Here is the vision about Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah saw. It came to him when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah were ruling. They were kings of Judah. Isaiah was the son of Amoz.

当乌西雅、约坦、亚哈斯、希西家作犹大王的时候，亚摩斯的儿子以赛亚得默示，论到犹大和耶路撒冷。

当乌西雅、约坦、亚哈斯、希西家作犹大王的时候，亚摩斯的儿子以赛亚见异象，论到犹大和耶路撒冷。

当乌西雅、约坦、亚哈斯、希西家作犹大王的时候，亚摩斯的儿子以赛亚见异象，论到犹大和耶路撒冷。

犹大王乌西雅、约坦、亚哈斯和希西迦执政期间，亚摩斯的儿子以赛亚看到了以下有关犹大和耶路撒冷的异象。

在乌西雅、约坦、亚哈斯和希西家作犹大王的时候，亚摩斯的儿子以赛亚看见异象，是关于犹大和耶路撒冷的：

犹大王乌西雅、约坦、亚哈斯、希西加年间，亚摩斯的儿子以赛亚所看到的异象，是关于犹大和耶路撒冷的：

當烏西雅、約坦、亞哈斯、希西家作猶大王的時候，亞摩斯的兒子以賽亞得默示，論到猶大和耶路撒冷。

當烏西雅、約坦、亞哈斯、希西家作猶大王的時候，亞摩斯的兒子以賽亞見異象，論到猶大和耶路撒冷。

當烏西雅、約坦、亞哈斯、希西家作猶大王的時候，亞摩斯的兒子以賽亞見異象，論到猶大和耶路撒冷。

猶大王烏西雅、約坦、亞哈斯和希西迦執政期間，亞摩斯的兒子以賽亞看到了以下有關猶大和耶路撒冷的異象。

在烏西雅、約坦、亞哈斯和希西家作猶大王的時候，亞摩斯的兒子以賽亞看見異象，是關於猶大和耶路撒冷的：

以下是亞摩斯的兒子以賽亞的異象，就是當猶大王烏西雅、約坦、亞哈斯、希西家執政的日子以賽亞所看見、論到猶大和耶路撒冷的。

猶大王烏西雅、約坦、亞哈斯、希西加年間，亞摩斯的兒子以賽亞所看到的異象，是關於猶大和耶路撒冷的：

猶大國烏西雅、約坦、亞哈斯、希西家、相繼為王時、亞摩斯子以賽亞、所得論猶大與耶路撒冷之啟示、○

猶大國烏西亞、約擔、亞哈士、希西家、相繼在位時、亞麼士子以賽亞、以猶大耶路撒冷之事、得之默示者筆於書。

烏西雅、約坦、亞哈斯、希西家、相繼為猶大王時、亞摩斯子以賽亞得默示、論猶大及耶路撒冷曰、

The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

These are the visions that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. He saw these visions during the years when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah.

The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah.

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz concerning Judah and Jerusalem, which he saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz,[ and] Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

Here is the message about Judah and Jerusalem that was revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz during the time when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah reigned over Judah.

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

Here is a vision that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saw about Judah and Jerusalem.

Ahaz was king of Judah. Rezin was king of Aram. And Pekah was king of Israel. Rezin and Pekah marched up to fight against Jerusalem. But they couldn’t overpower it. Ahaz was the son of Jotham and the grandson of Uzziah. Pekah was the son of Remaliah.

It’s the message God gave to the one who hears the words of God. The Most High God has given him knowledge. He sees a vision from the Mighty One. He falls down flat with his face toward the ground. His eyes have been opened by the Lord.

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. He was seated on his throne. His long robe filled the temple. He was highly honored.

You once spoke to your faithful people in a vision. You said,“ I have given strength to a soldier. I have raised up a young man from among the people.

