Daily Mass Readings for June 19, 2026: Gospel — Mt 6,19-23

¹ When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she was determined to destroy the entire royal line. ² So Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, 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 he was hidden from Athaliah and escaped execution. ³ He hid out with his nurse in the Lord’s temple for six years, while Athaliah was ruling over the land. ⁴ In the seventh year Jehoiada summoned the officers of the units of hundreds of the Carians and the royal bodyguard. He met with them in the Lord’s temple. He made an agreement with them and made them swear an oath of allegiance in the Lord’s temple. Then he showed them the king’s son. 9 :¹ Now Elisha the prophet summoned a member of the prophetic guild and told him, “Tuck your robes into your belt, take this container of olive oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead. ² When you arrive there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi and take him aside into an inner room. ³ Take the container of olive oil, pour it over his head, and say, ‘This is what the Lord has said, “I have designated you as king over Israel.”’ Then open the door and run away quickly!” ⁴ So the young prophet went to Ramoth Gilead. ⁵ When he arrived, the officers of the army were sitting there. So he said, “I have a message for you, O officer.” Jehu asked, “For which one of us?” He replied, “For you, O officer.” ⁶ So Jehu got up and went inside. Then the prophet poured the olive oil on his head and said to him, “This is what the Lord God of Israel has said, ‘I have designated you as king over the Lord’s people Israel. ⁷ You will destroy the family of your master Ahab. I will get revenge against Jezebel for the shed blood of my servants the prophets and for the shed blood of all the Lord’s servants. ⁸ Ahab’s entire family will die. I will cut off every last male belonging to Ahab in Israel, including even the weak and incapacitated. ⁹ I will make Ahab’s dynasty like those of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah. 1 ⁰ Dogs will devour Jezebel on the plot of ground in Jezreel; she will not be buried.’” Then he opened the door and ran away. 1 ¹ When Jehu rejoined his master’s servants, they asked him, “Is everything all right? Why did this madman visit you?” He replied, “Ah, it’s not important. You know what kind of man he is and the kinds of things he says.” 1 ² But they said, “You’re lying! Tell us what he said.” So he told them what he had said. He also related how he had said, “This is what the Lord has said, ‘I have designated you as king over Israel.’” 1 ³ Each of them quickly took off his cloak, and they spread them out at Jehu’s feet on the steps. The trumpet was blown and they shouted, “Jehu is king!” 1 ⁴ Then Jehu son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi conspired against Joram.Jehu the AssassinNow Joram had been in Ramoth Gilead with the whole Israelite army, guarding against an invasion by King Hazael of Syria. 1 ⁵ But King Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he received from the Syrians when he fought against King Hazael of Syria. Jehu told his supporters, “If you really want me to be king, then don’t let anyone escape from the city to go and warn Jezreel.” 1 ⁶ Jehu drove his chariot to Jezreel, for Joram was recuperating there. (Now King Ahaziah of Judah had come down to visit Joram.) 1 ⁷ Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and saw Jehu’s troops approaching. He said, “I see troops!” Joram ordered, “Send a rider out to meet them and have him ask, ‘Is everything all right?’” 1 ⁸ So the horseman went to meet him and said, “This is what the king says, ‘Is everything all right?’” Jehu replied, “None of your business! Follow me.” The watchman reported, “The messenger reached them, but hasn’t started back.” 1 ⁹ So he sent a second horseman out to them and he said, “This is what the king says, ‘Is everything all right?’” Jehu replied, “None of your business! Follow me.” 2 ⁰ The watchman reported, “He reached them, but hasn’t started back. The one who drives the lead chariot drives like Jehu son of Nimshi; he drives recklessly.” 2 ¹ Joram ordered, “Hitch up my chariot.” When his chariot had been hitched up, King Joram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah went out in their respective chariots to meet Jehu. They met up with him in the plot of land that had once belonged to Naboth of Jezreel. 2 ² When Joram saw Jehu, he asked, “Is everything all right, Jehu?” He replied, “How can everything be all right as long as your mother Jezebel promotes idolatry and pagan practices?” 2 ³ Joram turned his chariot around and took off. He said to Ahaziah, “It’s a trap, Ahaziah!” 2 ⁴ Jehu aimed his bow and shot an arrow right between Joram’s shoulders. The arrow went through his heart and he fell to his knees in his chariot. 2 ⁵ Jehu ordered his officer Bidkar, “Pick him up and throw him into the part of the field that once belonged to Naboth of Jezreel. Remember, you and I were riding together behind his father, Ahab, when the Lord pronounced this oracle against him, 2 6 ‘“Know for sure that I saw the shed blood of Naboth and his sons yesterday,” says the Lord, “and that I will give you what you deserve right here in this plot of land,” says the Lord.’ So now pick him up and throw him into this plot of land, just as in the Lord’s message.” 2 ⁷ When King Ahaziah of Judah saw what happened, he took off up the road to Beth Haggan. Jehu chased him and ordered, “Shoot him too.” They shot him while he was driving his chariot up the ascent of Gur near Ibleam. He fled to Megiddo and died there. 2 ⁸ His servants took his body back to Jerusalem and buried him in his tomb with his ancestors in the City of David. 2 ⁹ Ahaziah had become king over Judah in the eleventh year of Joram son of Ahab. 3 ⁰ Jehu approached Jezreel. When Jezebel heard the news, she put on some eye liner, fixed up her hair, and leaned out the window. 3 ¹ When Jehu came through the gate, she said, “Is everything all right, Zimri, murderer of his master?” 3 ² He looked up at the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs looked down at him. 3 ³ He said, “Throw her down!” So they threw her down, and when she hit the ground, her blood splattered against the wall and the horses, and Jehu drove his chariot over her. 3 ⁴ He went inside and had a meal. Then he said, “Dispose of this accursed woman’s corpse. Bury her, for after all, she was a king’s daughter.” 