And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand, that he slew his servants which had slain the king his father.

And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after the gods of the people of the land, whom God destroyed before them.

At that time did Hezekiah cut off {the gold from} the doors of the temple of the LORD, and {from} the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria. {it: Heb. them}

For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers. {lovers: Heb. loves}

It shall be also carried unto Assyria {for} a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.

Thus saith the LORD; Cursed {be} the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

Nevertheless the dimness {shall} not {be} such as {was} in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict {her by} the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. {of the nations: or, populous}

Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents. {gave: Heb. rendered} {presents: or, tribute}

And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all the gold {that was} found in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and in the king's house, and sent {it} to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem. {went...: Heb. went up}

And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent {it for} a present to the king of Assyria.

When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah {saw} his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound. {king Jareb: or, the king of Jareb: or, the king that should plead}

And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day.

So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. {from: Heb. from the hand}

When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah {saw} his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound. {king Jareb: or, the king of Jareb: or, the king that should plead}

And Aholah played the harlot when she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians {her} neighbours,

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; An adversary {there shall be} even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be spoiled.

For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers. {lovers: Heb. loves}

After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself. {to win...: Heb. to break them up}

Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah. {holpen: Heb. been an arm to}

Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where {is} the scribe? where {is} the receiver? where {is} he that counted the towers? {receiver: Heb. weigher?}

And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh; but he taxed the land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh: he exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, of every one according to his taxation, to give {it} unto Pharaohnechoh.

Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents. {gave: Heb. rendered} {presents: or, tribute}

Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day. {trouble: Heb. weariness} {that...: Heb. that hath found us}

Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.

For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up. {stalk: or, standing corn}

The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram. {Arphaxad: Heb. Arpachshad}

Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes. {sorrow: or, begin} {a...: or, in a little while}

He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return.

Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.

Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth {it} not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not. {here...: Heb. sprinkled}