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Hezekiah Celebrates the Passover

30 Hezekiah sent a message to all Israel and Judah and wrote letters to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. He invited them to come to the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of the Lord God of Israel.

² The king, his officials, and the whole assembly in Jerusalem decided to celebrate the Passover in the second month. ³ They couldn’t celebrate it at the regular time because not enough priests had performed the ceremonies to make themselves holy and the people hadn’t gathered in Jerusalem. ⁴ The king and the whole assembly considered their plan to be the right thing to do. ⁵ So they decided to send an announcement throughout Israel from Beersheba to Dan. They summoned everyone to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of the Lord God of Israel. These people had not celebrated it in large numbers as the written instructions said they should.

⁶ Messengers took letters from the king and his officials throughout Israel and Judah. The king’s order said, “Israelites, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. Then he will return to the few of you who escaped from the power of the kings of Assyria. ⁷ Don’t be like your ancestors and your relatives who were unfaithful to the Lord God of their ancestors. He made them something that shocks people, as you have seen. ⁸ Don’t be impossible to deal with like your ancestors. Reach out for the Lord. Come to his holy place that he made holy forever. Serve the Lord your God, and he will turn his burning anger away from you. ⁹ When you return to the Lord, your relatives and children will find compassion from those who captured them. They will return to this land. The Lord your God is merciful and compassionate. He will not turn his face away from you if you return to him.”

¹⁰ So the messengers went from city to city in the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun. But the people ridiculed them. ¹¹ However, some people from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. ¹² Also, God guided the people of Judah so that they united to carry out the command which the king and the leaders gave from the Lord’s word.

¹³ Many people gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the second month. They formed a large assembly.

¹⁴ Then the people got rid of the ⌞idols’⌟ altars in Jerusalem. They got rid of all the altars for incense by dumping them in the Kidron Valley.

¹⁵ They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and Levites were ashamed, so they performed the ceremonies to make themselves holy. Then they brought burnt offerings to the Lord’s temple. ¹⁶ They stood in their regular places as instructed by Moses’ Teachings. (Moses was a man of God.) The priests sprinkled the blood they received from the Levites. ¹⁷ Many people in the assembly had not made themselves holy. So the Levites had to kill the Passover lambs for all who weren’t clean ^[a] and couldn’t make their lambs holy for the Lord.

¹⁸ Many people from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not made themselves clean. So they ate the Passover, but not in the way the written instructions said they should. Hezekiah prayed for them: “May the good Lord forgive ¹⁹ those who have their hearts set on dedicating their lives to serving God. May the Lord God of their ancestors do this for those who are not clean as required for the holy place.” ²⁰ The Lord listened to Hezekiah and healed the people.

²¹ So the Israelites in Jerusalem celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy. Each day the Levites and priests praised the Lord in song. They played the Lord’s instruments loudly. ²² Hezekiah spoke encouraging words to all the Levites who had the skills to serve the Lord. They ate the festival meals for seven days, sacrificed fellowship offerings, and confessed their sins to the Lord God of their ancestors.

²³ Then the whole assembly decided to celebrate the festival for seven more days. So they joyfully celebrated for seven more days. ²⁴ King Hezekiah of Judah provided 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep as sacrifices for the assembly. The leaders provided 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep for the assembly. So a large number of priests were able to perform the ceremonies to make themselves holy.

²⁵ The whole assembly from Judah, the priests, the Levites, the whole assembly from Israel, the foreigners who came from Israel, and those who lived in Judah rejoiced. ²⁶ The city of Jerusalem was filled with joy. Nothing like this had happened in Jerusalem since the days of King Solomon of Israel.

²⁷ Then the Levitical priests blessed the people. Their voices were heard, and their prayers went to God’s holy place in heaven.

Hezekiah Reforms Judah’s Worship

31 When this was over, all the Israelites who were there went to the cities in Judah. They crushed the sacred stones, cut down the poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah, and tore down the illegal places of worship and the altars throughout Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh. The Israelites destroyed all of these things. Then all the Israelites returned to their own cities. Each person went to his own property.

² Hezekiah assigned the priests and the Levites to divisions. Each priest or Levite was put in a division based on the service he performed: sacrificing burnt offerings, sacrificing fellowship offerings, serving, giving thanks, or praising within the gates of the Lord’s camp.

³ He set aside part of the king’s property for burnt offerings, the morning and evening offerings, burnt offerings on the weekly days of rest—holy days, the New Moon Festivals, and the annual festivals, as it is written in the Lord’s Teachings. ⁴ He told the people living in Jerusalem to give the priests and Levites the portions they were due so that they could devote themselves to the Lord’s Teachings. ⁵ As soon as the word spread, the Israelites brought plenty of offerings from the first of their produce: grain, new wine, fresh olive oil, honey, and every crop from the fields. They brought large quantities, a tenth of everything. ⁶ The people of Israel and Judah who were living in the cities of Judah brought a tenth of their cattle and sheep and a tenth of the holy things they had dedicated to the Lord their God. They piled these holy things in heaps. ⁷ In the third month they started piling them up, and in the seventh month they finished. ⁸ When Hezekiah and the leaders saw the heaps, they praised the Lord and his people Israel.

⁹ Hezekiah asked the priests and the Levites about the heaps. ¹⁰ The chief priest Azariah from Zadok’s family said, “Since the people started to bring the offerings to the Lord’s temple, we have had all we wanted to eat and plenty to spare. The Lord has blessed his people, and there’s a lot left over.”

¹¹ Then Hezekiah told them to prepare storerooms in the Lord’s temple. After they had prepared them, ¹² they faithfully brought in the contributions, the offerings of one-tenth of the crops, and the gifts dedicated to God. The Levite Conaniah was in charge of these things, and his brother Shimei was his assistant. ¹³ King Hezekiah and Azariah, who was in charge of God’s temple, appointed Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah to serve under Conaniah and his brother Shimei. ¹⁴ Kore, son of Imnah the Levite, was the gatekeeper at East Gate and had to take care of the freewill offerings made to God. His responsibility was to distribute the offerings made to the Lord and the holy gifts dedicated to God. ¹⁵ Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah served under him in the cities belonging to the priests. They were to distribute the offerings faithfully to all their relatives, young and old, by their divisions. ¹⁶ They were appointed to distribute them to males who were at least three years old. The way they were enrolled in the genealogical records did not matter. The six men who served under Kore were to distribute the offerings to everyone who went to the Lord’s temple to perform the daily service that each division was responsible for. ¹⁷ They were to distribute offerings to the priests who were enrolled by families and to the Levites who were at least 20 years old. Distribution was based on the way they served in their divisions. ¹⁸ The priests and Levites were enrolled with their wives, sons, daughters, and other people who depended on them—the whole community. The priests and Levites had to be faithful in keeping themselves holy for the holy work. ¹⁹ Men were appointed to give a portion of the offerings to all the males in the priestly families and to everyone listed in the genealogies of the Levites. These men were Aaron’s descendants, priests who lived in the pasturelands of every Levite city.

²⁰ This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah. He did what was good and right and true to the Lord his God. ²¹ Hezekiah incorporated Moses’ Teachings and commands into worship and dedicated his life to serving God. Whatever he did for the worship in God’s temple, he did wholeheartedly, and he succeeded.

