Isaiah 1:1 Cross References - ISV

¹ The Vision of IsaiahThis is the vision that Amoz’s son Isaiah had about Judah and Jerusalem during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

⁶ Then he told the two of them: “Pay attention to what I have to say! When there is a prophet among you, won’t I, the LORD, reveal myself to him in a vision? Won’t I speak with him in a dream?

⁴ A declaration from one who hears what God has to say, who saw the vision that the Almighty revealed, who keeps stumbling with open eyes.

¹⁶ A declaration from one who hears what God has to say, who knows what the Most High knows, who saw the vision that the Almighty revealed, who keeps stumbling with open eyes.

¹ Azariah Becomes King of JudahAmaziah’s son Azariah began reigning during the twenty-seventh year of the reign of Jeroboam, king of Israel.

⁷ Later, Azariah died, as had his ancestors, and they buried him with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Jotham then reigned in his place.

³² Jotham’s Reign over JudahUzziah’s son Jotham became king over Judah during the second year of the reign of Remaliah’s son Pekah, king of Israel.

¹ Hezekiah Becomes King of Judah
Now it happened that during the third year of the reign of Elah’s son Hoshea, king of Israel, that Ahaz’ son Hezekiah became king. ² He was 25 years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for 29 years. His mother was Zechariah’s daughter Abi. ³ He did what the LORD considered to be right, according to everything that his ancestor David had done.
⁴ Hezekiah’s Reforms
He removed the high places, demolished the sacred pillars, and tore down the Asherah poles. He also demolished the bronze serpent that Moses had crafted, because the Israelis had been burning incense to it right up until that time. Hezekiah called it a piece of brass. ⁵ He trusted the LORD God of Israel, and after him there were none like him among all the kings of Judah, ⁶ because he depended on the LORD, not abandoning pursuit of him, and keeping the LORD’s commands that he had commanded Moses. ⁷ So the LORD was with him, and Hezekiah prospered wherever he went, even when he rebelled against the king of Assyria, refusing to serve him. ⁸ He attacked the Philistines, invading Gaza and its borders from watchtower to fortified garrison.
⁹ Shalmaneser Attacks SamariaIn the fourth year of King Hezekiah’s reign (that is, during the seventh year of Elah’s son Hoshea’s reign as king of Israel), King Shalmaneser from Assyria invaded Samaria and besieged it. ¹⁰ Three years later, they captured Samaria during the sixth year of Hezekiah’s reign, which was the ninth year of Hoshea’s reign as king of Israel. ¹¹ After this, the king of Assyria carried Israel off into exile in Assyria, settling them in Halah, on the Habor River in Gozan, and in cities controlled by the Medes, ¹² because they would not obey the voice of the LORD their God. Instead, they transgressed his covenant, including everything that Moses, the servant of the LORD, had commanded, by neither listening nor putting what he had commanded into practice.
¹³ During the fourteenth year of the reign of King Hezekiah, King Sennacherib of Assyria approached all of the walled cities of Judah and seized them. ¹⁴ So Hezekiah sent this message to the king of Assyria at Lachish: “I have offended you. Withdraw from me, and I’ll accept whatever tribute you impose.” So the king of Assyria required Hezekiah to pay him 300 talents of silver and 30 talents of gold. ¹⁵ Hezekiah gave him all the silver that could be removed from the LORD’s Temple and from the treasuries in the king’s palace. ¹⁶ At that time, Hezekiah removed the doors to the LORD’s Temple and the doorposts that he had overlaid with gold, and gave the gold to the king of Assyria.
¹⁷ Assyria’s King Taunts Hezekiah
Sometime later, the king of Assyria sent Tartan, Rab-saris, and Rab-shakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem, accompanied with a large army. ¹⁸ When they called for the king, Hilkiah’s son Eliakim, who managed the household, Shebnah the scribe, and Asaph’s son Joah the recorder went out to them. ¹⁹ Rab-shakeh told them, “Tell Hezekiah right now, ‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria says: ‘“Why are you so confident? ²⁰ You’re saying—but they’re only empty words—‘I have enough advice and resources to conduct warfare!’‘“Now who are you relying on, that you have rebelled against me? ²¹ Look, you’re trusting on Egypt to lean on like a staff, but it’s a crushed reed, and if you lean on it, it will collapse and pierce your hand. Pharaoh, king of Egypt, is just like that to everyone who relies on him!

