1 Ahaz [was] twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. But he did not do the right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father.
2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and also made molded images for Baals.
3 And he burned incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burned his sons in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the sons of Israel.
4 And He sacrificed and burned incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
5 And the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria. And they struck him and carried away a great captivity, and brought [them] to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him with a great slaughter.
6 And Pekah the son of Remaliah killed a hundred and twenty thousand in Judah in one day, all mighty men, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.
7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah [who was] next to the king.
8 And the sons of Israel carried away captive two hundred thousand of their brothers, women, and daughters, and also took away much plunder from them and brought the plunder 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, Behold, because the Lord God of your fathers was angry with Judah, He has delivered them into your hands, and you have killed them in a rage which reaches up to Heaven.
10 And now you intend to keep under the sons of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen to you. [Are there] not with you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God?
11 And now hear me, and deliver again the captives which you have taken captive of your brothers. For the fierce wrath of the LORD [is] on you.
12 And certain of the heads of the sons 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 who came from the war.
13 And they said to them, You shall not bring the captives here. For we have offended the LORD, and you intend to add to our sins and to our trespass. For our trespass is great, and [there is] fierce wrath against Israel.
14 And the armed men left the captives and the plunder before the rulers and all the congregation.
15 And the men who were called by name rose up and took the captives and clothed all that were naked among them with the plunder, and dressed them, and shod them, and made them eat and drink, and anointed them, and led the feeble ones on asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brothers. And they returned to Samaria.
16 At that time king Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria to help him.
17 For again the Edomites had come and had beaten Judah and had carried away captives.
18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country and of the south of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh and Aijalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with its villages, and Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo and its villages. And they lived there.
19 For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel. For he loosed [immorality] in Judah, and sinned grievously against the LORD.
20 And Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came to him and troubled him, but did not strengthen him.
21 For Ahaz took away a portion [of] the house of the LORD, and [of] the house of the king, and [of] the rulers, and gave [it] to the king of Assyria. But [it was] no help to him.
22 And in the time of his distress he trespassed even more against the LORD, this king Ahaz.
23 For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus who struck him. And he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will sacrifice to them so that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel.
24 And Ahaz gathered 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 himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem.
25 And in each separate city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers.
26 And 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, in Jerusalem. But they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel. And his son Hezekiah reigned in his place.