3 ⁵ But when they went to bury her, they found nothing left but the skull, feet, and palms of the hands. 3 ⁶ So they went back and told him. Then he said, “It is the fulfillment of the Lord’s message that he had spoken through his servant, Elijah the Tishbite, ‘In the plot of land at Jezreel, dogs will devour Jezebel’s flesh. 3 ⁷ Jezebel’s corpse will be like manure on the surface of the ground in the plot of land at Jezreel. People will not be able to even recognize her.’” 1 0 :¹ Ahab had 7 ⁰ sons living in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the leading officials of Jezreel and to the guardians of Ahab’s dynasty. This is what the letters said, ² “You have with you the sons of your master, chariots and horses, a fortified city, and weapons. So when this letter arrives, ³ pick the best and most capable of your master’s sons, place him on his father’s throne, and defend your master’s dynasty.” ⁴ They were absolutely terrified and said, “Look, two kings could not stop him! How can we?” ⁵ So the palace supervisor, the city commissioner, the leaders, and the guardians sent this message to Jehu, “We are your subjects! Whatever you say, we will do. We will not make anyone king. Do what you consider proper.” ⁶ He wrote them a second letter, saying, “If you are really on my side and are willing to obey me, then take the heads of your master’s sons and come to me in Jezreel at this time tomorrow.” Now the king had 7 ⁰ sons, and the prominent men of the city were raising them. ⁷ When they received the letter, they seized the king’s sons and executed all 7 ⁰ of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to him in Jezreel. ⁸ The messenger came and told Jehu, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” Jehu said, “Stack them in two piles at the entrance of the city gate until morning.” ⁹ In the morning he went out and stood there. Then he said to all the people, “You are innocent. I conspired against my master and killed him. But who struck down all of these men? 1 ⁰ Therefore take note that not one of the Lord’s words which he pronounced against Ahab’s dynasty will fail to materialize. The Lord has done what he announced through his servant Elijah.” 1 ¹ Then Jehu killed all who were left of Ahab’s family in Jezreel, and all his nobles, close friends, and priests. He left no survivors. 1 ² Jehu then left there and set out for Samaria. While he was traveling through Beth Eked of the Shepherds, 1 ³ Jehu encountered the relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah. He asked, “Who are you?” They replied, “We are Ahaziah’s relatives. We have come down to see how the king’s sons and the queen mother’s sons are doing.” 1 ⁴ He said, “Capture them alive!” So they captured them alive and then executed all 4 ² of them by the cistern at Beth Eked. He left no survivors. 1 ⁵ When he left there, he met Jehonadab son of Rekab who had been looking for him. Jehu greeted him and asked, “Are you as committed to me as I am to you?” Jehonadab answered, “I am!” Jehu replied, “If so, give me your hand.” So he offered his hand and Jehu pulled him up into the chariot. 1 ⁶ Jehu said, “Come with me and see how zealous I am for the Lord’s cause.” So he took him along in his chariot. 1 ⁷ He went to Samaria and killed each of Ahab’s remaining family members who were in Samaria until he destroyed them, in keeping with the Lord’s message which he had announced to Elijah. 1 ⁸ Jehu assembled all the people and said to them, “Ahab worshiped Baal a little; Jehu will worship him with great devotion. 1 ⁹ So now, bring to me all the prophets of Baal, as well as all his servants and priests. None of them must be absent, for I am offering a great sacrifice to Baal. Any of them who fails to appear will lose his life.” But Jehu was tricking them so he could destroy the servants of Baal. 2 ⁰ Then Jehu ordered, “Make arrangements for a celebration for Baal.” So they announced it. 2 ¹ Jehu sent invitations throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; not one was absent. They arrived at the temple of Baal and filled it up from end to end. 2 ² Jehu ordered the one who was in charge of the wardrobe, “Bring out robes for all the servants of Baal.” So he brought out robes for them. 2 ³ Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rekab went to the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the servants of Baal, “Make sure there are no servants of the Lord here with you; there must be only servants of Baal.” 2 ⁴ They went inside to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed 8 ⁰ men outside. He had told them, “If any of the men inside gets away, you will pay with your lives!” 2 ⁵ When he finished offering the burnt sacrifice, Jehu ordered the royal guard and officers, “Come in and strike them down! Don’t let any escape!” So the royal guard and officers struck them down with the sword and left their bodies lying there. Then they entered the inner sanctuary of the temple of Baal. 2 ⁶ They hauled out the sacred pillar of the temple of Baal and burned it. 2 ⁷ They demolished the sacred pillar of Baal and the temple of Baal; it is used as a latrine to this very day. 2 ⁸ So Jehu eradicated Baal worship from Israel. 2 ⁹ However, Jehu did not repudiate the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had encouraged Israel to commit; the golden calves remained in Bethel and Dan. 3 ⁰ The Lord said to Jehu, “You have done well. You have accomplished my will and carried out my wishes with regard to Ahab’s dynasty. Therefore four generations of your descendants will rule over Israel.” 3 ¹ But Jehu did not carefully and wholeheartedly obey the law of the Lord God of Israel. He did not repudiate the sins which Jeroboam had encouraged Israel to commit. 3 ² In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel’s territory. Hazael attacked their eastern border. 3 ³ He conquered all the land of Gilead, including the territory of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh, extending all the way from the Aroer in the Arnon Valley through Gilead to Bashan. 3 ⁴ The rest of the events of Jehu’s reign, including all his accomplishments and successes, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 3 ⁵ Jehu passed away and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz replaced him as king. 3 ⁶ Jehu reigned over Israel for 2 ⁸ years in Samaria. 