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 YHWH, like David his father;

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 but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for the Baals.

Instead, he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and even made cast images of 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 YHWH cast out before the children 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 He sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

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

5 Therefore YHWH 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.

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 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 YHWH, the 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 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 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 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.

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 But a prophet of YHWH was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria, and said to them, "Look, because YHWH, 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, 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 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 YHWH your God?

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 Now hear me therefore, and send back the captives, that you have taken captive from your brothers; for the fierce wrath 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 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,

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 said to them, "You shall not bring in the captives here: for you purpose that which will bring on us a trespass against YHWH, to add to our sins and to our trespass; for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against 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 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the leaders and all the assembly.

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

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.

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 sent to the king of Assyria to help him.

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

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

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

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.

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 brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he had dealt wantonly in Judah, and trespassed severely 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 Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria came to him, and distressed him, but did not strengthen him.

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

21 For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of YHWH, 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.

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 In the time of his distress, he trespassed yet more against YHWH, this same king Ahaz.

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

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 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 YHWH; and he made him altars in every corner of 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 In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked to anger YHWH, the 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 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.

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 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.

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.