Bible in 90 Days

Jehoiada’s Reforms

¹⁶ Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, the king, and the people that they would be the Lord’s people. ¹⁷ So all the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They broke its altars and images into pieces and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, at the altars.^(A)

¹⁸ Then Jehoiada put the oversight of the Lord’s temple into the hands of the Levitical priests,^(B) whom David had appointed^(C) over the Lord’s temple, to offer burnt offerings to the Lord as it is written in the law of Moses,^(D) with rejoicing and song ordained by^[a] David. ¹⁹ He stationed gatekeepers^(E) at the gates of the Lord’s temple so that nothing unclean could enter for any reason. ²⁰ Then he took with him the commanders of hundreds, the nobles, the governors of the people, and all the people of the land and brought the king down from the Lord’s temple. They entered the king’s palace through the Upper Gate and seated the king on the throne of the kingdom. ²¹ All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet, for they had put Athaliah to death by the sword.

Judah’s King Joash

24 Joash^(F) was seven years old when he became king and reigned 40 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beer-sheba. ² Throughout the time of Jehoiada the priest, Joash did what was right in the Lord’s sight.^{(G) 3} Jehoiada acquired two wives for him, and he was the father of sons and daughters.

Repairing the Temple

⁴ Afterward,^(H) Joash took it to heart to renovate^(I) the Lord’s temple. ⁵ So he gathered the priests and Levites and said, “Go out to the cities of Judah and collect money from all Israel to repair the temple of your God as needed year by year,^(J) and do it quickly.”

However, the Levites did not hurry. ⁶ So the king called Jehoiada the high priest and said, “Why haven’t you required the Levites to bring from Judah and Jerusalem the tax imposed by the Lord’s servant Moses and the assembly of Israel for the tent^(K) of the testimony? ⁷ For the sons of that wicked Athaliah broke into the Lord’s temple and even used the sacred things of the Lord’s temple for the Baals.”

⁸ At the king’s command a chest was made and placed outside the gate of the Lord’s temple. ⁹ Then a proclamation^(L) was issued in Judah and Jerusalem that the tax God’s servant Moses imposed on Israel in the wilderness be brought to the Lord. ¹⁰ All the leaders and all the people rejoiced, brought the tax, and put it in the chest until it was full. ¹¹ Whenever the chest was brought by the Levites to the king’s overseers, and when they saw that there was a large amount of money, the king’s secretary and the high priest’s deputy came and emptied the chest, picked it up, and returned it to its place. They did this daily and gathered the money in abundance. ¹² Then the king and Jehoiada gave it to those in charge of the labor on the Lord’s temple, who were hiring stonecutters and carpenters to renovate the Lord’s temple, also blacksmiths and coppersmiths to repair the Lord’s temple.^(M)

¹³ The workmen did their work, and through them the repairs progressed. They restored God’s temple to its specifications and reinforced it. ¹⁴ When they finished, they presented the rest of the money to the king and Jehoiada, who made articles for the Lord’s temple with it—articles for ministry and for making burnt offerings, and ladles^[b] and articles of gold and silver. They regularly offered burnt offerings in the Lord’s temple throughout Jehoiada’s life.

Joash’s Apostasy

¹⁵ Jehoiada died when he was old and full of days; he was 130 years old at his death. ¹⁶ He was buried in the city of David with the kings^(N) because he had done what was good in Israel with respect to God and His temple.

¹⁷ However, after Jehoiada died, the rulers of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them, ¹⁸ and they abandoned the temple of Yahweh, the God of their ancestors and served the Asherah poles and the idols.^(O) So there was wrath^(P) against Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. ¹⁹ Nevertheless, He sent them prophets^(Q) to bring them back to the Lord; they admonished them, but the people would not listen.^(R)

²⁰ The Spirit of God took control of^[c](S) Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood above the people and said to them, “This is what God says, ‘Why are you transgressing the Lord’s commands and you do not prosper?^(T) Because you have abandoned the Lord, He has abandoned you.’”^{(U) 21} But they conspired against him and stoned him at the king’s command in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple.^{(V) 22} King Joash didn’t remember the kindness that Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had extended to him, but killed his son. While he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and demand^(W) an account.”

Aramean Invasion of Judah

²³ At the turn of the year, an Aramean army went to war against Joash.^(X) They entered Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the leaders of the people among them and sent all the plunder to the king of Damascus. ²⁴ Although the Aramean army came with only a few men, the Lord handed over^(Y) a vast army to them because the people of Judah had abandoned^(Z) Yahweh, the God of their ancestors. So they executed judgment on Joash.

Joash Assassinated

²⁵ When^(AA) the Arameans saw that Joash had many wounds, they left him. His servants conspired against him, and killed him on his bed, because he had shed the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.^(AB)

²⁶ Those who conspired against him were Zabad, son of the Ammonite woman Shimeath, and Jehozabad, son of the Moabite woman Shimrith.^{[d](AC) 27} Concerning his sons, the many oracles about him, and the restoration^(AD) of the Lord’s temple, they are recorded in the Writing^(AE) of the Book of the Kings. His son Amaziah became king in his place.

Judah’s King Amaziah

25 Amaziah^(AF) became king when he was 25 years old and reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem. ² He did what was right in the Lord’s sight but not wholeheartedly.^(AG)

³ As soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp,^[e] he executed his servants who had murdered his father the king. ⁴ However, he did not put their children to death, because—as it is written in the Law, in the book of Moses,^(AH) where the Lord commanded—“Fathers must not die because of children, and children must not die because of fathers, but each one will die for his own sin.”^(AI)

Amaziah’s Campaign against Edom

⁵ Then Amaziah gathered Judah and assembled them according to ancestral house, according to commanders of thousands, and according to commanders of hundreds. He numbered those 20 years old or more^(AJ) for all Judah and Benjamin. He found there to be 300,000 choice men who could serve in the army, bearing spear and shield.^{(AK) 6} Then for 7,500 pounds^[f] of silver he hired 100,000 brave warriors from Israel.

