The History of the Governments
of Israel and Judah

(2) And he did {that which was} right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.

(2) And he did {that which was} right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined {neither} to the right hand, nor to the left.

(3) For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.

(4) And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that {were} on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust {of them}, and strowed {it} upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.

(5) And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.

(6) And {so did he} in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about.

(3) And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, {that} the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the Lord, saying,

(4) Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the Lord, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people:

(5) And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord: and let them give it to the doers of the work which {is} in the house of the Lord, to repair the breaches of the house,

(6) Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house.

(7) Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully.

(8) Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God.

(9) And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem.

(10) And they put {it} in the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of the Lord, and they gave it to the workmen that wrought in the house of the Lord, to repair and amend the house:

(11) Even to the artificers and builders gave they {it}, to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to floor the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed.

(12) And the men did the work faithfully: and the overseers of them {were} Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set {it} forward; and {other of} the Levites, all that could skill of instruments of musick.

(13) Also {they were} over the bearers of burdens, and {were} overseers of all that wrought the work in any manner of service: and of the Levites {there were} scribes, and officers, and porters.

He also offered his accustomed sacrifices and burnt-offerings upon the altar.

Moreover, he ordained certain judges and overseers, that they might order the matters to them severally belonging, and have regard to justice above all things, and distribute it with the same concern they would have about their own soul.

He also sent over all the country, and desired such as pleased to bring gold and silver for the repairs of the temple, according to everyone's inclinations and abilities; and when the money was brought in, he made one Magnesia the governor of the city, and Shaphan the scribe, and Joah the recorder, and Eliakim the high priest, curators of the temple, and of the charges contributed thereto; who made no delay, nor put the work off at all, but prepared architects, and whatsoever was proper for those repairs, and set closely about the work.

So the temple was repaired by this means, and became a public demonstration of the king's piety.

(8) And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

(9) And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord.

(10) And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.

(11) And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.

(12) And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying,

(13) Go ye, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great {is} the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.

(14) So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.

(13) Also {they were} over the bearers of burdens, and {were} overseers of all that wrought the work in any manner of service: and of the Levites {there were} scribes, and officers, and porters.

(14) And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the Lord {given} by Moses.

(15) And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.

(16) And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king word back again, saying, All that was committed to thy servants, they do {it}.

(17) And they have gathered together the money that was found in the house of the Lord, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and to the hand of the workmen.

(18) Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.

(19) And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes.

(20) And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king's, saying,

(21) Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great {is} the wrath of the Lord that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to do after all that is written in this book.

(22) And Hilkiah, and {they} that the king {had appointed}, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college:) and they spake to her to that {effect}.

(2) But when he was now in the eighteenth year of his reign, he sent to Eliakim the high priest, and gave order, that out of the money was overplus, he should cast cups, and dishes, and vials, for ministration [in the temple;] and besides, that they should bring all the gold or silver which was among the treasures, and expend that also in making cups and the like vessels; but as the high priest was bringing out the gold; he lighted upon the holy books of Moses that were laid up in the temple; and when he had brought them out, he gave them to Shaphan the scribe, who, when he had read them, came to the king, and informed him that all was finished which he had ordered to be done.

He also read over the books to him, who, when he heard them rent his garment, and called for Eliakim, the high priest, and for [Shapan] the scribe, and for certain [other] of his most particular friends, and sent them to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, (which Shallum was a man of dignity, and of an eminent family,) and bade them go to her and say that [he desired] she would appease God, and endeavor to render him propitious to them, for that there was cause to fear lest, upon the transgressions of the laws of Moses by their forefathers, they should be in peril of going into captivity, and of being cast out of their own country; lest they should be in want of all things and so end their days miserably.

(15) And she said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,

(16) Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, {even} all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read:

(17) Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.

(18) But to the king of Judah which sent you to inquire of the Lord, Thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, {As touching} the words which thou hast heard;

(19) Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard {thee}, saith the Lord.

(20) Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.

(23) And she answered them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Tell ye the man that sent you to me,

(24) Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, {even} all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah:

(25) Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, 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 the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel {concerning} the words which thou hast heard;

(27) Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard {thee} also, saith the Lord.

(28) Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again.

