1 Aḥaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Yerushalayim. And he did not do what was right in the eyes of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, as his father Dawiḏ had done,
2 and walked in the ways of the sovereigns of Yisra’ĕl, and made moulded images for the Ba’als.
3 And he himself burned incense in the Valley of Bĕn Hinnom, and burned his children in the fire, according to the abominations of the gentiles whom 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 dispossessed from before the children of Yisra’ĕl,
4 and slaughtered and burned incense on the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
5 Therefore 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 his Elohim gave him into the hand of the sovereign of Aram, and they smote him, and took many of them away as captives, and brought them to Dammeseq. And he was also given into the hand of the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl, who smote him with a great smiting.
6 And Peqaḥ son of Remalyahu slew one hundred and twenty thousand in Yahuḏah in one day, all brave men, because they had forsaken 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 Elohim of their fathers.
7 And Ziḵri, a mighty man of Ephrayim, slew Ma’asĕyahu son of the sovereign, and Azriqam the officer over the house, and Elqanah who was second to the sovereign.
8 And the children of Yisra’ĕl took captive from their brothers two hundred thousand women, sons and daughters. And they also seized from them much spoil, and they brought the spoil to Shomeron.
9 But a naḇi of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 was there, whose name was Oḏĕḏ. And he went out before the army that came to Shomeron, and said to them, “See, because 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 Elohim of your fathers was displeased with Yahuḏah, He has given them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage that reaches up to the shamayim.
10 “And now you are planning to make the children of Yahuḏah and Yerushalayim your male and female slaves, but are you not also guilty before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 your Elohim?
11 “Now therefore, listen to me, and return the captives whom you have taken captive from your brothers, for the heat of the wrath of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 is upon you.”
12 And some of the heads of the children of Ephrayim: Azaryahu son of Yahoḥanan, Bereḵyahu son of Meshillĕmoth, and Yeḥizqiyahu son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Ḥaḏlai, stood up against those who came from the army,
13 and said to them, “Do not bring the captives here, to bring on us guilt before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄. Are you planning to add to our sins and to our guilt? For our guilt is great, and burning is the wrath on Yisra’ĕl.”
14 And the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the leaders and all the assembly.
15 And the men who were designated by name rose up and took the captives, and from the spoil they clothed all the naked among them, dressed them and gave them sandals, and gave them food and drink, and anointed them, and let all the weak ones ride on donkeys, and brought them to their brothers at Yeriḥo, the city of palm trees, then returned to Shomeron.
16 At that time Sovereign Aḥaz sent to the sovereigns of Ashshur to help him.
17 For the Eḏomites had come again, and smote Yahuḏah, and took away captives.
18 And the Pelishtites invaded the cities of the low country and of the South of Yahuḏah, and captured Bĕyth Shemesh, and Ayalon, and Geḏĕroth, and Soḵo with its villages, and fimnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages, and dwelt there.
19 For 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 had brought Yahuḏah low because of Aḥaz sovereign of Yisra’ĕl, for he brought about a lack of restraint in Yahuḏah and trespassed against 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.
20 And Tiḡlath-Pileser the sovereign of Ashshur came against him and distressed him, and did not help him,
21 though Aḥaz had taken some of the treasures from the House of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, from the house of the sovereign, and from the leaders, and he gave it to the sovereign of Ashshur, but he did not help him.
22 And in the time of his distress Sovereign Aḥaz trespassed even more against 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 – this Sovereign Aḥaz –
23 and he slaughtered to the mighty ones of Dammeseq, those smiting him, saying, “Because the mighty ones of the sovereigns of Aram help them, I offer to them and they help me.” But they were to cause him and all Yisra’ĕl to stumble.
24 And Aḥaz gathered the utensils of the House of Elohim, and cut in pieces the utensils of the House of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, Elohim, and shut the doors of the House of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and made for himself altars in every corner of Yerushalayim.
25 And in every city, even the cities of Yahuḏah, he made high places to burn incense to other mighty ones, and provoked 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 Elohim of his fathers.
26 And the rest of his acts and all his ways, from first to last, see, they are written in the book of the sovereigns of Yahuḏah and Yisra’ĕl.
27 So Aḥaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Yerushalayim, but they did not bring him into the tombs of the sovereigns of Yisra’ĕl. And Ḥizqiyahu his son reigned in his place.