⁷ However, a man of God^(AL) came to him and said, “King, do not let Israel’s army go with you, for the Lord is not with Israel—all the Ephraimites. ⁸ But if you go with them, do it! Be strong for battle! But God will make you stumble before the enemy,^(AM) for God has the power to help^(AN) or to make one stumble.”

⁹ Then Amaziah said to the man of God, “What should I do about the 7,500 pounds^[g] of silver I gave to Israel’s division?”

The man of God replied, “The Lord is able to give you much more than this.”

¹⁰ So Amaziah released the division that came to him from Ephraim to go home. But they got very angry with Judah and returned home in a fierce rage.

¹¹ Amaziah strengthened his position and led his people to the Valley of Salt. He struck down 10,000 Seirites,^{[h] 12} and the Judahites captured 10,000 alive. They took them to the top of a cliff where they threw them off, and all of them were dashed to pieces.

¹³ As for the men of the division that Amaziah sent back so they would not go with him into battle, they raided the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth-horon, struck down 3,000 of their people, and took a great deal of plunder.

¹⁴ After Amaziah came from the attack on the Edomites, he brought the gods of the Seirites^[i] and set them up as his gods. He worshiped before them and burned incense to them.^{(AO) 15} So the Lord’s anger was against Amaziah, and He sent a prophet to him, who said, “Why have you sought a people’s gods that could not deliver their own people from your hand?”^(AP)

¹⁶ While he was still speaking to him, the king asked, “Have we made you the king’s counselor? Stop, why should you lose your life?”

So the prophet stopped, but he said, “I know that God intends to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my advice.”

Amaziah’s War With Israel’s King Joash

¹⁷ King Amaziah of Judah took counsel^(AQ) and sent word to Jehoash^[j] son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us meet face to face.”

¹⁸ King Jehoash of Israel sent word to King Amaziah of Judah, saying, “The thistle that was in Lebanon sent a message to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle.^{(AR) 19} You have said, ‘Look, I^[k] have defeated Edom,’ and you have become overconfident^(AS) that you will get glory. Now stay at home. Why stir up such trouble so that you fall and Judah with you?”

²⁰ But Amaziah would not listen, for this turn of events was from God in order to hand them over to their enemies because they went after the gods of Edom. ²¹ So King Jehoash of Israel advanced. He and King Amaziah of Judah faced off at Beth-shemesh in Judah. ²² Judah was routed before Israel, and each fled to his own tent. ²³ King Jehoash of Israel captured Judah’s King Amaziah son of Joash, son of Jehoahaz,^[l](AT) at Beth-shemesh. Then Jehoash took him to Jerusalem and broke down 200 yards^[m] of Jerusalem’s wall from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate.^{[n](AU) 24} He took all the gold, silver, all the utensils that were found with Obed-edom^(AV) in God’s temple, the treasures of the king’s palace, and the hostages. Then he returned to Samaria.

Amaziah’s Death

²⁵ Judah’s King Amaziah^(AW) son of Joash lived 15 years after the death of Israel’s King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz. ²⁶ The rest of the events of Amaziah’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

²⁷ From the time Amaziah turned from following the Lord, a conspiracy was formed against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. However, men were sent after him to Lachish, and they put him to death there. ²⁸ They carried him back on horses and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.^[o](AX)

Judah’s King Uzziah

26 All the people^(AY) of Judah took Uzziah,^[p] who was 16 years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. ² He rebuilt Eloth^[q](AZ) and restored it to Judah after Amaziah the king rested with his fathers.

³ Uzziah was 16 years old^(BA) when he became king and reigned 52 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecoliah from Jerusalem. ⁴ He did what was right in the Lord’s sight as his father Amaziah had done. ⁵ He sought God^(BB) throughout the lifetime of Zechariah, the teacher of the fear^[r](BC) of God. During the time that he sought the Lord, God gave him success.^(BD)

Uzziah’s Exploits

⁶ Uzziah went out to wage war against the Philistines,^(BE) and he tore down the wall of Gath, the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod. Then he built cities in the vicinity of Ashdod and among the Philistines. ⁷ God helped him against the Philistines, the Arabs that live in Gur-baal, and the Meunites. ⁸ The Ammonites^[s] gave Uzziah tribute money,^(BF) and his fame spread as far as the entrance of Egypt, for God made him very powerful. ⁹ Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate,^(BG) the Valley Gate,^(BH) and the corner buttress, and he fortified them. ¹⁰ Since he had many cattle both in the Judean foothills^[t] and the plain, he built towers in the desert and dug many wells.^(BI) And since he was a lover of the soil, he had farmers and vinedressers in the hills and in the fertile lands.^[u]

¹¹ Uzziah had an army equipped for combat that went out to war by division according to their assignments, as recorded by Jeiel the court secretary and Maaseiah the officer under the authority of Hananiah, one of the king’s commanders. ¹² The total number of heads of families was 2,600 brave warriors. ¹³ Under their authority was an army of 307,500 equipped for combat, a powerful force to help the king against the enemy.^{(BJ) 14} Uzziah provided the entire army with shields, spears, helmets, armor, bows and slingstones. ¹⁵ He made skillfully designed devices in Jerusalem to shoot arrows and catapult large stones for use on the towers and on the corners. So his fame spread even to distant places, for he was marvelously helped until he became strong.

