Study Desk

at the age of twenty-five, and he ruled in Jerusalem for sixteen years. His mother was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok.

Following the example of his father Uzziah, Jotham did what was pleasing to the Lord .

Jotham died and was buried in the royal tombs in David's City, and his son Ahaz succeeded him as king.

at the age of twenty, and he ruled in Jerusalem for sixteen years. He did not follow the good example of his ancestor King David; instead, he did what was not pleasing to the Lord his God

and followed the example of the kings of Israel. He even sacrificed his own son as a burnt offering to idols, imitating the disgusting practice of the people whom the Lord had driven out of the land as the Israelites advanced.

Tiglath Pileser, in answer to Ahaz' plea, marched out with his army against Damascus, captured it, killed King Rezin, and took the people to Kir as prisoners.

On his return from Damascus, Ahaz saw that the altar was finished,

The bronze altar dedicated to the Lord was between the new altar and the Temple, so Ahaz moved it to the north side of his new altar.

Ahaz died and was buried in the royal tombs in David's City, and his son Hezekiah succeeded him as king.

But one year Hoshea sent messengers to So, king of Egypt, asking for his help, and stopped paying the annual tribute to Assyria. When Shalmaneser learned of this, he had Hoshea arrested and put in prison.

followed the customs of the people whom the Lord had driven out as his people advanced, and adopted customs introduced by the kings of Israel.

The Lord had sent his messengers and prophets to warn Israel and Judah: "Abandon your evil ways and obey my commands, which are contained in the Law I gave to your ancestors and which I handed on to you through my servants the prophets."

They refused to obey his instructions, they did not keep the covenant he had made with their ancestors, and they disregarded his warnings. They worshiped worthless idols and became worthless themselves, and they followed the customs of the surrounding nations, disobeying the Lord 's command not to imitate them.

They sacrificed their sons and daughters as burnt offerings to pagan gods; they consulted mediums and fortunetellers, and they devoted themselves completely to doing what is wrong in the Lord 's sight, and so aroused his anger.

The Lord was angry with the Israelites and banished them from his sight, leaving only the kingdom of Judah.

The Lord rejected all the Israelites, punishing them and handing them over to cruel enemies until at last he had banished them from his sight.

until at last the Lord banished them from his sight, as he had warned through his servants the prophets that he would do. So the people of Israel were taken into exile to Assyria, where they still live.

at the age of twenty-five, and he ruled in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years. His mother was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.

Following the example of his ancestor King David, he did what was pleasing to the Lord .

Hezekiah trusted in the Lord , the God of Israel; Judah never had another king like him, either before or after his time.