Kings Who Trusted and Kings Who Failed

1. In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign. 2. Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He didn’t do that which was right in Yahweh his God’s eyes, like David his father. 3. But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yes, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out from before the children of Israel. 4. He sacrificed and burned incense in the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree. 5. Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war. They besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him. 6. At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drove the Jews from Elath; and the Syrians came to Elath, and lived there, to this day. 7. So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, who rise up against me.” 8. Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in Yahweh’s house, and in the treasures of the king’s house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria. 9. The king of Assyria listened to him; and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried its people captive to Kir, and killed Rezin. 10. King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria, and saw the altar that was at Damascus; and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest a drawing of the altar and plans to build it. 11. Urijah the priest built an altar. According to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus, so Urijah the priest made it for the coming of king Ahaz from Damascus. 12. When the king had come from Damascus, the king saw the altar; and the king came near to the altar, and offered on it. 13. He burned his burnt offering and his meal offering, poured his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings on the altar. 14. The bronze altar, which was before Yahweh, he brought from the front of the house, from between his altar and Yahweh’s house, and put it on the north side of his altar. 15. King Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, “On the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, the evening meal offering, the king’s burnt offering, his meal offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, their meal offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle on it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice; but the bronze altar will be for me to inquire by.” 16. Urijah the priest did so, according to all that king Ahaz commanded. 17. King Ahaz cut off the panels of the bases, and removed the basin from off them, and took down the sea from off the bronze oxen that were under it, and put it on a pavement of stone. 18. He removed the covered way for the Sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king’s entry outside to Yahweh’s house, because of the king of Assyria. 19. Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 20. Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in David’s city, and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place. 1. In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea the son of Elah began to reign in Samaria over Israel for nine years. 2. He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, yet not as the kings of Israel who were before him. 3. Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against him, and Hoshea became his servant, and brought him tribute. 4. The king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea; for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. Therefore the king of Assyria seized him, and bound him in prison. 5. Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years. 6. In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away to Assyria, and placed them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. 7. It was so because the children of Israel had sinned against Yahweh their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods, 8. and walked in the statutes of the nations whom Yahweh cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they made. 9. The children of Israel secretly did things that were not right against Yahweh their God; and they built high places for themselves in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city; 10. and they set up for themselves pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill, and under every green tree; 11. and there they burned incense in all the high places, as the nations whom Yahweh carried away before them did; and they did wicked things to provoke Yahweh to anger; 12. and they served idols, of which Yahweh had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.” 13. Yet Yahweh testified to Israel, and to Judah, by every prophet, and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.” 14. Notwithstanding, they would not listen, but hardened their neck, like the neck of their fathers, who didn’t believe in Yahweh their God. 15. They rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified to them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom Yahweh had commanded them that they should not do like them. 16. They abandoned all the commandments of Yahweh their God, and made molten images for themselves, even two calves, and made an Asherah, and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served Baal. 17. They caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, to provoke him to anger. 18. Therefore Yahweh was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight. There was none left but the tribe of Judah only. 19. Also Judah didn’t keep the commandments of Yahweh their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made. 20. Yahweh rejected all the offspring of Israel, afflicted them, and delivered them into the hands of raiders, until he had cast them out of his sight. 21. For he tore Israel from David’s house; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king; and Jeroboam drove Israel from following Yahweh, and made them sin a great sin. 22. The children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they didn’t depart from them 23. until Yahweh removed Israel out of his sight, as he said by all his servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away out of their own land to Assyria to this day. 24. The king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, from Cuthah, from Avva, and from Hamath and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; and they possessed Samaria, and lived in its cities. 25. So it was, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they didn’t fear Yahweh. Therefore Yahweh sent lions among them, which killed some of them. 26. Therefore they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations which you have carried away and placed in the cities of Samaria don’t know the law of the god of the land. Therefore he has sent lions among them, and behold, they kill them, because they don’t know the law of the god of the land.” 27. Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, “Carry there one of the priests whom you brought from there; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the law of the god of the land.” 28. So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and lived in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear Yahweh. 29. However every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities in which they lived. 30. The men of Babylon made Succoth Benoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31. and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. 32. So they feared Yahweh, and also made from among themselves priests of the high places for themselves, who sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places. 33. They feared Yahweh, and also served their own gods, after the ways of the nations from among whom they had been carried away. 34. To this day they do what they did before. They don’t fear Yahweh, and they do not follow the statutes, or the ordinances, or the law, or the commandment which Yahweh commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel; 35. with whom Yahweh had made a covenant, and commanded them, saying, “You shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them; 36. but you shall fear Yahweh, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, and you shall bow yourselves to him, and you shall sacrifice to him. 37. The statutes and the ordinances, and the law and the commandment, which he wrote for you, you shall observe to do forever more. You shall not fear other gods. 38. You shall not forget the covenant that I have made with you. You shall not fear other gods. 39. But you shall fear Yahweh your God, and he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.” 40. However they did not listen, but they did what they did before. 41. So these nations feared Yahweh, and also served their engraved images. Their children likewise, and their children’s children, as their fathers did, so they do to this day. 1. Now in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. 2. He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. 3. He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, according to all that David his father had done. 4. He removed the high places, and broke the pillars, and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because in those days the children of Israel burned incense to it; and he called it Nehushtan. 5. He trusted in Yahweh, the God of Israel; so that after him was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among them that were before him. 6. For he joined with Yahweh. He didn’t depart from following him, but kept his commandments, which Yahweh commanded Moses. 7. Yahweh was with him. Wherever he went, he prospered. He rebelled against the king of Assyria, and didn’t serve him. 8. He struck the Philistines to Gaza and its borders, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city. 9. In the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it. 10. At the end of three years they took it. In the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken. 11. The king of Assyria carried Israel away to Assyria, and put them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, 12. because they didn’t obey Yahweh their God’s voice, but transgressed his covenant, even all that Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded, and would not hear it or do it. 13. Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them. 14. Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, “I have offended you. Return from me. That which you put on me, I will bear.” The king of Assyria appointed to Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. 15. Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in Yahweh’s house, and in the treasures of the king’s house. 16. At that time, Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of Yahweh’s temple, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria. 17. The king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great army to Jerusalem. They went up and came to Jerusalem. When they had come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller’s field. 18. When they had called to the king, Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebnah the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder came out to them. 19. Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, “What confidence is this in which you trust? 20. You say (but they are but vain words), ‘There is counsel and strength for war.’ Now on whom do you trust, that you have rebelled against me? 21. Now, behold, you trust in the staff of this bruised reed, even in Egypt. If a man leans on it, it will go into his hand, and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust on him. 22. But if you tell me, ‘We trust in Yahweh our God;’ isn’t that he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?’ 23. Now therefore, please give pledges to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them. 24. How then can you turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put your trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? 25. Have I now come up without Yahweh against this place to destroy it? Yahweh said to me, ‘Go up against this land, and destroy it.’”’” 26. Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, Shebnah, and Joah, said to Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in the Syrian language, for we understand it. Don’t speak with us in the Jews’ language, in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.” 27. But Rabshakeh said to them, “Has my master sent me to your master and to you, to speak these words? Hasn’t he sent me to the men who sit on the wall, to eat their own dung, and to drink their own urine with you?” 28. Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and spoke, saying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria. 29. Thus says the king, ‘Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you; for he will not be able to deliver you out of his hand. 30. Don’t let Hezekiah make you trust in Yahweh, saying, “Yahweh will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” 31. Don’t listen to Hezekiah.’ For thus says the king of Assyria, ‘Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and everyone of you eat from his own vine, and everyone from his own fig tree, and everyone drink water from his own cistern; 32. until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and of honey, that you may live, and not die. Don’t listen to Hezekiah, when he persuades you, saying, “Yahweh will deliver us.” 33. Has any of the gods of the nations ever delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 34. Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? 35. Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of my hand, that Yahweh should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?’” 36. But the people stayed quiet, and answered him not a word; for the king’s commandment was, “Don’t answer him.” 37. Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, came with Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him Rabshakeh’s words.

