2 Chronicles 28
Legacy Standard Bible
Ahaz Reigns over Judah
28 (A)Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and (B)he did not do what was right in the sight of Yahweh, as David his father had done. 2 (C)But he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel; he also (D)made molten images for the Baals. 3 Moreover, (E)he offered offerings in smoke in the valley of Ben-hinnom and (F)burned his sons in the fire, (G)according to the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh had dispossessed from before the sons of Israel. 4 He also sacrificed and (H)offered offerings in smoke on the high places and on the hills and under every green tree.
Judah Carried Away by Aram
5 So, (I)Yahweh his God gave him into the hand of the king of Aram; and they struck him and carried away from him a great number of captives and brought them to Damascus. And he was also given into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him with a great slaughter. 6 Indeed, (J)Pekah the son of Remaliah killed in Judah 120,000 in one day, all men of valor, because they had forsaken Yahweh, the God of their fathers. 7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king’s son and Azrikam the ruler of the house and Elkanah the second to the king.
8 (K)Then the sons of Israel carried away captive of (L)their brothers 200,000 women, sons, and daughters; and they plundered also a great deal of spoil from them and brought the spoil to Samaria. 9 But a prophet of Yahweh was there, whose name was Oded; and (M)he went out before the army which came to Samaria and said to them, “Behold, because of the (N)wrath of Yahweh, the God of your fathers, against Judah, He has given them into your hand, and you have killed them in a rage (O)which has even reached heaven. 10 So now you are [a]intending to (P)subdue for yourselves the people of Judah and Jerusalem for male and female slaves. Surely, do you not have your own matters of guilt against Yahweh your God? 11 So now, listen to me and return the captives (Q)whom you carried away from your brothers, (R)for the burning anger of Yahweh is against you.” 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—arose against those who were coming from the engagement of the army, 13 and said to them, “You must not bring the captives in here, for you are [b]intending to bring upon us guilt against Yahweh adding to our sins and our guilt; for our guilt is great so that His burning anger is against Israel.” 14 So the armed men left the captives and the plunder before the commanders and all the assembly. 15 Then (S)the men who were designated by name arose, took hold of the captives, and they clothed all their naked ones from the spoil; and they gave them clothes and sandals, fed them and (T)gave them drink, anointed them with oil, led all their feeble ones on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, (U)the city of palm trees, to their brothers; then they returned to Samaria.
Ahaz Sends to Assyria for Help
16 (V)At that time King Ahaz sent to the [c]kings of Assyria for help. 17 (W)Indeed, again the Edomites had come and struck Judah and carried away captives. 18 (X)And the Philistines also had raided the cities of the [d]Shephelah and of the [e]Negev of Judah, and had captured Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, and Soco with its towns, Timnah with its towns, and Gimzo with its towns, and they settled there. 19 For Yahweh humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of (Y)Israel, for he had caused it to be out of control in Judah and was very unfaithful to Yahweh. 20 So (Z)Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and distressed him instead of strengthening him. 21 (AA)Although Ahaz took a portion out of the house of Yahweh and out of the house of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria, it did not help him.
22 Now in the time of his distress this same King Ahaz (AB)became yet more unfaithful to Yahweh. 23 (AC)Indeed, he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had struck him, and said, “(AD)Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But they became the stumbling of him and all Israel. 24 Ahaz gathered together the utensils of the house of God. Then he (AE)cut the utensils of the house of God in pieces; and he (AF)closed the doors of the house of Yahweh and (AG)made altars for himself in every corner of Jerusalem. 25 Now in each and every city of Judah he made high places to offer offerings in smoke to other gods, and provoked Yahweh, the God of his fathers, to anger. 26 (AH)Now the rest of his acts and all his ways, from first to last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 27 (AI)So Ahaz slept 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 (AJ)Israel; and Hezekiah his son became king in his place.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 28:10 Lit saying
- 2 Chronicles 28:13 Lit saying
- 2 Chronicles 28:16 Ancient versions king
- 2 Chronicles 28:18 Or lowland
- 2 Chronicles 28:18 South country
2 Chronicles 28
Revised Standard Version
Reign of Ahaz
28 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord, like his father David, 2 but walked in the ways of the kings of Israel. He even made molten images for the Ba′als; 3 and he burned incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burned his sons as an offering, according to the abominable practices of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel. 4 And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
Aram and Israel Defeat Judah
5 Therefore the Lord his God gave him into the hand of the king of Syria, who defeated him and took captive a great number of his people and brought them to Damascus. He was also given into the hand of the king of Israel, who defeated him with great slaughter. 6 For Pekah the son of Remali′ah slew a hundred and twenty thousand in Judah in one day, all of them men of valor, because they had forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers. 7 And Zichri, a mighty man of E′phraim, slew Ma-asei′ah the king’s son and Azri′kam the commander of the palace and Elka′nah the next in authority to the king.
Intervention of Oded
8 The men of Israel took captive two hundred thousand of their kinsfolk, women, sons, and daughters; they also took much spoil from them and brought the spoil to Samar′ia. 9 But a prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Oded; and he went out to meet the army that came to Samar′ia, and said to them, “Behold, because the Lord, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand, but you have slain them in a rage which has reached up to heaven. 10 And now you intend to subjugate the people of Judah and Jerusalem, male and female, as your slaves. Have you not sins of your own against the Lord your God? 11 Now hear me, and send back the captives from your kinsfolk whom you have taken, for the fierce wrath of the Lord is upon you.” 12 Certain chiefs also of the men of E′phraim, Azari′ah the son of Joha′nan, Berechi′ah the son of Meshil′lemoth, Jehizki′ah the son of Shallum, and Ama′sa the son of Hadlai, stood up against those who were coming from the war, 13 and said to them, “You shall not bring the captives in here, for you propose to bring upon us guilt against the Lord in addition to our present sins and guilt. For our guilt is already 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 assembly. 15 And the men who have been mentioned by name rose and took the captives, and with the spoil they clothed all that were naked among them; they clothed them, gave them sandals, provided them with food and drink, and anointed them; and carrying all the feeble among them on asses, they brought them to their kinsfolk at Jericho, the city of palm trees. Then they returned to Samar′ia.
Assyria Refuses to Help Judah
16 At that time King Ahaz sent to the king[a] of Assyria for help. 17 For the E′domites had again invaded and defeated Judah, and carried away captives. 18 And the Philistines had made raids on the cities in the Shephe′lah and the Negeb of Judah, and had taken Beth-she′mesh, Ai′jalon, Gede′roth, Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages; and they settled there. 19 For the Lord brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had dealt wantonly in Judah and had been faithless to the Lord. 20 So Til′gath-pilne′ser king of Assyria came against him, and afflicted him instead of strengthening him. 21 For Ahaz took from the house of the Lord and the house of the king and of the princes, and gave tribute to the king of Assyria; but it did not help him.
Apostasy and Death of Ahaz
22 In the time of his distress he became yet more faithless to the Lord—this same King Ahaz. 23 For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him, and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will sacrifice to them that 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 cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and he shut up the doors of the house of the Lord; and he made himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem. 25 In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, provoking to anger the Lord, the God of his fathers. 26 Now the rest of his acts and all his ways, from first to 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, in Jerusalem, for they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel. And Hezeki′ah his son reigned in his stead.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 28:16 Gk Syr Vg Compare 2 Kg 16.7: Heb kings
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