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his father Uzziah had done: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the LORD. And the 3 people did yet corruptly. He built the upper gate of the house of the LORD, and on the wall of 4 Ophel he built much. Moreover he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and in the forests he He built castles and towers. fought also with the king of the children of Ammon, and prevailed against them. And the children of Ammon gave him the same year an hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand 'measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. So much did the children of Ammon render unto him, in the second year also, and 6 in the third. So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before the LORD his 7 God. Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel 8 and Judah. He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen 9 years in Jerusalem. And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.

yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel. 4 And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green 5 tree. Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him.

3 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of 4 Israel. And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every 5 green tree. Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away of his a great multitude of captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with 6 a great slaughter. For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, all of them valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD, the God of 7 their fathers. And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's son, and Azikam the ruler of the house, and Elkanah that was 'next to the 8 king. And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to 9 Samaria. But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out to meet the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD, the God of your fathers, was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage which hath reached 10 up unto heaven. And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for

1 Heb. second.

6 At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drave the Jews from 1Elath : and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there, unto this day.

1 Heb. Eloth.

2 According to another reading, Edom

bondmen and bondwomen unto V you but are there not even with you 'trespasses of your own against the LORD your God? II Now hear me therefore, and send back the captives, which ye have taken captive of your brethren : ✓ for the fierce wrath of the LORD 12 is upon you. Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war, 13 and said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for ye purpose that which will bring upon us a trespass against the LORD, to add unto our sins and to our trespass: for our 'trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath 14 against Israel. So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all 15 the congregation. And the men which have been expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.

1 Heb. guiltinesses. 2 Or, guilt

ites.

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So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy son come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against 8 me. And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent it for a present to the king 9 of Assyria. And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin. 10 And king Ahaz went to Da

mascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and saw the altar that was at Damascus : and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the II workmanship thereof. And Uri

jah the priest built an altar : according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus, so did Urijah the priest make it against king Ahaz came from Damascus. 12 And when the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar and the king drew near unto the altar, and 1offered 13 thereon. And he burnt his burnt offering and his meal offering, and poured his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of 'his peace offerings, upon the altar. 14 And the brasen altar, which was before the LORD, he brought

16 At that time did king Ahaz send unto the 'kings of Assyria 17 to help him. For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away cap18 tives. The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland, and of the South of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, and Aijalon, and Gederoth, and Soco with the towns thereof, and Timnah with the towns thereof, Gimzo also and the towns thereof and they dwelt there. 19 For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king 'of Israel; for he had dealt wantonly in Judah, and trespassed 20 sore against the LORD. And Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but "strengthened him not. 21 For Ahaz took away a portion

out of the house of the LORD, and out of the house of the king and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but it 22 helped him not. And in the

time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD, 23 this same king Ahaz. For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of