2 Chronicles 28
The Captives Were Clothed, Fed, and Carried Home
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Ahaz King of Judah
28:1Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right before the Lord as David his father had done.
28:2He walked according to the ways of Israel’s kings and also made carved images for their idols.
28:3He sacrificed in Gaibenenom and made his children pass through fire, according to the abominations of the nations the Lord had destroyed before the sons of Israel.
28:4He burned incense at the high places, on the rooftops, and beneath every leafy tree.
Judah Struck by Syria and Israel
28:5The Lord his God delivered him through the hand of Syria’s king, who struck him, took a great number of captives from them, and brought them to Damascus. He also delivered him into Israel’s king’s hands, and the king struck him a great blow.
28:6Phakee son of Romelia, king of Israel, killed one hundred twenty thousand men mighty in strength in Judah in one day, because they had abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers.
28:7Ezekri, the mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maasaias the king’s son, Esdrikam the ruler of his house, and Elkana, the king’s deputy.
28:8The sons of Israel took captive three hundred thousand of their brothers: women, sons, and daughters. They took many spoils from them and brought the spoils to Samaria.
Oded Sends the Captives Home
28:9The Lord’s prophet was there, named Oded. He went out to meet the army coming to Samaria and said to them, “Look: the wrath of the Lord, the God of your fathers, is upon Judah, and He delivered them into your hands. You killed among them in anger; it has reached the heavens.
28:10Now you say you will possess Judah’s and Jerusalem’s sons as male and female slaves. Look, am I not with you to bear witness to the Lord your God?
28:11Now hear me: return the captivity you took from your brothers, for the Lord’s furious wrath is upon you.”
28:12Rulers from Ephraim’s sons stood against those returning from the war: Oudia son of Joanos, Barachias son of Mosolamoth, Ezekias son of Sellem, and Amasias son of Chodli.
28:13They said to them, “You must not bring the captivity here to us, for you intend to bring sin against the Lord upon us, adding to our sins and ignorance. Our sin is great, and the Lord’s furious wrath is upon Israel.”
28:14The warriors left the captivity and the spoils before the rulers and the whole assembly.
28:15The men called by name rose and took charge of the captivity. They covered all the naked from the spoils, dressed them, shod them, and provided for them to eat and anoint themselves. They helped every weak person on pack animals and brought them to their brothers at Jericho, the City of Palms. Then they returned to Samaria.
Ahaz Appeals to the King of Assour
28:16At that time Ahaz sent to the king of Assour to help him,
28:17at this juncture, because Idumeans had attacked, struck Judah, and carried away captives,
28:18and the foreigners had attacked the cities of Judah’s plain and southwest. They captured Baithsamys, Ailon, Gaderoth, Socho and its villages, Thamna and its villages, and Gamzo and its villages, and settled there.
28:19For the Lord humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Judah, because he had utterly departed from the Lord.
28:20Thaglath-phellasar king of Assour came against him and struck him.
28:21Ahaz took what was in the Lord’s house, in the king’s house, and among the rulers, and gave it to Assour’s king, but it brought him no help.
Ahaz Sacrifices to the Gods of Damascus
28:22Instead, when he was afflicted, he departed still further from the Lord, and the king said,
28:23“I will seek the gods of Damascus that are striking me.” He said, “The gods of Syria’s king will strengthen them; therefore I will sacrifice to them, and they will support me.” But they became a stumbling block to him and all Israel.
28:24Ahaz removed the articles of the Lord’s house and cut them up. He shut the doors of the Lord’s house and made altars for himself at every corner in Jerusalem.
28:25In every city of Judah he made high places for burning incense to foreign gods, and they provoked the Lord, the God of their fathers.
The Death of Ahaz
28:26The rest of his acts and his deeds, first and last, are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.
28:27Ahaz fell asleep with his fathers and was buried in David’s city, for they did not bring him into the tombs of Israel’s kings. His son Hezekiah reigned in his place.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.