Study Desk

King Joash of Israel sent an answer to King Amaziah of Judah, saying, "The thorn bush in Lebanon sent word to the cedar in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son for a wife.' But a wild animal of Lebanon passed by and crushed the thorn bush under its feet.

But Amaziah would not listen. God had planned that He would give Judah into the hand of Joash because Judah had worshiped the gods of Edom.

After Amaziah turned away from the Lord, they made plans against him in Jerusalem, and he ran away to Lachish. But they sent men after him to Lachish, and killed him there.

But when he became strong, Uzziah's heart was so proud that his actions were sinful. He was not faithful to the Lord his God, for he went into the Lord's house to burn special perfume on the altar of special perfume.

Jotham did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He did all that his father Uzziah had done, only he did not go into the house of the Lord. But the people still sinned much.

But he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel. He also made objects to look like the false gods of Baal.

But a man who spoke for the Lord was there, whose name was Oded. He went out to meet the army that came to Samaria and said to them, "See, because the Lord, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, He has given them into your hand. But you have killed them in an anger which has even gone up to heaven.

Ahaz took riches from the house of the Lord and from the house of the king and of the princes, and gave them to the king of Assyria. But it did not help him.

For he gave gifts on the altar to the gods of Damascus who had beaten him in battle. He said, "Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will give gifts to them so they may help me." But they were what destroyed him and all Israel.

But there were not enough religious leaders to skin all the burnt gifts. So their brothers the Levites helped them until the work was finished, and until all the religious leaders had made themselves holy. For the Levites put more care into making themselves holy than the religious leaders.

Now do not make your hearts hard like your fathers, but give yourselves to the Lord. Come to His holy place which He has set apart forever. And worship the Lord your God, that His burning anger may turn away from you.

So the men took the letters from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun. But the people laughed at them and made fun of them.

He has only man with him. But we have the Lord our God with us, to help us and to fight our battles." And the people trusted the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

But King Hezekiah and Isaiah the man of God, the son of Amoz, prayed about this and cried out to heaven.

But Hezekiah did not do anything in return for the good he received, because his heart was proud. So the Lord's anger came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem.

The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they would not listen.

But the people still killed animals in worship at the high places, but only to the Lord their God.

He did not put away his pride before the Lord as his father Manasseh had done, but Amon added to his guilt.

But the people of the land killed all those who had killed King Amon and made his son Josiah king in his place.

But tell the king of Judah who sent you to the Lord, "This is what the Lord God of Israel says about the words which you have heard: