Jehu's men captured and slaughtered 42 of them at a cistern near Beth Eked. They didn't leave any survivors.

15 When he left that place, he met Jehonadab, son of Rechab, who was coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and asked, "Are you as loyal to me as I am to you?"

"I am," Jehonadab answered.

So Jehu said, "If you are, give me your hand."

When he gave Jehu his hand, Jehu helped him up into the chariot. 16 Jehu said, "Come with me. See how devoted I am to Yahweh." So he had Jehonadab ride on his chariot. 17 When they arrived in Samaria, Jehu killed the rest of Ahab's family, every member who was left in Samaria. He wiped them out, as Yahweh had told Elijah.

Jehu Kills Baal's Prophets 18 Then Jehu brought all the people together. He said, "Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him a lot. 19 Summon all the prophets, servants, and priests of Baal. Make sure no one is missing because I have a great sacrifice to offer Baal. Whoever is missing will not live." (Jehu was deceiving them. He actually wanted to destroy those who worshiped Baal.) 20 Jehu said, "Call a holy assembly to honor Baal." So they did. 21 Jehu sent messengers to all the Israelites. All the worshipers of Baal came, and there wasn't one who didn't come. They went into the temple of Baal and filled it from one end to the other.

22 Then Jehu told the man in charge of the priests' robes, "Bring out the robes for all the worshipers of Baal." So he brought out robes for them. 23 Jehu and Jehonadab, son of Rechab, went into the temple of Baal and said to the worshipers of Baal, "Make sure that there are no worshipers of Yahweh here with you. Only the worshipers of Baal should be here." 24 So they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. But Jehu had stationed 80 of his men outside. He said to them, "If any of the people I'm putting in your hands escape, you will pay for their lives with yours."

25 When the burnt offerings had been made, Jehu said to the guards and attendants, "Kill them. Don't let anyone get away." So they used swords to kill the Baal worshipers and threw out the bodies until the guards and attendants came to the stronghold in the temple of Baal. 26 Then they brought out the large sacred stone of the temple of Baal and burned it. 27 They destroyed the sacred stone of Baal and the temple of Baal and made it into a latrine. It is still a latrine today.

28 So Jehu got rid of Baal worship throughout Israel. 29 But Jehu did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam (Nebat's son) led Israel to commit-the worship of the golden calves that were at Bethel and Dan.

30 Yahweh said to Jehu, "You did what I consider right, and you did it well. You did everything I wanted done to Ahab's family. That is why four generations of your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel."

31 But Jehu didn't wholeheartedly obey the teachings of Yahweh Elohim of Israel. He didn't turn away from the sins that Jeroboam led Israel to commit. 32 So in those days Yahweh began to take away some of Israel's territory. Hazael defeated Jehu's army throughout Israel's territory 33 east of the Jordan River: the entire region of Gilead (the territory belonging to Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh) from Aroer, which is near the Arnon River, to Gilead and Bashan.

34 Isn't everything else about Jehu-everything he did, all his heroic acts-written in the official records of the kings of Israel? 35 Jehu lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz succeeded him as king. 36 Jehu ruled as king of Israel in Samaria for 28 years.

The Priest Jehoiada Opposes Queen Athaliah-2 Chronicles 22:10-23:21 11 1 When Ahaziah's mother, Athaliah, saw that her son was dead, she began to destroy the entire royal family. 2 But Jehosheba, daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Ahaziah's son Joash. She saved him from being killed with the king's other sons, and in a bedroom she hid him and his nurse from Athaliah. So Joash wasn't killed 3 but was hidden with her in Yahweh's temple for six years while Athaliah ruled the country.

4 In the seventh year of Athaliah's reign, Jehoiada sent for the company commanders of the Carites and the guards and had them come to him in Yahweh's temple. He made an agreement with them, put them under oath in Yahweh's temple, and showed them the king's son. 5 He ordered them, "This is what you must do: One third of you, those who are on duty on the day of worship, must guard the royal palace. 6 Another third must be at Sur Gate. And another third must be at the gate behind the guards. You will guard the king's residence.a 7 Then your two groups who normally go off duty on the day of worship must guard the king at Yahweh's temple. 8 Surround the king. Each man should have his weapons in his hand. Kill anyone who tries to break through your ranks. Stay with the king wherever he goes."

