2 Chronicles 28:16–23

Compromise with Assyria

^16aAt that time King Ahaz sent to the ¹kings of Assyria for help.

^17aFor again the Edomites had come and attacked Judah and carried away captives.

^18aThe Philistines also had invaded the cities of the ¹lowland and of the Negev of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, and Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages, and they settled there.

¹⁹For the Lord humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of ^aIsrael, for he had brought about a lack of restraint in Judah and was very unfaithful to the Lord.

²⁰So ^aTilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him.

^21aAlthough Ahaz took a portion out of the house of the Lord and out of the palace of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria, it did not help him.

²²Now in the time of his distress this same King Ahaz ^abecame yet more unfaithful to the Lord.

^23aFor he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had ¹defeated him, and said, “^bBecause the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But they became the ²downfall of him and all Israel.