מלכים ב, פרק ט״ז, פסוק ב׳

Ahaz's time as king is a story of gradual spiritual decay, beginning with a partial connection to goodness and ending in a deep moral collapse. He held power for sixteen years, though this period consisted of fragmented rather than full, complete years of rule [מצודת דוד].

At the start of his leadership, Ahaz maintained a certain degree of uprightness. Because he still possessed a basic moral foundation, God is still referred to as his personal God. His initial failure was not an act of outright rebellion, but simply an inability to achieve the high spiritual standard set by his ancestor David.

However, this early shortcoming created a dangerous slippery slope. His moral deterioration worsened over time, steadily progressing from minor flaws to severe sins. After merely failing to live up to David's legacy, Ahaz began to copy the corrupt behaviors of the sinful kings of Israel. This downward spiral eventually reached a horrifying low, culminating in the extreme evil of passing his own son through the fire [חומת אנך].