1 I n the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah reigned hath Ahaz son of Jotham king of Judah.

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

2 A son of twenty years Ahaz in his reigning, and sixteen years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and he hath not done that which right in the eyes of Jehovah his God, like David his father,

Ahaz 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.

3 a nd he walketh in the way of the kings of Israel, and also his son he hath caused to pass over into fire, according to the abominations of the nations that Jehovah dispossessed from the presence of the sons of Israel,

But 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.

4 a nd he sacrificeth and maketh perfume in high places, and on the heights, and under every green tree.

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

5 T hen doth Rezin king of Aram go up, and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel, to Jerusalem, to battle, and they lay siege to Ahaz, and they have not been able to fight.

Then 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.

6 A t that time hath Rezin king of Aram brought back Elath to Aram, and casteth out the Jews from Elath, and the Aramaeans have come in to Elath, and dwell there unto this day.

At 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.

7 A nd Ahaz sendeth messengers unto Tiglath-Pileser king of Asshur, saying, `Thy servant and thy son I; come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Aram, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, who are rising up against me.'

So 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.”

8 A nd Ahaz taketh the silver and the gold that is found in the house of Jehovah, and in the treasures of the house of the king, and sendeth to the king of Asshur -- a bribe.

And 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.

9 A nd hearken unto him doth the king of Asshur, and the king of Asshur goeth up unto Damascus, and seizeth it, and removeth it to Kir, and Rezin he hath put to death.

So 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.

10 A nd king Ahaz goeth to meet Tiglath-Pileser king of Asshur Damascus, and seeth the altar that in Damascus, and king Ahaz sendeth unto Urijah the priest the likeness of the altar, and its pattern, according to all its work,

King 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.

11 a nd Urijah the priest buildeth the altar according to all that king Ahaz hath sent from Damascus; so did Urijah the priest till the coming in of king Ahaz from Damascus.

So 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.

12 A nd the king cometh in from Damascus, and the king seeth the altar, and the king draweth near on the altar, and offereth on it,

When the king came from Damascus, he saw the altar and went up to it.

13 a nd perfumeth his burnt-offering, and his present, and poureth out his libation, and sprinkleth the blood of the peace-offerings that he hath, on the altar.

There 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.

14 A s to the altar of brass that before Jehovah -- he bringeth near from the front of the house, from between the altar and the house of Jehovah, and putteth it on the side of the altar, northward.

He 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.

15 A nd king Ahaz commandeth him -- Urijah the priest -- saying, `On the great altar perfume the burnt-offering of the morning, and the present of the evening, and the burnt-offering of the king, and his present, and the burnt-offering of all the people of the land, and their present, and their libations; and all the blood of the burnt-offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice, on it thou dost sprinkle, and the altar of brass is to me to inquire.'

Then 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.”

16 A nd Urijah the priest doth according to all that king Ahaz commanded.

Urijah the religious leader did all that King Ahaz told him.

17 A nd king Ahaz cutteth off the borders of the bases, and turneth aside from off them the laver, and the sea he hath taken down from off the brazen oxen that under it, and putteth it on a pavement of stones.

Then 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.

18 A nd the covered place for the sabbath that they built in the house, and the entrance of the king without, he turned the house of Jehovah, because of the king of Asshur.

He 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.

19 A nd the rest of the matters of Ahaz that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?

Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.

20 A nd Ahaz lieth with his fathers, and is buried with his fathers, in the city of David, and reign doth Hezekiah his son in his stead.

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