King Ahaz of Judah

The King of Judah Pays Tribute to Assyria

Only king Ahaz, king of Judah in the south chose to not join and continued to pay tribute to Assyria. This angered king Rezin of Syria and he and king Pekah of Israel attacked Jerusalem and put it under siege. King Ahaz would not yield to this alliance and in spite of the warnings of the prophet Isaiah he pleaded for help from the Assyrians, offering gifts of silver and gold from the Temple.

The Bible records this transaction:

2 Kings 16:7-9 "So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, saying, "I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me from the hand of the king of Syria and from the hand of the king of Israel, who rise up against me." And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasuries of the king's house, and sent it as a present to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria heeded him; for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus and took it, carried its people captive to Kir, and killed Rezin."

The Assyrian Chronicles record this transaction:

"I received tribute from Jauhazi (Ahaz) of Judah."