15 So those of us who have a strong ⌞faith⌟ must be patient with the weaknesses of those whose ⌞faith⌟ is not so strong. We must not think only of ourselves. ² We should all be concerned about our neighbor and the good things that will build his faith. ³ Christ did not think only of himself. Rather, as Scripture says, “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”

God Gives Us Unity

⁴ Everything written long ago was written to teach us so that we would have confidence through the endurance and encouragement which the Scriptures give us. ⁵ May God, who gives you this endurance and encouragement, allow you to live in harmony with each other by following the example of Christ Jesus. ⁶ Then, having the same goal, you will praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷ Therefore, accept each other in the same way that Christ accepted you. He did this to bring glory to God. ⁸ Let me explain. Christ became a servant for the Jewish people to reveal God’s truth. As a result, he fulfilled God’s promise to the ancestors of the Jewish people. ⁹ People who are not Jewish praise God for his mercy as well. This is what the Scriptures say,

¹⁰ And Scripture says again,

¹¹ And again,

¹² Again, Isaiah says,

¹³ May God, the source of hope, fill you with joy and peace through your faith in him. Then you will overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul’s Desire to Tell the Good News to the World

¹⁴ I’m convinced, brothers and sisters, that you, too, are filled with goodness. I’m also convinced that you have all the knowledge you need and that you are able to instruct each other. ¹⁵ However, I’ve written you a letter, parts of which are rather bold, as a reminder to you. I’m doing this because God gave me the gift ¹⁶ to be a servant of Christ Jesus to people who are not Jewish. I serve as a priest by spreading the Good News of God. I do this in order that I might bring the nations to God as an acceptable offering, made holy by the Holy Spirit. ¹⁷ So Christ Jesus gives me the right to brag about what I’m doing for God. ¹⁸ I’m bold enough to tell you only what Christ has done through me to bring people who are not Jewish to obedience. By what I have said and done, ¹⁹ by the power of miraculous and amazing signs, and by the power of God’s Spirit, I have finished spreading the Good News about Christ from Jerusalem to Illyricum.

²⁰ My goal was to spread the Good News where the name of Christ was not known. I didn’t want to build on a foundation which others had laid. ²¹ As Scripture says,

²² This is what has so often kept me from visiting you.

By David.

Hezekiah Consecrates the Temple

29 Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother^[a] was Abijah,^[b] the daughter of Zechariah. ² He did what the Lord approved, just as his ancestor David had done.^[c]

³ In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the Lord’s temple and repaired them. ⁴ He brought in the priests and Levites and assembled them in the square on the east side. ⁵ He said to them: “Listen to me, you Levites! Now consecrate yourselves, so you can consecrate the temple of the Lord God of your ancestors.^[d] Remove from the sanctuary what is ceremonially unclean. ⁶ For our fathers were unfaithful; they did what is evil in the sight of^[e] the Lord our God and abandoned him. They turned away^[f] from the Lord’s dwelling place and rejected him.^{[g] 7} They closed the doors of the temple porch and put out the lamps; they did not offer incense or burnt sacrifices in the sanctuary of the God of Israel. ⁸ The Lord was angry at Judah and Jerusalem and made them an appalling object of horror at which people hiss out their scorn,^[h] as you can see with your own eyes. ⁹ Look, our fathers died violently^[i] and our sons, daughters, and wives were carried off^[j] because of this. ¹⁰ Now I intend^[k] to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, so that he may relent from his raging anger.^{[l] 11} My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him,^[m] to be his ministers,^[n] and offer sacrifices.”^[o]

¹² The following Levites prepared to carry out the king’s orders:^[p]

From the Kohathites: Mahath son of Amasai and Joel son of Azariah;

from the Merarites: Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of Jehallelel;

from the Gershonites: Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah;

¹³ from the descendants of Elizaphan: Shimri and Jeiel;

from the descendants of Asaph: Zechariah and Mattaniah;

¹⁴ from the descendants of Heman: Jehiel and Shimei;

from the descendants of Jeduthun: Shemaiah and Uzziel.

¹⁵ They assembled their brothers and consecrated themselves. Then they went in to purify the Lord’s temple, just as the king had ordered, in accordance with the word^[q] of the Lord. ¹⁶ The priests then entered the Lord’s temple to purify it; they brought out to the courtyard of the Lord’s temple every ceremonially unclean thing they discovered inside.^[r] The Levites took them out to the Kidron Valley. ¹⁷ On the first day of the first month they began consecrating; by the eighth day of the month they reached the porch of the Lord’s temple.^[s] For eight more days they consecrated the Lord’s temple. On the sixteenth day of the first month they were finished. ¹⁸ They went to King Hezekiah and said: “We have purified the entire temple of the Lord, including the altar of burnt sacrifice and all its equipment, and the table for the Bread of the Presence and all its equipment. ¹⁹ We have prepared and consecrated all the items that King Ahaz removed during his reign when he acted unfaithfully. They are in front of the altar of the Lord.”

²⁰ Early the next morning King Hezekiah assembled the city officials and went up to the Lord’s temple. ²¹ They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, the sanctuary, and Judah.^[t] The king^[u] told the priests, the descendants of Aaron, to offer burnt sacrifices on the altar of the Lord. ²² They slaughtered the bulls, and the priests took the blood and splashed it on the altar. Then they slaughtered the rams and splashed the blood on the altar; next they slaughtered the lambs and splashed the blood on the altar. ²³ Finally they brought the goats for the sin offering before the king and the assembly, and they placed their hands on them. ²⁴ Then the priests slaughtered them. They offered their blood as a sin offering on the altar to make atonement for all Israel, because the king had decreed^[v] that the burnt sacrifice and sin offering were for all Israel.

²⁵ Hezekiah^[w] stationed the Levites in the Lord’s temple with cymbals and stringed instruments just as David, Gad the king’s prophet,^[x] and Nathan the prophet had ordered. (The Lord had actually given these orders through his prophets.) ²⁶ The Levites had^[y] David’s musical instruments and the priests had trumpets. ²⁷ Hezekiah ordered the burnt sacrifice to be offered on the altar. As they began to offer the sacrifice, they also began to sing to the Lord, accompanied by the trumpets and the musical instruments of King David of Israel. ²⁸ The entire assembly worshiped, as the singers sang and the trumpeters played. They continued until the burnt sacrifice was completed.

²⁹ When the sacrifices were completed, the king and all who were with him bowed down and worshiped. ³⁰ King Hezekiah and the officials told the Levites to praise the Lord, using the psalms^[z] of David and Asaph the prophet.^[aa] So they joyfully offered praise and bowed down and worshiped. ³¹ Hezekiah said, “Now you have consecrated yourselves^[ab] to the Lord. Come and bring sacrifices and thank offerings^[ac] to the Lord’s temple.” So the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and whoever desired to do so^[ad] brought burnt sacrifices.

³² The assembly brought a total of 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs as burnt sacrifices to the Lord,^{[ae] 33} and 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep^[af] were consecrated. ³⁴ But there were not enough priests to skin all the animals,^[ag] so their brothers, the Levites, helped them until the work was finished and the priests could consecrate themselves. (The Levites had been more conscientious about consecrating themselves than the priests.)^{[ah] 35} There was a large number of burnt sacrifices, as well as fat from the peace offerings and drink offerings that accompanied the burnt sacrifices. So the service of the Lord’s temple was reinstituted.^{[ai] 36} Hezekiah and all the people were happy about what God had done^[aj] for them,^[ak] for it had been done quickly.^[al]

Exhortation to Mutual Forbearance

14 Now receive the one who is weak in the faith, and do not have disputes over differing opinions.^{[a] 2} One person believes in eating everything, but the weak person eats only vegetables. ³ The one who eats everything must not despise the one who does not, and the one who abstains must not judge the one who eats everything, for God has accepted him. ⁴ Who are you to pass judgment on another’s servant? Before his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord^[b] is able to make him stand.

