Kings IV 16

1 In the seventeenth year of Phakee son of Romelias began Achaz the son of Joatham king of Juda to reign.

In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah, Ahaz son of Jotham king of Judah, began to reign.

2 Twenty years old was Achaz when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not that which was right in the eyes of the Lord his God faithfully, as David his father [had done].

Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the eyes of Yahweh his God, as David his ancestor had done.

3 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yes, he made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel.

Instead, he walked in the way of the kings of Israel; indeed, he made his son pass through the fire, following the detestable practices of the nations, which Yahweh had driven out before the people of Israel.

4 And he sacrificed and burnt incense on the high places, and upon the hills, and under every shady tree.

He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops, and under every green tree.

5 Then went up Raasson king of Syria and Phakee son of Romelias king of Israel against Jerusalem to war, and besieged Achaz, but could not prevail [against him].

Then Rezin, king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah, king of Israel, came up to Jerusalem to attack. They besieged Ahaz, but they could not conquer him.

6 At that time Raasson king of Syria recovered Aelath to Syria, and drove out the Jews from Aelath, and the Idumeans came to Aelath, and lived there until this day.

At that time, Rezin king of Aram recovered Elath for Aram and drove the men of Judah out of Elath. Then the Arameans came to Elath where they have lived to this day.

7 And Achaz sent messengers to Thalgath-phellasar king of the Assyrians, saying, I am your servant and your son: come up, deliver me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, who are rising up against me.

So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me from the hand of the king of Aram and from the hand of the king of Israel, who have attacked me.”

8 And Achaz took the silver and the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and of the king's house, and sent gifts to the king.

So Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of Yahweh and among the treasures of the king's palace and he sent it as a gift to the king of Assyria.

9 And the king of the Assyrians listened to him: and the king of the Assyrians went up to Damascus and took it, and removed the inhabitants, and killed king Raasson.

Then the king of Assyria listened to him, and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, conquered it and carried off its people as prisoners to Kir. He also killed Rezin the king of Aram.

10 And king Achaz went to Damascus to meet Thalgath-phellasar king of the Assyrians at Damascus; and he saw an altar at Damascus. And king Achaz sent to Urias the priest the pattern of the altar, and its proportions, and all its workmanship.

King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria. At Damascus he saw an altar. He sent to Uriah the priest a model of the altar and its pattern and the design for all the workmanship needed.

11 And Urias the priest built the altar, according to all [the directions] which king Achaz sent from Damascus.

So Uriah the priest built an altar to be just like the plans that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus. He finished it before King Ahaz arrived back from Damascus.

12 And the king saw the altar, and went up to it,

When the king came from Damascus he saw the altar; the king approached the altar and made offerings on it.

13 and offered his whole burnt offering, and his meat-offering, and his drink-offering, and poured out the blood of his peace-offerings on the brazen altar that was before the Lord.

He made his burnt offering and his grain offering, poured out his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his fellowship offerings on the altar.

14 And he brought forward [the one] before the house of the Lord from between the altar and the house of the Lord, and he set it openly by the side of the altar northwards.

The bronze altar that was before Yahweh—he brought it from the front of the temple, from between his altar and the temple of Yahweh and put it on the north side of his altar.

15 And king Achaz charged Urias the priest, saying, Offer upon the great altar the whole burnt offering in the morning and the meat-offering in the evening, and the whole burnt offering of the king, and his meat-offering, and the whole burnt offering of all the people, and their meat-offering, and their drink-offering; and you shall pour all the blood of the whole burnt offering, and all the blood of [any other] sacrifice upon it: and the brazen altar shall be for me in the morning.

Then King Ahaz commanded Uriah the priest, saying, “On the large altar burn the morning burnt offering and the evening grain offering, and the king's burnt offering and his grain offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their grain offering and their drink offerings. Sprinkle on it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice. But the bronze altar will be for me to consult for guidance.”

16 And Urias the priest did according to all that king Achaz commanded him.

Uriah the priest did just what King Ahaz commanded.

17 And king Achaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from off them, and took down the sea from the brazen oxen that were under it, and set it upon a base of stone.

Then King Ahaz removed the panels and the basins from the portable stands; he also took down the sea from off the bronze oxen that were under it and put it on a stone pavement.

18 And he made a base for the throne in the house of the Lord, and he turned the king's entrance without in the house of the Lord because of the king of the Assyrians.

He removed the covered walkway for the Sabbath that they had built at the temple, along with the king's entry outside the temple of Yahweh, because of the king of Assyria.

19 And the rest of the acts of Achaz, even all that he did, [are] not these written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Juda?

As for the other matters concerning Ahaz and what he did, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Judah?

20 And Achaz slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Ezekias his son reigned in his stead.

Ahaz slept with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. Hezekiah his son became king in his place.