2 Chronicles

Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father:

1Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for sixteen years. His ancestor David did what was right. Ahaz did not.

2For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim.

2He lived the way the kings of Israel lived. He melted metal and made statues of the gods called Baals.

3Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.

3Ahaz burned incense, a sweet-smelling smoke, in the Valley of Hinnom. He even burned his own sons in the fire. That is what the nations did before God drove them out for Israel.

4He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

4He offered gifts and burned incense at worship spots on hills. He did it under every green tree too.

5Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter.

5So the LORD his God let the king of Aram beat him. That army took many people away to Damascus. The king of Israel beat Ahaz too, and many died.

NoteThe KJV says "Syria." The land is Aram, north of Israel, with Damascus as its main city.

6For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.

6Pekah son of Remaliah killed 120,000 brave men of Judah in one day. This happened because Judah had turned away from the LORD, the God of their fathers.

7And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king’s son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king.

7Zichri was a strong soldier from Ephraim. He killed the king's son Maaseiah. He also killed Azrikam, who ran the palace, and Elkanah, the king's second in command.

8And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.

8The army of Israel took 200,000 of their own relatives as prisoners. They took women, boys, and girls. They also took many goods and carried them to Samaria.

9But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven.

9A prophet of the LORD named Oded was there. A prophet is someone who tells people what God says. He met the army coming to Samaria. He said, "The LORD was angry with Judah, so He let you win. But you killed them in a rage that heaven can see."

10And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God?

10"Now you plan to make the people of Judah and Jerusalem your slaves. But you have sinned against the LORD your God too."

11Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you.

11"So listen to me. Send these prisoners back home. They are your own relatives. The LORD is very angry with you."

12Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war,

12Then some leaders of Ephraim stood in the way of the soldiers coming home. They were Azariah son of Johanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai.

13And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the LORD already, ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.

13They said, "Do not bring the prisoners here. We have already sinned against the LORD. You would only make our guilt bigger. Our guilt is already great, and God is very angry with Israel."

14So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.

14So the soldiers gave up the prisoners and the goods. They handed them over to the leaders and the whole crowd.

15And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.

15The men who had been named stood up and took care of the prisoners. From the goods they gave clothes to those who had none. They gave them sandals, food, and drink. They put oil on their sores. They put the weak ones on donkeys. Then they took them home to Jericho, the city of palm trees. After that they went back to Samaria.

16At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him.

16About that time King Ahaz asked the king of Assyria for help.

17For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives.

17The Edomites had come and attacked Judah again. They had taken people away as prisoners.

18The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Bethshemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there.

18The Philistines had also raided towns in the low hills and the dry south of Judah. They captured Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco, Timnah, and Gimzo, with the villages near them. Then they moved in and lived there.

19For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD.

19The LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz, the king. Ahaz threw off every rule and let the people run wild. He was very unfaithful to the LORD.

NoteThe KJV says Ahaz "made Judah naked." It means he took away the rules that kept the people safe, not that he removed clothing.

20And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.

20Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, came to Ahaz. He gave him trouble instead of help.

21For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the LORD, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not.

21Ahaz took treasure from the LORD's temple, from the palace, and from the leaders. He gave it all to the king of Assyria. It did not help him at all.

22And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz.

22Even while he was in trouble, King Ahaz turned further from the LORD. That is the kind of king Ahaz was.

23For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.

23The gods of Damascus had not saved him, but he made offerings to them. He said, "The gods of Aram help their kings. So I will give gifts to them, and they will help me." Instead, those gods ruined him and all Israel.

24And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.

24Ahaz gathered the special dishes and tools from God's temple. He cut them into pieces. He shut the temple doors. Then he set up his own altars on every street corner in Jerusalem.

25And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers.

25In every town in Judah he built places to burn incense to other gods. This made the LORD, the God of his fathers, very angry.

26Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

26The rest of the things Ahaz did, from start to finish, are written down. You can find them in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

27And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.

27Ahaz died and was buried in the city of Jerusalem. But they did not put him in the tombs of the kings. His son Hezekiah became king after him.

Note"Slept with his fathers" is an old way of saying he died and was buried near his family.