¹ Isaiah Encourages HezekiahWhen King Hezekiah heard Eliakim’s report, he tore his clothes, put on a sackcloth covering, entered the LORD’s Temple, ² and sent Eliakim the household supervisor, Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests—all of them covered in sackcloth—to Amoz’s son, the prophet Isaiah. ³ They announced to him: “This is what Hezekiah says: ‘Today is a day of trouble, rebuke, and blasphemy, because children are about to be born, but there is no strength to bring them to birth. ⁴ Perhaps the LORD your God will take note of everything that Rab-shakeh has said, whom his master the king of Assyria sent to taunt the living God, and then he will rebuke the words that the LORD your God has heard. Therefore offer a prayer for the survivors who remain.’”
⁵ That is how the King Hezekiah’s servants approached Isaiah.
⁶ In reply, Isaiah responded to them, “Here’s how you’re to report to your master: ‘This is what the LORD says: “Never be afraid of the words that you have heard by which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. ⁷ Look! I’m going to cause an attitude to grow within him so that he’ll hear a rumor and return to his own territory, where I’ll make him die by the sword in his own land!”’”
⁸ Sennacherib Defies God
So Rab-shakeh returned and found the king of Assyria at war with Libnah, because Rab-shakeh had heard that the king had left Lachish. ⁹ When he heard that it was being said about King Tirhakah of Ethiopia, “Look! He has come out to attack you!” he again sent messengers to Hezekiah.
The messengers were told, ¹⁰ “This is what you are to say to King Hezekiah of Judah: ‘Don’t let your God in whom you trust deceive you by telling you “Jerusalem won’t be turned over to the control of Assyria’s king.” ¹¹ ‘Look! you’ve heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the lands—they completely destroyed them! Will you be spared? ¹² Did the gods of those nations whom my ancestors destroyed deliver them, including Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and Eden’s descendants in Telassar? ¹³ Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sephar-vaim, the king of Hena, or the king of Ivvah?’”
¹⁴ Hezekiah’s Prayer for HelpHezekiah took the messages from the couriers, read them, went up to the LORD’s Temple, and laid them out in the presence of the LORD. ¹⁵ Then Hezekiah prayed in the presence of the LORD, “LORD God of Israel! You live between the cherubim! You alone are the God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have fashioned the heavens and the earth. ¹⁶ Turn your ear, LORD, and listen! Open your eyes, LORD, and observe! Listen to the message sent by Sennacherib to insult the living God! ¹⁷ Truly, LORD, the kings of Assyria have devastated nations and their territories, ¹⁸ throwing their gods into the fire, since they weren’t gods but rather were the product of men’s handiwork—wood and stone. And so they destroyed them. ¹⁹ Now, LORD our God, I’m praying that you will deliver us from his control, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, LORD, are God!”
²⁰ God’s Answer through Isaiah the ProphetThen Amoz’s son Isaiah sent word to Hezekiah, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel says: ‘Because you have prayed to me about King Sennacherib of Assyria, I have listened.’”
²¹ “This is what the LORD has spoken against him: ‘She despises and mocks you, this virgin daughter of Zion! Behind your back she shakes her head, this daughter of Jerusalem!

¹ Hezekiah’s Sickness and Recovery
During this time, Hezekiah became sick with a fatal illness, so Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, approached him and told him, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your household in order, because you are dying. You will not survive.’”
² So Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD. ³ “Remember me, LORD,” he said, “how I have walked in your presence with integrity, with an undivided heart, and I have accomplished what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept deeply.
⁴ Before Isaiah had left the middle court, this message from the LORD came to him. ⁵ “Return to Hezekiah,” he said, “and tell the Commander-in-Chief of my people: ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your ancestor David, says: “I’ve heard your prayer and I’ve observed your tears. Look! I’m healing you. Three days from now, you’ll go visit the LORD’s Temple. ⁶ Furthermore, I’ll add fifteen years to your life. I’ll deliver you and this city from domination by the king of Assyria, and I’ll defend this city for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.”’”
⁷ Isaiah said, “Take a fig cake.” So some attendants took it, laid it on Hezekiah’s boil, and he recovered.
⁸ Now Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, “What is to be the sign that the LORD is healing me and that I’ll be going up to the LORD’s Temple three days from now?”
⁹ So Isaiah replied, “This will be your sign from the LORD that the LORD will do what he has promised. Shall the shadow go forward ten steps or go back ten steps?”
¹⁰ Hezekiah answered, “It’s an easy thing for a shadow to lengthen ten steps. So let the shadow go backward ten steps.”
¹¹ So Isaiah cried out to the LORD, who brought the shadow back ten steps after it had gone down the stairway of Ahaz.
¹² Hezekiah Shows His Treasure to the Babylonian EnvoysSome time later, Berodach-baladan, the son of King Baladan of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, because he had heard that Hezekiah had been ill. ¹³ Hezekiah listened to the entourage and showed them his entire treasury, including the silver, gold, and spices, the precious oil, his armory, and everything that was inventoried in his treasuries. There was nothing in his household or in his holdings that Hezekiah did not show them.
¹⁴ Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and asked him, “What did these men have to say, and where did they come from?”
Hezekiah replied, “They came from a country far away—from Babylon.”
¹⁵ He asked, “What did they see in your household?”
Hezekiah answered, “They have seen everything. In my household there is nothing in my treasuries that I haven’t shown them.”
¹⁶ Then Isaiah replied to Hezekiah, “Listen to this message from the LORD: ¹⁷ ‘Watch out! The days are coming when everything that’s in your house—everything that your ancestors have saved up right to this day—will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left,’ declares the LORD. ¹⁸ ‘Some of your descendants—your very own seed, whom you will father—will be carried away to become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.’”
¹⁹ At this, Hezekiah replied to Isaiah, “What you’ve spoken from the LORD is good,” because he had been thinking, “Why not, as long as there’s peace and security in my lifetime…?”
²⁰ Now the rest of Hezekiah’s actions, as well as his glorious deeds, including how he constructed the pool and the conduit to bring water into the city, are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah, are they not? ²¹ Hezekiah died, as did his ancestors, and his son Manasseh became king in his place.