When the prophetess has heard this from the messengers that were sent to her by the king, she bade them go back to the king, and say, that God had already given sentence against them, to destroy the people, and cast them out of their country, and deprive them of all the happiness they enjoyed; which sentence none could set aside by any prayers of theirs, since it was passed on account of their transgressions of the laws, and of their not having repented in so long a time, while the prophets had exhorted them to amend, and had foretold the punishments that would ensue on their impious practices; which threatening God would certainly execute upon them, and they might be persuaded that he is God, and had not deceived them in any respect as to what he had denounced by his prophets; that yet, because Josiah was a righteous man, he would at present delay those calamities, but that, after his death, he would send on the multitude what miseries he had determined for them.

3. So these messengers, upon this prophecy of the woman, came and told it to the king; whereupon he sent to the people everywhere, and ordered that the priests and the Levites should come together to Jerusalem; and commanded that those of every age should be present also; and when they were gathered together, he first read to them the holy books; after which he stood upon the pulpit, in the midst of the multitude, and obliged to make a covenant, with an oath, that they would worship God and keep the laws of Moses.

 Accordingly, they gave their assent willingly, and undertook to do what the king had recommended to them.

So they immediately offered sacrifices, and that after an acceptable manner, and besought God to be gracious and merciful to them.

He also enjoined the high priest that if there remained in the temple any vessel that was dedicated to idols, or to foreign gods, they should cast it out; so when a great number of such vessels were got together, he burnt them, and scattered their ashes abroad, and slew the priests of the idols that were not of the family of Aaron.

4. And when he had done thus in Jerusalem, he came into the country, and utterly destroyed what buildings had been made therein by king Jeroboam, in honor of strange gods; and he burnt the bones of the false prophets upon that altar which Jeroboam first built; and, as the prophet [Jadon] who came to Jeroboam when he was offering sacrifice, and when all the people heard him, foretold what should come to passviz, that a certain man of the house of David, Josiah by name, should do what is here mentioned.

And it happened that those predictions took effect after three hundred and sixty-one years.

5. After these things, Joaiah* went also to such other Israelites as has escaped captivity and slavery under the Assyrians, and persuaded them to desist from their impious practices, and to leave off the honors paid to strange gods, but to worship rightly their own Almighty God, and adhere to him.

He also searched the houses, and the villages, and the cities, out of a suspicion that somebody might have one idol or other in private; nay, indeed, he took away his chariots [of the Sun] that were set up in this royal palace, which his predecessors has framed, and what thing whatsoever there was besides which they worshipped as a god.

And when he had thus purged all the country, he called the people to Jerusalem, and there celebrated the feast of unleavened bread, and that called the passover.

He also gave the people for paschal sacrifices, young kids of the goats, and lambs, thirty-thousand, and three thousand oxen for burnt-offerings.

The principal of the priests also gave to the priests against the passover two thousand and six hundred lambs; the principal of the Levites also gave to the Levites five thousand lambs, and five hundred oxen, by which means there was great plenty of sacrifices; and they offered these sacrifices according to the laws of Moses, while every priest explained the matter, and ministered to the multitude.

And indeed there had been no other festival thus celebrated by the Hebrews from the times of Samuel the prophet; and the plenty of sacrifices now was the occasion that all things were performed according to the laws, and according to the custom of their forefathers.

So when Josiah had after this lived in peace, nay, in riches and reputation also among all men, he ended his life in the manner following.

(1) And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.

(2) And the king went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the Lord.

(3) And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all {their} heart and all {their} soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.

 (29) Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

(30) And the king went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the Lord.

(31) And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book.

(32) And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand {to it}. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.

(4) And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel.

(5) And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.

(6) And he brought out the grove from the house of the Lord, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped {it} small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people.

(7) And he brake down the houses of the Sodomites, that {were} by the house of the Lord, where the women wove hangings for the grove.

(8) And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba, and brake down the high places of the gates that {were} in the entering in of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which {were} on a man's left hand at the gate of the city.

(9) Nevertheless the priests of the high places came not up to the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem, but they did eat of the unleavened bread among their brethren.

(10) And he defiled Topheth, which {is} in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.

(11) And he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entering in of the house of the Lord, by the chamber of Nathanmelech the chamberlain, which {was} in the suburbs, and burned the chariots of the sun with fire.

(12) And the altars that {were} on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the Lord, did the king beat down, and brake {them} down from thence, and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron.

(13) And the high places that {were} before Jerusalem, which {were} on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.

