II Chronicles 28

¹Ahaz 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 eyes of Jehovah, like David his father;

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

³Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom Jehovah cast out before the children of Israel.

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

⁵Wherefore Jehovah his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away of his a great multitude of 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.

⁶For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah a hundred and twenty thousand in one day, all of them valiant men; because they had forsaken Jehovah, the God of their fathers.

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

⁸And 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.

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

¹⁰And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not even with you trespasses of your own against Jehovah your God?

¹¹Now hear me therefore, and send back the captives, that ye have taken captive of your brethren; for the fierce wrath of Jehovah is upon you.

¹²Then 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,

¹³and said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for ye purpose that which will bring upon us a trespass against Jehovah, to add unto our sins and to our trespass; for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.

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

¹⁵And the men that have been mentioned 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, unto their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.

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

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

¹⁸The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland, and of the South of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, and Aijalon, and Gederoth, and Soco with the towns thereof, and Timnah with the towns thereof, Gimzo also and the towns thereof: and they dwelt there.

¹⁹For Jehovah brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he had dealt wantonly in Judah, and trespassed sore against Jehovah.

²⁰And Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.

²¹For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of Jehovah, and out of the house of the king and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but it helped him not.

²²And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against Jehovah, this same king Ahaz.

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

²⁴And 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 Jehovah; and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.

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

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

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

II Chronicles 28

¹A son of twenty years is Ahaz in his reigning, and sixteen years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and he hath not done that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah, as David his father,

²and walketh in the ways of the kings of Israel, and also, molten images hath made for Baalim,

³and himself hath made perfume in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burneth his sons with fire according to the abominations of the nations that Jehovah dispossessed from the presence of the sons of Israel,

⁴and sacrificeth and maketh perfume in high places, and on the heights, and under every green tree.

⁵And Jehovah his God giveth him into the hand of the king of Aram, and they smite him, and take captive from him a great captivity, and bring them in to Damascus, and also into the hand of the king of Israel he hath been given, and he smiteth hima great smiting.

⁶And Pekah son of Remaliah slayeth in Judah a hundred and twenty thousand in one day (the whole are sons of valour), because of their forsaking Jehovah, God of their fathers.

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

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

⁹And there hath been there a prophet of Jehovah (Oded is his name), and he goeth out before the host that hath come in to Samaria, and saith to them, `Lo, in the fury of Jehovah God of your fathers against Judah, He hath given them into your hand, and ye slay among them in rageunto the heavens it hath come;

¹⁰and now, sons of Judah and Jerusalem ye are saying to subdue for men-servants and for maid-servants to you; but are there not with you causes of guilt before Jehovah your God?

¹¹and now, hear me, and send back the captives whom ye have taken captive of your brethren, for the heat of the anger of Jehovah is upon you.'

¹²And 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,

¹³and say to them, `Ye do not bring in the captives hither, for, to guilt against Jehovah on us, ye are saying to add unto our sin and unto our guilt? for abundant is the guilt we have, and the fierceness of anger on Israel.'

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

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

¹⁶At that time hath king Ahaz sent unto the king of Asshur to give help to him;

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

¹⁸And 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,

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

²⁰And Tilgath-Pilneser king of Asshur cometh in unto him, and doth distress him, and hath not strengthened him,

²¹though Ahaz hath taken a portion out of the house of Jehovah, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and giveth to the king of Asshur, yet it is no help to him.

²²And in the time of his distresshe addeth to trespass against Jehovah, (this king Ahaz),

²³and he sacrificeth to the gods of Damascusthose smiting him, and saith, `Because the gods of the kings of Aram are helping them, to them I sacrifice, and they help me,' and they have been to him to cause him to stumble, and to all Israel.

²⁴And Ahaz gathereth the vessels of the house of God, and cutteth in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shutteth the doors of the house of Jehovah, and maketh to himself altars in every corner in Jerusalem.

²⁵And in every city and city of Judah he hath made high places to make perfume to other gods, and provoketh Jehovah, God of his fathers.

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

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