Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is from 2 Chronicles,
chapters 27 and 28. Chapter 27 Jotham was 25
years old when he became king, and he reigned
16 years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was
Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok. And he did what
was right in the sight of the Lord, according
to all that his father Uzziah had done. although
he did not enter the temple of the Lord. But
still the people acted corruptly. He built the
upper gate of the house of the Lord, and he built
extensively on the wall of Ophel. Moreover, he
built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in
the forests he built fortresses and towers. He
also fought with the king of the Ammonites and
defeated them. And the people of Ammon gave him
in that year one hundred talents of silver, ten
thousand cores of wheat, and ten thousand of
barley. The people of Ammon paid this to him
in the second and third years also. So Jotham
became mighty because he prepared his ways before
the Lord his God. Now the rest of the acts of
Jotham and all his wars and his ways, indeed
they are written in the book of the kings of
Israel and Judah. He was 25 years old when he
became king and he reigned 16 years in Jerusalem.
Jotham rested with his fathers and they buried
him in the city of David. Then Ahaz his son reigned
in his place. Chapter 28 Ahaz was twenty years
old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen
years in Jerusalem. And he did not do what was
right in the sight of the Lord, as his father
David had done. For he walked in the ways of
the kings of Israel, and made molded images for
the Baals. He burned incense in the valley of
the son of Hinnom, and burned his children in
the fire, according to the abominations of the
nations whom the Lord had cast out before the
children of Israel. And he sacrificed and burned
incense on the high places, on the hills, and
under every green tree. Therefore the Lord his
God delivered him into the hand of the king of
Syria. They defeated him and carried away a great
multitude of them as captives, and brought them
to Damascus. Then he was also delivered into
the hand of the king of Israel, who defeated
him with a great slaughter. For Pekah the son
of Ramaliah killed 120 ,000 in Judah in one day,
all valiant men. because they had forsaken the
Lord God of their fathers. Zichri, a mighty man
of Ephraim, killed Masaiah, the king's son, Azrikam,
the officer over the house, and Elkanah, who
was second to the king. And the children of Israel
carried away captive of their brethren two hundred
thousand women, sons, and daughters, and they
also took away much spoil from them, and brought
the spoil to Samaria. But a prophet of the Lord
was there, whose name was Obed, and he went out
before the army that came to Samaria, and said
to them, Look, because the Lord God of your fathers
was angry with Judah, he has delivered them into
your hand. But you have killed them in a rage
that reaches up to heaven, and now you propose
to force the children of Judah and Jerusalem
to be your male and female slaves. But are you
not also guilty before the Lord your God? Now
hear me, therefore, and return the captives whom
you have taken captive from your brethren, for
the fierce wrath of the Lord is upon you. Then
some of the heads of the children of Ephraim
Azariah the son of Johanan, Berekiah the son
of Mishilmot, Jehezkiah the son of Shalom, and
Amasa the son of Adlai, stood up against those
who came from the war, and said to them, You
shall not bring the captives here, for we already
have offended the Lord. You intend to add to
our sins and to our guilt, for our guilt is great,
and there is fierce wrath against Israel. So
the armed men left the captives and the spoil
before the leaders and all the assembly. Then
the men who were designated by name rose up and
took the captives, and from the spoil they clothed
all who were naked among them, dressed them,
and gave them sandals, gave them food and drink,
and anointed them. And they let the feeble ones
ride on donkeys, so they brought them to their
brethren at Jericho, the city of palm trees.
Then they returned to Samaria. At the same time,
King Ahaz sent the kings of Assyria to help him.
For again the Edomites had come, attacked Judah,
and carried away captives. The Philistines also
had invaded the cities of the lowland and of
the south of Judah, and had taken Beit Shemesh,
Ajalon, Giderot, Soko with its villages, Timnah
with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages.
And they dwelt there. For the Lord brought Judah
low because of Ahaz king of Israel. For he had
encouraged moral decline in Judah, and had been
continually unfaithful to the Lord. Also Tiglath
-Pileser, king of Assyria, came to him and distressed
him, and did not assist him. For Ahaz took part
of the treasures from the house of the Lord,
from the house of the king, and from the leaders,
and he gave it to the king of Assyria, but he
did not help him. Now in the time of his distress,
king Ahaz became increasingly unfaithful to the
Lord. This is that king Ahaz. For he sacrificed
to the gods of Damascus, which had defeated him,
saying, Because the gods of the kings of Syria
helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they
may help me. But they were the ruin of him and
of all Israel. So Ahaz gathered the articles
of the house of God, cut in pieces the articles
of the house of God, shut up the doors of the
house of the Lord, and made for himself altars
in every corner of Jerusalem. And in every single
city of Judah he made high places to burn incense
to other gods, and provoked to anger the Lord
God of his fathers. Now the rest of his acts
and all his ways, from first to last, indeed
they are written in the book of the kings of
Judah and Israel. So Ahaz rested with his fathers,
and they buried him in the city in Jerusalem.
But they did not bring him into the tombs of
the kings of Israel. Then Hezekiah his son reigned
in his place. I hope you enjoyed today's reading
as much as I did and I look forward to seeing
you again tomorrow to continue on our journey.
God bless you and have a great day.