9 The company commanders did as the priest Jehoiada had ordered them. Each commander took his men who were coming on duty on the day of worship as well as those who were about to go off duty and came to the priest Jehoiada. 10 He gave the commanders the spears and the shields that had belonged to King David but were now in Yahweh's temple. 11 The guards stood with their weapons in their hands. They were stationed around the king and around the altar and the temple (from the south side to the north side of the temple). 12 Then Jehoiada brought out the king's son, gave him the crown and the religious instructions, and made him king by anointing him. As the guards clapped their hands, they said, "Long live the king!"

13 When Athaliah heard the noise made by the guards and the other people, she went into Yahweh's temple, where the people were. 14 She looked, and the king was standing by the pillar according to custom. The commanders and the trumpeters were by his side. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. As Athaliah tore her clothes in distress, she cried, "Treason, treason!"

15 Then the priest Jehoiada ordered the company commanders who were in charge of the army, "Take her out of the temple. Use your sword to kill anyone who follows her." (The priest had said, "She must not be killed in Yahweh's temple.") 16 So they arrested her as she came to the street where the horses enter the royal palace, and there she was killed.

17 Jehoiada made a promise to Yahweh on behalf of the king and his people that they would be Yahweh's people. He made other promises between the king and the people. 18 Then all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed Baal's altars and his statues and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars.

Next, the priest appointed officials to be in charge of Yahweh's temple. 19 He took the company commanders of the Carites and the guards and all the people of the land, and they brought the king from Yahweh's temple. They went down the street that goes through Guards' Gate to the royal palace. Then Joash sat on the royal throne. 20 All the people of the land were celebrating. But the city was quiet because they had killed Athaliah with a sword at the royal palace.a King Joash of Judah-2 Chronicles 24:1-23 21 Joashb was seven years old when he began to rule.

12 c1 Joash began to rule in Jehu's seventh year as king of Israel, and he ruled for 40 years in Jerusalem. His mother was Zibiah from Beersheba. 2 Joash did what Yahweh considered right, as long as the priest Jehoiada instructed him. 3 But the illegal places of worship weren't torn down. The people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense at these worship sites.

4 Joash told the priests, "Collect all the holy contributions that are brought into Yahweh's temple-the money each person is currently required to bring and all the money brought voluntarily to Yahweh's temple. 5 Each of the priests should receive it from the donors and use it to make repairs on the temple where they are needed."

6 But by Joash's twenty-third year as king, the priests still had not repaired the temple. 7 So King Joash called for Jehoiada and the other priests and asked them, "Why aren't you repairing the damage in the temple? Don't take any more money from the donors for your own use. Instead, use it to make repairs on the temple." 8 The priests agreed neither to receive money from the people for personal use nor to be responsible for repairing the temple.

9 Then the priest Jehoiada took a box, drilled a hole in its lid, and put it at the right side of the altar as one comes into Yahweh's temple. The priests who guarded the entrance put the money that was brought to Yahweh's temple in the box. 10 Whenever they saw a lot of money in the box, the king's scribe and the chief priest would collect and count the money that was donated in Yahweh's temple. 11 Then they would give the money that had been weighed to the men who had been appointed to work on Yahweh's temple. They used it to pay the carpenters, builders, 12 masons, and stonecutters. They also used it to buy wood and cut stones to make repairs on Yahweh's temple and to buy anything else that they needed for the temple repairs. 13 But no silver bowls, snuffers, dishes, trumpets, or any other gold and silver utensils were made for Yahweh's temple with the money that was brought. 14 Instead, the money was given to the workmen, and they used it to repair the temple. 15 They didn't require the men who were entrusted with the money for the workers to give an account, because they were honest people. 16 The money from the guilt offerings and the offerings for sin was not brought into Yahweh's temple. It belonged to the priests.

