Bible in a Year.

On day 188, 2 Kings 22 recounts the discovery of the Book of the Law and King Josiah's awakening to restore fidelity to God. 2 Chronicles 33 reveals the errors and corruption of the previous reign, contrasting with the impending reformation. Proverbs 7 warns us of the dangers of seduction and lack of wisdom, teaching prudence and vigilance in our choices.

1. Josias was eight years old when he began to reign: he reigned one and thirty years in Jerusalem: the name of his mother was Idida, the daughter of Hadaia, of Besecath.

2. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the ways of David his father: he turned not aside to the right hand, or to the left.

3. And in the eighteenth year of b king Josias, the king sent Saphan the son of Assia, the son of Messulam, the scribe of the temple of the Lord, saying to him:

4. Go to Helcias the high priest, that the money may be put together which is brought into the temple of the Lord, which the doorkeepers of the temple have gathered of the people.

5. And let it be given to the workmen by the overseers of the house of the Lord: and lot them distribute it to those that work in the temple of the Lord, to repair the temple:

6. That is, to carpenters and masons, and to such as mend breaches: and that timber may be bought, and stones out of the quarries, to repair the temple of the Lord.

7. But let there be no reckoning made with them of the money which they receive, but let them have it in their power, and in their trust.

8. And Helcias the high priest said to Saphan the scribe: I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord: and Helcias gave the book to Saphan, and he read it.

9. And Saphan the scribe came to the king, and brought him word again concerning that which he had commanded, and said: Thy servants have gathered together the money that was found in the house of the Lord, and they have given it to be distributed to the workmen, by the overseers of the works of the temple of the Lord.

10. And Saphan the scribe told the king, saying: Helcias the priest hath delivered to me a book. And when Saphan had read it before the king,

11. And the king had heard the words of the law of the Lord, he rent his garments.

12. And he commanded Helcias the priest, and Ahicam the son of Saphan, and Achobor the son of Micha, and Saphan the scribe, and Asaia the king's servant, saying:

13. Go and consult the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Juda, concerning the words of this book which is found: for the great wrath of the Lord is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened to the words of this book, to do all that is written for us.

14. So Helcias the priest, and Ahicam, and Achobor, and Saphan, and Asaia went to Holda the prophetess the wife of Sellum the son of Thecua, the son of Araas keeper of the wardrobe, who dwelt in Jerusalem in the Second: and they spoke to her.

15. And she said to them: Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: Tell the man that sent you to me:

16. Thus saith the Lord: Behold, I will bring evils upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, all the words of the law which the king of Juda hath read:

17. Because they have forsaken me, and have sacrificed to strange gods, provoking me by all the works of their hands: therefore my indignation shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.

18. But to the king of Juda, who sent you to consult the Lord, thus shall you say: Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: Forasmuch as thou hast heard the words of the book,

19. And thy heart hath been moved to fear, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, hearing the words against this place, and the inhabitants thereof, to wit, that they should become a wonder and a curse: and thou hast rent thy garments, and wept before me, I also have heard thee, saith the Lord:

20. Therefore I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy sepulchre in peace, that thy eyes may not see all the evils which I will bring; upon this place.

1. Manasses was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem.

2. And he did evil before the Lord, according to all the abominations of the nations, which the Lord cast out before the children of Israel:

3. And he turned, and built again the high places which Ezechias his father had destroyed: and he built altars to Baalim, and made groves, and he adored all the host of heaven, and worshipped them.

4. He built also altars in the house of the Lord, whereof the Lord had said: In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.

5. And he built them for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.

6. And he made his sons to pass through the fire in the valley of Benennom: he observed dreams, followed divinations, gave himself up to magic arts, had with him magicians, and enchanters: and he wrought many evils before the Lord, to provoke him to anger.

7. He set also a graven, and a molten statue in the house of God, of which God had said to David, and to Solomon his son: In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever.

