1 I n the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, Ahaz the son of Jotham began to rule as the king of Judah.

In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah, Ahaz son of Jotham king of Judah became king.

2 A haz was twenty years old when he became king. And he ruled for sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord his God, as his father David had done.

Ahaz was twenty years old when he began his sixteen-year reign in Jerusalem. He did not do right in the sight of the Lord his God, like David his.

3 B ut he walked in the way of the kings of Israel. He even gave his sons as a burnt gift. This was very sinful and was done by the nations which the Lord had driven out from the people of Israel.

But he walked in the ways of Israel’s kings, yes, and made his son pass through the fire, in accord with the abominable practices of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the Israelites.

4 A nd Ahaz gave gifts in worship and burned special perfume on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.

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

5 T hen King Rezin of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, came up to Jerusalem to fight a war. Their armies closed in around Ahaz, but they could not win the battle against him.

Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war; they besieged Ahaz, but could not conquer him.

6 A t that time King Rezin of Syria took back Elath for Syria. And he drove all the men of Judah out of Elath. The Syrians came to Elath, and have lived there to this day.

At that time, Rezin king of Syria got back Elath for Syria and drove the Jews from. The Syrians came to Elath and dwell there to this day.

7 S o Ahaz sent men with news to King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me from the king of Syria and the king of Israel. They are fighting against me.”

So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, I am your servant and son. Come up and save me out of the hands of the kings of Syria and of Israel, who are attacking me.

8 A nd Ahaz took the silver and gold from the house of the Lord and the storerooms of the king’s house, and sent a gift to the king of Assyria.

And Ahaz took the silver and gold in the house of the Lord and in the treasuries of the king’s house and sent a present to the king of Assyria.

9 S o the king of Assyria listened to him and went up against Damascus. He took it in battle, and took its people away against their will to Kir. And he put Rezin to death.

Assyria’s king hearkened to him; he went up against Damascus, took it, carried its people captive to Kir, and slew Rezin.

10 K ing Ahaz went to Damascus to meet King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria. He saw the altar at Damascus. And King Ahaz sent to Urijah the religious leader the plans of the altar and a small object made to look just like it.

King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and saw there their altar. King Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest a model of the altar and an exact pattern for its construction.

11 S o Urijah the religious leader built an altar, following all the plans King Ahaz had sent from Damascus. Urijah made it before King Ahaz came from Damascus.

So Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus, finishing it before King Ahaz returned.

12 W hen the king came from Damascus, he saw the altar and went up to it.

When the king came from Damascus, he looked at the altar and offered on it.

13 T here he burned his burnt gift and his grain gift. He poured his drink gift and put the blood of his peace gift on the altar.

King Ahaz burned his burnt offering and his cereal offering, poured his drink offering, and dashed the blood of his peace offerings upon that altar.

14 H e took the brass altar which was before the Lord in front of the house, between his altar and the Lord’s house, and he put it on the north side of his altar.

The bronze altar which was before the Lord he removed from the front of the house, from between his altar and the house of the Lord, and put it on the north side of his altar.

15 T hen King Ahaz told Urijah the religious leader, “Upon the large altar, give the morning burnt gift, the evening grain gift, and the king’s burnt gift and his grain gift. Give them with the burnt gifts of all the people of the land and their grain gifts and drink gifts. Put on it all the blood of the burnt gifts given in worship. But the brass altar will be for me to go to when I ask the Lord what should be done.”

And King Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest: Upon the principal (the new) altar, burn the morning burnt offering, the evening cereal offering, the king’s burnt sacrifice and his cereal offering, with the burnt offering and cereal offering and drink offering of all the people of the land; and dash upon the altar all the blood of the burnt offerings and the sacrifices. But the bronze altar shall be kept for me to use to inquire by.

16 U rijah the religious leader did all that King Ahaz told him.

Urijah the priest did all this as King Ahaz commanded.

17 T hen King Ahaz cut off the pillars and took the water pots away from them. He took the big brass pool off of the brass bulls, and put it down on stone.

King Ahaz cut off the panels of the bases and removed the laver from each of them; and he took down the Sea from off the bronze oxen that were under it and put it upon stone supports.

18 H e took from the house of the Lord the covered way they had built in the house, and the king’s gate because of the king of Assyria.

And the covered way for the Sabbath that they had built in the temple court, and the king’s outer entrance, he removed from the house of the Lord, because of the king of Assyria.

19 N ow the rest of the acts of Ahaz are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.

The rest of the acts of Ahaz, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

20 A haz died, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his son Hezekiah ruled in his place.

Ahaz slept with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.