The Wicked Reign of King Ahaz |
2 Chronicles 28:1-27 2 Chronicles in [Smaller Chunks] |
Ahaz was 20 years old when he began to [rule] & he [ruled] 16 years in Jerusalem. But Ahaz [didn’t] do [what] was right in the sight of the Lord, like David, his [forefather.] |
For [Ahaz followed] in the ways of [Israel's] kings & also made [molded] images [idols] for Baalim. [Jeremiah 21:9 Then, they shall answer, Because they have [abandoned] the Covenant [contract] of the Lord, their God & worshiped other gods & served them.] |
[Also, Ahaz] burned incense in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom & burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord [God] had cast out before the children [people] of Israel. [Ahaz] also sacrificed in the high places, on the hills & under every green tree. |
[2 Kings 21:6-7 And he made his son pass through the fire & observed times, used enchantments, dealt with familiar spirits & wizards He [did] much wickedness in the sight of the Lord to provoke Him to anger. |
And he set a [carved] image [in] the grove that he had made [at] the [Lord’s] house, of which the Lord said to David & to Solomon, his son, I will put My name In this house & in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, forever.] |
[For this reason,] the Lord his God, delivered [Ahaz] into the hand of [Syria’s] king. They [defeated Ahaz] & carried away & brought a great multitude of them captive to Damascus. |
And [Ahaz] was also delivered into the hand of [Israel’s] king, who [attacked Ahaz] with a [large] slaughter. For Pekah, [Remeliah’s] son, [killed] 120,000 valiant men in Judah in 1 day; because they had [abandoned] the Lord God of their [forefathers.] |
And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, [killed] Maaseiah, the king’s son; Azrikam, governor [a.k.a. The officer in charge] of the house & Elkanah, [who] was next to the king. And the children [people] of Israel carried 200,000 women & [children] captive & also took much [plunder] from them & brought [the plunder] to Samaria. |
But the prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Oded. And he went out [in front of] the [army] that came to Samaria & said to them, [See,] the Lord God of your [forefathers] was [furious] with Judah & He has delivered them into your hand & you have [killed] them in a rage that reaches up to heaven. |
And now, you [plan] to keep under [your control] the children [people] of Judah & Jerusalem for [male servants & female servants] for you: but [don’t] you, even you [also also have] sins against the Lord your God? |
Therefore, now hear me & [return] the captives again, [whom] you have taken captive of your [fellow Israelites:] for the fierce [fury] of the Lord is upon you. |
Then, [some] of the [leaders] of the children [people] of Ephraim: Azariah, [Johanan’s] son; Berechiah, [Meshillemoth’s] son; Jehizkiah, [Shallum’s] son & Amasa, [Hadlai’s] son, stood up against [those who] came from the war. |
And said to them, You shall not bring in the captives in [here.] [Since,] we have already [sinned] against the Lord, you intend to add more to our sins & our trespasses. For our [sin is enormous] & there is fierce [fury] against Israel. |
So, the armed men left the captives & the [plunder in front of] the princes, [a.k.a. officials] & all the congregation. The men [who] were [named] rose up & took the captives & with the [plunder,] they clothed all [who] were naked among them & [gave them clothes, shoes & something] to eat & drink. |
[The put oil] on them & carried all the feeble [ones] of them upon [mules] & brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their [relatives.] Then, they returned to Samaria. [Luke 6:27 But I say to you, [who] hear, Love your enemies & do good to [those who] hate you.] |
At that time, king Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria to help him. For again, the Edomites had come & [attacked] Judah & carried away captives. The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, [a.k.a. foothills] & south of Judah. |
[They] had [captured:] BethShemesh; Ajalon, [a.k.a. Aijalen,] Gederoth & Shocho, [a.ka. Soko] with [their] villages & Timnah, with [its] villages & Gimzo & [its] villages. And they [lived] there. For the Lord, [had humbled] Judah, because of Ahaz, [Israel’s] king: for [Ahas had] made [the people of] Judah naked & [sinned terribly] against the Lord. |
And Tilgath Pilneser, [Assyria’s] king came & distressed [Ahaz,] but [didn’t strengthen himself.] For Ahaz took away a portion of [treasures] out of the [Lord’s] house & out of the [king’s & prince’s palaces] & gave it to [Assyria’s] king, but he [didn’t] help [Ahaz.] |
And [during] the time of his distress, [king Ahaz sinned even] more against the Lord. For [Ahaz] sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, [who defeated] him. And [Ahaz] said, Because the gods of [Syria’s] kings help them, therefore I will sacrifice to them, [so] that they may help me. But they were the ruin of [Ahaz] & all of Israel. |
And Ahaz gathered together the [dedicated] vessels [from the God’s] house & shut the doors of the [Lord’s] house & [Ahaz] made altars in every corner of Jerusalem. |
[2 Chronicles 29:7-8 Also, they have shut up the doors of the [covered] porch & put out the lamps & haven’t burned incense, nor offered burnt offerings in the Holy Place to the God of Israel. |
[That’s why] the [fury] of the Lord was upon Judah & Jerusalem & He has delivered them to trouble, to astonishment & to hissing, as you see with your eyes.] |
And in every [single] city of Judah, [Ahaz] made high places to burn incense to other gods & provoked the Lord God of his [forefathers,] to anger. Now, the rest of [Ahaz’ actions] & all his ways, 1st & last, [look] are written in the Book of [the] Kings of Judah & Israel. |
And Ahaz [died] & slept with his [forefathers] & they buried him in the city, even of Jerusalem, but they [didn’t] bring him into the [tombs] of the kings of Israel. And Hezekiah, [Ahaz’] son [ruled] in his [place.] |