¶ Ahaz¹ was 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 father²:

For he walked³ in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images⁴ for Baalim⁵.

Moreover he burnt incense⁶ in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt⁷ his children in the fire, after the abominations⁸ of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.

⁹He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

Wherefore the LORD his God¹⁰ delivered him¹¹ into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus¹². And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter.

¶ For Pekah¹³ the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred¹⁴ and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men¹⁵; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.

And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king¹⁶.

And the children of Israel carried¹⁷ away captive of their brethren¹⁸ two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.

But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out¹⁹ before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold,²⁰ because the LORD God²¹ of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth²² up unto heaven.

¶ And now ye purpose to keep²³ under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with²⁴ you, even with you, sins against the LORD²⁵ your God?

Now hear me therefore, and deliver²⁶ the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce²⁷ wrath of the LORD is upon you.

Then certain of the heads²⁸ 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, stood up²⁹ against them that came from the war,

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 more³⁰ to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.

So the armed men³¹ left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.

And the men which were expressed by name³² rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed³³ all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them³⁴ to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried³⁵ all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city³⁶ of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.

¶ At that time did king³⁷ Ahaz send unto the kings³⁸ of Assyria to help him.

For again the Edomites³⁹ had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives⁴⁰.

The Philistines⁴¹ also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Bethshemesh⁴², and Ajalon⁴³, and Gederoth, and Shocho⁴⁵ with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there.

For the LORD⁴⁸ brought Judah low because of Ahaz⁴⁹ king of Israel⁵⁰; for he made Judah⁵¹ naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD.

¶ And Tilgathpilneser⁵² king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him,⁵⁴ but strengthened him not.

For Ahaz took away⁵⁵ 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.

And in the⁵⁶ time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is⁵⁷ that king Ahaz.

For he sacrificed⁵⁸ unto the gods of Damascus⁵⁹, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them,⁶⁰ that they may help me. But they were⁶¹ the ruin of him, and of all Israel.

And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces⁶² the vessels of the house of God, and shut up⁶³ the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made⁶⁴ him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.

And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn⁶⁵ incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers.

Now the rest⁶⁶ of his acts and of all his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem: but they brought⁶⁷ him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel⁶⁸: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.