2 Chronicles chapter .xxviij.
¶ Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Ierusalem. And he did not that pleased the LORD, as did his father David:
but walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made thereto Baals of metal.
And he offered cense in the valley of the children of Hennon, and burnt his children in fire after the abomination of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
And he offered burnt cense in hillaltars and on mountains and under every green tree.
Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of the Sirians: which beat him and carried away a great multitude of his captive into Damasco. And thereto he was delivered into the hand of the king of Israel which slew of his a mighty slaughter.
¶ For Phakeh the son of Romeliah slew in Iuda an hundredth and twenty thousand in one day, and all fighting men: and that because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.
And Zechri a mighty man in mount Ephraim slew Maasiah the king's son and Asrican the lord steward of household, and Elcanah that was next to the king.
And the children of Israel took prisoners of their brethren two hundredth thousand wives, sons and daughters, and thereto carried away much spoil of them, and brought it to Samaria.
But there was a prophet of the LORD's named Obed which went out to the host which came to Samaria and said to them: see, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Iuda, he delivered them into your hands. And ye have slain them with cruelness that reacheth up to heaven.
And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Iuda and Ierusalem and to make them bondmen and bondwomen. What other thing do ye (ye unhappy) than offend the LORD your God.
But now hear me, and deliver the captives again which ye have taken of your brethren: for the great wrath of the LORD is upon you?
And certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, as Asariah the son of Iohanan, Barachiah the son of Mesimeloth, Iehezekiah the son of Selum and Amasa the son of Hadalai stood up against them that came from war,
and said unto them: ye shall not bring in the captives hither. For where we have offended the LORD already, ye intend to add more to our sins and trespass. For our trespass is great already, and there is fierce wrath upon Israel:
And upon that the men of arms left the captives and the spoil before the lords and all the congregation.
And there arose certain appointed thereto by name, and took the prisoners and clothed all that were naked among them, of the spoil, and arrayed them and shoed them and gave them to eat and to drink and anointed them, and carried all that were feeble of them upon asses and brought them to Iericho the city of Paulme trees fast by their brethren: and then returned to Samaria again.
¶ And at that same time king Ahaz sent unto the kings of Assur to have help.
And the Edomites came yet again and slew of Iuda and carried away some captives.
And the Philistines invaded the cities in the low country and the south of Iuda: and took Bethsames, Aialon, Gaderoth and Socoh with the towns longing thereto, and Thimna with the towns of the same, and Gimso with her towns, and dwelt therein.
For the LORD brought Iuda low, because of Ahaz king of Iuda which made Iuda naked and transgressed against the LORD.
And Thiglah Palneser king of Assur came upon him and besieged him, but prevailed not against him.
For Ahaz took away out of the house of the LORD and out of the king's house and out of the Lord's houses, and gave unto the king of Assur, though it holp him not.
And thereto in the very time of his tribulation did king Ahaz trespass yet more against the LORD.
For he offered unto the gods of them of Damasco which beat him and said, because the gods of the Sirians help them, therefore will I offer to them, that they may help me also. But they were his destruction and the destruction of all Israel.
And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God and brake them, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and made him altars in all corners of Ierusalem.
And in all the cities of Iuda city by city he made hillaltars to burn incense unto other gods, and angered the LORD God of his fathers.
The rest of his acts and all his ways both first and last are written in the book of the kings of Iuda and Israel.
And when Ahaz was laid to rest with his fathers, they buried him in the city of Ierusalem: but brought him not unto the sepulchers of the kings of Iuda. And Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.
Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.