Study Desk

But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Ado; and he went out before the army that came to Samaria, and said to them, Behold, because the LORD God of our fathers was angry with Judah, he has delivered them into your hands, and you have slain them and had no pity on them.

For the LORD brought Judah low because of the sins of Ahaz king of Judah; for he increased iniquity in Judah and transgressed grievously against the LORD.

And even now, because we have gone astray from following the LORD our God and have forsaken the covenant which he gave to our fathers, therefore he also has forsaken us.

And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people of Israel, because the service of the temple was accomplished; for the thing was done promptly.

For they could not keep it at the appointed time because the priests had not sanctified themselves, neither had the instructors of the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

Because he has revealed himself to you, your children, and your brethren; and he shall grant you compassion before those who carry you captive, and shall bring you back to this land; for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you when you return to him.

And he called for Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok and said to him, This tithe is ready for you, to be eaten, because it has been brought into the house of the LORD, now you can eat and be filled, and what is left of it, give it to the poor and to the fatherless, for the LORD has blessed his people and has given them this abundance. And what is left, give it to all the people of Israel.

Then Hezekiah and Isaiah the son of Amoz, the prophet, prayed because of this, and the LORD heard the voice of their prayer.

Go, pray before the LORD for me and for the people of Israel and Judah concerning the words of this book that is found; for great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not hearkened to the words of the LORD to do after all that is written concerning us in this book.

Because they have forsaken me and have worshipped other gods and have provoked me to anger with the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched.

Because your heart was humbled, and you did tremble before the LORD when you heard these things which I will bring against this place and against its inhabitants, and have humbled yourself before me and have rent your clothes and wept before me; I have heard you also, says the LORD.

And afterward they prepared for themselves and for the priests, because the priests the sons of Aaron were busied in offering the burnt offerings and the fat until the Levites were through; then the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests the sons of Aaron, who ministered.

And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, giving useful advice in advance; because he had compassion on his people and on the flock that he had chosen;

And they set the altar upon its bases; for fear was upon them because of the peoples who dwelt in the cities, and they offered burnt offerings upon it to the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening.

And they sang together in unison in praising and giving thanks to the LORD because he is good, for his mercy endures for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.

Now because we have eaten the salt of the palace, and it was not meet for us to see the kings dishonor, therefore we have sent and informed the king,

But because our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of the Chaldeans, who destroyed this house and carried the people away into Babylon.

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

Then all those who were diligent concerning the word of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of the exiles, assembled before me; and I sat speechless until the ninth hour.

Since the days of our fathers we have been found in great trespass to this day; because we have committed more sins, both we and our fathers and our kings and our priests; therefore we have been delivered to the sword, to the spoil, to captivity, and to confusion of face, and into the hand of the kings of the lands and into the hand of our enemies, as it is this very day.