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2 CHR ONICL ES 28
Ahaz Rules in Judah
Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem
sixteen years. He did not do what was pleasing
in the sight of the Lord, as his ancestor David
had done. 2 Instead, he followed the example of
the kings of Israel. He cast metal images for the
worship of Baal. 3 He offered sacrifices in the
valley of Ben-Hinnom, even sacrificing his own
sons in the fire.* In this way, he followed the detestable practices of the pagan nations the Lord
had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites.
4 He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the
pagan shrines and on the hills and under every
green tree.
5 Because of all this, the Lord his God allowed the king of Aram to defeat Ahaz and to
exile large numbers of his people to Damascus.
The armies of the king of Israel also defeated
Ahaz and inflicted many casualties on his army.
6 In a single day Pekah son of Remaliah, Israel’s
king, killed 120,000 of Judah’s troops, all of
them experienced warriors, because they had
abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 7 Then Zicri, a warrior from Ephraim, killed
Maaseiah, the king’s son; Azrikam, the king’s
palace commander; and Elkanah, the king’s
second-in-command. 8 The armies of Israel captured 200,000 women and children from Judah
and seized tremendous amounts of plunder,
which they took back to Samaria.
9 But a prophet of the Lord named Oded
was there in Samaria when the army of Israel
returned home. He went out to meet them and
said, “The Lord, the God of your ancestors,
was angry with Judah and let you defeat them.
But you have gone too far, killing them without mercy, and all heaven is disturbed. 10 And
now you are planning to make slaves of these
people from Judah and Jerusalem. What about
your own sins against the Lord your God? 11 Listen to me and return these prisoners you have
taken, for they are your own relatives. Watch
out, because now the Lord’s fierce anger has
been turned against you!”
12 Then some of the leaders of Israel*—Azariah
son of Jehohanan, Berekiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa
son of Hadlai—agreed with this and confronted
the men returning from battle. 13 “You must not
bring the prisoners here!” they declared. “We
cannot afford to add to our sins and guilt. Our
guilt is already great, and the Lord’s fierce
anger is already turned against Israel.”
14 So the warriors released the prisoners and
handed over the plunder in the sight of the leaders and all the people. 15 Then the four men just
mentioned by name came forward and distributed clothes from the plunder to the prisoners
who were naked. They provided clothing and
sandals to wear, gave them enough food and
drink, and dressed their wounds with olive oil.
They put those who were weak on donkeys and
took all the prisoners back to their own people
in Jericho, the city of palms. Then they returned
to Samaria.
27:5a Hebrew 100 talents [3,400 kilograms]. 27:5b Hebrew
10,000 cors [2,200 kiloliters] of wheat, and 10,000 cors of
barley. 28:3 Or even making his sons pass through the fire.
28:12 Hebrew Ephraim, referring to the northern kingdom
of Israel.
Ahaz Closes the Temple
16 At that time King Ahaz of Judah asked the king
of Assyria for help. 17 The armies of Edom had
on his forehead. 20 When Azariah the high priest
and all the other priests saw the leprosy, they
rushed him out. And the king himself was eager
to get out because the Lord had struck him. 21 So
King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He
lived in isolation in a separate house, for he was
excluded from the Temple of the Lord. His son
Jotham was put in charge of the royal palace, and
he governed the people of the land.
22 The rest of the events of Uzziah’s reign, from
beginning to end, are recorded by the prophet
Isaiah son of Amoz. 23 When Uzziah died, he
was buried with his ancestors; his grave was in
a nearby burial field belonging to the kings, for
the people said, “He had leprosy.” And his son
Jotham became the next king.
Jotham Rules in Judah
Jotham was twenty-five years old when
he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother was Jerusha,
the daughter of Zadok.
2 Jotham did what was pleasing in the Lord’s
sight. He did everything his father, Uzziah, had
done, except that Jotham did not sin by entering
the Temple of the Lord. But the people continued in their corrupt ways.
3 Jotham rebuilt the upper gate of the Temple
of the Lord. He also did extensive rebuilding
on the wall at the hill of Ophel. 4 He built towns
in the hill country of Judah and constructed
fortresses and towers in the wooded areas. 5 Jotham went to war against the Ammonites and
conquered them. Over the next three years he
received from them an annual tribute of 7,500
pounds* of silver, 50,000 bushels of wheat, and
50,000 bushels of barley.*
6 King Jotham became powerful because he
was careful to live in obedience to the Lord
his God.
7 The rest of the events of Jotham’s reign,
including all his wars and other activities, are
recorded in The Book of the Kings of Israel and
Judah. 8 He was twenty-five years old when he
became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. 9 When Jotham died, he was buried
in the City of David. And his son Ahaz became
the next king.
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