17 At this time King Hazael of Aram fought against Gath and conquered it. He was also determined to attack Jerusalem. 18 So King Joash of Judah took all the gifts his ancestors Kings Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah of Judah, had dedicated to the LORD, the things he had dedicated to the LORD, and all the gold that could be found in the storerooms of Yahweh's temple and the royal palace. He sent these things to King Hazael of Aram, who called off the attack on Jerusalem.

King Joash Is Assassinated-2 Chronicles 24:24-27 19 Isn't everything else about Joash-everything he did-written in the official records of the kings of Judah? 20 His own officials plotted against him and killed him at Beth Millo on the road that goes down to Silla. 21 Joash's officials Jozacar, son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad, son of Shomer, executed him. They buried him with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Amaziah succeeded him as king.

King Jehoahaz of Israel 13 1 Ahaziah's son King Joash of Judah was in his twenty-third year as king of Judah when Jehoahaz,a son of Jehu, began to rule in Samaria as king of Israel. He ruled for 17 years. 2 He did what Yahweh considered evil. He continued to commit the sins that Jeroboam (Nebat's son) led Israel to commit. He never gave up committing those sins. 3 So Yahweh became angry with Israel and put it at the mercy of King Hazael of Aram and Hazael's son Benhadad as long as they lived.

4 Then Jehoahaz pleaded with Yahweh, and Yahweh heard him because he saw how the Aramean king was oppressing Israel. 5 So Yahweh gave the Israelites someone to save them, and they were freed from Aram's power. They were able to live in their homes again as they had done before. 6 But they didn't turn away from the sins that Jeroboam and his dynasty led Israel to commit. They continued to commit those sins. In addition, the pole dedicated to the goddess Asherah remained standing in Samaria.

7 Jehoahaz had no army left except for 50 horses, 10 chariots, and 10,000 foot soldiers because the king of Aram had destroyed the rest. He had made them like dust that people trample. 8 Isn't everything else about Jehoahaz-everything he did, his heroic acts-written in the official records of the kings of Israel? 9 Jehoahaz lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoashb ruled as king in his place.

King Jehoash of Israel 10 In Joash's thirty-seventh year as king of Judah, Jehoahaz's son Jehoash began to rule Israel in Samaria. He ruled for 16 years. 11 He did what Yahweh considered evil and never gave up committing the sins that Jeroboam led Israel to commit. He continued to commit them. 12 Isn't everything else about Jehoash-everything he did, his heroic acts when he fought against King Amaziah of Judah-written in the official records of the kings of Israel? 13 Jehoash lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried with the kings of Israel in Samaria. Then Jeroboam claimed the throne.

The Death of Elisha 14 Elisha became fatally ill. King Jehoash of Israel visited him, cried over him, and said, "Master! Master! Israel's chariot and horses!"

15 Elisha told him, "Get a bow and some arrows." So he got a bow and some arrows. 16 Then Elisha told the king of Israel, "Take the bow in your hand." So the king picked up the bow. Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands. 17 Elisha said, "Open the window that faces east." So the king opened it. "Shoot," Elisha said, and the king shot. Then Elisha said, "That is the arrow of Yahweh's victory, the arrow of victory against Aram. You will completely defeat the Arameans at Aphek." 18 Then Elisha said, "Take the arrows." So the king took them. "Stomp on them," he told the king of Israel. The king stomped three times and stopped.

19 Then the man of Elohim became angry with him. "You should have stomped five or six times!" he said. "Then you would have completely defeated the Arameans. But now you will only defeat the Arameans three times."

20 Elisha died and was buried. Moabite raiding parties used to invade the country in the spring. 21 One day some people who were burying a man saw one of these raiding parties. So they quickly put the man into Elisha's tomb. But when the body touched Elisha's bones, the man came back to life and stood up.

22 King Hazael of Aram oppressed Israel as long as Jehoahaz ruled. 23 But Yahweh was kind and merciful to the Israelites because of his promisea to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He didn't want to destroy the Israelites, and even now he hasn't turned away from them.

24 King Hazael of Aram died, and his son Benhadad succeeded him as king. 25 Then Jehoash, son of Jehoahaz, reconquered the cities that Benhadad had taken from his father Jehoahaz. Jehoash defeated Benhadad three times and recovered those cities of Israel.

King Amaziah of Judah-2 Chronicles 25:1-13 14 1 Jehoahaz's son King Jehoash was in his second year as king of Israel when King Amaziah, son of Joash of Judah, began to rule. 2 Amaziah was 25 years old when he began to rule, and he ruled for 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jehoaddin from Jerusalem.

3 He did what Yahweh considered right, but not exactly what his ancestor David had done. He did everything his father Joash had done. 4 But the illegal places of worship were still not torn down. The people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense at these worship sites.

5 As soon as he had a firm control over the kingdom, he executed the officials who had killed his father, the former king. 6 But he didn't execute their children. He obeyed Yahweh's command written in the Book of Moses' Teachings: "Parents must never be put to death for the crimes of their children, and children must never be put to death for the crimes of their parents. Each person must be put to death for his own crime."

7 Amaziah killed 10,000 Edomites in the Dead Sea region and took the city of Sela in battle. He gave it the name Joktheel, which is still its name today.

King Amaziah's Defeat and Death-2 Chronicles 25:14-26:2 8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to King Jehoash, son of Jehoahaz and grandson of Jehu of Israel, to declare war on Israel.

9 King Jehoash of Israel sent this message to King Amaziah of Judah: "A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon. It said, 'Let your daughter marry my son,' but a wild animal from Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle. 10 You certainly defeated Edom, and now you have become arrogant. Enjoy your fame, but stay home. Why must you invite disaster and your own defeat and take Judah with you?"

11 But Amaziah wouldn't listen. So King Jehoash of Israel attacked, and King Amaziah of Judah met him in battle at Beth Shemesh in Judah. 12 Israel defeated the army of Judah, and the Judeans fled to their homes. 13 King Jehoash of Israel captured King Amaziah, son of Joash and grandson of Ahaziah of Judah, at Beth Shemesh and went to Jerusalem. He tore down a 600-foot section of the wall around Jerusalem from Ephraim Gate to Corner Gate. 14 He took all the gold, silver, and all the utensils he found in Yahweh's temple and in the royal palace treasury. He also took hostages. Then he returned to Samaria.

15 Isn't everything else about Jehoash-what he did, his heroic acts when he fought against King Amaziah of Judah-written in the official records of the kings of Israel? 16 Jehoash lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried with the kings of Israel in Samaria. His son Jeroboam succeeded him as king.

17 Joash's son King Amaziah of Judah lived 15 years after the death of Jehoahaz's son King Jehoash of Israel. 18 Isn't everything else about Amaziah written in the official records of the kings of Judah? 19 Conspirators in Jerusalem plotted against him, so he fled to Lachish. But they sent men to Lachish after him and killed him there. 20 They brought him back by horse, and he was buried in Jerusalem, in the City of David, with his ancestors.

21 All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was 16 years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. 22 Azariah rebuilt Elath and returned it to Judah after King Amaziah lay down in death with his ancestors.

King Jeroboam II of Israel 23 Joash's son Amaziah was in his fifteenth year as king of Judah when Jehoash's son King Jeroboam of Israel began to rule in Samaria. Jeroboam ruled for 41 years. 24 He did what Yahweh considered evil. He didn't turn away from any of the sins that Jeroboam (Nebat's son) led Israel to commit.

25 He restored Israel's boundaries from the border of Hamath to the Dead Sea as Yahweh Elohim of Israel predicted through his servant Jonah, the prophet from Gath Hepher and the son of Amittai. 26 Yahweh did this because he saw how bitterly everyone in Israel was suffering. No slave or free person could help Israel. 27 Since Yahweh had said he was not going to wipe out Israel's name completely, he saved them through Jeroboam, son of Jehoash.

