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亚哈斯做犹大王

28 亚哈斯登基的时候年二十岁,在耶路撒冷做王十六年。不像他祖大卫行耶和华眼中看为正的事, 却行以色列诸王的道,又铸造巴力的像, 并且在欣嫩子谷烧香,用火焚烧他的儿女,行耶和华在以色列人面前所驱逐的外邦人那可憎的事, 并在丘坛上、山冈上、各青翠树下献祭烧香。

为亚兰王所败

所以耶和华他的神将他交在亚兰王手里,亚兰王打败他,掳了他许多的民,带到大马士革去。神又将他交在以色列王手里,以色列王向他大行杀戮。 利玛利的儿子比加一日杀了犹大人十二万,都是勇士,因为他们离弃了耶和华他们列祖的神。 有一个以法莲中的勇士,名叫细基利,杀了王的儿子玛西雅和管理王宫的押斯利甘并宰相以利加拿

以色列人返犹大俘虏

以色列人掳了他们的弟兄,连妇人带儿女共有二十万,又掠了许多的财物,带到撒马利亚去了。 但那里有耶和华的一个先知,名叫俄德,出来迎接往撒马利亚去的军兵,对他们说:“因为耶和华你们列祖的神恼怒犹大人,所以将他们交在你们手里,你们竟怒气冲天,大行杀戮。 10 如今你们又有意强逼犹大人和耶路撒冷人做你们的奴婢,你们岂不也有得罪耶和华你们神的事吗? 11 现在你们当听我说,要将掳来的弟兄释放回去,因为耶和华向你们已经大发烈怒。” 12 于是以法莲人的几个族长,就是约哈难的儿子亚撒利雅米实利末的儿子比利家沙龙的儿子耶希西家哈得莱的儿子亚玛撒,起来拦挡出兵回来的人, 13 对他们说:“你们不可带进这被掳的人来。你们想要使我们得罪耶和华,加增我们的罪恶过犯!因为我们的罪过甚大,已经有烈怒临到以色列人了。” 14 于是,带兵器的人将掳来的人口和掠来的财物都留在众首领和会众的面前。 15 以上提名的那些人就站起,使被掳的人前来,其中有赤身的,就从所掠的财物中拿出衣服和鞋来给他们穿,又给他们吃喝,用膏抹他们,其中有软弱的,就使他们骑驴,送到棕树城耶利哥他们弟兄那里。随后,就回撒马利亚去了。

亚哈斯求助于亚述王

16 那时,亚哈斯王差遣人去见亚述诸王,求他们帮助, 17 因为以东人又来攻击犹大,掳掠子民。 18 非利士人也来侵占高原和犹大南方的城邑,取了伯示麦亚雅仑基低罗梭哥和属梭哥的乡村,亭纳和属亭纳的乡村,瑾锁和属瑾锁的乡村,就住在那里。 19 因为以色列亚哈斯犹大放肆,大大干犯耶和华,所以耶和华使犹大卑微。 20 亚述提革拉毗尼色上来,却没有帮助他,反倒欺凌他。 21 亚哈斯从耶和华殿里和王宫中并首领家内所取的财宝给了亚述王,这也无济于事。

祭大马士革之神

22 亚哈斯王在急难的时候,越发得罪耶和华。 23 他祭祀攻击他的大马士革之神,说:“因为亚兰王的神帮助他们,我也献祭于他,他好帮助我。”但那些神使他和以色列众人败亡了。 24 亚哈斯将神殿里的器皿都聚了来,毁坏了,且封锁耶和华殿的门,在耶路撒冷各处的拐角建筑祭坛。 25 又在犹大各城建立丘坛,与别神烧香,惹动耶和华他列祖神的怒气。

亚哈斯卒

26 亚哈斯其余的事和他的行为,自始至终,都写在《犹大以色列诸王记》上。 27 亚哈斯与他列祖同睡,葬在耶路撒冷城里,没有送入以色列诸王的坟墓中。他儿子希西家接续他做王。

