1 In the seventeenth H7651 H6240 H8141 year H8141 of Pekah H6492 the son H1121 of Remaliah H7425 Ahaz H271 the son H1121 of Jotham H3147 king H4428 of Judah H3063 began to reign. H4427
2 Twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 was Ahaz H271 when he began to reign, H4427 and reigned H4427 sixteen H8337 H6240 years H8141 in Jerusalem, H3389 and did H6213 not that which was right H3477 in the sight H5869 of the LORD H3068 his God, H430 like David H1732 his father. H1
3 But he walked H3212 in the way H1870 of the kings H4428 of Israel, H3478 yea, and made his son H1121 to pass through H5674 the fire, H784 according to the abominations H8441 of the heathen, H1471 whom the LORD H3068 cast out H3423 from before H6440 the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
4 And he sacrificed H2076 and burnt incense H6999 in the high places, H1116 and on the hills, H1389 and under every green H7488 tree. H6086
5 Then Rezin H7526 king H4428 of Syria H758 and Pekah H6492 son H1121 of Remaliah H7425 king H4428 of Israel H3478 came up H5927 to Jerusalem H3389 to war: H4421 and they besieged H6696 Ahaz, H271 but could H3201 not overcome H3898 him.
6 At that time H6256 Rezin H7526 king H4428 of Syria H758 recovered H7725 Elath H359 to Syria, H758 H130 and drave H5394 the Jews H3064 from Elath: H359 and the Syrians H726 came H935 to Elath, H359 and dwelt H3427 there unto this day. H3117
7 So Ahaz H271 sent H7971 messengers H4397 to Tiglathpileser H8407 king H4428 of Assyria, H804 saying, H559 I am thy servant H5650 and thy son: H1121 come up, H5927 and save H3467 me out of the hand H3709 of the king H4428 of Syria, H758 and out of the hand H3709 of the king H4428 of Israel, H3478 which rise up H6965 against me.
8 And Ahaz H271 took H3947 the silver H3701 and gold H2091 that was found H4672 in the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and in the treasures H214 of the king's H4428 house, H1004 and sent H7971 it for a present H7810 to the king H4428 of Assyria. H804
9 And the king H4428 of Assyria H804 hearkened H8085 unto him: for the king H4428 of Assyria H804 went up H5927 against Damascus, H1834 and took H8610 it, and carried the people of it captive H1540 to Kir, H7024 and slew H4191 Rezin. H7526
10 And king H4428 Ahaz H271 went H3212 to Damascus H1834 to meet H7125 Tiglathpileser H8407 king H4428 of Assyria, H804 and saw H7200 an altar H4196 that was at Damascus: H1834 and king H4428 Ahaz H271 sent H7971 to Urijah H223 the priest H3548 the fashion H1823 of the altar, H4196 and the pattern H8403 of it, according to all the workmanship H4639 thereof.
11 And Urijah H223 the priest H3548 built H1129 an altar H4196 according to all that king H4428 Ahaz H271 had sent H7971 from Damascus: H1834 so Urijah H223 the priest H3548 made H6213 it against king H4428 Ahaz H271 came H935 from Damascus. H1834
12 And when the king H4428 was come H935 from Damascus, H1834 the king H4428 saw H7200 the altar: H4196 and the king H4428 approached H7126 to the altar, H4196 and offered H5927 thereon.
13 And he burnt H6999 his burnt offering H5930 and his meat offering, H4503 and poured H5258 his drink offering, H5262 and sprinkled H2236 the blood H1818 of his peace offerings, H8002 upon the altar. H4196
14 And he brought H7126 also the brasen H5178 altar, H4196 which was before H6440 the LORD, H3068 from the forefront H6440 of the house, H1004 from between the altar H4196 and the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and put H5414 it on the north H6828 side H3409 of the altar. H4196
15 And king H4428 Ahaz H271 commanded H6680 Urijah H223 the priest, H3548 saying, H559 Upon the great H1419 altar H4196 burn H6999 the morning H1242 burnt offering, H5930 and the evening H6153 meat offering, H4503 and the king's H4428 burnt sacrifice, H5930 and his meat offering, H4503 with the burnt offering H5930 of all the people H5971 of the land, H776 and their meat offering, H4503 and their drink offerings; H5262 and sprinkle H2236 upon it all the blood H1818 of the burnt offering, H5930 and all the blood H1818 of the sacrifice: H2077 and the brasen H5178 altar H4196 shall be for me to enquire H1239 by.
