the Lord the third day? And Isaiah said: this sign shalt thou have of the Lord, that the Lord will do that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back again ten degrees? And Hezekiah said: it is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees. Therefore I will not that: but let the shadow go backward ten degrees. And Isaiah the Prophet called to the Lord, and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward by which it had gone down, in the dial of Ahaz.

The same season Berodach Baladan the son of Baladan king of Babilon sent letters and presents unto Hezekiah, for he heard how that Hezekiah was sick. And Hezekiah hearkened unto them and showed them all that was in the spicery house, and his silver and gold and odors and precious ointments and his armory and all that was found in his treasure: there was nothing in his house or in all his realm, that he showed them not.

Then came Isaiah the Prophet unto king Hezekiah and said to him: What say these men and from whence come they to thee? And Hezekiah said: they be come from a far country, even from Babylon. And he said: what have they seen in thy house? And Hezekiah said: all that is in my house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasure that I have not showed them. And Isaiah said to Hezekiah: hear the word of the Lord. Behold the day shall come, that all that is in thine house and that thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried to Babylon, and nothing shall be left saith the Lord. And of thy sons that proceeded out of thee, which thou begattest, shall there be carried away, and shall be made chamberlains in the palace of the king of Babylon. And Hezekiah said to Isaiah: welcome be the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken: so that peace and truth be kept in my days.

The remnant of the deeds of Hezekiah and all his power, and how he made a pool and a conduit and brought the water into the city, are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Juda. And Hezekiah laid him to rest with his fathers, and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.

The 21st Chapter

Manasseh was twelve year old when he began to reign and reigned fifty and five year in Jerusalem: his mothers name was Haphzibah. And he did that displeased the Lord, even after the abominations of the Heathen which the Lord cast out before the children of Israel. And he went and built the hillaltars again, which Hezekiah his father had destroyed. And he reared up altars to Baal and made groves, as did Ahab king of Israel. And he bowed himself unto all the Host of heaven and served them. And he built altars in the very house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said: in Jerusalem I will put my name. And he built altars unto all the Host of heaven, even in two courts of the house of the Lord. And he offered his son in fire, and observed dismal days, and used witchcraft and maintained workers with spirits, and tellers of fortunes: and wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord to anger him.

And he put an image of a grove that he had made, even in the very temple of which the Lord had said to David and to Salomon his son, in this house and in Jerusalem which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever. Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers: so that they will be diligent to do all I have commanded them, and all the law that my servant Moses commanded them. But they hearkened not: for Manasseh had led them out of the way, to do more wickedness than did the heathen people which the Lord destroyed from before the children of Israel.

And the Lord spake by his servants the Prophets, saying: because Manasseh king of Juda hath done such abominations, and hath wrought wickedly above all that the Amorites which were before him did: and hath made Juda sin also with his Idols. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel. Behold, I will bring such evil upon Jerusalem and Juda, that the ears of all that hear it, shall tingle at it. And I will stretch over Jerusalem the squaring line of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab. And I will wipe out Jerusalem, as a man would wipe a dish, and when he hath wiped it turneth it upside down. And though I leave a remnant of mine inheritance, yet I will deliver them into the hands of them that hate them, and they shall be robbed and spoiled of all their enemies: even because they have done wickedly and have angered me, since the time their fathers came out of Egypt unto this day.

And thereto Manasseh shed innocent blood exceeding abundantly, in so much that he replenished Jerusalem in all corners, beside his sin wherewith he made Juda sin and to do evil in the sight of the Lord.

The rest of the acts of Manasseh and all he did and his sin that he sinned, are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Juda. And Manasseh laid him to sleep with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, even in the garden of Oza: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

Amon was twenty two year old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. His mothers name was Mesalemeth the daughter of Haru of Jathbah. And he did that displeased the Lord as his father Manasseh did. And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the Idols that his father served, and bowed himself to them. And he forsook the Lord God of his fathers and walked not in the way of the Lord.

And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew him in his own house. But the people of the land slew all that conspired against king Amon, and made Josiah his son king in his room. The rest of the acts of Amon which he did are written in the Chronicle of the kings of Juda. And they buried him in his sepulchre in the garden of Oza, and Josiah his son reigned in his stead.

The 22nd Chapter

Josiah was eight year old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty one year in Jerusalem. His mother s name was Ididah the daughter of Adaiah of Bezecath. And he did that seemed right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the ways of David his father, and bowed neither to the right hand nor to the left.