Hezekiah began to rule as king over Judah. It was in the third year that Hoshea was king of Israel. He was the son of Elah. Hezekiah was the son of Ahaz.Hezekiah was 25 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 29 years. His mother’s name was Abijah. She was the daughter of Zechariah.Hezekiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as King David had done.Hezekiah removed the high places. He smashed the sacred stones. He cut down the poles used to worship the female god named Asherah. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made. Up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. They called it Nehushtan.Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like Hezekiah among all the kings of Judah. There was no king like him either before him or after him.Hezekiah remained faithful to the Lord. He didn’t stop serving him. He obeyed the commands the Lord had given Moses.The Lord was with Hezekiah. Because of that, Hezekiah was successful in everything he did. He refused to remain under the control of the king of Assyria. He didn’t serve him.He won the war against the Philistines. He won battles at their lookout towers. He won battles at their cities that had high walls around them. He won battles against the Philistines all the way to Gaza and its territory.Shalmaneser marched to Samaria and surrounded it. It was in the fourth year of King Hezekiah. That was the seventh year of Hoshea, the king of Israel. Hoshea was the son of Elah. Shalmaneser was king of Assyria.At the end of three years the army of Assyria captured Samaria. That happened in the sixth year of Hezekiah’s rule. It was the ninth year of the rule of Hoshea, the king of Israel.The king of Assyria took the people of Israel away from their own land. He sent them off to Assyria. He made some of them live in Halah. He made others live in Gozan on the Habor River. And he made others live in the towns of the Medes.These things happened because the Israelites hadn’t obeyed the Lord their God. They had broken the covenant he had made with them. They had refused to do everything Moses, the servant of the Lord, had commanded. They hadn’t paid any attention to those commands. They hadn’t obeyed them.Sennacherib attacked and captured all the cities of Judah that had high walls around them. It was in the 14th year of the rule of Hezekiah. Sennacherib was king of Assyria.Hezekiah, the king of Judah, sent a message to the king of Assyria at Lachish. Hezekiah said,“ I have done what is wrong. Pull your troops back from me. Then I’ll pay you anything you ask me to.” The king of Assyria forced Hezekiah, the king of Judah, to give him 11 tons of silver. Hezekiah also had to give him one ton of gold.So Hezekiah gave him all the silver in the Lord’ s temple. He also gave him all the silver among the treasures in the royal palace.Hezekiah, the king of Judah, had covered the doors and doorposts of the Lord’ s temple with gold. But now he had to strip it off. He had to give it to the king of Assyria.The king of Assyria sent his highest commander from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. He also sent his chief officer and his field commander along with a large army. All of them came up to Jerusalem. They stopped at the channel that brings water from the Upper Pool. The channel was on the road to the Washerman’s Field.The Assyrians called for King Hezekiah. Eliakim, Shebna and Joah went out to them. Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, was in charge of the palace. Shebna was the secretary. Joah, the son of Asaph, kept the records.The field commander said to them,“ Give Hezekiah this message. Tell him,“‘ Sennacherib is the great king of Assyria. He says,“ Why are you putting your faith in what your king says?You say you have a military plan. You say you have a strong army. But your words don’t mean anything. Who are you depending on? Why don’t you want to stay under my control?Look, I know you are depending on Egypt. Why are you doing that? Egypt is nothing but a broken papyrus stem. Try leaning on it. It will only cut your hand. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is just like that to everyone who depends on him.But suppose you say to me,‘ We are depending on the Lord our God.’ Didn’t Hezekiah remove your god’s high places and altars? Didn’t Hezekiah say to the people of Judah and Jerusalem,‘ You must worship at the altar in Jerusalem’?“‘ “Go ahead and make a deal with my master, the king of Assyria. I’ll give you 2,000 horses. But only if you can put riders on them!You are depending on Egypt for chariots and horsemen. You can’t drive away even the least important officer among my master’s officials.Besides, do you think I’ve come without receiving a message from the Lord? Have I come to attack and destroy this place without a message from him? The Lord himself told me to march out against your country. He told me to destroy it.” ’ ”Then Shebna, Joah and Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, spoke to the field commander. They said,“ Please speak to us in the Aramaic language. We understand it. Don’t speak to us in Hebrew. If you do, the people sitting on the city wall will be able to understand you.”But the commander replied,“ My master sent me to say these things. Are these words only for your master and you to hear? Aren’t they also for the people sitting on the wall? They are going to suffer just like you. They’ll have to eat their own waste. They’ll have to drink their own urine.”Then the commander stood up and spoke in the Hebrew language. He called out,“ Pay attention to what the great king of Assyria is telling you.He says,‘ Don’t let Hezekiah trick you. He can’t save you from my power.Don’t let Hezekiah talk you into trusting in the Lord. Don’t believe him when he says,“ You can be sure that the Lord will save us. This city will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.” ’“ Don’t listen to Hezekiah. The king of Assyria says,‘ Make a peace treaty with me. Come over to my side. Then each one of you will eat fruit from your own vine and fig tree. Each one of you will drink water from your own well.You will do that until I come back. Then I’ll take you to a land just like yours. It’s a land that has a lot of grain and fresh wine. It has plenty of bread and vineyards. It has olive trees and honey. So choose life! Don’t choose death!’“ Don’t pay any attention to Hezekiah. He’s telling you a lie when he says,‘ The Lord will save us.’Has the god of any nation ever saved his land from the power of the king of Assyria?Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah? Have they saved Samaria from my power?Which one of all the gods of those countries has been able to save his land from me? So how can the Lord save Jerusalem from my power?”But the people remained silent. They didn’t say anything. That’s because King Hezekiah had commanded,“ Don’t answer him.”Then Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, went to Hezekiah. Eliakim was in charge of the palace. Shebna the secretary went with him. So did Joah, the son of Asaph. Joah kept the records. All of them went to Hezekiah with their clothes torn. They told him what the field commander had said.When King Hezekiah heard what the field commander had said, he tore his clothes. He put on the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad. Then he went into the Lord’ s temple.Hezekiah sent Eliakim, who was in charge of the palace, to Isaiah the prophet. Isaiah was the son of Amoz. Hezekiah also sent to Isaiah the leading priests and Shebna the secretary. All of them were wearing the same rough clothing.They told Isaiah,“ Hezekiah says,‘ Today we’re in great trouble. The Lord is warning us. He’s bringing shame on us. Sometimes babies come to the moment when they should be born. But their mothers aren’t strong enough to allow them to be born. Today we are like those mothers. We aren’t strong enough to save ourselves.Perhaps the Lord your God will hear everything the field commander has said. His master, the king of Assyria, has sent him to make fun of the living God. Maybe the Lord your God will punish him for what he has heard him say. So pray for the remaining people who are still alive here.’ ”King Hezekiah’s officials came to Isaiah.Then Isaiah said to them,“ Tell your master,‘ The Lord says,“ Do not be afraid of what you have heard. The officers of the king of Assyria have spoken evil things against me.Listen! I will send him news from his own country. It will make him want to return home. There I will have him killed by a sword.” ’ ”The field commander heard that the king of Assyria had left Lachish. So the commander pulled his troops back from Jerusalem. He went to join the king. He found out that the king was fighting against Libnah.During that time Sennacherib received a report. He was told that Tirhakah was marching out to fight against him. Tirhakah was the king of Cush. Sennacherib sent messengers again to Hezekiah with a letter. Sennacherib said,“ Tell Hezekiah, the king of Judah,‘ Don’t let the god you depend on trick you. He says,“ Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.” But don’t believe him.I’m sure you have heard about what the kings of Assyria have done to all the other countries. They have destroyed them completely. So do you think you will be saved?The kings who ruled before me destroyed many nations. Did the gods of those nations save them? Did the gods of Gozan, Harran or Rezeph save them? What about the gods of the people of Eden who were in Tel Assar?Where is the king of Hamath? Where is the king of Arpad? Where are the kings of Lair, Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah?’ ”When Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers, he read it. Then he went up to the Lord’ s temple. There he spread the letter out in front of the Lord.Hezekiah prayed to the Lord. He said,“ Lord, you are the God of Israel. You sit on your throne between the cherubim. You alone are God over all the kingdoms on earth. You have made heaven and earth.Listen, Lord. Hear us. Open your eyes, Lord. Look at the trouble we’re in. Listen to what Sennacherib is saying. You are the living God. And he dares to make fun of you!“ Lord, it’s true that the kings of Assyria have completely destroyed many nations and their lands.They have thrown the statues of the gods of those nations into the fire. And they have destroyed them. That’s because they weren’t really gods at all. They were nothing but statues made out of wood and stone. They were made by human hands.Lord our God, save us from the power of Sennacherib. Then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you alone are the Lord. You alone are God.”Isaiah sent a message to Hezekiah. Isaiah was the son of Amoz. Isaiah said,“ The Lord is the God of Israel. The Lord says,‘ I have heard your prayer about Sennacherib, the king of Assyria.’Here is the message the Lord has spoken against him. The Lord says,“‘ You will not win the battle over Zion. Its people hate you and make fun of you. The people of Jerusalem lift up their heads proudly as you run away.Who have you laughed at? Who have you spoken evil things against? Who have you raised your voice against? Who have you looked at so proudly? You have done it against me. I am the Holy One of Israel!Through your messengers you have dared to make fun of the Lord. And you have said,“ I have many chariots. With them I have gone to the tops of the mountains. I’ve climbed the highest mountains in Lebanon. I’ve cut down its tallest cedar trees. I’ve cut down the best of its juniper trees. I’ve reached its farthest parts. I’ve reached its finest forests.I’ve dug wells in strange lands. I’ve drunk the water from them. I’ve walked through all of Egypt’s streams. I’ve dried up every one of them.”“‘ But I, the Lord, say,“ Haven’t you heard what I have done? Long ago I arranged for you to do all of that. In days of old I planned it. Now I have made it happen. You have turned cities with high walls into piles of stone.Their people do not have any power left. They are troubled and put to shame. They are like plants in the field. They are like new green plants. They are like grass that grows on a roof. It dries up before it is completely grown.“‘ “But I know where you are. I know when you come and go. I know how very angry you are with me.You roar against me and brag. And I have heard your bragging. So I will put my hook in your nose. I will put my bit in your mouth. And I will make you go home by the same way you came.” ’ ”The Lord said,“ Hezekiah, here is a miraculous sign for you.“ This year you will eat what grows by itself. In the second year you will eat what grows from that. But in the third year you will plant your crops and gather them in. You will plant your grapevines and eat their fruit.Those who remain from the kingdom of Judah will be like plants. Once more they will put down roots and produce fruit.Out of Jerusalem will come those who remain. Out of Mount Zion will come those who survive.“ The Lord’ s great love will make sure that happens. He rules over all.“ Here is a message from me about the king of Assyria. The Lord says,“‘ The king of Assyria will not enter this city. He will not even shoot an arrow at it. He will not come near it with a shield. He will not build a ramp in order to climb over its walls.By the same way he came he will go home. He will not enter this city,’ announces the Lord.‘ I will guard this city and save it. I will do it for myself. And I will do it for my servant David.’ ”That night the angel of the Lord went into the camp of the Assyrians. He put to death 185,000 people there. The people of Jerusalem got up the next morning and looked out at the camp. There were all the dead bodies!So Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, took the army tents down. Then he left. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.One day Sennacherib was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisrok. His sons Adrammelek and Sharezer killed him with their swords. Then they escaped to the land of Ararat. Esarhaddon became the next king after his father Sennacherib.In those days Hezekiah became very sick. He was about to die. Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him. Isaiah told Hezekiah,“ The Lord says,‘ Put everything in order. Make out your will. You are going to die soon. You will not get well again.’ ”Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall. He prayed to the Lord. He said,“ Lord, please remember how faithful I’ve been to you. I’ve lived the way you wanted me to. I’ve served you with all my heart. I’ve done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.Isaiah was leaving the middle courtyard. Before he had left it, a message came to him from the Lord. He said,“ Go back and speak to Hezekiah. He is the ruler of my people. Tell him,‘ The Lord, the God of King David, says,“ I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. And I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to my temple.I will add 15 years to your life. And I will save you and this city from the power of the king of Assyria. I will guard this city. I will do it for myself. And I will do it for my servant David.” ’ ”Then Isaiah said,“ Press some figs together. Spread them on a piece of cloth.” So that’s what they did. Then they applied it to Hezekiah’s boil. And he got well again.Hezekiah had said to Isaiah,“ You say the Lord will heal me. You say that I’ll go up to his temple on the third day from now. What will the sign be to prove he’ll really do that?”Isaiah answered,“ The Lord will do what he has promised. Here is his sign to you. Do you want the shadow the sun makes to go forward ten steps? Or do you want it to go back ten steps?”“ It’s easy for the shadow to go forward ten steps,” said Hezekiah.“ So have it go back ten steps.”Then Isaiah the prophet called out to the Lord. And the Lord made the shadow go back ten steps. It went back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway Ahaz had made.At that time Marduk- Baladan, the king of Babylon, sent Hezekiah letters and a gift. He had heard that Hezekiah had been sick. Marduk- Baladan was the son of Baladan.Hezekiah received the messengers. He showed them everything in his storerooms. He showed them the silver and gold. He showed them the spices and the fine olive oil. He showed them where he kept his weapons. And he showed them all his treasures. In fact, he showed them everything in his palace and in his whole kingdom.Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah. He asked him,“ What did those men say? Where did they come from?”“ They came from a land far away,” Hezekiah said.“ They came from Babylon.”The prophet asked,“ What did they see in your palace?”“ They saw everything in my palace,” Hezekiah said.“ I showed them all my treasures.”Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah,“ Listen to the Lord’ s message. He says,‘ You can be sure the time will come when everything in your palace will be carried off to Babylon. Everything the kings before you have stored up until this day will be taken away. There will not be anything left,’ says the Lord.‘ Some of the members of your family line will be taken away. They will be your own flesh and blood. They will include the children who will be born into your family line in years to come. And they will serve the king of Babylon in his palace.’ ”“ The message the Lord has spoken through you is good,” Hezekiah replied. He thought,“ There will be peace and safety while I’m still living.”The other events of the rule of Hezekiah are written down. That includes how he made the pool and the tunnel. He used them to bring water into Jerusalem. Everything he accomplished is written in the official records of the kings of Judah.Hezekiah joined the members of his family who had already died. Hezekiah’s son Manasseh became the next king after him.

