2 Kings 16

1 In the seventeenth year of Pekach the son of Remalyahu, became Achaz, the son of Jotham the king of Judah, king.

2 Twenty years old was Achaz when he became king, and sixteen years did he reign in Jerusalem; and he did not what is right in the eyes of the Lord his God, like David his father.

3 But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and even his son he caused to pass through the fire, after the abominable acts of the nations whom the Lord had driven out from before the children of Israel.

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

5 Then came up Rezin the king of Syria and Pekach the son of Remalyahu the king of Israel to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Achaz, but were not able to make an attack.

6 At that time did Rezin the king of Syria bring Elath back to Syria, and drove the Jews from Elath: and the Edomeans came to Elath and dwelt there, even until this day.

7 And Achaz then sent messengers to Tiglath-pilesser the king of Assyria, saying, Thy servant and thy son am I: come up, and help me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, who rise up against me.

8 And Achaz took the silver and the gold that were found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent [the same] to the king of Assyria as a bribe.

9 And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him; and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and captured it, and led [the people of] it away captive to Kir, and Rezin did he put to death.

10 And King Achaz went to meet Tiglath-pilesser the king of Assyria to Damascus, and he saw the altar that was at Damascus: and king Achaz then sent to Uriyah the priest the form of the altar, and its pattern, after all its workmanship.

11 And Uriyah the priest built the altar; in accordance with all that king Achaz had sent from Damascus, so did Uriyah the priest make it against the arrival of king Achaz from Damascus.

12 And when the king came from Damascus, the king saw the altar; and the king approached to the altar and offered thereon.

13 And he burnt his burnt-offering and his meat-offering, and poured out his drink-offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings upon the altar.

14 And as respecteth the copper altar which was before the Lord, he moved it back from the forefront of the house, from between the altar and the house of the Lord, and set it on the side of the altar to the north.

15 And king Achaz commanded Uriyah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt-offering, and the evening meat-offering, and the king's burnt-offering, and his meat-offering, with the burnt-offering of all the people of the land, and their meat-offering, and their drink-offerings; and all the blood of the burnt-offering, and all the blood of the sacrifices shalt thou sprinkle on it; and the copper altar shall be for me to visit occasionally.

16 And Uriyah the priest did in accordance with all that king Achaz had commanded.

17 And king Achaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the lavers from off them; and the sea he took down from off the copper oxen that were under it, and placed it upon a pavement of stones.

18 And the covered passage for the sabbath that they had built on the house, and the outer king's entrance, turned he from the house of the Lord, on account of the king of Assyria.

19 Now the rest of the acts of Achaz which he did, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah.

20 And Achaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Hezekiah his son became king in his stead.