1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as his father David had done. 2 He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and even made cast images for the Baals. 3 He burned incense in the Valley of Ben-hinnom and burned his sons in the fire, according to the abominable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. 4 He sacrificed and burned incense at the high places, on the hills, and under every leafy tree. 5 The LORD his God gave him into the hand of the king of Aram. They defeated him, took a great number of his people captive, and brought them to Damascus. He was also given into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him a great blow.

6 Pekah son of Remaliah killed a hundred and twenty thousand in Judah in one day, all men of valor, because they had abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers. 7 Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king's son, Azrikam the ruler of the palace, and Elkanah, who was second to the king.

8 The Israelites took two hundred thousand captives from among their own kin—women, sons, and daughters. They also took much plunder from them and brought the plunder to Samaria.

9 A prophet of the LORD named Oded was there. He went out to meet the army coming to Samaria and said to them, “Because the LORD, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand. But you have killed them in a rage that has reached heaven. 10 Now you intend to subjugate the people of Judah and Jerusalem as your male and female slaves. Do you not yourselves have guilt before the LORD your God? 11 Now listen to me and return the captives you have taken from among your brothers, for the fierce anger of the LORD is upon you.”

12 Then some of the leaders of Ephraim—Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai—stood against those returning from the campaign. 13 They said to them, “You must not bring the captives here. You intend to add to our sins and guilt, bringing guilt upon us before the LORD. Our guilt is already great, and fierce anger is upon Israel.”

14 So the armed men left the captives and the plunder before the leaders and the whole assembly. 15 The men designated by name rose and took charge of the captives. With the plunder they clothed all the naked among them. They dressed them, gave them shoes, food, and drink, and anointed them. They carried all who were weak on donkeys and brought them to their brothers at Jericho, the City of Palms. Then they returned to Samaria.

16 At that time King Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria for help. 17 The Edomites had again come and struck Judah and taken captives. 18 The Philistines had raided the cities of Judah's lowlands and Negev. They captured Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Socoh and its villages, Timnah and its villages, and Gimzo and its villages, and settled there. 19 For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had let Judah run wild and had been deeply unfaithful to the LORD. 20 Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and distressed him rather than strengthening him. 21 Ahaz had taken a portion from the house of the LORD, from the king's palace, and from the leaders, and given it to the king of Assyria, but it did not help him. 22 In the time of his distress he became still more unfaithful to the LORD—this same King Ahaz. 23 He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, which had defeated him, and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Aram help them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.” But they became his downfall and that of all Israel. 24 Ahaz gathered 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 altars for himself at every corner in Jerusalem. 25 In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, provoking the LORD, the God of his fathers, to anger. 26 The rest of his acts and all his ways, from first to last, are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 27 Ahaz lay down with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, but did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel. His son Hezekiah reigned in his place.