Study Desk

^(C1)At that time King Ahaz sent word to the ^(F1)kings of Assyria for help.

^(C1)For the Edomites had come again and attacked Judah, and led away captives.

^(C1)The Philistines had also invaded the cities of the ^(F1)lowland and of the Negev of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, and Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages; and they had settled there.

For the LORD had humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of ^(C1)Israel, for he had brought about a lack of restraint in Judah and was very unfaithful to the LORD.

So ^(C1)Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him.

^(C1)Although Ahaz took a portion out of the house of the LORD and out of the palace of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria, it did not help him.

Now during the time of his distress, this same King Ahaz ^(C1)became even more unfaithful to the LORD.

^(C1)For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus who had ^(F1)defeated him, and said, "^(C2)Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them so that they may help me." But they became the ^(F2)downfall of him and all Israel.

Moreover, when Ahaz gathered together the utensils of the house of God, he ^(C1)cut the utensils of the house of God in pieces; and he ^(C2)closed the doors of the house of the LORD, and ^(C3)made altars for himself in every corner of Jerusalem.

In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked the LORD, the God of his fathers, to anger.