16:1 In the seventeenth year of the reign of Pekah son of Remaliah, Jotham’s son Ahaz became king over Judah. 16:2 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. 1 He did not do what pleased the Lord his God, in contrast to his ancestor David. 2 16:3 He followed in the footsteps of 3 the kings of Israel. He passed his son through the fire, 4 a horrible sin practiced by the nations 5 whom the Lord drove out from before the Israelites. 16:4 He offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
16:5 At that time King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel attacked Jerusalem. 6 They besieged Ahaz, 7 but were unable to conquer him. 8 16:6 (At that time King Rezin of Syria 9 recovered Elat for Syria; he drove the Judahites from there. 10 Syrians 11 arrived in Elat and live there to this very day.) 16:7 Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your dependent. 12 March up and rescue me from the power 13 of the king of Syria and the king of Israel, who have attacked 14 me.” 16:8 Then Ahaz took the silver and gold that were 15 in the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent it as tribute 16 to the king of Assyria. 16:9 The king of Assyria responded favorably to his request; 17 he 18 attacked Damascus and captured it. He deported the people 19 to Kir and executed Rezin.
16:10 When King Ahaz went to meet with King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria in Damascus, he saw the altar there. 20 King Ahaz sent to Uriah the priest a drawing of the altar and a blueprint for its design. 21