II CHRONICLES CHAPTER 29 - 36

2 CHRONICLES 29

1 And Hezekiah became king
At twenty-five years old ruling
Twenty-nine years Jerusalem.
His mother's name was Abijah
The daughter of Zechariah.
2 And he did right by stratagem
In the sight of YHWH, according
To all that his dad David did.
3 In the first year of his reign’s bid,
In the first month, he opened up
The doors of the house of YHWH’s cup
And repaired them. 4 And then he brought
In the priests and the Levites taught,
And gathered them in the east square,
5 And said to them, "Hear me, beware,
Levites! Now sanctify yourselves,
Sanctify the house of YHWH’s shelves,
The Ælohim of your ancestors,
And cast out the garbage sequesters,
Out of the holy places there.
6 "For our fathers have sinned and done
Wickedness in the eyes that run
From YHWH our Ælohim, and they
Have forsaken Him, turned away
Their faces from the dwelling place
Of YHWH, and turned their backs to face.
7 "And they have shut the temple doors,
Put out the lamps, and have not stores
Of incense burned nor offered up
Burnt offerings in the holy cup
To Israel’s Ælohim and tup.
8 "Therefore the wrath of YHWH fell on
Judah and Jerusalem’s dawn,
And He’s delivered them to great
Trouble, to desolation’s fate,
And mocking as you yourselves see.
9 "For indeed, because of this spree
Our fathers have died by the sword;
And our sons, our daughters reward,
And our wives meet captivity.

The argument of fear and good success
Are likely enough to speak and address
The interests of the majority
Who do not care whose worship in their spree
They join, but just as long as water’s free
And food is on the table, let them be
Enjoying Roman sport’s philosophy,
And Greek games naked on the gymnast’s floor.
Beloved, I turn and seek the nearest door
From argument in kind, I drop to find
That all the explanations have been blind.
I knit my heart to Yours without a hope
Of gain beyond the air and water’s scope
That guide my nourishment up to the rope.

10 "Now it is in my heart to make
A covenant with YHWH for sake
Of Israel’s Ælohim, so that
Fierce wrath of his may turn out flat
From us. 11 "My sons, do not be slow,
For YHWH has chosen you to go
Before Him, to serve Him, that you
Serving Him should burn incense true."
12 Then these Levites got up: Mahath
The son of Amasai in path
And Joel the son of Azariah,
Of Kohathite sons; and the trier
Of the sons of Merari, Kish
The son of Abdi and to wish
Azariah the son and dish
Of Jehallelel; Gershonites,
Gave Joah son of Zimmah’s flights
And Eden son of Joah too;
13 Of Elizaphan’s sons were two,
Shimri and Jeiel; of the sons
Of Asaph, Zechariah’s runs
And Mattaniah; 14 of the sons
Of Heman: Jehiel, Shimei;
And of Jeduthun’s sons, Shemaiah
And Uzziel and come what may.
15 And they gathered their brothers by her,
Sanctified themselves, and went in
As the king ordered, at the din
Of YHWH’s words, to clean up the house
Of YHWH. 16 Then the priests without spouse
Went in the inner part of YHWH’s
House to clean it and the refuse
They brought out as they found it there
In YHWH’s temple, out in the air
Of the court of the house of YHWH.
And the Levites bore it out to
The Brook Kidron and out of view.

The Levites always come to stand when called
By kings who meet injustices appalled.
So Hezekiah’s covenant appealed
To the Levites who joined him and well-heeled.
No matter what enticements in the yield
The king may offer for work in Your field,
I stick to You, Beloved, in covenant
And face the courtesy as well as cant.
Beloved, I join the Levite and the rogue
Of king as every king must before Gog
And Magog and restore my happiness
In expectations lower than to bless.
That way, whether I follow king or not,
At least I’m dweller in Your sacred plot.

17 And they began to sanctify
It on the first month’s first day try,
And on the month’s eighth day to vie
They came to YHWH’s entryway there.
So they made holy YHWH’s house share
In eight days, and on sixteenth day
Of the first month they ended play.
18 And so they went in to the king
Hezekiah and said a thing,
"We have cleaned all the house of YHWH,
The altar of burnt offerings too
With all its pots, and table of
Showbread with all its things of love.
19 "Moreover all the things which King
Ahaz in his reign was throwing
Aside in wickedness, we’ve made
Ready and holy, and they’ve stayed
Before altar of YHWH displayed."

The first thing to be done in righteous way
Is clean up the temple in pagan sway.
The place must be swept before second day,
It’s more important that the incense kept
Upon the golden altar where there leapt
The cherubim in golden thread to play.
The best job I have ever had was when
I was allotted to clean out again
The toilets of the living place of men
In the college I went to hoping for
The education to open wealth’s door.
That was a scam, but honour there was more
In cleaning well. All came up to my floor
Because the other toilets were pigpen.

20 Then King Hezekiah got up
Early, and gathered like a tup
The rulers of the town, went up
To the house of YHWH for a cup.
21 They brought seven bulls, seven rams,
Seven male goats and seven lambs
For a sin offering for the realm,
For the temple and at the helm
For Judah. Then he commanded
The priests, the sons of Aaron, bid
To offer on altar of YHWH.
22 So they killed the bulls, and the true
Priests received the blood, sprinkled it
Upon the altar. Also fit
They killed the rams and sprinkled blood
Upon the altar like a flood.
They killed the lambs and sprinkled too
The blood on the altar of YHWH.
23 Then they brought out the male goats
For the sin offering before votes
Of the king and the assembly,
And they laid their hands on them free.
24 And the priests killed them; and they put
Their blood on the altar as foot
Of a sin offering to make there
Atonement for all Israel’s share,
For the king commanded the burnt
Offering and the sin offering learnt
Be made for all Israel had earnt.
25 He appointed the Levites in
The house of YHWH with cymbals’ din,
With stringed instruments, and with harps,
As David had ordered the carps,
And Gad the seer, and Nathan too,
The prophet, for such was the view
Of YHWH by all His prophets too.
26 The Levites stood with instruments
Of David, and the priests with vents
Of trumpets. 27 Then Hezekiah
Commanded them to offer a’
The burnt offering upon the altar.
And when the burnt offering and Psalter
Began, the song of YHWH began,
With trumpets and with the fine span
Of instruments of David king
Of Israel. 28 So all could sing
In worship while the singers sang
And trumpeters sounded the twang,
Until the burnt offering was all
Burnt up and no more left in stall.

It seems You worship in that far-off day
Required both sacrifice and harps to play.
Now I have neither sacrifice nor gun,
Nor instrument of music for Your fun.
The worship that I pose is that around
Me in the forest and upon the ground
As titmouse twits and rabbit stands to see
Who has opened the cabin door but me.
Beloved, they used to make a sacred noise
That scared the girls and attracted the boys
With trumpets and with blood running down free.
Now there is just the feathered flock to be
A witness with the furry ones that come
With me to bless Your name among the dumb.

