10 Now Solomon's son was Rehoboam, Abijam was his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, 11 Jehoram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son, 12 Amaziah his son, Uzziah his son, Jotham his son, 13 Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son, 14 Amon his son, Josiah his son. 15 And the sons of Josiah were Johanan (Jehoahaz) the first-born, and the second was Jehoiakim (Eliakim) , the third Zedekiah (Mattaniah), the fourth Shallum. 16 And the sons of Jehoiakim were Jeconiah (Jehoiachin) his son, Zedekiah his son.17 And the sons of Jeconiah, the prisoner, were Shealtiel his son, 18 and Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. 19 And the sons of Pedaiah were Zerubbabel and Shimei. And the sons of Zerubbabel were Meshullam and Hananiah, and Shelomith was their sister; 20 and Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab-hesed, five. 21 And the sons of Hananiah were Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shecaniah. 22 And ben Shecaniah was Shemaiah, and the sons of Shemaiah were Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat, six. 23 And the sons of Neariah were Elioenai, Hizkiah, and Azrikam, three. 24 And the sons of Elioenai were Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani, seven.

27 In the fifty-second year of Azariah (Uzziah) king of Judah, Pekah ben Remaliah became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned twenty years. 28 And he did evil in the sight of the L-RD; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin.

29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came and captured Ijon and Abel-beth-maacah and Janoah and Kedesh and Hazor and Gilead and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria. 30 And Hoshea ben Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah ben Remaliah, and struck him and put him to death and became king in his place, in the twentieth year of Jotham ben Uzziah. 31 Now the rest of the acts of Pekah and all that he did, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

32 In the second year of Pekah ben Remaliah king of Israel, Jotham ben Uzziah king of Judah became king. 33 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. 34 And he did what was right in the sight of the L-RD; he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done. 35 Only the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. He built the upper gate of the house of the L-RD. 36 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 37 In those days the L-RD began to send Rezin king of Aram and Pekah ben Remaliah against Judah. 38 And Jotham slept with his fathers, and he was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father; and Ahaz his son became king in his place.

1 In the seventeenth year of Pekah ben Remaliah, Ahaz ben Jotham, king of Judah, became king. 2 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 L-RD his G-d, as his father David had done. 3 But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and even made his son pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the L-RD had driven out from before the sons of Israel. 4 And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places and on the hills and under every green tree.

1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do right in the sight of the L-RD as David his father had done. 2 But he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel; he also made molten images for the Baals. 3 Moreover, he burned incense in the valley of Ben-hinnom, and burned his sons in fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the L-RD had driven out before the sons of Israel. 4 And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.

5 Then Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah, king of Israel, came up to Jerusalem to wage war; and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him. 6 At that time Rezin king of Aram recovered Elath for Aram, and cleared the Judeans out of Elath entirely; and the Arameans came to Elath, and have lived there to this day.

5 Wherefore, the L-RD his G-d delivered him into the hand of the king of Aram; and they defeated him and carried away from him a great number of captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who inflicted him with heavy casualties. 6 For Pekah ben Remaliah slew in Judah 120,000 in one day, all valiant men, because they had forsaken the L-RD G-d of their fathers. 7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the ruler of the house and Elkanah the second to the king.
8 And the sons of Israel carried away captive of their brethren 200,000 women, sons, and daughters; and took also a great deal of spoil from them, and they brought the spoil to Samaria. 9 But a prophet of the L-RD was there, whose name was Oded; and he went out to meet the army which came to Samaria and said to them, "Behold, because the L-RD, the G-d of your fathers, was angry with Judah, He has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage which has even reached heaven. 10 And now you are proposing to subjugate for yourselves the people of Judah and Jerusalem for male and female slaves. Surely, do you not have transgressions of your own against the L-RD your G-d? 11 "Now therefore, listen to me and return the captives whom you captured from your brothers, for the burning anger of the L-RD is against you." 12 Then some of the heads of the sons of Ephraim-- Azariah ben Johanan, Berechiah ben Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah ben Shallum, and Amasa ben Hadlai-- arose against those who were coming from the battle, 13 and said to them, "You must not bring the captives in here, for you are proposing to bring upon us guilt against the L-RD adding to our sins and our guilt; for our guilt is great so that His burning anger is against Israel." 14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the officers and all the assembly. 15 Then the men who were designated by name arose, took the captives, and they clothed all their naked ones from the spoil; and they gave them clothes and sandals, fed them and gave them drink, anointed them with oil, led all their feeble ones on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brothers; then they returned to Samaria.