¹ Uzziah Succeeds Amaziah
All the people of Judah made Uzziah king in place of his father Amaziah. Uzziah was sixteen years old at the time. ² He rebuilt Eloth and restored it to Judah after King Amaziah had been laid to rest with his ancestors. ³ Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned for 52 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah. She was from Jerusalem. ⁴ He practiced what the LORD considered to be right, following the example set by his father Amaziah’s accomplishments. ⁵ Uzziah kept on seeking God during the lifetime of Zechariah, who taught him how to fear God, and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosperous.
⁶ Uzziah’s Initial SuccessesOne time Uzziah went out and battled the Philistines. He tore down the walls of Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod, and built cities in the Ashdod area among the Philistines. ⁷ God helped Uzziah defeat the Philistines, the Arabians who lived in Gur-baal, and the Meunites. ⁸ The Ammonites paid tribute to Uzziah, and his reputation extended as far as the border with Egypt as he became stronger and stronger. ⁹ Uzziah also built towers in Jerusalem, at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate, and at the Angle and fortified them. ¹⁰ He also built watchtowers in the wilderness and had many cisterns hewed out, since he also possessed large herds, both in the Shephelah and in the midland plains. He had many farmers and vinedressers throughout the hills and fertile lands because he loved farming.
¹¹ Uzziah kept a standing army, equipped for battle, garrisoned in divisions according to an organizational structure devised by his royal secretary Jeiel and his officer Maaseiah, who reported to Hananiah, one of the king’s commanders. ¹² The number of senior leaders of the ancestral houses of his elite forces numbered 2,600. ¹³ Uzziah commanded an army of 307,500 who could fight formidably on behalf of the king against any enemy. ¹⁴ In addition, Uzziah equipped the entire army with shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows, and stones for use in slings. ¹⁵ He also had various siege engines built by skilled designers and placed them on the towers and on the corner ramparts that could fire arrows and very large stones. His reputation spread far and wide, and he was marvelously assisted until he grew very strong.
¹⁶ Uzziah’s Arrogance and Apostasy
But after he had become strong, in his arrogance he acted corruptly and became unfaithful to the LORD his God, and he dared to enter the LORD’s Temple to burn incense on the incense altar. ¹⁷ Azariah the priest ran after him, along with 80 of the LORD’s valiant priests, ¹⁸ and they opposed King Uzziah. “Uzziah, it’s not for you to burn incense to the LORD,” they told him, “but for the priests to do, Aaron’s descendants who are consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary now, because you have been unfaithful and won’t receive any honor from the LORD God.”
¹⁹ Uzziah flew into a rage while he held in his hand a censer to burn incense. As he got angry at the priests, leprosy broke out all over his forehead right in front of the priests beside the incense altar in the LORD’s Temple. ²⁰ So Azariah the chief priest and all the priests stared at Uzziah, who was infected with leprosy in his forehead! They all rushed at him and hurried him out of the Temple. Uzziah was in a hurry to get out anyway, because the LORD had struck him.
²¹ King Uzziah remained a leper until the day he died. Because he was a leper, he lived in a separate residence and remained disqualified to enter the LORD’s Temple. His son Jotham served in the royal palace, judging the people of the land. ²² Now the rest of Uzziah’s accomplishments, from first to last, have been recorded by Amoz’s son Isaiah the prophet. ²³ Uzziah died, as had his ancestors, and they buried him alongside his ancestors in a grave in a field that belonged to the kings, because they said, “He was a leper.” Uzziah’s son Jotham became king to replace him.

¹ Jotham Succeds Uzziah
Jotham was 25 years old when he began his reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother was Zadok’s daughter Jerusha. ² He practiced what the LORD considered to be right, just as his father Uzziah had done, even though he did not enter the Temple. Nevertheless, the people continued acting corruptly.
³ Jotham constructed the Upper Gate of the LORD’s Temple and did extensive work on the wall of Ophel. ⁴ He also built cities in the hill country of Judah, along with fortresses and guard towers in the forests. ⁵ He launched a military excursion against the king of the Ammonites and defeated him. As a result, that year the Ammonites paid 100 talents of silver in tribute, as well as 10,000 kors of wheat and 10,000 kors of barley. The Ammonites continued to pay this same amount in tribute over the following two years. ⁶ Jotham grew in power because he had determined to live his life in the presence of the LORD his God. ⁷ The rest of the accomplishments of Jotham’s reign, including all of his military exploits and campaigns, are recorded in the book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. ⁸ He started his reign at the age of 25 years and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. ⁹ Then Jotham died, as had his fathers, and he was buried in the City of David. His son Ahaz became king in his place.

