Ahaz King of Judah
1Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. 2He followed the ways of the kings of Israel and also made idols for worshiping the Baals. 3He burned sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom and sacrificed his children in the fire, engaging in the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. 4He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops and under every spreading tree.
5Therefore the Lord his God delivered him into the hands of the king of Aram. The Arameans defeated him and took many of his people as prisoners and brought them to Damascus.
He was also given into the hands of the king of Israel, who inflicted heavy casualties on him. 6In one day Pekah son of Remaliah killed a hundred and twenty thousand soldiers in Judah—because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 7Zikri, an Ephraimite warrior, killed Maaseiah the king’s son, Azrikam the officer in charge of the palace, and Elkanah, second to the king. 8The men of Israel took captive from their fellow Israelites who were from Judah two hundred thousand wives, sons and daughters. They also took a great deal of plunder, which they carried back to Samaria.
9But a prophet of the Lord named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army when it returned to Samaria. He said to them, “Because the Lord, the God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches to heaven. 10And now you intend to make the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem your slaves. But aren’t you also guilty of sins against the Lord your God? 11Now listen to me! Send back your fellow Israelites you have taken as prisoners, for the Lord’s fierce anger rests on you.”
12Then some of the leaders in Ephraim—Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berekiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai—confronted those who were arriving from the war. 13“You must not bring those prisoners here,” they said, “or we will be guilty before the Lord. Do you intend to add to our sin and guilt? For our guilt is already great, and his fierce anger rests on Israel.”
14So the soldiers gave up the prisoners and plunder in the presence of the officials and all the assembly. 15The men designated by name took the prisoners, and from the plunder they clothed all who were naked. They provided them with clothes and sandals, food and drink, and healing balm. All those who were weak they put on donkeys. So they took them back to their fellow Israelites at Jericho, the City of Palms, and returned to Samaria.
16At that time King Ahaz sent to the kings28:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; one Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint and Vulgate (see also 2 Kings 16:7) king of Assyria for help. 17The Edomites had again come and attacked Judah and carried away prisoners, 18while the Philistines had raided towns in the foothills and in the Negev of Judah. They captured and occupied Beth Shemesh, Aijalon and Gederoth, as well as Soko, Timnah and Gimzo, with their surrounding villages. 19The Lord had humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel,28:19 That is, Judah, as frequently in 2 Chronicles for he had promoted wickedness in Judah and had been most unfaithful to the Lord. 20Tiglath-Pileser28:20 Hebrew Tilgath-Pilneser, a variant of Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came to him, but he gave him trouble instead of help. 21Ahaz took some of the things from the temple of the Lord and from the royal palace and from the officials and presented them to the king of Assyria, but that did not help him.
22In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord. 23He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought, “Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.” But they were his downfall and the downfall of all Israel.
24Ahaz gathered together the furnishings from the temple of God and cut them in pieces. He shut the doors of the Lord’s temple and set up altars at every street corner in Jerusalem. 25In every town in Judah he built high places to burn sacrifices to other gods and aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of his ancestors.
26The other events of his reign and all his ways, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 27Ahaz rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of Jerusalem, but he was not placed in the tombs of the kings of Israel. And Hezekiah his son succeeded him as king.
Akazi Kabaka wa Yuda
128:1 1By 3:13; Is 1:1Akazi yali wa myaka amakumi abiri we yaliira obwakabaka, n’afugira emyaka kkumi na mukaaga mu Yerusaalemi. Naye obutafaanana nga jjajjaawe Dawudi, yakola ebitali bya butuukirivu mu maaso ga Mukama. 228:2 Kuv 34:17; 2By 22:3N’atambulira mu makubo ga bassekabaka ba Isirayiri, n’okukola n’akola ebifaananyi ebisaanuuse ebyakozesebwanga mu kusinza Baali. 328:3 a Yos 15:8; 2Bk 23:10 b Lv 18:21; 2Bk 3:27; 2By 33:6; Ez 20:26 c Ma 18:9; 2By 33:2N’ayoterezanga obubaane mu kiwonvu kya mutabani wa Kinomu, n’awaayo batabani be okuba ebiweebwayo ebyokebwa, ng’agoberera emizizo gy’abannaggwanga, Mukama be yagoba mu maaso g’Abayisirayiri. 4N’awangayo ssaddaaka wamu n’okwoterezanga obubaane mu bifo ebigulumivu, ne ku ntikko z’ensozi, ne wansi wa buli muti omubisi.
528:5 Is 7:1Mukama Katonda we kyeyava amuwaayo mu mukono gwa kabaka w’e Busuuli, eyamuwangula n’atwala abantu ba Yuda bangi nga basibe, n’abaleeta e Ddamasiko.
Ate era yaweebwayo ne mu mukono gwa kabaka wa Isirayiri, eyaleeta ku bantu ba Yuda ebisago ebinene. 628:6 a 2Bk 15:25, 27 b nny 8; Is 9:21; 11:13Peka mutabani wa Lemaliya yatta abaserikale ba Yuda emitwalo kkumi n’ebiri mu lunaku lumu, kubanga baali bavudde ku Mukama Katonda wa bajjajjaabwe. 7Ne Zikuli, omusajja omulwanyi omuzira owa Efulayimu n’atta Maaseya mutabani wa kabaka, ne Azulikamu omukulu w’olubiri ne Erukaana omukungu, addirira kabaka. 828:8 a Ma 28:25-41; 2By 11:4 b 2By 29:9Abayisirayiri ne bawamba abakyala, n’abaana aboobulenzi, n’aboobuwala, emitwalo amakumi abiri ku baganda baabwe, ne babatwala nga basibe e Samaliya, ate ne babatwalako n’omunyago mungi.