Uzziah’s Disease

¹⁶ But when he became strong, he grew arrogant^(BK) and it led to his own destruction. He acted unfaithfully against the Lord his God by going into the Lord’s sanctuary to burn incense on the incense altar.^{(BL) 17} Azariah^(BM) the priest, along with 80 brave priests of the Lord, went in after him. ¹⁸ They took their stand^(BN) against King Uzziah and said, “Uzziah, you have no right to offer incense to the Lord^(BO)—only the consecrated priests, the descendants of Aaron, have the right to offer incense.^(BP) Leave the sanctuary, for you have acted unfaithfully! You will not receive honor from the Lord God.”

¹⁹ Uzziah, with a firepan in his hand to offer incense, was enraged. But when he became enraged with the priests, in the presence of the priests in the Lord’s temple beside the altar of incense, a skin disease^(BQ) broke out on his forehead. ²⁰ Then Azariah the chief priest and all the priests turned to him and saw that he was diseased on his forehead. They rushed him out of there. He himself also hurried to get out because the Lord had afflicted him. ²¹ So King Uzziah was diseased to the time of his death.^(BR) He lived in quarantine^[v](BS) with a serious skin disease and was excluded from access to the Lord’s temple, while his son Jotham was over the king’s household governing the people of the land.

²² Now the prophet Isaiah^(BT) son of Amoz wrote about the rest of the events of Uzziah’s reign, from beginning to end. ²³ Uzziah rested with his fathers, and he was buried with his fathers in the burial ground of the kings’ cemetery,^(BU) for they said, “He has a skin disease.” His son Jotham became king in his place.

Judah’s King Jotham

27 Jotham was 25 years old^(BV) when he became king and reigned 16 years in Jerusalem.^(BW) His mother’s name was Jerushah daughter of Zadok. ² He did what was right in the Lord’s sight as his father Uzziah had done. In addition, he didn’t enter the Lord’s sanctuary,^(BX) but the people still behaved corruptly.

³ Jotham built the Upper Gate of the Lord’s temple, and he built extensively on the wall of Ophel.^{(BY) 4} He also built cities in the hill country of Judah and fortresses and towers in the forests.^{(BZ) 5} He waged war against the king of the Ammonites. He overpowered the Ammonites, and that year they gave him 7,500 pounds^[w] of silver, 50,000 bushels^[x] of wheat, and 50,000 bushels^[y] of barley. They paid him the same in the second and third years. ⁶ So Jotham strengthened himself because he did not waver in obeying^[z] the Lord his God.^(CA)

⁷ As for the rest of the events^(CB) of Jotham’s reign, along with all his wars and his ways, note that they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. ⁸ He was 25 years old when he became king and reigned 16 years in Jerusalem. ⁹ Jotham rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. His son Ahaz became king in his place.

Judah’s King Ahaz

28 Ahaz was 20 years old^(CC) when he became king and reigned 16 years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the Lord’s sight^(CD) like his ancestor David, ² for he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel^(CE) and made cast images of the Baals.^{(CF) 3} He burned incense in the Valley of Hinnom^(CG) and burned his children in^[aa](CH) the fire, imitating the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had dispossessed before the Israelites.^{(CI) 4} He sacrificed and burned incense on the high places,^(CJ) on the hills, and under every green tree.

⁵ So the Lord his God handed Ahaz over^(CK) to the king of Aram. He attacked him and took many captives to Damascus.

Ahaz was also handed over to the king of Israel, who struck him with great force: ⁶ Pekah son of Remaliah killed 120,000 in Judah in one day—all brave men—because they had abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors. ⁷ An Ephraimite warrior named Zichri killed the king’s son Maaseiah, Azrikam governor of the palace, and Elkanah who was second to the king. ⁸ Then the Israelites took 200,000 captives from their brothers—women, sons, and daughters.^(CL) They also took a great deal of plunder from them and brought it to Samaria.

⁹ A prophet of the Lord named Oded was there. He went out to meet the army that came to Samaria and said to them, “Look, the Lord God of your ancestors handed them over to you because of His wrath against Judah,^(CM) but you slaughtered them in a rage that has reached heaven.^{(CN) 10} Now you plan to reduce the people of Judah and Jerusalem, male and female, to slavery. Are you not also guilty before Yahweh your God? ¹¹ Listen to me and return the captives you took from your brothers,^(CO) for the Lord’s burning anger is on you.”

¹² So some men who were leaders of the Ephraimites—Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai—stood in opposition to those coming from the war. ¹³ They said to them, “You must not bring the captives here, for you plan to bring guilt on us from the Lord to add to our sins and our guilt. For we have much guilt, and burning anger is on Israel.”

¹⁴ The army left the captives and the plunder in the presence of the officers and the congregation. ¹⁵ Then the men who were designated by name^(CP) took charge of the captives and provided clothes for their naked ones from the plunder. They clothed them, gave them sandals, food and drink,^(CQ) dressed their wounds, and provided donkeys for all the feeble. The Israelites brought them to Jericho, the City of Palms,^(CR) among their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria.

¹⁶ At that time King Ahaz asked the king of Assyria for help.^{(CS) 17} The Edomites came again, attacked Judah, and took captives.^{(CT) 18} The Philistines also raided the cities of the Judean foothills^[ab] and the Negev of Judah^(CU) and captured Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco and its villages, Timnah and its villages, Gimzo and its villages, and they lived there. ¹⁹ For the Lord humbled Judah because of King Ahaz of Judah,^[ac] who threw off restraint in Judah and was unfaithful to the Lord. ²⁰ Then Tiglath-pileser^[ad](CV) king of Assyria came against Ahaz; he oppressed him and did not give him support.^{(CW) 21} Although Ahaz plundered the Lord’s temple and the palace of the king and of the rulers and gave the plunder to the king of Assyria, it did not help him.