These are the words of Amos. He was a shepherd from the town of Tekoa. Here is the vision he saw concerning Israel. It came to him two years before the earthquake. At that time Uzziah was king of Judah. Jeroboam, the son of Jehoash, was king of Israel. Here are the words of Amos.

A message from the Lord came to Hosea, the son of Beeri. The message came while Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah were kings of Judah. It also came while Jeroboam was king of Israel. He was the son of Jehoash. Here is what the Lord said to him.

Uzziah joined the members of his family who had already died. He was buried near them in the City of David. Uzziah’s son Jotham became the next king after him.

Jotham began to rule as king over Judah. It was in the second year that Pekah was king of Israel. He was the son of Remaliah. Jotham was the son of Uzziah.Jotham was 25 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 16 years. His mother’s name was Jerusha. She was the daughter of Zadok.Jotham did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Uzziah had done.But the high places weren’t removed. The people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the Lord’ s temple.The other events of the rule of Jotham are written down. Everything he did is written in the official records of the kings of Judah.In those days the Lord began to send Rezin and Pekah against Judah. Rezin was king of Aram. Pekah was the son of Remaliah.Jotham joined the members of his family who had already died. He was buried in the family tomb in the city of King David. Jotham’s son Ahaz became the next king after him.Ahaz began to rule as king over Judah. It was in the 17th year of the rule of Pekah, the son of Remaliah. Ahaz was the son of Jotham.Ahaz was 20 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 16 years. Ahaz didn’t do what was right in the eyes of the Lord his God. He didn’t do what King David had done.He followed the ways of the kings of Israel. He even sacrificed his son in the fire to another god. He followed the practices of the nations. The Lord hated those practices. He had driven out those nations to make room for the Israelites.Ahaz offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places. He also did it on the tops of hills and under every green tree.Rezin and Pekah marched up to Jerusalem and surrounded it. Rezin was king of Aram. Pekah, the son of Remaliah, was king of Israel. They attacked Ahaz. But they couldn’t overpower him.At that time Rezin, the king of Aram, won back Elath for Aram. He drove out the people of Judah. Then the people of Edom moved into Elath. And they still live there to this day.Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath- Pileser. He was king of Assyria. The message of Ahaz said,“ I am your servant. You are my master. Come up and save me from the power of the kings of Aram and Israel. They are attacking me.”Ahaz took the silver and gold that were in the Lord’ s temple. He also took the silver and gold that were among the treasures in the royal palace. He sent all of it as a gift to the king of Assyria.So the king of Assyria did what Ahaz asked him to do. He attacked the city of Damascus and captured it. He sent its people away to Kir. And he put Rezin to death.Then King Ahaz went to Damascus. He went there to see Tiglath- Pileser, the king of Assyria. Ahaz saw an altar in Damascus. He sent a drawing of it to Uriah the priest. Ahaz also sent him plans for building it.So Uriah the priest built an altar. He followed all the plans King Ahaz had sent from Damascus. He finished it before Ahaz returned.The king came back from Damascus. When he saw the altar, he approached it. Then he offered sacrifices on it.He offered up his burnt offering and grain offering. He poured out his drink offering. And he splashed the blood from his friendship offerings against the altar.The bronze altar for burnt offerings stood in front of the Lord. It was between the new altar and the Lord’ s temple. Ahaz took the bronze altar away from the front of the temple. He put it on the north side of the new altar.Then King Ahaz gave orders to Uriah the priest. He said,“ Offer sacrifices on the large new altar. Offer the morning burnt offering and the evening grain offering. Offer my burnt offering and my grain offering. Offer the burnt offering of all the people of the land. Offer their grain offering and their drink offering. Splash against this altar the blood from all the burnt offerings and sacrifices. But I will use the bronze altar to look for advice and direction.”Uriah the priest did just as King Ahaz had ordered.Ahaz cut off the sides of the bronze stands. He removed the bowls from the stands. He removed the huge bowl from the bronze bulls it stood on. He placed the bowl on a stone base.He took away the covered area that had been used on the Sabbath day. It had been built at the Lord’ s temple. He removed the royal entrance that was outside the temple. Ahaz did all these things to honor the king of Assyria.The other events of the rule of Ahaz are written down. Everything he did is written in the official records of the kings of Judah.Ahaz joined the members of his family who had already died. He was buried in the family tomb in the City of David. Ahaz’s son Hezekiah became the next king after him.

I have seen a vision about something terrible that will happen. People are turning against Babylon. Robbers are taking its goods. Elamites, attack the city! Medes, surround it! The Lord will put an end to all the suffering Babylon has caused.

Zion, you are bringing good news to your people. Go up on a high mountain and announce it. Jerusalem, you are bringing good news to them. Shout the message loudly. Shout it out loud. Don’t be afraid. Say to the towns of Judah,“ Your God is coming!”

A message from the Lord came to Micah. He was from the town of Moresheth. The message came while Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah were kings of Judah. This is the vision Micah saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. Here is what he said.

