Bible Commentaries
2 Chronicles 27

Verse 1

2 Chronicles 27:1

Priestly Account: Pekah Attacks Ahaz

As usual, the Chronicler gives more detail about the kings of Judah and much less detail about the kings of Israel, than does the Book of Kings. The succession of kings in Israel is not mentioned; only Pekah appears in relation to the attack on Judah (2 Chronicles 28:5-6). On the other hand, Chronicles expands the account of King Jotham in Judah, relating more of his building activities (2Ch_27:3, 4) and his victory over Ammon (2 Chronicles 27:5).

The differences between Kings and Chronicles, though, are more than just detail. In 2 Kings, Syria and Israel could not overcome Ahaz (2 Kings 16:5), but 2 Chronicles describes their victory over Judah, emphasizing Judah’s losses (2 Chronicles 28:5-15). Perhaps 2 Kings 16:5 only means that the Syro-Israelite coalition could not take Jerusalem itself.

In Chronicles the two kingdoms, Israel and Judah, are still “brethren,” even though they are at war (2 Chronicles 28:11). For Israel to have enslaved their brethren from Judah would have been in violation of the Mosaic law (see Leviticus 25:39-43). The Israelites of Ephraim were sensitive to the guilt involved (2 Chronicles 28:13), which influenced the kind treatment of the Judahite captives (2 Chronicles 18:15)

The two histories agree, however, in their condemnation of Ahaz and his worship of foreign deities. “This is that King Ahaz” (2 Chronicles 28:22-25) who did not turn to God, but, in fact, turned farther from Him.