Study Desk

So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again to the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you that have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria.

For if ye turn again to the LORD, your brethren and your children [will find] compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they will return into this land: for the LORD your God [is] gracious and merciful, and will not turn away [his] face from you, if ye return to him.

And the children of Israel [that were] present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, [singing] with loud instruments to the LORD.

Now when all this was finished, all Israel [that were] present went out to the cities of Judah, and broke the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned every man to his possession into their own cities.

And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the first-fruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all [things] they brought in abundantly.

And the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated to the LORD their God, and laid [them] by heaps.

But did [that which was] evil in the sight of the LORD, like the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.

And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, [and] to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.

And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that [pertained] to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel, to serve, [even] to serve the LORD their God. [And] all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.

And the children of Israel [that were] present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.

Now these [are] the children of the province that went up from the captivity, of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and came again to Jerusalem and Judah, every one to his city;

The children of Parosh, two thousand a hundred seventy and two.

The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.

The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five.

The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua [and] Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.

The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.

The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five.

The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty.

The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two.