Ahaz Reigns Wickedly in Judah

(2 Chronicles 28:1-4)

1In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah reigned hath Ahaz son of Jotham king of Judah. 2A son of twenty years is Ahaz in his reigning, and sixteen years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and he hath not done that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah his God, like David his father, 3and he walketh in the way of the kings of Israel, and also his son he hath caused to pass over into fire, according to the abominations of the nations that Jehovah dispossessed from the presence of the sons of Israel, 4and he sacrificeth and maketh perfume in high places, and on the heights, and under every green tree.

5Then doth Rezin king of Aram go up, and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel, to Jerusalem, to battle, and they lay siege to Ahaz, and they have not been able to fight. 6At that time hath Rezin king of Aram brought back Elath to Aram, and casteth out the Jews from Elath, and the Aramaeans have come in to Elath, and dwell there unto this day.

7And Ahaz sendeth messengers unto Tiglath-Pileser king of Asshur, saying, 'Thy servant and thy son am I; come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Aram, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, who are rising up against me.' 8And Ahaz taketh the silver and the gold that is found in the house of Jehovah, and in the treasures of the house of the king, and sendeth to the king of Asshur -- a bribe. 9And hearken unto him doth the king of Asshur, and the king of Asshur goeth up unto Damascus, and seizeth it, and removeth the people of it to Kir, and Rezin he hath put to death.

Damascus Falls

(2 Chronicles 28:16-21; Amos 1:1-15)

10And king Ahaz goeth to meet Tiglath-Pileser king of Asshur at Damascus, and seeth the altar that is in Damascus, and king Ahaz sendeth unto Urijah the priest the likeness of the altar, and its pattern, according to all its work, 11and Urijah the priest buildeth the altar according to all that king Ahaz hath sent from Damascus; so did Urijah the priest till the coming in of king Ahaz from Damascus. 12And the king cometh in from Damascus, and the king seeth the altar, and the king draweth near on the altar, and offereth on it, 13and perfumeth his burnt-offering, and his present, and poureth out his libation, and sprinkleth the blood of the peace-offerings that he hath, on the altar. 14As to the altar of brass that is before Jehovah -- he bringeth it near from the front of the house, from between the altar and the house of Jehovah, and putteth it on the side of the altar, northward. 15And king Ahaz commandeth him -- Urijah the priest -- saying, 'On the great altar perfume the burnt-offering of the morning, and the present of the evening, and the burnt-offering of the king, and his present, and the burnt-offering of all the people of the land, and their present, and their libations; and all the blood of the burnt-offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice, on it thou dost sprinkle, and the altar of brass is to me to inquire by.' 16And Urijah the priest doth according to all that king Ahaz commanded.

17And king Ahaz cutteth off the borders of the bases, and turneth aside from off them the laver, and the sea he hath taken down from off the brazen oxen that are under it, and putteth it on a pavement of stones. 18And the covered place for the sabbath that they built in the house, and the entrance of the king without, he turned from the house of Jehovah, because of the king of Asshur.

Hezekiah Succeeds Ahaz in Judah

(2 Chronicles 28:26-27)

19And the rest of the matters of Ahaz that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah? 20And Ahaz lieth with his fathers, and is buried with his fathers, in the city of David, and reign doth Hezekiah his son in his stead.