²² At the time of his distress, King Ahaz himself became more unfaithful to the Lord. ²³ He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him; he said, “Since the gods of the kings of Aram are helping them, I will sacrifice to them so that they will help me.”^(CX) But they were the downfall of him and of all Israel.

²⁴ Then Ahaz gathered up the utensils of God’s temple, cut them into pieces,^(CY) shut the doors of the Lord’s temple,^(CZ) and made himself altars on every street corner in Jerusalem.^{(DA) 25} He made high places in every city of Judah to offer incense to other gods, and he provoked the Lord, the God of his ancestors.

Ahaz’s Death

²⁶ As for the rest of his deeds^(DB) and all his ways, from beginning to end, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. ²⁷ Ahaz rested with his fathers and was buried in the city, in Jerusalem, but they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel. His son Hezekiah became king in his place.

Judah’s King Hezekiah

29 Hezekiah was 25 years old^(DC) when he became king and reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah^[ae] daughter of Zechariah. ² He did what was right in the Lord’s sight^(DD) just as his ancestor David had done.

³ In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the Lord’s temple and repaired them.^{(DE) 4} Then he brought in the priests and Levites and gathered them in the eastern public square.^{(DF) 5} He said to them, “Hear me, Levites. Consecrate yourselves^(DG) now and consecrate the temple of Yahweh, the God of your ancestors. Remove everything impure from the holy place. ⁶ For our fathers were unfaithful and did what is evil in the sight of the Lord our God. They abandoned Him, turned their faces away from the Lord’s tabernacle, and turned their backs on Him.^{[af](DH) 7} They also closed the doors of the portico, extinguished the lamps, did not burn incense, and did not offer burnt offerings in the holy place of the God of Israel. ⁸ Therefore, the wrath of the Lord was on Judah and Jerusalem, and He made them an object of terror, horror, and mockery,^[ag](DI) as you see with your own eyes. ⁹ Our fathers fell by the sword, and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity because of this.^{(DJ) 10} It is in my heart now to make a covenant with Yahweh, the God of Israel^(DK) so that His burning anger may turn away from us. ¹¹ My sons, don’t be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand in His presence, to serve Him, and to be His ministers and burners of incense.”^(DL)

Cleansing the Temple

¹² Then the Levites stood up:

¹⁵ They gathered their brothers together, consecrated themselves,^(DO) and went according to the king’s command by the words of the Lord^(DP) to cleanse the Lord’s temple.^(DQ)

¹⁶ The priests went to the entrance of the Lord’s temple to cleanse it. They took all the unclean things they found in the Lord’s sanctuary to the courtyard of the Lord’s temple. Then the Levites received them and took them outside to the Kidron Valley.^{(DR) 17} They began the consecration on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the portico of the Lord’s temple. They consecrated the Lord’s temple for eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished.

¹⁸ Then they went inside to King Hezekiah and said, “We have cleansed the whole temple of the Lord, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the table for the rows of the bread of the Presence and all its utensils. ¹⁹ We have set up and consecrated all the utensils that King Ahaz rejected during his reign^(DS) when he became unfaithful. They are in front of the altar of the Lord.”

Renewal of Temple Worship

²⁰ King Hezekiah got up early, gathered the city officials, and went to the Lord’s temple. ²¹ They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary, and for Judah. Then he told the descendants of Aaron, the priests, to offer them on the altar of the Lord. ²² So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests received the blood and sprinkled it on the altar.^(DT) They slaughtered the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar. They slaughtered the lambs and sprinkled the blood on the altar. ²³ Then they brought the goats for the sin offering right into the presence of the king and the congregation, who laid their hands on them.^{(DU) 24} The priests slaughtered the goats and put their blood on the altar for a sin offering, to make atonement for all Israel,^(DV) for the king said that the burnt offering and sin offering were for all Israel.

²⁵ Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord’s temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres^(DW) according to the command of David,^(DX) Gad the king’s seer,^(DY) and Nathan the prophet.^(DZ) For the command was from the Lord through His prophets. ²⁶ The Levites stood with the instruments of David,^(EA) and the priests with the trumpets.^(EB)

²⁷ Then Hezekiah ordered that the burnt offering be offered on the altar. When the burnt offerings began, the song of the Lord and the trumpets began, accompanied by the instruments of David king of Israel. ²⁸ The whole assembly was worshiping, singing the song, and blowing the trumpets—all of this continued until the burnt offering was completed. ²⁹ When the burnt offerings were completed, the king and all those present with him bowed down and worshiped.^{(EC) 30} Then King Hezekiah and the officials told the Levites to sing praise to the Lord in the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with rejoicing and bowed down and worshiped.

³¹ Hezekiah concluded, “Now you are consecrated^[ai] to the Lord. Come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the Lord’s temple.” So the congregation brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all those with willing hearts^(ED) brought burnt offerings. ³² The number of burnt offerings the congregation brought was 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to the Lord. ³³ Six hundred bulls and 3,000 sheep were consecrated.

³⁴ However, since there were not enough priests, they weren’t able to skin all the burnt offerings, so their Levite brothers helped them^(EE) until the work was finished and until the priests consecrated themselves. For the Levites were more conscientious^[aj](EF) to consecrate themselves than the priests were.^{(EG) 35} Furthermore, the burnt offerings were abundant, along with the fat of the fellowship offerings^(EH) and with the drink offerings^(EI) for the burnt offering.

So the service of the Lord’s temple was established. ³⁶ Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced over how God had prepared the people, for it had come about suddenly.