猶大王亞哈斯

28 亞哈斯二十歲登基,在耶路撒冷執政十六年。他沒有效法他祖先大衛做耶和華視為正的事, 反而步以色列諸王的後塵,又鑄造巴力神像。 他不但在欣嫩子谷燒香,還效法耶和華在以色列人面前趕走的外族人的可憎行徑,焚燒自己的兒子作祭物。 他還在邱壇、山岡和綠樹下獻祭燒香。

與亞蘭和以色列交戰

因此,他的上帝耶和華把他交在亞蘭王手中,亞蘭王就打敗他,把他的許多人民擄到大馬士革。他也被交在以色列王手中,損失慘重。 利瑪利的兒子比加一天之內殺了猶大十二萬勇士,因為他們背棄了他們祖先的上帝耶和華。 以法蓮的勇士細基利殺了王子瑪西雅、宮廷總管押斯利甘和宰相以利加拿。 以色列軍隊從他們的猶大同胞中擄走了二十萬婦孺,同時也將大量戰利品帶回撒瑪利亞。

俄德先知

撒瑪利亞有一位耶和華的先知名叫俄德,他出城去迎接班師回來的軍隊,說:「看啊,你們祖先的上帝耶和華向猶大發怒,才將他們交在你們手中。你們竟怒氣衝天,對他們大加殺戮。 10 現在你們竟還想讓猶大和耶路撒冷的男女做你們的僕俾。你們豈不也得罪你們的上帝耶和華嗎? 11 你們還是聽我的忠告,釋放你們擄來的同胞,讓他們回去吧!因為耶和華的烈怒已經臨到你們了。」

12 約哈難的兒子亞撒利雅、米實利末的兒子比利迦、沙龍的兒子耶希西迦和哈得萊的兒子亞瑪撒四位以法蓮族長起來阻擋從戰場回來的軍隊, 13 說:「你們不可把這些俘虜帶進來,我們的罪已經夠重了,耶和華的烈怒已經臨到以色列人,不要再得罪耶和華,加重我們的罪惡了。」 14 於是,士兵們便把俘虜和戰利品交給眾首領和民眾。 15 那些以法蓮族長就上前照顧俘虜,從戰利品中拿出衣服和鞋子給那些赤身露體的俘虜穿上,供應他們吃喝,又給他們的傷口抹上油,讓軟弱的騎驢。他們把所有的俘虜送到棕樹城耶利哥他們的親族那裡,隨後返回撒瑪利亞。

亞哈斯向亞述王求援

16 那時,亞哈斯王派人到亞述王那裡求援。 17 原來以東人又來攻打猶大,擄掠民眾。 18 非利士人也入侵丘陵和猶大南方的城鎮,攻佔了伯·示麥、亞雅崙、基低羅,以及梭哥、亭拿、瑾鎖和三城周圍的村莊,並住在那裡。 19 耶和華使猶大衰微,因為以色列王[a]亞哈斯在猶大肆無忌憚,悖逆耶和華。 20 亞述王提革拉·毗列色來到猶大後,不但不救他,反而壓迫他。 21 亞哈斯從耶和華的殿裡、王宮和官員家中取財寶送給亞述王,但無濟於事。

亞哈斯的惡行

22 亞哈斯在患難時越發悖逆耶和華, 23 竟去祭拜打敗他的大馬士革人的神明,說:「既然亞蘭王的神明幫助了亞蘭人,我要向這些神明獻祭,以便它們幫助我。」但那些神明導致了他和全體以色列人的滅亡。 24 亞哈斯將耶和華上帝殿裡的器皿收集起來打碎,封鎖殿門,並在耶路撒冷的每個角落為自己設立祭壇。 25 他還在猶大各城建立邱壇,向其他神明燒香,惹他祖先的上帝耶和華發怒。 26 亞哈斯其他的事及所作所為自始至終都記在猶大和以色列的列王史上。 27 亞哈斯與祖先同眠後,葬在耶路撒冷城中,但沒有葬在以色列的王陵。他兒子希西迦繼位。

Footnotes

  1. 28·19 以色列王」這裡可能指統治猶大的王,而非統治北國以色列的王。

Ahaz King of Judah(A)

28 Ahaz(B) was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He followed the ways of the kings of Israel and also made idols(C) for worshiping the Baals. He burned sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom(D) and sacrificed his children(E) in the fire, engaging in the detestable(F) practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops and under every spreading tree.