28 Isn't everything else about Jeroboam-everything he did, his heroic acts when he fought, how he recovered Damascus and Hamath for Israela-written in the official records of the kings of Israel? 29 Jeroboam lay down in death with his ancestors, the kings of Israel. His son Zechariah succeeded him as king.

King Azariah of Judah-2 Chronicles 26:3-5 15 1 In Jeroboam's twenty-seventh year as king of Israel, Amaziah's son Azariahb began to rule as king of Judah. 2 He was 16 years old when he began to rule, and he ruled for 52 years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jecoliah from Jerusalem.

3 He did what Yahweh considered right, as his father Amaziah had done. 4 But the illegal places of worship were still not torn down. The people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense at these worship sites.

Azariah's Skin Disease-2 Chronicles 26:21-23 5 Yahweh inflicted the king with a skin disease that lasted until the day the king died. So the king lived in a separate house. The king's son Jotham was in charge of the palace and governed the country.

6 Isn't everything else about Azariah-everything he did-written in the official records of the kings of Judah? 7 Azariah lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. His son Jotham succeeded him as king.

King Zechariah of Israel Rules for Six Months 8 In Azariah's thirty-eighth year as king of Judah, Jeroboam's son Zechariah was king of Israel in Samaria for six months. 9 He did what Yahweh considered evil, as his ancestors had done. He didn't turn away from the sins that Jeroboam (Nebat's son) led Israel to commit. 10 Shallum, son of Jabesh, plotted against Zechariah, attacked him at Kabal Am, killed him, and succeeded him as king. 11 Everything else about Zechariah is written in the official records of the kings of Israel. 12 It happened exactly as Yahweh had told Jehu: "Four generations of your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel."

King Shallum of Israel Rules for One Month 13 Shallum, son of Jabesh, became king in Azariah's thirty-ninth year as king of Judah. Shallum ruled for an entire month in Samaria. 14 Then Menahem, son of Gadi, came from Tirzah to Samaria, attacked Shallum (son of Jabesh), killed him, and succeeded him as king. 15 Everything else about Shallum-all about his conspiracy-is written in the official records of the kings of Israel. 16 Then Menahem attacked Tiphsah, everyone there, and its territory. Because the city didn't open its gates for him, he attacked it and ripped open all its pregnant women.

King Menahem of Israel 17 In Azariah's thirty-ninth year as king of Judah, Menahem, son of Gadi, began to rule as king of Israel. He ruled for 10 years in Samaria. 18 He did what Yahweh considered evil. During his entire life he never turned away from the sins that Jeroboam (Nebat's son) led Israel to commit.

19 King Pul of Assyria came to attack the country. So Menahem gave Pul 75,000 pounds of silver to gain his support and help strengthen his hold on the kingdom. 20 Menahem raised the money from all the wealthy men in Israel. Each gave 20 ounces of silver for the king of Assyria. Then the king of Assyria left the country. 21 Isn't everything else about Menahem-everything he did-written in the official records of the kings of Israel? 22 Menahem lay down in death with his ancestors, and his son Pekahiah succeeded him as king.

King Pekahiah of Israel 23 In Azariah's fiftieth year as king of Judah, Menahem's son Pekahiah began to rule. Pekahiah was king of Israel in Samaria for two years. 24 He did what Yahweh considered evil. He didn't turn away from the sins that Jeroboam (Nebat's son) led Israel to commit. 25 His officer Pekah, son of Remaliah, plotted against him. With 50 men from Gilead, Pekah attacked Pekahiah, Argob, and Arieh in the fortress of the royal palace in Samaria. Pekah killed him and succeeded him as king. 26 Everything else about Pekahiah-everything he did-is written in the official records of the kings of Israel.

King Pekah of Israel 27 In Azariah's fifty-second year as king of Judah, Pekah, son of Remaliah, began to rule Israel in Samaria. He ruled for 20 years. 28 He did what Yahweh considered evil. He did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam (Nebat's son) led Israel to commit. 29 In the days of King Pekah of Israel, King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria took Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, Galilee, and the entire territory of Naphtali. He also took the people away to Assyria as captives. 30 Hoshea, son of Elah, plotted against Pekah, son of Remaliah. Hoshea attacked him and killed him. Hoshea began to rule as king in his place in the twentieth year that Azariah, son of Jotham, was king of Judah. 31 Everything else about Pekah-everything he did-is written in the official records of the kings of Israel.