(14) And he brake in pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and filled their places with the bones of men.

(15) Moreover the altar that {was} at Bethel, {and} the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, both that altar and the high place he brake down, and burned the high place, {and} stamped {it} small to powder, and burned the grove.

(16) And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the sepulchres that {were} there in the mount, and sent, and took the bones out of the sepulchres, and burned {them} upon the altar, and polluted it, according to the word of the Lord which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these words.

(17) Then he said, What title {is} that that I see? And the men of the city told him, {It is} the sepulchre of the man of God, which came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Bethel.

(18) And he said, Let him alone; let no man move his bones. So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet that came out of Samaria.

(19) And all the houses also of the high places that {were} in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke {the Lord} to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Bethel.

(20) And he slew all the priests of the high places that {were} there upon the altars, and burned men's bones upon them, and returned to Jerusalem.

And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that {pertained} to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, {even} to serve the Lord their God. {And} all his days they departed not from following the Lord, the God of their fathers.

(6) The Lord said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen {that} which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.

(7) And I said after she had done all these {things}, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw {it}.

(8) And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of Divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

(9) And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.

(10) And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the Lord.

(11) And the Lord said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.

(12) Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; {and} I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I {am} merciful, saith the Lord, {and} I will not keep {anger} for ever.

(13) Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord.

(14) Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:

(15) And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

(16) And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the Lord, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the Lord: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit {it}; neither shall {that} be done any more.

(17) At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.

(18) In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.

(19) But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me.

(20) Surely {as} a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord.

(21) A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping {and} supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, {and} they have forgotten the Lord their God.

(22) Return, ye backsliding children, {and} I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou {art} the Lord our God.

(23) Truly in vain {is salvation hoped for} from the hills, {and from} the multitude of mountains: truly in the Lord our God {is} the salvation of Israel.

(24) For shame hath devoured the labor of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.

(25) We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the Lord our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God.

(Jeremiah 4)

(1) If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the Lord, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.

(2) And thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.

(3) For thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.

(4) Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench {it}, because of the evil of your doings.

(5) Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow ye the trumpet in the land: cry, gather together, and say, Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the defenced cities.

(6) Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.

(7) The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; he is gone forth from his place to make thy land desolate; {and} thy cities shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant.

(8) For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and howl: for the fierce anger of the Lord is not turned back from us.

(9) And it shall come to pass at that day, saith the Lord, {that} the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and the priests shall be astonished, and the prophets shall wonder.

(10) Then said I, Ah, Lord God! surely thou hast greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall have peace; whereas the sword reacheth unto the soul.

(11) At that time shall it be said to this people and to Jerusalem, A dry wind of the high places in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to fan, nor to cleanse,

(12) {Even} a full wind from those {places} shall come unto me: now also will I give sentence against them.

(13) Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots {shall be} as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled.

(14) O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?

(15) For a voice declareth from Dan, and publisheth affliction from mount Ephraim.

(16) Make ye mention to the nations; behold, publish against Jerusalem, {that} watchers come from a far country, and give out their voice against the cities of Judah.

(17) As keepers of a field, are they against her round about; because she hath been rebellious against me, saith the Lord.

(18) Thy way and thy doings have procured these {things} unto thee; this {is} thy wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacheth unto thine heart.

(19) My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.

(20) Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, {and} my curtains in a moment.

(21) How long shall I see the standard, {and} hear the sound of the trumpet?

(22) For my people {is} foolish, they have not known me; they {are} sottish children, and they have none understanding: they {are} wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

(23) I beheld the earth, and, lo, {it was} without form, and void; and the heavens, and they {had} no light.

(24) I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.

(25) I beheld, and, lo, {there was} no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.

(26) I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place {was} a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, {and} by his fierce anger.

(27) For thus hath the Lord said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.

(28) For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black; because I have spoken {it}, I have purposed {it}, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.

(29) The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen; they shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks: every city {shall be} forsaken, and not a man dwell therein.

(30) And {when} thou {art} spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; {thy} lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life.

(31) For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, {and} the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, {that} bewaileth herself, {that} spreadeth her hands, {saying}, Woe {is} me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.

Jeremiah 5

(1) Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be {any} that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.

(2) And though they say, The Lord liveth; surely they swear falsely.

(3) O Lord, {are} not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, {but} they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.

(4) Therefore I said, Surely these {are} poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the Lord, {nor} the judgment of their God.