¹ Ahaz Succeds Jotham
Ahaz was 20 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned 16 years in Jerusalem, but he did not practice what the LORD considered to be right, as his ancestor David had done. ² Instead, he lived like the kings of Israel did. He cast metal images of Baal, ³ burned incense in the Ben-hinnom Valley, and burned his sons as an offering, following the detestable activities of the nations whom the LORD had expelled in front of the people of Israel. ⁴ He sacrificed and burned incense on high places, on the top of hills, and under every green tree.
⁵ Aram and Israel Defeat Judah
As a result, the LORD his God handed Ahaz over to the king of Aram, who defeated him and took a large number of captives away to Damascus. Ahaz was also delivered over to the control of the King of Israel, who defeated him with many heavy casualties. ⁶ Remaliah’s son Pekah killed 120,000 soldiers in a single day, all of them elite forces, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their ancestors. ⁷ Zichri, a valiant soldier from Ephraim, killed the king’s son Maaseiah, Azrikam, the palace manager, and Elkanah, who was second in rank to the king. ⁸ The Israelis carried away 200,000 women, sons, and daughters from among their own relatives. They also took a great deal of plunder, and brought it all to Samaria.
⁹ Oded the Prophet Rebukes IsraelBut a prophet of the LORD was there named Oded. He went out to greet the army as it arrived in Samaria. He warned them, “Look! Because the LORD God of your ancestors was angry at Judah, he delivered them into your control, but you have killed them with a vehemence that has reached all the way to heaven! ¹⁰ Now you’re intending to make the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem to be your slaves. Surely you have your own sins against the LORD your God for which you’re accountable, don’t you? ¹¹ So listen to me! Return the captives whom you’ve captured from your brothers, because the anger of the LORD is burning hot against you!”
¹² Some of the leaders of the descendants of Ephraim, including Johanan’s son Azariah, Meshillemoth’s son Berechiah, Shallum’s son Jehizkiah, and Hadlai’s son Amasa, stood up to the army as they were coming back from the battle ¹³ and told them, “Don’t bring those captives here! You’ll bring even more guilt on us from the LORD, in addition to our own existing sin and guilt! He’s already mad enough against Israel because of our guilt!”
¹⁴ So the army abandoned the captives and the war booty in front of the officers and the entire assembled retinue. ¹⁵ After this, some men who were chosen by name took charge of the captives, clothed those who were naked with clothes appropriated from the war booty, gave them clothes and sandals, fed them, gave them something to drink, anointed them with oil, provided those who weren’t able to walk with donkeys to ride on, and took them back to their relatives at Jericho, the city of palm trees. Then they returned to Samaria.
¹⁶ Assyria Plunders the Temple
Right about then, King Ahaz sent for help from the kings of Assyria ¹⁷ because the Edomites had invaded, attacked Judah, and carried off some captives. ¹⁸ The Philistines also invaded some of the cities in the Shephelah and in the Negev of Judah. They captured Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco, and their surrounding villages, Timnah and its villages, and Gimzo and its villages. Then the Philistines settled there, ¹⁹ because the LORD was humiliating Judah because of King Ahaz of Israel, since Ahaz had brought about a lack of restraint within Judah and had remained unfaithful to the LORD. ²⁰ King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria attacked Ahaz and, instead of helping him, attacked him. ²¹ Even though Ahaz took some of the assets belonging to the LORD’s Temple from the royal palace, and from the palaces belonging to the princes, and gave them to the king of Assyria, none of his gifts did any good.
²² The Apostasy and Death of Ahaz
In the midst of his troubles, King Ahaz became more and more unfaithful to the LORD. ²³ He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus that had defeated him, reasoning, “The gods of the kings of Aram helped them, so I’ll sacrifice to them so they will help me!” But those gods brought about his downfall, and the downfall of all of Israel, too. ²⁴ Ahaz also collected the utensils of God’s Temple, cut them all into pieces, and closed the doors of the LORD’s Temple. Then he made altars to himself on every corner in Jerusalem ²⁵ and established high places in every city of Judah where incense was burned to other gods, thus provoking the LORD God of his ancestors to anger. ²⁶ The rest of his accomplishments, and records of everything he did from first to last are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. ²⁷ So Ahaz died, as had his ancestors, and he was buried in the city of Jerusalem, but they didn’t bury him among the tombs of the kings of Israel. Ahaz’s son Hezekiah reigned in his place.

