2 Chronicles 28

1 Ahaz [is] a son of twenty years in his reigning, and he has reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and he has not done that which is right in the eyes of YHWH, as his father David,

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.

2 and walks in the ways of the kings of Israel, and has also made molten images for Ba‘alim,

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

3 and has made incense himself in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and burns his sons with fire according to the abominations of the nations that YHWH dispossessed from the presence of the sons of Israel,

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.

4 and sacrifices and makes incense in high places, and on the heights, and under every green tree.

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

5 And his God YHWH gives him into the hand of the king of Aram, and they strike him, and take captive a great captivity from him, and bring [them] to Damascus, and he has also been given into the hand of the king of Israel, and he strikes him [with] a great striking.

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.

6 And Pekah son of Remaliah slays one hundred and twenty thousand in Judah in one day (the whole [are] sons of valor), because of their forsaking YHWH, God of their fathers.

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.

7 And Zichri, a mighty one of Ephraim, slays Maaseiah son of the king, and Azrikam leader of the house, and Elkanah second to the king.

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.

8 And the sons of Israel take captive of their brothers: two hundred thousand wives, sons, and daughters; and they have also seized much spoil from them, and they bring in the spoil to Samaria.

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.

9 And there has been a prophet of YHWH there (Oded [is] his name), and he goes out before the host that has come to Samaria, and says to them, “Behold, in the fury of YHWH, God of your fathers, against Judah, He has given them into your hand, and you slay among them in rage—it has come to the heavens;

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.

10 and now you are saying to subdue sons of Judah and Jerusalem for menservants and for maidservants for yourselves; but are there not causes of guilt with you before your God YHWH?

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?

11 And now, hear me, and send back the captives whom you have taken captive of your brothers, for the heat of the anger of YHWH [is] on you.”

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

12 And certain of the heads of the sons of Ephraim (Azariah son of Johanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai), rise up against those coming in from the host,

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.

13 and say to them, “You do not bring in the captives here, for guilt against YHWH [is already] on us, you are saying to add to our sin and to our guilt. For abundant [is] the guilt we have, and the fierceness of anger on Israel.”

“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.”

14 And the armed men leave the captives and the prey before the heads and all the assembly;

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

15 and the men who have been expressed by name rise and take hold on the captives, and they have clothed all their naked ones from the spoil, indeed, they clothe them, and shoe them, and cause them to eat and drink, and anoint them, and lead them on donkeys, even every feeble one, and bring them to Jericho, the city of palms, near their brothers, and return to Samaria.

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.

16 At that time King Ahaz has sent to the king of Asshur to give help to him;

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

17 and again the Edomites have come, and strike in Judah, and take captive a captivity.

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

18 And the Philistines have rushed against the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and capture Beth-Shemesh, and Aijalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho and its villages, and Timnah and its villages, and Gimzo and its villages, and dwell there,

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.

19 for YHWH has humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he made free with Judah, even to commit a trespass against YHWH.

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

20 And Tilgath-Pilneser king of Asshur comes to him, and does distress him, and has not strengthened him,

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

21 though Ahaz has taken a portion [out] of the house of YHWH, and [out] of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gives to the king of Asshur, yet it is no help to him.

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.

22 And in the time of his distress—he adds to trespass against YHWH (this King Ahaz),

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

23 and he sacrifices to the gods of Damascus [which were] those striking him, and says, “Because the gods of the kings of Aram are helping them, I sacrifice to them, and they help me,” and they have been to him to cause him to stumble, and to all Israel.

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.

24 And Ahaz gathers the vessels of the house of God, and cuts in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shuts the doors of the house of YHWH, and makes altars for himself in every corner in Jerusalem.

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.

25 And in each and every city of Judah he has made high places to make incense to other gods, and provokes YHWH, God of his fathers.

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.

26 And the rest of his matters, and all his ways, the first and the last, behold, they are written on the scroll of the kings of Judah and Israel.

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.

27 And Ahaz lies with his fathers, and they bury him in the city, in Jerusalem, but have not brought him to the graves of the kings of Israel, and his son Hezekiah reigns in his stead.

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.