בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ אָחָ֣ז בְּמׇלְכ֔וֹ וְשֵׁשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְלֹֽא־עָשָׂ֧ה הַיָּשָׁ֛ר בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה כְּדָוִ֥יד אָבִֽיו׃ Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was pleasing to the LORD as his father David had done,
וַיֵּ֕לֶךְ בְּדַרְכֵ֖י מַלְכֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְגַ֧ם מַסֵּכ֛וֹת עָשָׂ֖ה לַבְּעָלִֽים׃ but followed the ways of the kings of Israel; he even made molten images for the Baals.
וְה֥וּא הִקְטִ֖יר בְּגֵ֣יא בֶן־הִנֹּ֑ם וַיַּבְעֵ֤ר אֶת־בָּנָיו֙ בָּאֵ֔שׁ כְּתֹֽעֲבוֹת֙ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ הֹרִ֣ישׁ יְהֹוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ He made offerings in the Valley of Ben-hinnom and burned his sons in fire, in the abhorrent fashion of the nations which the LORD had dispossessed before the Israelites.
וַיְזַבֵּ֧חַ וַיְקַטֵּ֛ר בַּבָּמ֖וֹת וְעַל־הַגְּבָע֑וֹת וְתַ֖חַת כׇּל־עֵ֥ץ רַֽעֲנָֽן׃ He sacrificed and made offerings at the shrines, on the hills, and under every leafy tree.
וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֜הוּ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָיו֮ בְּיַ֣ד מֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָם֒ וַיַּ֨כּוּ־ב֔וֹ וַיִּשְׁבּ֤וּ מִמֶּ֙נּוּ֙ שִׁבְיָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֔ה וַיָּבִ֖יאוּ דַּרְמָ֑שֶׂק וְ֠גַ֠ם בְּיַד־מֶ֤לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ נִתָּ֔ן וַיַּךְ־בּ֖וֹ מַכָּ֥ה גְדוֹלָֽה׃ {ס} The LORD his God delivered him over to the king of Aram, who defeated him and took many of his men captive, and brought them to Damascus. He was also delivered over to the king of Israel, who inflicted a great defeat on him.
וַיַּהֲרֹג֩ פֶּ֨קַח בֶּן־רְמַלְיָ֜הוּ בִּיהוּדָ֗ה מֵאָ֨ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים אֶ֛לֶף בְּי֥וֹם אֶחָ֖ד הַכֹּ֣ל בְּנֵי־חָ֑יִל בְּעׇזְבָ֕ם אֶת־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבוֹתָֽם׃ Pekah son of Remaliah killed 120,000 in Judah—all brave men—in one day, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.
וַֽיַּהֲרֹ֞ג זִכְרִ֣י ׀ גִּבּ֣וֹר אֶפְרַ֗יִם אֶת־מַעֲשֵׂיָ֙הוּ֙ בֶּן־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאֶת־עַזְרִיקָ֖ם נְגִ֣יד הַבָּ֑יִת וְאֶת־אֶלְקָנָ֖ה מִשְׁנֵ֥ה הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ {ס} Zichri, the champion of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king’s son, and Azrikam chief of the palace, and Elkanah, the second to the king.
וַיִּשְׁבּוּ֩ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל מֵאֲחֵיהֶ֜ם מָאתַ֣יִם אֶ֗לֶף נָשִׁים֙ בָּנִ֣ים וּבָנ֔וֹת וְגַם־שָׁלָ֥ל רָ֖ב בָּזְז֣וּ מֵהֶ֑ם וַיָּבִ֥יאוּ אֶת־הַשָּׁלָ֖ל לְשֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃ {ס} The Israelites captured 200,000 of their kinsmen, women, boys, and girls; they also took a large amount of booty from them and brought the booty to Samaria.
וְ֠שָׁ֠ם הָיָ֨ה נָבִ֥יא לַֽיהֹוָה֮ עֹדֵ֣ד שְׁמוֹ֒ וַיֵּצֵ֗א לִפְנֵ֤י הַצָּבָא֙ הַבָּ֣א לְשֹׁמְר֔וֹן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֗ם הִ֠נֵּ֠ה בַּחֲמַ֨ת יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־אֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֛ם עַל־יְהוּדָ֖ה נְתָנָ֣ם בְּיֶדְכֶ֑ם וַתַּהַרְגוּ־בָ֣ם בְּזַ֔עַף עַ֥ד לַשָּׁמַ֖יִם הִגִּֽיעַ׃ A prophet of the LORD by the name of Oded was there, who went out to meet the army on its return to Samaria. He said to them, “Because of the fury of the LORD God of your fathers against Judah, He delivered them over to you, and you killed them in a rage that reached heaven.