29 And when they’d finished the offering,
The king and all who were being
With him bowed and worshiped with king.
30 And yet King Hezekiah and
The chiefs ordered the Levite band
To sing praise to YHWH with the psalms
Of David and of Asaph’s balms
The seer. So they sang praises there
With joy, and bowed their heads in prayer.
31 Then Hezekiah answered and
Said, "Now that you here holy stand
To YHWH, come near and sacrifice
And bring thank offering in the nice
House of YHWH.” So the congregation
Brought sacrifices and a ration
Of thank offerings, as many as
Were of a willing heart as has
Brought burnt offerings and all that jazz.
32 And the number of burnt offerings
Which the assembly brought on wings
Was seventy bulls, one hundred rams,
As well as two hundred of lambs;
All these were for a burnt offering
To YHWH. 33 The consecrated thing
Was six hundred bulls and then three
Thousand sheep. 34 But the priests to be
Were too few, so they could not skin
All the burnt offerings they brought in;
So their brothers the Levites helped
Them till the task ended the yelp
And until the other priests had
Sanctified themselves from the bad,
For the Levites were diligent
In sanctifying self and tent
Than were the priests though they were sent.
35 Also the burnt offerings were in
Abundance, with the fat and skin
Of the peace offerings and with the drink
Offerings for burnt offering to sink.
So the service of house of YHWH
Was set in order and in pew.
36 Then Hezekiah and the folk
All rejoiced that Ælohim spoke
For the people, since what took place
Happened suddenly as a race.

If Hezekiah’s happy and You too,
Then that’s the last word needed from the pew.
The fires ascending and the smoke in cloud
Covered the people singing out and loud
The many Psalms of David and the tones
Of sweetness and of vengeance for their groans.
The only sacrifice that’s given now
Is sacrifice of victims of their how
Who charge the church with loving every plough
Oppressing poor and weaker on the brow.
Keep my hand free of sacrifice, and I
Shall come with only Psalms and tell You why
Their plaint, petition, praise and penance vie
With all the pagan grandeur under sky.

2 CHRONICLES 30

1 And Hezekiah sent to all
Israel and Judah, and in call
Also wrote letters to Ephraim
And Manasseh, that they should trim
Come to YHWH’s house, Jerusalem,
To keep the Passover to YHWH
Ælohim of Israel and true.
2 For the king and his chiefs and all
Gathered in Jerusalem’s hall
Agreed to keep Passover right
In the second month out of spite.
3 For they could not keep it appointed,
Because not enough of anointed
Priests had consecrated themselves,
Nor had the people from their shelves
Come gathered at Jerusalem.
4 And the thing pleased the king like gem
And all the congregation too.
5 So they decided all in crew
To publish in all Israel too
From Beersheba to Dan that they
Should come to keep Passover’s sway
To YHWH Ælohim of Israel
At Jerusalem for a spell,
Since they had not done so as taught
For a long time by their right lot.
6 Then messengers went all throughout
Israel and Judah round about
With letters from king and his chiefs,
Speaking by the king’s own reliefs,
“Children of Israel, return
To YHWH Ælohim not to spurn
Of Abraham, Isaac and yet
Of Israel, then He will set
To return what is left of you
Who’ve escaped from the hand and crew
Of kings of Assyria in view.
7 "Do not be like your fathers were
And like your brothers to incur
Guilt against YHWH the Ælohim
Of their fathers, so that He gave
Them up to destruction and grave.
As you can see. 8 ”Now do not be
Stiff-necked, as your fathers, but free
Yourselves to YHWH; and enter in
His sanctuary, which from din
He’s sanctified forever, and
Serve YHWH your Ælohim in band,
That the burning of His wrath may
From all of you be turned away.
9 "For if you return to YHWH, then
Your brothers and children again
Will be dealt with in pity by
Those who take them captive or try,
So they may come back to this land;
For YHWH your Ælohim grand,
Gracious and merciful to stand,
And will not turn His face from you
If you return to Him as true."

When I read in Your law the dates were set
For Passover and such as seasons met,
I get the idea that each year that came
Saw Israel gathered in the sacred flame.
When I see Jews today in holy round
Count out the months and weeks in sacred sound
And keep the day and say the coming year
Should be in fair Jerusalem with gear,
I think that it has always been so here.
But Hezekiah, when he organized
Passover did a wonder undespised.
It was exception in those ancient days
That Your feasts were kept to eternal praise.
How fragile is Your faith in this world’s haze.

10 So the runners passed on from town
To town through Ephraim’s land renown
And Manasseh, to Zebulun;
But they laughed and held them in fun.
11 But some from Asher, Manasseh,
And Zebulun humbled to pray
Came to Jerusalem to stay.
12 Also the hand of Ælohim
Was on Judah to give them gleam
In heart singleness to obey
The command of the king and chiefs,
At the word of YHWH for reliefs.
13 Now many folk, a great crowd, came
Up to Jerusalem to claim
The Feast of Unleavened Bread in
The second month and without sin.
14 They got up and they took away
The altars that were on that day
Within Jerusalem, and they
Took away all the incense pay
And threw them in the Brook Kidron.

Even in those years when Passover feast
Was kept in old Jerusalem at least
Many there were who only jeered to hear
That You at last were honoured that one year.
The righteous act of kings goes little down
To make a dent upon unfaithful town,
And so it is no wonder those who seek
To maintain power upon both strong and weak
Commonly fail to spend their time in prayer
Toward Your temple, but rather beware
Opinion of the crowds who love to find
The feasts of idols where they wined and dined.
I turn towards Jerusalem, dear One,
And turn my back on idols of the sun.

15 Then they slaughtered Passover bun
In second month, the fourteenth day.
The priests and the Levites were shamed,
And sanctified themselves unblamed,
And brought burnt offerings to YHWH’s house.
16 They stood in their place and with spouse
According to their custom, and
According to Moses’ Law’s stand,
The man of Ælohim; the priests
Sprinkled the blood with its receipts
From the hand of the Levite band.
17 For there were many in the crowd
Who were not sanctified aloud,
That’s why the Levites had the charge
Of Passover slaughter on barge
For every one who was not clean,
To sanctify them to YHWH’s scene.
18 For a crowd of the folk, some from
Ephraim, Manasseh, and the bum
Issachar, and from Zebulun,
Had not cleansed themselves on the run,
Yet they ate the Passover meat
Contrary to the written feat.
But Hezekiah prayed for them,
Saying, "May the good YHWH and gem
Give atonement for everyone
19 Who prepares his heart on the run
To seek Ælohim, YHWH the God
Of his ancestors, though in prod
He is not cleansed according to
Sanctuary cleansing that’s due."
20 And YHWH listened to Hezekiah
And healed the people from pariah.
21 So the children of Israel who
Were present at Jerusalem
Kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread
Seven days with great gladness’ view;
And the Levites and priests in hem
Praised YHWH day by day, and were led
Singing to YHWH, accompanied
By sounding instruments indeed.

Let me prepare my heart, Beloved, to know
The sacred duty and the path to go.
Let me prepare my heart, Beloved, to find
My pleasure and my duty in the kind
That You reveal in word of truth resigned.
Let me prepare my heart, Beloved, to seek
You always in all things I do, though weak
And small in deed and word. Let me prepare
My heart, Beloved, to find Your way and share
My inner song with those who join me where
The beastly and the fowlly flocks are due.
Let me prepare my heart, and I shall rest
In Your love while my love for You impressed
On my soul blossoms where Your love’s addressed.

22 And Hezekiah gave the start
To all the Levites to impart
The good knowledge of YHWH, and they
Ate through the feast for seven day,
Offering peace offerings there to make
Confession to YHWH for their sake
To Ælohim of their dads’ wake.
23 The whole crowd then agreed to stay
For the feast another seven day,
And they kept it another seven
Days with their gladness up to heaven.
24 For Hezekiah king of Judah
Gave to the crowd a thousand brooder
Bulls as well as seven thousand sheep,
And the chiefs gave the crowd to keep
A thousand bulls, ten thousand sheep,
And many priests made holy heap.
25 The whole assembly of Judah
Rejoiced, also the priests and a’
The Levites, all the congregation
That came up from Israelite nation,
The guests who came from Israel’s land,
And those who lived in Judah’s stand.
26 Great joy was in Jerusalem,
For since the time of Solomon
The son of David, Israel’s king,
There had been nothing like this thing
In all Jerusalem to sing.
27 Then the priests, the Levites arose
And blessed the people on their toes,
And their voice was heard, and their prayer
Rose to His holy heavenly chair.

Not since the time of David had there been
Such Passover to atone for the sin
Of having left aside the feast before,
While kings and peoples rushed into the door
Of Baalim year by year and score by score.
Not since the time of David, still I hear
The awful words that fall upon my ear,
And wonder at a human perfidy,
That tent of David should so troubled be.
In all the glory of Solomon’s house
There had not been such Passover of mouse.
Beloved, the times that I remember You
Each week come in the days when they are due,
And I look back with faith to change the view.

2 CHRONICLES 31

1 It happened when all this was done,
The folk, all who were there for fun
Went out into Judah’s towns to
Break down the sacred pillars’ crew,
Fell wooden images as well,
And cast down the high places’ spell
And altars from all Judah and
Benjamin, Ephraim and the band
Of Manasse, until they had
Destroyed each and everything bad.
Then all the folk of Israel
Returned each to his own town’s tell,
Every man to his own plot’s well.
2 And Hezekiah set divisions
Of priests and Levites by provisions,
Each man according to his task,
The priests and Levites there to ask
The burnt offering and peace offering,
To serve, give thanks, to praise and sing
In the gates of the camp of YHWH.
3 The king also appointed lot
Of his wealth for burnt offering’s spot,
For burnt offerings of morn and eve,
Burnt offerings for Sabbaths’ reprieve,
The first days of the months and yet
For all the yearly feasts as set,
As written in the Law of YHWH.
4 Moreover he commanded crew
Who lived in Jerusalem to
Give for priests’ and Levites’ support
So they might consecrate effort
To Torah of YHWH and not sport.
5 As soon as the commandment went
Around the folk of Israel sent
In plenty of firstfruits of grain
And grape juice, oil and honey gain,
And all the produce of the field,
And they brought in a lot in yield
Of the tithe of everything sealed.
6 And the folk of Israel and Judah,
Who lived in the cities of Judah,
Brought the tithe of oxen and sheep,
Also the tithe of holy keep
Which were consecrated to YHWH
Their Ælohim, laid up in heap.

In Israel of old, in Judah too,
It seems every time that faith came in view
After the wickedness of king in pew
And even priest and people for their due,
There was a time iconoclastic vim
Took hold of populace, of her and him.
In Israel of old the reign that spoiled
The land was that of Baalim on the foiled.
Beloved, let me take hold of idol stone
And pull it down to crash, and not alone.
Let me stand on the Prophet’s shoulders bare
And pull down images of gods on stair.
I lay a hand upon the place where stood
The ancient statue not for any good.

7 In the third month they began laying
Them in heaps, and they had done weighing
In the seventh month. 8 And so when
Hezekiah and the chiefs then
Came and saw the heaps, they blessed YHWH
And His people of Israel too.
9 Then Hezekiah asked the priests
And the Levites about heaps for feasts.
10 And Azariah the chief priest,
From the house of Zadok increased,
Answered and said to him, "Because
They began to bring offerings’ laws
Into the house of YHWH, and we
Have had enough to eat in fee
And plenty left, for YHWH has blessed
His people, and with all the rest
Is this great piled redundancy.”
11 Now Hezekiah ordered them
To set up store rooms in YHWH’s house,
And they made them without a mouse.
12 They faithfully brought in offerings,
The tithes, and dedicated things,
Cononiah Levite took charge
Of them, Shimei, brother at large
Was second. 13 Jehiel, Azaziah,
Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth,
Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah,
Mahath, and finally Benaiah
Were chiefs under the hand of both
Cononiah and Shimei his
Brother, by order of the whiz
King Hezekiah, and the chief
Of Ælohim’s house, Azariah.

I bring the heaps of blessings that You give
Into the inner temple where I live,
And light my inner lamps to see Your word
Displayed in graven letters undeterred
Upon the tables of my fleshly heart.
I bring the heaps in barrow and in cart.
Beloved, the heaps of sacrifice to fill
The ancient temple there on Zion’s hill
Remind me of the glories of my day,
The glitterings of sunlight on my way.
I find the temple of my heart expands
To be a grander temple on the sands,
With dome of sky above, and in my play,
The hill of quartzite where I take my stay.

14 Kore the son of Imnah too
A Levite, keeper of the due
East gate, was over the freewill
Offerings to Ælohim, and still
To pass out YHWH’s offerings and most
Holy things that they had to boast.
15 And under him were Eden and
Miniamin, Jeshua, in band
And Shemaiah, Amariah,
And finally Shecaniah,
His faithful helpers in the towns
Of the priests, to pass out the gowns
To their brothers each in his lot,
To the great as well as small plot.
16 Besides those males from three years old
And up who were written in told
Genealogy, they gave to each
Who entered house of YHWH to preach
His daily portion for the task
Of his service, by his lot’s flask,
17 And to the priests who were recorded
In genealogy afforded
To their ancestral house and to
The Levites from twenty years due
And up according to their work,
By their divisions, not to shirk,
18 All found in genealogy,
Their little ones and their wives free,
Their sons’ and daughters’ company,
For in their faithfulness they made
Themselves holy by holy shade.
19 Also for Aaron’s sons the priests,
Who were in the fields of the leasts
Of their cities, in every town,
Men were there chosen by renown
To hand out portions to all men
Among the priests and to all then
Listed by genealogies
Among the Levites as they please.
20 So Hezekiah did throughout
All Judah, and he did the stout
Good and right and the true before
YHWH his Ælohim on his score.
21 In every task that he began
In service of Ælohim’s house,
In the law and commandment’s plan,
To seek his Ælohim with spouse,
He did it with all his heart. So
He prospered in the way to go.

Make me too prosper, my Beloved, and see
The good fruit hanging on the suppered tree.
Though I am not a king of a great land
Like Hezekiah, I still rule in hand
My own soul and its choices day by day:
I am the king of all that’s in my sway.
In every task of my heart temple let
Me do according to commandment met
On Sinai, in Your word, and let me fail
Not to remember every goodly tale.
Beloved, I seek to do with all my heart
The duty You have laid up for my part,
And so I claim prosperity as I
Trod on the upward way beneath the sky.

2 CHRONICLES 32

1 After these deeds of faithfulness,
Sennacherib king to address
Of the Assyrians came and
Entered Judah, encamped in band
Against the fortified towns for
To win them to himself and store.
2 When Hezekiah saw that man
Sennacherib had come, his plan
Was to attack Jerusalem,
3 He counselled with his captains’ hem
And chiefs to stop the water springs
Outside the city, to their wings
They flew to help him with those things.
4 So many people gathered there
To stop up all the springs in share
And the brook that ran through the land,
Saying, "Why should the kings of banned
Assyria come and find drink planned?"
5 And he strengthened himself, and built
Up all the wall broken with silt,
Raised up to the towers, and then made
Another wall outside parade,
He also fixed the Millo in
David’s city, and made the bin
Of weapons and shields for all kin.
6 Then he set army captains over
The people, gathered them from rover
To him in the town’s open square
By the gate, and gave to them there
Encouragement, saying, 7 "Be strong
And of great courage all along,
Don’t be afraid, don’t be dismayed
Before king of Assyria stayed,
Nor before all the multitude
That is with him, for there’s a brood
More with us than with him construed.
8 "With him there is an arm of flesh,
But with us YHWH our Ælohim,
To help and fight our fight afresh."
The folk were strengthened by the beam
Of words of Hezekiah king
Of Judah more than anything.

Teach me, Beloved, to stop the water springs
That feed my soul, when come the priests and kings
Of fair idolatry to take my hoard.
Make me, Beloved, obedient to my Lord.
Teach me, Beloved, to hide the sacred fount
Of health and wealth and stealth to sacred mount
Where Sinai glimmers yet in solemn light
To laminate my soul with Your delight.
Beloved, the tramplings of the swine come near
And threaten me with everything they fear,
While I in turn return to You again
To quaff from alabaster cups what men
Would muddy with their careless feet or yet
Destroy with idol worship and its fret.

9 After this Sennacherib king
Of the Assyrians sent his slaves
Into Jerusalem like braves,
But he and all the hosts with him
Went against Lachish for a whim,
To Hezekiah king of Judah,
And to all Judah who were ruder
There in Jerusalem, they said,
10 "So says Sennacherib the king
Of the Assyrians, ‘In what
Do you take refuge, that you’re shut
Under siege in Jerusalem?
11 ‘Is Hezekiah’s stratagem
To lead you by hunger to death
And by thirst to cut off your breath
Claiming, "YHWH our God will deliver
Us from the power of the king liver
Of the Assyrians"? 12 ‘Has not
That same Hezekiah in plot
Removed His high places and His
Altars, and commanded the biz
Of Judah and Jerusalem,
Saying, "You shall worship at hem
Of one altar and burn incense
On it and not in other tents"?
13 ‘Do you not know what I and my
Ancestors did to all they’d spy
In every land? Where those lands’ gods
Able at all to save their clods
Out of my hand of power to vie?
14 ‘Who was there among all the gods
Of those countries my ancestors
Destroyed completely out of doors
That could save his people from me,
That your God should be utterly
Able to save you from my hand?
15 ‘So don’t let Hezekiah bland
Lie to you, make you understand
Or talk you into some belief,
For no god of kingdom in brief
Or any country had the power
To save his people from my hour
Or from my ancestors’ hands’ power.
How much less will your God save you
From my hand’s power and from my crew?'"

The argument of general and friend
Of heathen gods calculates to offend.
The premise is that success in the fight,
The rule of brawn, determines what is right.
Such nonsense is conceived as such as soon
As a child’s able to eat with a spoon
And complain of injustice when his plate
Is taken by his brother come up late.
The reasons people spout are clouded with
Their hopes to steal from others, and not myth.
Beloved, I too make fair appeal to reason
When I come to Your throne and without treason.
Make reason in my mind and tongue renounce
The jungle law that always hopes to pounce.

16 And much else did his servants speak
Against YHWH Ælohim to seek
And against His servant and spyer
The king of Judah Hezekiah.
17 He also wrote letters to shame
YHWH Ælohim of Israel’s name,
And to speak against Him, and say
"As the gods of the nations play
Not saving their folk from my hand,
So Hezekiah’s God won’t stand
To save His people from my hand."
18 Then they called out with a loud voice
In Hebrew to the folk of choice
Jerusalem upon the wall,
To frighten them and so appal,
That they might take the town and all.
19 They spoke against Jerusalem
And her Ælohim for her gem,
As they did against the gods of
The peoples of the earth that shove,
Things made by human hand and glove.
20 Because of this King Hezekiah
As well as the prophet Isaiah,
The son of Amoz, prayed and cried
Out to heaven both high and wide.
21 Then YHWH sent an angel who cut
Down every mighty man of gut,
Captain and leader in the camp
Of the Assyrian king to vamp.
He went back to his land in shame.
When he went to house of his god,
His own spawn struck him to the sod
With the sword drawn and the feet shod.

They cried aloud in Hebrew, so the men
Upon the wall and all the folk again
Would hear the propaganda on the roof
And think that their destruction was no spoof.
They cried aloud in Hebrew for their pains,
And hoped they could convince them of their gains
And make the heart melt and the hope go dry
On iron earth beneath a brazen sky.
Beloved, I too cry out in Hebrew now
And touch the iron earth with brazen brow,
As I sing out the Psalms of David and
In cantillation on the Torah stand.
Hear me and be convinced that I have come
To sack Your temple of both gold and rum!

22 So YHWH saved Hezekiah and
Jerusalem’s dwellers from hand
Of Sennacherib who was king
Of the Assyrians to sing,
And from the hand of all to guide
Them every one on every side.
23 And many brought presents to YHWH
At Jerusalem, and gifts to
Hezekiah king of Judah,
So that he was raised in the awe
Of all lands after that faux-pas.
24 In those days Hezekiah fell
Sick near to death, and he prayed well
To YHWH; and He spoke to him and
Gave him a sign as in command.
25 But Hezekiah did not act
According to the favour stacked
For him, because his heart was proud,
So wrath stood over him like cloud,
And over Judah and the town
Jerusalem and like a frown.
26 Then Hezekiah humbled him
Self for the pride of his heart dim,
He and inhabitants that were
In old Jerusalem to stir
No wrath of YHWH upon them all
In days of Hezekiah’s fall.
27 And Hezekiah was most great
In riches and honour of state,
And made himself his treasuries
For silver, gold, precious stones, seas
Of spices, shields, for every kind
Of Muhammad’s instruments, mind,
28 Storehouses for the harvest grain,
Grape juice, and oil, stalls to maintain
All kinds of livestock, folds for sheep
And places for the goats to sleep.

Who knows what instruments of Muhammad
King Hezekiah had. But hope had led
The people to speak of desired things,
Things costly and the precious things of kings,
As instruments desired. The long time wish
That One Desired should come made knife and dish
And jewel and sword shine with anticipation.
The name itself enhanced hand tool and nation.
A household word before his true appearing
Was lost from Scripture through his people’s fearing.
Desired vessel, vessel made of clay,
Lies broken now, betrayed upon the day
He died. Beloved, keep in my heart what’s true,
And let me love and know as well as do.

2 CHRONICLES 33

1 Manasseh was twelve years old when
He became king, and he ruled then
Jerusalem fifty-five years.
2 But he did evil in the sight
Of YHWH, according to the fright
Of the nations whom YHWH had thrown
Out before Israel’s children grown.
3 He set up once again high places
Which Hezekiah his dad’s maces
Had broken down; he raised up altars
For Baals, and made them without halters
In wooden images; and he
Worshiped all the host of the sky
And served them also wickedly.
4 He built altars in YHWH’s house too,
Of which YHWH had said, "In the view
Of Jerusalem shall My name
Be forever and without shame."
5 He built altars for all the host
Of heaven in the two courts to toast
Of YHWH’s house. 6 He also caused sons
Of his to pass through the fire runs
In valley of Son of Hinnom,
He practiced soothsaying in hum,
Used witchcraft, also sorcery,
Consulted mediums freely
And spirit raisers. He did much
Evil before YHWH, and to touch
Him to anger. 7 He even set
A carved image, an idol yet
Which he’d made, in Ælohim’s house,
Of which Ælohim told David
And Solomon his son in bid,
"In this house and Jerusalem,
Which I have chosen as a gem
Out of all tribes of Israel,
I’ll have My name forever dwell,
8 "And I will not again remove
The foot of Israel from the groove
Of this land which I have appointed
For your fathers, only if jointed
To do all I’ve commanded them,
According to the whole law’s hem
And statutes and commandments by
The hand of Moses under sky."

One king rules by his idols while another
Rules by Your grace and law though he’s the brother
Of the unfaithful one. No one can tell
Why this is so, it seems they’re under spell.
The fact is idol worship seemed so near
To truth that it did hardly then appear
To be a different thing to those who chose
To live and die beneath the heathen throes.
Beloved, the churches here today inject
Hardly a different thing than the neglect
That idol worshippers of long ago
Held was the reasoned and right way to go.
The human mind is blinded by the silt
Of times and culture imbibed to the hilt.

9 So Manasseh seduced Judah
And dwellers of Jerusalem
To do more evil than the claw
Of nations whom YHWH’s stratagem
Had destroyed before Israel’s folk.
10 And so then YHWH Ælohim spoke
To Manasseh and to his folk,
But they would not listen a stroke.
11 That’s why YHWH brought on them the chiefs
Of Assyrian king’s army griefs,
Who took Manasseh with his hooks,
And bound him with bronze fetters’ nooks,
And carried him to Babylon.
12 When he was in affliction there,
He begged YHWH his Ælohim’s share,
And greatly humbled himself in
The sight of his ancestors’ God,
13 And prayed to Him for his own sin,
And God received contrite petition,
And heard his prayer in his condition,
Brought him back to Jerusalem
Into his kingdom and his gem.
So Manasseh knew YHWH was God.

The loose psychology here writ is sound,
And something in the human heart I’ve found.
Those who by all up-bringing should do right,
When they reject the truth, stand in Your sight
More guilty, more rebellious than the crowd
Who never heard Your name spoken aloud.
That’s why the Christian armies are so wild
In slaying old men, women, and the child.
That’s why the Muslim fighter in his hate
Transgresses worse than atheist of late.
Beloved, I fear to let go of Your law
Lest I might find a greater sin in paw
Than what the ignorant of right and wrong
Do when they sing a frightful, beating song.

14 After this he built a wall by
David’s city on west of Gi-
Hon, in the bending valley there
Up to the entrance and the share
Of the fish gate, and it enclosed
Ophel, and he raised it imposed.
And he put army captains in
All the fortified cities’ bin
Of Judah for all the land’s kin.
15 He took away the foreign gods
And idol from YHWH’s house in shods,
And all the altars he had built
On the mount of YHWH’s house and silt
Of Jerusalem, and he cast
Them out of the city to last.
16 He also fixed YHWH’s altar and
Sacrificed peace offerings there and
Thank offerings on it, by command
Had Judah serve YHWH Ælohim
Of Israel in house and beam.
17 But still the people sacrificed
On the high places, but sufficed
Only to YHWH their Ælohim.
18 Now the rest of Manasseh’s acts,
His prayer to his Ælohim, facts
Of the seers who spoke to him in
Name of YHWH Israel’s Ælohim,
Truly they’re in the book and beam
Of kings of Israel and their kin.
19 Also his prayer and shrieving from
All his sin and trespass to come,
And the sites where he built high places,
And set up wooden image graces,
Before he was humbled, indeed,
They’re written in Hozai’s words’ creed.
20 So Manasseh rested with his
Ancestors, and they buried his
Body in his own house. Then his
Son Amon reigned in his place fizz.

Affliction of the king turned his heart round
To find that You, Beloved, rule on the ground.
And yet the royal witness went unheard,
And people still worshipped the frightful bird
Of Baal and turned their children into ash
On burning images. Today cold cash
Is rather god to whom we sacrifice
Who live in palaces and drive what’s nice.
Affliction of the king made think again,
And that is true today of some good men.
But let me turn to You, Beloved, without
Incentive of the healings of my doubt,
But let me turn to You since You are You,
Or if not that, then let love be my clue.

21 Amon was twenty-two years when
He became king, and he reigned then
Two years in old Jerusalem.
22 But he did evil stratagem
In the sight of YHWH, as his dad
Manasseh had done, for the bad
Amon sacrificed to all carved
Images which his dad unstarved
Manasseh had made, and served them.
23 He did not humble him before
YHWH, as his father Manasseh
Had humbled himself in the way,
But Amon trespassed more and more.
24 His servants plotted against him,
And killed him in his own house rim.
25 But the land’s folk slew all those who
Conspired against King Amon’s due.
And then the people of the land
Made Josiah his son in hand
King in his place and to command.

To do evil will not make guarantee
That the world will applaud and come to see
One’s end in honour at the golden stake.
Even the heathen know for justice’ sake
To plot against the evil ruler and
Toss him out on the night and river sand.
There is not safety for the evil king
Nor yet for those who praise Your name and sing,
For safety’s not a thing this world accounts
The right of all, no matter what amounts
Are found in bank vault. Let me not be slow,
Beloved, to follow truth despite the show,
And cling to justice for myself and all,
No matter what idol is in their hall.

2 CHRONICLES 34

1 Josiah was eight years old when
He became king, and he ruled then
Jerusalem thirty-one years.
2 He did what was right it appears
In the sight of YHWH, and walked in
The ways of his dad David’s spin,
He did not turn aside to right
Hand or to the left hand of night.
3 For in the eighth year of his reign,
While he was still young, he would fain
Seek Ælohim of David his
Ancestor, and in the twelfth biz
He started to clean Judah out,
Jerusalem too without doubt,
Of the high places’ wooden form,
And molded images bestorm.
4 They broke down the altars of Baals
In his presence, and incense veils
Of altars which were above them
He cut down, and the wooden ones,
The carved images, and the buns
Of moulded images he smashed,
And made dust of them scattered, stashed
On their graces sacrificed gashed.
5 He also burned the bones of priests
On their altars, and cleansed for feasts
Judah and so Jerusalem.
6 And so he did in the towns’ gem
Of Manasseh, Ephraim, and
Simeon, as far as the band
Of Naphtali and all around,
With axes, felled them to the ground.