16 Thus did H6213 Urijah H223 the priest, H3548 according to all that king H4428 Ahaz H271 commanded. H6680
17 And king H4428 Ahaz H271 cut off H7112 the borders H4526 of the bases, H4350 and removed H5493 the laver H3595 from off them; and took down H3381 the sea H3220 from off the brasen H5178 oxen H1241 that were under it, and put H5414 it upon a pavement H4837 of stones. H68
18 And the covert H4329 H4329 for the sabbath H7676 that they had built H1129 in the house, H1004 and the king's H4428 entry H3996 without, H2435 turned H5437 he from the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 for H6440 the king H4428 of Assyria. H804
19 Now the rest H3499 of the acts H1697 of Ahaz H271 which he did, H6213 are they not written H3789 in the book H5612 of the chronicles H1697 H3117 of the kings H4428 of Judah? H3063
20 And Ahaz H271 slept H7901 with his fathers, H1 and was buried H6912 with his fathers H1 in the city H5892 of David: H1732 and Hezekiah H2396 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Kings 16
Commentary on 2 Kings 16 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 16
2Ki 16:1-16. Ahaz' Wicked Reign over Judah.
1-4. Ahaz … did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord—[See on 2Ch 28:1.] The character of this king's reign, the voluptuousness and religious degeneracy of all classes of the people, are graphically portrayed in the writings of Isaiah, who prophesied at that period. The great increase of worldly wealth and luxury in the reigns of Azariah and Jotham had introduced a host of corruptions, which, during his reign, and by the influence of Ahaz, bore fruit in the idolatrous practices of every kind which prevailed in all parts of the kingdom (see 2Ch 28:24).
3. walked in the way of the kings of Israel—This is descriptive of the early part of his reign, when, like the kings of Israel, he patronized the symbolic worship of God by images but he gradually went farther into gross idolatry (2Ch 28:2).
made his son to pass through the fire—(2Ki 23:10). The hands of the idol Moloch being red hot, the children were passed through between them, which was considered a form of lustration. There is reason to believe that, in certain circumstances, the children were burnt to death (Ps 106:37). This was strongly prohibited in the law (Le 18:21; 20:2-5; De 18:10), although there is no evidence that it was practised in Israel till the time of Ahaz.
5. Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem—Notwithstanding their great efforts and military preparations, they failed to take it and, being disappointed, raised the siege and returned home (compare Isa 7:1).
6. Rezin … recovered Elath—which Azariah had got into his possession (2Ki 14:22).
the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day—The Septuagint version has "the Edomites," which the most judicious commentators and travellers [Robinson] prefer.
7-9. So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser—In spite of the assurance given him by Isaiah by two signs, the one immediate, the other remote (Isa 7:14; 8:4), that the confederate kings would not prevail against him, Ahaz sought aid from the Assyrian monarch, to purchase which he sent the treasures of the palace and temple. Tiglath-pileser marched against Damascus, slew Rezin the king, and carried the people of Damascus into captivity to Kir, which is thought to have been the city Karine (now Kerend), in Media.
10-16. And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser—This was a visit of respect, and perhaps of gratitude. During his stay in that heathen city, Ahaz saw an altar with which he was greatly captivated. Forthwith a sketch of it was transmitted to Jerusalem, with orders to Urijah the priest to get one constructed according to the Damascus model, and let this new altar supersede the old one in the temple. Urijah, with culpable complaisance, acted according to his instructions (2Ki 16:16). The sin in this affair consisted in meddling with, and improving according to human taste and fancy, the altars of the temple, the patterns of which had been furnished by divine authority (Ex 25:40; 26:30; 27:1; 1Ch 28:19). Urijah was one of the witnesses taken by Isaiah to bear his prediction against Syria and Israel (Isa 8:2).
2Ki 16:17-19. He Spoils the Temple.
17. cut off the borders of the bases, &c.—It is thought that he did this to use the elaborate sculpture in adorning his palace.
18. the covert for the Sabbath—the portico through which the priests entered the temple on the Sabbath.
the king's entry without—a private external entrance for the king into the temple. The change made by Ahaz consisted in removing both of these into the temple from fear of the king of Assyria, that, in case of a siege, he might secure the entrance of the temple from him.