2 Kings 16
1IN the seventeenth year of Phakee, son of Romelias, Achaz son of Joatham king of Juda, began to reign.
2Achaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, but he did not do what was right in the sight of the Lord his God with fidelity like David his father.
3He indeed walked in the ways of the kings of Israel. He even made his son pass through fire according to the abominable acts of the nations which the Lord had removed from before the Israelites.
4He sacrificed also and burned incense on the high places, and on the mounts and under every shady tree.
5Then came up Raasson, king of Syria, and Phakee son of Romelias king of Israel, against Jerusalem for war, and besieged Achaz but could not bring him to battle.
6At that time Raasson, king of Syria, recovered Ailath for Syria; and when he had driven the Jews out of Ailath the Idumeans went to Ailath, and have dwelt there to this day.
7Then Achaz sent messengers to Thalgathphellasar, king of the Assyrians, saying, I am thy servant and thy son. Come up: 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 against me.
8And Achaz took the silver and the gold which was found in the treasures of the house of the Lord and the king’s house, and sent gifts to the king.
9Whereupon the king of the Assyrians hearkened to him and came up against Damascus and took it, and having removed the inhabitants thereof he put king Raasson to death.
10Then Achaz went up to Damascus to meet Thalgathphellasar king of the Assyrians, at that place. And having taken a view of the altar at Damascus, king Achaz sent a model of it with its proportions and workmanship to Ourias the priest.
11And Ourias the priest built an altar according to all that king Achaz sent from Damascus.
12And when the king saw the altar he went up to it
13and offered thereon his whole burnt offering, and his sacrifice and his libation, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offering upon that altar. As for the brazen altar which was before the Lord
14he brought it forward towards the front of the house of the Lord, from between this altar and the house of the Lord and put it upon the north side of this altar.
15And king Achaz commanded Ourias the priest saying, Offer the morning and evening whole burnt offering with its sacrifice, and the whole burnt offering of the king with his sacrifice, and the whole burnt offering of the whole people with their sacrifice and their libation on this great altar, and pour out on it all the blood of the whole burnt offering and all the blood of the sacrifice. And the brazen altar shall be for me for the morning.
16So Ourias the priest did according to all that king Achaz commanded him.
17And king Achaz cut off the embossments of the cisterns and took away from them the lavers, and took down the brazen sea from the oxen of brass that were under it, and set it on a base of stone.
18He built also the foundation of the seat in the house of the Lord, and altered the way of the king’s coming into the house of the Lord on account of the king of the Assyrians.
19Now the rest of the acts of Achaz and all that he did, are they not written in the journal of the kings of Juda?
20And when Achaz slept with his fathers he was buried in the city of David, and Ezekias his son reigned in his stead.