1 Now it came about in the days of Ahaz, ben Jotham, ben Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Aram and Pekah ben Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not conquer it. 2 When it was reported to the house of David, saying, "The Arameans have camped in Ephraim," his heart and the hearts of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake with the wind.

3 Then the L-RD said to Isaiah, "Go out now to meet Ahaz, you and your son Shear-jashub, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, on the highway to the fuller's field, 4 and say to him,' Take care, and be calm, have no fear and do not be fainthearted because of these two stubs of smoldering firebrands, on account of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram, and ben Remaliah. 5'Because Aram, with Ephraim and ben Remaliah, has planned evil against you, saying, 6 "Let us go up against Judah and terrorize it, and make for ourselves a breach in its walls, and set up ben Tabeel as king in the midst of it," 7 thus says the L-rd G-D, "It shall not stand nor shall it come to pass. 8 "For the head of Aram is Damascus and the head of Damascus is Rezin (now within another 65 years Ephraim will be shattered, so that it is no longer a people), 9 and the head of Ephraim is Samaria and the head of Samaria is ben Remaliah. If you will not believe, you surely shall not last. "'"

7 So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, "I am your servant and your son; come up and deliver me from the hand of the king of Aram, and from the hand of the king of Israel, who are rising up against me." 8 And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the L-RD and in the treasuries of the king's house, and sent a present to the king of Assyria. 9 So the king of Assyria listened to him; and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus and captured it, and carried the people of it away into exile to Kir, and put Rezin to death.

16 At that time King Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria for help. 17 For again the Edomites had come and attacked Judah, and carried away captives. 18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland and of the Negev of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, and Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages, and they settled there. 19 For the L-RD humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had brought about a lack of restraint in Judah and was very unfaithful to the L-RD. 20 So Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him. 21 Although Ahaz took a portion out of the house of the L-RD and out of the palace of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria, it did not help him.

10 Now King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and saw the altar which was at Damascus; and King Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the pattern of the altar and its model, according to all its workmanship. 11 So Urijah the priest built an altar; according to all that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus, thus Urijah the priest made it, before the coming of King Ahaz from Damascus. 12 And when the king came from Damascus, the king saw the altar; then the king approached the altar and went up to it, 13 and burned his burnt offering and his meal offering, and poured his libation and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings on the altar. 14 And the bronze altar, which was before the L-RD, he brought from the front of the house, from between his altar and the house of the L-RD, and he put it on the north side of his altar. 15 Then King Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, "Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering and the evening meal offering and the king's burnt offering and his meal offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land and their meal offering and their libations; and sprinkle on it all the blood of the burnt offering and all the blood of the sacrifice. But the bronze altar shall be for me to inquire by." 16 So Urijah the priest did according to all that King Ahaz commanded.
17 Then King Ahaz cut off the borders of the stands, and removed the laver from them; he also took down the sea from the bronze oxen which were under it, and put it on a pavement of stone. 18 And the covered way for the sabbath which they had built in the house, and the outer entry of the king, he removed from the house of the L-RD because of the king of Assyria.

22 Now in the time of his distress this same King Ahaz became yet more unfaithful to the L-RD. 23 For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him, and said, "Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me." But they became the downfall of him and all Israel. 24 Moreover, when Ahaz gathered together the utensils of the house of G-d, he cut the utensils of the house of G-d in pieces; and he closed the doors of the house of the L-RD, and made altars for himself in every corner of Jerusalem. 25 And in every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked the L-RD, the G-d of his fathers, to anger.

10 Then the L-RD spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11 "Ask a sign for yourself from the L-RD your G-d; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven." 12 But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, nor will I test the L-RD!" 13 Then he said, "Listen now, O house of David! Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my G-d as well? 14 "Therefore the L-rd Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. 15 "He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. 16 "For before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken.

