Bible in 90 Days

¹⁶ And Yehoyada made a brit between him, and between Kol HaAm, and between HaMelech, that they should be Am LaHashem.

¹⁷ Then kol HaAm went to the Beis HaBa’al, and tore it down, and broke in pieces its mizbechot and its tzelem, and slaughtered Mattan Kohen HaBaal in front of the mizbechot.

¹⁸ Also Yehoyada assigned the Pekudot of the Beis Hashem by the yad of the Kohanim the Levi’im, whom Dovid had assigned in the Beis Hashem, to offer olot Hashem, as it is written in the Torat Moshe, with simcha and with shir, as it was ordained by Dovid.

¹⁹ And he set the Sho’arim at the Sha’arei Beis Hashem, that none tamei in any thing should enter in.

²⁰ And he took the commanders of hundreds, and the nobles, and the moshelim of HaAm, and Kol HaAm HaAretz, and brought down HaMelech from the Beis Hashem; and they came through the Sha’ar HaElyon into the Beis HaMelech, and seated HaMelech upon the Kisse HaMamlachah.

²¹ And kol Am HaAretz rejoiced; and the Ir was quiet after that they had put to death Atalyah with the cherev.

24 Yoash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned arba’im shanah in Yerushalayim. Shem immo also was Tzivyah of Beer Sheva.

² And Yoash did that which was yashar in the eyes of Hashem kol yemei Yehoyada HaKohen.

³ And Yehoyada took for him nashim shtayim; and he fathered banim and banot.

⁴ And it came to pass after this, that Yoash was minded to renovate the Bais Hashem.

⁵ And he called together the Kohanim and the Levi’im, and said to them, Go out unto the towns of Yehudah, and collect from Kol Yisroel kesef to repair the Bais Eloheichem annually, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levi’im hastened it not.

⁶ And HaMelech called for Yehoyada HaRosh, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levi’im to bring in from Yehudah and from Yerushalayim the mas’at (the tax of) Moshe Eved Hashem and the Kahal L’Yisroel L’Ohel HaEdut?

⁷ For the sons of that wicked woman Atalyah had broken in the Beis HaElohim; all the Kadshei Beis Hashem did they bestow upon Ba’alim.

⁸ And at the commandment of HaMelech they made aron echad and set it outside at the Sha’ar Beis Hashem.

⁹ And they made a proclamation in Yehudah and in Yerushalayim, to bring in to Hashem the mas’at Moshe Eved HaElohim laid upon Yisroel in the midbar.

¹⁰ And all the sarim and kol HaAm rejoiced, and brought in, and dropped into the aron, until it was full.

¹¹ Now it came to pass, that at what time the aron was brought unto the Pekuddat HaMelech by the yad of the Levi’im, and when they saw that there was much kesef, the Sofer HaMelech and the official, the Pakid Kohen HaRosh came and emptied the aron, and took it, and carried it to its place again. Thus they did yom b’yom, and collected kesef in abundance.

¹² And HaMelech and Yehoyada gave it to such as did the work of the Avodas Beis Hashem, and hired masons and carpenters to renovate the Beis Hashem, and also such as wrought barzel and nechoshet to repair the Beis Hashem.

¹³ So the workmen wrought, and the work in the yad of them was furthered, and they restored the Beis HaElohim to its original form and reinforced it.

¹⁴ And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the kesef before HaMelech and Yehoyada, whereof were made vessels for the Beis Hashem, even keli sharet, and for the olot, and ladles, and vessels of zahav and kesef. And they offered olot in the Beis Hashem continually all the days of Yehoyada.

¹⁵ But Yehoyada was old, and was full of yamim when he died: 130 years old was he in his mot.

¹⁶ And they buried him in Ir Dovid among the Melachim, because he had done tovah in Yisroel, both toward HaElohim, and His Beis.

¹⁷ Now after the mot Yehoyada came the sarim of Yehudah, and paid homage to HaMelech. Then HaMelech paid heed unto them.

¹⁸ And they forsook the Beis Hashem Elohei Avoteihem, and served HaAsherim and the atzabim; and ketzef (wrath) came upon Yehudah and Yerushalayim because of their trespass.

¹⁹ Yet He sent Nevi’im to them, to bring them back unto Hashem; and they testified against them; but they would not give ear.

²⁰ And the Ruach Elohim came upon Zecharyah ben Yehoyada HaKohen, which stood before HaAm and he said unto them, Thus saith HaElohim, Why transgress ye the mitzvot Hashem, that ye cannot prosper? Because ye have forsook Hashem, He hath also forsaken you.

²¹ And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the order of HaMelech in the khatzer of the Beis Hashem.

²² Thus Yoash HaMelech remembered not the chesed which Yehoyada Aviv had done to him, but slaughtered bno. And when he died, he said, May Hashem look upon it, and may He call to account.

²³ And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the army of Aram came up against him, they invaded Yehudah and Yerushalayim, destroyed all the sarim of the people from among HaAm, sent all their plunder unto Melech Darmasek (Damascus].

²⁴ For the army of Aram came with a small company of men, and Hashem delivered a very great army into their yad, because they had forsaken Hashem Elohei Avoteihem. So they executed shefatim against Yoash.

²⁵ And when they withdrew from him, (for they left him with machaluyim rabbim [many wounds]), his own avadim conspired against him on account of the dahm of the Bnei Yehoyada HaKohen, and slaughtered him on his bed, and he died; and they buried him in Ir David, but they buried him not in the Kivrot HaMelachim.

²⁶ And these are they that conspired against him: Zavad ben Shim’at an Ammonit, and Yehozavad ben Shimrit the Moavit.

²⁷ Now concerning his banim, and the rav hamassa concerning him, and the repairing of the Beis HaElohim, hinei, they are written in the Midrash Sefer HaMelachim. And Amatzyah bno reigned in his place.

25 Amatzyah was 25 old when he began to reign,and he reigned 29 shanah in Yerushalayim. And shem immo was Yehoadan of Yerushalayim.

² And he did that which was yashar in the eyes of Hashem, but not with a levav shalem.

³ Now it came to pass, when the mamlachah was established under him, that he slaughtered his avadim that had murdered HaMelech Aviv.

⁴ But he slaughtered not their banim, but did as it is written in the Torah in the Sefer Moshe, where Hashem commanded, saying, The avot shall not die for the banim, neither shall the banim die for the avot, but every ish shall die for his own chet.

⁵ Moreover Amatzyahu gathered Yehudah together, and set them in order in Bais Avot by officers of thousands and officers of hundreds, throughout all Yehudah and Binyamin; and he mustered them from esrim shanah and above, and found them three hundred elef bachur, battleready choice men, that could handle spear and shield.

⁶ He hired also a hundred elef gibbor chayil out of Yisroel for a hundred talents of kesef.

⁷ But there came an Ish HaElohim to him, saying, O HaMelech, let not the Tzeva Yisroel go with thee; for Hashem is not with Yisroel, not with kol Bnei Ephrayim.

