Study Desk

So the Postes went with the letters from the King and his Princes, throughout all Israel and Iudah, and according to the commandement of the king, saying; Yee children of Israel, turne againe vnto the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, and hee wil returne to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.

Now be yee not stiffe-necked as your fathers were, but yeeld your selues vnto the Lord, and enter into his Sanctuarie, which he hath sanctified for euer: and serue the Lord your God, that the fiercenesse of his wrath may turne away from you.

For if yee turne againe vnto the Lord, your brethren and your children shall finde compassion before them that leade them captiue, so that they shall come againe into this land: for the Lord your God is gracious and mercifull, and will not turne away his face from you, if ye returne vnto him.

That prepareth his heart to seeke God, the Lord God of his fathers, though hee be not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary.

Then the Priests the Leuites arose, and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came vp to his holy dwelling place, euen vnto heauen.

Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present, went out to the cities of Iudah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut downe the groues, and threw downe the high places and the altars out of all Iudah and Beniamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, vntill they had vtterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned euery man to his possession into their owne cities.

And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the Priests and the Leuites after their courses, euery man according to his seruice, the Priests and Leuites for burnt offerings, and for peace offerings, to minister and to giue thankes, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the Lord.

He appointed also the kings portion of his substance, for the burnt offrings, to wit, for the morning and euening burnt offrings; and the burnt offrings for the Sabbaths, and for the Newmoones, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the Law of the Lord.

And when Hezekiah and the princes came, and saw the heapes, they blessed the Lord, and his people Israel.

And Azariah the chiefe priest of the house of Zadok, answered him & said: Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, wee haue had enough to eate, and haue left plentie: for the Lord hath blessed his people; and that which is left, is this great store.

And brought in the offerings and the tithes, and the dedicate things, faithfully: ouer which Cononiah the Leuite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next.

And Iehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Ierimoth, and Iozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah were ouerseers vnder the hande of Cononiah, and Shimei his brother, at the commandement of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God.

Beside their genealogie of males, from three yeeres old and vpward, euen vnto euery one that entreth into the house of the Lord, his dayly portion for their seruice in their charges, according to their courses:

And thus did Hezekiah throughout al Iudah, and wrought that which was good and right, and trueth before the Lord his God.

And in euery worke that he began in the seruice of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandements to seeke his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

He tooke counsel with his princes, and his mightie men, to stop the waters of the fountaines, which were without the citie: and they did helpe him.

After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his seruants to Ierusalem (but he himselfe laide siege against Lachish, and all his power with him) vnto Hezekiah king of Iudah, and vnto all Iudah that were at Ierusalem, saying;

Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places, and his altars, and commanded Iudah and Ierusalem, saying; Yee shall worship before one altar, & burne incense vpon it?

Who was there among all the gods of those nations, that my fathers vtterly destroyed, that could deliuer his people out of mine hand, that your God should bee able to deliuer you out of mine hand?

Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceiue you, nor perswade you on this manner, neither yet beleeue him: for no god of any nation or kingdome was able to deliuer his people out of mine hand, & out of the hand of my fathers: how much lesse shall your God deliuer you out of mine hand?