31 1 The people destroy idolatry. 2 Hezekiah appointeth Priests and Levites, 4 And provideth for their livings. 13 He ordaineth overseers to distribute to every one his portion.

¹ And when all these things were finished, all Israel, that were found in the cities of Judah, went out and ^[a]brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake down the high places, and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had made an end: afterward all the ^[b]children of Israel returned every man to his possession, into their own cities.

² And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the Priests and Levites by their turns, every man according to his office, both Priests and Levites for the burnt offering and peace offerings, to minister and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the ^[c]tents of the Lord.

³ (And the king’s portion was of his own substance for the burnt offerings, even for the burnt offerings of the morning and of the evening, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, and for the new moons and for the solemn feasts, ^(A)as it is written in the Law of the Lord)

⁴ He commanded also the people that dwelt in Jerusalem, to give a ^[d]part to the Priests, and Levites, that they might be ^[e]encouraged in the law of the Lord.

⁵ ¶ And when the commandment was ^[f]spread, the children of Israel brought abundance of firstfruits, of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field, and the tithes of all things brought they abundantly.

⁶ And the children of Israel and Judah that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought the tithes of bullocks and sheep, and the holy tithes ^[g]which were consecrated unto the Lord their God, and laid them on ^[h]many heaps.

⁷ In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month.

⁸ ¶ And when Hezekiah and the princes came, and saw the heaps, they ^[i]blessed the Lord and his people Israel.

⁹ And Hezekiah questioned with the Priests and the Levites concerning the heaps.

¹⁰ And Azariah the chief Priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have ^[j]eaten, and have been satisfied, and there is left in abundance: for the Lord hath blessed his people, and this abundance that is left.

¹¹ ¶ And Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the Lord: and they prepared them,

¹² And carried in the firstfruits, and the tithes, and the dedicated things faithfully: and over them was Conaniah the Levite the chief, and Shimei his brother the second.

¹³ And Jehiel, and Azaziah and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers ^[k]by the appointment of Conaniah, and Shimei his brother, and by the commandment of Hezekiah the King, and of Azariah the chief of the house of God.

¹⁴ And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, porter toward the East, was over the things that were willingly offered unto God, to distribute the oblations of the Lord, and the holy things that were consecrated.

¹⁵ And at his hand were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shechaniah, in the cities of the Priests, to distribute with fidelity to their brethren by courses, both to the great and small,

¹⁶ Their daily portion: beside their generation, being males ^[l]from three years old and above, even to all that entered into the house of the Lord to their office in their charge, according to their courses:

¹⁷ Both to the generation of the Priests after the house of their fathers, and to the Levites from twenty years old and above, according to their charge in their courses:

¹⁸ And to the generation of all their children, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters throughout all the Congregation: for by their ^[m]fidelity are they partakers of the holy things.

¹⁹ Also to the sons of Aaron, the Priests, which were in the fields and suburbs of their cities, in every city the men that were appointed by names, should give portions to all the males of the Priests, and to all the generation of the Levites.

²⁰ And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and did well, and uprightly, and truly before the Lord his God.

²¹ And in all the works that he began for the service of the house of God, both in the Law and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

32 1 Sennacherib invadeth Judah. 3 Hezekiah prepareth for the war. 7 He exhorteth the people to put their trust in the Lord. 9 Sennacherib blasphemeth God. 20 Hezekiah prayeth. 21 The Angel destroyeth the Assyrians and the king is slain. 25 Hezekiah is not thankful toward the Lord. 33 His death.

¹ After these things faithfully described, ^(A)Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered into Judah, and besieged the strong cities, and thought to ^[a]win them for himself.

² When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that his ^[b]purpose was to fight against Jerusalem,

³ Then he took counsel with his princes and his nobles, to stop the water of the fountains without the city: and they did help him.

⁴ So many of the people assembled themselves, and stopped all the fountains, and the river that ran through the midst of the country, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?

⁵ And ^[c]he took courage, and built all the broken wall, and made up the towers, and another wall without, and repaired ^[d]Millo in the ^[e]city of David, and made many ^[f]darts and shields.

⁶ And he set captains of war over the people, and assembled them to him in the broad place of the gate of the city, and ^[g]spake comfortably unto them, saying,

⁷ Be strong and courageous: fear not, neither be afraid for the king of Assyria, neither for all the multitude that is with him: ^(B)for there be more with us, then is with him.

⁸ With him is an ^[h]arm of flesh, but with us is the ^[i]Lord our God for to help us, and to fight our battles. Then the people were confirmed by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

^9 (C)After this, did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem (while he was ^[j]against Lachish, and all his dominion with him) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying,

¹⁰ Thus saith Sennacherib the king of Assyria, Wherein do ye trust, that ye will remain in Jerusalem, during the siege?

¹¹ Doth not Hezekiah entice you to give over yourselves unto death by famine and by thirst, saying, The Lord our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

¹² Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places, and his ^[k]altars, and commanded Judah, and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it?

¹³ Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of other countries? were the gods of the nations of other lands able to deliver their land out of mine hand?

¹⁴ Who is he of all the ^[l]gods of those nations (that my fathers have destroyed) that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand?

¹⁵ Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor seduce you after this sort, neither believe ye him: for none of all the gods of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of ^[m]mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your gods deliver you out of mine hand?

¹⁶ And his servants spake yet more against the Lord God, and against his ^[n]servant Hezekiah.

¹⁷ He wrote also letters, blaspheming the Lord God of Israel, and speaking against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other countries could not deliver their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand.

¹⁸ Then they ^[o]cried with a loud voice in the Jews speech unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to fear them and to astonish them, that they might take the city.

¹⁹ Thus they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, even the ^[p]works of man’s hands,

²⁰ But Hezekiah the King, and the Prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz ^[q]prayed against this and cried to heaven.

²¹ And the Lord sent an Angel, which destroyed all the valiant men, and the princes and ^[r]captains of the host of the king of Assyria: so he returned ^[s]with shame to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his ^[t]own bowels, slew him there with the sword.

²² So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and ^[u]maintained them on every side.

²³ And many brought offerings unto the Lord to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was ^[v]magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.

^24 (D)In those days Hezekiah was sick unto the death, and prayed unto the Lord, who spake unto him, and gave him ^[w]a sign.

²⁵ But Hezekiah did not render according to the reward bestowed upon him: for his heart ^[x]was lifted up, and wrath came upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.

²⁶ Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself (after that his heart was lifted up) he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

²⁷ Hezekiah also had exceeding much riches and honor, and he got him treasures of silver, and of gold, and of precious stones, and of sweet odors, and of shields, and of all pleasant vessels:

²⁸ And of store houses for the increase of wheat and wine and oil, and stalls for all beasts, and ^[y]rows for the ^[z]stables.

²⁹ And he made him cities, and had possession of sheep and oxen in abundance: for God had given him substance exceeding much.

³⁰ This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper water springs of ^[aa]Gihon, and led them straight underneath toward the city of David Westward: so Hezekiah prospered in all his works.

³¹ But because of the ambassadors of the princes of Babel, which sent unto him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him to ^[ab]try him, and to know all that was in his heart.

³² Concerning the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the Prophet the son of Amoz, in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

³³ So Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the highest sepulcher of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honor at his death, and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.

13 1 The parable of the Sower. 11 and 34 Why Jesus spake in parables. 18 The exposition of the parable. 24 The parable of the tares. 31 Of the mustard seed. 33 Of the leaven. 44 Of the hidden treasure. 45 Of the pearl. 47 Of the draw net cast into the sea. 53 Christ is not received of his countrymen the Nazarites.

¹ The ^(A)same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

^2 [a]And great multitudes resorted unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat down: and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

³ Then he spake many things to them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow.

⁴ And as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up.

⁵ And some fell upon stony ground, where they had not much earth, and anon they sprung up, because they had no depth of earth.

⁶ And when the sun was up, they were parched, and for lack of rooting withered away.

⁷ And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprung up, and choked them.

⁸ And some again fell in good ground, and brought forth fruit, one corn an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and another thirtyfold.

