28 *Ahaz awas 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: 2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also bmolten images for cBaalim. 3 Moreover he ||burnt incense in dthe valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt ehis children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. 4 He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree. 5 *Wherefore the Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they esmote 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. 6 For fPekah 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. 7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah gthe king’s son, and Azrikam gthe governor of the house, and Elkanah that was †next to the king. 8 And the children of Israel carried away captive of their hbrethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria. 9 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, ibecause 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 jreacheth up unto heaven. 10 And now ye purpose to keep under 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? 11 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. 12 Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and kJehizkiah the son of lShallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war, 13 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. 14 So mthe armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation. 15 And the men nwhich 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 ogave them to eat and to drink, and panointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, qthe city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.

16 *rAt that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him. 17 For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away †captives. 18 The sPhilistines also had tinvaded the cities of uthe low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken wBeth-shemesh, and xAjalon, and yGederoth, and zShocho with the avillages thereof, and bTimnah with the avillages thereof, Gimzo also and the avillages thereof: and they dwelt there. 19 For the Lord brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of cIsrael; for he dmade Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the Lord. 20 *And eTilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not. 21 fFor 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.

22 And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord: this is that king Ahaz. 23 For ghe sacrificed unto the gods of †Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, hthat they may help me. But they iwere the ruin of him, and of all cIsrael. 24 And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and jcut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and kshut up the doors of the house of the Lord, and lhe made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem. 25 And in every several city of Judah he made high places ||to burn incense unto other gods, and mprovoked to anger the Lord God of his fathers. 26 nNow the rest of his acts and of all his ways, ofirst and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 27 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem: pbut they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of cIsrael: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.