1. God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2. has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds. 3. His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, who, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4. having become so much better than the angels, as he has inherited a more excellent name than they have. 5. For to which of the angels did he say at any time, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father?” and again, “I will be to him a Father, and he will be to me a Son?” 6. When he again brings in the firstborn into the world he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him.” 7. Of the angels he says, “Who makes his angels winds, and his servants a flame of fire.” 8. But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your Kingdom. 9. You have loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.” 10. And, “You, Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the works of your hands. 11. They will perish, but you continue. They all will grow old like a garment does. 12. You will roll them up like a mantle, and they will be changed; but you are the same. Your years will not fail.” 13. But which of the angels has he told at any time, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet?” 14. Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? 1. Therefore we ought to pay greater attention to the things that were heard, lest perhaps we drift away. 2. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense; 3. how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation—which at the first having been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard; 4. God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders, by various works of power, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will? 5. For he didn’t subject the world to come, of which we speak, to angels. 6. But one has somewhere testified, saying, “What is man, that you think of him? Or the son of man, that you care for him? 7. You made him a little lower than the angels. You crowned him with glory and honor. 8. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that he subjected all things to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we don’t see all things subjected to him, yet. 9. But we see him who has been made a little lower than the angels, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for everyone. 10. For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many children to glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11. For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12. saying, “I will declare your name to my brothers. Among of the congregation I will sing your praise.” 13. Again, “I will put my trust in him.” Again, “Behold, here I am with the children whom God has given me.” 14. Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15. and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16. For most certainly, he doesn’t give help to angels, but he gives help to the offspring of Abraham. 17. Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. 18. For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted. 1. Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus; 2. who was faithful to him who appointed him, as also was Moses in all his house. 3. For he has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, because he who built the house has more honor than the house. 4. For every house is built by someone; but he who built all things is God. 5. Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken, 6. but Christ is faithful as a Son over his house; whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the glorying of our hope firm to the end. 7. Therefore, even as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you will hear his voice, 8. don’t harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, like as in the day of the trial in the wilderness, 9. where your fathers tested me by proving me, and saw my deeds for forty years. 10. Therefore I was displeased with that generation, and said, ‘They always err in their heart, but they didn’t know my ways;’ 11. as I swore in my wrath, ‘They will not enter into my rest.’” 12. Beware, brothers, lest perhaps there be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God; 13. but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called “today”; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm to the end: 15. while it is said, “Today if you will hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts, as in the rebellion.” 16. For who, when they heard, rebelled? No, didn’t all those who came out of Egypt by Moses? 17. With whom was he displeased forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18. To whom did he swear that they wouldn’t enter into his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19. We see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief. 1. Let us fear therefore, lest perhaps anyone of you should seem to have come short of a promise of entering into his rest. 2. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, even as they also did, but the word they heard didn’t profit them, because it wasn’t mixed with faith by those who heard. 3. For we who have believed do enter into that rest, even as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, they will not enter into my rest”; although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4. For he has said this somewhere about the seventh day, “God rested on the seventh day from all his works”; 5. and in this place again, “They will not enter into my rest.” 6. Seeing therefore it remains that some should enter into it, and they to whom the good news was preached before failed to enter in because of disobedience, 7. he again defines a certain day, today, saying through David so long a time afterward (just as has been said), “Today if you will hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.” 8. For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day. 9. There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10. For he who has entered into his rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. 11. Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience. 12. For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13. There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account. 14. Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our confession. 15. For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. 16. Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.

1. Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding; 2. for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law. 3. For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother. 4. He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live. 5. Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth. 6. Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you. 7. Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding. 8. Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor, when you embrace her. 9. She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.” 10. Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many. 11. I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths. 12. When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble. 13. Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life. 14. Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men. 15. Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on. 16. For they don’t sleep, unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall. 17. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. 18. But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light, that shines more and more until the perfect day. 19. The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over. 20. My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings. 21. Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart. 22. For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body. 23. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life. 24. Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you. 25. Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you. 26. Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established. 27. Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.