Study Desk

Uzziah, with a censer in his hand to offer incense, was enraged. But while he raged against the priests in their presence in the house of the LORD before the altar of incense, leprosy broke out on his forehead.

And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Uzziah had done. In addition, he did not enter the temple of the LORD. But the people still behaved corruptly.

But a prophet of the LORD named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army that returned to Samaria. "Look," he said to them, "because of His wrath against Judah, the LORD, the God of your fathers, has delivered them into your hands. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches up to heaven.

And now you intend to reduce to slavery the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem. But are you not also guilty before the LORD your God?

Then Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came to Ahaz but afflicted him rather than strengthening him.

Since Damascus had defeated him, he sacrificed to their gods and said, "Because the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me." But these were the downfall of Ahaz and of all Israel.

And Ahaz rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of Jerusalem, but he was not placed in the tombs of the kings of Israel. And his son Hezekiah became king in his place.

And the couriers traveled from city to city through the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun; but the people scorned and mocked them.

A large number of the people-many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun-had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah interceded for them, saying, "May the LORD, who is good, provide atonement for everyone

With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." So the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

But because his heart was proud, Hezekiah did not repay the favor shown to him. Therefore wrath came upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem.

And the LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they did not listen.

Nevertheless, the people still sacrificed at the high places, but only to the LORD their God.

but he did not humble himself before the LORD as his father Manasseh had done; instead, Amon increased his guilt.

But the people of the land killed all who had conspired against King Amon, and they made his son Josiah king in his place.

But as for the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the LORD, tell him that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'As for the words that you heard,

But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, "What is the issue between you and me, O king of Judah? I have not come against you today, but I am fighting another dynasty. God told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or He will destroy you!"

Josiah, however, did not turn away from him; instead, in order to engage him in battle, he disguised himself. He did not listen to Neco's words from the mouth of God, but went to fight him on the Plain of Megiddo.

Then Neco king of Egypt made Eliakim brother of Jehoahaz king over Judah and Jerusalem, and he changed Eliakim's name to Jehoiakim. But Neco took Eliakim's brother Jehoahaz and carried him off to Egypt.

He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. But Zedekiah stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel.