Ahaz Reigns in Judah// 2 Kings 16:1–9
1Ahaz 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 Yahweh. 2Instead, he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and even made cast images of the Baals.
- 2CH 28:2[DEMONIC]Ahaz makes Baal images and burns his sons
3Moreover, Ahaz burned incense in the Valley of Ben-hinnom and sacrificed his sons in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations that Yahweh had driven out before the Israelites. 4And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
- 2CH 28:3[NOTE]CHILD SACRIFICE. God hated it, Deuteronomy 12:31. 2 Kings 16:3 says Ahaz burned his son. See the Seal of Ahaz Field Notes page in 2 Kings.
Aram Defeats Judah// Isaiah 1:1–9
5So Yahweh 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. 6For in one day Pekah son of Remaliah killed 120,000 valiant men in Judah. This happened because they had forsaken Yahweh, the God of their fathers. 7Zichri, 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. 8Then 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.
9But a prophet of Yahweh 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, Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has delivered them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches up to heaven. 10And now you intend to reduce to slavery the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem. But are you not also guilty before Yahweh your God? 11Now therefore, listen to me and return the captives you took from your kinsmen, for the fierce anger of Yahweh is upon you.”
12Then 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“You must not bring the captives here,” they said, “for you are proposing to bring guilt upon us from Yahweh and to add to our sins and our guilt. For our guilt is great, and fierce anger is upon Israel.”
14So the armed men left the captives and the plunder before the leaders and all the assembly. 15Then 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
16At that time King Ahaz sent for help from the king of Assyria. 17The Edomites had again come and attacked Judah and carried away captives. 18The 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. 19For Yahweh humbled Judah because Ahaz king of Israel had thrown off restraint in Judah and had been most unfaithful to Yahweh.
20Then Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came to Ahaz but afflicted him rather than strengthening him. 21Although Ahaz had taken a portion from the house of Yahweh, from the royal palace, and from the princes and had presented it to the king of Assyria, it did not help him.
- 2CH 28:20[FULFILLS]God would bring the king of Assyria against Ahaz and Judah ← IS 7:17
- 2CH 28:21[FIELD NOTES]Tiglath pileser's own record lists Ahaz paying tribute. See the Ahaz Pays Assyria Field Notes page in 2 Kings.
22In the time of his distress, King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to Yahweh. 23He 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.
- 2CH 28:22[DEMONIC]Ahaz sacrifices to the gods of Damascus
24Then Ahaz gathered up the articles of the house of God, cut them into pieces, shut the doors of the house of Yahweh, and set up altars of his own on every street corner in Jerusalem. 25In every city of Judah he built high places to offer incense to other gods, and so he provoked Yahweh, the God of his fathers.
26As 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. 27And 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.