928:9 a 2By 25:15; Is 10:6; 47:6; Zek 1:15 b Ezr 9:6; Kub 18:5Awo Odedi nnabbi wa Mukama eyali eyo n’agenda okusisinkana eggye eryali lijja e Samaliya, n’abagamba nti, “Laba, kubanga Mukama Katonda wa bajjajjammwe yasunguwalira Yuda, kyeyava abawaayo mu mukono gwammwe, kyokka mubasse n’ekiruyi n’okutuuka ne kituuka mu ggulu. 1028:10 Lv 25:39-46Kaakano, abasajja n’abakazi aba Yuda ne Yerusaalemi mumaliridde, okubafuula abaddu bammwe. Naye bwe mmwekebera, temulina kye mwali musobezza Mukama Katonda wammwe? 1128:11 2By 11:4; Yak 2:13Kale nno, mumpulirize, muleke baganda bammwe be muwambye baddeyo ewaabwe, kubanga Mukama abasunguwalidde mmwe.”
12Awo abamu ku bakadde ba Efulayimu, Azaliya mutabani wa Yokanaani, ne Berakiya mutabani wa Mesiremosi, ne Yekizukiya mutabani wa Sallumu, ne Amasa mutabani wa Kadalayi, ne bayimirira okuziyiza abo abaali bava mu lutalo. 13Ne babagamba nti, “Temujja kuleeta basibe abo wano, kubanga mujja kutuleetako omusango eri Mukama nga mwongereza ku kibi ne ku musango bye tulina. Omusango gwaffe munene, n’obusungu bwe buli ku Isirayiri.”
14Awo abaserikale ne basumulula abasibe, n’omunyago ne baguwaayo mu maaso g’abakungu n’ekibiina kyonna. 1528:15 a 2Bk 6:22; Nge 25:21-22 b Ma 34:3; Bal 1:16Ne balonda abasajja abaatwala abasibe ne baggya engoye mu munyago ne bambaza abo bonna abaali obwereere, ne babawa engoye endala, n’engatto, ne babawa emmere n’ekyokunywa, ne babanyiga n’ebiwundu. N’abaali abanafu ennyo bonna ne babasitulira ku ndogoyi, ne babazzaayo eri baganda baabwe e Yeriko, ekibuga eky’enkindu, bo ne bakomawo e Samaliya.
1628:16 2Bk 16:7Awo mu biro ebyo kabaka Akazi n’asaba kabaka w’e Bwasuli amuyambe, 1728:17 a Zab 137:7; Is 34:5 b 2By 29:9kubanga Abayedomu baali bazeemu okulumba Yuda, ne batwala abantu mu busibe. 1828:18 a Ez 16:27, 57 b Yos 10:12Mu kiseera kyekimu Abafirisuuti baali balumbye ebibuga eby’omu nsenyi n’eby’omu bukiikaddyo obwa Yuda, nga bawambye Besusemesi, ne Ayalooni, ne Gederosi, ne Soko, ne Timuna, ne Gimuzo n’ebyalo ebyali byetoolodde ebibuga ebyo, era ng’omwo mwe babeera. 1928:19 2By 21:2Mukama yakkakkanya nnyo Yuda olw’ebibi n’obutali bwesigwa bwa Akazi kabaka wa Isirayiri eri Mukama, Akazi bye yakola mu Yuda. 2028:20 a 2Bk 15:29; 1By 5:6 b 2Bk 16:7Tirugazupiruneseri kabaka w’e Bwasuli n’ajja gy’ali, n’amucocca mu kifo eky’okumuyamba. 21Akazi n’aggya ebimu ku bintu ebyali mu yeekaalu ya Mukama, ne ku ebyo ebyali mu lubiri lwa kabaka, ne ku bya balangira n’abiwa kabaka w’e Bwasuli; naye ekyo ne kitamuyamba.
2228:22 Yer 5:3Mu kiseera ekyo kabaka Akazi we yalabira ennyo ennaku, yeeyongera obutaba mwesigwa eri Mukama. 2328:23 a 2By 25:14 b Yer 44:17-18N’awangayo ssaddaaka eri bakatonda b’e Ddamasiko, abaali bamuwangudde, kubanga yalowooza nti, “Engeri bakatonda ba bakabaka b’e Busuuli bwe babayambye, nnaawaayo ssaddaaka gye bali, nange bannyambe.” Naye okwo kwe kwali okuzikirira kwe n’okwa Isirayiri yenna.
2428:24 a 2Bk 16:18 b 2By 29:7 c 2By 30:14Akazi n’akuŋŋaanya ebintu eby’omu yeekaalu ya Katonda, n’abiggyamu, n’aggalawo enzigi za yeekaalu ya Mukama, ne yeezimbira ebyoto mu buli nsonda mu Yerusaalemi. 25Mu buli kibuga kya Yuda n’azimbamu ebifo ebigulumivu okuwerangayo ssaddaaka eri bakatonda abalala, n’asunguwaza Mukama Katonda wa bajjajjaabe.
26Ebyafaayo ebirala eby’omu mulembe gwe n’empisa ze zonna, okuva ku ntandikwa okutuusa ku nkomerero, byawandiikibwa mu kitabo kya bassekabaka ba Yuda ne Isirayiri. 2728:27 a Is 14:28-32 b 2By 21:20; 24:25Akazi n’afa n’aziikibwa mu kibuga kya Yerusaalemi, naye si mu masiro ga bassekabaka ba Isirayiri. Keezeekiya mutabani we n’amusikira.
