<p class="bodytext">Kore son of Imnah, a Levite and the guard on the east side, was in charge of the voluntary offerings made to God and disbursed the contributions made to the <sc>Lordsc> and the consecrated items.

They made disbursements to all the males three years old and up who were listed in the genealogical records &#8211; to all who would enter the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple to serve on a daily basis and fulfill their duties as assigned to their divisions.<n id="1" />

Hezekiah says, &#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> our God will rescue us from the power<n id="1" /> of the king of Assyria.&#8221; But he is misleading you and you will die of hunger and thirst!<n id="2" />

The <sc>Lordsc> delivered Hezekiah and the residents of Jerusalem from the power of King Sennacherib of Assyria and from all the other nations.<n id="1" /> He made them secure on every side.<n id="2" />

Many were bringing presents<n id="1" /> to the <sc>Lordsc> in Jerusalem and precious gifts to King Hezekiah of Judah. From that time on he was respected by<n id="2" /> all the nations.p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">In those days Hezekiah was stricken with a terminal illness.<n id="1" /> He prayed to the <sc>Lordsc>, who answered him and gave him a sign confirming that he would be healed.<n id="2" />

But then Hezekiah and the residents of Jerusalem humbled themselves and abandoned their pride, and the <sc>Lordsc> was not angry with them for the rest of Hezekiah&#8217;s reign.<n id="1" />p>

But Manasseh misled the people of<n id="1" /> Judah and the residents of Jerusalem so that they sinned more than the nations whom the <sc>Lordsc> had destroyed ahead of the Israelites.p>

So the <sc>Lordsc> brought against them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria. They seized Manasseh, put hooks in his nose,<n id="1" /> bound him with bronze chains, and carried him away to Babylon.

When he prayed to the <sc>Lordsc>,<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc><n id="2" /> responded to him<n id="3" /> and answered favorably<n id="4" /> his cry for mercy. The <sc>Lordsc><n id="5" /> brought him back to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh realized that the <sc>Lordsc> is the true God.p>

He did evil in the sight of<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc>, just like his father Manasseh had done. He offered sacrifices to all the idols his father Manasseh had made, and worshiped<n id="2" /> them.

Hilkiah informed Shaphan the scribe, &#8220;I found the law scroll in the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple.&#8221; Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan.

They melted down the silver in the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple<n id="1" /> and handed it over to the supervisors of the construction foremen.&#8221;

and she said to them: &#8220;This is what the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel says: &#8216;Say this to the man who sent you to me:

They reserved the burnt offerings and the cattle for the family divisions of the people to present to the <sc>Lordsc>, as prescribed in the scroll of Moses.<n id="1" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem.<n id="1" /> He did evil in the sight of<n id="2" /> the <sc>Lordsc> his God.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Jehoiachin was eighteen<n id="1" /> years old when he became king, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem.<n id="2" /> He did evil in the sight of<n id="3" /> the <sc>Lordsc>.

He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him vow allegiance<n id="1" /> in the name of God. He was stubborn and obstinate, and refused to return<n id="2" /> to the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel.

All the leaders of the priests and people became more unfaithful and committed the same horrible sins practiced by the nations.<n id="1" /> They defiled the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> God of their ancestors<n id="1" /> continually warned them through his messengers,<n id="2" /> for he felt compassion for his people and his dwelling place.