Celebration of the Passover

30 Then Hezekiah sent word throughout all Israel and Judah, and he also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh to come to the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem to observe the Passover of Yahweh, the God of Israel.^{(EJ) 2} For the king and his officials and the entire congregation in Jerusalem decided to observe the Passover of the Lord in the second month,^{(EK) 3} because they were not able to observe it at the appropriate time. Not enough of the priests had consecrated themselves^(EL) and the people hadn’t been gathered together in Jerusalem. ⁴ The proposal pleased the king and the congregation, ⁵ so they affirmed the proposal and spread the message throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba to Dan,^(EM) to come to observe the Passover of Yahweh, the God of Israel in Jerusalem, for they hadn’t observed it often,^[ak] as prescribed.^[al]

⁶ So the couriers^(EN) went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the hand of the king and his officials, and according to the king’s command, saying, “Israelites, return to Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel so that He may return to those of you who remain, who have escaped from the grasp of the kings of Assyria.^{(EO) 7} Don’t be like your fathers and your brothers who were unfaithful to Yahweh, the God of their ancestors^(EP) so that He made them an object of horror^(EQ) as you yourselves see. ⁸ Don’t become obstinate^[am](ER) now like your fathers did. Give your allegiance^[an] to Yahweh, and come to His sanctuary that He has consecrated forever. Serve the Lord your God so that He may turn His burning anger away from you,^{(ES) 9} for when you return to Yahweh, your brothers and your sons will receive mercy in the presence of their captors and will return to this land.^(ET) For Yahweh your God is gracious and merciful;^(EU) He will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.”

¹⁰ The couriers traveled from city to city in the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun, but the inhabitants^[ao] laughed at them and mocked them.^{(EV) 11} But some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.^{(EW) 12} Also, the power of God was at work in Judah to unite them^[ap] to carry out the command of the king and his officials by the word of the Lord.

¹³ A very large assembly of people was gathered in Jerusalem to observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the second month. ¹⁴ They proceeded to take away the altars that were in Jerusalem,^(EX) and they took away the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley.^{(EY) 15} They slaughtered the Passover lamb^(EZ) on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and Levites were ashamed, and they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the Lord’s temple. ¹⁶ They stood at their prescribed posts,^(FA) according to the law of Moses, the man of God. The priests sprinkled the blood received from the hand of the Levites, ¹⁷ for there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves, and so the Levites were in charge of slaughtering the Passover lambs for every unclean person to consecrate the lambs to the Lord.^{(FB) 18} A large number of the people—many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun—were ritually unclean, yet they had eaten the Passover^(FC) contrary to what was written.^(FD) But Hezekiah had interceded for them, saying, “May the good Lord provide atonement on behalf of ¹⁹ whoever sets his whole heart on seeking God,^(FE) Yahweh, the God of his ancestors, even though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.” ²⁰ So the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.^{(FF) 21} The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread seven days with great joy,^(FG) and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day after day with loud instruments. ²² Then Hezekiah encouraged^[aq](FH) all the Levites who performed skillfully before the Lord. They ate at the appointed festival for seven days, sacrificing fellowship offerings and giving thanks to Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.^(FI)

²³ The whole congregation decided to observe^(FJ) seven more days, so they observed seven days with joy, ²⁴ for Hezekiah king of Judah contributed 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep for the congregation. Also, the officials contributed 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep for the congregation,^(FK) and many priests consecrated themselves.^{(FL) 25} Then the whole assembly of Judah with the priests and Levites, the whole assembly that came from Israel, the foreigners who came from the land of Israel, and those who were living in Judah, rejoiced. ²⁶ There was great rejoicing in Jerusalem, for nothing like this was known since the days of Solomon son of David, the king of Israel.^(FM)

²⁷ Then the priests and the Levites^(FN) stood to bless the people,^(FO) and God heard their voice, and their prayer came into His holy dwelling place^(FP) in heaven.

Removal of Idolatry

31 When all this was completed, all Israel who had attended went out to the cities of Judah and broke up the sacred pillars, chopped down the Asherah poles, and tore down the high places and altars^(FQ) throughout Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, to the last one.^[ar] Then all the Israelites returned to their cities, each to his own possession.

Offerings for Levites

² Hezekiah reestablished the divisions^(FR) of the priests and Levites for the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, for ministry, for giving thanks, and for praise in the gates of the camp of the Lord,^(FS) each division corresponding to his service among the priests and Levites. ³ The king contributed^[as] from his own possessions^(FT) for the regular morning and evening burnt offerings, the burnt offerings of the Sabbaths, of the New Moons, and of the appointed feasts, as written in the law of the Lord.^{(FU) 4} He told the people who lived in Jerusalem to give a contribution^(FV) for the priests and Levites so that they could devote their energy to the law of the Lord. ⁵ When the word spread, the Israelites gave liberally of the best of the grain, new wine, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field, and they brought in an abundance, a tenth^(FW) of everything. ⁶ As for the Israelites and Judahites who lived in the cities of Judah, they also brought a tenth of the cattle and sheep, and a tenth of the dedicated things that were consecrated to the Lord their God.^(FX) They gathered them into large piles. ⁷ In the third month they began building up the piles, and they finished in the seventh month. ⁸ When Hezekiah and his officials came and viewed the piles, they praised the Lord and His people Israel.

⁹ Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the piles. ¹⁰ Azariah, the chief priest of the household of Zadok,^(FY) answered him, “Since they began bringing the offering to the Lord’s temple, we eat and are satisfied and there is plenty left over because the Lord has blessed His people; this abundance is what is left over.”^(FZ)

¹¹ Hezekiah told them to prepare chambers^(GA) in the Lord’s temple, and they prepared them. ¹² The offering, the tenth, and the dedicated things were brought faithfully. Conaniah the Levite was the officer in charge of them, and his brother Shimei was second.^{(GB) 13} Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were deputies under the authority of Conaniah and his brother Shimei by appointment of King Hezekiah and of Azariah the chief official of God’s temple.