(5) I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the Lord, {and} the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, {and} burst the bonds.

(6) Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, {and} a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, {and} their backslidings are increased.

(7) How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by {them that are} no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots' houses.

(8) They were {as} fed horses in the morning: every one neighed after his neighbor's wife.

(9) Shall I not visit for these {things}? saith the Lord: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

(10) Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her battlements; for they {are} not the Lord's. (11) For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the Lord.

(12) They have belied the Lord, and said, {It is} not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:

(13) And the prophets shall become wind, and the word {is} not in them: thus shall it be done unto them.

(14) Wherefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

(15) Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the Lord: it {is} a mighty nation, it {is} an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.

(16) Their quiver {is} as an open sepulchre, they {are} all mighty men.

(17) And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, {which} thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword.

(18) Nevertheless in those days, saith the Lord, I will not make a full end with you.

(19) And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore doeth the Lord our God all these {things} unto us? then shalt thou answer them, like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land {that is} not yours.

(20) Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,

(21) Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:

(22) Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand {for} the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?

(23) But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.

(24) Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.

(25) Your iniquities have turned away these {things}, and your sins have withholden good {things} from you.

(26) For among my people are found wicked {men}: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.

(27) As a cage is full of birds, so {are} their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.

(28) They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.

(29) Shall I not visit for these {things}? saith the Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

(21) And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover unto the Lord your God, as {it is} written in the book of this covenant.

(22) Surely there was not holden such a passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah;

(23) But in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, {wherein} this passover was holden to the Lord in Jerusalem.

(1) Moreover Josiah kept a passover unto the Lord in Jerusalem: and they killed the passover on the fourteenth {day} of the first month.

(2) And he set the priests in their charges, and encouraged them to the service of the house of the Lord,

(3) And said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, which were holy unto the Lord, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; {it shall} not {be} a burden upon {your} shoulders: serve now the Lord your God, and his people Israel,

(4) And prepare {yourselves} by the houses of your fathers, after your courses, according to the writing of David king of Israel, and according to the writing of Solomon his son.

(5) And stand in the holy {place} according to the divisions of the families of the fathers of your brethren the people, and {after} the division of the families of the Levites.

(6) So kill the passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare your brethren, that {they} may do according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

 (7) And Josiah gave to the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all for the passover offerings, for all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks: these {were} of the king's substance.

(8) And his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover offerings two thousand and six hundred {small cattle} and three hundred oxen.

(9) Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethaneel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for passover offerings five thousand {small cattle}, and five hundred oxen.

(10) So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the king's commandment.

(11) And they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled {the blood} from their hands, and the Levites flayed {them}.

(12) And they removed the burnt offerings, that they might give according to the divisions of the families of the people, to offer unto the Lord, as {it is} written in the book of Moses. And so {did they} with the oxen.

(13) And they roasted the passover with fire according to the ordinance: but the {other} holy {offerings} sod they in pots, and in caldrons, and in pans, and divided {them} speedily among all the people.

(14) And afterward they made ready for themselves, and for the priests: because the priests the sons of Aaron {were busied} in offering of burnt offerings and the fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron.

(15) And the singers the sons of Asaph {were} in their place, according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the king's seer; and the porters {waited} at every gate; they might not depart from their service; for their brethren the Levites prepared for them.

(16) So all the service of the Lord was prepared the same day, to keep the passover, and to offer burnt offerings upon the altar of the Lord, according to the commandment of king Josiah.

(17) And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.

(18) And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

(19) In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this passover kept.

(1) The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

(2) Stand in the gate of the Lord's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the Lord, all {ye of} Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the Lord.

(3) Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.

(4) Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, {are} these.

(5) For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour;

(6) {If ye} oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt:

(7) Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.

(8) Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.

(9) Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;

(10) And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? (11) Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen {it}, saith the Lord.

(12) But go ye now unto my place which {was} in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel.

(13) And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the Lord, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not;

(14) Therefore will I do unto {this} house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.

(15) And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, {even} the whole seed of Ephraim.

(16) Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.

(17) Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?

(18) The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead {their} dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.

(19) Do they provoke me to anger? saith the Lord: {do they} not {provoke} themselves to the confusion of their own faces?

(20) Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.

(21) Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.

(22) For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:

(23) But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.

(24) But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels {and} in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.

(25) Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending {them}:

(26) Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.

