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

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

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

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

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 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.

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 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 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 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.

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 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 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 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?

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, 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.”

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

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 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.”

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

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

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.

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 Ahaz has sent to the king of Asshur to give help to him;

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

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

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

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,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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.

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

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.