⁵ One person regards one day holier than other days, and another regards them all alike.^[c] Each must be fully convinced in his own mind. ⁶ The one who observes the day does it for the Lord. The^[d] one who eats, eats for the Lord because he gives thanks to God, and the one who abstains from eating abstains for the Lord, and he gives thanks to God. ⁷ For none of us lives for himself and none dies for himself. ⁸ If we live, we live for the Lord; if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. ⁹ For this reason Christ died and returned to life, so that he may be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

¹⁰ But you who eat vegetables only—why do you judge your brother or sister?^[e] And you who eat everything—why do you despise your brother or sister?^[f] For we will all stand before the judgment seat^[g] of God. ¹¹ For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God.”^{[h] 12} Therefore, each of us will give an account of himself to God.^[i]

Exhortation for the Strong not to Destroy the Weak

¹³ Therefore we must not pass judgment on one another, but rather determine never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister.^{[j] 14} I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself; still, it is unclean to the one who considers it unclean. ¹⁵ For if your brother or sister^[k] is distressed because of what you eat,^[l] you are no longer walking in love.^[m] Do not destroy by your food someone for whom Christ died. ¹⁶ Therefore do not let what you consider good^[n] be spoken of as evil. ¹⁷ For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ For the one who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people.^[o]

¹⁹ So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another. ²⁰ Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. For although all things are clean,^[p] it is wrong to cause anyone to stumble by what you eat. ²¹ It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything that causes your brother to stumble.^{[q] 22} The faith^[r] you have, keep to yourself before God. Blessed is the one who does not judge himself by what he approves. ²³ But the man who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not do so from faith, and whatever is not from faith is sin.^[s]

Psalm 24^[a]

A psalm of David.

Uzziah’s Reign

26 All the people of Judah took Uzziah,^[a] who was sixteen years old, and made him king in his father Amaziah’s place. ² Uzziah^[b] built up Elat and restored it to Judah after King Amaziah^[c] had passed away.^[d]

³ Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah, who was from Jerusalem. ⁴ He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Amaziah had done.^{[e] 5} He followed^[f] God during the lifetime of^[g] Zechariah, who taught him how to honor God. As long as he followed^[h] the Lord, God caused him to succeed.^[i]

⁶ Uzziah attacked^[j] the Philistines and broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod. He built cities in the region of Ashdod and throughout Philistine territory.^{[k] 7} God helped him in his campaigns^[l] against the Philistines, the Arabs living in Gur Baal, and the Meunites. ⁸ The Ammonites paid tribute to Uzziah and his fame reached^[m] the border of Egypt, for he grew in power.

⁹ Uzziah built and fortified towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, Valley Gate, and at the Angle.^{[n] 10} He built towers in the wilderness and dug many cisterns, for he owned many herds in the foothills^[o] and on the plain. He had workers in the fields and vineyards in the hills and in Carmel,^[p] for he loved agriculture.^[q]

¹¹ Uzziah had an army of skilled warriors trained for battle. They were organized by divisions according to the muster rolls made by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer under the authority of Hananiah, a royal official. ¹² The total number of family leaders who led warriors was 2,600. ¹³ They commanded an army of 307,500 skilled and able warriors who were ready to defend^[r] the king against his enemies. ¹⁴ Uzziah supplied shields, spears, helmets, breastplates, bows, and slingstones for the entire army. ¹⁵ In Jerusalem he made war machines carefully designed to shoot arrows and large stones from the towers and corners of the walls. He became very famous, for he received tremendous support and became powerful.^[s]

¹⁶ But once he became powerful, his pride destroyed him.^[t] He disobeyed^[u] the Lord his God. He entered the Lord’s temple to offer incense on the incense altar. ¹⁷ Azariah the priest and eighty other brave priests of the Lord followed him in. ¹⁸ They confronted^[v] King Uzziah and said to him, “It is not proper for you, Uzziah, to offer incense to the Lord. That is the responsibility of the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who are consecrated to offer incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have disobeyed^[w] and the Lord God will not honor you!” ¹⁹ Uzziah, who had an incense censer in his hand, became angry. While he was ranting and raving^[x] at the priests, a skin disease^[y] appeared on his forehead right there in front of the priests in the Lord’s temple near the incense altar. ²⁰ When Azariah the high priest and the other priests looked at him, there was a skin disease on his forehead. They hurried him out of there; even the king^[z] himself wanted to leave quickly because the Lord had afflicted him. ²¹ King Uzziah suffered from a skin disease until the day he died. He lived in separate quarters,^[aa] afflicted by a skin disease and banned from the Lord’s temple. His son Jotham was in charge of the palace and ruled over the people of the land.

²² The rest of the events of Uzziah’s reign, from start to finish, were recorded by the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz.^{[ab] 23} Uzziah passed away^[ac] and was buried near his ancestors^[ad] in a cemetery^[ae] belonging to the kings. (This was because he had a skin disease.)^[af] His son Jotham replaced him as king.

Jotham’s Reign

27 Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother^[ag] was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. ² He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Uzziah had done.^[ah] (He did not, however, have the audacity to enter the temple.)^[ai] Yet the people were still sinning.

³ He built the Upper Gate to the Lord’s temple and did a lot of work on the wall in the area known as Ophel.^{[aj] 4} He built cities in the hill country of Judah and fortresses and towers in the forests.

⁵ He launched a military campaign^[ak] against the king of the Ammonites and defeated them. That year the Ammonites paid him 100 talents^[al] of silver, 10,000 cors^[am] of wheat, and 10,000 cors^[an] of barley. The Ammonites also paid this same amount of annual tribute the next two years.^[ao]

⁶ Jotham grew powerful because he was determined to please the Lord his God.^{[ap] 7} The rest of the events of Jotham’s reign, including all his military campaigns and his accomplishments, are recorded in the Scroll of the Kings of Israel and Judah.^{[aq] 8} He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. ⁹ Jotham passed away^[ar] and was buried in the City of David.^[as] His son Ahaz replaced him as king.

Ahaz’s Reign

28 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what pleased the Lord, in contrast to his ancestor David.^{[at] 2} He followed in the footsteps of^[au] the kings of Israel; he also made images of the Baals. ³ He offered sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom and passed his sons through the fire,^[av] a horrible sin practiced by the nations^[aw] whom the Lord drove out before the Israelites. ⁴ He offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.

⁵ The Lord his God handed him over to the king of Syria. The Syrians^[ax] defeated him and deported many captives to Damascus.^[ay] He was also handed over to the king of Israel, who thoroughly defeated him.^{[az] 6} In one day Pekah son of Remaliah killed 120,000 warriors in Judah, because they had abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors.^{[ba] 7} Zikri, an Ephraimite warrior, killed the king’s son Maaseiah, Azrikam, the supervisor of the palace, and Elkanah, the king’s second-in-command. ⁸ The Israelites seized from their brothers 200,000 wives, sons, and daughters. They also carried off a huge amount of plunder and took it^[bb] back to Samaria.

⁹ Oded, a prophet of the Lord, was there. He went to meet the army as they arrived in Samaria and said to them: “Look, because the Lord God of your ancestors was angry with Judah he handed them over to you. You have killed them so mercilessly that God has taken notice.^{[bc] 10} And now you are planning^[bd] to enslave^[be] the people^[bf] of Judah and Jerusalem. Yet are you not also guilty before the Lord your God? ¹¹ Now listen to me! Send back those you have seized from your brothers, for the Lord is very angry at you!”^{[bg] 12} So some of^[bh] the Ephraimite family leaders, Azariah son of Jehochanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jechizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai confronted^[bi] those returning from the battle. ¹³ They said to them, “Don’t bring those captives here! Are you planning on making us even more sinful and guilty before the Lord?^[bj] Our guilt is already great, and the Lord is very angry at Israel.”^{[bk] 14} So the soldiers released the captives and the plunder before the officials and the entire assembly. ¹⁵ Men were assigned to take the prisoners and find clothes among the plunder for those who were naked.^[bl] So they clothed them, supplied them with sandals, gave them food and drink, and provided them with oil to rub on their skin.^[bm] They put the ones who couldn’t walk on donkeys.^[bn] They brought them back to their brothers at Jericho, the city of date palm trees, and then returned to Samaria.

