Read the Bible

¹ In the seuententhe yeer of Phacee, sone of Romelie, Achaz, the sone of Joathan, kyng of Juda, regnyde.² Achaz was of twenti yeer, whanne he bigan to regne, and he regnyde sixtene yeer in Jerusalem; he dide not that, that was plesaunt in the siyt of his Lord God, as Dauid, his fadir dide, but he yede in the weie of the kyngis of Israel.³ Ferthermore and he halewide his sone, and bar thorouy the fier, bi the idols of hethene men, whiche the Lord distriede bifore the sones of Israel.⁴ And he offride sacrifices, and brente encense in hiy placis, and in hillis, and vndur ech tree ful of bowis.

⁵ Thanne Rasyn, kyng of Sirye, and Phacee, sone of Romelie, kyng of Israel, stiede in to Jerusalem to fiyte; and whanne thei bisegide Achaz, thei miyten not ouercome hym.⁶ In that tyme Rasyn, kyng of Sirie, restoride Ahila to Sirie, and castide out Jewis fro Ahila; and Ydumeis and men of Sirie camen into Ahila, and dwelliden there til in to this dai.⁷ Forsothe Achaz sente messangeris to Teglat Phalasar, kyng of Assiriens, and seide, Y am thi seruaunt and thi sone; stie thou, and make me saaf fro the hond of the kyng of Sirie, and fro the hond of the kyng of Israel, that han rise togidere ayens me.⁸ And whanne Achaz hadde gaderide togidere siluer and gold, that myyte be foundun in the hows of the Lord, and in the tresours of the kyng, he sente yiftis to the kyng of Assiriens;⁹ whiche assentide to his wille. Sotheli the kyng of Asseriens stiede in to Damask, and wastide it, and translatide the dwelleris therof to Sirenen; sotheli he killide Rasyn.

¹⁰ And kyng Achaz yede in to metyng to Teglat Phalasaar, kyng of Assiriens; and whanne kyng Achaz hadde seyn the auter of Damask, he sent to Vrie, the preest, the saumpler and licnesse therof, bi al the werk therof.¹¹ And Vrie, the preest, bildide an auter bi alle thingis whiche king Achaz hadde comaundid fro Damask, so dide the preest Vrie, til kyng Achaz cam fro Damask.¹² And whanne the king cam fro Damask, he siy the auter, and worschipide it; and he stiede, and offride brent sacrifices, and his sacrifice;¹³ and he offride moist sacrifices, and he schedde the blood of pesible thingis, which he hadde offrid on the auter.¹⁴ Forsothe he dide awei the brasun auter, that was bifor the Lord, fro the face of the temple, and fro the place of the auter, and fro the place of the temple of the Lord; and settide it on the side of the auter `at the north.¹⁵ Also kyng Achaz comaundide to Vrie, the preest, and seide, Offre thou on the more auter the brent sacrifice of the morewtid, and the sacrifice of euentid, and the brent sacrifice of the king, and the sacrifice of hym, and the brent sacrifice of al the puple of the lond, and the sacrifices of hem, and the moist sacrifices of hem; and thou schalt schede out on that al the blood of brent sacrifice, and al the blood of slayn sacrifice; sotheli the brasun auter schal be redi at my wille.¹⁶ Therfor Vrie, the preest, dide bi alle thingis whiche kyng Achaz hadde comaundid to hym.

¹⁷ Forsothe kyng Achaz took the peyntid foundementis, and the waischyng vessel, that was aboue, and he puttide doun the see, that is, the waischung vessel `for preestis, fro the brasun oxis, that susteyneden it, and he settide on the pawment araied with stoon.<sup>18</sup> Also he turnede the tresorie of sabat, which he hadde bildid in the temple, and `he turnede the entryng of the kyng with outforth, in to the temple of the Lord for the kyng of Assiriens.¹⁹ Forsothe the residue of wordis of Achaz, and alle thingis whiche he dide, whether these ben not writun in the book of wordis of daies of the kyngis of Juda?²⁰ And Achaz slepte with hise fadris, and was biried with hem in the citee of Dauid; and Ezechie, his sone, regnede for hym.