2 Chronicles 28

1 Ahaz was twenty [a young adult, at the beginning of manhood] years old when he became king, and he reigned [ruled as monarch, exercised sovereign power] in Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Judah] sixteen years. And unlike David [a man after God’s heart, his father and predecessor] his father, he did not do [failed to perform, neglected to accomplish] what was right [just, upright, and pleasing] in the eyes [the gaze, the scrutiny] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God and ruler]. word study 2 Instead, he walked [in the footsteps of, followed] in the ways [path, manner of life] of the kings [rulers, monarchs] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants] and even made [crafted, fashioned] cast images [molten idols, metal statues] of the Baals [the Phoenician deity, false god]. word study 3 Moreover, Ahaz burned incense [in worship, with fragrant smoke] in the Valley [of the son] of Hinnom [a place of lamentation] and sacrificed his sons [as an offering, a burnt gift] in the fire [burning, flame], according to the abominations [detestable practices, idolatrous customs] of the nations [Gentiles, non-Hebrew peoples] that the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] had driven out [dispossessed, expelled] before the Israelites [the chosen people, descendants of Jacob]. word study 4 And he sacrificed [offered to idols, presented] and burned incense [made perfume, turned into smoke] on the high places [cultic platforms, elevations], on the hills [small hills], and under every green [fresh, luxuriant] tree [strong and firm object, wood]. word study 5 So the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] his God [Elohim, the supreme deity] delivered Ahaz into the hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] of the king of Aram [Syria, a neighboring nation], who attacked him and took many captives [prisoners of war] to Damascus [the capital city of Aram]. Ahaz was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel [the ruler of God’s chosen people], who struck him with great force [a severe blow, a great slaughter]. word study 6 For in [a single, twenty-four hour] one day Pekah [a king of Israel] son of Remaliah killed [all valiant, strong and mighty] 120,000 valiant men in Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob]. This happened because they had forsaken [abandoned, loosened, or relinquished] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], the God [Elohim, the supreme one] of their fathers [ancestors, forefathers]. word study 7 Zichri [a great warrior], a mighty man [strong and courageous] of Ephraim [doubly fruitful, a tribe of Israel], killed [slew, put to death] Maaseiah [work of Jehovah] the son [a descendant, a child] of the king [a royal person, a ruler], Azrikam [help against the enemy, a leader’s name] the governor [leader, ruler] of the palace [the king’s house, a dwelling place], and Elkanah [God has possessed, a name signifying God’s ownership] the second [a duplicate, a copy] to the king [a royal person, a ruler]. word study 8 Then the Israelites [children of Israel, descendants of Jacob] took 200,000 captives [prisoners of war] from their kinsmen [brothers, relatives, brethren]—women [females, wives], sons [male descendants, children], and daughters [female children, girls]. They also carried off [plundered, seized] a great deal [much, a large amount] of plunder [spoils of war, booty] and brought it to Samaria [the capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel, watch mountain]. word study 9 But a prophet [spokesperson for God] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] named Oded [meaning ‘renewed’ or ‘restored’] was there, and he went out [came forth, emerged] to meet the army [large group of people, military force] that returned to Samaria [watch mountain, capital city of the northern kingdom]. “Look [behold, pay attention],” he said to them, “because of His wrath [intense anger, rage] against Judah [the tribe descended from Judah], the LORD [Yehovah, the God of covenant], the God [Elohim, supreme deity] of your fathers [ancestors, forefathers], has delivered them into your hand [given them over to your power, authority]. But you have slaughtered [killed, slain] them in a rage [fury, intense anger] that reaches up to heaven [the visible sky, the spiritual realm]. word study 10 And now [at this time, in this moment] you intend [purpose, plan] to reduce to slavery [keep under, subdue] the men and women [sons and daughters] of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah] and Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Judah]. But are you not [is it not the case that you are] also guilty [having guilt, sinful] before the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] your God [Elohim, the one supreme God]? word study 11 Now [at this time] therefore, listen [hear and obey, give attention] to me and return [send back, turn back] the captives [prisoners, those taken captive] you took [have taken captive, seized] from your kinsmen [brothers, fellow countrymen], for the fierce [burning, intense] anger [wrath, indignation] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] is upon [on, against] you.” word study 12 Then some of the leaders [chief men, heads] of the Ephraimites [tribe of Ephraim, descendants of Joseph’s son] —Azariah [Jehovah has helped] son of Jehohanan [Jehovah has graced], Berechiah [Jehovah blesses] son of Meshillemoth [repaying, requiting], Jehizkiah [Jehovah has made strong] son of Shallum [retribution, reward], and Amasa [burden, load] son of Hadlai [my praise, my thanksgiving]—stood [rose up, stood firm] in opposition [against, in resistance] to those arriving [coming, returning] from the war [battle, army, campaign]. word study 13 “You must not bring the captives [prisoners of war] here,” they said, “for you are proposing to bring guilt [sin, offense] upon us from the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] and to add [increase, intensify] to our sins [transgressions, wrongdoing] and our guilt [moral culpability]. For our guilt [state of sin] is great [abundant, numerous], and fierce anger [burning wrath] is upon Israel [God’s chosen people].” word study 14 So the