Therefore the Lord his God delivered him into the hands of the king of Aram.(G) The Arameans defeated him and took many of his people as prisoners and brought them to Damascus.

He was also given into the hands of the king of Israel, who inflicted heavy casualties on him. In one day Pekah(H) son of Remaliah killed a hundred and twenty thousand soldiers in Judah(I)—because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors. Zikri, an Ephraimite warrior, killed Maaseiah the king’s son, Azrikam the officer in charge of the palace, and Elkanah, second to the king. The men of Israel took captive from their fellow Israelites who were from Judah(J) two hundred thousand wives, sons and daughters. They also took a great deal of plunder, which they carried back to Samaria.(K)

But a prophet of the Lord named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army when it returned to Samaria. He said to them, “Because the Lord, the God of your ancestors, was angry(L) with Judah, he gave them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches to heaven.(M) 10 And now you intend to make the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem your slaves.(N) But aren’t you also guilty of sins against the Lord your God? 11 Now listen to me! Send back your fellow Israelites you have taken as prisoners, for the Lord’s fierce anger rests on you.(O)

12 Then some of the leaders in Ephraim—Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berekiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai—confronted those who were arriving from the war. 13 “You must not bring those prisoners here,” they said, “or we will be guilty before the Lord. Do you intend to add to our sin and guilt? For our guilt is already great, and his fierce anger rests on Israel.”

14 So the soldiers gave up the prisoners and plunder in the presence of the officials and all the assembly. 15 The men designated by name took the prisoners, and from the plunder they clothed all who were naked. They provided them with clothes and sandals, food and drink,(P) and healing balm. All those who were weak they put on donkeys. So they took them back to their fellow Israelites at Jericho, the City of Palms,(Q) and returned to Samaria.(R)

16 At that time King Ahaz sent to the kings[a] of Assyria(S) for help. 17 The Edomites(T) had again come and attacked Judah and carried away prisoners,(U) 18 while the Philistines(V) had raided towns in the foothills and in the Negev of Judah. They captured and occupied Beth Shemesh, Aijalon(W) and Gederoth,(X) as well as Soko,(Y) Timnah(Z) and Gimzo, with their surrounding villages. 19 The Lord had humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel,[b] for he had promoted wickedness in Judah and had been most unfaithful(AA) to the Lord. 20 Tiglath-Pileser[c](AB) king of Assyria(AC) came to him, but he gave him trouble(AD) instead of help.(AE) 21 Ahaz(AF) took some of the things from the temple of the Lord and from the royal palace and from the officials and presented them to the king of Assyria, but that did not help him.(AG)

22 In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful(AH) to the Lord. 23 He offered sacrifices to the gods(AI) of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought, “Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.”(AJ) But they were his downfall and the downfall of all Israel.(AK)

24 Ahaz gathered together the furnishings(AL) from the temple of God(AM) and cut them in pieces. He shut the doors(AN) of the Lord’s temple and set up altars(AO) at every street corner in Jerusalem. 25 In every town in Judah he built high places to burn sacrifices to other gods and aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of his ancestors.

26 The other events of his reign and all his ways, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 27 Ahaz rested(AP) with his ancestors and was buried(AQ) in the city of Jerusalem, but he was not placed in the tombs of the kings of Israel. And Hezekiah his son succeeded him as king.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 28:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; one Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint and Vulgate (see also 2 Kings 16:7) king
  2. 2 Chronicles 28:19 That is, Judah, as frequently in 2 Chronicles
  3. 2 Chronicles 28:20 Hebrew Tilgath-Pilneser, a variant of Tiglath-Pileser

King Ahaz of Judah

(2 Kings 16.1-4)

28 Ahaz was 20 years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled from Jerusalem for 16 years.

Ahaz was nothing like his ancestor David. Ahaz disobeyed the Lord and was as sinful as the kings of Israel. He made idols of the god Baal, and he offered sacrifices in Hinnom Valley. Worst of all, Ahaz sacrificed his own sons, which was a disgusting custom of the nations that the Lord had forced out of Israel. Ahaz offered sacrifices at the local shrines,[a] as well as on every hill and in the shade of large trees.

