2 Kings 20-21
King James Version
20 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, saying,
3 I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
4 And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying,
5 Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord.
6 And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
7 And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.
8 And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the Lord the third day?
9 And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?
10 And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.
11 And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the Lord: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.
12 At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.
13 And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.
14 Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon.
15 And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.
16 And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the Lord.
17 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the Lord.
18 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.
19 Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?
20 And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
21 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.
21 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzibah.
2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.
3 For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
4 And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord said, In Jerusalem will I put my name.
5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.
6 And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.
7 And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the Lord said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
8 Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.
9 But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel.
10 And the Lord spake by his servants the prophets, saying,
11 Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols:
12 Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.
13 And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.
14 And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies;
15 Because they have done that which was evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day.
16 Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.
17 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
18 And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.
19 Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.
20 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his father Manasseh did.
21 And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them:
22 And he forsook the Lord God of his fathers, and walked not in the way of the Lord.
23 And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew the king in his own house.
24 And the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.
25 Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
26 And he was buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah his son reigned in his stead.
2 Kings 20-21
1599 Geneva Bible
20 1 Hezekiah is sick, and receiveth the sign of his health, 12 He receiveth rewards of Berodach, 13 Showeth his treasures, and is reprehended of Isaiah. 21 He dieth, and Manasseh his son reigneth in his stead.
1 About that time (A)was Hezekiah sick unto death: and the Prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Put thine house in an order: for thou shalt die, and not live.
2 Then he turned his face to the [a]wall, and prayed to the Lord, saying,
3 I beseech thee, O lord, remember now, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a [b]perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight: and Hezekiah [c]wept sore.
4 ¶ And afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle of the court, the word of the Lord came to him, saying,
5 Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the Lord God of David thy father, I have heard thy [d]prayer, and seen thy tears: behold, I have healed thee, and the third day thou shalt go up to the [e]house of the Lord,
6 And I will add unto thy days fifteen years, and will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and will defend this city for mine own sake, and for David my servant’s sake.
7 Then Isaiah said, Take a [f]lump of dry figs. And they took it, and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.
8 ¶ For Hezekiah had said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the Lord the third day?
9 And Isaiah answered, This sign shalt thou have of the Lord, that the Lord will do that he hath spoken, Wilt thou that the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?
10 And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to pass forward ten degrees: not so then, but let the shadow [g]go back ten degrees.
11 And Isaiah the Prophet called unto the Lord, and he brought again the shadow ten degrees back by the degrees whereby it had gone down in the [h]dial of Ahaz.
12 (B)The same season Berodach-Baladan the son of Baladan king of Babylon sent letters and a [i]present to Hezekiah: for he had heard how that Hezekiah was sick.
13 And Hezekiah heard them, and showed them all his treasure house, to wit, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, and in all his [j]realm, that Hezekiah showed them not.
14 Then Isaiah the Prophet came unto King Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they to thee? And Hezekiah said, They be come from a far country, even from Babylon.
15 Then said he, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All that is in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures, that I have not showed them.
16 And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the Lord.
17 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and whatsoever thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, (C)shall be carried into Babylon: Nothing shall be left, saith the Lord.
18 And of thy sons, that shall proceed out of thee, and which thou shalt beget, shall they take away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.
19 Then Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, The word of the Lord, which thou hast [k]spoken, is good: for said he, Shall it not be good if [l]peace and truth be in my days?
20 Concerning the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his valiant deeds, and how he made a pool and a conduit, and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
21 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.
21 3 King Manasseh restoreth idolatry, 16 And useth great cruelty. 18 He dieth and Amon his son succeedeth, 23 Who is killed of his own servants. 26 After him reigneth Josiah.
1 Manasseh (D)was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem: his mother’s name also was Hephzibah.
2 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord after the abomination of the heathen, whom the (E)Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.
3 For he went back and built the high places, (F)which Hezekiah his father had destroyed: and he erected up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel, and worshipped all the host of heaven and served them.
