1. Ahaz son of Jotham became king of Judah in the seventeenth year of Pekah's rule in Israel.
2. He was twenty years old at the time, and he ruled from Jerusalem for sixteen years.Ahaz wasn't like his ancestor David. Instead, he disobeyed the Lord
3. and was even more sinful than the kings of Israel. He sacrificed his own son, which was a disgusting custom of the nations that the Lord had forced out of Israel.
4. Ahaz offered sacrifices at the local shrines, as well as on every hill and in the shade of large trees.
5-6. While Ahaz was ruling Judah, the king of Edom recaptured the town of Elath from Judah and forced out the people of Judah. Edomites then moved into Elath, and they still live there.About the same time, King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah of Israel marched to Jerusalem and attacked, but they could not capture it.
7. Ahaz sent a message to King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria that said, “Your Majesty, King Rezin and King Pekah are attacking me, your loyal servant. Please come and rescue me.”
8. Along with the message, Ahaz sent silver and gold from the Lord's temple and from the palace treasury as a gift for the Assyrian king.
9. As soon as Tiglath Pileser received the message, he and his troops marched to Syria. He captured the capital city of Damascus, then he took the people living there to the town of Kir as prisoners and killed King Rezin.