2 Chronicles 28

Ahaz Reigns Wickedly

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 eyes of the LORD like David his ancestor. 2He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and even made cast images for the Baals. 3He burned incense in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom and burned his sons in fire according to the detestable practices of the nations whom the LORD had dispossessed before the children of Israel. 4He sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every flourishing tree.

Judah Is Given into Enemy Hands

5Therefore the LORD 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. He was also given into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him with a great slaughter. 6Pekah son of Remaliah killed in Judah one hundred twenty thousand in one day, all mighty men, because they had abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors. 7Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king’s son, Azrikam ruler of the house, and Elkanah second to the king. 8The children of Israel took captive from their brothers two hundred thousand—women, sons, and daughters—and also took much plunder from them and brought the spoil to Samaria.

Oded Confronts Israel’s Army

9But a prophet of the LORD was there whose name was Oded. He went out before the army coming to Samaria and said to them, “Look, because the LORD, the God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand, but you have killed them in a rage that has reached to the heavens. 10And now you intend to subdue the children of Judah and Jerusalem as male and female servants for yourselves. But are there not with you also offenses against the LORD your God? 11And now hear me and return the captives whom you captured from your brothers, for the burning anger of the LORD is upon you.”

The Captives Are Released and Cared For

12Then some men from the heads of the children of Ephraim—Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai—stood against those coming from the army. 13They said to them, “You shall not bring the captives here, for you intend to bring guilt upon us before the LORD, adding to our sins and our guilt, for our guilt is great, and burning anger is against Israel.” 14So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the officials and all the assembly. 15The men who were designated by name arose and took the captives. From the spoil they clothed all who were naked among them, clothed them, gave them sandals, gave them food and drink, anointed them, carried all the weak on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, beside their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria.

Ahaz Seeks Help from Assyria

16At that time King Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria to help him. 17For the Edomites had come again and struck Judah and carried away captives. 18The Philistines also raided the cities of the foothills and the Negev of Judah and captured Beth-Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages, and they lived there. 19For the LORD humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had cast off restraint in Judah and acted very unfaithfully against the LORD.

Assyria Distresses Ahaz

20Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came against him and distressed him rather than strengthening him. 21For Ahaz stripped the house of the LORD, the house of the king, and the officials and gave it to the king of Assyria, but it did not help him.

Ahaz Becomes More Unfaithful

22In the time of his distress he acted even more unfaithfully against the LORD—this King Ahaz. 23He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus who had struck him and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Aram help them, I will sacrifice to them so that they may help me.” But they became his downfall and the downfall of all Israel. 24Ahaz gathered the vessels of the house of God, cut the vessels of the house of God in pieces, shut the doors of the house of the LORD, and made for himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem. 25In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods and provoked the LORD, the God of his ancestors, to anger.

Ahaz Dies

26Now the rest of his acts and all his ways, first and last, look, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 27Ahaz lay down 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. Hezekiah his son became king in his place.