They did not audit the treasurers who disbursed the funds to the foremen, for they were honest.

The Lord saw Israel’s intense suffering; everyone was weak and incapacitated and Israel had no deliverer.

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?

This is what the king says: ‘Don’t let Hezekiah mislead you, for he is not able to rescue you from my hand!

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?

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?’”

The people were silent and did not respond, for the king had ordered, “Don’t respond to him.”

Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power, so that all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you, Lord, are the only God.”

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?”

Hezekiah answered, “It is easy for the shadow to lengthen ten steps, but not for it to go back ten steps.”

(Now the priests of the high places did not go up to the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem, but they did eat unleavened cakes among their fellow priests.)

He issued this edict because a Passover like this had not been observed since the days of the judges; it was neglected for the entire period of the kings of Israel and Judah.

What follows is a record of what happened to Jerusalem and Judah because of the Lord’s anger; he finally threw them out of his presence. Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

Then all the people, from the youngest to the oldest, as well as the army officers, left for Egypt, because they were afraid of what the Babylonians might do.

Two sons were born to Eber: the first was named Peleg, for during his lifetime the earth was divided; his brother’s name was Joktan.

Meonothai was the father of Ophrah. Seraiah was the father of Joab, the father of those who live in Ge Harashim, who were craftsmen.

They found fertile and rich pasture; the land was very broad, undisturbed and peaceful. Indeed some Hamites had been living there prior to that.

In the east they settled as far as the entrance to the desert that stretches to the Euphrates River, for their cattle had increased in numbers in the land of Gilead.

These were the areas where Aaron’s descendants lived: The following belonged to the Kohathite clan, for they received the first allotment:

According to the genealogical records of their families, they had 36,000 warriors available for battle, for they had numerous wives and sons.