At age of sixteen years Josiah made
His choice and his decision as waylaid
By Your heart of love in the world’s parade.
My heart at that age was also not blind
To that sweet love wherewith Your humankind
You bless from day to day and night to night.
My youthful heart rose up before the sight
Of sea rising grey on the soughing shore.
My youthful heart opened a gold-hinged door
To let in Your illuminating art.
You were and then became God of my heart.
Beloved, I see that youthful hearts may grow
To do great things for You before the show
Of life creeps in to mar the divine part.

7 When he had broken down the great
Altars and wooden image crate,
And beaten the carved images
Into dust, and cut down for biz
All the incense altars throughout
All the land of Israel in scout,
He went back to Jerusalem.
8 In eighteenth year of stratagem,
When he had purged the land and temple,
He sent Shaphan the son, no wimple,
Of Azaliah, Maaseiah
The chief of the town, and Joah
The son of Joahaz recorder,
To fix YHWH his Ælohim’s house.
9 When they came to Hilkiah hoarder
And the high priest who sat with spouse,
They turned over the money brought
Into the house of Ælohim,
Which the Levites who kept the wrought
Doors had collected from the hand
Of Manasseh and Ephraim,
From all those left of Israel’s land,
From all Judah and Benjamin,
Which they brought back from kith and kin
To city of Jerusalem.
10 Then they put it in hand of gem
Of the chief men with oversight
Of YHWH’s house, and they gave it right
To the workmen who did the task
Of repairing and restoration
Of YHWH’s house. 11 They gave bag and flask
To the skilled builders to buy hewn
Stone and lumber for beams and soon
To floor the houses which the kings
Of Judah had destroyed in stings.
12 The men did the work faithfully.
Their overseers were to see
Jahath and Obadiah who
Were Levites, of the sons and crew
Of Merari, and Zechariah
And Meshullam, of the sons nigh her
Of the Kohathites supervising.
The Levites, all those who were skilled
In instruments of music filled,
13 Were over burden bearers and
Were overseers in command
Of all who did the work whatever
The service. And Levites were clever
As scribes, and officers and such
To guard the gates from unclean touch.

The work of every youth, whether a king
Or simple labourer upon the wing
Is to restore the temple set of old
In every human heart and to be bold
To cause the Levites there to make the room
As lovely as it is a place of doom.
The work of every youth is to take care
Of inner temple where the sparrows share
The nest with hope that with the coming June
The songs of earth may rise in destined tune
Of faith and love and hope and righteousness
Where every youthful heart bows to confess
The ark of covenant and in its breast
The law that You spoke once forever best.

14 Now when they brought the money out
That was brought in YHWH’s house no doubt,
Hilkiah the priest found the Book
Of the Law of YHWH given to look
By Moses. 15 Then Hilkiah spoke,
Said to Shaphan the scribe a stroke,
"I’ve found law book here in YHWH’s house.”
Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan.
16 So Shaphan took the book to house
Of the king, bringing with the saffron
The message to the king to say,
"All you told your servants in pay
To do, they are doing that way.
17 "And they have gathered money that
Was found in the house of YHWH fat,
And have delivered it in hand
Of overseers and work band."
18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king,
Saying, "Hilkiah the priestling
Has given me a book." And then
Shaphan read it before the king.
19 So it happened then, the king when
He heard the words of the Law, that
He ripped his robes. 20 Then the king fat
Commanded Hilkiah, the man
Ahikam the son of Shaphan,
Abdon the son of Micah, and
Shaphan the scribe, Asaiah hand
Of the king, saying, 21 "Go, inquire
Of YHWH for me, and for desire
Of those left in Israel and Judah,
Concerning the words of the cruder
Book that is found; for great’s the wrath
Of YHWH that’s poured out on our path,
Because our fathers have not kept
The word of YHWH, to do unswept
According to all written in
This book of law against their sin."

I’ve heard that book was not found but was made
To join the law traditions on parade
In north and south and so make covenant
In politics for the way that they went.
Researchers always have a theory spent
To wander in the paths of speculation.
I too have some grand schemes of my own ration.
But whether secretly drawn from the tale
Handed down by the fathers to prevail,
Or found in dust and climate of the veil,
The book remains to me a thing to kiss
With thought and word and action, not to miss
The loving heart that You hide in the word
That twinkles in the speech of bug and bird.

22 So Hilkiah and those the king
Appointed went to Huldah’s wing
The prophetess, wife of Shallum
The son of Tokhath and no bum,
The son of Hasrah, keeper of
The wardrobe. She lived in the glove
Jerusalem in Second Quarter.
And they spoke to her not to thwart her.
23 Then she answered them, "So says YHWH
Ælohim of Israel to do,
‘Tell the man who to Me sent you,’
24 "So says YHWH, `Indeed, I will bring
Calamity, on this place fling
And on its dwellers, all the curses
That are written in the book’s verses
Which they have read before the king
Of Judah, 25 ‘because they in spring
Forsook Me to burn incense to
Other gods to provoke Me to
Wrath with all the works of their hands.
That’s why My wrath will be in bands
Poured out on this place, and not quenched.'"'
26 "But as Judah’s king undrenched,
Who sent you to inquire of YHWH,
This is how you will speak his due,
`So says YHWH Israel’s Ælohim,
"Of the words which you’ve heard like dream,
27 "Because your heart was tender, and
You humbled yourself before hand
Of Ælohim hearing His words
Against this place and dweller turds,
And you humbled yourself to Me,
And ripped your robes and wept freely
Before Me, I also have heard,”
Say YHWH. 28 "Surely I’ll take each bird
Of you to your ancestors, and
You shall go to your grave in grand
Peace, and your eyes shall not see all
The tragedy I’ll cause to fall
On this place and its dwellers’ hall."'"
So they brought back word to the king,
And he listened to everything.

Huldah’s a sweet lady to hear Your speech
While men in prophecy come grasp and reach.
She holds her own and bears the sacred word
That will come to the king and to be heard.
Huldah’s a mind that touches on the fine
Vision that joins the human with divine.
Josiah needed every word You spoke
To make decisions under vision’s oak,
And in Your choice of prophet then You spoke
In favour of each woman without joke.
Beloved, I grasp Your word of love and pain,
Each word revealed and written not in vain,
And kiss the message of hope and despair
As I rise living sacrifice in air.

29 Then the king sent and gathered all
The elders of Judah by call
And of Jerusalem in stall.
30 The king went up to YHWH’s house, all
The men of Judah and the flock
Dwelling in Jerusalem’s stock,
The priests and the Levites, and all
The people among great and small.
And he read in their hearing all
The words of the book of the pact
Which had been found in YHWH’s house stacked.
31 Then the king stood in his place and
Made covenant before YHWH, and
To follow YHWH, and to obey
His commandments and every way
Of His testimonies and all
His statutes with all his heart’s call
And all his soul, and to perform
The words of covenant in storm
That were written in this book’s form.
32 And he made all who were in band,
Jerusalem, Benjamin stand.
The dwellers of Jerusalem
Did by the covenant in hem
Of Ælohim, their fathers’ God.
33 So Josiah removed the clod
Of all abominations from
All the country that was in sum
Of the children of Israel,
And made all who stood there right well
Serve YHWH their God in Israel.
All his days they did not depart
From following YHWH with their heart,
Ælohim of their fathers’ part.