King Jotham of Judah-2 Chronicles 27:1-9 32 In the second year that King Pekah, son of Remaliah, ruled Israel, Jotham, son of Azariah, began to rule as king of Judah. 33 He was 25 years old when he began to rule. He ruled for 16 years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jerusha, daughter of Zadok. 34 He did what Yahweh considered right, as his father Azariah had done. 35 But the illegal places of worship were not torn down. The people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense at these worship sites. Jotham built the Upper Gate of Yahweh's temple. 36 Isn't everything else about Jotham-everything he did-written in the official records of the kings of Judah?

37 In those days Yahweh began to use King Rezin of Aram and Pekah, son of Remaliah, to attack Judah. 38 Jotham lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of his ancestor David. His son Ahaz succeeded him as king.

King Ahaz of Judah-2 Chronicles 28:1-27 16 1 Pekah, son of Remaliah, was in his seventeenth year as king of Israel when King Ahaz, son of Jotham, began to rule as king of Judah. 2 Ahaz was 20 years old when he began to rule. He ruled for 26 years in Jerusalem. He didn't do what Yahweh his Elohim considered right, as his ancestor David had done. 3 He followed the example of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son by burning him alive. Sacrificing children was one of the disgusting things done by the nations that Yahweh had forced out of the Israelites' way. 4 He offered sacrifices and burned incense as an offering at the illegal worship sites, which were on hills and under every large tree.

5 Then King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah, son of Remaliah of Israel, came to wage war against Jerusalem. They blockaded Ahaz but couldn't get him to fight. 6 At that time King Rezin of Aram drove the Judeans out of Elath and gave it back to Edom.a The Edomites came to Elath and still live there today.

7 Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria to say, "I'm your servant, your son. Come and save me from the kings of Aram and Israel who are attacking me." 8 Ahaz took the silver and gold he found in Yahweh's temple and in the treasury in the royal palace and sent them to the king of Assyria as a present.

9 The king of Assyria listened to him and attacked Damascus. He captured it, took the people to Kir as captives, and killed Rezin.

10 Then King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria. He saw an altar there in Damascus. So King Ahaz sent the priest Urijah a model of the altar and a set of detailed plans. 11 Urijah built an altar exactly like the model King Ahaz sent from Damascus. He finished it before Ahaz returned home from Damascus.

12 Whenthe king came from Damascus, he sawthe altar. The king approached the altar and went up to it. 13 He sacrificed his burnt offering and grain offering, poured out his wine offering, and sprinkled the blood of his fellowship offering on the altar. 14 But he moved the bronze altar dedicated to Yahweh. It had been in front of the temple between his altar and Yahweh's temple. Ahaz put it on the north side of his altar. 15 King Ahaz gave this command to the priest Urijah: "On this great altar you must burn the morning burnt offerings and the evening grain offering, the king's burnt offerings and grain offerings, and the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and wine offerings of all the people of the land. Sprinkle all the blood of the burnt offerings and other sacrifices on it. I will use the bronze altar for prayer." 16 The priest Urijah did what King Ahaz had commanded.

17 King Ahaz cut off the side panels of the bronze stands used in the temple and removed the basin from each of them. He took the bronze pool down from the bronze bulls that were under it and set it on a stone base. 18 Ahaz removed the covered walkway used on the day of worship. This walkway had been built in the temple. He also removed the outer entrance for the king from Yahweh's temple. He did this to please the king of Assyria. 19 Isn't everything else about Ahaz-the things he did-written in the official records of the kings of Judah? 20 Ahaz lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. His son Hezekiah succeeded him as king.