1 1 :⁵ He ordered them, “This is what you must do. One third of the unit that is on duty during the Sabbath will guard the royal palace. ⁶ Another third of you will be stationed at the Foundation Gate. Still another third of you will be stationed at the gate behind the royal guard. You will take turns guarding the palace. ⁷ The two units who are off duty on the Sabbath will guard the Lord’s temple and protect the king. ⁸ You must surround the king. Each of you must hold his weapon in his hand. Whoever approaches your ranks must be killed. You must accompany the king wherever he goes.” ⁹ The officers of the units of hundreds 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, and reported to Jehoiada the priest. 1 ⁰ The priest gave to the officers of the units of hundreds King David’s spears and the shields that were kept in the Lord’s temple. 1 ¹ The royal bodyguard took their stations, 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. 1 ² Jehoiada led out the king’s son and placed on him the crown and the royal insignia. They proclaimed him king and poured olive oil on his head. They clapped their hands and cried out, “Long live the king!” 1 ³ When Athaliah heard the royal guard shout, she joined the crowd at the Lord’s temple. 1 ⁴ Then she saw the king standing by the pillar, according to custom. The officers stood beside the king with their trumpets, and all the people of the land were celebrating and blowing trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed, “Treason, treason!” 1 ⁵ Jehoiada the priest ordered the officers of the units of hundreds, who were in charge of the army, “Bring her outside the temple to the guards. Put to death by the sword anyone who follows her.” The priest gave this order because he had decided she should not be executed in the Lord’s temple. 1 ⁶ They seized her and took her into the precincts of the royal palace through the horses’ entrance. There she was executed. 1 ⁷ Jehoiada then drew up a covenant between the Lord and the king and people, stipulating that they should be loyal to the Lord. 1 ⁸ All the people of the land went and demolished the temple of Baal. They smashed its altars and idols to bits. They killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altar. Jehoiada the priest then placed guards at the Lord’s temple. 1 ⁹ He took the officers of the units of hundreds, the Carians, the royal bodyguard, and all the people of the land, and together they led the king down from the Lord’s temple. They entered the royal palace through the Gate of the Royal Bodyguard, and the king sat down on the royal throne. 2 ⁰ All the people of the land celebrated, for the city had rest now that they had killed Athaliah with the sword in the royal palace. 2 1 (12:1 ) Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign. 1 2 :1 (12:2 ) In Jehu’s seventh year Jehoash became king; he reigned for 4 ⁰ years in Jerusalem. His mother was Zibiah, who was from Beer Sheba. ² Jehoash did what the Lord approved all his days when Jehoiada the priest taught him. ³ But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. ⁴ Jehoash said to the priests, “I place at your disposal all the consecrated silver that has been brought to the Lord’s temple, including the silver collected from the census tax, the silver received from those who have made vows, and all the silver that people have voluntarily contributed to the Lord’s temple. ⁵ The priests should receive the silver they need from the treasurers and repair any damage to the temple they discover.” ⁶ By the twenty-third year of King Jehoash’s reign the priests had still not repaired the damage to the temple. ⁷ So King Jehoash summoned Jehoiada the priest along with the other priests, and said to them, “Why have you not repaired the damage to the temple? Now, take no more silver from your treasurers unless you intend to use it to repair the damage.” ⁸ The priests agreed not to collect silver from the people and relieved themselves of personal responsibility for the temple repairs. ⁹ Jehoiada the priest took a chest and drilled a hole in its lid. He placed it on the right side of the altar near the entrance of the Lord’s temple. The priests who guarded the entrance would put into it all the silver brought to the Lord’s temple. 1 ⁰ When they saw the chest was full of silver, the royal secretary and the high priest counted the silver that had been brought to the Lord’s temple and bagged it up. 1 ¹ They would then hand over the silver that had been weighed to the construction foremen assigned to the Lord’s temple. They hired carpenters and builders to work on the Lord’s temple, 1 ² as well as masons and stonecutters. They bought wood and chiseled stone to repair the damage to the Lord’s temple and also paid for all the other expenses. 1 ³ The silver brought to the Lord’s temple was not used for silver bowls, trimming shears, basins, trumpets, or any kind of gold or silver implements. 1 ⁴ It was handed over to the foremen who used it to repair the Lord’s temple. 1 ⁵ They did not audit the treasurers who disbursed the funds to the foremen, for they were honest. 1 ⁶ (The silver collected in conjunction with reparation offerings and sin offerings was not brought to the Lord’s temple; it belonged to the priests.) 1 ⁷ At that time King Hazael of Syria attacked Gath and captured it. Hazael then decided to attack Jerusalem. 1 ⁸ King Jehoash of Judah collected all the sacred items that his ancestors Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, kings of Judah, had consecrated, as well as his own sacred items and all the gold that could be found in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and the royal palace. He sent it all to King Hazael of Syria, who then withdrew from Jerusalem. 1 ⁹ The rest of the events of Joash’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 2 ⁰ His servants conspired against him and murdered Joash at Beth Millo, on the road that goes down to Silla. 