2 Chronicles 28

1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and he did not do that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, like 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, and made also molten images for the Baals.

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

3 Moreover he burnt incense in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, and made his sons pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD cast out 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 He sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, 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 Therefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Aram; and they struck him, and carried away of his a great multitude of captives, and brought them to Damascus. He was also delivered into the hand 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 For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed in Judah one hundred twenty thousand in one day, all of them valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD, the 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 Zikri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the ruler of the house, and Elkanah who was next 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 The children of Israel carried away captive of their brothers two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought 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 But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria, and said to them, "Look, because the LORD, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage which has reached up 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 Now you purpose to keep under the people of Judah and Jerusalem for bondservants and bondmaids for yourselves. Aren't there even with you trespasses of your own against 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 Now hear me therefore, and send back the captives, that you have taken captive from your brothers; for the fierce wrath of the LORD 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 Then some of the heads of the people of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against those who 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 the captives here: for you purpose that which will bring on us a trespass against the LORD, to add to our sins and to our trespass; for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against 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 armed men left the captives and the spoil before the leaders and all the assembly.

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

15 The men who have been mentioned by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all who were naked among them, dressed them, gave them sandals, and gave them something to eat and to drink, anointed them, carried all the feeble of them on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brothers. Then 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 Ahaz sent to the king of Assyria to help him.

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

17 For again the Edomites had come and struck Judah, and carried away captives.

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

18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland, and of the Negev of Judah, and had taken Beth Shemesh, and Aijalon, and Gederoth, and Soco with its towns, and Timnah with its towns, Gimzo also and its towns: 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 brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he had dealt wantonly in Judah, and trespassed severely against 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 Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria came to him, and distressed him, but did not strengthen him.

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

21 For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the LORD, and out of the house of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria: but it did not help 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 In the time of his distress, he trespassed yet more against the LORD, this same king Ahaz.

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

23 For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, which struck him; and he said, "Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, so I will sacrifice to them, that they may help me." But they were the ruin of him, and of 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 Ahaz gathered together the vessels of God's house, and cut in pieces the vessels of God's house, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD; and he made him altars in every corner of 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 In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD, the 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 Now the rest of his acts, and all his ways, first and last, look, they are written in the book 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 Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem; for they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.

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.