King Hoshea of Israel 17 1 In Ahaz's twelfth year as king of Judah, Hoshea, son of Elah, began to rule as king of Israel in Samaria. He ruled for nine years. 2 He did what Yahweh considered evil, but he didn't do what the kings of Israel before him had done.

The Fall of Samaria 3 King Shalmaneser of Assyria defeated Hoshea, who became his servant and was required to make annual payments to him. 4 The king of Assyria found Hoshea to be a traitor. (Hoshea had sent messengers to King Dais of Egypt and had stopped making annual payments to the king of Assyria.) So the king of Assyria arrested him and put him in prison. 5 Then the king of Assyria attacked the entire country. He attacked Samaria and blockaded it for three years. 6 In Hoshea's ninth year as king of Israel, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and took the Israelites to Assyria as captives. He settled them in Halah, along the Habor River in Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

7 The Israelites sinned against Yahweh their Elohim, who brought them out of Egypt and rescued them from the power of Pharaoh (the king of Egypt). They worshiped other gods 8 and lived by the customs of the nations that Yahweh had forced out of the Israelites' way. They also did what their kings wanted them to do. 9 The Israelites secretly did things against Yahweh their Elohim that weren't right: They built for themselves illegal places of worship in all of their cities, from the smallest watchtower to the largest fortified city.

10 They set up sacred stones and poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah on every high hill and under every large tree.

11 At all the illegal places of worship, they sacrificed in the same way as the nations that Yahweh had removed from the land ahead of them.

They did evil things and made Yahweh furious.

12 They served idols, although Yahweh had said, "Never do this."

13 Yahweh had warned Israel and Judah through every kind of prophet and seer,a "Turn from your evil ways, and obey my commands and decrees as I commanded your ancestors in all my teachings, the commands I sent to you through my servants the prophets." 14 But they refused to listen. They became as impossible to deal with as their ancestors who refused to trust Yahweh their Elohim. 15 They rejected his decrees, the promiseb he made to their ancestors, and the warnings he had given them. They went after worthless idols and became as worthless as the idols. They behaved like the nations around them, although Yahweh had commanded them not to do that. 16 They abandoned all the commands of Yahweh their Elohim: They made two calves out of cast metal.

They made a pole dedicated to the goddess Asherah.

They prayed to the entire army of heaven.

They worshiped Baal.

17 They sacrificed their sons and daughters by burning them alive.

They practiced black magic and cast evil spells.

They sold themselves by doing what Yahweh considered evil, and they made him furious.

18 Yahweh became so angry with Israel that he removed them from his sight. Only the tribe of Judah was left. 19 Even Judah didn't obey the commands of Yahweh their Elohim but lived according to Israel's customs. 20 So Yahweh rejected all of Israel's descendants, made them suffer, handed them over to those who looted their property, and finally turned away from Israel.

21 When he tore Israel away from the family of David, the people of Israel made Jeroboam (Nebat's son) king. Jeroboam forced Israel away from Yahweh and led them to commit a serious sin. 22 The Israelites followed all the sins Jeroboam committed and never turned away from them. 23 Finally, Yahweh turned away from Israel as he had said he would through all his servants, the prophets. So the people of Israel were taken from their land to Assyria as captives, and they are still there today.

Assyria Brings Foreign People to Settle in Israel 24 The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its cities.

25 When they first came to live there, they didn't worship Yahweh. So Yahweh sent lions to kill some of them. 26 Then someone said to the king of Assyria, "The people you took as captives and settled in the cities of Samaria don't know the customs of the god of that country, so he sent lions. Now the lions are killing them because they don't know the customs of the god of this country."

27 The king of Assyria gave this command: "Bring one of the priests you captured from there. Let him go back to teach them the customs of the god of that country." 28 So one of the priests who had been taken prisoner from Samaria went to live in Bethel. He taught them how to worship Yahweh.

29 But each group that settled in Samaria continued to make its own gods. They put them at the illegal places of worship, which the people of Samaria had made. Each group did this in the cities where they lived: 30 The people from Babylon made Succoth Benoth.

The people from Cuth made Nergal.

The people from Hamath made Ashima.