¹⁴ Kore son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the East Gate, was over the freewill offerings to God to distribute the contribution to the Lord and the consecrated things.^{(GC) 15} Eden,^(GD) Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah in the cities of the priests^(GE) were to faithfully distribute it under his authority to their brothers by divisions, whether large or small. ¹⁶ In addition, they distributed it to males registered by genealogy three^[at](GF) years old and above; to all who would enter the Lord’s temple for their daily duty,^(GG) for their service in their responsibilities according to their divisions. ¹⁷ They distributed also to those recorded by genealogy of the priests by their ancestral families and the Levites 20 years old and above,^(GH) by their responsibilities in their divisions; ¹⁸ to those registered by genealogy—with all their infants, wives, sons, and daughters—of the whole assembly (for they had faithfully consecrated themselves as holy); ¹⁹ and to the descendants of Aaron, the priests, in the common fields of their cities,^(GI) in each and every city. There were men who were registered by name^(GJ) to distribute a portion to every male among the priests and to every Levite recorded by genealogy.

²⁰ Hezekiah did this throughout all Judah. He did what was good and upright and true before the Lord his God.^{(GK) 21} He was diligent in every deed that he began in the service of God’s temple, in the instruction and the commands, in order to seek his God, and he prospered.

Sennacherib’s Invasion

32 After these faithful deeds, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities and intended^[au] to break into them.^{(GL) 2} Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he planned^[av] war on Jerusalem, ³ so he consulted with his officials and his warriors about stopping up the waters of the springs that were outside the city, and they helped him. ⁴ Many people gathered and stopped up all the springs^(GM) and the stream that flowed through the land;^(GN) they said, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” ⁵ Then Hezekiah strengthened his position by rebuilding the entire broken-down wall^(GO) and heightening the towers and the other outside wall.^(GP) He repaired the supporting terraces^(GQ) of the city of David, and made an abundance of weapons and shields.

⁶ He set military commanders over the people and gathered the people in the square of the city gate. Then he encouraged them,^[aw](GR) saying, ⁷ “Be strong and courageous!^(GS) Don’t be afraid or discouraged before the king of Assyria or before the large army that is with him, for there are more with us than with him.^{(GT) 8} He has only human strength,^[ax] but we have Yahweh our God to help us and to fight our battles.”^(GU) So the people relied on the words of King Hezekiah of Judah.

Sennacherib’s Servant’s Speech

⁹ After this,^(GV) while Sennacherib king of Assyria with all his armed forces besieged^[ay] Lachish, he sent his servants to Jerusalem against King Hezekiah of Judah and against all those of Judah who were in Jerusalem, saying, ¹⁰ “This is what King Sennacherib of Assyria says: ‘What are you relying on that you remain in Jerusalem under siege? ¹¹ Isn’t Hezekiah misleading you to give you over to death by famine and thirst when he says, “Yahweh our God will deliver us from the power of the king of Assyria”? ¹² Didn’t Hezekiah himself remove His high places and His altars^(GW) and say to Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship before one altar, and you must burn incense on it”?

¹³ “‘Don’t you know^(GX) what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Have any of the national gods of the lands been able to deliver their land from my power? ¹⁴ Who among all the gods of these nations that my predecessors completely destroyed was able to deliver his people from my power, that your God should be able to do the same for you?^{(GY) 15} So now,^(GZ) don’t let Hezekiah deceive you, and don’t let him mislead you like this. Don’t believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my power or the power of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my power!’”

¹⁶ His servants said more against the Lord God and against His servant Hezekiah. ¹⁷ He also wrote letters to mock Yahweh, the God of Israel, saying against Him:

¹⁸ Then they called out loudly in Hebrew^[az] to the people of Jerusalem, who were on the wall, to frighten and discourage them in order that he might capture the city. ¹⁹ They spoke against the God of Jerusalem like they had spoken against the gods of the peoples of the earth, which were made by human hands.

Deliverance from Sennacherib

²⁰ King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz prayed about this and cried out to heaven,^{(HB) 21} and the Lord sent an angel who annihilated every brave warrior, leader, and commander in the camp of the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria returned in disgrace to his land. He went to the temple of his god, and there some of his own children struck him down with the sword.^(HC)

²² So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the power of King Sennacherib of Assyria and from the power of all others. He gave them rest^[ba](HD) on every side. ²³ Many were bringing an offering to the Lord to Jerusalem and valuable gifts to King Hezekiah of Judah, and he was exalted in the eyes of all the nations after that.^(HE)

Hezekiah’s Illness and Pride

²⁴ In those days Hezekiah became sick to the point of death, so he prayed to the Lord, and He spoke to him and gave him a miraculous sign.^{(HF) 25} However, because his heart was proud,^(HG) Hezekiah didn’t respond according to the benefit that had come to him. So there was wrath on him, Judah, and Jerusalem.^{(HH) 26} Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart—he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem—so the Lord’s wrath didn’t come^(HI) on them during Hezekiah’s lifetime.^(HJ)

Hezekiah’s Wealth and Works

²⁷ Hezekiah had abundant riches and glory, and he made himself treasuries for silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and every desirable item. ²⁸ He made warehouses for the harvest of grain, new wine, and oil, and stalls for all kinds of cattle, and pens for flocks. ²⁹ He made cities for himself, and he acquired herds of sheep and cattle in abundance, for God gave him abundant possessions.

