[1] Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
sixteen years in Jerusalem. And he did not do what was right in the eyes of
the LORD, like his father David, [2] but walked in the ways of the kings of
Israel. He even made molten images for the Ba'als; [3] and he burned
incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burned his sons as an
offering, according to the abominable practices of the nations whom the
LORD drove out before the people of Israel. [4] And he sacrificed and
burned incense on the high places, and on the hills, and under every green
tree. [5] Therefore the LORD his God gave him into the hand of the king of
Syria, who defeated him and took captive a great number of his people and
brought them to Damascus. He was also given into the hand of the king of
Israel, who defeated him with great slaughter. [6] For Pekah the son of
Remali'ah slew a hundred and twenty thousand in Judah in one day, all of
them men of valor, because they had forsaken the LORD, the God of their
fathers. [7] And Zichri, a mighty man of E'phraim, slew Ma-asei'ah the
king's son and Azri'kam the commander of the palace and Elka'nah the next
in authority to the king. [8] The men of Israel took captive two hundred
thousand of their kinsfolk, women, sons, and daughters; they also took much
spoil from them and brought the spoil to Sama'ria. [9] But a prophet of the
LORD was there, whose name was Oded; and he went out to meet the army that
came to Sama'ria, and said to them, "Behold, because the LORD, the God of
your fathers, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand, but you
have slain them in a rage which has reached up to heaven. [10] And now you
intend to subjugate the people of Judah and Jerusalem, male and female, as
your slaves. Have you not sins of your own against the LORD your God? [11]
Now hear me, and send back the captives from your kinsfolk whom you have
taken, for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you." [12] Certain chiefs
also of the men of E'phraim, Azari'ah the son of Joha'nan, Berechi'ah the
son of Meshil'lemoth, Jehizki'ah the son of Shallum, and Ama'sa the son of
Hadlai, stood up against those who were coming from the war, [13] and said
to them, "You shall not bring the captives in here, for you propose to
bring upon us guilt against the LORD in addition to our present sins and
guilt. For our guilt is already great, and there is fierce wrath against
Israel." [14] So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the
princes and all the assembly. [15] And the men who have been mentioned by
name rose and took the captives, and with the spoil they clothed all that
were naked among them; they clothed them, gave them sandals, provided them
with food and drink, and anointed them; and carrying all the feeble among
them on asses, they brought them to their kinsfolk at Jericho, the city of
palm trees. Then they returned to Sama'ria. [16] At that time King Ahaz
sent to the king of Assyria for help. [17] For the E'domites had again
invaded and defeated Judah, and carried away captives. [18] And the
Philistines had made raids on the cities in the Shephe'lah and the Negeb of
Judah, and had taken Beth-she'mesh, Ai'jalon, Gede'roth, Soco with its
villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages; and they
settled there. [19] For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of
Israel, for he had dealt wantonly in Judah and had been faithless to the
LORD. [20] So Til'gath-pilne'ser king of Assyria came against him, and
afflicted him instead of strengthening him. [21] For Ahaz took from the
house of the LORD and the house of the king and of the princes, and gave
tribute to the king of Assyria; but it did not help him. [22] In the time
of his distress he became yet more faithless to the LORD--this same King
Ahaz. [23] For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated
him, and said, "Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will
sacrifice to them that they may help me." But they were the ruin of him,
and of all Israel. [24] And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house
of God and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and he shut up
the doors of the house of the LORD; and he made himself altars in every
corner of Jerusalem. [25] In every city of Judah he made high places to
burn incense to other gods, provoking to anger the LORD, the God of his
fathers. [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] And 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 Hezeki'ah his son reigned in his stead.