(27) Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee.

(28) But thou shalt say unto them, This {is} a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.

(29) Cut off thine hair, {O Jerusalem}, and cast {it} away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the Lord hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.

(30) For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the Lord: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it.

(31) And they have built the high places of Tophet, which {is} in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded {them} not, neither came it into my heart.

(32) Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place.

(33) And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray {them} away.

(34) Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate.

Moreover the {workers with} familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the Lord.

In his days Pharaoh Nechoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and he slew him at Megiddo, when he had seen him.

(20) After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Carchemish by Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him.

(21) But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? {I come} not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from {meddling with} God, who {is} with me, that he destroy thee not.

(22) Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.

(23) And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded.

(24) His servants therefore took him out of that chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had; and they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died, and was buried in {one of} the sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

(25) And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they {are} written in the lamentations.

(26) Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his goodness, according to {that which was} written in the law of the Lord,

(27) And his deeds, first and last, behold, they {are} written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.

1. Now Neco, king of Egypt, raised an army, and marched to the river Euphrates, in order to fight with the Medes and Babylonians, who had overthrown the dominions of the Assyrians, for he had desire to reign over Asia.

Now when he was come to the city of Mendes, which belonged to the kingdom of Josiah, he brought an army to hinder him from passing through has own country, in his expeditions against the Medes.

Now Neco send a herald to Josiah, and told him, that he was making haste to Euphrates; and desired that he would not provoke him to fight against him, because he had obstructed his march to the place he had resolved to go.

But Josiah did not admit of this advice of Neco, but put himself in a posture to hinder him from his intended march.

I suppose it was fate that pushed him on this conduct, that it might take an occasion against him; for as he was setting his army in array, and rode about in his chariot, from one wing of his army to another, one of the Egyptians shot an arrow at him; and put an end to his eagerness for fighting; for, being sorely wounded, he commanded a retreat to be sounded for his army, and returned to Jerusalem, and died of the wound; and was magnificently buried in the sepulchre of this fathers, when he had lived thirty-nine years, and of them had reigned thirty-one.

But all the people mourned greatly for him, lamenting and grieving on his account many days; and Jeremiah the prophet composed an elegy to lament him, which is extant till this time also.

Moreover, this prophet denounced beforehand the sad calamities that were coming upon the city.

He also left behind him in writing a description of that destruction of our nation which has lately happened in our days, and the taking of Babylon; nor was he the only prophet who delivered such predictions beforehand to the multitude; but so did Ezekiel also, he was the first person that wrote, and left behind him in writing two books, concerning these events.

Now these two prophets were priests by birth, but of them Jeremiah dwelt in Jerusalem, from the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah, until the city and the temple were utterly destroyed.

However, as to what befell this prophet, we will relate in its proper place.

(10) Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him: {but} weep sore for him that goeth away: for he shall return no more, nor see his native country.

(11) For thus saith the Lord touching Shallum the son of Josiah king of Judah, which reigned instead of Josiah his father, which went forth out of this place; He shall not return thither any more:

(12) But he shall die in the place whither they have led him captive, and shall see this land no more.

(30) And the people of the land took Jehoahaz, the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father's stead in Jerusalem.

(30) And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father's stead.

(31) Jehoahaz {was} twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother's name {was} Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

(32) And he did {that which was} evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done.

(33) And Pharaoh Nechoh put him in bands at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land to a tribute of an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold.

(34) And Pharaoh Nechoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoiakim, and took Jehoahaz away: and he came to Egypt, and died there.

(35) And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh; but he taxed the land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh: he exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, of every one according to his taxation, to give {it} unto Pharaoh Nechoh.

 Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father's stead in Jerusalem.

(2) Jehoahaz {was} twenty and three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.

(3) And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem, and condemned the land in an hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

(4) And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and turned his name to Jehoiakim. And Necho took Jehoahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.

(5) Jehoiakim {was} twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did {that which was} evil in the sight of the Lord his God.

(6) Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.

(7) Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the Lord to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.

(8) Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they {are} written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.

2. Upon the death of Josiah, which we have already mentioned, his son, Jehoahaz, by name, took the kingdom, being about twenty-three years old.

He reigned in Jerusalem; and his mother was Hamutal, of the city of Libnah.

