The Second of Chronicles

28 Aʹhaz+ was 20 years old when he became king, and he reigned for 16 years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in Jehovah’s eyes as David his forefather had done.+ 2 Instead, he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel,+ and he even made metal statues*+ of the Baʹals. 3 Moreover, he made sacrificial smoke in the Valley of the Son of Hinʹnom* and burned up his sons in the fire,+ following the detestable practices of the nations+ that Jehovah had driven out from before the Israelites. 4 He also kept sacrificing and making sacrificial smoke on the high places,+ on the hills, and under every luxuriant tree.+

5 So Jehovah his God gave him into the hand of the king of Syria,+ so that they defeated him and carried off a great number of captives and brought them to Damascus.+ He was also given into the hand of the king of Israel, who inflicted on him a great slaughter. 6 For Peʹkah+ the son of Rem·a·liʹah killed in Judah 120,000 in one day, all brave men, because they had abandoned Jehovah the God of their forefathers.+ 7 And Zichʹri, an Eʹphra·im·ite warrior, killed the king’s son Ma·a·seiʹah and Az·riʹkam, who was in charge of the palace,* and El·kaʹnah, who was second to the king. 8 Moreover, the Israelites took 200,000 of their brothers captive—women, sons, and daughters; they also seized a great deal of spoil, and they took the spoil to Sa·marʹi·a.+

9 But a prophet of Jehovah named Oʹded was there. He went out before the army that was coming to Sa·marʹi·a and said to them: “Look! It was because Jehovah the God of your forefathers was angry with Judah that he gave them into your hand,+ and you slaughtered them with a fury that has reached clear to the heavens. 10 And now you intend to make the people of Judah and Jerusalem your male and female servants.+ Nevertheless, are you not also guilty before Jehovah your God? 11 Now listen to me and return the captives whom you took from your brothers, for Jehovah’s burning anger is against you.”

12 At that some of the chiefs of the Eʹphra·im·ites, Az·a·riʹah the son of Je·ho·haʹnan, Ber·e·chiʹah the son of Me·shilʹle·moth, Je·hiz·kiʹah the son of Shalʹlum, and A·maʹsa the son of Hadʹlai, confronted those coming in from the military campaign, 13 and they said to them: “Do not bring the captives in here, for it will make us guilty before Jehovah. What you intend to do will add to our sins and to our guilt, for our guilt is already great and there is burning anger against Israel.” 14 So the armed soldiers handed over the captives and the plunder+ to the princes and the entire congregation. 15 Then the men who had been designated by name rose up and took hold of the captives, and they provided clothes from the spoil for all those among them who were naked. So they clothed them and gave them sandals, food and drink, and oil for their skin. Furthermore, they transported the feeble on donkeys and brought them to their brothers in Jerʹi·cho, the city of palm trees. After that they returned to Sa·marʹi·a.

16 At that time King Aʹhaz asked the kings of As·syrʹi·a for help.+ 17 And once again the Eʹdom·ites invaded and attacked Judah and carried off captives. 18 The Phi·lisʹtines+ also made a raid on the cities of the She·pheʹlah+ and the Negʹeb of Judah and captured Beth-sheʹmesh,+ Aiʹja·lon,+ Ge·deʹroth, Soʹco and its dependent* towns, Timʹnah+ and its dependent towns, and Gimʹzo and its dependent towns; and they settled there. 19 Jehovah humbled Judah because of King Aʹhaz of Israel, for he had let Judah go unrestrained, resulting in great unfaithfulness toward Jehovah.

20 King Tilʹgath-pil·neʹser+ of As·syrʹi·a eventually came against him and caused him distress+ rather than strengthening him. 21 For Aʹhaz had stripped the house of Jehovah and the house* of the king+ and the houses of the princes and made a gift to the king of As·syrʹi·a; but it was of no help to him. 22 And during his time of distress, King Aʹhaz acted even more unfaithfully toward Jehovah. 23 He began to sacrifice to the gods of Damascus+ that had defeated him,+ and he went on to say: “Because the gods of the kings of Syria are helping them, I will sacrifice to them so that they may help me.”+ But they caused him and all Israel to stumble. 24 Furthermore, Aʹhaz collected the utensils of the house of the true God; he then cut to pieces the utensils of the house of the true God,+ closed the doors of the house of Jehovah,+ and made altars for himself in every corner of Jerusalem. 25 And in all the cities of Judah, he made high places for making sacrificial smoke to other gods,+ and he offended Jehovah the God of his forefathers.

26 As for the rest of his history, all his dealings from beginning to end, there it is written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and of Israel.+ 27 Then Aʹhaz was laid to rest with his forefathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, for they did not bring him into the burial places of the kings of Israel.+ And his son Hez·e·kiʹah became king in his place.