All the people of Judah made Uzziah king. He was 16 years old. They made him king in place of his father Amaziah.Uzziah rebuilt Elath. He brought it under Judah’s control again. He did it after Amaziah joined the members of his family who had already died.Uzziah was 16 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 52 years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah. She was from Jerusalem.Uzziah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done.He tried to obey God during the days of Zechariah. Zechariah taught him to have respect for God. As long as Uzziah obeyed the Lord, God gave him success.Uzziah went to war against the Philistines. He broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh and Ashdod. Then he rebuilt some towns that were near Ashdod. He also rebuilt some other towns where Philistines lived.God helped him fight against the Philistines. He also helped him fight against the Meunites and against the Arabs who lived in Gur Baal.The Ammonites brought to Uzziah the gifts he required of them. He became famous all the way to the border of Egypt. That’s because he had become very powerful.Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem. They were at the Corner Gate, the Valley Gate and the angle of the wall. He made the towers very strong.He also built towers in the desert. He dug many wells, because he had a lot of livestock. The livestock were in the western hills and on the plains. Uzziah had people working in his fields and vineyards in the hills and in the rich lands. That’s because he loved the soil.Uzziah’s army was well trained. It was ready to march out by military groups according to their numbers. Jeiel and Maaseiah brought them together. Jeiel was the secretary. Maaseiah was the officer. They were under the direction of Hananiah. He was one of the royal officials.The total number of family leaders who were over the fighting men was 2,600.An army of 307,500 men was under their command. The men were trained for war. They were a powerful force. They helped the king against his enemies.Uzziah provided the entire army with shields, spears, helmets, coats of armor, bows, and stones for their slings.In Jerusalem he invented machines to be used on the towers and on the corners of city walls. These machines were used by men who shot arrows from the walls. The machines were also used by men to throw large stones from the walls. Uzziah became famous everywhere. God greatly helped him until he became powerful.But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride brought him down. He wasn’t faithful to the Lord his God. He entered the Lord’ s temple to burn incense on the altar for burning incense.Azariah the priest followed him in. So did 80 other brave priests of the Lord.They stood up to Uzziah. They said,“ Uzziah, it isn’t right for you to burn incense to the Lord. Only the priests are supposed to do that. They are members of the family line of Aaron. They have been set apart to burn incense. So get out of here. Leave the temple. You haven’t been faithful. The Lord God won’t honor you.”Uzziah was holding a shallow cup. He was ready to burn incense in it. He became angry. He shouted at the priests in the Lord’ s temple. He did it near the altar for burning incense. While he was shouting, a skin disease suddenly broke out on his forehead.Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him. They saw that Uzziah had a skin disease on his forehead. So they hurried him out of the temple. Actually, he himself really wanted to leave. He knew that the Lord was making him suffer.King Uzziah had the skin disease until the day he died. He lived in a separate house because he had the disease. And he wasn’t allowed to enter the Lord’ s temple. Uzziah’s son Jotham was in charge of the palace. Jotham ruled over the people of the land.The other events of Uzziah’s rule from beginning to end were written down by Isaiah the prophet. Isaiah was the son of Amoz.Uzziah joined the members of his family who had already died. He was buried near them in a royal burial ground. People said,“ He had a skin disease.” Uzziah’s son Jotham became the next king after him.Jotham was 25 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 16 years. His mother’s name was Jerusha. She was the daughter of Zadok.Jotham did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Uzziah had done. But Jotham didn’t enter the Lord’ s temple as Uzziah had done. The people, however, continued to do very sinful things.Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the Lord’ s temple. He did a lot of work on the wall at the hill of Ophel.He built towns in the hill country of Judah. He also built forts and towers in areas that had a lot of trees in them.Jotham went to war against the king of Ammon. He won the battle over the Ammonites. That year they paid Jotham almost four tons of silver. They paid him 1,800 tons of wheat and 1,500 tons of barley. They also brought him the same amount in the second and third years.Jotham became powerful. That’s because he had worshiped the Lord his God with all his heart.The other events of Jotham’s rule are written down. That includes all his wars and the other things he did. All these things are written in the records of the kings of Israel and Judah.Jotham was 25 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 16 years.Jotham joined the members of his family who had already died. He was buried in the City of David. Jotham’s son Ahaz became the next king after him.Ahaz was 20 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 16 years. He didn’t do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He didn’t do what King David had done.He followed the ways of the kings of Israel. He also made statues of gods that were named Baal.He burned sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom. He sacrificed his children in the fire to other gods. He followed the practices of the nations. The Lord hates these practices. The Lord had driven out those nations to make room for the people of Israel.Ahaz offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places. He also did it on the tops of hills and under every green tree.So the Lord his God handed him over to the king of Aram. The men of Aram won the battle over him. They took many of his people as prisoners. They brought them to Damascus. God also handed Ahaz over to Pekah. Pekah was king of Israel. His army wounded or killed many of the troops of Ahaz.In one day Pekah, the son of Remaliah, killed 120,000 soldiers in Judah. That’s because Judah had deserted the Lord, the God of their people.Zikri was a fighting man from Ephraim. He killed Maaseiah, Azrikam and Elkanah. Maaseiah was the king’s son. Azrikam was the officer who was in charge of the palace. And Elkanah was next in command after the king.The men of Israel captured 200,000 wives, sons and daughters from their relatives in Judah. They also took a large amount of goods. They carried all of it back to Samaria.But a prophet of the Lord was there. His name was Oded. When the army returned to Samaria, he went out to meet them. He said to them,“ The Lord is the God of your people. He was very angry with Judah. So he handed them over to you. But you have killed them. Your anger reached all the way to heaven.Now you are planning to make the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem your slaves. But aren’t you also guilty of sins against the Lord your God?Listen to me! You have taken your relatives from Judah as prisoners. The Lord is very angry with you. So send your relatives back.”Then some of the leaders in Ephraim stood up to those who were returning from the war. The leaders were Azariah, Berekiah, Jehizkiah and Amasa. Azariah was the son of Jehohanan. Berekiah was the son of Meshillemoth. Jehizkiah was the son of Shallum. And Amasa was the son of Hadlai.“ Don’t bring those prisoners here,” they said.“ If you do, we’ll be guilty in the sight of the Lord. Do you really want to add to our sin and guilt? We’re already very guilty. The Lord is very angry with Israel.”So the soldiers gave up the prisoners and the goods they had taken. They did it in front of the officials and the whole community.Azariah, Berekiah, Jehizkiah and Amasa received the prisoners. From the goods that had been taken, they gave clothes to everyone who was naked. They gave them clothes, sandals, food, drink and healing lotion. They put all the weak people on donkeys. They took them back to their relatives at Jericho. Then they returned to Samaria. Jericho was also known as the City of Palm Trees.At that time King Ahaz sent men to the king of Assyria to get help.The men of Edom had come and attacked Judah again. They had carried away prisoners.At the same time the Philistines had attacked towns in the western hills and in the Negev Desert of Judah. They had captured Beth Shemesh, Aijalon and Gederoth. They had also captured Soko, Timnah and Gimzo and the villages around them. They had settled down in all of them.The Lord had made Judah less powerful because of Ahaz, their king. Ahaz had stirred up the people of Judah to do evil things. He hadn’t been faithful to the Lord at all.Tiglath- Pileser came to Ahaz. But he gave Ahaz trouble instead of help. Tiglath- Pileser was king of Assyria.Ahaz took some things from the Lord’ s temple. He also took some from the royal palace and from the officials. He gave all of them to the king of Assyria. But that didn’t help Ahaz.When King Ahaz was in trouble, he became even more unfaithful to the Lord.Ahaz offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus. They had won the battle over him. Ahaz thought,“ The gods of the kings of Aram have helped them. So I’ll sacrifice to those gods. Then they’ll help me.” But those gods only caused his ruin. In fact, those gods caused the ruin of the whole nation of Israel.Ahaz gathered together everything that belonged to God’s temple. He cut all of it in pieces. Ahaz shut the doors of the Lord’ s temple. He set up altars at every street corner in Jerusalem.In every town in Judah he built high places. Sacrifices were burned there to other gods. That made the Lord, the God of his people, very angry.The other events of the rule of Ahaz and all his evil practices from beginning to end are written down. They are written in the records of the kings of Judah and Israel.Ahaz joined the members of his family who had already died. He was buried in the city of Jerusalem. But he wasn’t placed in the tombs of the kings of Israel. Ahaz’s son Hezekiah became the next king after him.Hezekiah was 25 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 29 years. His mother’s name was Abijah. She was the daughter of Zechariah.Hezekiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as King David had done.In the first month of Hezekiah’s first year as king, he opened the doors of the Lord’ s temple. He repaired them.He brought the priests and Levites in. He gathered them together in the open area on the east side of the temple.He said,“ Levites, listen to me! Set yourselves apart to the Lord. Set apart the temple of the Lord. He’s the God of your people who lived long ago. Remove anything‘ unclean’ from the temple.Our people weren’t faithful. They did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord our God. They deserted him. They turned their faces away from the place where he lives. They turned their backs on him.They also shut the doors of the temple porch. They put the lamps out. They didn’t burn incense at the temple. They didn’t sacrifice burnt offerings there to the God of Israel.So the Lord has become angry with Judah and Jerusalem. He has made them look so bad that everyone is shocked when they see them. They laugh at them. You can see it with your own eyes.That’s why our fathers have been killed by swords. That’s why our sons and daughters and wives have become prisoners.So I’m planning to make a covenant with the Lord, the God of Israel. Then he’ll stop being angry with us.My sons, don’t fail to obey the Lord. He has chosen you to stand in front of him and work for him. He wants you to serve him and burn incense to him.”Here are the Levites who