^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 for sixteen years in Jerusalem. ^bHe did not do right in the sight of the LORD, as his father (forefather) David had done. 2 ^aInstead he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and even ^bmade cast images for the Baals. 3 And ^ahe burned incense in the Valley of Ben-hinnom and ^bburned his sons as an offering, ^cin accordance with the repulsive acts of the pagan nations whom the LORD had driven out before the sons (descendants) of Israel. 4 He also sacrificed and ^aburned incense on the high places of pagan worship, on the hills and under every green tree.

5 Therefore ^athe LORD his God handed over Ahaz to the king of Aram (Syria) , who defeated him and led away a great number of the people as captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also handed over to the king of Israel, who struck Judah with a great slaughter. 6 For ^aPekah son of Remaliah killed 120,000 in Judah in one day, all courageous men, because they had abandoned (turned away from) the LORD God of their fathers. 7 And Zichri, a warrior of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king’s son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah, who was second in power to the king.

8 And ^athe sons of Israel led away captive 200,000 of ^btheir kinsmen of Judah—women, sons, and daughters—and they also took a great quantity of spoil from them and brought it to Samaria. 9 But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded; and ^ahe went out to meet the army that was returning to Samaria and said to them, “Behold, because the LORD, the God of your fathers, ^bwas angry with Judah, He handed them over to you; but you have killed them in a rage ^cthat has reached as far as heaven. 10 And now you intend to ^asubjugate the people of Judah and Jerusalem as male and female slaves for yourselves. But are you yourselves not guilty of transgressions against the LORD your God? 11 Now therefore, hear me and return the captives ^awhom you have captured from your brothers (fellow descendants of Israel, i.e. Jacob) , ^bfor the burning anger of the LORD is against you.” 12 Then some of the heads of the Ephraimites (Israel)—Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai—took a stand against those who were returning from the battle, 13 and said to them, “You must not bring the captives in here; for we are guilty before the LORD already, and what you intend to do will add more to our sins and our guilt. For our guilt is so great that His burning anger is against Israel.” 14 So the armed men of Israel left the captives and the spoil of Judah before the officers and all the assembly. 15 Then ^athe men who were designated by name rose up and took the captives, and from the spoil they clothed all those who were naked; they clothed them and gave them sandals, and fed them and gave them something to ^bdrink, anointed them with oil, as was a host’s duty, and led all the feeble ones on donkeys, and they brought them to Jericho, ^cthe City of Palm Trees, to their brothers (fellow descendants of Israel, i.e. Jacob) . Then they returned to Samaria. Luke 10:25-37

16 ^aAt that time King Ahaz sent word to the king of Assyria to ask him 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 low country and of the Negev (the South country) of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, and Soco with their villages, and also 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 Ahaz had allowed unrestrained and undisciplined behavior in Judah and had been very unfaithful to the LORD. 20 So ^aTilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and harassed him instead of strengthening and supporting him. 21 ^aAlthough Ahaz took a portion of treasure from the house of the LORD and from the house (palace) of the king and from the leaders, and gave it as tribute to the king of Assyria, it did not help Ahaz.

22 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 defeated him, and he said, “^bSince the gods of the kings of Aram (Syria) helped them, I will sacrifice to them so that they may help me.” But they became the ruin and downfall of him and all of Israel. 24 Then Ahaz collected the utensils of the house of God and he ^acut them in pieces; and he ^bshut 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, provoking to anger the LORD, the God of his fathers. 26 ^aNow the rest of his acts and of all his ways, from the first to the last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 27 ^aAnd Ahaz slept with his fathers in death, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, but they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of ^bIsrael. And his son Hezekiah reigned in his place.