¹⁶ At that time King Ahaz asked the king^[bo] of Assyria for help. ¹⁷ The Edomites had again invaded and defeated Judah and carried off captives. ¹⁸ The Philistines had raided the cities of Judah in the foothills^[bp] and the Negev.^[bq] They captured and settled in Beth Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco and its surrounding villages, Timnah and its surrounding villages, and Gimzo and its surrounding villages. ¹⁹ The Lord humiliated^[br] Judah because of King Ahaz of Israel,^[bs] for he encouraged Judah to sin and was very^[bt] unfaithful to the Lord. ²⁰ King Tiglath-Pileser^[bu] of Assyria came, but he gave him more trouble than support.^{[bv] 21} Ahaz gathered riches^[bw] from the Lord’s temple, the royal palace, and the officials and gave them to the king of Assyria, but that did not help.

²² During his time of trouble King Ahaz was even more unfaithful to the Lord. ²³ He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus whom he thought had defeated him.^[bx] He reasoned,^[by] “Since the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.” But they caused him and all Israel to stumble. ²⁴ Ahaz gathered the items in God’s temple and removed them. He shut the doors of the Lord’s temple and erected altars on every street corner in Jerusalem. ²⁵ In every city throughout Judah he set up high places to offer sacrifices to other gods. He angered the Lord God of his ancestors.

²⁶ The rest of the events of Ahaz’s reign, including his accomplishments from start to finish, are recorded in the Scroll of the Kings of Judah and Israel.^{[bz] 27} Ahaz passed away^[ca] and was buried in the city of Jerusalem; they did not bring him to the tombs of the kings of Israel. His son Hezekiah replaced him as king.

Submission to Civil Government

13 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment,^[a] and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. ² So the person who resists such authority^[b] resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment ³ (for rulers cause no fear for good conduct but for bad). Do you desire not to fear authority? Do good and you will receive its commendation ⁴ because it is God’s servant for your well-being. But be afraid if you do wrong because government^[c] does not bear the sword for nothing. It is God’s servant to administer punishment on the person who does wrong. ⁵ Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath of the authorities^[d] but also because of your conscience.^{[e] 6} For this reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities^[f] are God’s servants devoted to governing.^{[g] 7} Pay everyone what is owed: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

Exhortation to Love Neighbors

⁸ Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. ⁹ For the commandments,^[h] “Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet,”^[i] (and if there is any other commandment) are summed up in this, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^{[j] 10} Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Motivation to Godly Conduct

¹¹ And do this^[k] because we know^[l] the time, that it is already the hour for us to awake from sleep, for our salvation is now nearer than when we became believers. ¹² The night has advanced toward dawn; the day is near. So then we must lay aside the works of darkness, and put on the weapons of light. ¹³ Let us live decently as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in discord and jealousy. ¹⁴ Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to arouse its desires.^[m]

Psalm 23^[a]

A psalm of David.

Joash’s Reign

24 Joash was seven years old when he began to reign. He reigned for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother^[a] was Zibiah, who was from Beer Sheba. ² Joash did what the Lord approved^[b] throughout the lifetime^[c] of Jehoiada the priest. ³ Jehoiada chose two wives for him who gave him sons and daughters.

⁴ Later, Joash was determined to repair the Lord’s temple.^{[d] 5} He assembled the priests and Levites and ordered them, “Go out to the cities of Judah and collect the annual quota of silver from all Israel for repairs on the temple of your God. Be quick about it!” But the Levites delayed.

⁶ So the king summoned Jehoiada the chief priest,^[e] and said to him, “Why have you not made^[f] the Levites collect^[g] from Judah and Jerusalem the tax authorized by Moses the Lord’s servant and by the assembly of Israel at the tent containing the tablets of the law?”^{[h] 7} (Wicked Athaliah and her sons had broken into God’s temple and used all the holy items of the Lord’s temple in their worship of the Baals.) ⁸ The king ordered a chest to be made and placed outside the gate of the Lord’s temple.^{[i] 9} An edict was sent throughout Judah and Jerusalem requiring the people to bring to the Lord the tax that Moses, God’s servant, imposed on Israel in the wilderness.^{[j] 10} All the officials and all the people gladly brought their silver and threw it into the chest until it was full. ¹¹ Whenever the Levites brought the chest to the royal accountant and they saw there was a lot of silver, the royal scribe and the accountant of the high priest emptied the chest and then took it back to its place. They went through this routine every day and collected a large amount of silver.

¹² The king and Jehoiada gave it to the construction foremen^[k] assigned to the Lord’s temple. They hired carpenters and craftsmen to repair the Lord’s temple, as well as those skilled in working with iron and bronze to restore the Lord’s temple. ¹³ They worked hard and made the repairs.^[l] They followed the measurements specified for God’s temple and restored it.^{[m] 14} When they were finished, they brought the rest of the silver to the king and Jehoiada. They used it to make items for the Lord’s temple, including items used in the temple service and for burnt sacrifices, pans, and various other gold and silver items. Throughout Jehoiada’s lifetime, burnt sacrifices were offered regularly in the Lord’s temple.

¹⁵ Jehoiada grew old and died at the age of 130. ¹⁶ He was buried in the City of David^[n] with the kings, because he had accomplished good in Israel and for God and his temple.

¹⁷ After Jehoiada died, the officials of Judah visited the king and declared their loyalty to him.^[o] The king listened to their advice.^{[p] 18} They abandoned the temple of the Lord God of their ancestors^[q] and worshiped^[r] the Asherah poles and idols. Because of this sinful activity, God was angry with Judah and Jerusalem. ¹⁹ The Lord sent prophets among them to lead them back to him.^[s] They warned^[t] the people, but they would not pay attention. ²⁰ God’s Spirit energized^[u] Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why are you violating the commands of the Lord? You will not be prosperous. Because you have rejected the Lord, he has rejected you!’” ²¹ They plotted against him and by royal decree stoned him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple. ²² King Joash disregarded^[v] the loyalty Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had shown him and killed Jehoiada’s^[w] son. As Zechariah^[x] was dying, he said, “May the Lord take notice and seek vengeance!”^[y]

²³ At the beginning^[z] of the year the Syrian army attacked^[aa] Joash^[ab] and invaded Judah and Jerusalem. They wiped out all the leaders of the people and sent all the plunder they gathered to the king of Damascus. ²⁴ Even though the invading Syrian army was relatively weak, the Lord handed over to them Judah’s very large army,^[ac] for the people of Judah^[ad] had abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors. The Syrians^[ae] gave Joash what he deserved.^{[af] 25} When they withdrew, they left Joash^[ag] badly wounded. His servants plotted against him because of what he had done to^[ah] the son^[ai] of Jehoiada the priest. They murdered him on his bed. Thus^[aj] he died and was buried in the City of David,^[ak] but not in the tombs of the kings. ²⁶ The conspirators were Zabad son of Shimeath (an Ammonite woman) and Jehozabad son of Shimrith (a Moabite woman).

²⁷ The list of Joash’s^[al] sons, the many prophetic oracles about him, and the account of his building project on God’s temple are included in the record of the Scroll of the Kings.^[am] His son Amaziah replaced him as king.

Amaziah’s Reign

25 Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother^[an] was Jehoaddan, who was from Jerusalem. ² He did what the Lord approved,^[ao] but not with wholehearted devotion.^[ap]

³ When he had secured control of the kingdom,^[aq] he executed the servants who had assassinated his father the king. ⁴ However, he did not execute their sons. He obeyed the Lord’s commandment as recorded in the law scroll of Moses,^[ar] “Fathers must not be executed for what their sons do,^[as] and sons must not be executed for what their fathers do.^[at] A man must be executed only for his own sin.”^[au]

⁵ Amaziah assembled the people of Judah^[av] and assigned them by families to the commanders of units of 1,000 and the commanders of units of 100 for all Judah and Benjamin. He counted those twenty years old and up and discovered there were 300,000 young men of fighting age^[aw] equipped with spears and shields.^{[ax] 6} He hired 100,000 Israelite warriors for 100 talents^[ay] of silver.

