They would then hand over<n id="1" /> the silver that had been weighed to the construction foremen<n id="2" /> assigned to the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple. They hired carpenters and builders to work on the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple,

as well as masons and stonecutters. They bought wood and chiseled stone to repair the damage to the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple and also paid for all the other expenses.<n id="1" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now Elisha had a terminal illness.<n id="1" /> King Joash of Israel went down to visit him.<n id="2" /> He wept before him and said, &#8220;My father, my father! The chariot<n id="3" /> and horsemen of Israel!&#8221;<n id="4" />

Elisha<n id="1" /> said, &#8220;Open the east window,&#8221; and he did so.<n id="2" /> Elisha said, &#8220;Shoot!&#8221; andp> <p class="bodytext">he did so.<n id="3" /> Elisha<n id="4" /> said, &#8220;This arrow symbolizes the victory the <sc>Lordsc> will give you over Syria.<n id="5" /> You will annihilate Syria in Aphek!&#8221;<n id="6" />

But the <sc>Lordsc> had mercy on them and felt pity for them.<n id="1" /> He extended his favor to them<n id="2" /> because of the promise he had made<n id="3" /> to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He has been unwilling to destroy them or remove them from his presence to this very day.<n id="4" />

He took away all the gold and silver, all the items found in the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple and in the treasuries of the royal palace, and some hostages.<n id="1" /> Then he went back to Samaria.<n id="2" />p> <p class="bodytext">(

He restored the border of Israel from Lebo Hamath in the north to the sea of the Arabah in the south,<n id="1" /> in accordance with the word of the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel announced through<n id="2" /> his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher.

<p class="bodytext">The rest of the events of Jeroboam&#8217;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.<n id="1" />

Menahem got this silver by taxing all the wealthy men in Israel; he took fifty shekels of silver from each one of them and paid it to the king of Assyria.<n id="1" /> Then the king of Assyria left; he did not stay there in the land.p>

His officer Pekah son of Remaliah conspired against him. He and fifty Gileadites assassinated Pekahiah, as well as Argob and Arieh, in Samaria in the fortress of the royal palace.<n id="1" /> Pekah then took his place as king.p>

Uriah the priest built an altar in conformity to the plans King Ahaz had sent from Damascus.<n id="1" /> Uriah the priest finished it before King Ahaz arrived back from Damascus.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> solemnly warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and all the seers, &#8220;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.&#8221;<n id="1" />

Finally<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> rejected Israel<n id="2" /> just as he had warned he would do<n id="3" /> through all his servants the prophets. Israel was deported from its land to Assyria and remains there to this very day.p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">The king of Assyria brought foreigners<n id="1" /> from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the cities of Samaria<n id="2" /> in place of the Israelites. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities.

So the king of Assyria ordered, &#8220;Take back one of the priests whom you<n id="1" /> deported from there. He must settle there and teach them the requirements of the God of the land.&#8221;<n id="2" />

Instead you must worship the <sc>Lordsc>, who brought you up from the land of Egypt by his great power and military ability;<n id="1" /> bow down to him and offer sacrifices to him.

These nations are worshiping the <sc>Lordsc> and at the same time serving their idols; their sons and grandsons do just as their fathers have done, to this very day.p>

Perhaps you will tell me, &#8216;We are trusting in the <sc>Lordsc> our God.&#8217; But Hezekiah is the one who eliminated his high places and altars and then told the people of Judah and Jerusalem, &#8216;You must worship at this altar in Jerusalem.&#8217;

Perhaps the <sc>Lordsc> your God will hear all these things the chief adviser has spoken on behalf of his master, the king of Assyria, who sent him to taunt the living God.<n id="1" /> When the <sc>Lordsc> your God hears, perhaps he will punish him for the things he has said.<n id="2" /> So pray for this remnant that remains.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

Hezekiah prayed before the <sc>Lordsc>: &#8220;<sc>Lordsc> God of Israel, who is enthroned on the cherubs!<n id="1" /> You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the sky<n id="2" /> and the earth.