2 Chronicles 28

1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. And unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD.

Achaz was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and he did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord, as David his father.

2 Instead, he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and even made cast images of the Baals.

But he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, for he made graven images.

3 Moreover, Ahaz burned incense in the Valley of Hinnom and sacrificed his sons in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.

And [he sacrificed] to their idols in the valley of Benennom, and passed his children through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel.

4 And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.

And he burnt incense upon the high places, and upon the roofs, and under every shady tree.

5 So the LORD his God delivered Ahaz into the hand of the king of Aram, who attacked him and took many captives to Damascus. Ahaz was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him with great force.

And the Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and he struck him, and took captive of them a great band of prisoners, and carried him to Damascus. Also [God] delivered him into the hands of the king of Israel, who struck him with a great slaughter.

6 For in one day Pekah son of Remaliah killed 120,000 valiant men in Judah. This happened because they had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers.

And Phakee the son of Romelias king of Israel, killed in Juda in one day a hundred and twenty thousand mighty men; because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers.

7 Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the son of the king, Azrikam the governor of the palace, and Elkanah the second to the king.

And Zechri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maasias the king's son, and Ezrican the chief of his house, and Elcana the king's deputy.

8 Then the Israelites took 200,000 captives from their kinsmen—women, sons, and daughters. They also carried off a great deal of plunder and brought it to Samaria.

And the children of Israel took captive of their brethren three hundred thousand, women, and sons, and daughters, and they spoiled them of much property, and brought the spoils to Samaria.

9 But a prophet of the LORD named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army that returned to Samaria. “Look,” he said to them, “because of His wrath against Judah, the LORD, the God of your fathers, has delivered them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches up to heaven.

And there was there a prophet of the Lord, his name [was] Oded: and he went out to meet the host that were coming to Samaria, and said to them, Behold, the wrath of the Lord God of your fathers [is] upon Juda, and he has delivered them into your hands, and you have slain them in wrath, and it has reached even to heaven.

10 And now you intend to reduce to slavery the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem. But are you not also guilty before the LORD your God?

And now you talk of keeping the children of Juda and Jerusalem for servants and handmaidens. Behold, am I not with you to testify for the Lord your God?

11 Now therefore, listen to me and return the captives you took from your kinsmen, for the fierce anger of the LORD is upon you.”

And now listen to me, and restore the prisoners of your brethren whom you have taken: for the fierce anger of the Lord [is] upon you.

12 Then some of the leaders of the Ephraimites —Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai—stood in opposition to those arriving from the war.

And the chiefs of the sons of Ephraim rose up, Udias the son of Joanas, and Barachias the son of Mosolamoth, and Ezekias the son of Sellem, and Amasias the son of Eldai, against those that came from the war,

13 “You must not bring the captives here,” they said, “for you are proposing to bring guilt upon us from the LORD and to add to our sins and our guilt. For our guilt is great, and fierce anger is upon Israel.”

and said to them, You shall not bring in hither the prisoners to us, for whereas sin against the Lord [is] upon us, you mean to add to our sins, and to our trespass: for our sin [is] great, and the fierce anger of the Lord [is] upon Israel.

14 So the armed men left the captives and the plunder before the leaders and all the assembly.

So the warriors left the prisoners and the spoils before the princes and all the congregation.

15 Then the men who were designated by name arose, took charge of the captives, and provided from the plunder clothing for the naked. They clothed them, gave them sandals and food and drink, anointed their wounds, and put all the feeble on donkeys. So they brought them to Jericho, the City of Palms, to their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria.

And the men who were called by name rose up, and took hold of the prisoners, and clothed all the naked from the spoils, and gave them garments and shoes, and gave them [food] to eat, and [oil] to anoint themselves [with], and they helped also every one that was weak with asses, and placed them in Jericho, the city of palm-trees, with their brethren; and they returned to Samaria.

16 At that time King Ahaz sent for help from the king of Assyria.

At that time king Achaz sent to the king of Assyria to help him, and on this occasion,

17 The Edomites had again come and attacked Judah and carried away captives.

because the Idumeans had attacked [him], and struck Juda, and taken a number of prisoners.

18 The Philistines had also raided the cities of the foothills and the Negev of Judah, capturing and occupying Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, and Gederoth, as well as Soco, Timnah, and Gimzo with their villages.

Also the Philistines had made an attack on the cities of the plain country, and the cities of the south of Juda, and taken Baethsamys, and [the things in the house of the Lord, and the things in the house of the king, and of the princes: and they gave to the king] Aelon, and Galero, and Socho and her villages, and Thamna and her villages, and Gamzo and her villages: and they lived there.

19 For the LORD humbled Judah because Ahaz king of Israel had thrown off restraint in Judah and had been most unfaithful to the LORD.

For the Lord humbled Juda because of Achaz king of Juda, because he grievously departed from the Lord.

20 Then Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came to Ahaz but afflicted him rather than strengthening him.

And there came against him Thalgaphellasar king of Assyria, and he afflicted him.

21 Although Ahaz had taken a portion from the house of the LORD, from the royal palace, and from the princes and had presented it to the king of Assyria, it did not help him.

And Achaz took the things [that were] in the house of the Lord, and the things in the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave them to the king of Assyria: but he was no help to him,

22 In the time of his distress, King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD.

but only [troubled him] in his affliction: and he departed yet more from the Lord, and king Achaz said,

23 Since Damascus had defeated him, he sacrificed to their gods and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But these gods were the downfall of Ahaz and of all Israel.

I will seek after the gods of Damascus that strike me. And he said, Forasmuch as the gods of the king of Syria themselves strengthen them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, and they will help me. But they became a stumbling block to him, and to all Israel.

24 Then Ahaz gathered up the articles of the house of God, cut them into pieces, shut the doors of the house of the LORD, and set up altars of his own on every street corner in Jerusalem.

And Achaz removed the vessels of the house of the Lord, and cut them in pieces, and shut the doors of the house of the Lord, and made to himself altars in every corner in Jerusalem:

25 In every city of Judah he built high places to offer incense to other gods, and so he provoked the LORD, the God of his fathers.

and in each several city in Juda he made high places to burn incense to strange gods: and they provoked the Lord God of their fathers.

26 As for the rest of the acts of Ahaz and all his ways, from beginning to end, they are indeed written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

And the rest of his acts, and his deeds, the first and the last, behold, [they are] written in the book of the kings of Juda and Israel.

27 And Ahaz rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of Jerusalem, but he was not placed in the tombs of the kings of Israel. And his son Hezekiah reigned in his place.

And Achaz slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David; for they did not bring him into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Ezekias his son reigned in his stead.