2Kings 16

Ahaz Rules in Judah

16Ahaz son of Jotham began to rule over Judah in the seventeenth year of King Pekah's reign in Israel.H7651H6240H8141H8141H6492H1121H7425H271H1121H3147H4428H3063H44272Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. He did not do what was pleasing in the sight of the LORD his God, as his ancestor David had done.H6242H8141H1121H271H4427H4427H8337H6240H8141H3389H6213H3477H5869H3068H430H1732H13Instead, he followed the example of the kings of Israel, even sacrificing his own son in the fire

. In this way, he followed the detestable practices of the pagan nations the LORD had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites.H3212H1870H4428H3478H1121H5674H784H8441H1471H3068H3423H6440H1121H34784He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the pagan shrines and on the hills and under every green tree.H2076H6999H1116H1389H7488H60865Then King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah of Israel came up to attack Jerusalem. They besieged Ahaz but could not conquer him.H7526H4428H758H6492H1121H7425H4428H3478H5927H3389H4421H6696H271H3201H38986At that time the king of Edom

recovered the town of Elath for Edom. He drove out the people of Judah and sent Edomites to live there, as they do to this day.H6256H7526H4428H758H7725H359H758H130H5394H3064H359H726H935H359H3427H31177King Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria with this message: "I am your servant and your vassal

. Come up and rescue me from the attacking armies of Aram and Israel."H271H7971H4397H8407H4428H804H559H5650H1121H5927H3467H3709H4428H758H3709H4428H3478H69658Then Ahaz took the silver and gold from the Temple of the LORD and the palace treasury and sent it as a payment to the Assyrian king.H271H3947H3701H2091H4672H1004H3068H214H4428H1004H7971H7810H4428H8049So the king of Assyria attacked the Aramean capital of Damascus and led its population away as captives, resettling them in Kir. He also killed King Rezin.H4428H804H8085H4428H804H5927H1834H8610H1540H7024H4191H752610King Ahaz then went to Damascus to meet with King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria. While he was there, he took special note of the altar. Then he sent a model of the altar to Uriah the priest, along with its design in full detail.H4428H271H3212H1834H7125H8407H4428H804H7200H4196H1834H4428H271H7971H223H3548H1823H4196H8403H463911Uriah followed the king's instructions and built an altar just like it, and it was ready before the king returned from Damascus.H223H3548H1129H4196H4428H271H7971H1834H223H3548H6213H4428H271H935H183412When the king returned, he inspected the altar and made offerings on it.H4428H935H1834H4428H7200H4196H4428H7126H4196H592713He presented a burnt offering and a grain offering, he poured out a liquid offering, and he sprinkled the blood of peace offerings on the altar.H6999H5930H4503H5258H5262H2236H1818H8002H419614Then King Ahaz removed the old bronze altar from its place in front of the LORD's Temple, between the entrance and the new altar, and placed it on the north side of the new altar.H7126H5178H4196H6440H3068H6440H1004H4196H1004H3068H5414H6828H3409H419615He told Uriah 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."H4428H271H6680H223H3548H559H1419H4196H6999H1242H5930H6153H4503H4428H5930H4503H5930H5971H776H4503H5262H2236H1818H5930H1818H2077H5178H4196H123916Uriah the priest did just as King Ahaz commanded him.H6213H223H3548H4428H271H668017Then 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.H4428H271H7112H4526H4350H5493H3595H3381H3220H5178H1241H5414H4837H6818In deference to the king of Assyria, he also removed the canopy that had been constructed inside the palace for use on the Sabbath day

, as well as the king's outer entrance to the Temple of the LORD.H4329H4329H7676H1129H1004H4428H3996H2435H5437H1004H3068H6440H4428H80419The rest of the events in Ahaz's reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.H3499H1697H271H6213H3789H5612H1697H3117H4428H306320When Ahaz died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Then his son Hezekiah became the next king.H271H7901H1H6912H1H5892H1732H2396H1121H4427