1. Ahaz was 20 years old when he became king and reigned 16 years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the Lord’s sight like his ancestor David,
2. for he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and made cast images of the Baals.
3. He burned incense in the Valley of Hinnom and burned his children in the fire, imitating the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had dispossessed before the Israelites.
4. He sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
5. So the Lord his God handed Ahaz over to the king of Aram. He attacked him and took many captives to Damascus.Ahaz was also handed over to the king of Israel, who struck him with great force:
6. Pekah son of Remaliah killed 120,000 in Judah in one day — all brave men — because they had abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors.
7. An Ephraimite warrior named Zichri killed the king’s son Maaseiah, Azrikam governor of the palace, and Elkanah who was second to the king.
8. Then the Israelites took 200,000 captives from their brothers — women, sons, and daughters. They also took a great deal of plunder from them and brought it to Samaria.
9. A prophet of the Lord named Oded was there. He went out to meet the army that came to Samaria and said to them, “Look, the Lord God of your ancestors handed them over to you because of His wrath against Judah, but you slaughtered them in a rage that has reached heaven.