2 ¹ His servants Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer murdered him. He was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Amaziah replaced him as king. 1 3 :¹ In the twenty-third year of the reign of Judah’s King Joash son of Ahaziah, Jehu’s son Jehoahaz became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for 1 ⁷ years. ² He did evil in the sight of the Lord. He continued in the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who had encouraged Israel to sin; he did not repudiate those sins. ³ The Lord was furious with Israel and handed them over to King Hazael of Syria and to Hazael’s son Ben Hadad for many years. ⁴ Jehoahaz asked for the Lord’s mercy, and the Lord responded favorably, for he saw that Israel was oppressed by the king of Syria. ⁵ The Lord provided a deliverer for Israel, and they were freed from Syria’s power. The Israelites once more lived in security. ⁶ But they did not repudiate the sinful ways of the family of Jeroboam, who encouraged Israel to sin; they continued in those sins. There was even an Asherah pole standing in Samaria. ⁷ Jehoahaz had no army left except for 5 ⁰ horsemen, 1 ⁰ chariots, and 1 0 ,000 foot soldiers. The king of Syria had destroyed his troops and trampled on them as dust. ⁸ The rest of the events of Jehoahaz’s reign, including all his accomplishments and successes, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. ⁹ Jehoahaz passed away and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoash replaced him as king. 1 ⁰ In the thirty-seventh year of King Jehoash’s reign over Judah, Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for 1 ⁶ years. 1 ¹ He did evil in the sight of the Lord. He did not repudiate the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin; he continued in those sins. 1 ² The rest of the events of Jehoash’s reign, including all his accomplishments and his successful war with King Amaziah of Judah, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 1 ³ Jehoash passed away and Jeroboam succeeded him on the throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. 1 ⁴ Now Elisha had a terminal illness. King Jehoash of Israel went down to visit him. He wept before him and said, “My father, my father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!” 1 ⁵ Elisha told him, “Take a bow and some arrows,” and he did so. 1 ⁶ Then Elisha told the king of Israel, “Aim the bow.” He did so, and Elisha placed his hands on the king’s hands. 1 ⁷ Elisha said, “Open the east window,” and he did so. Elisha said, “Shoot!” and he did so. Elisha said, “This arrow symbolizes the victory the Lord will give you over Syria. You will annihilate Syria in Aphek!” 1 ⁸ Then Elisha said, “Take the arrows,” and he did so. He told the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!” He struck the ground three times and stopped. 1 ⁹ The prophet got angry at him and said, “If you had struck the ground five or six times, you would have annihilated Syria! But now, you will defeat Syria only three times.” 2 ⁰ Elisha died and was buried. Moabite raiding parties invaded the land at the beginning of the year. 2 ¹ One day some men were burying a man when they spotted a raiding party. So they threw the dead man into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the dead man came to life and stood on his feet. 2 ² Now King Hazael of Syria oppressed Israel throughout Jehoahaz’s reign. 2 ³ But the Lord had mercy on them and felt pity for them. He extended his favor to them because of the promise he had made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He has been unwilling to destroy them or remove them from his presence to this very day. 2 ⁴ When King Hazael of Syria died, his son Ben Hadad replaced him as king. 2 ⁵ Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash took back from Ben Hadad son of Hazael the cities that he had taken from his father Jehoahaz in war. Jehoash defeated him three times and recovered the Israelite cities. 1 4 :¹ In the second year of the reign of Israel’s King Joash son of Joahaz, Joash’s son Amaziah became king over Judah. ² He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jehoaddan, who was from Jerusalem. ³ He did what the Lord approved, but not like David his ancestor had done. He followed the example of his father Joash. ⁴ But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. ⁵ When he had secured control of the kingdom, he executed the servants who had assassinated his father. ⁶ But he did not execute the sons of the assassins. He obeyed the Lord’s commandment as recorded in the scroll of the law of Moses, “Fathers must not be put to death for what their sons do, and sons must not be put to death for what their fathers do. A man must be put to death only for his own sin.” ⁷ He defeated 1 0 ,000 Edomites in the Salt Valley; he captured Sela in battle and renamed it Joktheel, a name it has retained to this very day. ⁸ Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel. He said, “Come, let’s meet face to face.” ⁹ King Jehoash of Israel sent this message back to King Amaziah of Judah, “A thornbush 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. 1 ⁰ You thoroughly defeated Edom, and it has gone to your head! Gloat over your success, but stay in your palace. Why bring calamity on yourself? Why bring down yourself and Judah along with you?” 1 ¹ But Amaziah would not heed the warning, so King Jehoash of Israel attacked. He and King Amaziah of Judah met face to face in Beth Shemesh of Judah. 1 ² Judah was defeated by Israel, and each man ran back home. 1 ³ King Jehoash of Israel captured King Amaziah of Judah, son of Jehoash son of Ahaziah, in Beth Shemesh. He attacked Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate—a distance of about 6 0 ⁰ feet. 1 ⁴ He took away all the gold and silver, all the items found in the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the royal palace, and some hostages. Then he went back to Samaria. 1 ⁵ The rest of the events of Jehoash’s reign, including all his accomplishments and his successful war with King Amaziah of Judah, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 1 ⁶ Jehoash passed away and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. His son Jeroboam replaced him as king. 1 ⁷ King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah lived for 1 ⁵ years after the death of King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz of Israel. 1 ⁸ The rest of the events of Amaziah’s reign are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 1 ⁹ Conspirators plotted against him in Jerusalem, so he fled to Lachish. But they sent assassins after him, and they killed him there. 2 ⁰ His body was carried back by horses, and he was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors in the City of David. 2 ¹ All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in his father Amaziah’s place. 2 ² Azariah built up Elat and restored it to Judah after the king had passed away. 2 ³ In the fifteenth year of the reign of Judah’s King Amaziah son of Joash, Jeroboam son of Joash became king over Israel. He reigned for 4 ¹ years in Samaria. 2 ⁴ He did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not repudiate the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 2 ⁵ He restored the border of Israel from Lebo Hamath in the north to the sea of the rift valley in the south, just as in the message from the Lord God of Israel that he had announced through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher. 2 ⁶ The Lord saw Israel’s intense suffering; everyone was weak and incapacitated and Israel had no deliverer. 2 ⁷ The Lord had not decreed that he would blot out Israel’s memory from under heaven, so he delivered them through Jeroboam son of Joash. 2 ⁸ The rest of the events of Jeroboam’s reign, including all his accomplishments, his military success in restoring Israelite control over Damascus and Hamath, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 2 ⁹ Jeroboam passed away and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. His son Zechariah replaced him as king. 1 5 :¹ In the twenty-seventh year of King Jeroboam’s reign over Israel, Amaziah’s son Azariah became king over Judah. ² He was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for 5 ² years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah, who was from Jerusalem. ³ He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Amaziah had done. ⁴ But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. ⁵ The Lord afflicted the king with an illness; he suffered from a skin disease until the day he died. He lived in separate quarters, while his son Jotham was in charge of the palace and ruled over the people of the land. ⁶ The rest of the events of Azariah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. ⁷ Azariah passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Jotham replaced him as king. ⁸ In the thirty-eighth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Jeroboam’s son Zechariah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for six months. ⁹ He did evil in the sight of the Lord, as his ancestors had done. He did not repudiate the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 1 ⁰ Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against him; he assassinated him in Ibleam and took his place as king. 1 ¹ The rest of the events of Zechariah’s reign are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 1 ² His assassination fulfilled the Lord’s message to Jehu, “Four generations of your descendants will rule on Israel’s throne.” And that is how it happened. 1 ³ Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of King Uzziah’s reign over Judah. He reigned for one month in Samaria. 1 ⁴ Menahem son of Gadi went up from Tirzah to Samaria and attacked Shallum son of Jabesh. He killed him and took his place as king. 1 ⁵ The rest of the events of Shallum’s reign, including the conspiracy he organized, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 1 ⁶ At that time Menahem came from Tirzah and attacked Tiphsah. He struck down all who lived in the city and the surrounding territory, because they would not surrender. He even ripped open the pregnant women. 1 ⁷ In the thirty-ninth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel. He reigned for 1 ⁰ years in Samaria. 1 ⁸ He did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not repudiate the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who encouraged Israel to sin. During his reign, 1 ⁹ Pul king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem paid him 1 ,000 talents of silver to gain his support and to solidify his control of the kingdom. 2 ⁰ Menahem got this silver by taxing all the wealthy men in Israel; he took 5 ⁰ shekels of silver from each one of them and paid it to the king of Assyria. Then the king of Assyria left; he did not stay there in the land. 2 ¹ The rest of the events of Menahem’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 2 ² Menahem passed away and his son Pekahiah replaced him as king. 2 ³ In the fiftieth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Menahem’s son Pekahiah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for two years. 2 ⁴ He did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not repudiate the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 2 ⁵ His officer Pekah son of Remaliah conspired against him. He and 5 ⁰ Gileadites assassinated Pekahiah, as well as Argob and Arieh, in Samaria in the fortress of the royal palace. Pekah then took his place as king. 2 ⁶ The rest of the events of Pekahiah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 2 ⁷ In the fifty-second year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for twenty years. 2 ⁸ He did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not repudiate the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 2 ⁹ During Pekah’s reign over Israel, King Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, including all the territory of Naphtali. He deported the people to Assyria. 3 ⁰ Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah. He assassinated him and took his place as king, in the twentieth year of the reign of Jotham son of Uzziah. 3 ¹ The rest of the events of Pekah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 3 ² In the second year of the reign of Israel’s King Pekah son of Remaliah, Uzziah’s son Jotham became king over Judah. 3 ³ He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. 3 ⁴ He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Uzziah had done. 3 ⁵ But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. He built the Upper Gate to the Lord’s temple. 3 ⁶ The rest of the events of Jotham’s reign, including his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 3 ⁷ In those days the Lord prompted King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah to attack Judah. 