|
Chapter 28 |
| 1 |
Ahaz 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 father: |
| 2
| For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten
images for Baalim. |
| 3 |
Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his
children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had
cast out before the children of Israel. |
| 4 | He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places,
and on the hills, and under every green tree. |
| 5 | Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him 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 Damascus. And he was also delivered into the
hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter. |
| 6 | For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew
in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men;
because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. |
| 7 | 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 king. |
|
8 | And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren
two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also 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 host that came to Samaria, and said unto them,
Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath
delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth
up unto heaven. |
| 10 | And
now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen
and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with you, even with you, sins against
the LORD your God? |
| 11 |
Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken
captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you. |
| 12 | Then certain 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 them that came from the war, |
| 13 | 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
more to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is
fierce wrath against Israel. |
| 14
| So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes
and all the congregation. |
| 15 |
And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives,
and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them,
and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and
carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the
city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria. |
| 16 | At that time did king Ahaz
send unto the kings of Assyria to help him. |
| 17 | For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and
carried away captives. |
| 18 |
The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the
south of Judah, and had taken Bethshemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho
with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and
the villages thereof: and they dwelt there. |
| 19 | For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of
Israel; for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD. |
| 20 | And Tilgathpilneser king
of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not. |
| 21 | For Ahaz took away 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. |
| 22 | And in the time of his
distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz. |
| 23 | For he sacrificed unto
the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the
kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may
help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel. |
| 24 | And Ahaz gathered together the vessels
of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and
shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every
corner of Jerusalem. |
| 25 |
And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto
other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers. |
| 26 | Now the rest 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. |
| 27 | And
Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in
Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel:
and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead. |
