¹ Twenty years old, was Ahaz when he began to reign, and, sixteen years, reigned he in Jerusalem,—but he did not that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, like David his father;

² but walked in the ways of the kings of Israel,—yea, even molten images, made he to the Baalim;

³ and, he, burned incense, in the valley of the son of Hinnom,-and burnt his sons, in the fire, according to the abominable ways of the nations, whom Yahweh dispossessed from before the sons of Israel.

⁴ And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and upon the hills,—and under every green tree.

⁵ Wherefore Yahweh his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria, who smote him, and carried away captive from him a large body of captives, and brought them into Damascus,—yea, even into the hand of the king of Israel, was he delivered, who smote him with a great smiting.

⁶ And Pekah son of Remaliah slew, in Judah, a hundred and twenty thousand in one day, all, sons of valour,-because they had forsaken Yahweh, God of their fathers.

⁷ And Zichri a hero of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah son of the king, and Azrikam, chief ruler of the house,—and Elkanah, that was next unto the king.

⁸ And the sons of Israel, carried away captive, from among their brethren two hundred thousand, wives, sons and daughters, moreover also, of much spoil, did they plunder them,—and brought the spoil to Samaria.

⁹ But, in that place, was a prophet unto Yahweh, Oded his name, so he went out to meet the host that was coming unto Samaria, and said unto them, Lo! in the wrath of Yahweh, God of your fathers, against Judah, hath he delivered them into your hand,—and ye have slain them in a rage, until, to the heavens, it hath reached.

¹⁰ Now, therefore, ye, are thinking to tread down, the children of Judah and Jerusalem, as servants and as handmaids for yourselves. But is it not so—that, ye yourselves, are altogether guilty against Yahweh your God?

¹¹ Now, therefore, hearken unto me, and restore the captives whom ye have taken captive from among your brethren,—for, the glow of the anger of Yahweh, is over you.

¹² Then rose up certain of the chiefs of the sons of Ephraim—Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai,—against them who were coming in from the army;

¹³ and said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither, for, with guilt against Yahweh already upon us, ye, are thinking to add unto our sins, and unto our guilt,—for great is the guilt we have, and fierce is the anger over Israel.

¹⁴ So the armed men left the captives, and tile plunder, before the rulers, and all the convocation.

¹⁵ Then rose up the men who have been expressed by name—and took the captives, and, all who were naked among them, clothed they out of the spoil, and arrayed them and sandalled them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and conducted them with asses for every one that was exhausted, and brought them to Jericho the city of palm-trees, near unto their brethren,—and then returned to Samaria.

¹⁶ At that time, sent King Ahaz unto the kings of Assyria to help him.

¹⁷ For again had, the Edomites, come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives;

¹⁸ and, the Philistines, had spread themselves out against the cities of the lowland and of the south, pertaining to Judah, and had captured Beth-shemesh and Aijalon and Gederoth, and Soco with its villages, and Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo, with its villages,—and dwelt there.

¹⁹ For Yahweh had brought Judah low, because of Ahaz king of Israel,—for he had given the rein in Judah, and, been grievously unfaithful, with Yahweh.

²⁰ And Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, came against him,—and distressed him, but strengthened him not.

²¹ For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of Yahweh, and out of the house of the king, and the rulers,—and gave unto the king of Assyria, but he helped him not.

²² And, in the time of his distress, he yet further acted unfaithfully with Yahweh,—he, King Ahaz!

²³ For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus who had smitten him, and said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria are helping them, unto them, will I sacrifice, that they may help me. But, they, served to seduce him and all Israel.

²⁴ And Ahaz gathered together the utensils of the house of God, and brake away the fittings of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of Yahweh,—and made for himself altars at every corner in Jerusalem;

²⁵ and, in every several city of Judah, made he high places, for burning incense unto other gods,—and provoked Yahweh, God of his fathers.

²⁶ But, the rest of his story, and all his ways, first and last, there they are, written 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 brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel,—and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.