He was an impious man, and impure in his course of life, but as the king of Egypt returned from the battle, he sent for Jehoahaz to come to him in the city called Hamath, which belongs to Syria; and when he was come, he put him in bands, and delivered the kingdom to a brother of his by the father's side, whose name was Elialim, and changed his name to Jehoiakim, and laid a tribute upon the land of a hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold; and this sum of money Johoiakim paid by way of tribute; but Neco carried away Jehoahez into Egypt, where he died, when he had reigned three months and ten days.

Now Jehoiakim's mother was called Zebudah, of the city of Rumah.

He was of wicked disposition, and ready to do mischief; nor was he either religious towards God, or good-natured toward men.

(1) In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.

(2) And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

(3) And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring {certain} of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes;

(4) Children in whom {was} no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as {had} ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

(5) And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.

(6) Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

(7) Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel {the name} of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.

(8) But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

(9) Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.

(10) And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which {are} of your sort? then shall ye make {me} endanger my head to the king.

(11) Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

(12) Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.

(13) Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.

(14) So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.

(15) And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.

(16) Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.

(17) As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

(18) Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

(19) And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.

(20) And in all matters of wisdom {and} understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians {and} astrologers that {were} in all his realm.

(21) And Daniel continued {even} unto the first year of king Cyrus.

And when Neco understood the intention of the king of Babylon, and that this expedition was made against him, he did not despise his attempt, but made haste with a great band of men to Euphrates to defend himself from Nebuchadnezzar; and when they had joined battle, he was beaten and lost many ten thousands (of his soldiers) in the battle.

So the king of Babylon passed over Euphrates, and took all Syria as far as Pelusium, excepting Judea.

But when Nebuchadnezzar had already reigned four years, which was the eighth of Jehoiakim's government over the Hebrews, the king of Babylon made an expedition with mighty forces against the Jews, and required tribute of Jehoiakim, and threatened, on his refusal, to make war against him.

(1) And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, {that} this word came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

(2) Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day.

(3) It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.

(4) Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the Lord, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book.

(5) And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I {am} shut up; I cannot go into the house of the Lord:

(6) Therefore go thou, and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of the Lord in the ears of the people in the Lord's house upon the fasting day: and also thou shalt read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities.

(7) It may be they will present their supplication before the Lord, and will return every one from his evil way: for great {is} the anger and the fury that the Lord hath pronounced against this people.

(8) And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the Lord in the Lord's house.

2. But on the third year, upon hearing that the king of the Babylonians made an expedition against the Egyptians, he did not pay his tribute; yet was he disappointed of his hope, for the Egyptians durst not fight at this time.

And indeed the prophet Jeremiah foretold every day how vainly they relied on their hopes from Egypt, and how the city would be overthrown by the king of Babylon, and Jehoiakim the king would be subdued by him.

But what he thus spake proved to be one of no advantage to them, because there were none that should escape; for both the multitude, and the rulers, when they heard him, had no concern about what they heard; but being displeased at what was said, as if the prophet were a diviner against the king, they accused Jeremiah; and bringing him before the court, they required that a sentence and a punishment might be given against him.

Now all the rest gave their votes for his condemnation, but the elders refused, who prudently sent away the prophet from the court (of the prison,_ and persuaded the rest to do Jeremiah no harm; for they said that he was not the only person who foretold what what would come to the city, but that Micah signified the same before him, as well as many others, none of whom suffered anything of the kings that then reigned, but were honored as the prophets of God.

So they mollified the multitude with these words, and delivered Jeremiah from the punishment to which he was condemned.

(9) And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth month, {that} they proclaimed a fast before the Lord to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem.

(10) Then read Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the Lord, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the higher court, at the entry of the new gate of the Lord's house, in the ears of all the people.

(11) When Michaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard out of the book all the words of the Lord,

(12) Then he went down into the king's house, into the scribe's chamber: and, lo, all the princes sat there, {even} Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes.

(13) Then Michaiah declared unto them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people.

(14) Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, unto Baruch, saying, Take in thine hand the roll wherein thou hast read in the ears of the people, and come. So Baruch the son of Neriah took the roll in his hand, and came unto them.

(15) And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read {it} in their ears.

(16) Now it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, they were afraid both one and other, and said unto Baruch, We will surely tell the king of all these words.

(17) And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth?

(18) Then Baruch answered them, He pronounced all these words unto me with his mouth, and I wrote {them} with ink in the book.

(19) Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be.

