2 Chronicles 28

Ahaz Reigns in Judah

1 Ahaz a was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD, as his father David had done. 2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made b molded images for c the Baals. 3 He burned incense in d the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and burned e his children in the f fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had g cast out before the children of Israel. 4 And he sacrificed and burned incense on the 1 high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.

Judah Defeated

5 Therefore h the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria. They i defeated him, and carried away a great multitude of them as captives, and brought them to Damascus. Then he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who defeated him with a great slaughter. 6 For j Pekah the son of Remaliah killed one hundred and twenty thousand in Judah in one day, all valiant men, k because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. 7 Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king's son, Azrikam the officer over the house, and Elkanah who was second to the king.

8 And the children of Israel carried away captive of their l brethren two hundred thousand women, sons, and daughters; and they also took away much 2 spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria. 9 But a m 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: "Look, n because the LORD God of your fathers was angry with Judah, He has delivered them into your hand; but you have killed them in a rage that o reaches up to heaven. 10 "And now you propose to force the children of Judah and Jerusalem to be your p male and female slaves; but are you not also guilty before the LORD your God? 11 "Now hear me, therefore, and return the captives, whom you have taken captive from your brethren, q for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you."

12 Then some of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against those who came from the war, 13 and said to them, "You shall not bring the captives here, for we already have offended the LORD. You intend to add to our sins and to our guilt; for our guilt is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel." 14 So the armed men left the captives and the 3 spoil before the leaders and all the assembly. 15 Then the men r who were designated by name rose up and took the captives, and from the 4 spoil they clothed all who were naked among them, dressed them and gave them sandals, s gave them food and drink, and anointed them; and they let all the feeble ones ride on donkeys. So they brought them to their brethren at Jericho, t the city of palm trees. Then they returned to Samaria.

16 u At the same time King Ahaz sent to the 5 kings of Assyria to help him. 17 For again the v Edomites had come, attacked Judah, and carried away captives. 18 w The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland and of the South of Judah, and had taken Beth Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Sochoh with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages; and they dwelt there. 19 For the LORD 6 brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of x Israel, for he had y encouraged moral decline in Judah and had been continually unfaithful to the LORD. 20 Also z TiglathPile'ser 7 king of Assyria came to him and distressed him, and did not assist him. 21 For Ahaz took part of the treasures from the house of the LORD, from the house of the king, and from the leaders, and he gave it to the king of Assyria; but he did not help him.

Ahaz's Idolatry

22 Now in the time of his distress King Ahaz became increasingly unfaithful to the LORD. This is that King Ahaz. 23 For a he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him, saying, "Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, I will sacrifice to them b that they may help me." But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel. 24 So Ahaz gathered the articles of the house of God, cut in pieces the articles of the house of God, c shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and made for himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem. 25 And in every single city of Judah he made 8 high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers. 26 d Now the rest of his acts and all his ways, from first to last, indeed they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 27 So Ahaz 9 rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem; but they e did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel. Then Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.