³⁰ This same Hezekiah blocked the outlet of the water of the Upper Gihon^(HK) and channeled it smoothly downward and westward to the city of David.^(HL) Hezekiah succeeded in everything he did. ³¹ When the ambassadors of Babylon’s rulers^(HM) were sent^[bb] to him to inquire about the miraculous sign^(HN) that happened in the land, God left him to test him and discover what was in his heart.^(HO)

Hezekiah’s Death

³² As for the rest of the events^(HP) of Hezekiah’s reign and his deeds of faithful love, note that they are written in the Visions of the Prophet Isaiah son of Amoz,^(HQ) and in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.^{(HR) 33} Hezekiah rested with his fathers and was buried on the ascent to the tombs of David’s descendants. All Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem paid him honor at his death. His son Manasseh became king in his place.

Judah’s King Manasseh

33 Manasseh was 12 years old^(HS) when he became king and reigned 55 years in Jerusalem. ² He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, imitating the detestable practices of the nations that the Lord had dispossessed before the Israelites.^{(HT) 3} He rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had torn down^(HU) and reestablished the altars for the Baals. He made Asherah poles, and he worshiped the whole heavenly host and served them. ⁴ He built altars^(HV) in the Lord’s temple, where Yahweh had said, “Jerusalem is where My name will remain forever.”^{(HW) 5} He built altars to the whole heavenly host in both courtyards^(HX) of the Lord’s temple. ⁶ He passed his sons through the fire in the Valley of Hinnom.^(HY) He practiced witchcraft, divination, and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists.^(HZ) He did a great deal of evil in the Lord’s sight, provoking Him.

⁷ Manasseh^(IA) set up a carved image of the idol he had made, in God’s temple,^(IB) about which God had said to David and his son Solomon, “I will establish My name forever^[bc](IC) in this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.^{(ID) 8} I will never again remove the feet of the Israelites from the land where I stationed your^[bd](IE) ancestors,^(IF) if only they will be careful to do all that I have commanded them through Moses—all the law, statutes, and judgments.” ⁹ So Manasseh caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to stray so that they did worse evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.

Manasseh’s Repentance

¹⁰ The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they didn’t listen.^{(IG) 11} So He brought against them the military commanders of the king of Assyria. They captured Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon.^{(IH) 12} When he was in distress, he sought the favor of Yahweh his God and earnestly humbled himself^(II) before the God of his ancestors. ¹³ He prayed to Him, so He heard his petition and granted his request,^(IJ) and brought him back to Jerusalem, to his kingdom. So Manasseh came to know that Yahweh is God.^(IK)

¹⁴ After this, he built the outer wall of the city of David from west of Gihon^(IL) in the valley to the entrance of the Fish Gate;^(IM) he brought it around the Ophel,^(IN) and he heightened it considerably. He also placed military commanders in all the fortified cities of Judah.

¹⁵ He removed the foreign gods and the idol^(IO) from the Lord’s temple, along with all the altars that he had built on the mountain of the Lord’s temple and in Jerusalem, and he threw them outside the city. ¹⁶ He built^[be] the altar of the Lord and offered fellowship and thank offerings on it. Then he told Judah to serve Yahweh, the God of Israel. ¹⁷ However, the people still sacrificed at the high places,^(IP) but only to Yahweh their God.

Manasseh’s Death

¹⁸ The rest of the events^(IQ) of Manasseh’s reign, along with his prayer^(IR) to his God and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel, are written in the Records of Israel’s Kings. ¹⁹ His prayer and how God granted his request, and all his sin and unfaithfulness and the sites where he built high places and set up Asherah poles and carved images before he humbled himself, they are written in the Records of Hozai. ²⁰ Manasseh rested with his fathers, and he was buried in his own house. His son Amon became king in his place.

Judah’s King Amon

²¹ Amon was 22 years old when he became king and reigned two years in Jerusalem. ²² He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight just as his father Manasseh had done.^(IS) Amon sacrificed to all the carved images that his father Manasseh had made, and he served them. ²³ But he did not humble himself before the Lord like his father Manasseh humbled himself;^(IT) instead, Amon increased his guilt.

²⁴ So his servants conspired against him and put him to death^(IU) in his own house. ²⁵ Then the common people^[bf] executed all those who conspired against King Amon and made his son Josiah king in his place.

Judah’s King Josiah

34 Josiah was eight years old^(IV) when he became king and reigned 31 years in Jerusalem. ² He did what was right in the Lord’s sight and walked in the ways of his ancestor David;^(IW) he did not turn aside to the right or the left.

Josiah’s Reform

³ In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still a youth, Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestor David,^(IX) and in the twelfth year he began to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherah poles, the carved images,^(IY) and the cast images. ⁴ Then in his presence the altars of the Baals were torn down, and he chopped down the incense altars that were above them. He shattered the Asherah poles, the carved images, and the cast images, crushed them to dust, and scattered^(IZ) them over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.^{(JA) 5} He burned the bones of the priests on their altars.^(JB) So he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. ⁶ He did the same in the cities^(JC) of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, and as far as Naphtali and on their surrounding mountain shrines.^{[bg] 7} He tore down the altars, and he smashed the Asherah poles and the carved images to powder. He chopped down all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel and returned to Jerusalem.^(JD)

Josiah’s Repair of the Temple

⁸ In the eighteenth year of his reign,^(JE) in order to cleanse the land and the temple, Josiah sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, along with Maaseiah the governor^(JF) of the city and the court historian Joah son of Joahaz, to repair the temple of the Lord his God.

⁹ So they went to Hilkiah^(JG) the high priest, and gave him the money brought into God’s temple. The Levites and the doorkeepers had collected money from Manasseh, Ephraim,^(JH) and from the entire remnant of Israel, and from all Judah, Benjamin, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ¹⁰ They put it into the hands of those doing the work—those who oversaw the Lord’s temple. They gave it to the workmen who were working in the Lord’s temple, to repair and restore the temple; ¹¹ they gave it to the carpenters and builders and also used it to buy quarried stone and timbers—for joining and making beams—for the buildings that Judah’s kings had destroyed.

