 REV Bible |   |   |
| REV Bible | | |
1Ahaz was 20 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned 16 years in Jerusalem; and he did not do what was right in the eyes of Yahweh, like David his father,
2but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and also made cast metal images for the Baals.
3And he burned incense in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom and burned his children in the fire just like the abominations of the nations that Yahweh had driven out from before the children of Israel.
4He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the local shrines and on the hills and under every green tree.
5Therefore Yahweh his God gave him into the hand of the king of Syria, and they struck him and carried away from him a great multitude of captives and brought them to Damascus. He was also given into the hand of the king of Israel who struck him with a great slaughter.
6For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed in Judah 120,000 in one day, all of them valiant men, because they had forsaken Yahweh the God of their fathers.
7Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king’s son and Azrikam the Ruler of the House, and Elkanah who was second in command to the king.
8The children of Israel carried away captive of their brothers 200,000, women, sons, and daughters, and also took away much spoil from them and brought the spoil to Samaria.
9But a prophet of Yahweh was there whose name was Oded, and he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria, and said to them, “Behold, because Yahweh the God of your fathers was angry with Judah, he has given them into your hand, and you have killed them in a rage that has reached up to heaven.
10And now you intend to subjugate the children of Judah and Jerusalem as your own male and female slaves. But don’t you have transgressions of your own against Yahweh your God?
11So now hear me, and send back the captives that you have taken captive from your brothers, for the fierce wrath of Yahweh is hanging over you.”
12Then some of the heads 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 up against those who came from the war
13and said to them, “You must not bring the captives here, for you are intending something that will bring guilt on us before Yahweh, which will add to our sins and to our guilt, because our guilt is great, and there is fierce wrath hanging over Israel.”
14So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the officials and all the assembly.
15The men who have been mentioned by name rose up and took the captives, and then took the spoil and clothed all who were naked among them—dressed them—and gave them sandals, and gave them something to eat and to drink, anointed them, carried all the feeble of them on donkeys and brought them to Jericho, the City of Date Palms trees, back to their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria.
16At that time King Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria to help him.
17For the Edomites had again come and struck Judah and carried away captives.
18And the Philistines had invaded the cities of the Shephelah and of the Negev of Judah, and they had taken Beth-shemesh, and Aijalon, and Gederoth, and Soco with its towns and Timnah with its towns, and Gimzo and its towns, and they settled there.
19For Yahweh brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel, who caused a lack of restraint in Judah, and was unfaithful, yes, unfaithful to Yahweh.
20Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came to him and afflicted him but did not support him.
21Although Ahaz had taken part of the treasures out of the house of Yahweh and out of the house of the king and from the officials and gave it to the king of Assyria, that did not help him.
22In the time of his affliction he was even more unfaithful to Yahweh, this King Ahaz.
23For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus who defeated him, and he said, “Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will sacrifice to them so that they will help me.” But they caused him and all Israel to stumble.
24Ahaz gathered the articles of God’s house and cut in pieces the articles of God’s house and shut the doors of the house of Yahweh, and he made altars for himself in every corner in Jerusalem.
25In every city of Judah he made shrines to burn incense to other gods, and he made Yahweh, the God of his fathers, angry.
26Now the rest of his acts and all his ways, the first and the last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.
27Ahaz 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 Israel; and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.
| top | |