armed men [equipped for war, warriors] left the captives [prisoners, those held in bondage] and the plunder [spoils, booty] before the leaders [rulers, princes] and all [everything, the entire assembly] the assembly [congregation, gathering]. word study 15 Then the men [designated by name, appointed] who were [chosen, selected] designated by name arose, took charge of the captives [prisoners of war, those held in bondage], and provided from the plunder [spoils of war, booty] clothing [garments, attire] for the naked [uncovered, bare]. They clothed them, gave them sandals [shoes, footwear] and food [nourishment, sustenance] and drink [beverage, refreshment], anointed [applied oil to, smeared] their wounds [injuries, hurts], and put all the feeble [weak, frail] on donkeys [asses, beasts of burden]. So they brought them to Jericho [the city of palm trees, a place of refuge], the City of Palms [a city of abundance], to their brothers [kinsmen, fellow Israelites]. Then they returned [turned back, went back] to Samaria [the capital city, a place of watchfulness]. word study 16 At that [specific, appointed] time [a particular event or occasion] King [royal ruler, monarch] Ahaz [a king of Judah, son of Jotham] sent [dispatched, entrusted] for help [assistance, aid] from the king [ruler, sovereign] of Assyria [Asshur, a powerful nation] [to help him, for support]. word study 17 The Edomites [descendants of Esau, from the region of Edom] had again [once more, still] come [approached, invaded] and attacked [struck, smitten] Judah [the tribe and region] and carried away [taken captive, as prisoners] captives [prisoners of war, exiles]. word study 18 The Philistines [a non-Semitic, immigrant people] had also raided [invaded, forced their way into] the cities [towns, settlements] of the foothills [the lowlands, Shephelah] and the Negev [the southern district, south country] of Judah, capturing [seizing, taking control of] and occupying [dwelling in, taking possession of] Beth-shemesh [house of the sun, a city in Judah], Aijalon [a city in Dan, meaning field of deer], and Gederoth [a town in Judah, meaning walls], as well as Soco [a town in the lowlands], Timnah [a place in Palestine, meaning portion], and Gimzo [a town in Judah, known for its sycamore trees] with their villages [daughter towns, surrounding cities]. word study 19 For the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] humbled [brought low, subdued] Judah because Ahaz [not Judah] king of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob] had thrown off restraint [acted without self-control, neglected] in Judah [the region and tribe] and had been most unfaithful [acted treacherously, committed trespass] to the LORD [the supreme God, Yehovah]. word study 20 Then Tiglath-pileser [a powerful Assyrian king] king of Assyria [Asshur, the ancestral homeland] came to Ahaz but afflicted [troubled, distressed] him rather than strengthening [empowering, helping] him [to resist or overcome]. word study 21 Although Ahaz had taken a portion [a valuable share, a significant part] from the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], from the royal palace [king’s residence, official dwelling], and from the princes [rulers, leaders, captains] and had presented [given, offered] it to the king of Assyria [Asshur, the ancestor of the Assyrians], it did not help [assist, aid, support] him. word study 22 In the time [of great trouble, during his distress] of his distress [tribulation, affliction], King [royal ruler, monarch] Ahaz [son of Jotham, father of Hezekiah] became even more [increasingly, to a greater degree] unfaithful [disloyal, treacherous, acting secretly against] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. word study 23 Since Damascus [the capital city of Syria, a major trading center] had defeated him, he sacrificed [offered worship, made a religious offering] to their gods [idols, false deities] and said, “Because the gods [Elohim, supernatural beings] of the kings [rulers, monarchs] of Aram [Syria, a neighboring region] have helped [assisted, aided] them, I will sacrifice [offer worship, make a sacrifice] to them that they may help [assist, support] me.” But these gods [idols, false deities] were the downfall [ruin, destruction] of Ahaz and of all Israel [the nation, God’s chosen people]. word study 24 Then Ahaz [the king of Judah, son of Jotham] gathered up the articles [utensils, vessels] of the house [temple, dwelling place] of God [Elohim, the supreme God], cut them into pieces [broke, smashed], shut the doors [gates, entrances] of the house [place, temple] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], and set up altars [places of sacrifice, worship] of his own [for idolatry, false worship] on every street corner [in every part, at every angle] in Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Judah]. word study 25 In every city [town, settlement] of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob] he built high places [cultic platforms, elevations] to offer incense [burn perfumes, fragrances] to other gods [foreign deities, idols], and so he provoked [angered, stirred up] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], the God [Elohim, the one supreme God] of his fathers [ancestors, forefathers]. word study 26 As for the rest [remainder, what is left] of the acts [chronicles, events] of Ahaz and all [everything, the entirety] his ways [path, manner of life], from beginning [first, primary] to end [last, final], they are indeed written [recorded, inscribed] in the Book [scroll, written document] of the Kings [rulers, monarchs] of Judah [the tribe of Judah, the southern kingdom] and Israel [the descendants of Jacob, the northern kingdom]. word study 27 And Ahaz rested [slept, died] with his fathers [ancestors, predecessors] and was buried [laid to rest, interred] in the city [metropolis, urban center] of Jerusalem [the city of peace, the holy city], but he was not [never] placed [brought, laid] in the tombs [sepulchres, graves] of the kings [rulers, monarchs] of Israel [God’s chosen people, the descendants of Jacob]. And his son [offspring, descendant] Hezekiah [a king of Judah, a righteous ruler] reigned [ruled, governed] in his place [stead, position]. word study