The hope of king Josiah when he moved
Abominations from the land just proved
That he was serious about the thing
That You sent in prophecy to the king.
If kings can believe word of woman sent
That You in Your love may not now relent,
Then I in my small sphere, who whirl and turn,
Am here to love Your words and feel them burn
Upon my soul and count at last the note
That You, Beloved, left in all that You wrote.
The witness of the young king was enough
To make the people relent from the rough
And follow You, Beloved, with heart and tongue
In everything that was thought, done, and sung.

2 CHRONICLES 35

1 Josiah kept Passover feast
To YHWH in Jerusalem’s east,
And slaughtered the Passover lambs
On the fourteenth day of the drams
Of the first month. 2 And he set priests
In their duties and in their feasts
Encouraged them to serve YHWH’s house.
3 Then he said to the Levites’ rouse
Who taught all Israel, who were holy
To YHWH, "Put the holy ark rolly
In the house which Solomon son
Of David, king of Israel, won.
No longer let it be a load
On shoulders. Now serve YHWH in mode,
Your Ælohim and His folk too,
The folk of Israel all in crew.
4 "Prepare yourselves according to
Your ancestral houses, and to
Divisions by instructions set
By David king of Israel met,
And to the written formula
Of his son Solomon in awe.
5 "And stand in the holy place by
Divisions of ancestral cry
Of your brothers and other folk
By the division of the stroke
Of Levite ancestors in yoke.
6 "So slaughter the Passover and
Consecrate yourselves all in band,
Preparing for your brothers’ stand,
So they can do by all the word
Of YHWH by hand of Moses stirred.”

Only at time when young Josiah gave
The order to Levite instead of slave
To put the ark within the temple made
By Solomon instead of ark displayed
Upon the shoulders of the ones waylaid
To do the task, was it hidden apart.
Beloved, it is a late day, but my heart
Is empty without writing on the wall
To show Your ark is filled from stall to stall
With glory as that once filling the mount
Sinai as far as anyone could count.
Beloved, I seek the treasured ark to be
Within my inner chamber where I see
Your law shining above every account.

7 Josiah gave the people lambs
And young goats from the flock in hams,
All for Passover offerings for
All who had entered in the door,
To thirty thousand strong, as well
As three thousand in cattle swell,
These were from the king's own cartel.
8 And his chiefs gave with willing heart
To the people, to the priests’ part,
And to the Levites for a start.
Hilkiah, Zechariah, and
Jehiel, rulers of the band
In house of Ælohim, gave to
The priests for the Passover due
Two thousand six hundred in flock
And three hundred cattle in stock.
9 Also Conaniah, his brothers
Shemaiah and Nethanel, others
Hashabiah and Jeiel and
Jozabad, chief of Levites’ band,
Gave to the Levites for Passover
Five thousand from the flock, in clover
Five hundred cattle from the rover.
10 So the service was prepared, and
The priests there in their places stand,
Levites in their divisions too,
According to the king's word due.
11 They slaughtered the Passover, and
The priests sprinkled blood with their hand,
While the Levites flayed off the panned.
12 Then they removed the burnt offerings
So as to give them dividings
Of the ancestral houses to
The people to offer to YHWH
As written in Moses’ book too.
And so they took the cattle too.
13 They roasted the Passover too
With fire according to the law,
But other holy things in paw
They boiled in pots, cauldrons, and pans,
And shared them quickly with their fans.

The Rabbi will not give today command
To slaughter the Passover in the land,
But only sets the bitter herbs and such
To hear the reading that the folk love much.
The questionings of every youngest child
Now replace sacrifices seen as wild
Without the temple rising on the air
Of old Jerusalem to bear blood’s share.
Beloved, I make no sacrifice to You
Besides the living one in what I do,
And yet I come to hear the loving word
And find my opened heart is always stirred
By cantillation of the Psalm and star,
The Torah and Qur’an, the Gospel’s bar.

14 After that they prepared their shares
And for the priests as unawares,
Because the priests the sons of Aaron
Were busy with the offerings’ share-on,
The burnt offerings and fat till nightfall,
So the Levites made portions rightful
For themselves, for the priests, the sons
Of Aaron. 15 And the singers, sons
Of Asaph, in their places, by
Command of David, Asaph, die
Of Heman, Jeduthun, king's seer.
Also the doorkeepers sincere
Were at each gate, they did not leave
Their places, by their brothers’ leave
The Levites made their portions’ sleeve.
16 So all of the service of YHWH
As prepared the same day and true,
To keep the Passover and to
Offer burnt offerings on the altar
Of YHWH, by command not to falter
Of King Josiah. 17 And the sons
Of Israel who were present ones
Kept the Passover at that time,
And the Feast of Unleavened rime
For seven days. 18 There had been no
Passover kept in Israel show
Like that since the days of Samuel
The prophet; and none of the swell
Kings of Israel had kept such feast
Of Passover as that increased
By king Josiah, with the priests
And the Levites, and all the beasts,
All Judah and Israel there,
Dwellers of Jerusalem’s share.
19 In the eighteenth year of the reign
Of Josiah Passover strain
Was kept and was not kept in vain.

The feast as seen in young Josiah’s day
Was such as none had ever come that way
Except in legendary times that wrote
The love of David on each brother’s throat.
Rewriting history is such a thing
That even good hearts will unquestioning,
And yet the crowd will not rise up and pray
Unless a myth is there to make them sway.
Beloved, remove all myths from heart and mind
And let me only searching always find
Your word of truth in law and contemplate
The newness of Your love, Your ancient hate.
So where I stand let there be rarity
Of singing hill and dancing cloud and tree.

20 After all this, when Josiah
Had established the temple awe,
Necho the king of Egypt came
Up to attack Carchemish’ fame
By the Euphrates; and Josiah
Went out against him as pariah.
21 But he sent messengers to him,
Saying, "What have I to do grim
With you, king of Judah? I’ve not
Come against you today in plot,
But against the house with which I
Have war; for Ælohim gave cry
To me with speed. So now go back
From interfering with attack
Of Ælohim, who is with me,
Lest He destroy you in the spree.”
22 Josiah would not turn his face
Back from him, but disguised his grace
So he could fight with him a space,
And did not listen to the word
Of Necho from Ælohim stirred.
And he came to fight in the vale
Of Megiddo. 23 The archers hale
Shot King Josiah; and the king
Said to his servants, "Take my wing,
For I’ve received a great wounding.”
24 His servants therefore took him out
Of that chariot and put his clout
In another chariot he had,
And they brought him back up as sad
To Jerusalem. So he died,
Was buried in one of the side
Tombs of his ancestors. And all
Judah and Jerusalem call
In mourning for Josiah’s fall.
25 And Jeremiah also grieved
For Josiah and unreprieved.
And to this day all singing men
And singing women speak again
Of Josiah in lamentations.
They made it a custom of rations
In Israel, and indeed they
Are writ in the Laments today.
26 Now the rest of the things he did,
Josiah and his goodness’ bid,
According to what’s written in
The Law of YHWH for lack of sin,
27 And his deeds from the first to last,
Truly they’re written, though they’re passed,
In the book of the Israelite
Kings and of Judah for the right.