⁸ But if thou wilt go, do it; chazak (be strong) for the milchamah; HaElohim shall make thee fall before the enemy, for Elohim hath ko’ach to help, and to cast down.

⁹ And Amatzyahu said to the Ish HaElohim, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have paid for the army of Yisroel? And the Ish HaElohim answered, Hashem is able to give thee much more than this.

¹⁰ Then Amatzyahu separated them, the army that had come to him from Ephrayim, to go home again; therefore their anger was greatly kindled against Yehudah, and they returned home in chari af (great anger).

¹¹ And Amatzyahu strengthened himself, led forth his army, went to the Gey HaMelach, struck down 10,000 of the Bnei Se’ir.

¹² And another 10,000 left chayyim (alive) did the Bnei Yehudah carry away captive, and brought them unto the top of the cliff, and cast them down from the top of the cliff, that they all were dashed to pieces.

¹³ But the soldiers of the army which Amatzyahu sent back, that they should not go with him to milchamah, fell upon the cities of Yehudah, from Shomron even unto Beit-Choron, and struck down three thousand of them, and took much plunder.

¹⁴ Now it came to pass, after that Amatzyahu returned from the slaughter of the people of Edom, that he brought the elohei Bnei Se’ir, and set them up for him to be elohim, and bowed down himself before them, and burned ketoret unto them.

¹⁵ Therefore the Af Hashem was kindled against Amatzyahu, and he sent unto him a navi, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the elohei haAm, which could not deliver their own people out of thine yad?

¹⁶ And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that HaMelech said unto him, Art thou appointed the adviser to HaMelech? Forbear. Why shouldest thou be struck down? Then the navi forbore, and said, I know that Elohim hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not paid heed unto my etza (counsel).

¹⁷ Then Amatzyahu Melech Yehudah consulted, and sent to Yoash ben Yehoachaz ben Yehu, Melech Yisroel, saying, Come, let us meet face to face.

¹⁸ And Yoash Melech Yisroel sent to Amatzyahu Melech Yehudah, saying, The thistle that was in the Levanon sent to the cedar that was in the Levanon, saying, Give thy bat to beni (my son) as isha; then there passed by a chayyat hasadeh (wild beast) that was in the Levanon, and trode down the thistle.

¹⁹ Thou sayest, Hinei, thou hast struck down the people of Edom; and thine lev lifteth thee up to be proud. Abide now at home. Why shouldest thou meddle to thine hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Yehudah with thee?

²⁰ But Amatzyah would not hear, for it came from HaElohim, that He might deliver them into the yad of their enemies, because they sought after the elohei Edom.

²¹ So Yoash Melech Yisroel went up and they met face to face, both he and Amatzyahu Melech Yehudah, at Beit Shemesh, which belongeth to Yehudah.

²² And Yehudah was routed before Yisroel, and they fled every ish to his ohel.

²³ And Yoash Melech Yisroel captured Amatzyahu Melech Yehudah ben Yoash ben Yehoachaz, at Beit Shemesh, and brought him to Yerushalayim, and broke down the Chomat Yerushalayim from the Sha’ar Ephrayim to the Sha’ar HaPinnah, a section the length of which was four hundred cubits.

²⁴ And he took all the zahav and the kesef, and all the vessels that were found in the Beis HaElohim with Oved Edom, and the otzerot Bais HaMelech, the hostages also, and returned to Shomron.

²⁵ And Amatzyahu ben Yoash Melech Yehudah lived after the mot Yoash ben Yehoachaz Melech Yisroel fifteen years.

²⁶ Now the rest of the acts of Amatzyahu, harishonim and ha’acharonim, hinei, are they not written in the Sefer of the Melachim of Yehudah and Yisroel?

²⁷ Now after the time that Amatzyah did turn away from following Hashem they made a kesher against him in Yerushalayim; and he fled to Lachish, but they sent to Lachish after him, and slaughtered him there.

²⁸ And they brought him upon susim, and buried him with Avotav in Ir Yehudah.

26 Then kol HaAm Yehudah took Uziyahu, who was sixteen years old, and made him Melech in the place of Aviv Amatzyahu.

² He built up Eilat, and restored it to Yehudah, after that HaMelech [Amatzyahu] slept with Avotav.

³ Sixteen years old was Uziyahu when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two shanah in Yerushalayim. Shem immo also was Yecholyahu of Yerushalayim.

⁴ And he did that which was yashar in the eyes of Hashem, according to all that Aviv Amatzyahu did.

⁵ And he sought Elohim in the days of Zecharyahu, who had understanding in the visions of HaElohim; and as long as he sought Hashem, HaElohim made him to have success.

⁶ And he went forth and warred against the Pelishtim (Philistines), and broke down the chomat Gat, and the chomat Yavneh, and the chomat Ashdod, and built towns near Ashdod, and among the Pelishtim (Philistines).

⁷ And HaElohim helped him against the Pelishtim (Philistines), and against the Arabs that dwelt in Gur Ba’al, and the Me’unim.

⁸ And the Amonim gave minchah to Uziyahu, and shmo spread abroad even to the approach to Mitzrayim; for he strengthened himself exceedingly.

⁹ Moreover Uziyahu built migdalim (towers) in Yerushalayim at the Sha’ar HaPinnah, and at the Sha’ar of the Gey, and at the Miktzo’a, and he fortified them.

¹⁰ Also he built migdalim in the midbar, and dug borot rabbim (many wells), for he had much livestock, both in the Shefelah (Lowlands), and in the Mishor (Plains, Level Country); ikkarim (field workers, farmers) also, and koremim (vineyard workers, vine-keepers) in the hills, and in the Carmel, for he loved adamah (the soil).

¹¹ Moreover Uziyahu had an army of fighting men that went out to tzava (battle) in troops, according to the number of their mustering by the yad Ye’i’el the Sofer and Ma’aseiyahu the Shoter (Officer), under the yad Chananyahu, one of the officials of HaMelech.

¹² The whole mispar (number) of the Rashei HaAvot over the mighty warriors were two thousand and six hundred.

¹³ And under their yad was a battle group, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made milchamah with mighty ko’ach, to help HaMelech against the enemy.

¹⁴ And Uziyahu prepared for them throughout all the army moginim (shields), and spears, and helmets, and armor, and bows, and slingstones.

¹⁵ And he made in Yerushalayim machines designed by inventive engineers, for use on the migdalim and upon the corners of the city wall, to shoot khitzim (arrows) and avanim gedolot. And shmo spread far abroad, for he was marvellously helped, until when chazak (he became powerful).

¹⁶ But when he became powerful, his lev was lifted up to his downfall, for he was unfaithful against Hashem Elohav, and he entered into the Heikhal Hashem to burn ketoret upon the Mizbe’ach HaKetoret.

¹⁷ And Azaryahu HaKohen went in after him, and with him shemonim Kohanim of Hashem, that were men of courage.

¹⁸ And they stood up against Uziyahu HaMelech, and said unto him, It is not for you, Uziyahu, to burn ketoret unto Hashem, but to the Kohanim the Bnei Aharon, that are hamekudashim (consecrated and ritually pure) to burn ketoret. Go out from the Mikdash, for thou hast been treacherous; neither shall it be for thine kavod (honor) from Hashem Elohim.

