1
Ahaz was twentyyearsold when he becameking, and he reignedsixteen*years in Jerusalem; and he did not doright in the sight of the LORD as David his father had done.
3
Moreover, he burnedincense in the valley of Ben-hinnom* and burned his sons in fire, according to the abominations of the nationswhom the LORD had driven out before* the sons of Israel.
5
Wherefore, the LORD his Goddelivered him into the hand of the king of Aram; and they defeated him and carried away from him a great number of captives and brought them to Damascus. And he was alsodelivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who inflicted him with heavycasualties.
8
The sons of Israelcarried away captive of their brethren200,000*women, sons and daughters; and they tookalso a greatdeal of 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 to meet the army which came to Samaria and said to them, "Behold, because the LORD, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, He has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage which has evenreachedheaven.
10
"Now you are proposing to subjugate for yourselves the people of Judah and Jerusalem for male and femaleslaves*. Surely, do you not have transgressions of your own against the LORD your God?
12
Then some of the heads of the sons of Ephraim-Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai-aroseagainst those who were coming from the battle,
13
and said to them, "You must not bring the captives in here, for you are proposing to bring upon us guilt against the LORDadding to our sins and our guilt; for our guilt is great so that His burninganger is againstIsrael."
15
Then the menwho were designated by namearose, took the captives, and they clothedall their nakedones from the spoil; and they gave them clothes and sandals, fed them and gave them drink, anointed them with oil, ledall their feeble ones on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palmtrees, to their brothers; then they returned to Samaria.
18
The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland and of the Negev of Judah, and had takenBeth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, and Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages, and they settledthere.
21
AlthoughAhaztook a portion out of the house of the LORD and out of the palace of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria, it did not help him.
23
For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him, and said, "Because the gods of the kings of Aramhelped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me." But they became the downfall of him and allIsrael.
24
Moreover, when Ahazgathered together the utensils of the house of God, he cut the utensils of the house of God in pieces; and he closed the doors of the house of the LORD and madealtars for himself in everycorner of Jerusalem.
27
So Ahazslept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, for they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel; and Hezekiah his sonreigned in his place.