May 31st
2 Chronicles,
31
Hezekiah
reforms Priest & Levites
1: Now when all this was finished, all Israel
that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in
pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars
out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had
utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man
to his possession, into their own cities. 2: And Hezekiah appointed the courses
of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his
service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings,
to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the
LORD. 3: He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt
offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt
offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as
it is written in the law of the LORD. 4: Moreover he commanded the people that
dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that
they might be encouraged in the law of the LORD. 5: And as soon as the
commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the
firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the
fields; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. 6: And
concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah,
they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things
which were consecrated unto the LORD their God, and laid them by 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 blessed the LORD, and his people Israel. 9: Then 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 had
enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the LORD hath blessed his people; and
that which is left is this great store. 11: Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare
chambers in the house of the LORD; and they prepared them, 12: And brought in
the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully: over which
Cononiah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next. 13: And
Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and
Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under the hand of
Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the commandment of Hezekiah the king, and
Azariah the ruler of the house of God. 14: And Kore the son of Imnah the
Levite, the porter toward the east, was over the freewill offerings of God, to
distribute the oblations of the LORD, and the most holy things. 15: And next
him were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah,
in the cities of the priests, in their set office, to give to their brethren by
courses, as well to the great as to the small: 16: Beside their genealogy of
males, from three years old and upward, even unto every one that entereth into
the house of the LORD, his daily portion for their service in their charges
according to their courses; 17: Both to the genealogy of the priests by the
house of their fathers, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in
their charges by their courses; 18: And to the genealogy of all their little
ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation:
for in their set office they sanctified themselves in holiness: 19: Also of the
sons of Aaron the priests, which were in the fields of the suburbs of their
cities, in every several city, the men that were expressed by name, to give
portions to all the males among the priests, and to all that were reckoned by
genealogies among the Levites. 20: And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah,
and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God.
21: And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in
the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his
heart, and prospered.
2 Chronicles,
32
Sennacherib
threatens Jerusalem
1: After these things, and the establishment
thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped
against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself. 2: And when
Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight
against Jerusalem, 3: He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop
the waters of the fountains which were without the city: and they did help him.
4: So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains,
and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the
kings of Assyria come, and find much water? 5: Also he strengthened himself,
and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and
another wall without, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts
and shields in abundance. 6: And he set captains of war over the people, and
gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city, and spake
comfortably to them, saying, 7: Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor
dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him:
for there be more with us than with him: 8: With him is an arm of flesh; but
with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the
people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. 9: After
this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, (but he
himself laid siege against Lachish, and all his power with him,) unto Hezekiah
king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying, 10: Thus
saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the
siege in Jerusalem? 11: Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves
to die 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 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 lands? were the gods of
the nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine
hand? 14: Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers
utterly 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 persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him:
for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine
hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver
you out of mine hand? 16: And his servants spake yet more against the LORD God,
and against his servant Hezekiah. 17: He wrote also letters to rail on the LORD
God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of
other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the
God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand. 18: Then they cried with a
loud voice in the Jews' speech unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the
wall, to affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city. 19:
And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people
of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man.
God
delivers Judah
20: And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and
the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven. 21: And the
LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders
and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of
face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that
came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword. 22: Thus the LORD
saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib
the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every
side. 23: And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem, and presents to
Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations
from thenceforth.
Hezekiah’s
sickness and pride
24: In those days Hezekiah was sick to the
death, and prayed unto the LORD: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign.
25: But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for
his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and
Jerusalem. 26: Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his
heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD
came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah’s
success
27: And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches
and honour: and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for
precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of
pleasant jewels; 28: Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and
oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks. 29: Moreover he
provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance: for God
had given him substance very much. 30: This same Hezekiah also stopped the
upper watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of
the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works. 31: Howbeit in the
business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to
inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that
he might know all that was in his heart.
Hezekiah
dies
32: Now 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, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 33: And Hezekiah
slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchres
of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him
honour at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.