8. And I will not make the foot of Israel to be removed out of the land which I have delivered to their fathers: yet so if they will take heed to do what I hare commanded them, and all the law, and the ceremonies, and judgments by the hand of Moses.

9. So Manasses seduced Juda, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to do evil beyond all the nations, which the Lord had destroyed before the face of the children of Israel.

10. And the Lord spoke to him, and to his people, and they would not hearken.

11. Therefore he brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of the Assyrians: and they took Manasses, and carried him bound with chains and fetters to Babylon.

12. And after that he was in distress he prayed to the Lord his God: and did penance exceedingly before the God of his fathers.

13. And he entreated him, and besought him earnestly: and he heard his prayer, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom, and Manasses knew that the Lord was God.

14. After this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon in the valley, from the entering in of the fish gate round about to Ophel, and raised it up to a great height: and he appointed captains of the army in all the fenced cities of Juda:

15. And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the Lord: the altars also which he had made in the mount of the house of the Lord, and in Jerusalem, and he cast them all out of the city.

16. And he repaired the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed upon it victims, and peace offerings, and praise: and he commanded Juda to serve the Lord the God of Israel.

17. Nevertheless the people still sacrificed in the high places to the Lord their God.

18. But the rest of the acts of Manasses, and his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers that spoke to him in the name of the Lord the God of Israel, are contained in the words of the kings of Israel.

19. His prayer also, and his being heard, and all his sins, and contempt, and places wherein he built high places, and set up groves, and statues before he did penance, are written in the words of Hozai.

20. And Manasses slept with his fathers. and they buried him in his house: and his son Amen reigned in his stead.

21. Amen was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem.

22. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, as Manasses his father had done: and he sacrificed to all the idols which Manasses his father had made, and served them.

23. And he did not humble himself before the Lord, as Manasses his father had humbled himself, but committed far greater sins.

24. And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house.

25. But the rest of the multitude of the people slew them that had killed Amen, and made Josias his son king in his stead.

1. My son, keep my words, and lay up my precepts with thee. Son,

2. Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live: and my law as the apple of thy eye:

3. Bind it upon thy fingers, write it upon the tables of thy heart.

4. Say to wisdom: Thou art my sister: and call prudence thy friend,

5. That she may keep thee from the woman that is not thine, and from the stranger who sweeteneth her words.

6. For I look out of the window of my house through the lattice,

7. And I see little ones, I behold a foolish young man,

8. Who passeth through the street by the corner, and goeth nigh the way of her house.

9. In the dark, when it grows late, in the darkness and obscurity of the night,

10. And behold a woman meeteth him in harlot's attire prepared to deceive souls; talkative and wandering,

11. Not bearing to be quiet, not able to abide still at home,

12. Now abroad, now in the streets, now lying in wait near the corners.

13. And catching the young man, she kisseth him, and with an impudent face, flattereth, saying:

14. I vowed victims for prosperity, this day I have paid my vows.

15. Therefore I am come out to meet thee, desirous to see thee, and I have found thee.

16. I have woven my bed with cords, I have covered it with painted tapestry, brought from Egypt.

17. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

18. Come, let us be inebriated with the breasts, and let us enjoy the desired embraces, till the day appear.

19. For my husband is not at home, he is gone a very long journey.

20. He took with him a bag of money: he mill return home the day of the full moon.

21. She entangled him with many words, and drew him away with the flattery of her lips.

22. Immediately he followeth her as an ox led to be a victim, and as a lamb playing the wanton, and not knowing that he is drawn like a fool to bonds,

23. Till the arrow pierce his liver: as if a bird should make haste to the snare, and knoweth not that his life is in danger.

24. Now therefore, my son, hear me, and attend to the words of my mouth.

25. Let not thy mind be drawn away in her ways: neither be thou deceived with her paths.

26. For she hath cast down many wounded, and the strongest have been slain by her.

27. Her house is the way to hell, reaching even to the inner chambers of death.