2nd Kings — 16

Ahaz Rules in Yahudah

1 Ahaz son of Yutham began to rule over Yahudah in the seventeenth year of King Pakah’s reign in Yashar'AL. 

2 Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Yahushalam sixteen years, he did not do what was pleasing in the sight of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH his 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH, as his ancestor Daud had done. 

3 Instead, he followed the example of the kings of Yashar'AL, even sacrificing his own son in the fire. In this way, he followed the detestable practices of the pagan nations 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH had driven from the land ahead of the Yasharalym. 

4 He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the pagan shrines and on the hills and under every green tree.

5 Then King Razin of Aram and King Pakah of Yashar'AL came up to attack Yahushalam. They besieged Ahaz but could not conquer him. 

6 At that time the king of Adum recovered the town of Alath for Adum, he drove out the people of Yahudah and sent Adumites to live there, as they do to this day.

7 King Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-pilasar of Assyria with this message: “I am your servant and your vassal. Come up and rescue me from the attacking armies of Aram and Yashar'AL.” 

8 Then Ahaz took the silver and gold from the Temple of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH and the palace treasury and sent it as a payment to the Assyrian king. 

9 So the king of Assyria attacked the Aramaan capital of Damascus and led its population away as captives, resettling them in Kir, he also killed King Razin.

10 King Ahaz then went to Damascus to meet with King Tiglath-pilasar of Assyria. While he was there, he took special note of the altar. Then he sent a model of the altar to Uryahu the priest, along with its design in full detail. 

11 Uryahu followed the king’s instructions and built an altar just like it, and it was ready before the king returned from Damascus. 

12 When the king returned, he inspected the altar and made offerings on it. 

13 He presented a burnt offering and a grain offering, he poured out a liquid offering, and he sprinkled the blood of Shalum offerings on the altar.

14 Then King Ahaz removed the old bronze altar from its place in front of  𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH’s Temple, between the entrance and the new altar, and placed it on the north side of the new altar. 

15 He told Uryahu the priest, “Use the new altar for the morning sacrifices of burnt offering, the evening grain offering, the king’s burnt offering and grain offering, and the burnt offerings of all the people, as well as their grain offerings and liquid offerings. Sprinkle the blood from all the burnt offerings and sacrifices on the new altar. The bronze altar will be for my personal use only.” 

16 Uryahu the priest did just as King Ahaz commanded him.

17 Then the king removed the side panels and basins from the portable water carts, he also removed the great bronze basin called the Sea from the backs of the bronze oxen and placed it on the stone pavement. 

18 In deference to the king of Assyria, he also removed the canopy that had been constructed inside the palace for use on the Shabbat day, as well as the king’s outer entrance to the Temple of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH.

19 The rest of the events in Ahaz’s reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Yahudah. 

20 When Ahaz died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of Daud. Then his son Hazakyahu became the next king.