⁷ But a prophet^[az] visited him and said: “O king, the Israelite troops must not go with you, for the Lord is not with Israel or any of the Ephraimites.^{[ba] 8} Even if you go and fight bravely in battle, God will defeat you^[bb] before the enemy. God is capable of helping or defeating.”^{[bc] 9} Amaziah asked the prophet:^[bd] “But what should I do about the 100 talents of silver I paid the Israelite troops?” The prophet^[be] replied, “The Lord is capable of giving you more than that.” ¹⁰ So Amaziah dismissed the troops that had come to him from Ephraim and sent them home.^[bf] They were very angry at Judah and returned home incensed. ¹¹ Amaziah boldly led his army to the Valley of Salt,^[bg] where he defeated^[bh] 10,000 Edomites.^{[bi] 12} The men^[bj] of Judah captured 10,000 men alive. They took them to the top of a cliff and threw them over.^[bk] All the captives^[bl] fell to their death.^{[bm] 13} Now the troops Amaziah had dismissed and had not allowed to fight in the battle^[bn] raided^[bo] the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth Horon. They killed^[bp] 3,000 people and carried off a large amount of plunder.

¹⁴ When Amaziah returned from defeating the Edomites, he brought back the gods of the people^[bq] of Seir and made them his personal gods.^[br] He bowed down before them and offered them sacrifices. ¹⁵ The Lord was angry at Amaziah and sent a prophet to him, who said, “Why are you following^[bs] these gods^[bt] that could not deliver their own people from your power?”^{[bu] 16} While he was speaking, Amaziah^[bv] said to him, “Did we appoint you to be a royal counselor? Stop prophesying or else you will be killed!”^[bw] So the prophet stopped, but added, “I know that God has decided^[bx] to destroy you, because you have done this thing and refused to listen to my advice.”

¹⁷ After King Amaziah of Judah consulted with his advisers,^[by] he sent this message to the king of Israel, Joash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, “Come, face me on the battlefield.”^{[bz] 18} King Joash of Israel sent this message back to King Amaziah of Judah, “A thorn bush in Lebanon sent this message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal of Lebanon came by and trampled down the thorn bush.^{[ca] 19} You defeated Edom^[cb] and it has gone to your head.^[cc] Gloat over your success,^[cd] but stay in your palace. Why bring calamity on yourself? Why bring down yourself and Judah along with you?”^[ce]

²⁰ But Amaziah did not heed the warning,^[cf] for God wanted to hand them over to Joash because they followed the gods of Edom.^{[cg] 21} So King Joash of Israel attacked. He and King Amaziah of Judah faced each other on the battlefield^[ch] in Beth Shemesh of Judah. ²² Judah was defeated by Israel, and each man ran back home.^{[ci] 23} King Joash of Israel captured King Amaziah of Judah, son of Joash son of Jehoahaz, in Beth Shemesh and brought him to Jerusalem. He broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate—a distance of about 600 feet.^{[cj] 24} He took away all the gold and silver, all the items found in God’s temple that were in the care of Obed-Edom, the riches in the royal palace, and some hostages. Then he went back to Samaria.

²⁵ King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of King Joash son of Jehoahaz of Israel. ²⁶ The rest of the events of Amaziah’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded in the Scroll of the Kings of Judah and Israel.^{[ck] 27} From the time Amaziah turned from following the Lord, conspirators plotted against him in Jerusalem,^[cl] so he fled to Lachish. But they sent assassins after him^[cm] and they killed him there. ²⁸ His body was carried back by horses,^[cn] and he was buried with his ancestors^[co] in the City of David.^[cp]

Consecration of the Believer’s Life

12 Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters,^[a] by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice—alive, holy, and pleasing to God^[b]—which is your reasonable service. ² Do not be conformed^[c] to this present world,^[d] but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve^[e] what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.

Conduct in Humility

³ For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you not to think more highly of yourself than you ought to think, but to think with sober discernment, as God has distributed to each of you^[f] a measure of faith.^{[g] 4} For just as in one body we have many members, and not all the members serve the same function, ⁵ so we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually we are members who belong to one another. ⁶ And we have different gifts^[h] according to the grace given to us. If the gift is prophecy, that individual must use it in proportion to his faith.^{[i] 7} If it is service, he must serve; if it is teaching, he must teach; ⁸ if it is exhortation, he must exhort; if it is contributing, he must do so with sincerity; if it is leadership, he must do so with diligence; if it is showing mercy, he must do so with cheerfulness.

Conduct in Love

⁹ Love must be^[j] without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another with mutual love, showing eagerness in honoring one another. ¹¹ Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord. ¹² Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer. ¹³ Contribute to the needs of the saints, pursue hospitality. ¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly.^[k] Do not be conceited.^{[l] 17} Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people.^{[m] 18} If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people.^{[n] 19} Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath,^[o] for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,”^[p] says the Lord. ²⁰ Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head.^{[q] 21} Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

21 Jehoshaphat passed away^[a] and was buried with his ancestors^[b] in the City of David.^[c] His son Jehoram^[d] replaced him as king.

Jehoram’s Reign

² His brothers, Jehoshaphat’s sons, were Azariah, Jechiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael, and Shephatiah. All these were sons of King Jehoshaphat of Israel.^{[e] 3} Their father gave them many presents, including silver, gold, and other precious items, along with fortified cities in Judah. But he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.

⁴ Jehoram took control of his father’s kingdom and became powerful.^[f] Then he killed all his brothers,^[g] as well as some of the officials of Israel. ⁵ Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem. ⁶ He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel, just as Ahab’s dynasty had done, for he married Ahab’s daughter.^[h] He did evil in the sight of^[i] the Lord. ⁷ But the Lord was unwilling to destroy David’s dynasty^[j] because of the promise^[k] he had made to give David a perpetual dynasty.^[l]

⁸ During Jehoram’s^[m] reign Edom freed themselves from Judah’s control and set up their own king.^{[n] 9} Jehoram crossed over with his officers and all his chariots. The Edomites, who had surrounded him, attacked at night and defeated him and his chariot officers.^{[o] 10} So Edom has remained free from Judah’s control to this very day.^[p] At that same time Libnah also rebelled and freed themselves from Judah’s control^[q] because Jehoram^[r] rejected the Lord God of his ancestors. ¹¹ He also built high places on the hills of Judah; he encouraged the residents of Jerusalem to be unfaithful to the Lord^[s] and led Judah away from the Lord.^[t]

¹² Jehoram^[u] received this letter from Elijah the prophet: “This is what the Lord God of your ancestor David says: ‘You^[v] have not followed in the footsteps^[w] of your father Jehoshaphat and of^[x] King Asa of Judah, ¹³ but have instead followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel. You encouraged the people of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem to be unfaithful to the Lord, just as the family of Ahab does in Israel.^[y] You also killed your brothers, members of your father’s family,^[z] who were better than you. ¹⁴ So look, the Lord is about to severely afflict^[aa] your people, your sons, your wives, and all you own. ¹⁵ And you will get a serious, chronic intestinal disease which will cause your intestines to come out.’”^[ab]

¹⁶ The Lord stirred up against Jehoram the Philistines^[ac] and the Arabs who lived beside the Cushites. ¹⁷ They attacked Judah and swept through it.^[ad] They carried off everything they found in the royal palace,^[ae] including his sons and wives. None of his sons was left, except for his youngest, Ahaziah. ¹⁸ After all this happened, the Lord afflicted him with an incurable intestinal disease.^{[af] 19} After about two years his intestines came out because of the disease, so that he died a very painful death.^[ag] His people did not make a bonfire to honor him, as they had done for his ancestors.^[ah]

²⁰ Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. No one regretted his death;^[ai] he was buried in the City of David,^[aj] but not in the royal tombs.