¹⁹ Then Uziyahu became angry, and had a mikteret (censer) in his yad to burn ketoret, and while he was raging with the Kohanim, the tzara’at even broke out on his metzach (forehead) before the Kohanim in the Beis Hashem, near the Mizbe’ach HaKetoret.

²⁰ And Azaryahu the Kohen HaRosh, and all the Kohanim, looked upon him, and, hinei, he was leprous on his metzach, and they thrust him out from there; yea, he himself hasted also to go out, because Hashem nun-gimmel-ayin-vav [had smitten him, afflicted him, see Isaiah 53:8, 10 where Hashem has the "nega" fall on not on this Ben Dovid Uziyahu, but on Moshiach Ben Dovid].

²¹ And Uziyahu HaMelech was metzorah (a leper) unto his yom mot, and dwelt in a leper asylum house, because of his leprosy; for he was nigzar [see Isaiah 53:8 which uses same word nigzar, "excluded," of Moshiach who was nigzar from the land of the living, meaning Moshiach died] from the Beis Hashem; and Yotam bno was over the Bais HaMelech, governing the Am HaAretz.

²² Now the rest of the acts of Uziyah, harishonim and ha’acharonim, did Yeshayahu ben Amoz, HaNavi, record.

²³ So Uziyahu slept with Avotav, and they buried him with Avotav in the sadeh hakevurah which belonged to the Melachim; for they said, He is a metzorah. And Yotam bno reigned in his place.

27 Yotam was twenty and five shanah when he began to reign, and he was king sixteen shanah in Yerushalayim. The shem immo also was Yerushah bat Tzadok.

² And he did that which was yashar (right) in the eyes of Hashem, according to all that his av Uziyah did; howbeit he entered not into the Heikhal Hashem. And the people did corruptly still.

³ He built the upper sha’ar Beis Hashem, and on the chomat Ophel he built much.

⁴ Moreover he built towns in the har Yehudah, and in the forests he built fortresses and migdalim.

⁵ He fought also with Melech Bnei Ammon, and prevailed against them. And the Bnei Ammon gave him the same year a hundred talents of kesef, and ten thousand measures of chittim (wheat), and ten thousand of se’orim (barley). The Bnei Ammon did pay this amount unto him, both the second year, and the third.

⁶ So Yotam became mighty, because he made the darkhei Yotam steadfast before Hashem Elohav.

⁷ Now the rest of the divrei Yotam, and all his milchamot, and his ways, lo, they are written in the sefer of the melachim of Yisroel and Yehudah.

⁸ He was five and twenty shanah when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen shanah in Yerushalayim.

⁹ And Yotam slept with his avot, and they buried him in Ir Dovid; and Achaz bno reigned in his place.

28 Achaz was 20 when he began to reign, and he reigned 16 years in Yerushalayim; but he did not that which was yashar in the eyes of Hashem, like Dovid Aviv,

² For he walked in the ways of the melachim of Yisroel, and made also massekhot for Ba’alim.

³ Moreover he burned ketoret in the Gey Ben Hinnom, and burned his banim in the eish, after the to’avot of the Goyim whom Hashem had driven out before the Bnei Yisroel.

⁴ He also sacrificed and burned ketoret on the high places, and on the hilltops, and under every green tree.

⁵ Therefore Hashem Elohav delivered him into the yad Melech Aram; and they defeated him, and carried off a great multitude of prisoners, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the yad Melech Yisroel, who inflicted on him makkah gedolah.

⁶ For Pekach ben Remalyahu slaughtered in Yehudah 120 elef in yom echad, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken Hashem Elohei Avotam.

⁷ And Zichri, a gibbor of Ephrayim, slaughtered Ma’aseiyahu ben HaMelech, and Azrikam the Nagid HaBais, and Elkanah Mishneh HaMelech.

⁸ And the Bnei Yisroel carried away captive of their achim 200 elef nashim, banim, and banot, and took also away much plunder from them, and carried back the plunder to Shomron.

⁹ But a navi of Hashem was there shmo Oded, and he went out before the faces of the tzava returning to Shomron, and said unto them, Hinei, because Hashem Elohei Avoteichem was angry with Yehudah, He hath delivered them into your yad, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto Shomayim.

¹⁰ And now ye intend to keep under the Bnei Yehudah and Yerushalayim for avadim and shefachot unto you, but are there not with you, even with you, sins against Hashem Eloheichem?

¹¹ Now hear me therefore, and send back the prisoners, which ye have taken captive of your achim, for the Charon Af Hashem is upon you.

¹² Then certain anashim of the Rashei Bnei Ephrayim, Azaryahu ben Yehochanan, Berechyahu ben Meshillemot, Yechizkiyahu ben Shallum, and Amasa ben Chadlai, stood up against them that came from the tzava,

¹³ And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the prisoners here; for whereas we have offended against Hashem already, ye intend to add more to chattotenu and to ashmatenu, for our guilt is great, and there is Charon Af against Yisroel.

¹⁴ So the soldiers released the prisoners and the plunder before the sarim and kol HaKahal.

¹⁵ And the men which were designated by shemot rose up, and took the prisoners, and with the plunder clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and put balm on them, and carried all the weak of them upon donkeys, and brought them to Yericho, the Ir Temarim, to their achim. Then they returned to Shomron.

¹⁶ At that time did HaMelech Achaz send unto the melachim of Assyria to help him.

¹⁷ For again the people of Edom had come and attacked Yehudah, and carried away prisoners.

¹⁸ The Pelishtim also had invaded the towns of the Shefelah, and of the Negev of Yehudah, and had taken Beit Shemesh, Ayalon, Gederot, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof, and they dwelt there.

¹⁹ For Hashem brought Yehudah low because of Achaz Melech Yisroel, for he brought disgrace to Yehudah, and acted treacherously against Hashem.

²⁰ And Tilgat Pilneser Melech Ashur came unto him, and oppressed him, but helped him not.

²¹ For Achaz took away a portion out of the Beis Hashem, and out of the Bais HaMelech, and of the sarim, and gave it unto Melech Ashur, but he helped him not.

²² And in the time of his distress he did act even more unfaithfully against Hashem. This is that Melech Achaz.

²³ For he sacrificed unto the elohei Damascus, which defeated him, and he said, Because the elohim of the melachim of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of kol Yisroel.

²⁴ And Achaz gathered together the vessels of the Beis HaElohim, and cut up the vessels of the Beis HaElohim and shut up the daletot Beis Hashem, and he set up for him mizbechot in every corner of Yerushalayim.

²⁵ And in every town in Yehudah he made high places to burn ketoret unto elohim acherim, and provoked to anger Hashem Elohei Avotav.

²⁶ Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways, the rishonim and the acharonim, hinei, they are written in the Sefer of the Melachim of Yehudah and Yisroel.

