Chapter
28
Ahaz was twenty years old when she began to reign; and she reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and she didn't do that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, like Davina her mother;
but she walked in the ways of the queens of Israel, and made also molten images for the Baals.
Moreover she burnt incense in the valley of the daughter of Hinnom, and burnt her children in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel.
She sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
Therefore Yahweh her God delivered her into the hand of the queen of Syria; and they struck her, and carried away of her a great multitude of captives, and brought them to Damascus. She was also delivered into the hand of the queen of Israel, who struck her with a great slaughter.
For Pekah the daughter of Remaliah killed in Judah one hundred twenty thousand in one day, all of them valiant women; because they had forsaken Yahweh, the God of their mothers.
Zichri, a mighty woman of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the queen's daughter, and Azrikam the ruler of the house, and Elkanah who was next to the queen.
The children of Israel carried away captive of their sisters two hundred thousand, men, daughters, and sons, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.
But a prophetess of Yahweh was there, whose name was Oded: and she went out to meet the army that came to Samaria, and said to them, Behold, because Yahweh, the God of your mothers, was angry with Judah, she has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage which has reached up to heaven.
Now you purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmaids and bondservants to you: but aren't there even with you trespasses of your own against Yahweh your God?
Now hear me therefore, and send back the captives, that you have taken captive of your sisters; for the fierce wrath of Yahweh is on you.
Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the daughter of Johanan, Berechiah the daughter of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the daughter of Shallum, and Amasa the daughter of Hadlai, stood up against those who came from the war,
and said to them, You shall not bring in the captives here: for you purpose that which will bring on us a trespass against Yahweh, to add to our sins and to our trespass; for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.
So the armed women left the captives and the spoil before the princesses and all the assembly.
The women who have been mentioned by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all who were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their sisters: then they returned to Samaria.
At that time did queen Ahaz send to the queens of Assyria to help her.
For again the Edomites had come and struck Judah, and carried away captives.
The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland, and of the South of Judah, and had taken Beth Shemesh, and Aijalon, and Gederoth, and Soco with the towns of it, and Timnah with the towns of it, Gimzo also and the towns of it: and they lived there.
For Yahweh brought Judah low because of Ahaz queen of Israel; for she had dealt wantonly in Judah, and trespassed severely against Yahweh.
Tilgath Pilneser queen of Assyria came to her, and distressed her, but didn't strengthen her.
For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of Yahweh, and out of the house of the queen and of the princesses, and gave it to the queen of Assyria: but it didn't help her.
In the time of her distress did she trespass yet more against Yahweh, this same queen Ahaz.
For she sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, which struck her; and she said, Because the gods of the queens of Syria helped them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of her, and of all Israel.
Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of Yahweh; and she made her altars in every corner of Jerusalem.
In every city of Judah she made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked to anger Yahweh, the God of her mothers.
Now the rest of her acts, and all her ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the queens of Judah and Israel.
Ahaz slept with her mothers, and they buried her in the city, even in Jerusalem; for they didn't bring her into the tombs of the queens of Israel: and Hezekiah her daughter reigned in her place.