Chapter 28 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen
years in Jerusalem.
But he did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord, like David his father.
For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for
Baalim.
Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children
in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord had cast out before
the children of Israel.
He sacrificed also, and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills,
and under every green tree.
Wherefore the Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria.
And they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives,
and brought them to Damascus.
And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a
great slaughter.
For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in
one day, which were all valiant men.
Because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers.
And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseah the king's son, and Azricum
the governor of the house, and Alcana that was next to the king.
And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred
thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them,
and brought the spoil to Samaria.
But a prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Oded.
And he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them,
Behold, because the Lord God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath
delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that
reacheth up unto heaven.
And now ye purpose to keep unto the children of Judah and Jerusalem for
bondmen and bondwomen unto you.
But are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord your God?
Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken
captive of your brethren.
For the fierce wrath of the Lord is upon you.
Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan,
Barachiah the son of Meshillamoth, and Jehoshiah the son of Shalem,
and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war,
and said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither.
For whereas we have offended against the Lord already, ye intend to add more to our
sins and to our trespass.
For our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.
So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the
congregation.
And the men which were expressed by name rose up and took the captives,
and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them,
and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all
the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of
palm trees, to their brethren.
Then they returned to Samaria.
At that time did King Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him.
For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives.
The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the
south of Judah, and had taken Bethshemesh, and Ajalon, and Gadiroth, and Shokah with
the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the
villages thereof.
And they dwelt there.
For the Lord brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel.
For he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the Lord.
And Tilgath-Pilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but
strengthened him not.
For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the Lord, and out of the house of
the king and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria.
But he helped him not.
And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord.
This is that king Ahaz.
For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him.
And he said,
But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.
And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the
vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the Lord.
And he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.
And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other
gods, and provoked to anger the Lord God of his fathers.
Now the rest of his acts, and of all his ways, first and last, behold, they are
written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city,
even in Jerusalem.
But they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel.
And Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.