THE SECOND BOOK OF THE
CHRONICLES
2 Chronicles 28 ©
Ahaz is an abominable idolater, v. 1, etc. He is smitten by the Syrians, and by the Israelites, 5. The Israelites carry away many Jews captive with them, 8. Whom they bring again into their own border by the advice of the prophet Oded, 9. Ahaz seeks to the Assyrians for help, 16. War is made against him by the Edomites and Philistines, 17. He is not assisted by the king of Assyria, 20. Goes on in his wickedness, 22. He dies, and his son Hezekiah reigns, 27.
AHAZ wasa1twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but 2he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father:
For he 3walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images 4for Baalim.
Moreover he burnt incense in the 5valley of the son of Hinnom, and 6burntb his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the 7high places, 8and on the hills, and under every green tree.
Wherefore the LORD 9his God deliveredc him into the hand of the 10king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to 11Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the 12king of Israel, who 13smote him with a great slaughter.
¶For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all 14valiant men; 15because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.
And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the 16king’s son, and Azrikam 17the governor of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king.
And the children of Israel carried away captive of their 18brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.
But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was 19Oded: 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 20that reacheth 21up unto heaven.
And now ye 22purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: 23but are there not with you, even with you, 24sins against the LORD your God?
Now hear me therefore, and deliver 25the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you.
Then 26certain 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,
And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives 27hither: for whereas we have offended 28against the LORD already, ye 29intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is fierce 30wrath against Israel.
So the 31armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.
And the men 32which 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 33anointed them, and carried all the 34feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, 35the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.
¶ 36At that time did king Ahaz send unto 37the kings of Assyria to help him.
For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives.
The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken 38Beth-shemesh, and 39Ajalon, and 40Gederoth, and 41Shocho with the 42villages thereof, and 43Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there.
For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah 44naked, and transgressed 45sore against the LORD.
And 46Tilgath-pilneser 47king of Assyria came unto him, and 48distressed him, but strengthened him not.
For Ahaz 49took 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 50he helped him not.
¶And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: 51this is that king Ahaz.
For he sacrificed unto the gods of 52Damascus, 53which smote him: and he said, Becaused the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were 54the ruin of him, and of all Israel.
And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, 55and shut up the doors 56of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.
And 57in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto 58other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers.
¶Now the rest of his acts and of all 59his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the 60city, even in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings 61of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.