וְ֠עַתָּ֠ה בְּנֵֽי־יְהוּדָ֤ה וִירוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ אַתֶּ֣ם אֹֽמְרִ֔ים לִכְבֹּ֛שׁ לַעֲבָדִ֥ים וְלִשְׁפָח֖וֹת לָכֶ֑ם הֲלֹ֤א רַק־אַתֶּם֙ עִמָּכֶ֣ם אֲשָׁמ֔וֹת לַיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ Do you now intend to subjugate the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem to be your slaves? As it is, you have nothing but offenses against the LORD your God.
וְעַתָּ֣ה שְׁמָע֔וּנִי וְהָשִׁ֙יבוּ֙ הַשִּׁבְיָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר שְׁבִיתֶ֖ם מֵאֲחֵיכֶ֑ם כִּ֛י חֲר֥וֹן אַף־יְהֹוָ֖ה עֲלֵיכֶֽם׃ {ס} Now then, listen to me, and send back the captives you have taken from your kinsmen, for the wrath of the LORD is upon you!”
וַיָּקֻ֨מוּ אֲנָשִׁ֜ים מֵרָאשֵׁ֣י בְנֵֽי־אֶפְרַ֗יִם עֲזַרְיָ֤הוּ בֶן־יְהֽוֹחָנָן֙ בֶּרֶכְיָ֣הוּ בֶן־מְשִׁלֵּמ֔וֹת וִֽיחִזְקִיָּ֙הוּ֙ בֶּן־שַׁלֻּ֔ם וַעֲמָשָׂ֖א בֶּן־חַדְלָ֑י עַל־הַבָּאִ֖ים מִן־הַצָּבָֽא׃ Some of the chief men of the Ephraimites—Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai—confronted those returning from the campaign
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לָהֶ֗ם לֹֽא־תָבִ֤יאוּ אֶת־הַשִּׁבְיָה֙ הֵ֔נָּה כִּי֩ לְאַשְׁמַ֨ת יְהֹוָ֤ה עָלֵ֙ינוּ֙ אַתֶּ֣ם אֹֽמְרִ֔ים לְהֹסִ֥יף עַל־חַטֹּאתֵ֖נוּ וְעַל־אַשְׁמָתֵ֑נוּ כִּֽי־רַבָּ֤ה אַשְׁמָה֙ לָ֔נוּ וַחֲר֥וֹן אָ֖ף עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {ס} and said to them, “Do not bring these captives here, for it would mean our offending the LORD, adding to our sins and our offenses; for our offense is grave enough, and there is already wrath upon Israel.”
וַיַּעֲזֹ֣ב הֶחָל֗וּץ אֶת־הַשִּׁבְיָה֙ וְאֶת־הַבִּזָּ֔ה לִפְנֵ֥י הַשָּׂרִ֖ים וְכׇל־הַקָּהָֽל׃ So the soldiers released the captives and the booty in the presence of the officers and all the congregation.
וַיָּקֻ֣מוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים֩ אֲשֶׁר־נִקְּב֨וּ בְשֵׁמ֜וֹת וַיַּחֲזִ֣יקוּ בַשִּׁבְיָ֗ה וְכׇֽל־מַעֲרֻמֵּיהֶם֮ הִלְבִּ֣ישׁוּ מִן־הַשָּׁלָל֒ וַיַּלְבִּשֻׁ֣ם וַ֠יַּנְעִל֠וּם וַיַּאֲכִל֨וּם וַיַּשְׁק֜וּם וַיְסֻכ֗וּם וַיְנַהֲל֤וּם בַּֽחֲמֹרִים֙ לְכׇל־כּוֹשֵׁ֔ל וַיְבִיא֛וּם יְרֵח֥וֹ עִיר־הַתְּמָרִ֖ים אֵ֣צֶל אֲחֵיהֶ֑ם וַיָּשׁ֖וּבוּ שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃ {פ}
Then the men named above proceeded to take the captives in hand, and with the booty they clothed all the naked among them—they clothed them and shod them and gave them to eat and drink and anointed them and provided donkeys for all who were failing and brought them to Jericho, the city of palms, back to their kinsmen. Then they returned to Samaria.
בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֗יא שָׁלַ֞ח הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ אָחָ֛ז עַל־מַלְכֵ֥י אַשּׁ֖וּר לַעְזֹ֥ר לֽוֹ׃ At that time, King Ahaz sent to the king of Assyria for help.
וְע֥וֹד אֲדוֹמִ֖ים בָּ֑אוּ וַיַּכּ֥וּ בִיהוּדָ֖ה וַיִּשְׁבּוּ־שֶֽׁבִי׃ Again the Edomites came and inflicted a defeat on Judah and took captives.
וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֣ים פָּֽשְׁט֗וּ בְּעָרֵ֨י הַשְּׁפֵלָ֣ה וְהַנֶּ֘גֶב֮ לִֽיהוּדָה֒ וַֽ֠יִּלְכְּד֠וּ אֶת־בֵּֽית־שֶׁ֨מֶשׁ וְאֶת־אַיָּל֜וֹן וְאֶת־הַגְּדֵר֗וֹת וְאֶת־שׂוֹכ֤וֹ וּבְנוֹתֶ֙יהָ֙ וְאֶת־תִּמְנָ֣ה וּבְנוֹתֶ֔יהָ וְאֶת־גִּמְז֖וֹ וְאֶת־בְּנֹתֶ֑יהָ וַיֵּשְׁב֖וּ שָֽׁם׃ And the Philistines made forays against the cities of the Shephelah and the Negeb of Judah; they seized Beth-shemesh and Aijalon and Gederoth, and Soco with its villages, and Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages; and they settled there.
כִּֽי־הִכְנִ֤יעַ יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־יְהוּדָ֔ה בַּעֲב֖וּר אָחָ֣ז מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּ֤י הִפְרִ֙יעַ֙ בִּֽיהוּדָ֔ה וּמָע֥וֹל מַ֖עַל בַּיהֹוָֽה׃ Thus the LORD brought Judah low on account of King Ahaz of Israel,aSome mss. and ancient versions read “Judah.” for he threw off restraint in Judah and trespassed against the LORD.
וַיָּבֹ֣א עָלָ֔יו תִּלְּגַ֥ת פִּלְנְאֶ֖סֶר מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֑וּר וַיָּ֥צַר ל֖וֹ וְלֹ֥א חֲזָקֽוֹ׃ Tillegath-pilneser, king of Assyria, marched against him and gave him trouble, instead of supporting him.
כִּֽי־חָלַ֤ק אָחָז֙ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית יְהֹוָ֔ה וְאֶת־בֵּ֥ית הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ וְהַשָּׂרִ֑ים וַיִּתֵּן֙ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר וְלֹ֥א לְעֶזְרָ֖ה לֽוֹ׃ For Ahaz plundered the House of the LORD and the house of the king and the officers, and made a gift to the king of Assyria—to no avail.
וּבְעֵת֙ הָצֵ֣ר ל֔וֹ וַיּ֖וֹסֶף לִמְע֣וֹל בַּֽיהֹוָ֑ה ה֖וּא הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ אָחָֽז׃ In his time of trouble, this King Ahaz trespassed even more against the LORD,
וַיִּזְבַּ֗ח לֵאלֹהֵ֣י דַרְמֶ֘שֶׂק֮ הַמַּכִּ֣ים בּוֹ֒ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כִּ֠י אֱלֹהֵ֤י מַלְכֵֽי־אֲרָם֙ הֵ֚ם מַעְזְרִ֣ים אֹתָ֔ם לָהֶ֥ם אֲזַבֵּ֖חַ וְיַעְזְר֑וּנִי וְהֵ֛ם הָיוּ־ל֥וֹ לְהַכְשִׁיל֖וֹ וּלְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ sacrificing to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him, for he thought, “The gods of the kings of Aram help them; I shall sacrifice to them and they will help me”; but they were his ruin and that of all Israel.
וַיֶּאֱסֹ֨ף אָחָ֜ז אֶת־כְּלֵ֣י בֵית־הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים וַיְקַצֵּץ֙ אֶת־כְּלֵ֣י בֵית־הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וַיִּסְגֹּ֖ר אֶת־דַּלְת֣וֹת בֵּית־יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיַּ֨עַשׂ ל֧וֹ מִזְבְּח֛וֹת בְּכׇל־פִּנָּ֖ה בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ Ahaz collected the utensils of the House of God, and cut the utensils of the House of God to pieces. He shut the doors of the House of the LORD and made himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem.
וּבְכׇל־עִ֨יר וָעִ֤יר לִֽיהוּדָה֙ עָשָׂ֣ה בָמ֔וֹת לְקַטֵּ֖ר לֵאלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים וַיַּכְעֵ֕ס אֶת־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבֹתָֽיו׃ In every town in Judah he set up shrines to make offerings to other gods, vexing the LORD God of his fathers.
וְיֶ֤תֶר דְּבָרָיו֙ וְכׇל־דְּרָכָ֔יו הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים וְהָאַחֲרוֹנִ֑ים הִנָּ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֔ים עַל־סֵ֥פֶר מַלְכֵֽי־יְהוּדָ֖ה וְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ The other events of his reign and all his conduct, early and late, are recorded in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
וַיִּשְׁכַּ֨ב אָחָ֜ז עִם־אֲבֹתָ֗יו וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻ֤הוּ בָעִיר֙ בִּיר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם כִּ֚י לֹ֣א הֱבִיאֻ֔הוּ לְקִבְרֵ֖י מַלְכֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ יְחִזְקִיָּ֥הוּ בְנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ {פ}
Ahaz slept with his fathers and was buried in the city, in Jerusalem; his body was not brought to the tombs of the kings of Israel. His son Hezekiah succeeded him as king.