Ahaziah’s Reign

22 The residents of Jerusalem made his youngest son Ahaziah king in his place, for the raiding party that invaded the camp with the Arabs had killed all the older sons.^[ak] So Ahaziah son of Jehoram became king of Judah. ² Ahaziah was twenty-two^[al] years old when he became king, and he reigned for one year in Jerusalem. His mother^[am] was Athaliah, the granddaughter^[an] of Omri. ³ He followed in the footsteps of Ahab’s dynasty,^[ao] for his mother gave him evil advice.^{[ap] 4} He did evil in the sight of^[aq] the Lord like Ahab’s dynasty because, after his father’s death, they^[ar] gave him advice that led to his destruction. ⁵ He followed their advice and joined Ahab’s son King Joram^[as] of Israel in a battle against King Hazael of Syria^[at] at Ramoth Gilead in which the Syrians defeated Joram. ⁶ Joram^[au] returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he received from the Syrians^[av] in Ramah when he fought against King Hazael of Syria. Ahaziah^[aw] son of King Jehoram of Judah went down to visit Joram son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he had been wounded.^[ax]

⁷ God brought about Ahaziah’s downfall through his visit to Joram.^[ay] When Ahaziah^[az] arrived, he went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had commissioned^[ba] to wipe out Ahab’s family.^{[bb] 8} While Jehu was dishing out punishment to Ahab’s family, he discovered the officials of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s relatives who were serving Ahaziah and killed them. ⁹ He looked for Ahaziah, who was captured while hiding in Samaria. They brought him to Jehu and then executed him. They did give him a burial, for they reasoned,^[bc] “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with his whole heart.” There was no one in Ahaziah’s family strong enough to rule in his place.^[bd]

Athaliah is Eliminated

¹⁰ When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she was determined to destroy the entire royal line^[be] of Judah.^{[bf] 11} So Jehoshabeath,^[bg] the daughter of King Jehoram,^[bh] took Ahaziah’s son Joash and stole him away from the rest of the royal descendants who were to be executed. She hid him and his nurse in the room where the bed covers were stored. So Jehoshabeath the daughter of King Jehoram, wife of Jehoiada the priest and sister of Ahaziah, hid him from Athaliah so she could not execute him. ¹² He remained in hiding in God’s temple^[bi] for six years while Athaliah was ruling over the land.

23 In the seventh year Jehoiada made a bold move. He made a pact^[bj] with the officers of the units of hundreds: Azariah son of Jehoram, Ishmael son of Jehochanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zikri. ² They traveled throughout Judah and assembled the Levites from all the cities of Judah, as well as the Israelite family leaders.

They came to Jerusalem, ³ and the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in the temple of God. Jehoiada^[bk] said to them, “The king’s son will rule, just as the Lord promised David’s descendants. ⁴ This is what you must do. One-third of you priests and Levites who are on duty during the Sabbath will guard the doors. ⁵ Another third of you will be stationed at the royal palace and still another third at the Foundation Gate. All the others^[bl] will stand in the courtyards of the Lord’s temple. ⁶ No one must enter the Lord’s temple except the priests and Levites who are on duty. They may enter because they are ceremonially pure. All the others should carry out their assigned service to the Lord. ⁷ The Levites must surround the king. Each of you must hold his weapon in his hand. Whoever tries to enter the temple^[bm] must be killed. You must accompany the king wherever he goes.”^[bn]

⁸ The Levites and all the men of Judah^[bo] did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each of them took his men, those who were on duty during the Sabbath as well as those who were off duty on the Sabbath. Jehoiada the priest did not release his divisions from their duties. ⁹ Jehoiada the priest gave to the officers of the units of hundreds King David’s spears and shields^[bp] that were kept in God’s temple. ¹⁰ He placed the men at their posts, each holding his weapon in his hand. They lined up from the south side of the temple to the north side and stood near the altar and the temple, surrounding the king.^{[bq] 11} Jehoiada and his sons led out the king’s son and placed on him the crown and the royal insignia.^[br] They proclaimed him king and poured olive oil on his head.^[bs] They declared, “Long live the king!”

¹² When Athaliah heard the royal guard^[bt] shouting and praising the king, she joined the crowd^[bu] at the Lord’s temple. ¹³ Then she saw^[bv] the king standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and trumpeters stood beside the king and all the people of the land were celebrating and blowing trumpets, and the musicians with various instruments were leading the celebration. Athaliah tore her clothes and yelled, “Treason! Treason!”^{[bw] 14} Jehoiada the priest sent out the officers of the units of hundreds, who were in charge of the army, and ordered them, “Bring her outside the temple to the guards.^[bx] Put the sword to anyone who follows her.” The priest gave this order because he had decided she should not be executed in the Lord’s temple.^{[by] 15} They seized her and took her into the precincts of the royal palace through the horses’ entrance.^[bz] There they executed her.

¹⁶ Jehoiada then drew up a covenant stipulating that he, all the people, and the king should be loyal to the Lord.^{[ca] 17} All the people went and demolished^[cb] the temple of Baal. They smashed its altars and idols.^[cc] They killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars. ¹⁸ Jehoiada then assigned the duties of the Lord’s temple to the priests, the Levites whom David had assigned to the Lord’s temple. They were responsible for offering burnt sacrifices to the Lord with joy and music, according to^[cd] the law of Moses and the edict of David. ¹⁹ He posted guards at the gates of the Lord’s temple, so no one who was ceremonially unclean in any way could enter. ²⁰ He summoned^[ce] the officers of the units of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people, and all the people of the land, and he then led the king down from the Lord’s temple. They entered the royal palace through the Upper Gate and seated the king on the royal throne. ²¹ All the people of the land celebrated, for the city had rest now that they had killed Athaliah.^[cf]

¹³ Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Seeing that I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, ¹⁴ if somehow I could provoke my people to jealousy and save some of them. ¹⁵ For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? ¹⁶ If the first portion^[a] of the dough offered is holy, then the whole batch is holy, and if the root is holy, so too are the branches.^[b]

¹⁷ Now if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them and participated in^[c] the richness of the olive root, ¹⁸ do not boast over the branches. But if you boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. ¹⁹ Then you will say, “The branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” ²⁰ Granted!^[d] They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but fear! ²¹ For if God did not spare the natural branches, perhaps he will not spare you. ²² Notice therefore the kindness and harshness of God—harshness toward those who have fallen, but^[e] God’s kindness toward you, provided you continue in his kindness;^[f] otherwise you also will be cut off. ²³ And even they—if they do not continue in their unbelief—will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. ²⁴ For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree?

²⁵ For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters,^[g] so that you may not be conceited: A partial hardening has happened to Israel^[h] until the full number^[i] of the Gentiles has come in. ²⁶ And so^[j] all Israel will be saved, as it is written:

²⁸ In regard to the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but in regard to election they are dearly loved for the sake of the fathers. ²⁹ For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. ³⁰ Just as you were formerly disobedient to God, but have now received mercy due to their disobedience, ³¹ so they too have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now^[m] receive mercy. ³² For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all.^[n]

³³ Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how unfathomable his ways!

³⁶ For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen.

Psalm 22^[a]

For the music director, according to the tune “Morning Doe”;^[b] a psalm of David.