And the eighteenth year of his reign king Josiah sent Saphan the son of Azaliah the son of Mesulam the scribe to the house of the Lord, saying: go to Helkiah the high priest, and let him sum the silver that is brought into the house of the Lord, which the keepers of the doors have gathered of the people, and let them deliver it into the hands of the workmen that have the oversight of the house of the Lord, which shall give it to them that work upon the house of the Lord, to repair the decayed places thereof, even unto carpenters and masons, and for to buy timber and free stone to repair the house.

How be it let no reckoning be made with them of the money that is delivered into their hands, but let them do it of their conscience.

And Helkiah the high priest said to Saphan the scribe: I have found the book of the law in the temple of the Lord, and Helkiah gave the book to Saphan, and he read it. And then Saphan the scribe went to the king and brought him word again, and said: thy servants poured out the silver that was found in the temple, and have delivered it unto the workmen that have the oversight of the house of the Lord. Furthermore Saphan the scribe showed the king saying: Helkiah the priest hath delivered me here a book. And Saphan read it before the king.

And the king as soon as he had heard the words of the book of the law, he rent his clothes and commanded Helkiah the priest and Ahikam the son of Saphan and Achobor the son of Michaiah, and Saphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the Kings, saying: go ye and seek of the Lord for me and the people and for all Juda, concerning the words of this book that is found. For it is a great wrath of the Lord that is kindled upon us, that our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do in all points as it is written therein.

And Helkiah the high priest and Ahikam, Achobor, Saphan, Asahiah went unto Oldah the Prophetess wife of Selum the son of Tekuah the son of Haraham keeper of the robes, which Prophetess dwelt in Jerusalem in the second ward, and communed with her. And she said to them: thus saith the Lord God of Israel. Tell the man that sent you to me: thus saith the Lord: behold I will bring evil upon this place and on the dwellers therein: even all the words of the book which the King of Juda hath read, because they have forsaken me and have burnt offerings unto other Gods, to anger me with all the works of their hands. Therefore is my wrath kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.

But to the king of Juda which sent you to enquire of the Lord, so shall ye say: thus saith the Lord God of Israel, as touching the words which thou heardest. Because thine heart did melt and thou meekedest thyself before me the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place and the inhabiters of the same, how that it should be destroyed and made accursed: and tearest thy clothes and weepest before me: of that also I have heard saith the Lord. And therefore see, I will receive ye unto thy fathers and will fetch thee unto thy grave in peace, thine eyes shall see none of the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the King word again.

The 23rd Chapter

And then the King sent and gathered unto him all the elders of Juda and of Jerusalem. And the King went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Juda and all the inhabiters of Jerusalem with him, and the priests and the Prophets and all the people both small and great. And he read in the ears of them all the words of the book of the covenant, which was found in the house of the Lord. And the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the Lord that they should walk after the Lord, and keep his commandments and his witnesses and his ordinances with all their hearts and all their souls, and make good the words of the said appointment that were written in the foresaid book. And all the people consented to the appointment.

And the King commanded Helkiah the high priest and the inferior priests and the keepers of the door, to bring out of the temple of the Lord, all the vessels that were made for Baal and for the grove and for all the Host of heaven. And he burnt them without Jerusalem in the fields of Cedron and carried the ashes of them into Bethel. And he put down the Camarites which the kings of Juda had set to burn offerings in the hillaltars in the cities of Juda round about Jerusalem and also them that burnt sacrifices unto Baal to the *son and to the moon and to the planets, and to all the Host of heaven.

And he brought out the grove from the temple of the Lord without Jerusalem unto the brook Cedron, and stamped it to powder, and cast the dust thereof upon the graves of people of the country. And he brake down the cells of the male whores that were in the house of the Lord, where the women wove little houses for the grove.*son: sonne exactly as it appears in the text, else where sun is written sunne.

And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Juda, and defiled the hillaltars where the priests did burn sacrifice, even from Gabaa to Bersabe. And he brake down the hillaltars of the Gates, that were in the entering of the gate of Josua the governor of the city, which were on the left hand of the gate of the city. Nevertheless the priests of the hillaltars might not come at the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem, save only they did eat of the sweet bread among their brethren.

And he defiled Topheth also, which is in the valley of the children of Hennom, because no man should offer his son or his daughter in fire to Moloch: he put down the horses that the kings of Israel had given to the *son at the entering of the house of the Lord, in the chamber of Nathanmeleh the chamberlain which was of Paruarim, and burnt the chariots of the *son with fire.

And the altars that were on the top of the parlor of Ahaz which the king of Juda had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the Lord, the king brake down, and ran thence and cast the dust of them into the brook Cedron.*son: sonne exactly as it appears in the text, else where sun is written sunne.

And the hillaltars that before Jerusalem on the right hand of the mount Nashith, which Salomon king of Israel built to Astharoth the abomination of the Zidons and to Chamos the abomination of the Moabites, and to Milchom the abomination of the children of Ammon, the king defiled: and brake the images and cut down the groves and filled the places with the bones of men.

Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, the hillaltar made by Jeroboam the son of Nabat which made Israel sin: both the altar and also the hill he brake down and burnt the hill and stamped it to powder, and burnt the grove. And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the graves that were in the mount and sent and fetched the bones out of the graves and burnt them upon the altar and polluted it according to the word of the Lord that the man of God had proclaimed, which openly had denounced the same things.

Then the king said: what meaneth yonder grave stone that I see? And the men of the city told him, it is the sepulchre of the man of God, which came from Juda and openly denounced the self same things that thou hast done to the altar of Bethel. And he said let him be: see that no man move his bones. And so his bones escaped with the bones of a Prophet that came out of Samaria.

And thereto all the houses of the hillaltars of the cities of Samaria which the kings of Israel had made, to anger with all: Josiah put out of the way and did to them in all points as he did in Bethel. And he sacrificed all the priests of the hillaltars that were there, even upon the altars, and burnt mens bones upon them, and returned to Jerusalem.

And the king commanded all the people saying: keep the feast of passover unto the Lord your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant. For there was no passover held like that from the days of the judges that judged Israel, and throughout all the days of the kings of Israel and of Juda. And in the eighteenth year of king Josiah was this passover holden to the Lord in Jerusalem.

And thereto workers with spirits, soothsayers, Images of witchcraft, idols and all other abominations that were spied in the land of Juda and in Jerusalem, Josiah put out of the way to make good the words of the law, which were written in the book that Helkiah the priest found in the house of the Lord:

like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and all his might, according to all the law of Moses, neither after him arose there any such.

Notwithstanding the Lord turned not from his fierce and great wrath wherewith he was angry against Juda upon all the provocations that Manasseh provoked him.

But the Lord said: I will put Juda too, out of my sight, as I have done Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I have said, my name shall be there.

The rest of the deeds of Josiah and all he did are written in the book of the stories of the kings of Juda.

In his days Pharao Necoh king of Egypt went against the king of Assiria to the river of Euphrates. And king Josiah went against him, and was slain of him at Magedo when he had seen him. And his servants carried him dead from Magedo and brought him to Jerusalem and buried him in his own sepulchre. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah and anointed him and made him king in his fathers room.

And Jehoahaz was twenty three years old when he began to reign and reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mothers name was Namital the daughter of Jeremiah of Lobnah. And he did that displeased the Lord, in all things as his fathers had done. And Pharao Necoh put him in bonds at Reblah in the land of Hemath in the time of his reign in Jerusalem, and put the land to a tribute of an hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. And Pharao Necoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoakim, and took Jehoahaz away which when he came to Egypt died there.

And Jehoakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharao: how be it he taxed the land, to give the money at the commandment of Pharao and as every man was set at, so he required the silver and the gold of the people of the land, to give Pharao Necoh.

Jehoakim was twenty five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned an eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Zebda the daughter of Phadaiah of Ramah. And he did that was evil favoured in the sight of the Lord, like in all things as did his fathers.

The 24th Chapter

In his days came Nabuchodonozor king of Babylon, and Jehoakim became his servant three years, and then turned and rebelled against him. And the Lord sent upon him men of war out of Galdey, out of Siria, out of the Moabites, and from the children of Ammon: and sent them into Juda, to destroy it, according to the saying of the Lord which he spake by his servants the Prophets.

Only at the bidding of the Lord happened it so to Juda, to put them out of his sight, for the sin of Manasseh according to all he did: and for the innocent blood that he shed and filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, which the Lord would not forgive.

The rest of the deeds of Jehoakim and all he did, are written in the chronicles of the kings of Juda. And Jehoakim laid him to sleep with his fathers, and Jehoacin his son reigned in his stead. But the king of Egypt came now no more out of his land: for the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Euphrates, all that pertained to the king of Egypt.

Jehoacin was eighteen year old when he began to reign, and reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mothers name was Nehustha the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. And he did that displeased the eyes of the Lord in all points as his father did.

In his time came the servants of Nabuchodonozor king of Babylon, to Jerusalem and the city was besieged. And Nabuchodonozor came to the city as his servants were yet a besieging of it. And Jehoacin the king of Juda came out to the king of Babylon, with his mother, his servants, his Lords and his chamberlains. And the king of Babylon took him, in the eighth year of his reign.