¹ Hezekiah Succeeds Ahaz
Hezekiah began his reign at the age of 25. He reigned for 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah, Zechariah’s daughter. ² He practiced what the LORD considered to be right, following all of the examples set by his ancestor David.
³ Hezekiah’s Temple Restoration Project
In the first month of the first year of his reign he repaired and reopened the doors of the LORD’s Temple. ⁴ Then he brought in the priests and descendants of Levi, gathered them into the square in the eastern part of the Temple, ⁵ and told them, “Pay attention to me, you descendants of Levi! Consecrate yourselves and the Temple of the LORD God of your ancestors by taking out from the Holy Place whatever is unclean. ⁶ Our ancestors have been unfaithful. They practiced what the LORD considers to be evil, abandoned him, turned their faces away from the place where the LORD resides, and turned their backs to him. ⁷ They shut the doors to the vestibule of the Temple, extinguished its lamps, and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel in the Holy Place. ⁸ That’s why the LORD was angry with Judah and Jerusalem and made them an object of terror, horror, and derision, as you’ve seen with your own eyes. ⁹ Now look! Our ancestors have been killed with swords and our sons, daughters, and wives are being held captive because of all of this. ¹⁰ I’m intending to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel so his burning anger may turn away from us. ¹¹ Please don’t be careless, you descendants of Aaron, because the LORD has chosen you to minister in his presence, to serve him, to be his ministers, and to burn incense.”
¹² Here are the names of the descendants of Levi who made themselves available to God: Amasai’s son Mahath and Azariah’s son Joel from the descendants of Kohath; Abdi’s son Kish and Jehallelel’s son Azariah from the descendants of Merari; Zimmah’s son Joah and Joah’s son Eden from the descendants of Gershon; ¹³ Elizaphan’s sons Shimri and Jeiel; Asaph’s sons Zechariah and Mattaniah; ¹⁴ Heman’s sons Jehiel and Shimei; and Jeduthun’s sons Shemaiah and Uzziel. ¹⁵ They also brought together their brothers, consecrated themselves, and proceeded to cleanse the LORD’s Temple, just as the king had ordered in accordance with what the LORD had told him. ¹⁶ The priests entered the inner courts of the LORD’s Temple to cleanse it, and they brought out everything unclean that they found there to the outer court of the LORD’s Temple. Then the descendants of Levi carried everything from there out to the Kidron Valley. ¹⁷ They began their consecration duties on the first day of the first month and finished at the LORD’s outer vestibule on the eighth day of the month. Another eight days was used to consecrate the LORD’s Temple, so they completed the work on the sixteenth day of the first month.
¹⁸ After this, they went to King Hezekiah and told him, “We have cleansed all of the LORD’s Temple, including the altar for burnt offerings, all of its utensils, the table of showbread, and all of its utensils. ¹⁹ In addition, we have prepared and rededicated all of the utensils that King Ahaz threw away during his unfaithful reign, and now they’re back in service at the LORD’s altar.”
²⁰ Temple Worship is RestoredEarly the next morning, King Hezekiah got up and assembled the city officials and went up to the LORD’s Temple, ²¹ where they brought seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats for a sin offering on behalf of the kingdom, the Holy Place, and Judah. He ordered that the priests, as descendants of Aaron, place the offerings on the LORD’s altar. ²² So they slaughtered the bulls and the priests sprinkled the blood on the altar. They also slaughtered the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar, and they also slaughtered the lambs and sprinkled the blood on the altar. ²³ They brought the male goats for the sin offering to the king within the assembled gathering, laid their hands on them, ²⁴ and then the priests slaughtered them and purged the altar with their blood as a sin offering to atone for all Israel, because the king ordered that the burnt offering and the sin offering be made for all Israel.
²⁵ Hezekiah stationed descendants of Levi in the LORD’s Temple to play cymbals and stringed instruments, just as David, Gad the seer, and Nathan the prophet had directed, because the command to do so was from the LORD through those prophets. ²⁶ The descendants of Levi played instruments that had been crafted by David and the priests sounded trumpets.
²⁷ Hezekiah gave a command to offer burnt offerings on the altar, and when the burnt offerings began, a song to the LORD also began with trumpets sounding and with the instruments that King David of Israel had crafted. ²⁸ Everybody in the assembly worshipped, the singers sang, and the trumpets sounded. They continued doing this until the burnt offering sacrifice was completed. ²⁹ When the sacrifices had been offered, the king and everyone else who was present with him bowed down and worshipped. ³⁰ King Hezekiah and his officials ordered the descendants of Levi to sing praises to the LORD based on psalms that had been written by David and Asaph the seer. So they all joyfully sang praises, bowed low, and worshipped.
³¹ After this, Hezekiah announced, “Now that you’ve consecrated yourselves to the LORD, come near and bring your sacrifices and thanksgiving offerings to the LORD’s Temple. So the assembly brought sacrifices and thanksgiving offerings, and everyone who was willing to do so brought burnt offerings. ³² The number of burnt offerings brought by the assembly was 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs. All of these were burnt offerings to the LORD. ³³ The consecrated offerings numbered 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep.

