1 ¶ Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD, as did his forefather David:

2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and also made molten images of the Baals.

3 Furthermore 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.

4 He also sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

5 Therefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they defeated him, and carried away a great many of the Jews captive, and took them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who defeated him in a great slaughter.

6 ¶ For in one day Pekah the son of Remaliah killed one hundred and twenty thousand in Judah, who were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.

7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king’s son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah who was second to the king.

8 And the children of Israel carried two hundred thousand of their brethren away captive, women, sons, and daughters, and also took much plunder from them, and carried the spoils to Samaria.

9 But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the army that was returning to Samaria, and said to them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was angry with Judah, he has delivered them into your hand, but you have slain them in a rage that reached up to heaven.

10 And now you plan to keep the children of Judah and Jerusalem under you as your bondmen and bondwomen: but are you not also guilty of sins against the LORD your God?

11 Now listen to me, and send back the captives, that you have taken prisoner from your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you.

12 Then some of the leaders of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, got up to oppose those returning from the war,

13 And said to them, Do not bring the captives here: for we have already offended against the LORD, and you intend to add more to our sins and to our trespasses: for our trespasses are great, and there is fierce anger against Israel.

14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoils in front of the leaders and the whole gathering.

15 And the men who were called by name got up, and took the captives, and with the spoils clothed all who were naked among them, and having dressed them, and shod them, and gave them food to eat and to drink, and anointed them, carrying all the weak among them on donkeys, and took them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.

16 ¶ At that time king Ahaz sent to the king of Assyria for help.

17 For the Edomites had again come and defeated Judah, and carried away captives.

18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and the south of Judah, and had captured Bethshemesh, Ajalon, Gederoth, and Shocho with their surrounding villages, and Timnah with its villages, and also Gimzo and its villages: and they settled there.

19 For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he allowed depravity to spread, and was unfaithful to the LORD.

20 And Tilgath-pilneser the king of Assyria came to him, and made trouble for him, but did not strengthen him.

21 For Ahaz plundered the house of the LORD, and the palace of the king, and the princes, to pay off the king of Assyria: but he did not help him.

22 And in the time of his trouble king Ahaz trespassed even more against the LORD.

23 For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, which defeated him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, will I sacrifice to them, so that they will help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.

24 For Ahaz gathered together the vessels from the house of God, and cut to pieces those vessels from the house of God, and shut the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made for himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem.

25 And in each city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked the LORD God of his fathers to anger.

26 Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways, from the first to last, 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 of Jerusalem: but they did not put him into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.