19 When King Jehoshaphat of Judah returned home safely to Jerusalem, ² the prophet^[a] Jehu son of Hanani confronted him;^[b] he said to King Jehoshaphat, “Is it right to help the wicked and be an ally of those who oppose the Lord?^[c] Because you have done this, the Lord is angry with you!^{[d] 3} Nevertheless you have done some good things;^[e] you removed^[f] the Asherah poles from the land and you were determined to follow God.”^[g]

Jehoshaphat Appoints Judges

⁴ Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem. He went out among the people from Beer Sheba to the hill country of Ephraim and encouraged them to follow^[h] the Lord God of their ancestors.^{[i] 5} He appointed judges throughout the land and in each of the fortified cities of Judah.^{[j] 6} He told the judges, “Be careful what you do,^[k] for you are not judging for men, but for the Lord, who will be with you when you make judicial decisions. ⁷ Respect the Lord and make careful decisions, for the Lord our God disapproves of injustice, partiality, and bribery.”^[l]

⁸ In Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed some Levites, priests, and Israelite family leaders to judge on behalf of the Lord^[m] and to settle disputes among the residents of Jerusalem.^{[n] 9} He commanded them: “Carry out your duties with respect for the Lord, with honesty, and with pure motives.^{[o] 10} Whenever your countrymen who live in the cities bring a case before you^[p] (whether it involves a violent crime^[q] or other matters related to the law, commandments, rules, and regulations), warn them that they must not sin against the Lord. If you fail to do so, God will be angry with you and your colleagues, but if you obey, you will be free of guilt.^{[r] 11} Take note, Amariah the chief priest will oversee^[s] you in every matter pertaining to the Lord and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the family of Judah, in every matter pertaining to the king. The Levites will serve as officials before you. Act courageously,^[t] and may the Lord be with those who do well!”

The Lord Gives Jehoshaphat Military Success

20 Later the Moabites and Ammonites, along with some of the Meunites,^[u] attacked Jehoshaphat. ² Messengers^[v] arrived and reported to Jehoshaphat, “A huge army is attacking you from the other side of the Dead Sea,^[w] from the direction of Edom.^[x] Look, they are in Hazazon Tamar (that is, En Gedi).” ³ Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he decided to seek the Lord’s advice.^[y] He decreed that all Judah should observe a fast. ⁴ The people of Judah^[z] assembled to ask for the Lord’s help;^[aa] they came from all the cities of Judah to ask for the Lord’s help.^[ab]

⁵ Jehoshaphat stood before the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the Lord’s temple, in front of the new courtyard. ⁶ He prayed: “O Lord God of our ancestors,^[ac] you are the God who lives in heaven^[ad] and rules over all the kingdoms of the nations. You possess strength and power; no one can stand against you. ⁷ Our God, you drove out^[ae] the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and gave it as a permanent possession^[af] to the descendants of your friend^[ag] Abraham. ⁸ They settled down in it and built in it a temple^[ah] to honor you,^[ai] saying, ⁹ ‘If disaster comes on us in the form of military attack,^[aj] judgment, plague, or famine, we will stand in front of this temple before you, for you are present in this temple.^[ak] We will cry out to you for help in our distress, so that you will^[al] hear and deliver us.’ ¹⁰ Now the Ammonites, Moabites, and men from Mount Seir are coming!^[am] When Israel came from the land of Egypt, you did not allow them to invade these lands.^[an] They bypassed them and did not destroy them. ¹¹ Look how they are repaying us! They come to drive us out of our allotted land which you assigned to us! ¹² Our God, will you not judge them? For we are powerless against this huge army that attacks us. We don’t know what we should do; we look to you for help.”^[ao]

¹³ All the men of Judah^[ap] were standing before the Lord, along with their infants, wives, and children. ¹⁴ Then in the midst of the assembly, the Lord’s Spirit came upon Jachaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph. ¹⁵ He said: “Pay attention, all you people of Judah,^[aq] residents of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Don’t be afraid and don’t panic^[ar] because of this huge army! For the battle is not yours, but God’s. ¹⁶ Tomorrow march down against them as^[as] they come up the Ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the ravine in front of the wilderness of Jeruel. ¹⁷ You will not fight in this battle. Take your positions, stand, and watch the Lord deliver you,^[at] O Judah and Jerusalem. Don’t be afraid and don’t panic!^[au] Tomorrow march out toward them; the Lord is with you!’”

¹⁸ Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face toward the ground, and all the people of Judah^[av] and the residents of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord and worshiped him.^{[aw] 19} Then some Levites, from the Kohathites and Korahites, got up and loudly praised the Lord God of Israel.^[ax]

²⁰ Early the next morning they marched out to the wilderness of Tekoa. When they were ready to march, Jehoshaphat stood up and said: “Listen to me, you people of Judah^[ay] and residents of Jerusalem! Trust in the Lord your God and you will be safe!^[az] Trust in the message of his prophets and you will win.” ²¹ He met^[ba] with the people and appointed musicians to play before the Lord and praise his majestic splendor. As they marched ahead of the warriors they said: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his loyal love endures.”^[bb]

²² When they began to shout and praise, the Lord suddenly attacked^[bc] the Ammonites, Moabites, and men from Mount Seir^[bd] who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. ²³ The Ammonites and Moabites attacked the men from Mount Seir^[be] and annihilated them.^[bf] When they had finished off the men^[bg] of Seir, they attacked and destroyed one another.^{[bh] 24} When the men of Judah^[bi] arrived at the observation post overlooking the wilderness and looked at^[bj] the huge army, they saw dead bodies on the ground; there were no survivors. ²⁵ Jehoshaphat and his men^[bk] went to gather the plunder; they found a huge amount of supplies, clothing,^[bl] and valuable items. They carried away everything they could.^[bm] There was so much plunder, it took them three days to haul it off.^[bn]

²⁶ On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berachah, where^[bo] they praised the Lord. So that place is called the Valley of Berachah^[bp] to this very day. ²⁷ Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem with Jehoshaphat leading them; the Lord had given them reason to rejoice over their enemies. ²⁸ They entered Jerusalem to the sound of stringed instruments and trumpets and proceeded to the temple of the Lord. ²⁹ All the kingdoms of the surrounding lands were afraid of God^[bq] when they heard how the Lord had fought against Israel’s enemies. ³⁰ Jehoshaphat’s kingdom enjoyed peace; his God made him secure on every side.^[br]

Jehoshaphat’s Reign Ends

³¹ Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king and he reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother^[bs] was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. ³² He followed in his father Asa’s footsteps and was careful to do what the Lord approved.^{[bt] 33} However, the high places were not eliminated; the people were still not devoted to the God of their ancestors.^[bu]

³⁴ The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded in the Annals of Jehu son of Hanani, which are included in the Scroll of the Kings of Israel.^[bv]

³⁵ Later King Jehoshaphat of Judah made an alliance with King Ahaziah of Israel, who^[bw] did evil. ³⁶ They agreed^[bx] to make large seagoing merchant ships;^[by] they built the ships in Ezion Geber. ³⁷ Eliezer son of Dodavahu from Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, “Because^[bz] you made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will shatter what you have made.” The ships were wrecked and unable to go to sea.^[ca]

¹⁴ How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them?^{[a] 15} And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How timely^[b] is the arrival^[c] of those who proclaim the good news.”^{[d] 16} But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”^{[e] 17} Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word^[f] of Christ.^[g]

¹⁸ But I ask, have they^[h] not heard?^[i] Yes, they have:^[j] Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.^{[k] 19} But again I ask, didn’t Israel understand?^[l] First Moses says, “I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; with a senseless nation I will provoke you to anger.”^{[m] 20} And Isaiah is even bold enough to say, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I became well known to those who did not ask for me.”^{[n] 21} But about Israel he says, “All day long I held out my hands to this disobedient and stubborn people!”^[o]

Israel’s Rejection not Complete nor Final

11 So I ask, God has not rejected his people, has he? Absolutely not! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. ² God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew! Do you not know what the scripture says about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? ³ “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone am left and they are seeking my life!”^{[p] 4} But what was the divine response^[q] to him? “I have kept for myself 7,000 people^[r] who have not bent the knee to Baal.”^[s]

⁵ So in the same way at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. ⁶ And if it is by grace, it is no longer by works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace. ⁷ What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was diligently seeking, but the elect obtained it. The^[t] rest were hardened, ⁸ as it is written,

⁹ And David says,

¹¹ I ask then, they did not stumble into an irrevocable fall,^[w] did they? Absolutely not! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel^[x] jealous. ¹² Now if their transgression means riches for the world and their defeat means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full restoration^[y] bring?