¹ Israel Celebrates the PassoverHezekiah also sent word to all of Israel and Judah, and wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh that they should come to the LORD’s Temple in Jerusalem to observe the Passover to the LORD God of Israel. ² The king, his princes, and the entire assembly in Jerusalem had mutually decided to observe the Passover in the second month, ³ but they had been unable to celebrate it then because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not yet been gathered together in Jerusalem. ⁴ This decision seemed to be a good one in the opinion of the king and of the entire assembly, ⁵ so they published a decree that was circulated throughout Israel from Beer-sheba to Dan that they are to come celebrate the Passover to the LORD God of Israel in Jerusalem. The Passover had not been celebrated in great numbers as was being prescribed by the decree.
⁶ Couriers were sent throughout all of Israel and Judah with letters written by the king and his princes, just as the king had commanded: “Listen, you descendants of Israel! Come back to the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so he may come back to those of you who have escaped and survived from domination by the kings of Assyria. ⁷ Don’t be like your ancestors and your relatives, who weren’t faithful to the LORD God of their ancestors, who, as a result, made them a desolate horror, as you well know. ⁸ So don’t be stiff-necked like your ancestors were. Instead, submit to the LORD, enter his sanctuary that he has sanctified forever, and serve the LORD your God so that he’ll stop being angry with you. ⁹ If you return to the LORD, your relatives and children will receive compassion from those who took them away captive, and they’ll return to this land, because the LORD is both gracious and compassionate—he will not turn away from you if you return to him.”
¹⁰ Couriers crossed from city to city throughout the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun, but those people just mocked them and laughed at them. ¹¹ Nevertheless, a few men from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and traveled to Jerusalem. ¹² God also poured out his grace throughout Judah, giving them a dedicated heart to do what the king and princes had decreed according to the message from the LORD. ¹³ Many of the people gathered together in Jerusalem to observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread during the second month. It was a very large assembly. ¹⁴ They all got to work and removed the idolatrous altars that were throughout Jerusalem. They also removed all the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Brook. ¹⁵ Then they slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month.
The priests and descendants of Levi felt ashamed of themselves, so they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the LORD’s Temple. ¹⁶ Then they took their customary places, as the Law of Moses the man of God prescribes, and the priests sprinkled the blood that they were given by the descendants of Levi. ¹⁷ Because there were so many in the assembly that had not consecrated themselves, therefore the descendants of Levi supervised the slaughter of the Passover sacrifices on behalf of everyone who remained unclean, so they could be consecrated to the LORD. ¹⁸ Even though a large crowd of people from as far away as Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not completed consecrating themselves, they still ate the Passover in a manner not proscribed by the Law, because Hezekiah had prayed like this for them: “May the good LORD extend a pardon on behalf of ¹⁹ everyone who prepares his own heart to seek God, the LORD God of his ancestors, even though he does so inconsistent with the laws of consecration.” ²⁰ The LORD listened to Hezekiah and healed the people.
²¹ The Festival of Unleavened Bread is ObservedThe Israelis who were present in Jerusalem observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days with immense gladness, and the descendants of Levi and priests praised the LORD throughout each day, singing mightily to the LORD. ²² Hezekiah encouraged all the descendants of Levi who demonstrated significant insight in their service to the LORD, so they all participated in the festival meals for seven days, all the while sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the LORD God of their ancestors. ²³ After this, the whole assembly agreed to celebrate for another seven days, and so they did—and they were very happy to do so! ²⁴ King Hezekiah of Judah gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep for offerings, and the princes contributed 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep, and a large number of priests consecrated themselves.
²⁵ Everyone in the assembly of Judah rejoiced, as did the priests, the descendants of Levi, and the people who gathered together from throughout Israel, including those who came from the land of Israel and those who lived in Judah. ²⁶ There was great joy throughout Jerusalem, because nothing had happened like this in Jerusalem since the days of David’s son Solomon, king of Israel. ²⁷ After this, the priests arose, blessed the people, and their voices were heard in prayer all the way to heaven, where God resides in holiness.

