The Daily Audio Bible
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26 Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah.
2 He built Eloth and restored it to Judah after the king slept with his fathers.
3 Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. Also his mother’s name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.
4 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah did.
5 And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.
6 And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath and the wall of Jabneh and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod and among the Philistines.
7 And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who dwelt in Gurbaal, and the Meunites.
8 And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah; and his name spread abroad even to the entrance of Egypt, for he strengthened himself exceedingly.
9 Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate and at the Valley Gate and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.
10 Also he built towers in the desert and dug many wells, for he had much cattle, both in the low country and in the plains; husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains and in Carmel, for he loved husbandry.
11 Moreover Uzziah had a host of fighting men who went out to war by bands, according to the number of their count by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king’s captains.
12 The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valor was two thousand and six hundred.
13 And under their hand was an army, three hundred and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power to help the king against the enemy.
14 And Uzziah prepared for them, throughout all the host, shields, and spears, and helmets, and jackets of mail, and bows, and slings to cast stones.
15 And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks with which to shoot arrows and great stones. And his name spread far abroad, for he was marvelously helped till he was strong.
16 But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction; for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense.
17 And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the Lord, who were valiant men.
18 And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, “It pertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honor from the Lord God.”
19 Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense; and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up on his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, beside the incense altar.
20 And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked upon him, and behold, he was leprous on his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence. Yea, he himself hastened also to go out, because the Lord had smitten him.
21 And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death; and he dwelt in a separate house, being a leper, for he was cut off from the house of the Lord. And Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.
22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.
23 So Uzziah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings, for they said, “He is a leper.” And Jotham his son reigned in his stead.
27 Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. Also his mother’s name was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok.
2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Uzziah did. Howbeit, he entered not into the temple of the Lord, and the people did yet corruptly.
3 He built the High Gate of the house of the Lord, and on the wall of Ophel he built much.
4 Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built strongholds and towers.
5 He fought also with the king of the Ammonites, and prevailed against them. And the children of Ammon gave him the same year a hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. The same did the children of Ammon pay unto him both the second year and the third.
6 So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God.
7 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars and his ways, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
8 He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.
9 And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David; and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.
28 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; but he did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord like David his father.
2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and made also molten images for the Baalim.
3 Moreover he burned incense in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and burned his children in the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.
4 He sacrificed also and burned incense in the high places and on the hills and under every green tree.
5 Therefore the Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter.
6 For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah a hundred and twenty thousand in one day, who were all valiant men, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers.
7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king’s son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah who was next to the king.
8 And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them and brought the spoil to Samaria.
9 But a prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Oded; and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, “Behold, because the Lord God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, He hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven.
10 And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem as bondmen and bondwomen unto you. But are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord your God?
11 Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives back, whom ye have taken captive from your brethren; for the fierce wrath of the Lord is upon you.”
12 Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against those who came from the war
13 and said unto them, “Ye shall not bring in the captives hither, for whereas we have offended against the Lord already, ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass; for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.”
14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.
15 And the men who were mentioned by name rose up and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all who were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses and brought them to their brethren at Jericho, the city of palm trees. Then they returned to Samaria.
16 At that time King Ahaz sent unto the kings of Assyria to help him.
17 For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives.
18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country and of the south of Judah, and had taken Bethshemesh, and Aijalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof; and they dwelt there.
19 For the Lord brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he made Judah naked and transgressed sorely against the Lord.
20 And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came unto him and distressed him, but strengthened him not.
21 For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the Lord, and out of the house of the king and from the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria; but he helped him not.
22 And in the time of his distress he trespassed yet more against the Lord: this is that King Ahaz.
23 For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus which smote him; and he said, “Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me.” But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel.
24 And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the Lord, and he made himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem.
25 And in every separate city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the Lord God of his fathers.
26 Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
27 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem; but they brought him not into the sepulchers of the kings of Israel. And Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.
13 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but from God; the powers that be are ordained by God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God, and those who resist shall receive for themselves damnation.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same,
4 for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, for he beareth not the sword in vain; for he is the minister of God, an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5 Therefore ye must be subject not only for wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.
6 For, for this cause pay ye tribute also, for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
8 Owe no man anything, but to love one another, for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
9 For this, “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” “Thou shalt not kill,” “Thou shalt not steal,” “Thou shalt not bear false witness,” “Thou shalt not covet,” and if there be any other commandment, all are briefly comprehended in this saying, namely: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awaken out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we first believed.
12 The night is far spent; the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
13 Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in lewdness and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof.
23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure and whether it be right.
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.