2 Chronicles 28: Ahaz’s Disobedience Leading to Judah’s Devastation – Clear & Engaging Audio Bible Reading | Unholy Alliances, Reckless Decisions, and Divine Judgment

Immerse yourself in the events of 2 Chronicles 28, where Ahaz’s disobedience caused immense devastation to Judah. This clear and engaging audio recording tells the story of Ahaz’s unholy alliances, deceitful practices, and reckless decisions that led to Judah’s downfall. Discover how God’s judgment was poured out on the nation, and how this chapter can provide insight and instruction for our own lives. Perfect for study, reflection, or meditation, let the Scriptures come alive in this powerful reading.

2 CHRONICLES 28 (NIV)

1 Ahaz 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.

2 He followed the ways of the kings of Israel and also made
idols for worshiping the Baals.

3 He 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.

4 He
offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops and
under every spreading tree.

5 Therefore 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.

6 In 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.

7 Zikri, an Ephraimite warrior, killed Maaseiah the king’s
son, Azrikam the officer in charge of the palace, and Elkanah, second to the
king.

8 The 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.

9 But 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.

10 And 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?

11 Now listen to me! Send back
your fellow Israelites you have taken as prisoners, for the Lord’s fierce
anger rests on you.”

12 Then 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.”

14 So the soldiers gave up the prisoners and plunder in the presence of the
officials and all the assembly.

15 The 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.

16 At that time King Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria for help.

17 The
Edomites had again come and attacked Judah and carried away prisoners,

18
while 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.

19 The Lord had
humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had promoted wickedness
in Judah and had been most unfaithful to the Lord.

20 Tiglath-Pileser king of
Assyria came to him, but he gave him trouble instead of help.

21 Ahaz 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.

22 In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord.

23 He 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.

24 Ahaz 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.

25 In 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.

26 The 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.

27 Ahaz 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.