17 "The L-RD will bring on you, on your people, and on your father's house such days as have never come since the day that Ephraim separated from Judah, the king of Assyria." 18 And it will come about in that day, that the L-RD will whistle for the fly that is in the remotest part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. 19 And they will all come and settle on the steep ravines, on the ledges of the cliffs, on all the thorn bushes, and on all the watering places. 20 In that day the L-rd will shave with a razor, hired from regions beyond the Euphrates (that is, with the king of Assyria), the head and the hair of the legs; and it will also remove the beard. 21 Now it will come about in that day that a man may keep alive a heifer and a pair of sheep; 22 and it will happen that because of the abundance of the milk produced he will eat curds, for everyone that is left within the land will eat curds and honey. 23 And it will come about in that day, that every place where there used to be a thousand vines, valued at a thousand shekels of silver, will become briars and thorns. 24 People will come there with bows and arrows because all the land will be briars and thorns. 25 And as for all the hills which used to be cultivated with the hoe, you will not go there for fear of briars and thorns; but they will become a place for pasturing oxen and for sheep to trample.

19 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 20 So Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David; and his son Hezekiah reigned in his place.

26 Now the rest of his acts and all his ways, from first to last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 27 So Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, for they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel; and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.

29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came and captured Ijon and Abel-beth-maacah and Janoah and Kedesh and Hazor and Gilead and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria. 30 And Hoshea ben Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah ben Remaliah, and struck him and put him to death and became king in his place, in the twentieth year of Jotham ben Uzziah.

1 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea ben Elah became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned nine years. 2 And he did evil in the sight of the L-RD, only not as the kings of Israel who were before him.

3 Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against him, and Hoshea became his servant and paid him tribute. 4 But the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea, who had sent messengers to So king of Egypt and had offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year; so the king of Assyria shut him up and bound him in prison. 5 Then the king of Assyria invaded the whole land and went up to Samaria and besieged it three years. 6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and carried Israel away into exile to Assyria, and settled them in Halah and Habor, on the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

7 Now this came about, because the sons of Israel had sinned against the L-RD their G-d, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and they had feared other gods 8 and walked in the customs of the nations whom the L-RD had driven out before the sons of Israel, and in the customs of the kings of Israel which they had introduced. 9 And the sons of Israel did things secretly which were not right, against the L-RD their G-d. Moreover, they built for themselves high places in all their towns, from watchtower to fortified city. 10 And they set for themselves sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, 11 and there they burned incense on all the high places as the nations did which the L-RD had carried away to exile before them; and they did evil things provoking the L-RD. 12 And they served idols, concerning which the L-RD had said to them, "You shall not do this thing." 13 Yet the L-RD warned Israel and Judah, through all His prophets and every seer, saying, "Turn from your evil ways and keep My commandments, My statutes according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you through My servants the prophets." 14 However, they did not listen, but stiffened their neck like their fathers, who did not believe in the L-RD their G-d. 15 And they rejected His statutes and His covenant which He made with their fathers, and His warnings with which He warned them. And they followed vanity and became vain, and went after the nations which surrounded them, concerning which the L-RD had commanded them not to do like them. 16 And they forsook all the commandments of the L-RD their G-d and made for themselves molten images, even two calves, and made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal. 17 Then they made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire, and practiced divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the L-RD, provoking Him. 18 So the L-RD was very angry with Israel, and removed them from His sight; none was left except the tribe of Judah.

19 Also Judah did not keep the commandments of the L-RD their G-d, but walked in the customs which Israel had introduced. 20 And the L-RD rejected all the descendants of Israel and afflicted them and gave them into the hand of plunderers, until He had cast them out of His sight. 21 When He had torn Israel from the house of David, they made Jeroboam ben Nebat king. Then Jeroboam drove Israel away from following the L-RD, and made them commit a great sin. 22 And the sons of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they did not depart from them, 23 until the L-RD removed Israel from His sight, as He spoke through all His servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away into exile from their own land to Assyria until this day.

24 And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon and from Cuthah and from Avva and from Hamath and Sephar-vaim, and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the sons of Israel. So they possessed Samaria and lived in its cities. 25 And it came about at the beginning of their living there, that they did not fear the L-RD; therefore the L-RD sent lions among them which killed some of them. 26 So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, "The nations whom you have carried away into exile in the cities of Samaria do not know the custom of the god of the land; so he has sent lions among them, and behold, they kill them because they do not know the custom of the god of the land."

