2 Chronicles 28

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
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 Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not please the LORD as his forefather David had done,
2 He followed the example of the kings of Israel, even having images cast for the Baals;	2 but conducted himself like the kings of Israel and even made molten idols of the Baals.
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 Moreover, he offered sacrifice in the Valley of Ben-hinnom, and immolated his sons by fire according to the abominable practice of the nations which the LORD had cleared out before the Israelites.
4 He offered sacrifices and incense on the high places, on the hil s and under every green tree.	4 He offered sacrifice and incense on the high places, on hills, and under every leafy 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 Therefore the LORD, his God, delivered him into the power of the king of Aram. The Arameans defeated him and carried away captive a large number of his people, whom they brought to Damascus. He was also delivered into the power of the king of Israel, who defeated him with 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 Pekah, son of Remaliah, slew one hundred and twenty thousand of Judah in a single day, all of them valiant men, because they had abandoned 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 Zichri, an Ephraimite warrior, killed Maaseiah, the king's son, and Azrikam, the master of the palace, and also Elkanah, who was second 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 The Israelites took away as captives two hundred thousand of their brethren's wives, sons and daughters; they also took from them much plunder, which they brought 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 In Samaria there was a prophet of the LORD by the name of Oded. He went out to meet the army returning to Samaria and said to them: "It was because the LORD, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah that he delivered them into your hands. You, however, have slaughtered them with a fury that has 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 And now you are planning to make the children of Judah and Jerusalem your slaves and bondwomen. Are not you yourselves, therefore, guilty of a crime 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 Now listen to me: send back the captives you have carried off from among your brethren, for the burning anger of the LORD is upon 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 At this, some of the Ephraimite leaders, Azariah, son of Johanan, Berechiah, son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah, son of Shallum, and Amasa, son of Hadlai, themselves stood up in opposition to those who had returned 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 They said to them: "Do not bring the captives here, for what you propose will make us guilty before the LORD and increase our sins and our guilt. Our guilt is already great, and there is a burning anger upon Israel."
14 So in the presence of the officials and whole assembly, the soldiers gave up the captives and thebooty.	14 Therefore the soldiers left their captives and the plunder before the princes and the whole assembly.
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 Then the men just named proceeded to help the captives. All of them who were naked they clothed from the booty; they clothed them, put sandals on their feet, gave them food and drink, anointed them, and all who were weak they set on asses. They brought them to Jericho, the city of palms, to their brethren. Then 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 Ahaz sent an appeal for help to the kings of Assyria.
17 The Edomites again invaded, defeated Judah, and carried off captives,	17 The Edomites had returned, attacked Judah, and carried off captives.
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 too had raided the cities of the foothills and the Negeb of Judah; they captured Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco and its dependencies, Timnah and its dependencies, and Gimzo and its dependencies, and occupied 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 brought Judah low because of Ahaz, king of Israel, who let Judah go its own way and proved utterly faithless to the LORD.
20 Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria attacked and besieged him; but he could not overpower him.	20 Tilgath-pilneser, king of Assyria, did indeed come to him, but to oppress him rather than to help him.
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 Though Ahaz plundered the LORD'S house and the houses of the king and the princes to make payment to the king of Assyria, it availed him nothing.
22 During the time when he was under siege he disobeyed Yahweh even more grossly, this King Ahaz.	22 While he was already in distress, the same King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD.
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 He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus who had defeated him, saying, "Since it was the gods of the kings of Aram who helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me also." However, they only caused further disaster to him and to 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 Ahaz gathered up the utensils of God's house and broke them in pieces. He closed the doors of the LORD'S house and had altars made for himself in every corner 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 In every city throughout Judah he set up high places to offer sacrifice to other gods. Thus he angered the LORD, the God of his fathers.
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 The rest of his deeds and his activities, first and last, can be found written in the book of the kings of Judah 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 Ahaz rested with his ancestors and was buried in Jerusalem--in the city, for they did not bring him to the tombs of the kings of Israel. His son Hezekiah succeeded him as king.