Chronicles II 28

1 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.

Ahaz was twenty when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for sixteen years. He did not do what was right in the Lord's sight as his forefather David had.

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

He followed the example of the kings of Israel, and also cast metal idols for worshiping the Baals.

3 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.

He burned sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, and sacrificed his children in the fire, following the disgusting practices of the peoples the Lord had driven out before the Israelites.

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

He presented sacrifices and burned incense offerings on the high places, on the mountain tops, and under every living tree.

5 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.

As a result, the Lord his God let the king of Aram to conquer Ahaz. The Arameans attacked him and captured many of his people, taking them to Damascus. Ahaz was also defeated by the king of Israel in a massive attack.

6 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.

In just one day, Pekah, son of Remaliah, killed 120,000 fighting men in Judah, because they had abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers.

7 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.

Zichri, a warrior from Ephraim, killed Maaseiah, the son of the king; Azrikam, the palace governor; and Elkanah, the king's second-in-command.

8 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.

The Israelites captured 200,000 of their “brothers”—women, sons, and daughters. They also took a great deal of plunder and brought it to Samaria.

9 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.

But a prophet of the Lord named Oded was there in Samaria, and he went out to meet the returning army. He told them, “It was because the Lord, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah that he allowed you to defeat them. But you have killed them with such fury that it has upset heaven.

10 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?

Now you're planning to turn these people from Judah and Jerusalem into slaves. But aren't you also guilty of sinning against the Lord your God?

11 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.

Listen to me! Return the prisoners you've taken from your brothers, the fierce anger of the Lord is falling upon you!”

12 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,

Some of the leaders of the people of Ephraim—Azariah, son of Jehohanan, Berechiah, son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah, son of Shallum, and Amasa, son of Hadlai—stood up in opposition against those returning from the war.

13 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.

“Don't you bring those prisoners here!” they told them. “If you do you will only add to our sins and wrongdoing against the Lord. Our guilt is already great, and his fierce anger is falling upon Israel.”

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

So the armed men left the prisoners and the plunder before the leaders and all the people gathered there.

15 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.

The men named above got up and took clothes from the plunder to those that had none, gave them sandals to wear, and food and drink, and put olive oil on their wounds. Those who couldn't walk any more they put on donkeys, and took them all to Jericho, the town of palms, to be close to the people of Judah.

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

It was then that King Ahaz asked the king of Assyria for help.

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

The armies of Edom had once again invaded Judah and taken people prisoner,

18 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.

while the Philistines had attacked the towns in the foothills and the Negev of Judah. They had captured and occupied Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, along with Soco, Timnah, and Gimzo and their villages.

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

The Lord had brought Judah down because Ahaz, king of Israel, was out of control in Judah, sinning terribly against the Lord.

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

So Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, came to Ahaz but attacked rather than helped him.

21 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,

Ahaz took what was valuable from the Lord's Temple, the king's palace, and from his officials and gave them to the king of Assyria as tribute. But it didn't help him.

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

Even at this time when he was having so much trouble, King Ahaz sinned more and more against the Lord.

23 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.

He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, whose army had defeated him, for he said to himself, “Since the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I'll sacrifice to them so they can help me.” But this led to the ruin of Ahaz and of all Israel.

24 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:

Ahaz took the sacred items from the Lord's Temple and smashed them to pieces. He barred the doors of the Lord's Temple and set up pagan altars on every corner in Jerusalem.

25 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.

In every town throughout Judah he set up high places to make offerings to pagan gods, angering the Lord, the God of his forefathers.

26 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.

The rest of what Ahaz did, from beginning to end, is written down in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

27 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.

Ahaz died, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem. They did not bury him in the tombs of the kings of Israel. Hezekiah his son took over as king.