Psalm 21^[a]

For the music director, a psalm of David.

Jehoshaphat Becomes King

17 His son Jehoshaphat replaced him as king and solidified his rule over Israel.^{[a] 2} He placed troops in all Judah’s fortified cities and posted garrisons^[b] throughout the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had seized.

³ The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed in his ancestor^[c] David’s footsteps at the beginning of his reign.^[d] He did not seek the Baals, ⁴ but instead sought the God of his ancestors^[e] and obeyed^[f] his commands, unlike the Israelites.^{[g] 5} The Lord made his kingdom secure;^[h] all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he became very wealthy and greatly respected.^{[i] 6} He was committed to following the Lord;^[j] he even removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.

⁷ In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah to teach in the cities of Judah. ⁸ They were accompanied by the Levites Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah, and by the priests Elishama and Jehoram. ⁹ They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the scroll of the law of the Lord. They traveled to all the cities of Judah and taught the people.

¹⁰ The Lord put fear into all the kingdoms surrounding Judah;^[k] they did not make war with Jehoshaphat. ¹¹ Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat tribute, including a load of silver. The Arabs brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats from their flocks.

¹² Jehoshaphat’s power kept increasing. He built fortresses and storage cities throughout Judah. ¹³ He had many supplies stored in the cities of Judah and an army of skilled warriors stationed in Jerusalem.^{[l] 14} These were their divisions by families:

There were 1,000 officers from Judah.^[m] Adnah the commander led 300,000 skilled warriors, ¹⁵ Jehochanan the commander led 280,000, ¹⁶ and Amasiah son of Zikri, who volunteered to serve the Lord, led 200,000 skilled warriors.

¹⁷ From Benjamin, Eliada, a skilled warrior, led 200,000 men who were equipped with bows and shields, ¹⁸ and Jehozabad led 180,000 trained warriors.

¹⁹ These were the ones who served the king, besides those whom the king placed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.

Jehoshaphat Allies with Ahab

18 Jehoshaphat was very wealthy and greatly respected. He made an alliance by marriage with Ahab, ² and after several years^[n] went down to visit^[o] Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle to honor Jehoshaphat and those who came with him.^[p] He persuaded him to join in an attack^[q] against Ramoth Gilead. ³ King Ahab of Israel said to King Jehoshaphat of Judah, “Will you go with me to attack Ramoth Gilead?” He replied, “I will support you; my army is at your disposal and will support you in battle.”^{[r] 4} Then Jehoshaphat said further to the king of Israel,^[s] “First,^[t] please seek an oracle from the Lord.”^{[u] 5} So the king of Israel assembled 400 prophets and asked them, “Should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?”^[v] They said, “Attack! God^[w] will hand it over to the king.” ⁶ But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not a prophet of the Lord still here, that we may ask him?” ⁷ The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we can seek the Lord’s will,^[x] but I despise^[y] him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but always^[z] disaster—Micaiah son of Imlah.” Jehoshaphat said, “The king should not say such things!” ⁸ The king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah.”

⁹ Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were sitting on their respective thrones, dressed in their royal robes, at the threshing floor at^[aa] the entrance of the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were prophesying before them. ¹⁰ Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made iron horns and said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘With these you will gore Syria until they are destroyed.’” ¹¹ All the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Attack Ramoth Gilead! You will succeed; the Lord will hand it over to the king.” ¹² Now the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the prophets are in complete agreement that the king will succeed.^[ab] Your words must agree with theirs; you must predict success!”^{[ac] 13} But Micaiah said, “As certainly as the Lord lives, I will say what my God tells me to say!”

¹⁴ Micaiah^[ad] came before the king and the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?” He answered him, “Attack! You will succeed; they will be handed over to you.”^{[ae] 15} The king said to him, “How many times must I make you solemnly promise in^[af] the name of the Lord to tell me only the truth?” ¹⁶ Micaiah^[ag] replied, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep that have no shepherd. Then the Lord said, ‘They have no master. They should go home in peace.’” ¹⁷ The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster?” ¹⁸ Micaiah^[ah] said, “That being the case, listen to the Lord’s message. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, with all the heavenly assembly standing on his right and on his left. ¹⁹ The Lord said, ‘Who will deceive King Ahab of Israel, so he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die there?’ One said this and another that. ²⁰ Then a spirit^[ai] stepped forward and stood before the Lord. He said, ‘I will deceive him.’ The Lord asked him, ‘How?’ ²¹ He replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ The Lord^[aj] said, ‘Deceive and overpower him.^[ak] Go out and do as you have proposed.’ ²² So now, look, the Lord has placed a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours, but the Lord has decreed disaster for you.” ²³ Zedekiah son of Kenaanah approached, hit Micaiah on the jaw, and said, “Which way did the Lord’s Spirit go when he went from me to speak to you?” ²⁴ Micaiah replied, “Look, you will see in the day when you go into an inner room to hide.” ²⁵ Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the city official and Joash the king’s son. ²⁶ Say, ‘This is what the king says: “Put this man in prison. Give him only a little bread and water^[al] until I return safely.”’” ²⁷ Micaiah said, “If you really do return safely, then the Lord has not spoken through me!” Then he added, “Take note,^[am] all you people.”

²⁸ The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah attacked Ramoth Gilead. ²⁹ The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and then enter^[an] the battle, but you wear your royal attire.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and they entered the battle. ³⁰ Now the king of Syria had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight common soldiers or high ranking officers;^[ao] fight only the king of Israel!” ³¹ When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “He must be the king of Israel!” So they turned and attacked him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. The Lord helped him; God lured them away from him. ³² When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they turned away from him. ³³ Now an archer shot an arrow at random,^[ap] and it struck the king of Israel between the plates of his armor. The king^[aq] ordered his charioteer, “Turn around and take me from the battle line,^[ar] for I am wounded.” ³⁴ While the battle raged throughout the day, the king of Israel stood propped up in his chariot opposite the Syrians. He died in the evening as the sun was setting.

²⁵ As he also says in Hosea:

²⁷ And Isaiah cries out on behalf of Israel, “Though the number of the children^[e] of Israel are as the sand of the sea, only the remnant will be saved, ²⁸ for the Lord will execute his sentence on the earth completely and quickly.”^{[f] 29} Just^[g] as Isaiah predicted,

Israel’s Rejection Culpable

³⁰ What shall we say then?—that the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness obtained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith, ³¹ but Israel even though pursuing^[j] a law of righteousness^[k] did not attain it.^{[l] 32} Why not? Because they pursued^[m] it not by faith but (as if it were possible) by works.^[n] They stumbled over the stumbling stone,^{[o] 33} just as it is written,

10 Brothers and sisters,^[r] my heart’s desire and prayer to God on behalf of my fellow Israelites^[s] is for their salvation. ² For I can testify that they are zealous for God,^[t] but their zeal is not in line with the truth.^{[u] 3} For ignoring the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking instead to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. ⁴ For Christ is the end of the law, with the result that there is righteousness for everyone who believes.

⁵ For Moses writes about the righteousness that is by the law: “The one who does these things will live by them.”^{[v] 6} But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart,^[w] ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”^[x] (that is, to bring Christ down) ⁷ or “Who will descend into the abyss?”^[y] (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸ But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”^[z] (that is, the word of faith that we preach), ⁹ because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord^[aa] and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness^[ab] and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation.^{[ac] 11} For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”^{[ad] 12} For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him. ¹³ For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.^[ae]