27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, "Take there one of the priests whom you carried away into exile, and let him go and live there; and let him teach them the custom of the god of the land." 28 So one of the priests whom they had carried away into exile from Samaria came and lived at Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the L-RD. 29 But every nation still made gods of its own and put them in the houses of the high places which the people of Samaria had made, every nation in their cities in which they lived. 30 And the men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31 and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech the gods of Sepharvaim. 32 They also feared the L-RD and appointed from among themselves priests of the high places, who acted for them in the houses of the high places. 33 They feared the L-RD and served their own gods according to the custom of the nations from among whom they had been carried away into exile.

34 To this day they do according to the earlier customs: they do not fear the L-RD, nor do they follow their statutes or their ordinances or the law, or the commandments which the L-RD commanded the sons of Jacob, whom He named Israel; 35 with whom the L-RD made a covenant and commanded them, saying, "You shall not fear other gods, nor bow down yourselves to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them. 36 But the L-RD, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, Him you shall fear, and to Him you shall bow yourselves down, and to Him you shall sacrifice. 37 And the statutes and the ordinances and the law and the commandment, which He wrote for you, you shall observe to do forever; and you shall not fear other gods. 38 And the covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. 39 But the L-RD your G-d you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies." 40 However, they did not listen, but they did according to their earlier custom. 41 So while these nations feared the L-RD, they also served their idols; their children likewise and their grandchildren, as their fathers did, so they do to this day.

1 Now it came about in the third year of Hoshea, ben Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah ben Ahaz king of Judah became king. 2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. 3 And he did right in the sight of the L-RD, according to all that his father David had done. 4 He removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan. 5 He trusted in the L-RD, the G-d of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. 6 For he clung to the L-RD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the L-RD had commanded Moses. 7 And the L-RD was with him; wherever he went he prospered. And he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. 8 He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city.

9 Now it came about in the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria and besieged it. 10 And at the end of three years they captured it; in the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was captured. 11 Then the king of Assyria carried Israel away into exile to Assyria, and put them in Halah and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, 12 because they did not obey the voice of the L-RD their G-d, but transgressed His covenant, even all that Moses the servant of the L-RD commanded; they would neither listen, nor do it.

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

2 Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth;
For the L-RD speaks, "Sons I have reared and brought up,
But they have revolted against Me.
3 "An ox knows its owner,
And a donkey its master's manger,
But Israel does not know,
My people do not understand."

4 Alas, sinful nation,
People weighed down with iniquity,
Offspring of evildoers,
Sons who act corruptly!
They have abandoned the L-RD,
They have despised the Holy One of Israel,
They have turned away from Him.

5 Where will you be stricken again,
As you continue in your rebellion?
The whole head is sick,
And the whole heart is faint.
6 From the sole of the foot even to the head
There is nothing sound in it,
Only bruises, welts, and raw wounds,
Not pressed out or bandaged,
Nor softened with oil.

7 Your land is desolate,
Your cities are burned with fire,
Your fields-- strangers are devouring them in your presence;
It is desolation, as overthrown by strangers.
8 And the daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard,
Like a watchman's hut in a cucumber field, like a besieged city.
9 Unless the L-RD of hosts Had left us a few survivors,
We would be like Sodom,We would be like Gomorrah.

10 Hear the word of the L-RD,You rulers of Sodom;
Give ear to the instruction of our G-d,
You people of Gomorrah.
11 "What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?" Says the L-RD.
"I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams,
And the fat of fed cattle.
And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats.
12 "When you come to appear before Me,
Who requires of you this trampling of My courts?
13 "Bring your worthless offerings no longer,
Incense is an abomination to Me.
New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies-
I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly.
14 "I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts,
They have become a burden to Me. I am weary of bearing them.
15 "So when you spread out your hands in prayer,
I will hide My eyes from you,
Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen.
Your hands are covered with blood.

16 "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight.
Cease to do evil,
17 Learn to do good;
Seek justice,Reprove the ruthless;
Defend the orphan,
Plead for the widow.