²⁷ And Achaz slept with Avotav, and they buried him in the city, even in Yerushalayim, but they brought him not into the keverim of the Melachim of Yisroel. And Chizkiyah bno reigned in his place.

29 Chizkiyahu began to reign when he was 25 years old, and he reigned 29 years in Yerushalayim. And the shem immo was Aviyah bat Zecharyahu.

² And he did that which was yashar in the eyes of Hashem, according to all that Dovid Aviv had done.

³ He in the first year of his reign, in the chodesh harishon, opened the daletot Beis Hashem, and repaired them.

⁴ And he brought in the Kohanim and the Levi’im, and gathered them together into the rechov hamizrach (eastern plaza),

⁵ And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levi’im, set yourselves apart as kodesh now and consecrate the Beis Hashem Elohei Avoteichem, and remove the niddah (contamination) from HaKodesh.

⁶ For Avoteinu have been unfaithful, and have done that which is rah in the eyes of Hashem Eloheinu, have forsaken Him, have turned away their faces from the Mishkan Hashem, and to it they have turned their backs.

⁷ Also they have shut the daletot of the Ulam, and put out the nerot, and have not burned ketoret nor offered olah in HaKodesh unto Elohei Yisroel.

⁸ Therefore the wrath of Hashem was upon Yehudah and Yerushalayim, and he hath caused them to be a horror and an object of scorn and hissing, as ye see with your eyes.

⁹ For, hinei, Avoteinu have fallen by the cherev, our banim, our banot, our nashim are in captivity for this.

¹⁰ Now it is in mine lev to make a Brit with Hashem Elohei Yisroel, that His fierce wrath may turn away from us.

¹¹ My banim, be not now negligent, for Hashem hath chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, and that ye should minister unto Him, and burn ketoret.

¹² Then the Levi’im arose: Machat ben Amasai, and Yoel ben Azaryahu, of the Bnei HaKehati; and of the Bnei Merari, Kish ben Avdi, Azaryahu ben Yehallelel; and, of the Gershoni, Yoach ben Zimmah, and Eden ben Yoach;

¹³ And of the Bnei Elitzaphan, Shimri, and Ye’i’el; and of the Bnei Asaph; Zecharyahu, and Matanyahu;

¹⁴ And of the Bnei Heman, Yechiel, and Shimei; and of the Bnei Yedutun, Shemayah, and Uzziel.

¹⁵ And they gathered their achim, and set themselves apart as kodesh, and went in, according to the mitzvat HaMelech, by the words of Hashem, to make tahor the Beis Hashem.

¹⁶ And the Kohanim went into the penimah (inner part) Beis Hashem, to make it tahor, and brought out all tumah that they found in the Heikhal Hashem into the khatzer (courtyard) of the Beis Hashem. And the Levi’im took it, to carry it outside into the Wadi Kidron.

¹⁷ Now they began on the first day of the chodesh harishon to set apart as kodesh, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the Ulam Hashem; so they set apart as kodesh the Beis Hashem in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they finished.

¹⁸ Then they went penimah to Chizkiyah HaMelech, and said, We have made tahor all the Beis Hashem, and the Mizbe’ach HaOlah, with all the vessels thereof, and the Shulchan HaMa’arechet (Table of the Stacks of Showbread), with all the vessels thereof.

¹⁹ Moreover all the kelim (vessels), which HaMelech Achaz in his reign did remove in his unfaithfulness, have we prepared and set apart as kodesh, and, hinei, they are before the Mizbe’ach Hashem.

²⁰ Then Chizkiyah HaMelech got up, and gathered the sarim of HaIr, and went up to the Beis Hashem.

²¹ And they brought seven bulls, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven male goats, for a chattat (sin offering) for the Mamlachah (Kingdom), and for the Mikdash, and for Yehudah. And he commanded the Bnei Aharon HaKohanim to offer them on the Mizbe’ach Hashem.

²² So they slaughtered the bulls, and the kohanim received the dahm, and sprinkled it on the Mizbe’ach; likewise, when they had slaughtered the rams, they sprinkled the dahm upon the Mizbe’ach; they slaughtered also the lambs, and they sprinkled the dahm upon the Mizbe’ach.

²³ And they brought forth the male goats for the chattat before HaMelech and HaKahal; and they laid their hands upon them,

²⁴ And the Kohanim slaughtered them, and they made a sin offering with their dahm upon the Mizbe’ach, to make kapporah for kol Yisroel; for HaMelech commanded that the olah (burnt offering) and the (chattat) should be made for kol Yisroel.

²⁵ And he stationed the Levi’im in the Beis Hashem with cymbals, with nevalim, and with kinnorot, according to the mitzvat Dovid, and of Gad the Chozeh HaMelech and Natan HaNavi; for so was the commandment of Hashem by His Nevi’im.

²⁶ And the Levi’im stood with the instruments of Dovid, and the Kohanim with the trumpets.

²⁷ And Chizkiyah commanded to offer the olah (burnt offering) upon the Mizbe’ach. And when the olah (burnt offering) began, the Shir Hashem began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by Dovid Melech Yisroel.

²⁸ And Kol HaKahal worshiped, and the Shir was being sung, and sounded, and all this continued until the olah was completed.

²⁹ And when it had made an end of being offered up, HaMelech and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshiped.

³⁰ Moreover Chizkiyah HaMelech and the sarim commanded the Levi’im to praise Hashem with the words of Dovid, and of Asaph the Chozeh (seer). And they sang praises with simchah, and they bowed their heads and worshiped.

³¹ Then Chizkiyah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto Hashem, come near and bring zevakhim and todot into the Beis Hashem. And the Kahal brought in zevakhim and todot; and, as many as were of a willing heart, olot (burnt offerings).

³² And the number of the olah, which the Kahal brought, was threescore and ten bulls, a hundred rams, and two hundred lambs; all these were for an olah (burnt offering) to Hashem.

³³ And the kadashim were six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep.

³⁴ But the Kohanim were too few, so that they could not skin all the olot; therefore their achim the Levi’im did help them, until the work was completed, and until the other Kohanim had set them apart as kodesh for the Levi’im were more yashar in lev to set themselves apart as kodesh than the Kohanim.

³⁵ And also the olah were in abundance, with the fat of the shelamim, and the nesakhim for every olah. So the Avodas Beis Hashem was set in order.

³⁶ And Chizkiyah rejoiced, and kol HaAm, that HaElohim had prepared the people, for the matter was done suddenly.

30 And Chizkiyah sent to kol Yisroel and Yehudah, and wrote iggerot also to Ephrayim and Menasheh, that they should come to the Beis Hashem at Yerushalayim, to keep the Pesach Hashem Elohei Yisroel.

² For HaMelech had conferred and agreed with his sarim, and kol HaKahal in Yerushalayim, to keep the Pesach in the second month.

³ For they could not keep it at its time, because the Kohanim had not set themselves apart as kodesh in sufficient numbers, neither had HaAm gathered themselves together to Yerushalayim.

⁴ And the thing pleased HaMelech and kol HaKahal.

