2 Chronicles
Chapter Twenty-Eight
1 ¶ Ahaz was twenty
years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and
he did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD, as his father David had
done.
2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made molded images for
the Baals.
3 He burned incense in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and burned his children
in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had
cast out before the children of Israel.
4 And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and
under every green tree.
5 Therefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria.
They defeated him, and carried away a great multitude of them as captives, and
brought them to Damascus. Then he was also delivered into the hand of the king
of Israel, who defeated him with a great slaughter.
6 ¶ For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed one hundred and twenty thousand
in Judah in one day, all valiant men, because they had forsaken the LORD God
of their fathers.
7 Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king's son, Azrikam the
officer over the house, and Elkanah who was second to the king.
8 And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred
thousand women, sons, and daughters; and they also took away much spoil from
them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.
9 But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded; and he went out
before the army that came to Samaria, and said to them: "Look, because
the LORD God of your fathers was angry with Judah, He has delivered them into
your hand; but you have killed them in a rage that reaches up to heaven.
10 "And now you propose to force the children of Judah and Jerusalem to
be your male and female slaves; but are you not also guilty before the LORD
your God?
11 "Now hear me, therefore, and return the captives, whom you have taken
captive from your brethren, for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you."
12 Then some of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan,
Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the
son of Hadlai, stood up against those who came from the war,
13 and said to them, "You shall not bring the captives here, for we already
have offended the LORD. You intend to add to our sins and to our guilt; for
our guilt is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel."
14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the leaders and all
the assembly.
15 Then the men who were designated by name rose up and took the captives, and
from the spoil they clothed all who were naked among them, dressed them and
gave them sandals, gave them food and drink, and anointed them; and they let
all the feeble ones ride on donkeys. So they brought them to their brethren
at Jericho, the city of palm trees. Then they returned to Samaria.
16 ¶ At the same time King Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria to help him.
17 For again the Edomites had come, attacked Judah, and carried away captives.
18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland and of the South
of Judah, and had taken Beth Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Sochoh with its villages,
Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages; and they dwelt there.
19 For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had
encouraged moral decline in Judah and had been continually unfaithful to the
LORD.
20 Also Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came to him and distressed him, and
did not assist him.
21 For Ahaz took part of the treasures from the house of the LORD, from the
house of the king, and from the leaders, and he gave it to the king of Assyria;
but he did not help him.
22 Now in the time of his distress King Ahaz became increasingly unfaithful
to the LORD. This is that King Ahaz.
23 For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him, saying,
"Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, I will sacrifice to
them that they may help me." But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel.
24 So Ahaz gathered the articles of the house of God, cut in pieces the articles
of the house of God, shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and made for
himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem.
25 And in every single city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to
other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers.
26 Now the rest of his acts and all his ways, from first to last, indeed they
are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
27 So Ahaz rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem;
but they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel. Then Hezekiah
his son reigned in his place.
Go to Chapter Twenty-Nine
Home / Bible studies / Bible Survey / Special Studies / General Articles / Non-Bible Articles / Sermons / Sermon Outlines / Links / Questions and Answers / What Saith The Scriptures /Daily Devotional / Correspondence Courses / What is the Church of Christ / Book: Christian Growth / Website Policy / E-mail / About Me /