Study Desk

The LORD sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders and captains, in the camp of the king of Ashshur. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. When he was come into the house of his god, those who came forth from his own bowels killed him there with the sword.

Many brought gifts to the LORD to Yerushalayim, and precious things to Hizkiyahu king of Yehudah; so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.

Notwithstanding Hizkiyahu humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, so that the wrath of the LORD didn't come on them in the days of Hizkiyahu.

Menashsheh seduced Yehudah and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, so that they did evil more than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Yisra'el.

So Menashsheh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his place.

[So did he] in the cities of Menashsheh and Efrayim and Shim`on, even to Naftali, in their ruins round about.

So Hilkiyah, and they whom the king [had commanded], went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhat, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she lived in Yerushalayim in the second quarter;) and they spoke to her to that effect.

So the service was prepared, and the Kohanim stood in their place, and the Levites by their courses, according to the king's mitzvah.

They removed the burnt offerings, that they might give them according to the divisions of the fathers' houses of the children of the people, to offer to the LORD, as it is written in the book of Moshe. So did they with the oxen.

So all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day, to keep the Pesach, and to offer burnt-offerings on the altar of the LORD, according to the mitzvah of king Yoshiyahu.

So his servants took him out of the chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had, and brought him to Yerushalayim; and he died, and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. All Yehudah and Yerushalayim mourned for Yoshiyahu.

Now in the first year of Koresh king of Paras, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Yirmeyahu might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Koresh king of Paras, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and [put it] also in writing, saying,

Now in the first year of Koresh king of Paras, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Yirmeyahu might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Koresh king of Paras, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and [put it] also in writing, saying,

So the Kohanim, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the temple servants, lived in their cities, and all Yisra'el in their cities.

so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people; for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.

and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the city of Shomron, and in the rest [of the country] beyond the River, and so forth.

This is the copy of the letter that they sent to Artachshasta the king: Your servants the men beyond the River, and so forth.

that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers: so shall you find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time; for which cause was this city laid waste.

[Then] sent the king an answer to Rechum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the Sofer, and to the rest of their companions who dwell in Shomron, and in the rest [of the country] beyond the River: Shalom, and so forth.

Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king's treasure-house, which is there at Bavel, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Koresh the king to build this house of God at Yerushalayim; and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.