18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the L-RD,
"Though your sins are as scarlet,They will be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They will be like wool.
19 "If you consent and obey,
You will eat the best of the land;
20 "But if you refuse and rebel,
You will be devoured by the sword."
ruly, the mouth of the L-RD has spoken.

21 How the faithful city has become a harlot,
She who was full of justice!
Righteousness once lodged in her,
But now murderers.
22 Your silver has become dross,
Your drink diluted with water.
23 Your rulers are rebels,
And companions of thieves;
Everyone loves a bribe,
And chases after rewards.
They do not defend the orphan,
Nor does the widow's plea come before them.

24 Therefore the L-rd G-D of hosts,
The Mighty One of Israel declares,
"Ah, I will be relieved of My adversaries,
And avenge Myself on My foes.
25 "I will also turn My hand against you,
And will smelt away your dross as with lye,
And will remove all your alloy.
26 "Then I will restore your judges as at the first,
And your counselors as at the beginning;
After that you will be called the city of righteousness,
A faithful city."

27 Zion will be redeemed with justice,
And her repentant ones with righteousness.
28 But transgressors and sinners will be crushed together,
And those who forsake the L-RD shall come to an end.
29 Surely, you will be ashamed of the oaks which you have desired,
And you will be embarrassed at the gardens which you have chosen.
30 For you will be like an oak whose leaf fades away,
Or as a garden that has no water.
31 And the strong man will become tinder,
His work also a spark. Thus they shall both burn together,
And there will be none to quench them.

Isaiah stories
• Isaiah's prophecy of the fall of Samaria
• Isaiah's prophecy of a mashiach king

1 When the L-RD will have compassion on Jacob, and again choose Israel, and settle them in their own land, then strangers will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob. 2 And the peoples will take them along and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them as an inheritance in the land of the L-RD as male servants and female servants; and they will take their captors captive, and will rule over their oppressors.

3 And it will be in the day when the L-RD gives you rest from your pain and turmoil and harsh service in which you have been enslaved, 4 that you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon, and say,

"How the oppressor has ceased,
And how fury has ceased!
5 "The L-RD has broken the staff of the wicked,
The scepter of rulers
6 Which used to strike the peoples in fury with unceasing strokes,
Which subdued the nations in anger with unrestrained persecution.
7 "The whole earth is at rest and is quiet;
They break forth into shouts of joy.
8 "Even the cypress trees rejoice over you,
and the cedars of Lebanon, saying,
'Since you were laid low, no tree cutter comes up against us.'
9 "Sheol from beneath is excited over you to meet you when you come;
It arouses for you the spirits of the dead,
all the leaders of the earth;
It raises all the kings of the nations from their thrones.
10 "They will all respond and say to you,
'Even you have been made weak as we,
You have become like us.
11'Your pomp and the music of your harps
Have been brought down to Sheol;
Maggots are spread out as your bed beneath you,
And worms are your covering.'
12 "How you have fallen from heaven,
O star of the morning, son of the dawn!
You have been cut down to the earth,
You who have weakened the nations!
13 "But you said in your heart, '
I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne above the stars of G-d,
And I will sit on the mount of assembly
In the recesses of the north.
14'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.'
15 "Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol,
To the recesses of the pit.
16 "Those who see you will gaze at you,
They will ponder over you, saying,
'Is this the man who made the earth tremble,
Who shook kingdoms,
7 Who made the world like a wilderness
And overthrew its cities,
Who did not allow his prisoners to go home?'
18 "All the kings of the nations lie in glory,
Each in his own tomb.
19 "But you have been cast out of your tomb
Like a rejected branch,
Clothed with the slain who are pierced with a sword,
Who go down to the stones of the pit,
Like a trampled corpse.
20 "You will not be united with them in burial,
Because you have ruined your country,
You have slain your people.
May the offspring of evildoers not be mentioned forever.
21 "Prepare for his sons a place of slaughter
Because of the iniquity of their fathers.
They must not arise and take possession of the earth
And fill the face of the world with cities."

22 "And I will rise up against them," declares the L-RD of hosts, "and will cut off from Babylon name and survivors, offspring and posterity," declares the L-RD. 23 "I will also make it a possession for the hedgehog, and swamps of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction," declares the L-RD of hosts.