3 ⁸ Jotham passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor David. His son Ahaz replaced him as king. 1 6 :¹ In the seventeenth year of the reign of Pekah son of Remaliah, Jotham’s son Ahaz became king over Judah. ² 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 his God, in contrast to his ancestor David. ³ He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel. He passed his son through the fire, a horrible sin practiced by the nations whom the Lord drove out from before the Israelites. ⁴ He offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree. ⁵ At that time King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel attacked Jerusalem. They besieged Ahaz, but were unable to conquer him. ⁶ (At that time King Rezin of Syria recovered Elat for Syria; he drove the Judahites from there. Syrians arrived in Elat and live there to this very day.) ⁷ Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your dependent. March up and rescue me from the power of the king of Syria and the king of Israel, who have attacked me.” ⁸ Then Ahaz took the silver and gold that were in the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent it as tribute to the king of Assyria. ⁹ The king of Assyria responded favorably to his request; he attacked Damascus and captured it. He deported the people to Kir and executed Rezin. 1 ⁰ When King Ahaz went to meet with King Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria in Damascus, he saw the altar there. King Ahaz sent to Uriah the priest a drawing of the altar and a blueprint for its design. 1 ¹ Uriah the priest built an altar in conformity to the plans King Ahaz had sent from Damascus. Uriah the priest finished it before King Ahaz arrived back from Damascus. 1 ² When the king arrived back from Damascus and saw the altar, he approached it and offered a sacrifice on it. 1 ³ He offered his burnt sacrifice and his grain offering. He poured out his libation and sprinkled the blood from his peace offerings on the altar. 1 ⁴ He moved the bronze altar that stood in the Lord’s presence from the front of the temple (between the altar and the Lord’s temple) and put it on the north side of the new altar. 1 ⁵ King Ahaz ordered Uriah the priest, “On the large altar offer the morning burnt sacrifice, the evening grain offering, the royal burnt sacrifices and grain offering, the burnt sacrifice for all the people of the land, their grain offering, and their libations. Sprinkle all the blood of the burnt sacrifice and other sacrifices on it. The bronze altar will be for my personal use.” 1 ⁶ So Uriah the priest did exactly as King Ahaz ordered. 1 ⁷ King Ahaz took off the frames of the movable stands, and removed the basins from them. He took “The Sea” down from the bronze bulls that supported it and put it on the stone pavement. 1 ⁸ He also removed the Sabbath awning that had been built in the temple and the king’s outer entranceway to the Lord’s temple, on account of the king of Assyria. 1 ⁹ The rest of the events of Ahaz’s reign, including his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 2 ⁰ Ahaz passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Hezekiah replaced him as king. 1 7 :¹ In the twelfth year of King Ahaz’s reign over Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for nine years. ² He did evil in the sight of the Lord, but not to the same degree as the Israelite kings who preceded him. ³ King Shalmaneser of Assyria marched up to attack him; so Hoshea became his subject and paid him tribute. ⁴ The king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea was planning a revolt. Hoshea had sent messengers to King So of Egypt and had not sent his annual tribute to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria arrested him and imprisoned him. ⁵ The king of Assyria marched through the whole land. He attacked Samaria and besieged it for three years. ⁶ In the ninth year of Hoshea’s reign, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the people of Israel to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, along the Habor (the river of Gozan), and in the cities of the Medes. ⁷ This happened because the Israelites sinned against the Lord their God, who brought them up from the land of Egypt and freed them from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods; ⁸ they observed the practices of the nations whom the Lord had driven out from before them, and followed the example of the kings of Israel. ⁹ The Israelites said things about the Lord their God that were not right. They built high places in all their towns, from watchtower to fortified city. 1 ⁰ They set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. 1 ¹ They burned incense on all the high places just like the nations whom the Lord had driven away before them did. Their evil practices made the Lord angry. 1 ² They worshiped the disgusting idols in blatant disregard of the Lord’s command. 1 ³ The Lord solemnly warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and all the seers, “Turn back from your evil ways; obey my commandments and rules that are recorded in the law. I ordered your ancestors to keep this law and sent my servants the prophets to remind you of its demands.” 1 ⁴ But they did not pay attention and were as stubborn as their ancestors, who had not trusted the Lord their God. 1 ⁵ They rejected his rules, the covenant he had made with their ancestors, and the laws he had commanded them to obey. They paid allegiance to worthless idols, and so became worthless to the Lord. They copied the practices of the surrounding nations in blatant disregard of the Lord’s command. 1 ⁶ They abandoned all the commandments of the Lord their God; they made two metal calves and an Asherah pole, bowed down to all the stars in the sky, and worshiped Baal. 1 ⁷ They passed their sons and daughters through the fire, and practiced divination and omen reading. They committed themselves to doing evil in the sight of the Lord and made him angry. 1 ⁸ So the Lord was furious with Israel and rejected them; only the tribe of Judah was left. 1 ⁹ Judah also failed to keep the commandments of the Lord their God; they followed Israel’s example. 2 ⁰ So the Lord rejected all of Israel’s descendants; he humiliated them and handed them over to robbers, until he had thrown them from his presence. 