(20) And they went in to the king into the court, but they laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the ears of the king.

(21) So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it out of Elishama the scribe's chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king.

Now when this prophet had written all his prophecies, and the people were fasting, and assembled at the temple, on the ninth month of the fifth year of Jehoiakim, he read the book he had composed of his predictions of what was to befall the city, and the temple, and the multitude; and when the rulers heard of it, they took the book from him, and bade him and Baruch the scribe to go their ways, lest they should be discovered by one or other; but they carried the book, and gave it to the king; so he gave order in the presence of his friends, that his scribe should take it and read it.

When the king heard what it contained, he was angry and tore it, and cast it into the fire, where it was consumed.

He also commanded that they should seek for Jeremiah and Baruch the scribe, and bring them to him, and they might be punished. However, they escaped his anger.

(22) Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and {there was a fire} on the hearth burning before him.*

(23) And it came to pass, {that} when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast {it} into the fire that {was} on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that {was} on the hearth.

(24) Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, {neither} the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words.

(25) Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll: but he would not hear them.

(26) But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the Lord hid them.

(27) Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying,

(28) Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned.

(29) And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, Thus saith the Lord; Thou hast burned this roll, saying, Why hast thou written therein, saying, The king of Babylon shall certainly come and destroy this land, and shall cause to cease from thence man and beast?

(30) Therefore thus saith the Lord of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.

(31) And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them; but they hearkened not.

(32) Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words.

3. Now a little time afterwards, the king of Babylon made an expedition against Jehoiakim, whom he received (into the city,) and this out of fear of the foregoing predictions of this prophet, as supposing that he should suffer nothing that was terrible, because he neither shut the gates, nor fought against him; yet when he was come into the city, he did not observe the covenants he had made; but he slew such as were in the flower of their age, and such as were of the greatest dignity, together with their king Jehoiakim, whom he commanded to be thrown before the walls, without any burial; and made his son Jehoiachin king of the country and of the city: he also took the principal persons in dignity for captives, three thousand in number, and led them away to Babylon; among whom was the prophet Ezekiel, who was then but young.

And this was the end of king Jehoiakim, when he had lived thirty-six years, and of them reigned eleven.

But Jehoiachin succeeded him in the kingdom, whose mother's name was Nehushta; she was a citizen of Jerusalem.

He reigned three months and ten days.

Jeremiah 26:1-24

(2) Thus saith the Lord; Stand in the court of the Lord's house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord's house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:

(3) If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.

(4) And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you,

(5) To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending {them}, but ye have not hearkened;

(6) Then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.

(7) So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord.

(8) Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded {him} to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die.

(9) Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.

(10) When the princes of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king's house unto the house of the Lord, and sat down in the entry of the new gate of the Lord's {house}.

(11) Then spake the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man {is} worthy to die; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.

(12) Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard.

(13) Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; and the Lord will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.

(14) As for me, behold, I {am} in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you.

(15) But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.

(16) Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets; This man {is} not worthy to die: for he hath spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.

(17) Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spake to all the assembly of the people, saying,

(18) Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Zion shall be plowed {like} a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.

(19) Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the Lord, and besought the Lord, and the Lord repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.

(20) And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the Lord, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjathjearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah.

(21) And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death: but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt;

(22) And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, {namely}, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and {certain} men with him into Egypt.

(23) And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.

36) Jehoiakim {was} twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name {was} Zebudah, the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. (37) And he did {that which was} evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done.

(1) In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him. (2) And the Lord sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servants the prophets. (3) Surely at the commandment of the Lord came {this} upon Judah, to remove {them} out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did; (4) And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the Lord would not pardon. (5) Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, {are} they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? (6) So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.

(5) Jehoiakim {was} twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did {that which was} evil in the sight of the Lord his God. (6) Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon. (7) Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the Lord to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon. (8) Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they {are} written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.

