Study Desk

The couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with the letters from the hand of the king and his princes, even according to the command of the king, saying, "Sons of Israel, return to the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that He may return to those of you who escaped and are left from the hand of the kings of Assyria.

"Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were untrue to the LORD God of their fathers, so that He made them an object of horror, just as you see.

"Now do not stiffen your neck like your fathers, but yield to the LORD and enter His sanctuary which He has consecrated forever, and serve the LORD your God, that His burning anger may turn away from you.

"For if you return to the LORD, your brothers and your sons will find compassion in the presence of those who led them captive, and will return to this land. For the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him."

The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the LORD.

They stood at their stations following their custom, according to the Law of Moses the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood which they received from the hand of the Levites.

everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary."

Then Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good insight in the things of the LORD. So they ate for the appointed seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the LORD God of their fathers.

The sons of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of sacred gifts which were consecrated to the LORD their God, and placed them in heaps.

Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers under the authority of Conaniah and his brother Shimei by the appointment of King Hezekiah, and Azariah was the chief officer of the house of God.

Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the eastern gate, was in charge of the voluntary offerings for God, to distribute the contributions for the LORD and the most holy things.

Hezekiah did this throughout Judah; and he did what was good, right, and true before the LORD his God.

Every work which he began in the service of the house of God in the Law and in the commandment, seeking his God, he did with all his heart and prospered.

"With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

'Is Hezekiah not misleading you to give yourselves over to die by hunger and by thirst, saying, "The LORD our God will save us from the hand of the king of Assyria"?

'Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed who could save his people from my hand, that your God would be able to save you from my hand?

'Now then, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you like this, and do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to save his people from my hand or from the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God save you from my hand?'"

His servants spoke further against the LORD God and against His servant Hezekiah.

He also wrote letters to insult the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, "As the gods of the nations of the lands have not saved their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not save His people from my hand."

They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as they did against the gods of the peoples of the earth, the work of human hands.