2 Kings 16

Ahaz Reigns in Judah

(2 Chronicles 28:1–4)

1In the seventeenthH7651H6240H8141 yearH8141 of PekahH6492 sonH1121 of RemaliahH7425, AhazH271 sonH1121 of JothamH3147 became kingH4427H4428 of JudahH3063. 2AhazH271 was twentyH6242 years oldH1121H8141 when he became kingH4427, and he reignedH4427 in JerusalemH3389 sixteenH8337H6240 yearsH8141. And unlike DavidH1732 his fatherH1, he did notH3808 doH6213 what was rightH3477 in the eyesH5869 of the LORDH3068 his GodH430. 3Instead, he walkedH1980 in the waysH1870 of the kingsH4428 of IsraelH3478 and evenH1571 sacrificedH5674 his sonH1121 in the fireH784,1 according to the abominationsH8441 of the nationsH1471 thatH834 the LORDH3068 had driven outH3423 beforeH6440 the IsraelitesH1121H3478. 4And he sacrificedH2076 and burned incenseH6999 on the high placesH1116, onH5921 the hillsH1389, and underH8478 everyH3605 greenH7488 treeH6086.

5ThenH227 RezinH7526 kingH4428 of AramH758 and PekahH6492 sonH1121 of RemaliahH7425 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 came upH5927 to wage warH4421 against JerusalemH3389. They besiegedH6696H5921 AhazH271 but couldH3201 notH3808 overcomeH3898 him.

6At thatH1931 timeH6256 RezinH7526 kingH4428 of AramH758 recoveredH7725 ElathH3592 for AramH758,3 drove outH5394 the men of JudahH3064, and sentH935 the EdomitesH761 into ElathH359, whereH8033 they liveH3427 toH5704 thisH2088 dayH3117.

7So AhazH271 sentH7971 messengersH4397 toH413 Tiglath-pileserH8407 kingH4428 of AssyriaH804, sayingH559, “IH589 am your servantH5650 and your sonH1121. Come upH5927 and save meH3467 from the handsH3709 of the kingsH4428 of AramH758H3709 and IsraelH3478, who are rising upH6965 against meH5921.”

8AhazH271 also tookH3947 the silverH3701 and goldH2091 foundH4672 in the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068 and in the treasuriesH214 of the king’sH4428 palaceH1004, and he sent itH7971 as a giftH7810 to the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804. 9So the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 respondedH8085 to himH413, marched upH5927H4428H804 toH413 DamascusH1834, and captured itH8610. He took its peopleH1540 to Kir as captivesH7024 andH853 put RezinH7526 to deathH4191.

The Idolatry of Ahaz

(2 Chronicles 28:16–27)

10Then KingH4428 AhazH271 wentH1980 to DamascusH1834 to meetH7122 Tiglath-pileserH8407 kingH4428 of AssyriaH804. On seeingH7200 the altarH4196 in DamascusH1834, KingH4428 AhazH271 sentH7971H413 UriahH223 the priestH3548 a modelH1823 of the altarH4196 and complete plansH8403H3605 for its constructionH4639. 11And UriahH223 the priestH3548 builtH1129 the altarH4196 according to allH3605 the instructionsH834 KingH4428 AhazH271 had sentH7971 from DamascusH1834, and he completed itH6213 beforeH5704 KingH4428 AhazH271 returnedH935.

12When the kingH4428 came backH935 from DamascusH1834 and sawH7200 the altarH4196, heH4428H5921 approachedH7126 it and presented offeringsH5927 on itH5921. 13He offeredH6999 his burnt offeringH5930 and his grain offeringH4503, poured outH5258 his drink offeringH5262, and splatteredH2236 the bloodH1818 of his peace offeringsH8002 onH5921 the altarH4196. 14He also tookH7126H854 the bronzeH5178 altarH4196 thatH834 stood beforeH6440 the LORDH3068 from the frontH6440 of the templeH1004 (betweenH996 the new altarH4196 andH996 the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068) and he putH5414 it onH5921 the northH6828 sideH3409 of the new altarH4196.

15Then KingH4428 AhazH271 commandedH6680 UriahH223 the priestH3548H559, “OfferH6999 onH5921 the greatH1419 altarH4196 the morningH1242 burnt offeringH5930, the eveningH6153 grain offeringH4503, and the king’sH4428 burnt offeringH5930 and grain offeringH4503, as well as the burnt offeringsH5930, grain offeringsH4503, and drink offeringsH5262 of allH3605 the peopleH5971 of the landH776. SplatterH2236 on the altarH5921 allH3605 the bloodH1818 of the burnt offeringsH5930 and sacrificesH2077. But I will useH1961 the bronzeH5178 altarH4196 to seek guidanceH1239.”

16So UriahH223 the priestH3548 didH6213 just asH3605 KingH4428 AhazH271 had commandedH6680.

17KingH4428 Ahaz alsoH271 cut offH7112 the framesH4526 of the movable standsH4350 and removedH5493 the bronze basinH3595 from each of themH5921. He took downH3381 the SeaH3220 fromH5921 the bronzeH5178 oxenH1241 thatH834 were under itH8478 and putH5414 itH853 onH5921 a stoneH68 baseH4837. 18AndH853 on accountH6440 of the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804, he removedH5437 the SabbathH7676 canopyH43294 they had builtH1129 in the templeH1004 and closed the royalH4428 entrywayH3996 outsideH2435 the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068.

19As for the restH3499 of the actsH1697 of AhazH271, along with his accomplishmentsH834H6213, are theyH1992 notH3808 writtenH3789 inH5921 the BookH5612 of the ChroniclesH1697H3117 of the KingsH4428 of JudahH3063?

20And AhazH271 restedH7901 withH5973 his fathersH1 and was buriedH6912 withH5973 them in the CityH5892 of DavidH1732, and his sonH1121 HezekiahH2396 reignedH4427 in his placeH8478.