Immerse: Kingdoms Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 263
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SAMUEL–KINGS
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The rest of the events in Pekah’s reign and everything he did are recorded
in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.
Jotham son of Uzziah began to rule over Judah in the second year of King
Pekah’s reign in Israel. He was twenty-five years old when he became king,
and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother was Jerusha, the
daughter of Zadok.
Jotham did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight. He did everything his
father, Uzziah, had done. But he did not destroy the pagan shrines, and
the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there. He rebuilt the
upper gate of the Temple of the Lord.
The rest of the events in Jotham’s reign and everything he did are recorded
in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah. In those days the Lord
began to send King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah of Israel to attack Ju
dah. When Jotham died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of
David. And his son Ahaz became the next king.
Ahaz son of Jotham began to rule over Judah in the seventeenth year of
King Pekah’s reign in Israel. Ahaz was twenty years old when he became
king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. He did not do what was
pleasing in the sight of the Lord his God, as his ancestor David had done.
Instead, he followed the example of the kings of Israel, even sacrificing his
own son in the fire. In this way, he followed the detestable practices of the
pagan nations the Lord had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites.
He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the pagan shrines and on the
hills and under every green tree.
Then King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah of Israel came up to attack Je
rusalem. They besieged Ahaz but could not conquer him. At that time the
king of Edom recovered the town of Elath for Edom. He drove out the
people of Judah and sent Edomites to live there, as they do to this day.
King Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria with this
message: “I am your servant and your vassal. Come up and rescue me
from the attacking armies of Aram and Israel.” Then Ahaz took the silver
and gold from the Temple of the Lord and the palace treasury and sent
it as a payment to the Assyrian king. So the king of Assyria attacked the