2 Chronicles 28

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he came to the throne and he reigned for sixteen years inJerusalem. He did not do what Yahweh regards as right, as his ancestor David had done.	1 Achaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: he did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord as David his father had done,
2 He followed the example of the kings of Israel, even having images cast for the Baals;	2 But walked in the ways of the kings of Israel; moreover also he cast statues for Baalim.
3 he burned incense in the Val ey of Ben-Hinnom, caused his sons to pass through the fire of sacrifice,copying the disgusting practices of the nations whom Yahweh had dispossessed for the Israelites.	3 It was he that burnt incense in the valley of Benennom, and consecrated his sons in the fire according to the manner of the nations, which the Lord slew at the coming of the children of Israel.
4 He offered sacrifices and incense on the high places, on the hil s and under every green tree.	4 He sacrificed also, and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
5 So Yahweh his God put him at the mercy of the king of Aram, who defeated him and took largenumbers of captives, carrying them off to Damascus. He also put him at the mercy of the king of Israel, whoinflicted heavy casualties on him.	5 And the Lord his God delivered him into the hands of the king of Syria, who defeated him, and took a great booty out of his kingdom, and carried it to Damascus: he was also delivered into the hands of the king of Israel, who overthrew him with a great slaughter.
6 In a single day, Pekah son of Remaliah kil ed a hundred and twenty thousand in Judah, al of themprominent men, because they had abandoned Yahweh, God of their ancestors.	6 For Phacee the son of Romelia slew of Juda a hundred and twenty thousand in one day, all valiant men: because they had forsaken the Lord the God of their fathers.
7 Zichri, an Ephraimite champion, killed Maaseiah the king's son, Azrikam the control er of thehousehold and Elkanah the king's second-in-command.	7 At the same time Zechri a powerful man of Ephraim, slew Maasias the king's son, and Ezricam the governor of his house, and Elcana who was next to the king.
8 Of their brothers, the Israelites took two hundred thousand captive including wives, sons, daughters;they also took quantities of booty, carrying everything off to Samaria.	8 And the children of Israel carried away of their brethren two hundred thousand women, boys, and girls, and an immense booty: and they brought it to Samaria.
9 Now there was a prophet of Yahweh there by the name of Oded, who went out to meet the troopsreturning to Samaria and said, 'Look, because Yahweh, God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah, he putthem at your mercy, but you have slaughtered them with such fury as reached to heaven,	9 At that time there was a prophet of the Lord there, whose name was Oded: and he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria, and said to them: Behold the Lord the God of your fathers being angry with Juda, hath delivered them into your hands, and you have butchered them cruelly, so that your cruelty hath reached up to heaven.
10 and now you propose to reduce the children of Judah and Jerusalem to being your male and femaleslaves! Have you not yourselves committed sins against Yahweh your God?	10 Moreover you have a mind to keep under the children of Juda and Jerusalem for your bondmen and bondwomen, which ought not to be done : for you have sinned in this against the Lord your God.
11 Now listen to me: release the captives you have taken from your brothers, for the fierce anger ofYahweh hangs over you.'	11 But hear ye my counsel, and release the captives that you have brought of your brethren, because a great indignation of the Lord hangeth over you.
12 Some of the Ephraimite chieftains -- Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechaiah son of Meshil emoth,Jehizkiah son of Shal um and Amasa son of Hadlai -- then protested to those returning from the war	12 Then some of the chief men of the sons of Ephraim, Azarias the son of Johanan, Barachias the son of Mosollamoth, Ezechias the son of Sellum, and Amasa the son of Adali, stood up against them that came from the war.
13 and said to them, 'You must not bring the captives here, for we have already sinned against Yahwehand you propose to add to our sin and guilt, although our guilt is already great, and fierce anger is hanging overIsrael.'	13 And they said to them: You shall not bring in the captives hither, lest we sin against the Lord. Why will you add to our sins, and heap up upon our former offences? for the sin is great, and the fierce anger of the Lord hangeth over Israel.