⁵ So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout kol Yisroel, from Beer Sheva even to Dan, that they should come to keep Pesach unto Hashem Elohei Yisroel in Yerushalayim, for not many had kept Pesach as prescribed.

⁶ So the runners went with the iggerot from HaMelech and his sarim throughout kol Yisroel and Yehudah, and according to the commandment of HaMelech, saying, Ye Bnei Yisroel, shuvu (turn, return) unto Hashem Elohei Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yisroel, and He will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the yad of the Kings of Assyria.

⁷ And be not ye like Avoteichem, and like your achim, which were unfaithful against Hashem Elohei Avoteihem, Who therefore gave them up to a desolation, as ye see.

⁸ Now be ye not stiffnecked, as Avoteichem were, but yield yourselves unto Hashem, and come to His Mikdash, which He hath set apart as kodesh l’olam; and serve Hashem Eloheichem, that the fierceness of His wrath may turn away from you.

⁹ For if ye turn again unto Hashem, your achim and your banim shall find rachamim before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come back into HaAretz HaZot, for Hashem Eloheichem is channun (gracious) and rachum (compassionate), and will not turn away His face from you, if ye return unto Him.

¹⁰ So the runners passed from town to town through Eretz Ephrayim and Menasheh even unto Zevulun, but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

¹¹ Nevertheless anashim of Asher and Menasheh and of Zevulun humbled themselves, and went to Yerushalayim.

¹² Also in Yehudah the Yad HaElohim was to give them lev echad to carry out the mitzvat HaMelech and of the sarim, by the word of Hashem.

¹³ And there assembled at Yerushalayim Am Rav (Much People) to keep Chag HaMatzot in the second month, a kahal larov me’od (a very great congregation).

¹⁴ And they arose and removed the mizbechot that were in Yerushalayim, and all the incense altars they took away, and threw them into the Wadi Kidron.

¹⁵ Then they slaughtered the Pesach on the fourteenth day of the second month; and the Kohanim and the Levi’im were ashamed, and they set themselves apart as kodesh, and brought olot to the Beis Hashem.

¹⁶ And they stood in their place after their prescribed manner, according to the Torat Moshe Ish HaElohim; the Kohanim sprinkled the dahm, which they received of the yad of the Levi’im.

¹⁷ For there were rabbim in HaKahal that were not set apart as kodesh; therefore the Levi’im had the charge of the shechitah (ritual slaughter) of the Pesachim for every one that was not tahor and therefore could not set them apart as kodesh unto Hashem.

¹⁸ For most of HaAm, even many of Ephrayim, and Menasheh, Yissakhar, and Zevulun, had not made themselves tahor, yet did they eat the Pesach contrary to what was written. But Chizkiyah davened for them, saying, May Hashem Hatov grant kapporah to

¹⁹ Everyone that prepareth his lev to seek HaElohim, Hashem Elohei Avotav, though he be not tahor according to the taharat HaKodesh.

²⁰ And Hashem paid heed to Chizkiyah, and healed HaAm.

²¹ And the Bnei Yisroel that were present at Yerushalayim kept the Chag HaMatzot shivat yamim with simchah gedolah; and the Levi’im and the Kohanim praised Hashem yom b’yom, singing with loud instruments unto Hashem.

²² And Chizkiyah spoke words of comfort unto all the Levi’im who taught the seichel tov of Hashem, and they did eat the mo’ed seven days, offering zivkhei shelamim, and making confession to Hashem Elohei Avoteihem.

²³ And the kol HaKahal conferred and agreed to celebrate still another shivat yamim; and they kept another shivat yamim with simcha.

²⁴ For Chizkiyah Melech Yehudah did give to the Kahal a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep; and the sarim gave to the Kahal a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep; and a great number of Kohanim set themselves apart as kodesh.

²⁵ And kol Kehal Yehudah, with the Kohanim and the Levi’im, and kol HaKahal that came out of Yisroel, and the gerim that came out of Eretz Yisroel, and that dwelt in Yehudah, rejoiced.

²⁶ So there was simchah gedolah in Yerushalayim; for since the days of Sh’lomo Ben Dovid Melech Yisroel there was not the like in Yerushalayim.

²⁷ Then the Kohanim and the Levi’im arose and blessed HaAm, and their voice was heard, and their tefillah came up to His Ma’on Kodesh, even unto Shomayim.

31 Now when all this was completed, kol Yisroel that were present went out to the towns of Yehudah, and smashed the matzevot, and cut down the Asherim, and threw down the high places and the mizbechot throughout kol Yehudah and Binyamin, in Ephrayim also and Menasheh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the Bnei Yisroel returned, every ish to his achuzzah, into their own towns.

² And Chizkiyah appointed the machlekot of the Kohanim and the Levi’im after their divisions, every ish according to his avodas service, the Kohanim and Levi’im for olah and for shelamim, to minister, to give thanks, to praise in the Sh’arei Machanot Hashem.

³ A gift from HaMelech, from his own possessions, was for the olot, for the boker and erev olot, and the olot for the Shabbatot, and for Rosh Chodesh, and for the Mo’adim, as it is written in the Torat Hashem.

⁴ Moreover he commanded HaAm that dwelt in Yerushalayim to give the menat HaKohanim v’HaLevi’im (support of the Kohanim and the Levi’im), that they might strengthen themselves in the Torat Hashem.

⁵ And as soon as the devar went out, the Bnei Yisroel brought in abundance the reshit of dagan, tirosh, and yitzhar (pure olive oil), and devash, and of all the increase of the sadeh; and the ma’aser (tithe) of all things they brought in abundantly.

⁶ And concerning the Bnei Yisroel and Yehudah, that dwelt in the towns of Yehudah, they also brought in the ma’aser of bakar and tzon, and the ma’aser of kadashim which were hamekudashim (consecrated, set apart as kodesh) unto Hashem Eloheihem, and piled them in heaps.

⁷ In the chodesh hashelishi they began to lay foundations for the heaps, and completed them in the chodesh hashevi’i.

⁸ And when Chizkiyahu and the sarim came and saw the heaps, they blessed Hashem, and His Am Yisroel.

⁹ Then Chizkiyahu questioned the Kohanim and the Levi’im concerning the heaps.

¹⁰ And Azaryahu HaKohen HaRosh of the Bais Tzadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the terumah into the Beis Hashem, we have had enough to eat, and have plenty to spare, for Hashem hath blessed His people; and that which is notar (left over) is this great amount.

¹¹ Then Chizkiyahu commanded to prepare leshakhot (storerooms) in the Beis Hashem; and they prepared them,

¹² And brought in the terumah and the ma’aser and the kadashim be’emunah (faithfully), over which Conanyah the Levi was Nagid, and Shimei his brother was mishneh (second).

¹³ And Yechiel, and Azazyahu, and Nachat, and Asahel, and Yerimot, and Yozavad, and Eliel, and Yismachyah, and Machat, and Benayahu, were pekidim (overseers) under the yad Conanyah and Shimei his brother, by the command of Chizkiyahu HaMelech, and Azaryahu the nagid of the Beis HaElohim.