2 ¹ He tore Israel away from David’s dynasty, and Jeroboam son of Nebat became their king. Jeroboam drove Israel away from the Lord and encouraged them to commit a serious sin. 2 ² The Israelites followed in the sinful ways of Jeroboam and did not repudiate them. 2 ³ Finally the Lord rejected Israel just as he had warned he would do through all his servants the prophets. Israel was deported from its land to Assyria and remains there to this very day. 2 ⁴ The king of Assyria brought foreigners from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the Israelites. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities. 2 ⁵ When they first moved in, they did not worship the Lord. So the Lord sent lions among them and the lions were killing them. 2 ⁶ The king of Assyria was told, “The nations whom you deported and settled in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the God of the land, so he has sent lions among them. They are killing the people because they do not know the requirements of the God of the land.” 2 ⁷ So the king of Assyria ordered, “Take back one of the priests whom you deported from there. He must settle there and teach them the requirements of the God of the land.” 2 ⁸ So one of the priests whom they had deported from Samaria went back and settled in Bethel. He taught them how to worship the Lord. 2 ⁹ But each of these nations made its own gods and put them in the shrines on the high places that the people of Samaria had made. Each nation did this in the cities where they lived. 3 ⁰ The people from Babylon made Sukkoth Benoth, the people from Cuth made Nergal, the people from Hamath made Ashima, 3 ¹ the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their sons in the fire as an offering to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. 3 ² At the same time they worshiped the Lord. They appointed some of their own people to serve as priests in the shrines on the high places. 3 ³ They were worshiping the Lord and at the same time serving their own gods in accordance with the practices of the nations from which they had been deported. 3 ⁴ To this very day they observe their earlier practices. They do not worship the Lord; they do not obey the rules, regulations, law, and commandments that the Lord gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he renamed Israel. 3 ⁵ The Lord made a covenant with them and instructed them, “You must not worship other gods. Do not bow down to them, serve them, or offer sacrifices to them. 3 ⁶ Instead you must worship the Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt by his great power and military ability; bow down to him and offer sacrifices to him. 3 ⁷ You must carefully obey at all times the rules, regulations, law, and commandments he wrote down for you. You must not worship other gods. 3 ⁸ You must never forget the covenant I made with you, and you must not worship other gods. 3 ⁹ Instead you must worship the Lord your God; then he will rescue you from the power of all your enemies.” 4 ⁰ But they paid no attention; instead they observed their earlier practices. 4 ¹ These nations were worshiping the Lord and at the same time serving their idols; their sons and grandsons are doing just as their fathers have done, to this very day. 1 8 :¹ In the third year of the reign of Israel’s King Hoshea son of Elah, Ahaz’s son Hezekiah became king over Judah. ² He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother was Abi, the daughter of Zechariah. ³ He did what the Lord approved, just as his ancestor David had done. ⁴ He eliminated the high places, smashed the sacred pillars to bits, and cut down the Asherah pole. He also demolished the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been offering incense to it; it was called Nehushtan. ⁵ He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; in this regard there was none like him among the kings of Judah either before or after. ⁶ He was loyal to the Lord and did not abandon him. He obeyed the commandments that the Lord had given to Moses. ⁷ The Lord was with him; he succeeded in all his endeavors. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and refused to submit to him. ⁸ He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city. ⁹ In the fourth year of King Hezekiah’s reign (it was the seventh year of the reign of Israel’s King Hoshea, son of Elah), King Shalmaneser of Assyria marched up against Samaria and besieged it. 1 ⁰ After three years he captured it (in the sixth year of Hezekiah’s reign); in the ninth year of King Hoshea’s reign over Israel, Samaria was captured. 1 ¹ The king of Assyria deported the people of Israel to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, along the Habor (the river of Gozan), and in the cities of the Medes. 1 ² This happened because they did not obey the Lord their God and broke his covenant with them. They did not pay attention to and obey all that Moses, the Lord’s servant, had commanded. 1 ³ In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, King Sennacherib of Assyria marched up against all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. 1 ⁴ King Hezekiah of Judah sent this message to the king of Assyria, who was at Lachish, “I have violated our treaty. If you leave, I will do whatever you demand.” So the king of Assyria demanded that King Hezekiah of Judah pay 3 0 ⁰ talents of silver and 3 ⁰ talents of gold. 1 ⁵ Hezekiah gave him all the silver in the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the royal palace. 1 ⁶ At that time King Hezekiah of Judah stripped the metal overlays from the doors of the Lord’s temple and from the posts that he had plated and gave them to the king of Assyria. 1 ⁷ The king of Assyria sent his commanding general, the chief eunuch, and the chief adviser from Lachish to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem, along with a large army. They went up and arrived at Jerusalem. They went and stood at the conduit of the upper pool which is located on the road to the field where they wash and dry cloth. 1 ⁸ They summoned the king, so Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace supervisor, accompanied by Shebna, the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph, the secretary, went out to meet them. 1 ⁹ The chief adviser said to them, “Tell Hezekiah: ‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: “What is your source of confidence? 