(1) Thus saith the Lord; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word, (2) And say, Hear the word of the Lord, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates: (3) Thus saith the Lord; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place. (4) For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his people. (5) But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith the Lord, that this house shall become a desolation. (6) For thus saith the Lord unto the king's house of Judah; thou {art} Gilead unto me, {and} the head of Lebanon: {yet} surely I will make thee a wilderness, {and} cities {which} are not inhabited. (7) And I will prepare destroyers against thee, every one with his weapons: and they shall cut down thy choice cedars, and cast {them} into the fire. (8) And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this great city? (9) Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them. (10) Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him: {but} weep sore for him that goeth away: for he shall return no more, nor see his native country. (11) For thus saith the Lord touching Shallum the son of Josiah king of Judah, which reigned instead of Josiah his father, which went forth out of this place; He shall not return thither any more: (12) But he shall die in the place whither they have led him captive, and shall see this land no more. (13) Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; {that} useth his neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work; (14) That saith, I will build me a wide house and largechambers, and cutteth him out windows; and {it is} cieled with cedar, and painted with vermilion. (15) Shalt thou reign, because thou closest {thyself} in cedar? did not thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, {and} then {it was} well with him? (16) He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then {it was} well {with him: was} not this to know me? saith the Lord. (17) But thine eyes and thine heart {are} not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do {it}. (18) Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah; They shall not lament for him, {saying}, Ah my brother! or, Ah sister! they shall not lament for him, {saying}, Ah lord! or, Ah his glory! (19) He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem. (20) Go up to Lebanon, and cry; and lift up thy voice in Bashan, and cry from the passages: for all thy lovers are destroyed. (21) I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; {but} thou saidst, I will not hear. This {hath been} thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice. (22) The wind shall eat up all thy pastors, and thy lovers shall go into captivity: surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickedness. (23) O inhabitant of Lebanon, that makest thy nest in the cedars, how gracious shalt thou be when pangs come upon thee, the pain as of a woman in travail! (24) {As} I live, saith the Lord, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence; (25) And I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life, and into the hand {of them} whose face thou fearest, even into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans. (26) And I will cast thee out, and thy mother that bare thee, into another country, where ye were not born; and there shall ye die. (27) But to the land whereunto they desire to return, thither shall they not return. (28) {Is} this man Coniah a despised broken idol? {is he} a vessel wherein {is} no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into a land which they know not? (29) O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord. (30) Thus saith the Lord, Write ye this man childless, a man {that} shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.

(2) Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord.

(3) And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.

(4) And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord.

(5) Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

(6) In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this {is} his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

(7) Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;

(8) But, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.

(9) Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the Lord, and because of the words of his holiness.

(10) For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force {is} not right.

(11) For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord.

(12) Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery {ways} in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, {even} the year of their visitation, saith the Lord.

(14) I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness; they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.

(15) Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.

(16) Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, {and} not out of the mouth of the Lord.

(17) They say still unto them that despise me, The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.

(18) For who hath stood in the counsel of the Lord, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard {it}?

(19) Behold, a whirlwind of the Lord is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.

(20) The anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly.

(21) I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.

(22) But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.

(23) {Am} I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off?

(24) Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.

(25) I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.

(26) How long shall {this} be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, {they are} prophets of the deceit of their own heart;

(27) Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.

(28) The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What {is} the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord.

(29) {Is} not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer {that} breaketh the rock in pieces?

(30) Therefore, behold, I {am} against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.

(31) Behold, I {am} against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.

(32) Behold, I {am} against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord.

(33) And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What {is} the burden of the Lord? thou shalt then say unto them, What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the Lord.

(34) And {as for} the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The burden of the Lord, I will even punish that man and his house.

(35) Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbour, and every one to his brother, What hath the Lord answered? and, What hath the Lord spoken?

(36) And the burden of the Lord shall ye mention no more: for every man's word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the Lord of hosts our God.

(37) Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the Lord answered thee? and, What hath the Lord spoken?

(38) But since ye say, The burden of the Lord; therefore thus saith the Lord; Because ye say this word, The burden of the Lord, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of the Lord;

(39) Therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you, and I will forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, {and cast you} out of my presence:

(40) And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.

(20) And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the Lord, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjathjearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah.

(21) And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death: but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt;

(22) And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, {namely}, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and {certain} men with him into Egypt.

(23) And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.

(24) Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.

(8) Jehoiachin {was} eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother's name {was} Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.

(9) And he did {that which was} evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father had done.

(10) At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.

(11) And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants did besiege it.

(12) And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.

(13) And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the Lord, as the Lord had said.

(14) And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, {even} ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land.

(15) And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, {those} carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.

(16) And all the men of might, {even} seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all {that were} strong {and} apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon. (17) And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father's brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah.

(9) Jehoiachin {was} eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did {that