And he carried out thence all the treasure of the house of the Lord, and the treasure of the kings house, and brake all the vessels of gold which Salomon king of Israel had made, in the temple of the Lord, as the Lord had said. And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the Lords and all the men of might, to the number of ten thousand into captivity and all craftsmen and Joiners, none remaining save the poor people of the land. And he carried away Jehoacin to Babylon, and the kings mother, and the kings wives, and his chamberlains, and the mighty of the land carried he away from Jerusalem to Babylon. And all the men of activity to the number of seven thousand, and craftsmen and joiners a thousand, all strong and apt for war, did the king of Babylon bring to Babylon to dwell. And the king of Babylon made Mathaniah his fathers brother, king in his stead, and changed his name and called him Zedekiah.

Zedekiah was twenty one years old when he began to reign and he reigned an eleven year in Jerusalem.

His mothers name was Hamital the daughter of Jeremiah of Lobnah. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, in all points like to Jehoakim.

For through the wrath of the Lord it so chanced to Jerusalem and Juda, until he had cast them out of his sight. And the said Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

The 25th Chapter

Wherefore in the ninth year of his reign, the tenth day of the tenth month, came Nabuchodonozor king of Babylon with all his power to Jerusalem: and pitched against the town and made engines against it on every side. And the city continued besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. And the ninth day of the fourth month of that year, there was so great hunger in the city, that there was no sustenance for the people of the land.

And thereto the city was broken up: wherefore all the men of Arms fled by night, by a way through a gate, between two walls hard on the Kings garden: the Caldeyes lying about the city.

And the King went straight toward the desert. And the host of the Caldeyes followed after him, and took him in the desert of Jericho, all his army being scattered away from him. And when they had taken him, they brought him to Nabuchodonozor the King of Babylon to Reblah, where they reasoned with him. And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and fettered him, and carried him to Babylon.

And the seventh day of the fifth month which was in the nineteenth year of King Nabuchodonozor King of Babylon, came Nabusaradan servant of the King of Babylon and chief Marshal, unto Jerusalem: and burnt the house of the Lord and the Kings house and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the great houses burnt he with fire.

And all the host of the Caldeyes that were with the chief Marshal brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about. And the rest of the people that were left in the city, and them that were fled to the King of Babylon, and the remnant of the common people, Nabusaradan the chief Marshal carried away, and left of the poor of the land to dress the vines and to till the ground.

And the pillars of brass that were in the house of the Lord and the bottoms, and the brazen sea that was in the house of the Lord the Caldeyes brake, and carried the brass of them to Babylon. And the lavers, shovels, dressing knives, ladles, and the ministering vessels of brass, they carried away.

And the firepans, and basins that were either of gold or silver, them took the chief Marshal away with the two pillars and the sea of brass and the bottoms which Salomon had made in the house of the Lord. The brass of all these vessels was without weight. The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and the head thereon was brass and three cubits long with a wreath and pomegranates round about upon the head, all of brass. And of the same fashion was the second pillar with a wreath.

And the chief Marshal took Saraiah the chief priest, and Zophoniah the highest priest save one, and three keepers of the door. And out of the city he took a certain chamberlain that had the oversight of the men of war, and five men that were ever in the kings presence, which were found in the city, and Sopher the captain of the Host that taught the people of the land to make war, and three score men of the people of the land that were found in the city also. And Nabusaradan the chief Marshal took them and brought them to the King of Babylon to Reblah. And the King of Babylon smote them and slew them at Reblah in the land of Hemath. And so Juda was carried away out of all their land.

And over the people that remained in the land of Juda, which Nabuchodonozor King of Babylon left, he set Godoliah the son of Ahikam the son of Saphan. And when all the captains of the men of war and the men heard that the King of Babylon had made Godoliah governor: there came to Godoliah to Mazphah: Ismael the son of Nathaniah and Johanan the son of Kareah and Saraiah the son of Thanehumeth the Netophathite and Jezoniah the son of Maachati and their men. And Godoliah sware to them and to their men, and said to them: fear not ye the servants of the Caldeyes. But dwell in the land and serve the King of Babylon and ye shall be in good condition.

But it chanced the seventh month after, that Ismael the son of Nathaniah the son of Elisama of the Kings blood came, and ten men with him and smote Godoliah that he died: and so did he the Jews and the Caldeyes that were with him at Mazphah. Thereupon all the people both small and great and the captains of the men of war arose and went to Egypt: for they were afraid of the Caldeyes.

Notwithstanding yet the thirty seventh year after Jehoacin King of Juda was carried away, the twenty seventh day of the twelfth month, did Evilmerodach King of Babylon lift up the head of Jehoacin king of Juda out of the prison house, and spake kindly to him and set his seat above the seat of all the Kings that were with him in Babilon, and changed his prison garments.

And he did ever eat bread before him all the days of his life:

And a continual portion was assigned him of the King, day by day as long as he lived.

The end of the second book of kings,

which after the Latin is the fourth.