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Then Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah to Samaria, and killed Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and became king in his place.

Menahem did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord. All his life he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel sin.

Menahem died, and his son Pekahiah became king in his place.

Then his captain Pekah the son of Remaliah made plans against him. He killed Pekahiah in Samaria, in the house of the king with Argob and Arieh. Fifty men of the Gileadites were with Pekah. He became king in his place.

Hoshea the son of Elah made plans against Pekah the son of Remaliah. He killed Pekah and became king in his place, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.

Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king. He ruled for sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok.

Jotham did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He did all that his father Uzziah had done.

Jotham died, and he was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father. His son Ahaz became king in his place.

Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king. And he ruled for sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord his God, as his father David had done.

But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel. He even gave his sons as a burnt gift. This was very sinful and was done by the nations which the Lord had driven out from the people of Israel.

There he burned his burnt gift and his grain gift. He poured his drink gift and put the blood of his peace gift on the altar.

He took the brass altar which was before the Lord in front of the house, between his altar and the Lord's house, and he put it on the north side of his altar.

Then King Ahaz told Urijah the religious leader, "Upon the large altar, give the morning burnt gift, the evening grain gift, and the king's burnt gift and his grain gift. Give them with the burnt gifts of all the people of the land and their grain gifts and drink gifts. Put on it all the blood of the burnt gifts given in worship. But the brass altar will be for me to go to when I ask the Lord what should be done."

Ahaz died, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his son Hezekiah ruled in his place.

King Shalmaneser of Assyria came up against him. And Hoshea became his servant and paid taxes to him.

The Lord told Israel and Judah of the danger, through all His men who told what would happen in the future. He said, "Turn from your sinful ways and obey My Laws. Keep all the Laws which I gave your fathers, and which I gave to you through My servants and men of God."

They turned away from His Laws and His agreement which He made with their fathers. They turned away when He told them of danger. They followed false gods, and became empty. They followed the nations around them. But the Lord had told them not to act like them.

The Lord was very angry with Israel, and put them away from his eyes. None was left except the family of Judah.

And the Lord turned away from all the children of Israel, and sent trouble upon them. He gave them over to those who destroyed the land, until He had put them away from His eyes.

until the Lord put Israel away from His eyes. He spoke through all His servants who tell what will happen in the future that He would do this. So Israel was carried away from their own land to Assyria until this day.