2 Chronicles 28

1Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD, as his ancestor David had done. 2He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel; he also made images of cast metal for the Baals. 3He burned incense in the Valley of Ben-hinnom and burned his sons in the fire, following the detestable practices of the nations that the LORD had driven out ahead of the Israelites. 4He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hills and under every leafy tree. 5So the LORD his God handed him over to the king of Aram. The Arameans defeated him, took a great many of his people captive and brought them to Damascus. He was also handed over to the king of Israel, who struck him a heavy blow.

6In one day Pekah son of Remaliah killed 120,000 in Judah, all of them valiant men, because they had forsaken the LORD, the God of their ancestors. 7Zichri, an Ephraimite warrior, killed Maaseiah the king’s son, Azrikam the officer in charge of the palace, and Elkanah, who was second to the king.

8The Israelites took 200,000 of their own relatives captive, women, sons and daughters. They also seized a great deal of plunder from them and brought the plunder to Samaria.

9But a prophet of the LORD named Oded was there. He went out to meet the army as it came to Samaria and said to them, “Look, it was because the LORD, the God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah that he handed them over to you. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that has reached up to heaven. 10And now you intend to force the people of Judah and Jerusalem to become your male and female slaves. But are you not yourselves guilty of wrongs against the LORD your God? 11Now listen to me: send back the captives you have taken from your own relatives, for the fierce anger of the LORD is upon you.”

12Then some of the chiefs of the Ephraimites, Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum and Amasa son of Hadlai, stood up to confront those returning from the war. 13They said to them, “You must not bring the captives here. What you intend would bring guilt on us before the LORD and add to our sins and our guilt. Our guilt is already great, and fierce anger is upon Israel.”

14So the armed men left the captives and the plunder in the presence of the officials and the whole assembly. 15Then the men who had been named for the task got up and took charge of the captives. From the plunder they clothed all among them who were naked. They gave them clothes and sandals, food and drink, and anointed them with oil. They put all who were too weak to walk on donkeys and brought them to their relatives at Jericho, the city of palm trees. Then they went back to Samaria.

16At that time King Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria for help. 17The Edomites had come again, attacked Judah and carried off captives. 18The Philistines had raided the towns of the Shephelah and the Negev of Judah. They captured Beth-shemesh, Aijalon and Gederoth, as well as Soco, Timnah and Gimzo with their villages, and they settled there. 19The LORD brought Judah low on account of Ahaz king of Israel, because he had let Judah throw off all restraint and had been grossly unfaithful to the LORD. 20Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came against him and brought him distress instead of strength. 21Ahaz took a share of the wealth of the house of the LORD, of the royal palace and of the officials, and gave it to the king of Assyria, but it did him no good. 22In his time of distress this same King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD. 23He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him, and said, “Since the gods of the kings of Aram help them, I will sacrifice to them so that they will help me.” But they brought ruin on him and on all Israel. 24Ahaz collected the vessels of the house of God and cut them in pieces. He shut the doors of the house of the LORD and made himself altars on every street corner in Jerusalem. 25In each and every town of Judah he set up high places for burning incense to other gods, and he provoked the LORD, the God of his ancestors, to anger. 26The rest of his acts and all his ways, from first to last, are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 27Then Ahaz rested with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem; but they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel. His son Hezekiah became king in his place.