¹ Idols are Eliminated from Judah
At the conclusion of all of these activities, everybody in Israel who was in attendance traveled throughout the cities of Judah, broke down the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherim, and broke down the high places and altars throughout the territories of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh until they had eliminated all of them. Then the people of Israel went back to their cities and back to their work.
² Hezekiah Continues His ReformsHezekiah appointed the priestly divisions and the divisions of the descendants of Levi, each according to their service duties, including both priests and descendants of Levi who offered morning and evening burnt offerings, peace offerings, general ministry, thanksgiving, and praise in the gateways to the LORD’s campgrounds. ³ He also gave a portion of his own income for both morning and evening burnt offerings, for burnt offerings on the Sabbath, New Moons, and for the scheduled festivals, as is recorded in the LORD’s Law. ⁴ Hezekiah also directed the people who lived in Jerusalem to give what was due to the priests and descendants of Levi, so they could be strengthened in the LORD’s Law. ⁵ As the word spread around, the people of Israel gave generously for the first fruits of grain, wine, oil, honey, and all of the produce of the fields. They generously gave a tithe of everything. ⁶ The descendants of Israel and Judah who lived throughout the cities of Judah also brought tithes of cattle and sheep, as well as tithes of gifts that had been dedicated to the LORD their God.
As these gifts were given, they were laid in piles. ⁷ They began to make these piles of gifts during the third month, and it took them until the seventh month to finish. ⁸ When Hezekiah and the officials arrived and saw the piles of gifts, they blessed the LORD and his people Israel, ⁹ and Hezekiah quizzed the priests and the descendants of Levi about the piles of gifts. ¹⁰ Azariah replied, “Since they began to bring their gifts into the LORD’s Temple, we have eaten and have been satisfied. Now we still have plenty left, because the LORD has blessed his people so that we have all of this left over.”
¹¹ The Priests and Descendants of Levi ReorganizedHezekiah gave an order to prepare storerooms in the LORD’s Temple, and so they did. ¹² They faithfully brought in the gifts, tithes, and consecrated materials, and Conaniah the descendant of Levi was placed in charge of them. His brother Shimei was second in command, ¹³ Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah served as supervisors under Conaniah and his brother Shimei, who had been appointed by King Hezekiah. Azariah served as senior officer of God’s Temple. ¹⁴ Imnah the descendant of Levi’s son Kore, keeper of the eastern gate, was in charge of voluntary offerings to God, apportioning contributions for the LORD and the most holy things. ¹⁵ Under his authority, Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah served in the priestly cities, making sure contributions were distributed faithfully to their relatives division by division, no matter how large or how small, ¹⁶ without regard to genealogical enrollment, to every male 30 years old and older—that is, to everyone who entered the LORD’s Temple as their duty obligations required—for their work and duties according to their divisions ¹⁷ as well as the priests who were enrolled in the genealogies according to their ancestral households. ¹⁸ These genealogical enrollments also included all of their little children, their wives, and their sons and daughters for the entire assembly, because they were being faithful to consecrating themselves in holiness. ¹⁹ Furthermore, with respect to the descendants of Aaron, that is, the priests who lived out in the country away from the cities, or who lived in each and every city, men were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone who had been enrolled by genealogy among the descendants of Levi.
²⁰ Hezekiah did this throughout all of Judah, and he acted well, doing what the LORD his God considered to be right and true. ²¹ Everything that Hezekiah began in the service of God’s Temple was done according to the Law and to the commandments as he sought his God, worked with all of his heart, and became successful.

¹ Sennacherib Invades Judah
After all of these acts of faithfulness occurred, King Sennacherib of Assyria came, invaded Judah, and laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself. ² As soon as Hezekiah learned that Sennacherib had arrived and had determined to attack Jerusalem, ³ he developed a plan with his commanders and his elite forces to cut off the water supply from the springs that were outside the city, and they helped him to carry it out. ⁴ Many people gathered together and plugged up all the springs, along with the stream that flowed through the region. They were thinking to themselves, “Why should the Assyrian kings invade and discover an abundant water supply?”
⁵ Hezekiah took courage and rebuilt all of the walls that had been broken down. Then he erected watch towers on them, and added another external wall. He fortified the terrace ramparts in the City of David and prepared a large number of weapons and shields. ⁶ He appointed military officers to take charge of the people, who gathered them together in the square near the city gate and spoke to them encouragingly, ⁷ “Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or disheartened because of the king of Assyria or because of the army that accompanies him, because the one who is with us is greater than the one with him. ⁸ He only has the strength of his own flesh, but the LORD our God is with us to help us and to fight our battles.” So the people were encouraged from what King Hezekiah of Judah told them.
⁹ Sennacherib Blasphemes God
After this, King Sennacherib of Assyria sent his messengers to Jerusalem while he was in the middle of a vigorous attack on Lachish. They delivered this message to King Hezekiah of Judah and to all the people of Judah who had gathered in Jerusalem: ¹⁰ “This is what King Sennacherib of Assyria says: ‘What are you leaning on that makes you stay behind while Jerusalem comes under siege? ¹¹ Isn’t Hezekiah lying to you so he can hand you over to die by famine and thirst? After all, he’s telling you “The LORD our God will deliver us from the king of Assyria’s control.” ¹² Isn’t this the very same Hezekiah who removed this god’s high places and altars? Isn’t this the same Hezekiah who issued this order to Judah and Jerusalem: “You are to worship in front of only one altar and burn your sacrifices only on it.”? ¹³ Don’t you know what my predecessors have done to all the other people in other lands? Were the gods of the people who lived in those lands able to deliver their countries out of my control? ¹⁴ What god, out of all the gods of those nations that my predecessors utterly destroyed, has been able to deliver his people from my control or from the control of my predecessors? ¹⁵ Now therefore, don’t let Hezekiah lie to you or mislead you like this. Don’t believe him, because no god of any nation has been able to deliver his people from my control or from the control of my predecessors. So how much less will your God deliver you from me?’”
¹⁶ King Sennacherib’s spokesmen said even worse things against the LORD God and against his servant Hezekiah.
¹⁷ Sennacherib also wrote letters like this that insulted and slandered the LORD God of Israel: “Just as the gods of the nations in other lands haven’t delivered their people from my control, so also the god of Hezekiah won’t deliver his people from me!” ¹⁸ His spokesmen shouted these things out with loud voices in the language of Judah to frighten and terrify the people of Jerusalem who were stationed on the city walls, to make it easier to conquer the city. ¹⁹ In doing so, they spoke about the God of Jerusalem as if he were like the gods of the nations of the earth that are made by the hands of human beings.
²⁰ Sennacherib is Defeated and Killed
Meanwhile, King Hezekiah and Amoz’s son Isaiah the prophet were praying about this and crying out to heaven. ²¹ So the LORD sent an angel, who eliminated all of the elite forces, commanders, and officers within the encampment of the king of Assyria. As a result, he retreated to his own country, deeply ashamed and humiliated. When he visited the temple of his god, some of his sons killed him right there with swords. ²² That’s how the LORD delivered Hezekiah, as well as those who lived in Jerusalem, from Assyria’s King Sennacherib and all his forces, and provided for all of their needs. ²³ Many brought gifts to the LORD in Jerusalem and brought presents to King Hezekiah of Judah. As a result, he was exalted in the opinion of all nations thereafter.
²⁴ Hezekiah’s Illness and Recovery
During this time Hezekiah became critically ill, and he prayed to the LORD. The LORD spoke to him and gave him a sign. ²⁵ But Hezekiah’s response wasn’t commensurate with what had been done for him because he was arrogant in heart, so wrath came upon him, upon Judah, and upon Jerusalem. ²⁶ But Hezekiah humbled himself while he was arrogant in heart, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem joined him in this. As a result, the LORD’s wrath did not come upon them during Hezekiah’s lifetime.
²⁷ Hezekiah’s Wealth and Accomplishments
Hezekiah received immense wealth and honor. He built treasuries for himself to store silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and all sorts of valuable items, ²⁸ along with storage facilities for grain, wine, oil, stalls for all sorts of cattle, and sheepfolds for his flocks. ²⁹ He also built cities for himself and stored up flocks and herds in abundance, because God had given him great riches. ³⁰ Hezekiah stopped up the upper outlet of the Gihon springs and diverted them down to the western side of the City of David. He prospered in everything he did.
³¹ Hezekiah’s Heart is Tested by GodLater on, envoys came from the princes of Babylon to inquire about the miracle that had happened in the land. God left Hezekiah to himself, so that he might make known what was really in Hezekiah’s heart. ³² Now the rest of Hezekiah’s accomplishments and his faithful deeds are recorded in the vision of Amoz’s son Isaiah the prophet, and in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. ³³ Hezekiah died, as had his fathers, and they buried him in the upper part of the tombs of the descendants of David. All of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. But his son Manasseh reigned in his place.

