- 10 So the posts passed from city to city through the A.C. 726. country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

Il Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

12 Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the LORD.

13 And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.

24.

14 And they arose and took away the altars that were k ch. xxviii. in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away; and cast them into the brook Kidron.

15 Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD.

standing.

16 And they stood in their place after their manner, Heb. their according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites.

17 For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD.

18 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one

19 That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the pu rification of the sanctuary.

*

20 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed

the people.

21 And the children of Israel that were † present at Je- + Heb. found. rusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the

Heb. instru

ments of strength.

heart of all,

&c.

LORD. 22 And Hezekiah spake § comfortably unto all the Le-Heb. to the vites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.

298

A.C. 726.

* Heb. lifted
up, or, affered.

23 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days and they kept other seven days with gladness. 24 For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.

25 And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.

26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.

27¶Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people and their voice was heard, and their prayer came + Heb. the ha- up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.

bitation of his

holiness.

12 Kings

xviii. 4.

2 CHRONICLES XXXI.

1 The people is forward in destroying idolatry. 2 Hezekiah ordereth the courses of the priests and Levites, and provideth for their work and maintenance. 5 The people's forwardness in offerings and tithes. 11 Hezekiah appointeth officers to dispose of the tithes. 20 The sincerity of Hezekiah.

1 Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were 1ound present went out to the cities of Judah, and 'brake the (Heb. statues. §images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and || Heb. until to Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, || until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.

make an end.

m Num. xxviii. & xxix.

* Heb. brake forth.

2 ¶ And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the LORD.

3 He appointed also the king's portion of his substance
for the burnt offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening
burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and
for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in
the law of the LORD.

4 Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Je-
rusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites,
that they might be encouraged in the law of the LORD.
5¶ And as soon as the commandment *
the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits
came abroad,

of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase A. C. 726. of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly.

* Or, dates.

6 And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the "tithe of holy things which n Lev. xxvii. were consecrated unto the LORD their God, and laid them 28. + by heaps.

7 In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month.

8 And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD, and his people Israel.

9 Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps.

10 And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty for the LORD hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.

30. Deut. xiv.

+ Heb. heaps, heaps

houses.

11 ¶ Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare ‡ chambers ‡ Or, storein the house of the LORD; and they prepared them,

12 And brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully over which Cononiah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next.

hand.

13 And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers § under the hand of Heb. at the Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the commandment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God.

14 And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter toward the east, was over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute the oblations of the LORD, and the most holy things.

15 And || next him were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their set office, to give to their brethren by courses, as well to the great as to the small:

16 Beside their genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even unto every one that entereth into the house of the LORD, his daily portion for their service in their charges according to their courses;

17. Both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of their fathers, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their charges by their courses;

18 And to the genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the

Heb. at his

hand.

Or, trust.

A. C. 726. congregation: for in their set office they sanctified themselves in holiness:

* Or, trust.

19 Also of the sons of Aaron the priests, which were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every several city, the men that were expressed by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all that were reckoned by genealogies among the Levites.

20 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God.

21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

SECTION II.

Isaiah's Prophecy of the Destruction of Moab.

ISAIAH XV 37

The lamentable state of Moab.

1 The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab + Or, cut off is laid waste, and + brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence;

o Jer. xlviii.

2 He is gone to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to 97, 38. Ezek weep: Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba: "on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off.

vii. 18.

Heb. descending into weeping, or,

coming down with weeping.

Or, to the borders thereof, even as an heifer.

3 In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth on the tops of their houses, and in their streets, every one shall howl, weeping abundantly.

4 And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh: their voice shall be heard even unto Jahaz: therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out; his life shall be grievous unto him.

5 My heart shall cry out for Moab; § his fugitives shall flee unto Zoar, an heifer of three years old: for by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping shall they go it up; p Jer. xlviii. P for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise Heb. break. destruction.

ing.

*Heb. desolations.

up a cry of 6 For the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate for the

*

* The fifteenth and sixteenth chapters of Isaiah form one entire prophecy, and are very improperly divided into two parts. The time of its delivery, and accomplishment, which was to be three years after chap. xvi. 14. are uncertain. In all probability, it was uttered in the first year of Hezekiah, and fulfilled in his fourth, when Shalmaneser, invading Israel, is supposed to have marched through Moab, and, to secure every thing behind him, took possession of their principal strong places, Ar and Kirhares.-Notes to Isaiah, Lowth, p. 99.— Abp. Usher.

hay is withered away, the grass faileth, there is no green A.C.726. thing.

7 Therefore the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have laid up, shall they carry away to the brook of the willows.

8 For the cry is gone round about the borders of Moab; the howling thereof unto Eglaim, and the howling thereof unto Beer-elim.

*Or, valley of the Arabians.

9 For the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood: for I will bring + more upon Dimon, lions upon him that escapeth + Heb. addiof Moab, and upon the remnant of the land.

ISAIAH XVI.

tions.

1 Moab is exhorted to yield obedience to Christ's kingdom. 6 Moab is threatened for her pride. 9 The prophet bewaileth her. 12 The judgment of Moab. 1 Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela ‡ Or, Petra. to the wilderness, unto the § mount of the daughter of

Zion.

2 For it shall be, that, as a wandering bird || cast out of the nest, so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon.

Heb. a rock.

Or, a nest forsaken.

*

3 Take counsel, execute judgment; make thy shadow Heb. Bring. as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; bewray not him that wandereth.

4 Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler: for the + extor- + Heb. tioner is at an end, the spoiler ceaseth, the oppressors are + Heb. the consumed out of the land.

5 And in mercy shall the throne be §established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness. 6 We have heard of the pride of Moab; he is very proud: even of his haughtiness, and his pride, and his wrath: but his lies shall not be so.

wringer.

treaders down.

Dan. vii. 14, k

27. Mic. iv. 7.

Or, pre

pared.

20.

7 Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab, every one shall r Jer. xlviii. howl: for the foundations of Kir-hareseth shall ye | mourn; or, matter. surely they are stricken.

8 For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah: the lords of the heathen have broken down the principal plants thereof, they are come even unto Jazer, they wandered through the wilderness: her branches are * stretch- Or, plucked ed out, they are gone over the sea.

9 Therefore I will bewail with the weeping of Jazer the vine of Sibmah: I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon, and Elealeh: for + the shouting for thy summer fruits and for thy harvest is fallen.

up.

+ Or, the alarm is fallen upon, &c.

10 And 'gladness is taken away, and joy out of the Jer. xlviii.

33.