Ahaz

Ahaz (Hebrew "has held", short form of Jehoahaz: "God has held") was king of Judah, and the son and successor of Jotham. William F. Albright has dated his reign to 735 BC-715 BC, while E. R. Thiele offers the dates 732 BC-716 BC. His reign is described in 2 Kings 16; Isaiah 7-9; and 2 Chronicles 28.

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He is said to have given himself up to a life of wickedness, introducing many pagan and idolatrous customs (Isa. 8:19; 38:8; 2 Kings 23:12). He ignored the remonstrances and warnings of the prophets Isaiah, Hosea, and Micah, and appealed to Tiglath-Pileser III, the king of Assyria, for help against Rezin, king of Damascus, and Pekah, Prince of Israel, who threatened Jerusalem. This brought a great injury to his kingdom, and his own humiliating subjection to the Assyrians (2 Kings 16:7, 9; 15:29).

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He died at the age of 35, after reigning 16 years, and was succeeded by his son Hezekiah. Because of his wickedness he was "not brought into the sepulchre of the kings."

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Judah: Judah (יְהוּדָה "Praise", Standard Hebrew Yəhuda, Tiberian Hebrew Yəh?ḏāh) is the name of several Biblical and historical figures. The original Greek text of the New Testament makes no difference between the names "Judah", "Judas" ...

Jotham: Jotham ("God is perfect"; also Yotam) is the name of two people of the Hebrew Bible:...

William F. Albright: William Foxwell Albright (May 24, 1891–September 19/September 20, 1971) was an evangelical American Methodist archaelogist, biblical scholar, linguist and expert on ceramics. He was born in Coquimbo, Chile to Protestant missionaries Wilbur Finley and Zephine Viola Foxwell Albright, the eldest...