Chronicles of the Past Dynasties_Chapter 28

Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem for sixteen years. Unlike his father David who did what was right in the eyes of the Lord,

But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and cast images of Baal,

And he burned incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burned his children with fire, doing the detestable things of the foreigners whom the Lord had driven out before the Israelites.

And offer sacrifices and burn incense on the mounds, on the hills, under each green tree.

So the Lord his God handed him over to the king of Aram. The king of Aram defeated him and captured many of his people, taking them to Damascus. God also handed him over to the king of Israel, and the king of Israel caused him great slaughter.

Pekah, the son of Remaliah, killed 120000 Jews in one day, all of whom were warriors, because they had abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

There was a warrior from Ephraim named Zichri who killed the king’s son Maaseiah, Azrikam, who was in charge of the palace, and Elkanah, the prime minister.

The Israelites abducted their brothers, including women and children, totaling two hundred thousand. They also plundered a lot of wealth and brought it to Samaria.

But there was a prophet of the Lord named Od who came out to meet the army that was going to Samaria, and said to them, Because the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is angry with Judah, he has given them into your hands, and your anger is raging in heaven, causing a great slaughter.

Now that you intend to force the Jews and the people of Jerusalem to be your slaves, have you not also sinned against the Lord your God?

Now hear me say, Release the captives of your brothers, for the Lord has become very angry with you.

So the chiefs of the Ephraimites, including Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshremoh, JeHezekiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadraim, stood up to block those who had returned from the war,

Tell them, ‘You shall not bring these abducted people in.’. You want us to sin against the Lord and increase our sins and offenses. For our sins are great, and fierce anger has already come upon the Israelites.

So the armed men left the captured population and loot in front of the leaders and the assembly.

The people nominated above stood up and brought the abductees forward. Some of them were naked, so they took out clothes and shoes from the plunder and gave them clothes to wear. They also gave them food and drink, and anointed them with ointment. Some of them were weak, so they rode donkeys and brought them to their brothers in the palm tree city of Jericho. Afterwards, they returned to Samaria.

At that time, King Ahaz sent people to the kings of Assyria, seeking their help.

Because the Edomites came again to attack Judah and plunder their people.

The Philistines also came to invade the high plateau and the cities in the south of Judah, and took Bethshemesh, Aijalon, Kedeloh, Sokoh and its villages, Timnah and its villages, and Kinzok and its villages, and stayed there.

Because King Ahaz of Israel was reckless in Judah and greatly rebelled against the Lord, the Lord made Judah humble.

King Tigrapinezer of Assyria came up, but he did not help him, but instead oppressed him.

Ahaz gave the treasures he had taken from the temple of the Lord, the palace of the king, and the houses of the leaders to the king of Assyria, but to no avail.

King Ahaz, in his time of distress, has offended the Lord even more.

He offered sacrifices to the God of Damascus, who was attacking him, saying, Because the God of the king of Aram helped them, I also offered sacrifices to him so that he could help me. But those gods caused him and all Israel to perish.

Ahaz gathered all the vessels in the temple, destroyed them, and sealed off the doors of the temple of the Lord. Build altars around the corners of Jerusalem,

He also built high places in all the cities of Judah and burned incense with other gods, stirring up the anger of the Lord his ancestral gods.

The other events of Ahaz and his actions, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

Ahaz slept with his ancestors and was buried in the city of Jerusalem, without being sent to the graves of the kings of Israel. His son Hezekiah succeeded him as king.