2nd Kings Chapter 16
From The Open Bible Project
16:1 In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.
- (a) This was a wicked son of a godly father, as of him again came godly Hezekiah, and of him wicked Manasseh, save that God in the end showed him mercy. Thus we see how uncertain it is to depend on the dignity of our fathers.
16:2 Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and he didn't do that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh his God, like David his father.
16:3 But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yes, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations, whom Yahweh cast out from before the children of Israel.
- (b) That is, offered him to Molech or made him pass between two fires, as the manner of the Gentiles was, (Leviticus 18:21; Deuteronomy 18:10).
16:4 He sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
16:5 Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him.
- (c) For the Lord preserved the city and his people for the sake of his promise made to David.
16:6 At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drove the Jews from Elath; and the Syrians came to Elath, and lived there, to this day.
- (d) Which Azariah had taken from the Syrians and fortified, (2 Kings 14:22).
16:7 So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria, saying, "I am your servant and your son. Come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, who rise up against me."
- (e) Contrary to the admonition of the prophet Isaiah, (Isaiah 7:4).
16:8 Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of Yahweh, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria.
- (f) Thus he did not spare the temple of God from being spoiled to gain help from men and would not once lift his heart to God to desire his help or hear his prophet’s counsel.
16:9 The king of Assyria listened to him; and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried [the people of] it captive to Kir, and killed Rezin.
16:10 King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria, and saw the altar that was at Damascus; and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and its pattern, according to all its workmanship.
16:11 Urijah the priest built an altar: according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus, so did Urijah the priest make it against the coming of king Ahaz from Damascus.
- (g) We see that there is no prince so wicked that he cannot find liars and false ministers to serve his purposes.
16:12 When the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar: and the king drew near to the altar, and offered thereon.
- (h) Either offerings for peace or prosperity, or thanksgiving as in (Leviticus 3:1) or else meaning the morning and evening offering, (Exodus 29:38; Numbers 28:3) and thus he contemned the means and the altar which God had commanded by Solomon, to serve God after his own fantasy.
16:13 He burnt his burnt offering and his meal offering, and poured his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings, on the altar.
16:14 The bronze altar, which was before Yahweh, he brought from the forefront of the house, from between his altar and the house of Yahweh, and put it on the north side of his altar.
- (i) That is, at the right hand, as men went into the temple.
16:15 King Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, "On the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meal offering, and the king's burnt offering, and his meal offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their meal offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle on it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice; but the bronze altar shall be for me to inquire by."
- (k) Here he establishes by commandment his own wicked proceedings, and abolishes the commandment and ordinance of God.
16:16 Urijah the priest did so, according to all that king Ahaz commanded.
16:17 King Ahaz cut off the panels of the bases, and removed the basin from off them, and took down the sea from off the bronze oxen that were under it, and put it on a pavement of stone.
16:18 The covered way for the Sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king's entry outside, turned he to the house of Yahweh, because of the king of Assyria.
- (l) Or tent, in which they lay on the sabbath, who had served their week in the temple and so departed home.
- (m) Either to flatter the king of Assyria, when he should thus see him change the ordinance of God or else that the temple might be a refuge for him if the king should suddenly assault his house.
16:19 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
16:20 Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.
