Ahaz's Choices and the Returned Captives

Ahaz became king in Jerusalem when he was twenty years old, and he reigned for sixteen years. He did not do what was right in Yahweh's eyes. Instead, he followed the ways of the kings of Israel, made images for the Baals, worshipped at high places, and even made his son pass through the fire. Chronicles also says he burned his children in the fire.

In Ahaz's reign, Judah came under attack. Rezin king of Syria and Pekah king of Israel came up against Jerusalem and besieged Ahaz, though they did not overpower the city. Rezin recovered Elath for Syria. Chronicles adds that Judah suffered heavy losses, including many deaths in one day, leading men being killed, and a great number of captives being taken.

The army of Israel carried off two hundred thousand women, sons, and daughters from Judah, along with much plunder, and came toward Samaria. There the prophet Oded met them. He said Judah had indeed been handed over in God's anger, but Israel had gone too far in violent rage and was now planning to enslave their own brothers and sisters, though they themselves also had guilt before Yahweh.

Some leading men of Ephraim listened. Azariah, Berechiah, Jehizkiah, and Amasa stood against the returning army and said the captives must not be brought in. So the armed men left the captives and plunder before the leaders and the assembly. The named men clothed the needy, fed them, gave them drink, cared for the weak, set the feeble on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria.

Ahaz then sent to the king of Assyria for help and took silver and gold from Yahweh's house and from the palace to pay him. The king of Assyria attacked Damascus, carried its people away, and killed Rezin. But Chronicles says Assyria did not truly strengthen Ahaz. It also says Edomites and Philistines struck Judah and took captives and towns while Yahweh brought Judah low because of Ahaz's unfaithfulness.

Instead of turning back, Ahaz sinned still more. He saw an altar in Damascus and sent its design to Urijah the priest, who built one like it. Ahaz offered on that altar, moved the bronze altar aside, changed temple furnishings, and later shut the doors of Yahweh's house and made more altars in Jerusalem and throughout Judah. When Ahaz died, Hezekiah his son became king.