^aAcaz tenía veinte años cuando comenzó a reinar, y reinó dieciséis años en Jerusalén; pero no hizo lo recto ante los ojos del SEÑOR^b como su padre David había hecho, 2 sino que anduvo en los caminos^a de los reyes de Israel; también hizo imágenes fundidas^b para los baales. 3 Quemó además incienso en el valle de Ben-hinom^a, e hizo pasar a sus hijos por fuego^b, conforme a las abominaciones de las naciones que el SEÑOR había arrojado¹ de delante de los hijos de Israel^c. 4 Y sacrificó y quemó incienso en los lugares altos^a, en los montes y debajo de todo árbol frondoso.

5 Por lo cual el SEÑOR su Dios lo entregó en manos del rey de los arameos^a, que lo derrotaron¹, tomaron de él gran número de cautivos y los llevaron a Damasco. Y también él fue entregado en manos del rey de Israel, el cual lo hirió con gran mortandad². 6 Porque Peka, hijo de Remalías^a, mató en Judá a ciento veinte mil en un día, todos hombres valientes, porque habían abandonado al SEÑOR, Dios de sus padres. 7 Y Zicri, hombre poderoso de Efraín, mató a Maasías, hijo del rey, y a Azricam, mayordomo de la casa, y a Elcana, segundo después del rey.

8 Y los hijos de Israel se llevaron cautivos de sus hermanos^a a doscientos mil, mujeres, hijos e hijas^b; y tomaron¹ también mucho botín de ellos y se llevaron el botín a Samaria. 9 Pero había allí un profeta del SEÑOR llamado Oded, yeste salió al encuentro del ejército que venía a Samaria, y les dijo^a: He aquí, porque el SEÑOR, Dios de vuestros padres, estaba airado con Judá, los ha entregado en vuestras manos^b, y los habéis matado con una furia que ha llegado hasta el cielo^c. 10 Y ahora os proponéis subyugar a los hijos de Judá y de Jerusalén como esclavos y esclavas vuestros^a. ¿No tenéis ciertamente transgresiones de parte vuestra contra el SEÑOR vuestro Dios? 11 Ahora pues, oídme, y devolved a los cautivos que capturasteis de vuestros hermanos^a, porque el furor de la ira^b del SEÑOR está contra vosotros. 12 Entonces algunos de los jefes de los hijos de Efraín: Azarías, hijo de Johanán, Berequías, hijo de Mesilemot, Ezequías, hijo de Salum, y Amasa, hijo de Hadlai, se levantaron contra los que venían de la batalla, 13 y les dijeron: No traigáis aquí a los cautivos; porque os proponéis traer sobre nosotros culpa contra el SEÑOR, añadiendo a nuestros pecados y a nuestra culpa; porque nuestra culpa es grande y el furor de su ira está contra Israel. 14 Entonces los hombres armados dejaron los cautivos y el botín delante de los oficiales y de toda la asamblea. 15 Y se levantaron los hombres que habían sido designados por nombre^a y tomaron a los cautivos, y del botín vistieron a todos los desnudos y les dieron vestidos y sandalias; les dieron de comer y de beber^b y los ungieron, y condujeron en asnos a todos los débiles y los llevaron a Jericó, ciudad de las palmeras^c, junto a sus hermanos; entonces volvieron a Samaria.

16 En aquel tiempo el rey Acaz envió a pedir ayuda a los reyes¹ de Asiria^a. 17 Porque los edomitas habían venido de nuevo y atacado a Judá y se habían llevado algunos cautivos^a. 18 También los filisteos^a habían invadido las ciudades de las tierras bajas¹ y del Neguev² de Judá, y habían tomado Bet-semes, Ajalón, Gederot y Soco con sus aldeas, Timna con sus aldeas, y Gimzo con sus aldeas; y se establecieron³ allí. 19 Porque el SEÑOR humilló a Judá a causa de Acaz, rey de Israel^a, pues él había permitido el desenfreno en Judá, y fue muy infiel al SEÑOR. 20 Y vino contra él Tilgat-pilneser¹, rey de Asiria, y lo afligió^a en vez de fortalecerlo. 21 Pues Acaz había tomado una porción del tesoro de la casa del SEÑOR, del palacio del rey y de los príncipes, y la había dado al rey de Asiria^a; pero no le sirvió de nada.

22 Y en el tiempo de su angustia este rey Acaz fue aún más infiel al SEÑOR^a; 23 sacrificaba a los dioses de Damasco que lo habían derrotado¹, y decía: Por cuanto los dioses de los reyes de Aram los ayudaron, sacrificaré a ellos^a para que me ayuden. Pero ellos fueron su ruina y la² de todo Israel^b. 24 Además, cuando Acaz recogió los utensilios de la casa de Dios, hizo pedazos los utensilios de la casa de Dios^a; cerró las puertas de la casa del SEÑOR^b e hizo para sí altares en cada rincón de Jerusalén^c. 25 Y en cada ciudad de Judá hizo lugares altos para quemar incienso a otros dioses, y provocó a ira al SEÑOR, Dios de sus padres. 26 ^aLos demás de sus hechos y todos sus caminos, los primeros y los postreros, he aquí, están escritos en el libro de los reyes de Judá y de Israel. 27 Y durmió Acaz con sus padres, y lo sepultaron en la ciudad, en Jerusalén, pues no lo pusieron en los sepulcros de los reyes de Israel^a; y su hijo Ezequías reinó en su lugar^b.

^aAhaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for sixteen years. ^bHe did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD as his father David had done. 2 ^aBut he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel; he also ^bmade cast metal images for the Baals. 3 Furthermore, ^ahe burned incense in the Valley of Ben-hinnom, and ^bburned his sons in fire, ^caccording to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had driven out from the sons of Israel. 4 He sacrificed and ^aburned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.