¹⁴ And Kore ben Imnah the Levi, the sho’er (gatekeeper) at the east, was over the nidvot HaElohim (freewill offerings of G-d), to distribute the terumat Hashem, and the kadshei hakadashim.

¹⁵ And next to him be’emunah were Eden, and Minyamin, and Yeshua, and Shemayahu, Amaryahu, and Shechanyahu, in the towns of the Kohanim, to give to their achim by machlekot, to the gadol as well as the katan.

¹⁶ This was besides those males who were recorded in the genealogical records, from three years old and upward, even unto every one that entereth into the Beis Hashem for its daily duty for their avodas service in their mishmerot (watches, shifts) according to their machlekot,

¹⁷ Both to the genealogy of the Kohanim by the Bais Avoteihem, and the Levi’im from twenty years old and upward, in their mishmerot by their machlekot (divisions);

¹⁸ And to the genealogy of all their little ones, their nashim, and their banim, and their banot, throughout kol Kahal, for be’emunah (in faithfulness) they set themselves apart as kodesh in kodesh (holiness);

¹⁹ Also of the Bnei Aharon the Kohanim, which were in the pasture lands of their towns, in each town, the men that were designated by name to give manot [see 1Chr 31:4] to every zakhar among the Kohanim, and to all that were reckoned by genealogies among the Levi’im.

²⁰ And thus did Chizkiyahu throughout kol Yehudah, and wrought that which was tov and yashar and emes before Hashem Elohav.

²¹ And in every ma’aseh that he began in the Avodas Beis HaElohim, and in the Torah, and in the Mitzvah, to seek Elohav, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

32 After these things, and haemes thereof, Sancheriv (Sennacherib) Melech Assyria came, and invaded Yehudah, and laid siege against the fortified cities, and thought to conquer them for himself.

² And when Chizkiyahu saw that Sancheriv was come, and that he was purposed to make milchamah against Yerushalayim,

³ He took counsel with his sarim and his gibborim to cover over the waters of the springs [Spring of Gihon] which were outside the Ir; and they did support him.

⁴ So there was gathered Am Rav together, who covered the springs, and the wadi that flowed through the midst of HaAretz, saying, Why should the melachim of Assyria come, and find mayim rabbim?

⁵ Also he strengthened himself, and repaired all the chomah that was broken down, and raised it on the migdalot, and another chomah outside of it, and repaired Millo [terraces] in Ir Dovid, and made weapons and shields in abundance.

⁶ And he appointed sarim milchamot over HaAm, and gathered them together before him in the rechov of the Sha’ar HaIr, and spoke encouragingly to them, saying,

⁷ Chizku (be strong) and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed because of the melech Assyria, nor because of all the vast army that is with him, for there be more with us than with him.

⁸ With him is zero’a basar, but with us is Hashem Eloheinu to help us, and to fight milchamoteinu (our battles). And HaAm took heart upon the words of Chizkiyahu Melech Yehudah.

⁹ After this did Sancheriv melech Assyria send his avadim to Yerushalayim, (but he himself laid siege against Lachish, with all his forces with him,) unto Chizkiyah Melech Yehudah, and unto kol Yehudah that were in Yerushalayim, saying,

¹⁰ Thus saith Sancheriv melech Assyria, Whereon do ye base confidence, that ye abide in the siege in Yerushalayim?

¹¹ Doth not Chizkiyahu mislead you to give over yourselves to die by ra’av and by tzama, saying, Hashem Eloheinu shall deliver us out of the yad Melech Assyria?

¹² Is not this the same Chizkiyah that has removed His high places and His mizbechot, and commanded Yehudah and Yerushalayim, saying, Ye shall worship before Mizbe’ach echad, and burn ketoret upon it?

¹³ Know ye not what I and avotai have done unto all the people of other lands? Were the elohei goyei ha’aratzot able to deliver their land out of mine yad?

¹⁴ Who was there among kol elohei haGoyim that avotai utterly destroyed, that could save his people out of mine yad, that Eloheichem should be able to save you out of mine yad?

¹⁵ Now therefore let not Chizkiyahu deceive you, nor mislead you on this manner, neither yet believe him, for no g-d of any goy or mamlachah was able to deliver his people out of mine yad, and out of the yad of avotai. How much less shall Eloheichem deliver you out of mine yad?

¹⁶ And his avadim spoke yet more against Hashem HaElohim, and against His eved Chizkiyahu.

¹⁷ He wrote also sefarim to blaspheme Hashem Elohei Yisroel, and to speak against Him, saying, As the elohei goyei ha’aratzot have not saved their people out of mine yad, so shall not the Elohei Chizkiyahu save his people out of mine yad.

¹⁸ Then they cried with a kol gadol in the language of the Yehudim unto the Am Yerushalayim that were on the chomah, to frighten them, and to terrorize them, that they might capture the Ir.

¹⁹ And they spoke against the Elohei Yerushalayim, as against the g-ds of the peoples of the land, which were the work of the hands of ha’adam.

²⁰ And for this cause Chizkiyahu HaMelech, and Yeshayah ben Amoz, HaNavi, davened and cried out to Shomayim.

²¹ And Hashem sent a malach, which destroyed all the fighting gibborim, and the nagid and sar in the machaneh of the melech Assyria. So he withdrew in boshet panim (shamefaced disgrace) to his own land. And when he was entered the bais elohav, they that came forth of his own loins [i.e., his sons] cut him down there with the cherev.

²² Thus Hashem saved Chizkiyahu and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim from the yad Sancheriv Melech Ashur, and from the yad of all other, and guided them on every side.

²³ And many brought minchah unto Hashem to Yerushalayim, and migdanot (expensive gifts) to Chizkiyahu Melech Yehudah, so that he was magnified in the sight of Kol HaGoyim from thenceforth.

²⁴ In those yamim Chizkiyah became ill, to the point of mot, and davened unto Hashem, and He answered him, and He gave him a mofet [see 2Kgs 20:1-11].

²⁵ But Chizkiyahu did not render back according to the benefit done unto him; for his lev was lifted up in pride; therefore there was ketzef (wrath) upon him, and upon Yehudah and Yerushalayim.

²⁶ Notwithstanding Chizkiyahu humbled himself for the pride of his lev, both he and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, so that the ketzef Hashem came not upon them in the days of Chizkiyah.

²⁷ And Chizkiyahu had exceeding much osher and kavod, and he made himself otzarot for kesef, and for zahav, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for moginim, and for all manner of valuable things;

²⁸ Silos also for the increase of dagan, and tirosh and yitzhar (pure olive oil); and stalls for the livestock, and pens for all the sheep.

²⁹ Moreover he built him towns, and possessions of tzon and bakar in abundance, for Elohim had given him wealth very much.

³⁰ This same Chizkiyahu also covered over the upper source of the Gichon Spring and tunneled it straight down to the west side of Ir Dovid. Chizkiyahu prospered in all his works.

