2Chronicles:25-28

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* Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign , and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem . And his mother 's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem . * And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD , but not with a perfect heart . * Now it came to pass , when the kingdom was established to him , that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father . * But he slew not their children , but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses , where the LORD commanded , saying , The fathers shall not die for the children , neither shall the children die for the fathers , but every man shall die for his own sin . * Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together , and made them captains over thousands , and captains over hundreds , according to the houses of their fathers , throughout all Judah and Benjamin : and he numbered them from twenty years old and above , and found them three hundred thousand choice men , able to go forth to war , that could handle spear and shield . * He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver . * But there came a man of God to him , saying , O king , let not the army of Israel go with thee ; for the LORD is not with Israel , to wit , with all the children of Ephraim . * But if thou wilt go , do it , be strong for the battle : God shall make thee fall before the enemy : for God hath power to help , and to cast down . * And Amaziah said to the man of God , But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel ? And the man of God answered , The LORD is able to give thee much more than this . * Then Amaziah separated them , to wit , the army that was come to him out of Ephraim , to go home again : wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah , and they returned home in great anger . * And Amaziah strengthened himself , and led forth his people , and went to the valley of salt , and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand . * And other ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry away captive , and brought them unto the top of the rock , and cast them down from the top of the rock , that they all were broken in pieces . * But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back , that they should not go with him to battle , fell upon the cities of Judah , from Samaria even unto Bethhoron , and smote three thousand of them , and took much spoil . * Now it came to pass , after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites , that he brought the gods of the children of Seir , and set them up to be his gods , and bowed down himself before them , and burned incense unto them . * Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah , and he sent unto him a prophet , which said unto him , Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people , which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand ? * And it came to pass , as he talked with him , that the king said unto him , Art thou made of the king 's counsel ? forbear ; why shouldest thou be smitten ? Then the prophet forbare , and said , I know that God hath determined to destroy thee , because thou hast done this , and hast not hearkened unto my counsel . * Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice , and sent to Joash , the son of Jehoahaz , the son of Jehu , king of Israel , saying , Come , let us see one another in the face . * And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah , saying , The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon , saying , Give thy daughter to my son to wife : and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon , and trode down the thistle . * Thou sayest , Lo , thou hast smitten the Edomites ; and thine heart lifteth thee up to boast : abide now at home ; why shouldest thou meddle to thine hurt , that thou shouldest fall , even thou , and Judah with thee ? * But Amaziah would not hear ; for it came of God , that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies , because they sought after the gods of Edom . * So Joash the king of Israel went up ; and they saw one another in the face , both he and Amaziah king of Judah , at Bethshemesh , which belongeth to Judah . * And Judah was put to the worse before Israel , and they fled every man to his tent . * And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah , the son of Joash , the son of Jehoahaz , at Bethshemesh , and brought him to Jerusalem , and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate , four hundred cubits . * And he took all the gold and the silver , and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obededom , and the treasures of the king 's house , the hostages also , and returned to Samaria . * And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years . * Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah , first and last , behold , are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel ? * Now after the time that Amaziah did turn away from following the LORD they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem ; and he fled to Lachish : but they sent to Lachish after him , and slew him there . * And they brought him upon horses , and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah . * Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah , who was sixteen years old , and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah . * He built Eloth , and restored it to Judah , after that the king slept with his fathers . * Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign , and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem . His mother 's name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem . * And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD , according to all that his father Amaziah did . * And he sought God in the days of Zechariah , who had understanding in the visions of God : and as long as he sought the LORD , God made him to prosper . * And he went forth and warred against the Philistines , and brake down the wall of Gath , and the wall of Jabneh , and the wall of Ashdod , and built cities about Ashdod , and among the Philistines . * And God helped him against the Philistines , and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal , and the Mehunims . * And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah : and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt ; for he strengthened himself exceedingly . * Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate , and at the valley gate , and at the turning of the wall , and fortified them . * Also he built towers in the desert , and digged many wells : for he had much cattle , both in the low country , and in the plains : husbandmen also , and vine dressers in the mountains , and in Carmel : for he loved husbandry . * Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men , that went out to war by bands , according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler , under the hand of Hananiah , one of the king 's captains . * The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valour were two thousand and six hundred . * And under their hand was an army , three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred , that made war with mighty power , to help the king against the enemy . * And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields , and spears , and helmets , and habergeons , and bows , and slings to cast stones . * And he made in Jerusalem engines , invented by cunning men , to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks , to shoot arrows and great stones withal . And his name spread far abroad ; for he was marvellously helped , till he was strong . * But when he was strong , his heart was lifted up to his destruction : for he transgressed against the LORD his God , and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense . * And Azariah the priest went in after him , and with him fourscore priests of the LORD , that were valiant men : * And they withstood Uzziah the king , and said unto him , It appertaineth not unto thee , Uzziah , to burn incense unto the LORD , but to the priests the sons of Aaron , that are consecrated to burn incense : go out of the sanctuary ; for thou hast trespassed ; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God . * Then Uzziah was wroth , and had a censer in his hand to burn incense : and while he was wroth with the priests , the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD , from beside the incense altar . * And Azariah the chief priest , and all the priests , looked upon him , and , behold , he was leprous in his forehead , and they thrust him out from thence ; yea , himself hasted also to go out , because the LORD had smitten him . * And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death , and dwelt in a several house , being a leper ; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD : and Jotham his son was over the king 's house , judging the people of the land . * Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah , first and last , did Isaiah the prophet , the son of Amoz , write . * So Uzziah slept with his fathers , and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings ; for they said , He is a leper : and Jotham his son reigned in his stead . * Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign , and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem . His mother 's name also was Jerushah , the daughter of Zadok . * And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD , according to all that his father Uzziah did : howbeit he entered not into the temple of the LORD . And the people did yet corruptly . * He built the high gate of the house of the LORD , and on the wall of Ophel he built much . * Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah , and in the forests he built castles and towers . * He fought also with the king of the Ammonites , and prevailed against them . And the children of Ammon gave him the same year an hundred talents of silver , and ten thousand measures of wheat , and ten thousand of barley . So much did the children of Ammon pay unto him , both the second year , and the third . * So Jotham became mighty , because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God . * Now the rest of the acts of Jotham , and all his wars , and his ways , lo , they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah . * He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign , and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem . * And Jotham slept with his fathers , and they buried him in the city of David : and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead . * Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign , and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem : but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD , like David his father : * For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel , and made also molten images for Baalim . * Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom , and burnt his children in the fire , after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel . * He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places , and on the hills , and under every green tree . * Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria ; and they smote him , and carried away a great multitude of them captives , and brought them to Damascus . And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel , who smote him with a great slaughter . * For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day , which were all valiant men ; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers . * And Zichri , a mighty man of Ephraim , slew Maaseiah the king 's son , and Azrikam the governor of the house , and Elkanah that was next to the king . * And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand , women , sons , and daughters , and took also away much spoil from them , and brought the spoil to Samaria . * But a prophet of the LORD was there , whose name was Oded : and he went out before the host that came to Samaria , and said unto them , Behold , because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah , he hath delivered them into your hand , and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven . * And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you : but are there not with you , even with you , sins against the LORD your God ? * Now hear me therefore , and deliver the captives again , which ye have taken captive of your brethren : for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you . * Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim , Azariah the son of Johanan , Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth , and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum , and Amasa the son of Hadlai , stood up against them that came from the war , * And said unto them , Ye shall not bring in the captives hither : for whereas we have offended against the LORD already , ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass : for our trespass is great , and there is fierce wrath against Israel . * So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation . * And the men which were expressed by name rose up , and took the captives , and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them , and arrayed them , and shod them , and gave them to eat and to drink , and anointed them , and carried all the feeble of them upon asses , and brought them to Jericho , the city of palm trees , to their brethren : then they returned to Samaria . * At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him . * For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah , and carried away captives . * The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country , and of the south of Judah , and had taken Bethshemesh , and Ajalon , and Gederoth , and Shocho with the villages thereof , and Timnah with the villages thereof , Gimzo also and the villages thereof : and they dwelt there . * For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel ; for he made Judah naked , and transgressed sore against the LORD . * And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came unto him , and distressed him , but strengthened him not . * For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the LORD , and out of the house of the king , and of the princes , and gave it unto the king of Assyria : but he helped him not . * And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD : this is that king Ahaz . * For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus , which smote him : and he said , Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them , therefore will I sacrifice to them , that they may help me . But they were the ruin of him , and of all Israel . * And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God , and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God , and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD , and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem . * And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods , and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers . * Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways , first and last , behold , they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel . * And Ahaz slept with his fathers , and they buried him in the city , even in Jerusalem : but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel : and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead . * Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old , and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem . And his mother 's name was Abijah , the daughter of Zechariah .

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