31 The people from Avva made Nibhaz and Tartak.

The people from Sepharvaim burned their children for Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.

32 So while these people were worshiping Yahweh, they also appointed all kinds of people to serve as priests for the shrines at their illegal places of worship. 33 They worshiped Yahweh but also served their own gods according to the customs of the nations from which they had come.

34 Today they are still following their customs, as they've done from the beginning. They don't fear Yahweh or live by the decrees, customs, teachings, or commands that Yahweh gave to the descendants of Jacob (whom he named Israel). 35 When Yahweh made a promise to Israel, he commanded, "Never worship other gods, bow down to them, serve them, or sacrifice to them. 36 Instead, worship Yahweh, who used his great power and a mighty arm to bring you out of Egypt. Bow down to Yahweh, and sacrifice to him. 37 Faithfully obey the laws, rules, teachings, and commands that he wrote for you: 'Never worship other gods. 38 Never forget the promise I made to you. Never worship other gods. 39 Instead, worship Yahweh your Elohim , and he will rescue you from your enemies.'"

40 The people of Israel had refused to listen and made up their own rules, as they had done from the beginning. 41 These other nations worshiped Yahweh but also served their own idols. So did their children and their grandchildren. They still do whatever their ancestors did.

King Hezekiah of Judah-2 Chronicles 29:1-2 18 1 King Hoshea, son of Elah, had been king in Israel for three years when King Hezekiah, son of Ahaz of Judah, began to rule as king. 2 Hezekiah was 25 years old when he began to rule, and he ruled for 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother was Abi, daughter of Zechariah.

3 He did what Yahweh considered right, as his ancestor David had done. 4 He got rid of the illegal places of worship, crushed the sacred stones, and cut down the poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah. He even crushed the bronze snake that Moses had made because up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. They called it Nehushtan. 5 Hezekiah trusted Yahweh Elohim of Israel. No king among all the kings of Judah was like Hezekiah. 6 He was loyal to Yahweh and never turned away from him. He obeyed the commands that Yahweh had given through Moses, 7 so Yahweh was with him. He succeeded in everything he tried: He rebelled against the king of Assyria and wouldn't serve him anymore. 8 He conquered the Philistines from the smallest watchtower to the largest fortified city all the way to Gaza and its territory.

The Fall of Samaria 9 In Hezekiah's fourth year as king (which was the seventh year in the reign of King Hoshea, son of Elah of Israel) King Shalmaneser of Assyria attacked Samaria, blockaded it, 10 and captured it at the end of three years. Samaria was taken in Hezekiah's sixth year as king (which was Hoshea's ninth year as king of Israel). 11 The king of Assyria took the Israelites to Assyria as captives. He put them in Halah, along the Habor River in Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. 12 This happened because they refused to obey Yahweh their Elohim and disregarded the conditions of the promisea he made to them. They refused to obey everything that Moses, Yahweh's servant, had commanded.

The LORD Rescues Judah from the Assyrians-2 Chronicles 32:1-23; Isaiah 36:1-37:20 13 In Hezekiah's fourteenth year as king, King Sennacherib of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. 14 Then King Hezekiah of Judah sent this message to the king of Assyria at Lachish: "I have done wrong. Go away, and leave me alone. I'll pay whatever penalty you give me."

So the king of Assyria demanded that King Hezekiah of Judah pay 22,500 pounds of silver and 2,250 pounds of gold. 15 Hezekiah gave him all the silver that could be found in Yahweh's temple and in the royal palace treasury. 16 At that time Hezekiah stripped the gold off the doors and doorposts of Yahweh's temple. (Earlier Hezekiah had them covered with gold.) He gave the gold to the king of Assyria.

17 Then the king of Assyria sent his commander-in-chief, his quartermaster, and his field commander with a large army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They came there and stood at the channel for the Upper Pool on the road to the Laundryman's Field. 18 When they called for King Hezekiah, Eliakim, who was in charge of the palace and was the son of Hilkiah, Shebnah the scribe, and Joah, who was the royal historian and the son of Asaph, went out to the field commander.