24 The L-RD of hosts has sworn saying, "Surely, just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I have planned so it will stand, 25 to break Assyria in My land, and I will trample him on My mountains. Then his yoke will be removed from them, and his burden removed from their shoulder. 26 "This is the plan devised against the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out against all the nations. 27 "For the L-RD of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?" 28 In the year that King Ahaz died this oracle came:

29 "Do not rejoice, O Philistia, all of you,
Because the rod that struck you is broken;
For from the serpent's root a viper will come out,
And its fruit will be a flying serpent.
30 "And those who are most helpless will eat,
And the needy will lie down in security;
I will destroy your root with famine,
And it will kill off your survivors.
31 "Wail, O gate; cry, O city;
Melt away, O Philistia, all of you;
For smoke comes from the north,
And there is no straggler in his ranks.
32 "How then will one answer the messengers of the nation?
That the L-RD has founded Zion,
And the afflicted of His people will seek refuge in it."

1 The word of the L-RD which came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

1 The word of the L-RD which came to Hosea ben Beeri, during the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the days of Jeroboam ben Joash, king of Israel.

13 When Ephraim saw his sickness,
And Judah his wound,
Then Ephraim went to Assyria
And sent to King Jareb.
But he is unable to heal you,
Or to cure you of your wound.
14 For I will be like a lion to Ephraim,
And like a young lion to the house of Judah.
I, even I, will tear to pieces and go away,
I will carry away, and there will be none to deliver.
15 I will go away and return to My place
Until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face;
In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.

11 So Ephraim has become like a silly dove, without sense;
They call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
12 When they go, I will spread My net over them;
I will bring them down like the birds of the sky.
I will chastise them in accordance with the proclamation to their assembly.
13 Woe to them, for they have strayed from Me!
Destruction is theirs, for they have rebelled against Me!
I would redeem them, but they speak lies against Me.
14 And they do not cry to Me from their heart
When they wail on their beds;
For the sake of grain and new wine they assemble themselves,
They turn away from Me.
15 Although I trained and strengthened their arms,
Yet they devise evil against Me.
16 They turn, but not upward,
They are like a deceitful bow;
Their princes will fall by the sword
Because of the insolence of their tongue.
This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.

8 Israel is swallowed up;
They are now among the nations
Like a vessel in which no one delights.
9 For they have gone up to Assyria,
Like a wild donkey all alone;
Ephraim has hired lovers.
10 Even though they hire allies among the nations,
Now I will gather them up;
And they will begin to diminish
Because of the burden of the king of princes. 11 Since Ephraim has multiplied altars for sin,
They have become altars of sinning for him.
12 Though I wrote for him ten thousand precepts of My law,
They are regarded as a strange thing.
13 As for My sacrificial gifts,
They sacrifice the flesh and eat it,
But the L-RD has taken no delight in them.
Now He will remember their iniquity,
And punish them for their sins;
They will return to Egypt.
14 For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces;
And Judah has multiplied fortified cities,
But I will send a fire on its cities that it may consume its palatial dwellings.

1 Do not rejoice, O Israel, with exultation like the nations!
For you have played the harlot, forsaking your G-d.
You have loved harlots' earnings on every threshing floor.
2 Threshing floor and wine press will not feed them,
And the new wine will fail them.
3 They will not remain in the Lord's land,
But Ephraim will return to Egypt,
And in Assyria they will eat unclean food.
4 They will not pour out libations of wine to the L-RD,
Their sacrifices will not please Him.
Their bread will be like mourners' bread;
All who eat of it will be defiled,
For their bread will be for themselves alone;
It will not enter the house of the L-RD.
5 What will you do on the day of the appointed festival
And on the day of the feast of the L-RD?
6 For behold, they will go because of destruction;
Egypt will gather them up,
Memphis will bury them.
Weeds will take over their treasures of silver;
Thorns will be in their tents. 7 The days of punishment have come,
The days of retribution have come;
Let Israel know this!
The prophet is a fool,
The inspired man is demented,
Because of the grossness of your iniquity,
And because your hostility is so great.
8 Ephraim was a watchman with my G-d, a prophet;
Yet the snare of a bird catcher is in all his ways,
And there is only hostility in the house of his G-d.
9 They have gone deep in depravity As in the days of Gibeah;
He will remember their iniquity, He will punish their sins.
10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness;
I saw your forefathers as the earliest fruit on the fig tree in its first season.
But they came to Baal-peor and devoted themselves to shame,
And they became as detestable as that which they loved.
11 As for Ephraim, their glory will fly away like a bird--
No birth, no pregnancy, and no conception!
12 Though they bring up their children,
Yet I will bereave them until not a man is left.
Yes, woe to them indeed when I depart from them!
13 Ephraim, as I have seen,
Is planted in a pleasant meadow like Tyre;
But Ephraim will bring out his children for slaughter.
14 Give them, O L-RD-- what wilt Thou give?
Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts. 15 All their evil is at Gilgal;
Indeed, I came to hate them there!
Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of My house!
I will love them no more; All their princes are rebels.
16 Ephraim is stricken, their root is dried up,
They will bear no fruit.
Even though they bear children, I will slay the precious ones of their womb.
17 My G-d will cast them away
Because they have not listened to Him;
And they will be wanderers among the nations.

