Ahaz (, lit. "has held", an abbreviation of Jehoahaz, "God has held") was king of Judah, and the son and successor of Jotham^[1]. He took the throne at the age of twenty (2 Kings 16:2). 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. He is one the kings mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew.

He is said to have given himself up to a life of wickedness, introducing many pagan and idolatrous customs (Isa. 8:19; 38:8; ). 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 Aram, 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).

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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