Study Desk

For Yahweh brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he had dealt wantonly in Judah, and trespassed intensely against Yahweh.

For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, which smote him; and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, [therefore] I will sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.

And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, because of that which God had prepared for the people: for the thing was done suddenly.

For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

And Hezekiah the king, and Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz, prayed because of this, and cried to heaven.

Go, inquire of Yahweh for me, and for those that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that was found; for great is the wrath of Yahweh that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of Yahweh, to do according to all that is written in this book.

Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore is my wrath poured out on this place, and it shall not be quenched.

because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God, when you heard his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and have humbled yourself before me, and have rent your clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard you, says Yahweh.

And afterward they prepared for themselves, and for the priests, because the priests the sons of Aaron [were busy] in offering the burnt-offerings and the fat until night: therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron.

And Yahweh, the God of their fathers, sent to them by his messengers, rising up early and sending, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling-place:

And they set the altar on its base; for fear was on them because of the peoples of the countries: and they offered burnt-offerings thereon to Yahweh, even burnt-offerings morning and evening.

And they sang one to another in praising and giving thanks to Yahweh, [saying], For he is good, for his loving-kindness [endures] forever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised Yahweh, because the foundation of the house of Yahweh was laid.

Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not meet for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore we have sent and certified the king;

Then Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their companions, because Darius the king had sent, did accordingly with all diligence.

For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way, because we had spoken to the king, saying, The hand of our God is on all those that seek him, for good; but his power and his wrath is against all those that forsake him.

Then were assembled to me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the trespass of them of the captivity; and I sat confounded until the evening oblation.

O Yahweh, the God of Israel, you are righteous; for we are left a remnant that is escaped, as it is this day: look, we are before you in our guiltiness; for none can stand before you because of this.

Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib: and he spent the night there, he ate no bread, nor drank water; for he mourned because of the trespass of them of the captivity.

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together to Jerusalem within the three days; it was the ninth month, on the twentieth [day] of the month: and all the people sat in the broad place before the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.

But we made our prayer to our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.