2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 28 ©

1 Ahaz reigning very wickedly is smitten by the kings of Syria and Israel. 8 The Israelites, having carried many thousands of Judah captive to Samaria, at the remonstrance of the prophet Oded send them home. 16 Ahaz calleth the king of Assyria to his aid, but is not at all benefited by his assistance. 22 In his distress he becometh still more idolatrous. 26 His acts and death: Hezekiah succeedeth him.

1

AHAZ was atwenty 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 bwalked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also cmolten images for dBaalim.

3

Moreover he 1burnt incense in ethe valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt fhis children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.

4

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

5

Wherefore the LORD hhis 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 2Damascus. 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 3valiant men; jbecause 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 4next to the king.

8

And the children of Israel kcarried 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 lhe went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, mbecause 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 nup unto heaven.

10

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

11

Now hear me therefore, and qdeliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: rfor the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you.

12

Then certain of the sheads 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, tstood 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 uto 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 vwere expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil wclothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and xgave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to yJericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.

16

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

17

For aagain the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away 5captives.

18

The bPhilistines also had cinvaded the cities of dthe low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken eBeth-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 fbrought Judah low because of Ahaz king of gIsrael; for he made Judah naked, and transgressed *sore against the LORD.

20

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

21

For Ahaz took iaway 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 jin 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 6Damascus, which smote him: and he said, kBecause the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, lthat 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 mcut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and nshut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he omade him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.

25

And in every several city of Judah he made high places 7to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers.

26

¶Now pthe 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 qbrought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his *stead.