⁹ He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

¹⁰ ¶ Then the disciples came, and said to him, Why speakest thou to them in parables?

^11 [b]And he answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

^12 (B)For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

¹³ Therefore speak I to them in parables, because they seeing, do not see: and hearing, they hear not, neither understand.

¹⁴ So in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which prophecy saith, ^(C)By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive.

¹⁵ For this people’s heart is waxed fat, and their ears are dull of hearing, and with their eyes they have winked, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their hearts, and should return, that I might heal them.

^16 [c]But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

^17 (D)For verily I say unto you, that many Prophets, and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

¹⁸ ¶ ^(E)Hear ye therefore the parable of the Sower.

¹⁹ Whensoever any man heareth the word of that kingdom, and understandeth it not, that evil one cometh, and catcheth away that which was sown in his ^[d]heart: and this is he which hath received the seed by the way side.

²⁰ And he that received seed in the stony ground, is he which heareth the word, and incontinently with joy receiveth it,

²¹ Yet hath he no root in himself, and endureth but a season: for as soon as tribulation or persecution cometh because of the word, by and by he is offended.

²² And he that received the seed among thorns, is he that heareth the word: but the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he is made unfruitful.

²³ But he that received the seed in the good ground, is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it, which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold.

²⁴ ¶ ^[e]Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man which sowed good seed in his field.

²⁵ But while men slept, there came his enemy and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

²⁶ And when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

²⁷ Then came the servants of the householder, and said unto him, Master, sowest thou not good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

²⁸ And he said unto them, Some envious man hath done this. Then the servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

²⁹ But he said, Nay, lest while ye go about to gather the tares, ye pluck up also with them the wheat.

³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest, and in time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye first the tares, and bind them in sheaves to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

³¹ ¶ ^(F)[f]Another parable he put forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain of mustard seed, which a man taketh and soweth in his field:

³² Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and it is a tree, so that the birds of heaven come and build in the branches thereof.

³³ ¶ ^(G)Another parable spake he to them, The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman taketh and hideth in three pecks of meal, till all be leavened.

³⁴ ¶ ^(H)All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables, and without parables spake he not unto them,

³⁵ That it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the Prophet, saying, ^(I)I will open my mouth in parables, and will utter the things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

³⁶ Then sent Jesus the multitude away, and went into the house. And his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of that field.

^37 [g]Then answered he, and said to them, He that soweth the good seed, is the son of man,

³⁸ And the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom, and the tares are the children of that wicked one.

³⁹ And the enemy that soweth them, is the devil, ^(J)and the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers be the Angels.

⁴⁰ As then the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world.

⁴¹ The Son of man shall send forth his Angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity,

⁴² And shall cast them into a furnace of fire. There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

^43 (K)Then shall the just men shine as the sun in the kingdom of their father. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

⁴⁴ ¶ ^[h]Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hid in the field, which when a man hath found, he hideth it, and for joy thereof departeth, and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

⁴⁵ ¶ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant man that seeketh good pearls,

⁴⁶ Who having found a pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

⁴⁷ ¶ ^[i]Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a draw net cast into the sea, that gathereth of all kinds of things.

⁴⁸ Which, when it is full, men draw to land, and sit and gather the good into vessels, and cast the bad away.

⁴⁹ So shall it be at the end of the world. The Angels shall go forth, and sever the bad from among the just,

⁵⁰ And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

⁵¹ ¶ ^[j]Jesus said unto them, Understand ye all these things? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.

⁵² Then said he unto them, Therefore every Scribe which is taught unto the kingdom of heaven, is like unto an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things both new and old.

⁵³ ¶ And it came to pass, that when Jesus had ended these parables, he departed thence,

^54 (L)[k]And came into his own country, and taught them in their Synagogue, so that they were astonied, and said, Whence cometh this wisdom and great works unto this man?

⁵⁵ Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary, ^(M)and his brethren James and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

⁵⁶ And are not his sisters all with us? Whence then hath he all these things?

⁵⁷ And they were offended with him. Then Jesus said to them, ^(N)A Prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and in his own house.

⁵⁸ And he did not many great works there, for their unbelief’s sake.