¹² The men were doing the work with integrity. Their overseers were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites from the Merarites, and Zechariah and Meshullam from the Kohathites as supervisors. The Levites were all skilled with musical instruments.^{(JI) 13} They were also over the porters and were supervising all those doing the work task by task. Some of the Levites were secretaries, officers, and gatekeepers.

The Recovery of the Book of the Law

¹⁴ When they brought out the money that had been deposited in the Lord’s temple, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of the Lord written by the hand of Moses.^{(JJ) 15} Consequently,^(JK) Hilkiah told Shaphan the court secretary, “I have found the book of the law in the Lord’s temple,” and he gave the book to Shaphan.

¹⁶ Shaphan took the book to the king, and also reported, “Your servants are doing all that was placed in their hands. ¹⁷ They have emptied out the money that was found in the Lord’s temple and have put it into the hand of the overseers and the hand of those doing the work.” ¹⁸ Then Shaphan the court secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest gave me a book,” and Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.^(JL)

¹⁹ When the king heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes.^{(JM) 20} Then he commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the court secretary, and the king’s servant Asaiah, ²¹ “Go. Ask Yahweh for me and for those remaining in Israel and Judah, concerning the words of the book that was found. For great is the Lord’s wrath that is poured out on us^(JN) because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord in order to do everything written in this book.”

Huldah’s Prophecy of Judgment

²² So Hilkiah and those the king had designated^[bh] went to the prophetess Huldah, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem in the Second District. They spoke with her about this.

²³ She said to them, “This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel says: Say to the man who sent you to Me, ²⁴ ‘This is what Yahweh says: I am about to bring disaster on this place and on its inhabitants,^(JO) fulfilling all the curses written in the book that they read in the presence of the king of Judah,^{(JP) 25} because they have abandoned Me^(JQ) and burned incense to other gods in order to provoke Me with all the works of their hands. My wrath will be poured out on this place, and it will not be quenched.’ ²⁶ Say this to the king of Judah who sent you to ask Yahweh, ‘This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel says: As for the words that you heard, ²⁷ because^(JR) your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I Myself have heard’—this is the Lord’s declaration. ²⁸ ‘I will indeed gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster that I am bringing on this place and on its inhabitants.’”^(JS)

Then they reported to the king.

Affirmation of the Covenant by Josiah and the People

²⁹ So the king sent messengers and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. ³⁰ The king went up to the Lord’s temple with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, as well as the priests and the Levites—all the people from great to small. He read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant that had been found in the Lord’s temple.^{(JT) 31} Then the king stood at his post^(JU) and made a covenant in the Lord’s presence^(JV) to follow the Lord and to keep His commands, His decrees, and His statutes with all his heart and with all his soul^(JW) in order to carry out the words of the covenant written in this book.^(JX)

³² He had all those present in Jerusalem and Benjamin agree^[bi] to it. So all the inhabitants of Jerusalem carried out the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.

³³ So Josiah removed everything that was detestable from all the lands belonging to the Israelites,^(JY) and he required all who were present in Israel to serve the Lord their God. Throughout his reign they did not turn aside from following Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.

Josiah’s Passover Observance

35 Josiah observed the Lord’s Passover^(JZ) and slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the first month.^{(KA) 2} He appointed the priests to their responsibilities and encouraged them to serve in the Lord’s temple.^{(KB) 3} He said to the Levites who taught all Israel^(KC) the holy things of the Lord, “Put the holy ark in the temple built by Solomon son of David king of Israel. Since you do not have to carry it on your shoulders,^(KD) now serve Yahweh your God and His people Israel.

⁴ “Organize your ancestral houses by your divisions^(KE) according to the written instruction of David king of Israel and that of his son Solomon.^{(KF) 5} Serve in the holy place by the divisions of the ancestral houses for your brothers, the lay people,^[bj] and the distribution of the tribal household of the Levites.^{(KG) 6} Slaughter the Passover lambs,^(KH) consecrate yourselves,^(KI) and make preparations for your brothers to carry out the word of the Lord through Moses.”

⁷ Then Josiah donated 30,000 sheep, lambs, and young goats, plus 3,000 bulls from his own possessions, for the Passover sacrifices for all the lay people^[bk] who were present.

⁸ His officials also donated willingly for the people, the priests, and the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, chief officials of God’s temple, gave 2,600 Passover sacrifices and 300 bulls for the priests. ⁹ Conaniah^(KJ) and his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, and Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, officers of the Levites, donated 5,000 Passover sacrifices for the Levites, plus 500 bulls.

¹⁰ So the service was established; the priests stood at their posts and the Levites in their divisions according to the king’s command.^{(KK) 11} Then they slaughtered the Passover lambs, and while the Levites were skinning the animals,^(KL) the priests sprinkled the blood^[bl] they had been given.^{[bm] 12} They removed the burnt offerings so that they might be given to the divisions of the ancestral houses of the lay people^[bn] to offer to the Lord, according to what is written in the book of Moses; they did the same with the bulls. ¹³ They roasted the Passover lambs with fire according to regulation.^(KM) They boiled the holy sacrifices in pots, kettles, and bowls; and they quickly brought them to the lay people.^{[bo] 14} Afterward, they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, since the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were busy offering up burnt offerings and fat until night. So the Levites made preparations for themselves and for the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

¹⁵ The singers, the descendants of Asaph, were at their stations according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer.^(KN) Also, the gatekeepers were at each gate.^(KO) None of them left their tasks because their Levite brothers had made preparations for them.