Melachim Bais 16

1. In the seventeenth year of Pekach Ben Remalyahu, Achaz Ben Yotam Melech Yehudah began to reign.

2. 20 years old was Achaz when he began to reign, and reigned 16 shanah in Yerushalayim, and did not that which was yashar in the eyes of Hashem Elohav, like Dovid Aviv.

3. But he walked in the derech of the Melachim of Yisroel, and even made bno to pass through the eish, according to the to’avot of the Goyim, whom Hashem cast out from before the Bnei Yisroel.

4. And he sacrificed and burnt ketoret in the [idolatrous] high places, and on the geva’ot, and under every spreading tree.

5. Then Retzin Melech Aram (Syria) and Pekach Ben Remalyahu Melech Yisroel came up to Yerushalayim for milchamah; and they besieged Achaz, but could not overcome him.

6. At that time Retzin Melech Aram (Syria) recovered Eilat for Aram, and drove the Yehudim from Eilat; and the Edomim came to Eilat, and dwelt there unto this day.

7. So Achaz sent malachim to Tiglat Pileser Melech Ashur (Assyria), saying, I am thy eved and thy ben (son, vassal); come up, and save me out of the hand of Melech Aram, and out of the hand of Melech Yisroel, which rise up against me.

8. And Achaz took the kesef and zahav that was found in the Beis Hashem, and in the otzerot of the Bais HaMelech, and sent it for a shochad (bribe) to Melech Ashur.

9. And Melech of Ashur (Assyria) paid heed unto him; for Melech Ashur (Assyria) went up against Damascus, and captured it, and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slaughtered Retzin.

10. And HaMelech Achaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglat Pileser Melech Ashur, and Achaz saw the mizbe’ach that was at Damascus; and HaMelech Achaz sent to Uriyah HaKohen the demut (likeness, sketch) of the mizbe’ach, and the tavnit (pattern, plan) of it, according to all the workmanship thereof.

11. And Uriyah HaKohen built the mizbe’ach according to all that HaMelech Achaz had sent from Damascus; so Uriyah HaKohen constructed it before HaMelech Achaz came from Damascus.

12. And when HaMelech came from Damascus, HaMelech saw the mizbe’ach; and HaMelech approached the mizbe’ach, and went up to it.

13. And he burned his olah and his minchah, and poured his nesekh (drink offering), and sprinkled the dahm of his shelamim upon the mizbe’ach.

14. And he moved also the Mizbe’ach Nechoshet, which was before Hashem, from the forefront of the Beis, from between [his] mizbe’ach and the Beis Hashem, and put it on the north side of [his] mizbe’ach.

15. And HaMelech Achaz commanded Uriyah HaKohen, saying, Upon the Mizbe’ach HaGadol burn the olat haboker, and the minchat haerev, and the olat HaMelech, and his minchah, with the olat kol Am HaAretz, and their minchah, and their nesakhim; and sprinkle upon it all the dahm of the olah, and all the dahm of the zevach: but the Mizbe’ach HaNechoshet shall be for me to inquire by.

16. Thus did Uriyah HaKohen, according to all that HaMelech Achaz commanded.

17. And HaMelech Achaz cut off the misgerot (bases [of the Yam]) of the mekhonot (movable stands or bases), and removed the kiyor from off them; and took down the Yam from off the Bakar HaNechoshet that were under it, and put it upon the Martzepet Avanim.

18. The musakh for Shabbos that they had built in the Beis, and the outer entrance of HaMelech, he removed from the Beis Hashem because of Melech Ashur.

19. Now the rest of the acts of Achaz which he did, are they not written in the Sefer Divrei HaYamim of the Melachim of Yehudah?

20. And Achaz slept with his Avot, and was buried with his Avot in Ir Dovid; and Chizkiyahu bno reigned in his place.