  1. Cross References
    2 Kings 16:2 - 4
    Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD his God, as his father David had done.
  2. Cross References
    Exodus 34:17
    You shall make no molded gods for yourselves.
    Leviticus 19:4
    Do not turn to idols, nor make for yourselves molded gods: I am the LORD your God.
  3. Cross References
    Judges 2:11
    Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served the Baals.
  4. Cross References
    Joshua 15:8
    And the border went up by the Valley of the Son of Hinnom to the southern slope of the Jebusite city (which is Jerusalem). The border went up to the top of the mountain that lies before the Valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the Valley of Rephaim northward.
  5. Cross References
    2 Kings 23:10
    And he defiled Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire to Molech.
  6. Cross References
    Leviticus 18:21
    And you shall not let any of your descendants pass through the fire to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.
    2 Kings 16:3
    But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel; indeed he made his son pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out from before the children of Israel.
    2 Chronicles 33:6
    Also he caused his sons to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom; he practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger.
  7. Cross References
    Leviticus 18:24 - 30
    Do not defile yourselves with any of these things; for by all these the nations are defiled, which I am casting out before you.
  8. Cross References
    Isaiah 10:5
    Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger And the staff in whose hand is My indignation.
  9. Cross References
    2 Kings 16:5
    Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, came up to Jerusalem to make war; and they besieged Ahaz but could not overcome him.
    2 Kings 16:6
    At that time Rezin king of Syria captured Elath for Syria, and drove the men of Judah from Elath. Then the Edomites went to Elath, and dwell there to this day.
    2 Chronicles 24:24
    For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men; but the LORD delivered a very great army into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash.
    Isaiah 7:1
    Now it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to make war against it, but could not prevail against it.
    Isaiah 7:17
    "The LORD will bring the king of Assyria upon you and your people and your father's house - days that have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah."
  10. Cross References
    2 Kings 15:27
    In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah the son of Remaliah became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned twenty years.
  11. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 29:8
    Therefore the wrath of the LORD fell upon Judah and Jerusalem, and He has given them up to trouble, to desolation, and to jeering, as you see with your eyes.
  12. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 28:25
    The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them; and you shall become troublesome to all the kingdoms of the earth.
    Deuteronomy 28:41
    You shall beget sons and daughters, but they shall not be yours; for they shall go into captivity.
    2 Chronicles 11:4
    Thus says the LORD: "You shall not go up or fight against your brethren! Let every man return to his house, for this thing is from Me." ' " Therefore they obeyed the words of the LORD, and turned back from attacking Jeroboam.
  13. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 25:15
    Therefore the anger of the LORD was aroused against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, "Why have you sought the gods of the people, which could not rescue their own people from your hand?
  14. Cross References
    Psalms 69:26
    For they persecute the ones You have struck, An...
    Isaiah 10:5
    Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger And the sta...
    Isaiah 47:6
    I was angry with My people; I have profaned My ...
    Ezekiel 25:12
    'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Because of what Edom ...
    Ezekiel 25:15
    'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Because the Philistin...
    Ezekiel 26:2
    "Son of man, because Tyre has said against Jeru...
    Zechariah 1:15
    I am exceedingly angry with the nations at ease...
  15. Cross References
    Ezra 9:6
    And I said: "O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God; for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heavens.
    Revelation 18:5
    For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
  16. Cross References
    Leviticus 25:39
    And if one of your brethren who dwells by you becomes poor, and sells himself to you, you shall not compel him to serve as a slave.
    Leviticus 25:42
    For they are My servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as slaves.
    Leviticus 25:43
    You shall not rule over him with rigor, but you shall fear your God.
    Leviticus 25:46
    And you may take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them as a possession; they shall be your permanent slaves. But regarding your brethren, the children of Israel, you shall not rule over one another with rigor.
  17. Cross References
    Psalms 78:49
    He cast on them the fierceness of His anger, Wrath, indignation, and trouble, By sending angels of destruction among them.
    James 2:13
    For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
  18. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 28:12
    Then some of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against those who came from the war.
  19. Cross References
    Proverbs 25:21
    If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
    Proverbs 25:22
    For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the LORD will reward you.
    Luke 6:27
    But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.
    Romans 12:20
    Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.
  20. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 34:3
    The South, and the plain of the Valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar.
    Judges 1:16
    Now the children of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went up from the City of Palms with the children of Judah into the Wilderness of Judah, which lies in the South near Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.
  21. Cross References
    2 Kings 16:7
    So Ahaz sent messengers to TiglathPile'ser king of Assyria, saying, "I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me from the hand of the king of Syria and from the hand of the king of Israel, who rise up against me.
  22. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 21:10
    Thus Edom has been in revolt against Judah's authority to this day. At that time Libnah revolted against his rule, because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers.
  23. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 21:16
    Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and the Arabians who were near the Ethiopians.
    2 Chronicles 21:17
    And they came up into Judah and invaded it, and carried away all the possessions that were found in the king's house, and also his sons and his wives, so that there was not a son left to him except Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.
    Ezekiel 16:27
    Behold, therefore, I stretched out My hand against you, diminished your allotment, and gave you up to the will of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed of your lewd behavior.
    Ezekiel 16:57
    Before your wickedness was uncovered. It was like the time of the reproach of the daughters of Syria and all those around her, and of the daughters of the Philistines, who despise you everywhere.
  24. Cross References
    2 Kings 16:2
    Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD his God, as his father David had done.
    2 Chronicles 21:2
    He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azaryahu, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.
  25. Cross References
    Exodus 32:25
    Now when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained (for Aaron had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies).
  26. Cross References
    2 Kings 15:29
    In the days of Pekah king of Israel, TiglathPile'ser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maachah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria.
    2 Kings 16:7 - 9
    So Ahaz sent messengers to TiglathPile'ser king of Assyria, saying, "I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me from the hand of the king of Syria and from the hand of the king of Israel, who rise up against me.
    1 Chronicles 5:26
    So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, that is, TiglathPile'ser king of Assyria. He carried the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh into captivity. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan to this day.
  27. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 25:14
    Now it was so, after Amaziah came from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the people of Seir, set them up to be his gods, and bowed down before them and burned incense to them.
  28. Cross References
    Jeremiah 44:17
    But we will certainly do whatever has gone out of our own mouth, to burn incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we have done, we and our fathers, our kings and our princes, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For then we had plenty of food, were well-off, and saw no trouble.
    Jeremiah 44:18
    "But since we stopped burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have been consumed by the sword and by famine."
  29. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 29:3
    In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the LORD and repaired them.
    2 Chronicles 29:7
    They have also shut up the doors of the vestibule, put out the lamps, and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel.
  30. Cross References
    2 Kings 16:19
    Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
    2 Kings 16:20
    So Ahaz rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. Then Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.
  31. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 21:20
    He was thirty-two years old when he became king. He reigned in Jerusalem eight years and, to no one's sorrow, departed. However they buried him in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.
    2 Chronicles 24:25
    And when they had withdrawn from him (for they left him severely wounded), his own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed. So he died. And they buried him in the City of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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