Ahaz Reigns in Judah (2 Kings 16:1–9)
1 UEB Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the eyes of Yahweh, as David his ancestor had done. BSB BSB: Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. And unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD.
2 UEB Instead, he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel; he also made cast metal figures for the Baals. BSB BSB: Instead, he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and even made cast images of the Baals.
3 UEB In addition, he burned incense in the Valley of Ben Hinnom and he caused his children to pass through the fire, according to the idolatrous practices of the people that Yahweh forced out of their land before the people of Israel. BSB BSB: Moreover, Ahaz burned incense in the Valley of Ben-hinnom and sacrificed his sons in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.
4 UEB He sacrificed and burned incense at the high places and on the hills and under every green tree. BSB BSB: And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
Aram Defeats Judah (Isaiah 1:1–9)
5 UEB Therefore Yahweh the God of Ahaz gave him into the hand of the king of Aram. The Arameans defeated him and carried away from him a great crowd of prisoners, bringing them to Damascus. Ahaz was also given into the hand of the king of Israel who defeated him in a great slaughter. BSB BSB: So the LORD his God delivered Ahaz into the hand of the king of Aram, who attacked him and took many captives to Damascus. Ahaz was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him with great force.
6 UEB For Pekah son of Remaliah in one day killed 120,000 soldiers in Judah and all of them were powerful men, because they had forsaken Yahweh the God of their ancestors. BSB BSB: For in one day Pekah son of Remaliah killed 120,000 valiant men in Judah. This happened because they had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers.
7 UEB Zicri, a powerful man from Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king's son, Azrikam, the official over the palace, and Elkanah, who was next to the king. BSB BSB: Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the son of the king, Azrikam the governor of the palace, and Elkanah the second to the king.
8 UEB The army of Israel took captive from their relatives 200,000 wives, sons, and daughters. They also took much plunder, which they carried back to Samaria. BSB BSB: Then the Israelites took 200,000 captives from their kinsmen—women, sons, and daughters. They also carried off a great deal of plunder and brought it to Samaria.
9 UEB But a prophet of Yahweh was there, his name was Oded. He went out to meet the army coming into Samaria. He said to them, "Because Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reached up to heaven. BSB BSB: But a prophet of the LORD named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army that returned to Samaria. “Look,” he said to them, “because of His wrath against Judah, the LORD, the God of your fathers, has delivered them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches up to heaven.
10 UEB Now you intend to keep the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem as your slaves. But are you not guilty of sins of your own against Yahweh your God? BSB BSB: And now you intend to reduce to slavery the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem. But are you not also guilty before the LORD your God?
11 UEB Now then, listen to me: Send the prisoners back, those whom you have taken of your own brothers, for Yahweh's fierce wrath is on you." BSB BSB: Now therefore, listen to me and return the captives you took from your kinsmen, for the fierce anger of the LORD is upon you.”
12 UEB Then certain leaders of the people of Ephraim—Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai, stood up against those who came back from the war. BSB BSB: Then some of the leaders of the Ephraimites—Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai—stood in opposition to those arriving from the war.
13 UEB They said to them, "You must not bring the prisoners here, for you intend something that will bring on us sin against Yahweh, to add to our sins and trespasses, for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel." BSB BSB: “You must not bring the captives here,” they said, “for you are proposing to bring guilt upon us from the LORD and to add to our sins and our guilt. For our guilt is great, and fierce anger is upon Israel.”
14 UEB So the armed men left the prisoners and the plunder before the leaders and all the assembly. BSB BSB: So the armed men left the captives and the plunder before the leaders and all the assembly.
15 UEB The men who were assigned by name got up and took the prisoners, and clothed all who were naked among them with the plunder. They clothed them and gave them sandals. They gave them food to eat and drink. They treated their wounds and put the weak ones on donkeys. They took them back to their families in Jericho, (called the City of Palms). Then they returned to Samaria. BSB BSB: Then the men who were designated by name arose, took charge of the captives, and provided from the plunder clothing for the naked. They clothed them, gave them sandals and food and drink, anointed their wounds, and put all the feeble on donkeys. So they brought them to Jericho, the City of Palms, to their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria.
The Idolatry of Ahaz (2 Kings 16:10–20)
16 UEB At that time King Ahaz sent messengers to the kings of Assyria to ask them to help him. BSB BSB: At that time King Ahaz sent for help from the king of Assyria.
17 UEB For once again the Edomites had come and attacked Judah, carrying prisoners away. BSB BSB: The Edomites had again come and attacked Judah and carried away captives.
18 UEB The Philistines also invaded the cities of the lowlands and of the Negev of Judah. They took Beth Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soko with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and also Gimzo with its villages. They went to live in those places. BSB BSB: The Philistines had also raided the cities of the foothills and the Negev of Judah, capturing and occupying Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, and Gederoth, as well as Soco, Timnah, and Gimzo with their villages.
19 UEB For Yahweh brought Judah low because of Ahaz, king of Israel; for he had acted wickedly in Judah and had sinned against Yahweh very heavily. BSB BSB: For the LORD humbled Judah because Ahaz king of Israel had thrown off restraint in Judah and had been most unfaithful to the LORD.
20 UEB Tiglath-Pileser, king of Assyria, came to him and troubled him instead of strengthening him. BSB BSB: Then Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came to Ahaz but afflicted him rather than strengthening him.
21 UEB For Ahaz plundered the house of Yahweh and the houses of the king and the leaders, to give the valuable things to the kings of Assyria. But doing this did not benefit him. BSB BSB: Although Ahaz had taken a portion from the house of the LORD, from the royal palace, and from the princes and had presented it to the king of Assyria, it did not help him.
22 UEB This same King Ahaz sinned even more against Yahweh in his time of suffering. BSB BSB: In the time of his distress, King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD.
23 UEB For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, gods that had defeated him. He said, "Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them, so that they might help me." But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel. BSB BSB: He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him, and he said, “Because the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But these gods were the downfall of Ahaz and of all Israel.
24 UEB Ahaz gathered together the furnishings of the house of God and cut them to pieces. He shut the doors of the house of Yahweh and he made for himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem. BSB BSB: Then Ahaz gathered up the articles of the house of God, cut them into pieces, shut the doors of the house of the LORD, and set up altars of his own on every street corner in Jerusalem.
25 UEB In every city of Judah he made high places to burn sacrifices to other gods. He provoked Yahweh, the God of his ancestors, to anger. BSB BSB: In every city of Judah he built high places to offer incense to other gods, and so he provoked the LORD, the God of his fathers.
26 UEB Now the rest of his deeds, and all his ways, first and last, see, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. BSB BSB: As for the rest of the acts of Ahaz and all his ways, from beginning to end, they are indeed written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.
27 UEB Ahaz slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, but they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel. Hezekiah, his son, became king in his place. BSB BSB: And Ahaz rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of Jerusalem, but he was not placed in the tombs of the kings of Israel. And his son Hezekiah reigned in his place.
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