5 Therefore ^athe LORD his God handed him over to the king of Aram; and they ¹defeated him and carried from him a great number of captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also handed over to the king of Israel, who struck him with heavy casualties. 6 For ^aPekah the son of Remaliah killed 120,000 in Judah in one day, all valiant men, because they had abandoned the LORD God of their fathers. 7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king’s son, Azrikam the ruler of the house, and Elkanah the second to the king.

8 ^aThe sons of Israel led away captive two hundred thousand of ^btheir relatives, women, sons, and daughters; and they also ¹took a great deal of spoils from them, and brought the spoils to Samaria. 9 But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded; and ^ahe went out to meet the army which came to Samaria and said to them, “Behold, because the LORD, the God of your fathers, ^bwas angry with Judah, He has handed them over to you, and you have killed them in a rage ^cwhich has even reached heaven. 10 Now you are proposing to ^asubjugate the people of Judah and Jerusalem as male and female slaves for yourselves. Are you not, however guilty yourselves of offenses against the LORD your God? 11 Now then, listen to me and return the captives ^awhom you captured from your brothers, ^bfor the burning anger of the LORD is against you.” 12 Then some of the leading men of the sons of Ephraim—Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai—rose up against those who were coming from the battle, 13 and said to them, “You must not bring the captives in here, for you are proposing to bring guilt upon us before the LORD, adding to our sins and our guilt; for our guilt is great, and His burning anger is against Israel.” 14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoils before the officers and all the assembly. 15 Then ^athe men who were designated by name got up, took the captives, and they clothed all their naked people from the spoils; they gave them clothes and sandals, fed them and ^bgave them drink, anointed them with oil, led all their feeble ones on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, ^cthe city of palm trees, to their brothers; then they returned to Samaria.

16 ^aAt that time King Ahaz sent word to the ¹kings of Assyria for help. 17 ^aFor the Edomites had come again and attacked Judah, and led away captives. 18 ^aThe Philistines had also 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 had settled there. 19 For the LORD had 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. 20 So ^aTilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him. 21 ^aAlthough 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.

22 Now during the time of his distress, this same King Ahaz ^abecame even more unfaithful to the LORD. 23 ^aFor he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus who had ¹defeated him, and said, “^bBecause the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them so that they may help me.” But they became the ²downfall of him and all Israel. 24 Moreover, when Ahaz gathered together the utensils of the house of God, he ^acut the utensils of the house of God in pieces; and he ^bclosed the doors of the house of the LORD, and ^cmade altars for himself in every corner of Jerusalem. 25 In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked the LORD, the God of his fathers, to anger. 26 ^aNow the rest of his acts and all his ways, from the first to the last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 27 ^aSo Ahaz ¹lay down with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, for they did not bring him to the tombs of the kings of ^bIsrael; and his son Hezekiah reigned in his place.

^aAhaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and ^bhe did not do right in the sight of the LORD as David his father had done. 2 ^aBut he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel; he also ^bmade molten images for the Baals. 3 Moreover, ^ahe burned incense in the valley of Ben-hinnom and ^bburned his sons in fire, ^caccording to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had driven out before the sons of Israel. 4 He sacrificed and ^aburned incense on the high places, on the hills and under every green tree.

5 Wherefore, ^athe LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Aram; and they ¹defeated him and carried away from him a great number of captives and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who ²inflicted him with heavy casualties. 6 For ^aPekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah 120,000 in one day, all valiant men, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. 7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king’s son and Azrikam the ruler of the house and Elkanah the second to the king.

8 ^aThe sons of Israel carried away captive of ^btheir brethren 200,000 women, sons and daughters; and they ¹took also a great deal of spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria. 9 But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded; and ^ahe went out to meet the army which came to Samaria and said to them, “Behold, because the LORD, the God of your fathers, ^bwas angry with Judah, He has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage ^cwhich has even reached heaven. 10 Now you are proposing to ^asubjugate for yourselves the people of Judah and Jerusalem for male and female slaves. Surely, do you not have transgressions of your own against the LORD your God? 11 Now therefore, listen to me and return the captives ^awhom you captured from your brothers, ^bfor the burning anger of the LORD is against you.” 12 Then some of the heads of the sons of Ephraim—Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai—arose against those who were coming from the battle, 13 and said to them, “You must not bring the captives in here, for you are proposing to bring upon us guilt against the LORD adding to our sins and our guilt; for our guilt is great so that His burning anger is against Israel.” 14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the officers and all the assembly. 15 Then ^athe men who were designated by name arose, took the captives, and they clothed all their naked ones from the spoil; and they gave them clothes and sandals, fed them and ^bgave them drink, anointed them with oil, led all their feeble ones on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, ^cthe city of palm trees, to their brothers; then they returned to Samaria.

16 ^aAt that time King Ahaz sent to the ¹kings of Assyria for help. 17 ^aFor again the Edomites had come and attacked Judah and carried away captives. 18 ^aThe 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. 19 For 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. 20 So ^aTilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him. 21 ^aAlthough 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.

22 Now in the time of his distress this same King Ahaz ^abecame yet more unfaithful to the LORD. 23 ^aFor 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. 24 Moreover, when Ahaz gathered together the utensils of the house of God, he ^acut the utensils of the house of God in pieces; and he ^bclosed the doors of the house of the LORD and ^cmade altars for himself in every corner of Jerusalem. 25 In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked the LORD, the God of his fathers, to anger. 26 ^aNow the rest of his acts and all his ways, from first to last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 27 ^aSo Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, for they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of ^bIsrael; and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.