2 Chronicles,
33
Manasseh
rules Judah
1: Manasseh was twelve years old when he
began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem: 2: But did
that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the
heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. 3: For he
built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he
reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of
heaven, and served them. 4: Also he built altars in the house of the LORD,
whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever. 5: And he
built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the
LORD. 6: And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of
the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used
witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much
evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. 7: And he set a carved
image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said
to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have
chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: 8: Neither
will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have
appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have
commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances
by the hand of Moses. 9: So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed
before the children of Israel. 10: And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his
people: but they would not hearken. 11: Wherefore the LORD brought upon them
the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the
thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. 12: And when he
was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly
before the God of his fathers, 13: And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of
him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his
kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God. 14: Now after this he
built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the
valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel,
and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced
cities of Judah. 15: And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the
house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the
house of the LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city. 16: And he
repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and
thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel. 17:
Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the
LORD their God only. 18: Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer
unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the
LORD God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of
Israel. 19: His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sin,
and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up
groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they are written among
the sayings of the seers. 20: So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they
buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.
Amon
rules Judah
21: Amon was two and twenty years old when he
began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem. 22: But he did that which
was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did Manasseh his father: for Amon
sacrificed unto all the carved images which Manasseh his father had made, and
served them; 23: And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his
father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more. 24: And his
servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house. 25: But the
people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the
people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.
On this last day of May we will be looking at
the rest of the life of Hezekiah. Of how Hezekiah reorganises the priests and
of how the LORD delivers him in his day of trouble but we also read of his
pride and sickness and his death. All of these things war, sickness are
indications of Gods discipline on a nation that has forsaken the LORD. Then we
read of his successors Manasseh and Amon, both kings of Judah. In the early
days of Hezekiah there was a general revival bringing about the destruction of
the idolatry in the land. Hezekiah appointed all the courses of the priests and
Levites. He also appointed the portion of his own wealth that was dedicated to
the LORD. He also encouraged the people to give to the work of the priests so
that they could continue in the work. It took four months to arrange the tithe
that the people brought. The offerings were so great that they had to build
chambers to put it all in. The people sought the Lord with all their heart and
the LORD blessed them greatly. As soon as he had been established the Assyrian
king Sennacherib invaded the land. So Hezekiah had a meeting of his princes and
they stopped the wells and stopped the brook that ran through the land. They
also fortified the city of Jerusalem and increased their weapons. He declared
martial law and addressed the people, saying,
Be
strong and have courage and do not be afraid or panic because of the Assyrian
king nor for his huge army because we are greater than he is. He comes in human
strength but with us is the LORD God to help us and to fight our battles.
So the people trusted in the leadership of
Hezekiah. Sennacherib sent a message addressed to the people over the head of
Hezekiah. He said..
On what
are you trusting, that you remain shut up in Jerusalem? Has Hezekiah persuaded
you to die of famine and thirst? Saying that the LORD will deliver us? So do
not believe him or be deceived by him because no god is able to deliver you
from us.
He also wrote other letters railing on the
LORD God of Israel. Then they shouted at this to try to frighten the people.
Hezekiah and Amoz prayed and called to heaven. And the Lord sent an angel to
kill all the strong men of the Assyrian army and the leaders and captains. And
so Sennacherib returned to his land in shame. And when he went into his temple
his own children murdered him there. This great victory was won by prayer
alone. And Hezekiah grew in wealth and power. Then we read that Hezekiah was
sick and likely to die so he prayed to the LORD and the Lord gave him a sign.
Hezekiah did not give thanks to the Lord but thought that he was his own
Saviour and so the wrath of God came on him and on Judah and Jerusalem.
Hezekiah did not humble himself before the Lord. Hezekiah was very wealthy in
both riches and honour. He prospered in all his works but the LORD left him to
try him to enable Hezekiah to see what was in his heart. When he died he was
given a very great honour of being buried with David his father. His son
Manasseh reigned in his place he was only 12yrs old when he began and he reigned
for 55yrs. He was a bad king. He restored the cults of Baalim. He sacrificed
his children and encouraged the occult of witches, wizards and mediums. He set
a totem pole in the temple of the Lord. He did worse than the heathen that were
thrown out of the land. The LORD spoke to him and brought the Assyrians who
took him captive and carried him away to Babylon but in that place he sought
the Lord and humbled himself before the LORD and the Lord heard him and allowed
him to return to Jerusalem. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was his God. He
brought about a general revival. Destroying the heathen altars and reorganising
the priesthood. When he died his son Amon reigned in his place. He was 22yrs
when he began and he reigned only 2 yrs. He was a bad king doing all the evil
things that his father did in his younger years. His servants murdered him.
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