2 Chronicles 28

Revised Geneva Translation

28 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not do uprightly in the sight of the LORD, like David his father.

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

³ Moreover, he burnt incense in the valley of Ben-hinnom, and burnt his sons with fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.

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

⁵ Therefore, the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of the Aramites. And they struck him and took some of his many prisoners and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him with a great slaughter.

⁶ For Pekah, the son of Remaliah, killed one hundred twenty thousand in Judah in one day, all valiant men, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.

⁷ And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah, the king’s son, and Azrikam, the governor of the House, and Elkanah, the second after the king.

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

⁹ But there was a Prophet of the LORD whose name Oded. And he went out before the army that came to Samaria, and said to them, “Behold! Because the LORD God of your fathers is angry with Judah, He has delivered them into your hand. And you have killed them in a rage that reaches up to Heaven!

¹⁰ “And now you intend to keep the children of Judah and Jerusalem under, as servants and handmaids to you. But are not your sins also with you before the LORD your God?

¹¹ “Now therefore, hear me and bring back the captives whom you have taken prisoners from your brethren. For the fierce wrath of the LORD is toward you.”

¹² Therefore, some of the chiefs of the children of Ephraim — Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum and Amasa the son of Hadlai — stood up against those who came from the war,

¹³ and said to them, “Do not bring the captives in here. For this shall be a sin upon us against the LORD. You intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass, though our trespass is great, as is the fierce wrath of God against Israel.”

¹⁴ So, the army left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the Congregation.

¹⁵ And the men who were named by name rose up and took the prisoners, and clothed all who were naked among them with the spoil, and arrayed them, and gave them sandals and food and drink, and anointed them, and carried all of them who were feeble upon donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the City of Palm Trees, to their brethren. So, they returned to Samaria.

¹⁶ At that time, King Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria for help.

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

¹⁸ The Philistines also invaded the cities in the low country, and toward the South of Judah, and took Beth Shemesh and Aijalon and Gederoth and Sochoh (with their villages) and Timnah with its villages and Gimzo with its villages. And they dwelt there.

¹⁹ For the LORD had humbled Judah because of Ahaz, king of Israel. For he had brought vengeance upon Judah and had grievously transgressed against the LORD.

²⁰ And Tilgath-Pilneser, king of Assyria, came to him, who troubled him and did not strengthen him.

²¹ For Ahaz took a portion out of the House of the LORD and out of the king’s house and of the princes’ and gave to the king of Assyria. Still, it did not help him.

²² And in the time of his tribulation, he trespassed even more against the LORD (this is King Ahaz).

²³ For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which plagued him, and he said, “Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them. And they will help me.” Yet they were his ruin, and all of Israel.

²⁴ And Ahaz gathered the vessels of the House of God, and broke the vessels of the House of God, and shut up the doors of the House of the LORD and made himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem.

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

²⁶ Concerning 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.

²⁷ And Ahaz slept with his fathers. And they buried him in the city of Jerusalem but did not bring him to the sepulchers of the kings of Israel. And Hezekiah, his son, reigned in his place.