Ahaz King of Judah^(A)

28 Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he ·ruled [reigned] sixteen years in Jerusalem. Unlike his ·ancestor [father] David, he did not do what ·the Lord said was right [^Lwas pleasing/proper in the eyes/sight of the Lord]. ² Ahaz ·did the same things as [^Lwalked in the ways of] the kings of Israel. He made ·metal [cast; molten] ·idols [images] to worship Baal. ³ He ·burned incense [offered sacrifices] in the Valley of Ben Hinnom and ·made [sacrificed] his children ·pass through [in] the fire. He ·did [followed] the ·same hateful sins [detestable/abominable practices] as the nations had done whom the Lord had ·forced [driven] out of the land ahead of the Israelites. ⁴ Ahaz ·offered [sacrificed] sacrifices and burned incense at the ·places where gods were worshiped [^Lhigh places; 11:15], and on the hills, and under every green tree.

⁵ So the Lord his God handed over Ahaz to the king of Aram. The Arameans defeated Ahaz and ·took [deported] many people of Judah as ·prisoners [captives] to Damascus.

He also handed over Ahaz to Pekah king of Israel, ·and Pekah’s army killed many soldiers of Ahaz [who inflicted heavy casualties on him]. ⁶ Pekah son of Remaliah killed one hundred twenty thousand ·brave [skilled] soldiers from Judah in one day. Pekah defeated them because they had ·left [abandoned; forsaken] the Lord, the God of their ·ancestors [fathers]. ⁷ Zicri, a mighty warrior from Ephraim, killed King Ahaz’s son Maaseiah. He also killed Azrikam, the ·officer [commander] in charge of the ·palace [^Lhouse], and Elkanah, who was second in command to the king.

Ahaz King of Judah^(A)

16 Ahaz was the son of Jotham king of Judah. Ahaz became king of Judah in the seventeenth year Pekah son of Remaliah was king of Israel. ² Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he ·ruled [reigned] sixteen years in Jerusalem. Unlike his ·ancestor [father] David, he did not do ·what the Lord his God said was right [right in the eyes/sight of the Lord his God]. ³ Ahaz ·did the same things the kings of Israel had done [^Lwalked in the way/path of the kings of Israel]. He even ·made his son pass through fire [sacrificed his son in the fire; ^Ca reference to human sacrifice]. He did the same ·hateful sins [detestable/abominable practices] as the nations had done whom the Lord had ·forced [driven] out of the land ahead of the ·Israelites [^Lsons/^Tchildren of Israel]. ⁴ Ahaz offered sacrifices and burned incense at the ·places where gods were worshiped [^Lhigh places: 12:3], on the hills, and under every ·green [spreading] tree.

⁵ Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah, the king of Israel, came up to attack Jerusalem. They ·surrounded [besieged] Ahaz but could not ·defeat [conquer; overpower] him.