Old Testament · History

2 Chronicles chapter 28

Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he ruled in Jerusalem for sixteen years. Unlike his , he did not do what was right in Yahweh’s eyes.Instead, he followed the ways of the kings of Israel and even made for the .He burned incense in the and even in the fire, copying the of the nations that Yahweh had driven out before the Israelites.He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the , on the hilltops, and .So Yahweh his God to the king of . The Arameans struck him down and carried off a large number of his people as prisoners to Damascus. He was also handed over to the king of Israel, who dealt him a devastating defeat. son of Remaliah killed 120,000 soldiers in Judah in a single day — all of them capable warriors — because they had Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.Zichri, a warrior from Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king’s son, Azrikam the palace administrator, and Elkanah who was .The Israelites took 200,000 of captive — women, sons, and daughters. They also seized a huge amount of plunder and brought it all to .But a of Yahweh named Oded was there. He went out to meet the army returning to Samaria and said to them, “Look — Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah, so he handed them over to you. But you’ve slaughtered them with a .And now you’re planning to force the people of Judah and Jerusalem into as your servants? Don’t you have your own your God to worry about?Now listen to me! Send back the prisoners you captured from your own relatives. Yahweh’s is burning against you.”Then some of the from the tribe of Ephraim — Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai — stood up against those returning from battle.They told them, “Don’t bring those prisoners here! You’ll bring Yahweh’s down on us, adding to our failures and offenses. We’re already carrying enough guilt, and his fierce anger is already burning against Israel.”So the soldiers released the prisoners and handed over the plunder in the presence of the officers and the entire .The men who were designated by name stood up, took the prisoners, and used the plunder to clothe all of them who were naked. They provided them with clothing and sandals, gave them food and drink, and . Then they put all the weak ones on donkeys and brought them back to their relatives at Jericho, the . After that, they returned to Samaria.Around that same time, King Ahaz sent to the kings of for help.The had invaded again and carried off prisoners from Judah.The had also raided the towns in the foothills and the of Judah. They captured Beth-Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco with its surrounding villages, Timnah with its surrounding villages, and Gimzo with its surrounding villages — and they settled in them.Yahweh had because of — because he had in Judah and been completely unfaithful to Yahweh. king of Assyria came to him, but instead of helping him, he .Ahaz the temple of Yahweh, the royal palace, and the officials’ houses, and gave everything to the king of Assyria — but it didn’t help him at all.Even in his , this same King Ahaz became to Yahweh.He offered sacrifices to the who had defeated him, thinking, “The gods of the kings of Aram helped them, so I’ll sacrifice to them and they’ll help me too.” But they only brought to him and to all Israel.Ahaz gathered up the equipment from God’s temple, , and of Yahweh’s temple. Then he set up altars on in Jerusalem.In every single town throughout Judah, he set up high places to burn incense to other gods, Yahweh, the God of his ancestors.The rest of what Ahaz did and all his policies, from beginning to end, are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.Ahaz rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of Jerusalem — but they of Israel. His son became king after him.