went to work. Mahath and Joel were from the family line of Kohath. Mahath was the son of Amasai. Joel was the son of Azariah. Kish and Azariah were from the family line of Merari. Kish was the son of Abdi. Azariah was the son of Jehallelel. Joah and Eden were from the family line of Gershon. Joah was the son of Zimmah. Eden was the son of Joah.Shimri and Jeiel were from the family line of Elizaphan. Zechariah and Mattaniah were from the family line of Asaph.Jehiel and Shimei were from the family line of Heman. Shemaiah and Uzziel were from the family line of Jeduthun.All these Levites gathered the other Levites together. They set themselves apart to the Lord. Then they went in to purify the Lord’ s temple. That’s what the king had ordered them to do. They did what the Lord told them to.The priests went into the Lord’ s temple to make it pure. They brought out to the temple courtyard everything that was“ unclean.” They had found“ unclean” things in the Lord’ s temple. The Levites took them and carried them out to the Kidron Valley.On the first day of the first month they began to set everything in the temple apart to the Lord. By the eighth day of the month they reached the Lord’ s porch. For eight more days they set the Lord’ s temple itself apart to him. They finished on the 16th day of the first month.Then they went to King Hezekiah. They reported,“ We’ve purified the whole temple of the Lord. That includes the altar for burnt offerings and all its tools. It also includes the table for the holy bread and all its objects.We’ve prepared all the things King Ahaz had removed. We’ve set them apart to the Lord. Ahaz had removed them while he was king. He wasn’t faithful to the Lord. Those things are now in front of the Lord’ s altar.”Early the next morning King Hezekiah gathered together the city officials. They all went up to the Lord’ s temple.They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven male lambs and seven male goats with them. They sacrificed the animals as a sin offering for the kingdom, for the temple and for Judah. The king commanded the priests to offer them on the Lord’ s altar. The priests were from the family line of Aaron.They killed the bulls. Then they splashed the blood against the altar. Next they killed the rams and splashed the blood against the altar. Then they killed the lambs and splashed the blood against the altar.The goats for the sin offering were brought to the king and the whole community. They placed their hands on them.Then the priests killed the goats. They put the blood on the altar as a sin offering. It paid for the sin of the whole nation of Israel. The king had ordered the burnt offering and the sin offering for the whole nation.Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord’ s temple. They had cymbals, harps and lyres. They did everything in the way King David, his prophet Gad, and Nathan the prophet had required. The Lord had given commands about all these things through his prophets.So the Levites stood ready with David’s musical instruments. And the priests had their trumpets ready.Hezekiah gave the order to sacrifice the burnt offering on the altar. The offering began. Singing to the Lord also began. The singing was accompanied by the trumpets and by the instruments of David. He had been king of Israel.The whole community bowed down. They worshiped the Lord. At the same time the musicians played their musical instruments. The priests blew their trumpets. All of that continued until the burnt offering had been sacrificed.So the offerings were finished. King Hezekiah got down on his knees. He worshiped the Lord. So did everyone who was with him.The king and his officials ordered the Levites to praise the Lord. They used the words of David and Asaph the prophet. They sang praises with joy. They bowed down and worshiped the Lord.Then Hezekiah said,“ You have set yourselves apart to the Lord. Come and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to his temple.” So the whole community brought sacrifices and thank offerings. Everyone who wanted to brought burnt offerings.The whole community brought 70 bulls, 100 rams and 200 male lambs. They brought all of them as burnt offerings to the Lord.The total number of animals set apart as sacrifices to the Lord was 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep and goats.But there weren’t enough priests to skin all the burnt offerings. So their relatives, the Levites, helped them. They worked until the task was finished. By that time other priests had been set apart to the Lord. The Levites had been more careful than the priests when they set themselves apart.There were large numbers of burnt offerings, along with the drink offerings and the fat from the friendship offerings. They were offered along with the burnt offerings. So the service of the Lord’ s temple was started up again.Hezekiah and all the people were filled with joy. That’s because everything had been done so quickly. God had provided for his people in a wonderful way.Hezekiah sent a message to all the people of Israel and Judah. He also wrote letters to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. He invited everyone to come to the Lord’ s temple in Jerusalem. He wanted them to celebrate the Passover Feast to honor the Lord. He is the God of Israel.The king, his officials and the whole community in Jerusalem decided to celebrate the Passover Feast in the second month.They hadn’t been able to celebrate it at the regular time. That’s because there weren’t enough priests who had set themselves apart to the Lord. Also, the people hadn’t gathered together in Jerusalem.The plan seemed good to the king and the whole community.They decided to send a message all through Israel. It was sent out from Beersheba all the way to Dan. The message invited the people to come to Jerusalem. It invited them to celebrate the Passover Feast to honor the Lord, the God of Israel. The Passover Feast hadn’t been celebrated by large numbers of people for a long time. It hadn’t been done in keeping with what was written in the law.