³¹ Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the sarim of Babylon, who sent unto him to inquire of the mofet that was done in HaAretz, HaElohim left him, to test him, that He might know all that was in his lev.

³² Now the rest of the acts of Chizkiyahu, and his acts of chesed, hinei, they are written in the Chazon Yeshayahu ben Amoz HaNavi, and in the Sefer Melachim of Yehudah and Yisroel.

³³ And Chizkiyahu slept with Avotav, and they buried him on the ascent in kivrei Bnei Dovid; and all Yehudah and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim did him kavod at his mot. And Menasheh bno reigned in his place.

33 Menasheh was 12 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned 55 years in Yerushalayim,

² But did that which was rah in the eyes of Hashem, like unto the to’avot HaGoyim, whom Hashem had driven out before the Bnei Yisroel.

³ For he rebuilt the high places which Chizkiyahu Aviv had demolished, erected mizbechot for Ba’alim, and made Asherot, and worshiped all the tzva HaShomayim, and served them.

⁴ Also he built mizbechot in the Beis Hashem, whereof Hashem had said, In Yerushalayim shall Shmi be forever.

⁵ And he built mizbechot for all the tzva HaShomayim in the two khatzerot (courtyards) of the Beis Hashem.

⁶ And he caused his banot to pass through the eish in the Gey Ben Hinnom; also he practiced astrology, fortunetelling, and witchcraft, and necromancy and consulted mediums and spiritists; he wrought rah in the eyes of Hashem, to provoke Him to anger.

⁷ And he set a pesel hasemel which he had made in the Beis HaElohim, of which Elohim had said to Dovid and to Sh’lomo bno, In this Beis, and in Yerushalayim, which I have chosen before all the Shivtei Yisroel, will I put Shmi forever;

⁸ Neither will I anymore remove the regel Yisroel from HaAretz which I have appointed for Avoteichem; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to kol HaTorah and the Chukkim and the Mishpatim by the yad Moshe.

⁹ So Menasheh made Yehudah and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim to be led astray, and to do rah more than the Goyim, whom Hashem had destroyed before the Bnei Yisroel.

¹⁰ And Hashem spoke to Menasheh, and to his people, but they would not pay heed.

¹¹ Therefore Hashem brought upon them the sarei hatzavah of Melech Ashur (Assyria), which captured Menasheh with a hunter’s hooks, and bound him with bronze shackles, and hauled him off to Babylon.

¹² And when he was in distress, he besought Hashem Elohav, and humbled himself greatly before Elohei Avotav,

¹³ And davened unto Him, and He was entreated of him, and heard his techinnah, and brought him back again to Yerushalayim into his malchut. Then Menasheh knew that Hashem hu HaElohim.

¹⁴ Now after this he rebuilt a chomah chitzonah of Ir Dovid, on the west side of Gichon, in the valley, at the approach of Sha’ar HaDagim, and encompassed the Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and stationed military commanders in all the fortified cities of Yehudah.

¹⁵ And he removed the elohei hanekhar, and the semel (image) from the Beis Hashem, and all the mizbechot that he had built in the har of the Beis Hashem, and in Yerushalayim, and cast them outside the Ir.

¹⁶ And he rebuilt the Mizbe’ach Hashem, and sacrificed thereon zivkhei shelamim and todah, and commanded Yehudah to serve Hashem Elohei Yisroel.

¹⁷ Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, albeit unto Hashem Eloheihem.

¹⁸ Now the rest of the acts of Menasheh, and his tefillah unto Elohav, and the divrei HaChozim that spoke to him b’Shem Hashem Elohei Yisroel, hinei, they are written in the annals of the Melachim of Yisroel.

¹⁹ His tefillah also, and how He was entreated of him, and all his chattat, and his unfaithfulness, and the mekomot (sites, places) wherein he built high places, and set up Asherim and pesilim, before he was humbled; hinei, they are written among the records of Chozai.

²⁰ So Menasheh slept with Avotav, and they buried him in his own bais; and Amon bno reigned in his place.

²¹ Amon was 22 shanah when he began to reign, and reigned two shanim in Yerushalayim.

²² But he did that which was rah in the eyes of Hashem, as did Menasheh Aviv, for Amon sacrificed unto all the pesilim (idols) which Menasheh Aviv had made, and served them;

²³ And humbled not himself before Hashem, as Menasheh Aviv had humbled himself; but Amon increased more and more in ashmah.

²⁴ And his avadim made a kesher against him, assassinated him in his own bais.

²⁵ But the am ha’aretz slaughtered all them that had made the kesher against HaMelech Amon; and the am ha’aretz made Yoshiyahu (Josiah) bno Melech in his place.

34 Yoshiyahu was 8 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Yerushalayim 31 shanah.

² And he did that which was yashar in the eyes of Hashem, and walked in the ways of Dovid Aviv, and veered off neither right nor left.

³ For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet na’ar (young), he began to seek after Elohei Dovid Aviv; and in the twelfth year he began to make tahor Yehudah and Yerushalayim from the high places, and the Asherim, and the pesilim, and the massekhot (molten images).

⁴ And they demolished the mizbechot of Ba’alim in his presence; and the incense stands erected above them he smashed; and the Asherim, and the pesilim, and the massekhot he demolished and made dust of them, and scattered upon the keverim (graves) of them that had sacrificed unto them.

⁵ And he burned the atzmot of the Kohanim upon their mizbechot, and made tahor Yehudah and Yerushalayim.

⁶ And so did he in the towns of Menasheh, and Ephrayim, and Shim’on, even as far as Naphtali, and in their ruins all around.

⁷ And when he had broken down the mizbechot and the Asherim, and had beaten the pesilim into powder, and cut down all the incense stands throughout all Eretz Yisroel, he returned to Yerushalayim.

⁸ Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had made tahor HaAretz, and HaBeis, he sent Shaphan ben Atzalyahu, and Ma’aseiyahu the Sar HaIr, and Yoach ben Yo’achaz the recorder, to repair the Beis Hashem Elohav.

⁹ And when they came to Chilkiyahu the Kohen HaGadol, they delivered the kesef that was brought into the Beis Elohim, which the Levi’im, the Shomrei HaSaf (the Doorkeepers), had collected from the people of Menasheh and Ephrayim, and from kol She’erit Yisroel, and kol Yehudah and Binyamin, and they returned to Yerushalayim.

¹⁰ And they entrusted it into the yad oseh hamelachah (hand of the master workmen) that had hamufkadim (oversight) of the Beis Hashem, and they paid it to the workmen that wrought in the Beis Hashem, to repair and restore HaBeis [HaMikdash];

¹¹ Even to the charashim (craftsmen, artisans) and builders gave they it, to buy quarried stones, and timber for rafters and beams, for the buildings which the Melachim of Yehudah had destroyed.

¹² And the men did the melachah (work) be’emunah (faithfully, with integrity); and the mufkadim (overseers) of them were Yachat and Ovadyahu, the Levi’im, of the Bnei Merari; and Zecharyah and Meshullam, of the Bnei Kehati, to give oversight; and other of the Levi’im, all that were meiven (expert) in musical instruments.

