2 Chronicles 28

Ahaz ^awas 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 ^bmolten images for ^cBaalim. ³ Moreover he burnt incense in ^dthe valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his ^echildren 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 ^fthe LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they ^gsmote 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 ⁱPekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had ^hforsaken 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 ^jbrethren 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, ^kbecause 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 ^lreacheth up unto heaven. ¹⁰ And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for ⁿbondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with ^myou, 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: ^ofor 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 ^padd 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 ^qgave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the ^rcity of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.

¹⁶ At ^sthat time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him. ¹⁷ For ^tagain the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives. ^{18 u}The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, 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 ^wIsrael; for he ^vmade Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD. ²⁰ And ^xTilgath-pilneser 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 ^yof his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz. ²³ For ^zhe 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 ^athey 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, ^band 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 c}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.

2 Chronicles 29