4 Also he (G)built altars in the house of the Lord, of the which the Lord said, (H)In Jerusalem will I put my Name.
5 And he built altars for all the host of the heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.
6 And he caused his sons [m]to pass through the fire, and gave himself to witchcraft and sorcery, and he used them that had familiar spirits and were soothsayers, and did much evil in the sight of the Lord to anger him.
7 And he set the image of the grove, that he had made in the house, whereof the Lord had said to David and to Solomon his son, (I)In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will I put my Name forever.
8 Neither will I make the feet of Israel move anymore out of the land, which I gave their fathers: so that they will [n]observe and do all that I have commanded them, and according to all the Law that my servant Moses commanded them.
9 Yet they obeyed not, but Manasseh led them out of the way, to do more wickedly than did the heathen people, whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel.
10 Therefore the Lord spake by his servants the Prophets, saying,
11 (J)Because that Manasseh king of Judah hath done such abominations, and hath wrought more wickedly than all that the Amorites (which were before him) did, and hath made Judah sin also with his idols.
12 Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I will bring an evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that who so heareth of it, both his (K)ears shall [o]tingle.
13 And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line [p]of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem, as a man wipeth a dish, which he wipeth, and turneth it upside down.
14 And I will forsake the [q]remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies, and they shall be robbed and spoiled of all their adversaries,
15 Because they have done evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the time their fathers came out of Egypt until this day.
16 Moreover, Manasseh shed [r]innocent blood exceedingly much, till he replenished Jerusalem from corner to corner, beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, and to do evil in the sight of the Lord.
17 Concerning the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
18 And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, even in the garden of Uzza: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.
19 ¶ (L)Amon was two and twenty years old, when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem: his mother’s name also was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.
20 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, as his father Manasseh did.
21 For he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them.
22 And he forsook the Lord God of his fathers, and walked not in the [s]way of the Lord.
23 And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew the King in his own house.
24 And the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against King Amon, and the people made Josiah his son King in his stead.
25 Concerning the rest of the acts of Amon, which he did, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
26 And [t]they buried him in his sepulcher in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah his son reigned in his stead.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 20:2 That his mind might not be troubled.
- 2 Kings 20:3 Meaning, without all hypocrisy.
- 2 Kings 20:3 Not so much for his own death, as for fear that idolatry should be restored, which he had destroyed, and so God’s Name be dishonored.
- 2 Kings 20:5 Because of his unfained repentance and prayer, God turned away his wrath.
- 2 Kings 20:5 To give thanks for thy deliverance.
- 2 Kings 20:7 He declareth that albeit God can heal without other medicines, yet he showeth that he will not have these inferior means contemned.
- 2 Kings 20:10 Let the sun go so many degrees back, that the hours may be so many the fewer in the king’s dial.
- 2 Kings 20:11 Which dial was set the top of the stairs that Ahaz had made.
- 2 Kings 20:12 Moved with the favor that God showed to Hezekiah, and also because he had declared himself enemy to Sennacherib his enemy which was now destroyed.
- 2 Kings 20:13 Being moved with ambition and vain glory, and also because he seemed to rejoice in the friendship of him that was God’s enemy and an infidel.
- 2 Kings 20:19 He acknowledgeth Isaiah to be the true Prophet of God, and therefore humbleth himself to his word.
- 2 Kings 20:19 Seeing that God hath showeth me this favor to grant me quietness during my life: for he was afraid lest the enemies should have had occasion to rejoice, if the Church had decayed in his time, because he had restored religion.
- 2 Kings 21:6 Read 2 Kings 16:3.
- 2 Kings 21:8 Therefore seeing they obeyed not the commandment of God, they were justly cast forth of that land, which they had but on condition.
- 2 Kings 21:12 Meaning, that whosoever shall hear of this great plague, shall be astonished.
- 2 Kings 21:13 As I have destroyed Samaria and the house of Ahab, so will I destroy Judah.
- 2 Kings 21:14 Meaning, Judah and Benjamin, which were only left of the rest of the tribes.
- 2 Kings 21:16 The Hebrews write that he slew Isaiah the Prophet, who was his father-in-law.
- 2 Kings 21:22 That is, according to his commandments.
- 2 Kings 21:26 Or, he buried him, to wit, Josiah his son.
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