The wicked reign of Achaz: the kings of Syria and Israel war against
him: he hireth the king of the Assyrians to assist him: he causeth an
altar to be made after the pattern of that of Damascus.
16:1. In the seventeenth year of Phacee, the son of Romelia reigned
Achaz, the son of Joatham, king of Juda.
16:2. Achaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
sixteen years in Jerusalem: he did not that which was pleasing in the
sight of the Lord, his God, as David, his father.
16:3. But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel: moreover, he
consecrated also his son, making him pass through the fire, according
to the idols of the nations which the Lord destroyed before the
children of Israel.
16:4. He sacrificed also, and burnt incense in the high places, and on
the hills, and under every green tree.
16:5. Then Rasin, king of Syria, and Phacee, son of Romelia, king of
Israel, came up to Jerusalem to fight: and they besieged Achaz, but
were not able to overcome him.
16:6. At that time Rasin, king of Syria, restored Aila to Syria, and
drove the men of Juda out of Aila: and the Edomites came into Aila, and
dwelt there unto this day.
16:7. And Achaz sent messengers to Theglathphalasar, king of the
Assyrians, 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, who are risen up together against me.
16:8. And when he had gathered together the silver and gold that could
be found in the house of the Lord, and in the king’s treasures, he sent
it for a present to the king of the Assyrians.
16:9. And he agreed to his desire: for the king of the Assyrians went
up against Damascus, and laid it waste: and he carried away the
inhabitants thereof to Cyrene; but Rasin he slew.
16:10. And king Achaz went to Damascus to meet Theglathphalasar, king
of the Assyrians, and when he had seen the altar of Damascus, king
Achaz sent to Urias, the priest, a pattern of it, and its likeness,
according to all the work thereof.
16:11. And Urias, the priest, built an altar according to all that king
Achaz had commanded from Damascus so did Urias, the priest, until king
Achaz came from Damascus.
16:12. And when the king was come from Damascus, he saw the altar and
worshipped it: and went up and offered holocausts, and his own
sacrifice;
16:13. And he offered libations, and poured the blood of the peace
offerings, which he had offered, upon the altar.
16:14. But the altar of brass that was before the Lord, he removed from
the face of the temple, and from the place of the altar, and from the
place of the temple of the Lord: and he set it at the side of the altar
towards the north.
16:15. And king Achaz commanded Urias, the priest, saying: Upon the
great altar offer the morning holocaust, and the evening sacrifice, and
the king’s holocaust, and his sacrifice, and the holocaust of the whole
people of the land, and their sacrifices, and their libations: and all
the blood of the holocaust, and all the blood of the victim, thou shalt
pour out upon it: but the altar of brass shall be ready at my pleasure.
16:16. So Urias, the priest, did according to all that king Achaz had
commanded him.
16:17. And king Achaz took away the graven bases, and the laver that
was upon them: and he took down the sea from the brazen oxen that held
it up, and put it upon a pavement of stone.
16:18. The Musach also for the sabbath, which he had built in the
temple, and the king’s entry from without, he turned into the temple of
the Lord, because of the king of the Assyrians.
Musach.... The covert, or pavilion, or tribune, for the king.
16:19. Now the rest of the acts of Achaz which he did, are they not
written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda?
16:20. And Achaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with them in
the city of David, and Ezechias, his son, reigned in his stead.