Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord his God, like David his father. (2 Kings 16:2)
The majority of the rulers of Judah had been relatively upright kings; from now on many were evil. The reign of Ahaz marked the beginning of the nation’s final decline. Efforts were made by Hezekiah and Josiah to stay the tide of iniquity, but the effects were only temporary. A nation cannot long endure without righteousness and without good leadership. Evil men automatically bring about their own ruin.