, sent to Tiglath-Pileser, king of the Assyrians, and sued for
assistance from him in his war against the Israelites, and Syrians,
and Damascenes, with a promise to send him much money; he sent him also
great presents at the same time. Now this king, upon the reception of
those ambassadors, came to assist Ahaz, and made war upon the Syrians,
and laid their country waste, and took Damascus by force, and slew
Rezin their king, and transplanted the people of Damascus into the Upper
Media, and brought a colony of Assyrians, and planted them in Damascus.
He also afflicted the land of Israel, and took many captives out of it.
While he was doing thus with the Syrians, king Ahaz took all the gold
that was in the king's treasures, and the silver, and what was in the
temple of God, and what precious gifts were there, and he carried them
with him, and came to Damascus, and gave it to the king of Assyria,
according to his agreement. So he confessed that he owed him thanks for
all he had done for him, and returned to Jerusalem. Now this king was so
sottish and thoughtless of what was for his own good, that he would not
leave off worshipping the Syrian gods when he was beaten by them, but
he went on in worshipping them, as though they would procure him the
victory; and when he was beaten again, he began to honor the gods of the
Assyrians; and he seemed more desirous to honor any other gods than his
own paternal and true God, whose anger was the cause of his defeat;
nay, he proceeded to such a degree of despite and contempt [of God's
worship], that he shut up the temple entirely, and forbade them to bring
in the appointed sacrifices, and took away the gifts that had been given
to it. And when he had offered these indignities to God, he died, having
lived thirty-six years, and of them reigned sixteen; and he left his son
Hezekiah for his successor.

CHAPTER 13. How Pekah Died By The Treachery Of Hoshea Who Was A Little
After Subdued By Shalmaneser; And How Hezekiah Reigned Instead Of Ahaz;
And What Actions Of Piety And Justice He Did.

1. About the same time Pekah, the king of Israel, died by the treachery
of a friend of his, whose name was Hoshea, who retained the kingdom nine
years' time, but was a wicked man, and a despiser of the Divine worship;
and Shalmaneser, the king of Assyria, made an expedition against him,
and overcame him, [which must have been because he had not God favorable
nor assistant to him,] and brought him