3 Surely now they will say, "We have no king,
For we do not revere the L-RD.
As for the king, what can he do for us?"
4 They speak mere words,
With worthless oaths they make covenants;
And judgment sprouts like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field.
5 The inhabitants of Samaria will fear For the calf of Beth-aven.
Indeed, its people will mourn for it,
And its idolatrous priests will cry out over it,
Over its glory, since it has departed from it.
6 The thing itself will be carried to Assyria
As tribute to King Jareb;
Ephraim will be seized with shame,And Israel will be ashamed of its own counsel.
7 Samaria will be cut off with her king,
Like a stick on the surface of the water.
8 Also the high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, will be destroyed;
Thorn and thistle will grow on their altars,
Then they will say to the mountains, "Cover us!"And to the hills, "Fall on us!"
9 From the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel;
There they stand!
Will not the battle against the sons of iniquity overtake them in Gibeah?
10 When it is My desire, I will chastise them;
And the peoples will be gathered against them
When they are bound for their double guilt.

5 They will not return to the land of Egypt;
But Assyria-- he will be their king,
Because they refused to return to Me.
6 And the sword will whirl against their cities,
And will demolish their gate bars
And consume them because of their counsels.
7 So My people are bent on turning from Me.
Though they call them to the One on high,
None at all exalts Him.
8 How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
How can I surrender you, O Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart is turned over within Me,
All My compassions are kindled.
9 I will not execute My fierce anger;
I will not destroy Ephraim again.
For I am G-d and not man, the Holy One in your midst,
And I will not come in wrath.
10 They will walk after the L-RD,
He will roar like a lion;
Indeed He will roar,
And His sons will come trembling from the west.
11 They will come trembling like birds from Egypt,
And like doves from the land of Assyria;
And I will settle them in their houses, declares the L-RD. 12 Ephraim surrounds Me with lies,And the house of Israel with deceit;
Judah is also unruly against G-d,Even against the Holy One who is faithful.

1 Ephraim feeds on wind,And pursues the east wind continually;
He multiplies lies and violence.
Moreover, he makes a covenant with Assyria,
And oil is carried to Egypt.

1Return, O Israel, to the L-RD your G-d,
For you have stumbled because of your iniquity.
2 Take words with you and return to the L-RD.
Say to Him, "Take away all iniquity,
And receive us graciously,
That we may present the fruit of our lips.
3 "Assyria will not save us,We will not ride on horses;
Nor will we say again, 'Our god,'To the work of our hands;
For in Thee the orphan finds mercy." 4 I will heal their apostasy, I will love them freely,
For My anger has turned away from them.
5 I will be like the dew to Israel;
He will blossom like the lily,
And he will take root like the cedars of Lebanon.
6 His shoots will sprout,
And his beauty will be like the olive tree,
And his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon.
7 Those who live in his shadow Will again raise grain,
And they will blossom like the vine.
His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon. 8 O Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols?
It is I who answer and look after you.
I am like a luxuriant cypress;
From Me comes your fruit. 9 Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;
Whoever is discerning, let him know them.
For the ways of the L-RD are right,
And the righteous will walk in them,
But transgressors will stumble in them.