2 ⁰ Your claim to have a strategy and military strength is just empty talk. In whom are you trusting that you would dare to rebel against me? 2 ¹ Now look, you must be trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed staff. If a man leans for support on it, it punctures his hand and wounds him. That is what Pharaoh king of Egypt does to all who trust in him. 2 ² Perhaps you will tell me, ‘We are trusting in the Lord our God.’ But Hezekiah is the one who eliminated his high places and altars and then told the people of Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship at this altar in Jerusalem.’ 2 ³ Now make a deal with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you 2 ,000 horses, provided you can find enough riders for them. 2 ⁴ Certainly you will not refuse one of my master’s minor officials and trust in Egypt for chariots and horsemen. 2 ⁵ Furthermore it was by the command of the Lord that I marched up against this place to destroy it. The Lord told me, ‘March up against this land and destroy it.’”’” 2 ⁶ Eliakim son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah said to the chief adviser, “Speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it. Don’t speak with us in the Judahite dialect in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.” 2 ⁷ But the chief adviser said to them, “My master did not send me to speak these words only to your master and to you. His message is also for the men who sit on the wall, for they will eat their own excrement and drink their own urine along with you.” 2 ⁸ The chief adviser then stood there and called out loudly in the Judahite dialect, “Listen to the message of the great king, the king of Assyria. 2 ⁹ This is what the king says: ‘Don’t let Hezekiah mislead you, for he is not able to rescue you from my hand! 3 ⁰ Don’t let Hezekiah talk you into trusting in the Lord when he says, “The Lord will certainly rescue us; this city will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.” 3 ¹ Don’t listen to Hezekiah!’ For this is what the king of Assyria says, ‘Send me a token of your submission and surrender to me. Then each of you may eat from his own vine and fig tree and drink water from his own cistern, 3 ² until I come and take you to a land just like your own—a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive oil and honey. Then you will live and not die. Don’t listen to Hezekiah, for he is misleading you when he says, “The Lord will rescue us.” 3 ³ Have any of the gods of the nations actually rescued his land from the power of the king of Assyria? 3 ⁴ Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Indeed, did any gods rescue Samaria from my power? 3 ⁵ Who among all the gods of the lands has rescued their lands from my power? So how can the Lord rescue Jerusalem from my power?’” 3 ⁶ The people were silent and did not respond, for the king had ordered, “Don’t respond to him.” 3 ⁷ Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace supervisor, accompanied by Shebna the scribe and Joah son of Asaph, the secretary, went to Hezekiah with their clothes torn and reported to him what the chief adviser had said. 2 0 :¹ In those days Hezekiah was stricken with a terminal illness. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz visited him and told him, “This is what the Lord has said, ‘Give your household instructions, for you are about to die; you will not get well.’” ² He turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, ³ “Please, Lord. Remember how I have served you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion, and how I have carried out your will.” Then Hezekiah wept bitterly. ⁴ Isaiah had not yet left the middle courtyard when the Lord’s message came to him, ⁵ “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people: ‘This is what the Lord God of your ancestor David has said: “I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Look, I will heal you. The day after tomorrow you will go up to the Lord’s temple. ⁶ I will add fifteen years to your life and rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will shield this city for the sake of my reputation and because of my promise to David my servant.”’” ⁷ Isaiah ordered, “Get a fig cake.” So they did as he ordered and placed it on the ulcerated sore, and he recovered. ⁸ Hezekiah had said to Isaiah, “What is the confirming sign that the Lord will heal me and that I will go up to the Lord’s temple the day after tomorrow?” ⁹ Isaiah replied, “This is your sign from the Lord confirming that the Lord will do what he has said. Do you want the shadow to move ahead 1 ⁰ steps or to go back 1 ⁰ steps?” 1 ⁰ Hezekiah answered, “It is easy for the shadow to lengthen 1 ⁰ steps, but not for it to go back ten steps.” 1 ¹ Isaiah the prophet called out to the Lord, and the Lord made the shadow go back ten steps on the stairs of Ahaz. 1 ² At that time Merodach Baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent messengers with letters and a gift to Hezekiah, for he had heard that Hezekiah was ill. 1 ³ Hezekiah welcomed them and showed them his whole storehouse, with its silver, gold, spices, and high quality olive oil, as well as his armory and everything in his treasuries. Hezekiah showed them everything in his palace and in his whole kingdom. 1 ⁴ Isaiah the prophet visited King Hezekiah and asked him, “What did these men say? Where do they come from?” Hezekiah replied, “They come from the distant land of Babylon.” 1 ⁵ Isaiah asked, “What have they seen in your palace?” Hezekiah replied, “They have seen everything in my palace. I showed them everything in my treasuries.” 1 ⁶ Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Listen to the Lord’s message, 1 ⁷ ‘Look, a time is coming when everything in your palace and the things your ancestors have accumulated to this day will be carried away to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ says the Lord. 1 ⁸ ‘Some of your very own descendants whom you father will be taken away and will be made eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” 1 ⁹ Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The Lord’s message which you have announced is appropriate.” Then he added, “At least there will be peace and stability during my lifetime.” 2 ⁰ The rest of the events of Hezekiah’s reign and all his accomplishments, including how he built a pool and conduit to bring water into the city, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 2 ¹ Hezekiah passed away and his son Manasseh replaced him as king.