Syria and Israel Attack Judah

(2 Kings 16.5,6)

5-6 (A) Ahaz and the people of Judah sinned and turned away from the Lord, the God their ancestors had worshiped. So the Lord punished them by letting their enemies defeat them.

The king of Syria attacked Judah and took many of its people to Damascus as prisoners. King Pekah[b] of Israel later defeated Judah and killed 120,000 of its bravest soldiers in one day. During that battle, an Israelite soldier named Zichri killed three men from Judah: Maaseiah the king's son; Azrikam, the official in charge of the palace; and Elkanah, the king's second in command. The Israelite troops captured 200,000 women and children and took them back to their capital city of Samaria, along with a large amount of their possessions. They did these things even though the people of Judah were their own relatives.

Oded the Prophet Condemns Israel

Oded lived in Samaria and was one of the Lord's prophets. He met Israel's army on their way back from Judah and said to them:

The Lord God of your ancestors let you defeat Judah's army only because he was angry with them. But you should not have been so cruel! 10 If you make slaves of the people of Judah and Jerusalem, you will be as guilty as they are of sinning against the Lord.

11 Send these prisoners back home—they are your own relatives. If you don't, the Lord will punish you in his anger.

12 About the same time, four of Israel's leaders arrived. They were Azariah son of Johanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai. They agreed with Oded that the Israelite troops were wrong, 13 and they said:

If you bring these prisoners into Samaria, that will be one more thing we've done to sin against the Lord. And he is already angry enough with us.

14 So in front of the leaders and the crowd, the troops handed over their prisoners and the property they had taken from Judah. 15 The four leaders took some of the stolen clothes and gave them to the prisoners who needed something to wear. They later gave them all a new change of clothes and shoes, then fixed them something to eat and drink, and cleaned their wounds with olive oil. They gave donkeys to those who were too weak to walk, and led all of them back to Jericho, the city known for its palm trees. The leaders then returned to Samaria.

Ahaz Asks the King of Assyria for Help

(2 Kings 16.7-9)

16-18 Some time later, the Edomites attacked the eastern part of Judah again and carried away prisoners. And at the same time, the Philistines raided towns in the western foothills and in the Southern Desert. They conquered the towns of Beth-Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco, Timnah, and Gimzo, including the villages around them. Then some of the Philistines went to live in these places.

Ahaz sent a message to King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria and begged for help. 19 But God was punishing Judah with these disasters, because Ahaz had disobeyed him and refused to stop Judah from sinning. 20 So Tiglath Pileser came to Judah, but instead of helping, he made things worse. 21 Ahaz gave him gifts from the Lord's temple and the king's palace, as well as from the homes of Israel's other leaders. The Assyrian king still refused to help Ahaz.

The Final Sin of Ahaz and His Death

22 Even after all these terrible things happened to Ahaz, he sinned against the Lord even worse than before. 23 He said to himself, “The Syrian gods must have helped their kings defeat me. Maybe if I offer sacrifices to those gods, they will help me.” That was the sin that finally led to the downfall of Ahaz, as well as to the destruction of Judah.

24 Ahaz collected all the furnishings of the temple and smashed them to pieces. Then he locked the doors to the temple and set up altars to foreign gods on every street corner in Jerusalem. 25 In every city and town in Judah he built local shrines[c] to worship foreign gods. All of this made the Lord God of his ancestors very angry.

26 Everything else Ahaz did while he was king is written in The History of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 27 (B) Ahaz died and was buried in Jerusalem, but not in the royal tombs. His son Hezekiah then became king.

Footnotes

  1. 28.4 local shrines: See the note at 11.15.
  2. 28.5,6 Pekah: Hebrew “Pekah son of Remaliah.”
  3. 28.25 local shrines: See the note at 11.15.