14 So in the presence of the officials and whole assembly, the soldiers gave up the captives and thebooty.	14 So the soldiers left the spoils, and all that they had taken, before the princes and all the multitude.
15 Men nominated for the purpose then took charge of the captives. From the booty they clothed althose of them who were naked; they gave them clothing and sandals, provided them with food and drink,mounted on donkeys al those who were infirm and took them back to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to theirbrothers. Then they returned to Samaria.	15 And the men, whom we mentioned above, rose up and took the captives, and with the spoils clothed all them that were naked: and when they had clothed and shed them, and refreshed them with meat and drink, and anointed them because of their labour, and had taken care of them, they set such of them as could not walk, and were feeble, upon beasts, and brought them to Jericho the city of palm trees to their brethren, and they returned to Samaria.
16 This was when King Ahaz sent asking the king of Assyria to come to his assistance.	16 At that time king Achaz sent to the king of the Assyrians asking help.
17 The Edomites again invaded, defeated Judah, and carried off captives,	17 And the Edomites came and slew many of Juda, and took a great booty.
18 while the Philistines raided the towns in the lowlands and in the Negeb of Judah, capturing Beth-Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco and its dependencies, Timnah and its dependencies and Gimzo and itsdependencies, and settled there.	18 The Philistines also spread themselves among the cities of the plains, and to the south of Juda: and they took Bethsames, and Aialon, and Gaderoth, and Socho, and Thamnan, and Gamzo, with their villages, and they dwelt in them.
19 For Yahweh brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel, since he behaved without restraint inJudah and had been unfaithful to Yahweh.	19 For the Lord had humbled Juda because of Achaz the king of Juda, for he had stripped it of help, and had contemned the Lord.
20 Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria attacked and besieged him; but he could not overpower him.	20 And he brought, against him Thelgathphalnasar king of the Assyrians, who also afflicted him, and plundered him without any resistance.
21 Although Ahaz robbed the Temple of Yahweh and the palaces of the king and princes and gave theproceeds to the king of Assyria, he received no help from him.	21 And Achaz stripped the house of the Lord, and the house of the kings, and of the princes, and gave gifts to the king of the Assyrians, and yet it availed him nothing.
22 During the time when he was under siege he disobeyed Yahweh even more grossly, this King Ahaz.	22 Moreover also in the time of his distress he increased contempt against the Lord: king Achaz himself by himself,
23 For he offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus who had defeated him. 'Since the gods of thekings of Aram', he thought, 'have supported them, I shal sacrifice to them, and perhaps they will help me.' Butthey proved to be his and al Israel's downfal .	23 Sacrificed victims to the gods of Damascus that struck him, and he said: The gods of the kings of Syria help them, and I will appease them with victims, and they will help me; whereas on the contrary they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.
24 Ahaz then collected the equipment of the Temple of God, broke up the equipment of the Temple ofGod, sealed the doors of the Temple of Yahweh and put his own altars in every corner of Jerusalem;	24 Then Achaz having taken away all the vessels of the house of God, and broken them, shut up the doors of the temple of God, and made himself altars in all the corners of Jerusalem.
25 he set up high places in every town of Judah to burn incense to other gods, thus provoking the angerof Yahweh, God of his ancestors.	25 And in all the cities of Juda he built altars to burn frankincense, and he provoked the Lord the God of his fathers to wrath.
26 The rest of his history, his whole policy, from first to last, is recorded in the Book of the Kings ofJudah and Israel.	26 But the rest of his acts, and all his works first and last are written in the book of the kings of Juda and Israel.
27 Then Ahaz fel asleep with his ancestors and was buried in the City, in Jerusalem, though he was nottaken to the tombs of the kings of Israel. His son Hezekiah succeeded him.	27 And Achaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of Jerusalem: for they received him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel. And Ezechias his son reigned in his stead.