2 Chronicles 28

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

3 Moreover, Ahaz burned incense in the Valley of Ben-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 he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.

5 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 “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 plunder before the leaders and all the assembly.

15 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 for help from the king of Assyria.

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

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

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

21 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, King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD.

23 He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him, and he 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 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 built high places to offer incense to other gods, and so he provoked the LORD, the God of his fathers.

26 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 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.

1 ¶ Ahaz [was] twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father:

2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim.

3 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.

4 He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

5 Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought [them] to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter.

6 ¶ For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, [which were] all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.

7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah [that was] next to the king.

8 And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.

9 But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name [was] Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage [that] reacheth up unto heaven.

10 And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: [but are there] not with you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God?

11 Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD [is] upon you.

12 Then certain of the heads of the children 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 them that came from the war,

13 And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the LORD [already], ye intend to add [more] to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and [there is] fierce wrath against Israel.

14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.

15 And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.

16 ¶ At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him.

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

18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Bethshemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there.

19 For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD.

20 And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.

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] unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not.

22 And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this [is that] king Ahaz.

23 For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, [therefore] will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.

24 And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.

25 And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers.

26 Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways, first and last, behold, they [are] written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

27 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, [even] in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.

1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, as David his father did,

2 But walked in the ways of the kings of Israel. For this purpose he made cast images of Baalim.

3 And he burnt incense in the valley of the children of Hinnom, and burnt his sons with fire, according to the abomination of the heathen, whom the LORD had driven out from before the children of Israel;

4 And offered sacrifice and burnt incense in the high places, and in the hills, and under every green tree.

5 Therefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria, and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of his own captives, and brought them to Damascus. He was also given into the hand of the king of Israel, and he fought a great battle against him.

6 For Pekah the son of Remaliah smote in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, all of them upright men, because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers.

7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maeshiah the king's son, and Azrikam the prince of the house, and Elkanah the next after the king.

8 And the children of Israel carried away captive from among their brethren two hundred thousand women, sons and daughters: and they took a great spoil of them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.

9 And there was there a prophet of the LORD, whose name was Oded, which went out to meet the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers is wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand; but ye have slain them so horribly that it reacheth unto heaven.

10 Now therefore intend ye to subdue the children of Judah and Jerusalem unto you for bondmen and bondmaids. Is not this your fault against the LORD your God?

11 Now therefore hearken unto me, and bring again the captives which ye have carried away from among your brethren: for the wrath of the LORD is kindled against you.

12 And there arose some of the chief of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, and Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, against them that came out of the army,

13 And they said unto them: Ye shall not bring in the captives: for ye only remember iniquity before the LORD against us, that ye may make our sin and our iniquity more: for the iniquity is too much before, and the wrath is kindled against Israel.

14 And the soldiers left the captives and the spoil before the princes, and before all the congregation.

15 And the men which are now named arose, and took the captives, and all that were naked among them, and clothed them of the spoil, and put on shoes, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and led them upon asses all that were feeble, and brought them to Jericho, to the city of palm trees, to their brethren. And they returned to Samaria.

16 At that time king Ahaz sent unto the kings of Assyria to help him.

17 And the Edomites came again, and smote Judah, and carried away some of them.

18 And the Philistines pitched in the cities, in the floodplain, and in the south of Judah, and took Bethshemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho, with their daughters, and Timnah with her daughters, and Gimso with her daughters; and dwelt therein.

19 For the LORD humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Judah, because he made Judah naked, and trespassed against the LORD.

20 And there came against him Tiglathpilneser king of Assyria, and besieged him; but he could not prevail against him.

21 For Ahaz divided the house of the LORD, and the king's house, and the house of the princes, which he gave to the king of Assyria: but it availed him not.

22 And in his distress king Ahaz made more of the trespass against the LORD.

23 And he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him, saying, The gods of the kings of Syria help them: therefore will I sacrifice unto them, that they may help me also: for they were a stumblingblock to him, and to all Israel.

24 And Ahaz brought the vessels of the house of God in multitude, and gathered the vessels into the house of God, and shut the doors of the house of the LORD, and made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.

25 And in the cities of Judah to and fro he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked the LORD God of his fathers.

26 And the rest of his acts, and all his ways, both first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

27 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of Jerusalem: for they brought him not among the sepulchres of the kings of Israel. And Jehizkiah his son reigned in his stead.