2 Chronicles 28

All 27 verses in the Clear Bible Translation. Tap a verse to compare the KJV and read what it means.

Read 2 Chronicles 28 in the Bible reader, with audio →

1. 1Ahaz was 20 years old when he became king, and he ruled in Jerusalem for 16 years. He did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father.
2. 2He followed the ways of the kings of Israel and even made cast metal idols for the Baals.
3. 3He burned incense in the Valley of Ben Hinnom and burned his children in the fire, following the abominations of the nations the LORD had driven out before the children of Israel.
4. 4He also offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops, and under every spreading green tree.
5. 5Because of all this, the LORD his God handed him over to the king of Syria. The Syrians defeated him, captured a huge number of his people, and took them to Damascus. He was also handed over to the king of Israel, who inflicted a devastating defeat on him.
6. 6Pekah son of Remaliah killed 120,000 soldiers in Judah in a single day — all of them fighting men — because the people had abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors.
7. 7Zichri, a warrior from Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king's son, Azrikam the palace administrator, and Elkanah, the king's second-in-command.
8. 8The children of Israel captured 200,000 of their relatives from Judah—women, sons, and daughters—and took a large amount of plunder, which they brought back to Samaria.
9. 9But a prophet of the LORD named Oded was there. He went out to meet the army as it arrived in Samaria and told them, "Listen! The LORD, the God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah, so he handed them over to you. But you have slaughtered them with a fury that reaches all the way to heaven.
10. 10Now you plan to force the people of Judah and Jerusalem into slavery as your servants. But don't you have sins of your own against the LORD your God?
11. 11Listen to me! Send these captives back — they are your own relatives! The fierce anger of the LORD is upon you.
12. 12Then certain leaders of the children of Ephraim—Azariah son of Johanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai—stood up against those who came from the war.
13. 13They said, "You must not bring those captives here! We have already offended against the LORD, and you intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass. Our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel."
14. 14So the soldiers released the captives and handed over the plunder in front of the leaders and the entire assembly.
15. 15The men who had been chosen by name stepped forward and took charge of the captives. From the plunder, they clothed everyone who was naked, gave them clothes and sandals, fed them, gave them something to drink, and anointed them. They put all the weak ones on donkeys and brought them to their relatives in Jericho, the city of palm trees. Then they returned to Samaria.
16. 16Around that same time, King Ahaz sent a message to the kings of Assyria asking for help.
17. 17The Edomites had attacked Judah again, defeating them and carrying off prisoners.
18. 18The Philistines had also raided the towns in the foothills and the southern region of Judah. They captured Beth Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco and its surrounding villages, Timnah and its villages, and Gimzo and its villages — and they settled in all of them.
19. 19The LORD humbled Judah because of Ahaz, king of Israel, for he exposed Judah and sinned greatly against the LORD.
20. 20Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria did come to him, but instead of helping, he only made things worse.
21. 21For Ahaz took away a portion from the house of the LORD, from the king's house, and from the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria, but he did not help him.
22. 22Even in the middle of his troubles, King Ahaz sinned against the LORD even more.
23. 23He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, the very nation that had defeated him. He reasoned, "The gods of Syria's kings helped them win, so if I sacrifice to those gods, maybe they'll help me too." But those gods became his downfall — and the downfall of all Israel.
24. 24Ahaz gathered the vessels from the house of God, broke them into pieces, shut the doors of the house of the LORD, and made altars in every corner of Jerusalem.
25. 25In every town throughout Judah, he set up high places to burn incense to foreign gods, provoking the LORD, the God of his ancestors, to anger.
26. 26The rest of his acts and all his ways, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
27. 27Ahaz died and was buried in Jerusalem, but they did not place him in the tombs of the kings of Israel. His son Hezekiah became king after him.