¹⁹ God’s Describes His AnointedYou spoke to your faithful ones through a vision: “I will set a helper over a warrior. I will raise up a chosen one from the people.

¹ A Message for Judah and JerusalemThe message that Amoz’s son Isaiah received concerning Judah and Jerusalem:

¹ Holy is the LORDIn the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne, high and exalted. The train of his robe filled the Temple.

¹ The Message to AhazDuring the reign of Jotham’s son Ahaz, Uzziah’s grandson, king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and Remaliah’s son Pekah, king of Israel, approached Jerusalem and waged war against it, but they could not mount an attack against it.

¹ The Destruction of BabylonA message that Amoz’s son Isaiah received about Babylon:

² A dire vision has been announced to me: the traitor betrays, and the plunderer takes loot. Get up, Elam! Attack, Media! I am putting a stop to all the groaning she has caused.

⁹ Here is Your God“Climb up a high mountain, you messenger of good news to Zion! Lift up your voice with strength, you messenger to Jerusalem! Lift it up! Don’t be afraid! Say to the towns of Judah, ‘Here is your God!’

¹⁶ This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: “Don’t listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you; they’re giving you false hopes. They declare visions from their own minds— they don’t come from the LORD!

¹ The Word of the LORD to HoseaA message from the LORD came to Beeri’s son Hosea during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the reign of Joash’s son Jeroboam, who was king of Israel.

¹ Amos is Called to ProphesyThe words of Amos, who was among the sheep breeders of Tekoa, which he spoke concerning Israel during the reign of Uzziah, king of Judah and during the reign of Joash’s son Jeroboam, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.

¹ God’s Coming JudgmentThis message from the LORD came to Micah of Moresheth during the reigns of the Judean kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah concerning the vision he saw about Samaria and Jerusalem:

¹ Nahum’s VisionA pronouncement about Nineveh: The record of the vision of Nahum from Elkosh.

² God’s Reply to the Prophet’s ComplaintWhen he answered, the LORD told me: “Write out the revelation, engraving it clearly on the tablets, so that a courier may run with it.

⁹ On their way down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Don’t tell anyone about this vision until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

¹⁷ While Peter was still at a loss to know what the vision he had seen could mean, the men sent by Cornelius asked for Simon’s house and went to the gate.

¹⁹ “And so, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.

¹ Paul’s ThornI must boast, although it does not do any good. Let’s talk about visions and revelations from the Lord.

²¹ because no prophecy ever originated through a human decision. Instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.