Josiah was a king both great and good
And did everything right and as he should,
But he forgot upon a day when came
Excitement from Egypt as though in game
That You said not to kill and not make war
Unless Your own appointed rode before.
Josiah was the king descended from
Anointed of the Lord and so in sum
Thought he was right to decide life and death,
And rode out to meet Pharoah in a breath.
Beloved, I too think I can ride the clouds
Because I find Your presence in the crowds.
Let me return in modesty to know
Your law is here and never just for show.

2 CHRONICLES 36

1 The land’s folk took Jehoahaz
The son of Josiah for snazz,
And made him king after the hem
Of his dad in Jerusalem.
2 Jehoahaz was twenty-three
Years old when he became kingly,
And he reigned three months in the town
Jerusalem in royal gown.
3 The king of Egypt deposed him
At Jerusalem, and a grim
Tribute he laid upon the land,
One hundred silver talents grand,
And one talent of gold in hand.
4 Then the Egyptian king imposed
His brother Eliakim disclosed
As king over Judah as well
As Jerusalem, and the spell
Of his name he changed to the name
Jehoiakim and to his shame.
And Necho took Jehoahaz
His brother off to Egypt’s plaz.
5 Jehoiakim was twenty-five
Years old when he became king live,
And he ruled for eleven years
Jerusalem. And it appears
He did evil in sight of YHWH
His Ælohim, as such men do.
6 Nebuchadnezzar Babylon’s
King attacked him, and bound in bronze
He carried him to Babylon.
7 Nebuchadnezzar’d also drawn
Off some pots from the house of YHWH
To Babylon, and put them due
In his temple at Babylon.
8 Now the rest of the things that did
Jehoiakim in wicked bid,
And what was found against him, truly,
They are writ in royal book duly
Of Israel and of Judah newly.
Jehoiachin his son reigned bluely.

Necho deposed Jehoahaz the king
Before he had a chance to show the spring
Of his heart, whether he would follow You
Or follow in idolatry in pew
Of heathen Christian types of worship too.
If young Josiah had not gone abroad
To fight the Pharoah on the foreign sod,
His son might have chosen Your easy rod
And not been carried captive at the prod
Of Necho into Egypt. It was not
So, but his brother with an evil plot
Struck down the hopes of goodness You had sought.
Beloved, one error in the kingly grope
Spoiled everything and every royal hope.

9 Jehoiachin was eight years old
When he was king, and reigned all told
Three months and ten days in the city
Jerusalem and without pity
He did evil in sight of YHWH.
10 And at the turn of the year who
Summoned him there and took him to
Babylon but the king and czar
Reigning there, Nebuchadnezzar,
And took Muhammad’s instruments
Out from the house of YHWH’s contents,
And made his brother Zedekiah
King over Judah and all nigh her
Around Jerusalem and higher.

Prophetic act! The king of Babylon
Takes from the house of God things fawned upon,
The golden vessels of Muhammad there
That had been kept since Solomon with care.
From under steady temple lights by night,
The foreign king took all as if by right.
Prophetic act! How many now lay claim
To Ahmed’s store, and yet despite the same
Are guided by inventions and new ways
Instead of Ahmed’s prayerful nights and days.
For vessels taken from their resting place
To grace the courts of Babylon a space
No longer guide the faithful in their walk
But only justify vile act and talk.

11 And Zedekiah, twenty-one
Years old, began to reign in fun,
And he ruled there eleven years
Jerusalem under his fears.
12 And he did evil in the sight
Of YHWH his Ælohim of right,
And did not humble himself at
The word where Jeremiah sat,
Prophet from the mouth of YHWH flat.
13 He also rebelled against king
Nebuchadnezzar, who made sing
An oath by Ælohim, but he
Stiffened his neck and hardenedly
He set his heart from turning back
To YHWH Ælohim on the track
Of Israel, not a God slack.
14 All the chief of the priests as well,
And the people made evil swell
To imitate abominations
Of all the wicked, heathen nations,
And they polluted house that YHWH
Set up in Jerusalem’s due.
15 And YHWH Ælohim of their fathers
Sent to them by messenger bothers,
Getting up between times to send,
Because he had mercy to fend
On His folk and His dwelling place.
16 They mocked God’s messengers to face,
Despised His words, abused in trace
His prophets, till the wrath of YHWH
Rose up against His people too,
Till there was no healing in view.
17 That’s why He brought on them the king
Of the Chaldees, who killed the wing
Of their young men by sword to sting
The house of holiness to spring,
And had not mercy on young man
Or maiden, old man or the span
Of him that bent down in his age,
He gave all in his hand of rage.
19 They burnt the house of Ælohim,
And broke down the wall of the stream
Jerusalem, its palaces
They all burnt with the fire that is
Destruction of all goodly whiz.
20 And those who escaped sword he took
Away to Babylon to cook
And serve him and his sons until
The royal Persians fit the bill,
21 Fulfilling so the word of YHWH
By Jeremiah’s mouth as true
That the land have her Sabbath rest,
For as long as she lay on crest
Of desolation, so long she
Kept Sabbath to fulfil degree
Of years numbered to seventy.

If Zedekiah had not followed suit
In evil of an eight year old to boot,
The good he did might have brought blessing on
The folk and temple and might then have drawn
Forgiveness of the sins for which You said
You would destroy the temple foot to head.
But every king that came at last to reign
Added to sin another sinful stain.
Beloved, I sit upon the royal throne
Of my heart every day and here alone
Renew the kingdom of my inner room.
Let my choice of act and law not bring doom
But only praise and penance, plaint and power
Of sweet petition for Your glowing hour.

22 In the first year of Cyrus king
Of Persia, YHWH’s word come to sing
By mouth of Jeremiah came
To be accomplished in its claim,
And YHWH stirred up the spirit of
Cyrus the king of Persian glove,
So he proclaimed throughout his land
And also made in writing stand:
23 So says Cyrus, king of the land
Of Persia, “All kingdoms of earth
Has YHWH Ælohim of the berth
Of heaven given into my power,
And He has charged me on the hour
To build Him a house made to awe
In Jerusalem, in Judah.
Who is there among you of all
His folk? YHWH his Ælohim’s call
Be with him to return to stall.

The king of Persia rises every year
It seems to spread around the world his fear
And make known that he is appointed fast
To carry out Your will despite the blast
Of tank and missile that comes out at last.
You once raised up the Persian king to tell
The time to build Your temple and its spell,
And once again and once again three times
A Persian king wrote out Your sacred rhymes.
Beloved, today we need a Persian king
To set the world under the faithful wing
Of Your appointed and confirm the thing.
I look toward the east and see the dawn
Up-rising over lake and ice out-drawn.

AUTHOR: THOMAS G. MCELWAIN

Copyright © 2007 Adams & McElwain Publishers and Thomas McElwain First Published in two volumes, The Beloved and I 2005, and Led of the Beloved, 2006. Second Edition, 2010 Third and revised edition, 2012 All rights reserved. No part of this verse commentary on the sacred Scriptures may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in a retrieval system, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from publisher.

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