¹³ Also they were over the sabalim (bearers of burdens) and the overseers of all that wrought the work in every kind of avodah; and of the Levi’im there were soferim (scribes), shoterim (officers) and sho’arim (doorkeepers).

¹⁴ And when they brought out the kesef that was brought into the Beis Hashem, Chilkiyahu HaKohen found a Sefer Torat Hashem given through Moshe.

¹⁵ And Chilkiyahu answered and said to Shaphan the Sofer, I have found the Sefer HaTorah in the Beis Hashem. And Chilkiyahu delivered the Sefer to Shaphan.

¹⁶ And Shaphan carried the Sefer to HaMelech, and brought HaMelech word back again, saying, All that was committed into the yad of avadim, they are doing.

¹⁷ And they have emptied out the kesef that was found in the Beis Hashem, and have entrusted it into the yad hamufkadim and to the yad osei hamelachah.

¹⁸ Then Shaphan the Sofer told HaMelech, saying, Chilkiyahu HaKohen hath given me a Sefer. And Shaphan read it in the presence of HaMelech.

¹⁹ And it came to pass, when HaMelech had heard the divrei HaTorah, that he tore his garments.

²⁰ And HaMelech commanded Chilkiyahu, and Achikam ben Shaphan, and Avdon ben Michah, and Shaphan HaSofer, and Asayah eved HaMelech, saying,

²¹ Go, inquire of Hashem for me, and for them that are nishar (left, remaining, the remnant) in Yisroel and in Yehudah, concerning the divrei hasefer that is found; for gadolah chamat Hashem is poured out upon us, because Avoteinu have not been shomer over the Devar Hashem, to do after all that is written in HaSefer Hazeh.

²² And Chilkiyahu, and they that HaMelech had sent, went to Chuldah the neviah, the wife of Shallum ben Tokehat ben Chasrah, Shomer HaBegadim (Keeper of the Wardrobe) (now she dwelt in Yerushalayim in the Mishneh), and they spoke to her to this effect.

²³ And she answered them, Thus saith Hashem Elohei Yisroel, Tell ye the ish that sent you to me,

²⁴ Thus saith Hashem, Hinei, I will bring ra’ah upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the alot (curses) that are written in the Sefer which they have read in the presence of Melech Yehudah,

²⁵ Because they have forsaken Me, and have burned ketoret unto elohim acherim, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore My wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched.

²⁶ And as for Melech Yehudah, who sent you to inquire of Hashem, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith Hashem Elohei Yisroel concerning the words which thou hast heard;

²⁷ Because thine lev was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before Elohim, when thou heardest His words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before Me, and didst tear thy garments, and weep in My Presence, I have even heard thee also, saith Hashem.

²⁸ Hinei, I will gather thee to Avoteicha, thou shalt be gathered to thy kever in shalom, neither shall thine eyes see all ra’ah I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of it. So they brought back HaMelech word.

²⁹ Then HaMelech sent and gathered together all the Ziknei Yehudah and Yerushalayim.

³⁰ And HaMelech went up to the Beis Hashem, and kol Ish Yehudah, and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, and the Kohanim, and the Levi’im, and kol haAm, gadol and katan; and he read in their ears kol divrei Sefer HaBrit that was found in the Beis Hashem.

³¹ And HaMelech stood at his place, and cut HaBrit in the presence of Hashem, to walk after Hashem, and to be shomer over His mitzvot, and His testimonies, and His chukkot, with all his lev, and with all his nefesh, to perform the divrei HaBrit which are written in Sefer HaZeh.

³² And he caused all that being found in Yerushalayim and Binyamin to make a pledge to it. And the inhabitants of Yerushalayim did according to the Brit Elohim, Elohei Avoteihem.

³³ And Yoshiyah removed kol hato’evot out of all the territories that pertained to the Bnei Yisroel, and made all that were present in Yisroel to do avodas [kodesh] service to Hashem Eloheihem. And all his days they veered not from following Hashem, Elohei Avoteihem.

35 Moreover Yoshiyahu kept Pesach unto Hashem in Yerushalayim, and they slaughtered the Pesach on the fourteenth day of the first month.

² And he set up the Kohanim in their mishmerot, and encouraged them to the Avodas Beis Hashem,

³ And said unto the Levi’im that taught kol Yisroel, which were hakedoshim unto Hashem, Put the Aron HaKodesh in the Beis which Sh’lomo Ben Dovid Melech Yisroel did build; it shall not be a massa (burden, something carried) upon your ketefayim (shoulders); serve now Hashem Eloheichem and His people Yisroel,

⁴ And prepare yourselves by Bais Avoteichem, after your machlekot, according to the writing of Dovid Melech Yisroel, and according to the mikhtav of Sh’lomo bno.

⁵ And stand in HaKodesh according to the pelugot Bais HaAvot (groupings of families) of your achim the Bnei HaAm, and after the chalukat Bais Av (family subdivisions) of the Levi’im.

⁶ So slaughter the Pesach, and set yourselves apart as kodesh, and prepare your achim, that they may do according to the Devar Hashem by the yad Moshe.

⁷ And Yoshiyahu gave to HaAm, of the tzon, kevasim and goats, all for the Pesachim, for all that were present, to the number of 30,000 plus 3,000 bakar; these were from the property of HaMelech.

⁸ And his sarim gave linedavah (voluntarily) unto HaAm, to the Kohanim, to the Levi’im. Chilkiyah, Zecharyahu, Yechiel, negidei Beis HaElohim, gave unto the Kohanim for the Pesachim 2,600 and 300 bakar.

⁹ Conanyah also, and Shemayahu and Netanel, his achim, and Chashavyahu and Ye’i’el and Yozavad, Sarei HaLevi’im, gave unto the Levi’im for Pesachim 5,000 and 500 bakar.

¹⁰ So the Avodah (Service) was prepared, and the Kohanim stood in their place, and the Levi’im in their machlekot, according to the mitzvat HaMelech.

¹¹ And they slaughtered the Pesach, and the Kohanim sprinkled the dahm from their hands, and the Levi’im skinned them.

¹² And they removed the olah, that they might give according to the pelugot l’Bais Avot l’Bnei HaAm, to offer unto Hashem, as it is written in the Sefer Moshe. And so did they with the bakar.

¹³ And they roasted the Pesach with eish according to the mishpat; but the other kadashim they boiled in pots, and in caldrons, and in pans, and distributed them in haste among kol Bnei HaAm.

¹⁴ And afterward they made ready for themselves, and for the Kohanim; because the Kohanim the Bnei Aharon were busied in offering olah and the chalavim (fats) until lailah; therefore the Levi’im prepared for themselves, and for the Kohanim, the Bnei Aharon.

¹⁵ And the meshorarim (singers), the Bnei Asaph, were in their place, according to the mitzvat Dovid, and Asaph, and Heman, and Yedutun, Chozeh HaMelech; and the sho’arim (gatekeepers) were at every sha’ar; neither did they need to depart from their Avodah, for their achim the Levi’im prepared for them.