Here is the prophecy against Babylon that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saw.

The Lord who rules over all says to the people of Judah,“ Do not listen to what the prophets are saying to you. They fill you with false hopes. They talk about visions that come from their own minds. What they say does not come from my mouth.

We can’t gain anything by bragging. But I have to do it anyway. I am going to tell you what I’ve seen. I want to talk about what the Lord has shown me.

They came down the mountain. On the way down, Jesus told them what to do.“ Don’t tell anyone what you have seen,” he said.“ Wait until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

“ So then, King Agrippa, I obeyed the vision that appeared from heaven.

Peter was wondering what the vision meant. At that very moment the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house. They stopped at the gate

It’s the message God gave to the one who hears the words of God. He sees a vision from the Mighty One. He falls down flat with his face toward the ground. His eyes have been opened by the Lord.

The Lord replies,“ Write down the message I am giving you. Write it clearly on the tablets you use. Then a messenger can read it and run to announce it.

Here is a prophecy the Lord gave Nahum, who was from the town of Elkosh. The prophecy came in a vision and is written in a book. The prophecy is about Nineveh.

Prophecy never came simply because a prophet wanted it to. Instead, the Holy Spirit guided the prophets as they spoke. So, although prophets are human, prophecy comes from God.

Uzziah began to rule as king over Judah. It was in the 27th year that Jeroboam was king of Israel. Uzziah was the son of Amaziah.

Then the Lord said,“ Listen to my words.“ Suppose there is a prophet among you. I, the Lord, make myself known to them in visions. I speak to them in dreams.