Bible Commentaries
2 Kings 16

Verses 1-20

2 Kings 16:0

1. In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign,

2. 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.

3. But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire [a sacrifice by fire. Such an appalling rite is really intended: chap. 2 Kings 17:31 ; Jeremiah 19:5 , Jeremiah 32:35 ; Ezekiel 16:20 , Ezekiel 23:37 . It was not in love to his child ( Jdg 11:31 ). Such dreadful sacrifices were only made in cases of dire extremity (comp. chap. 2Ki 3:27 ], according to the abominations of the heathen [more particularly the Ammonites, who made such sacrifices to Molech or Milcom], whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel.

4. And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

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 [literally, they were not able to war].

6. At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day.

7. So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy 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, which rise up against [are assailing] me.

8. And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria.

9. And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it [Damascus stood a two years' siege], and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin.

10. ¶ And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar [and he saw the altar] that was at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof [the king's interest was artistic rather than religious].

11. And Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus: so Urijah the priest made it against king Ahaz came from Damascus.

12. And when the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar: and the king approached to the altar [the king approached to the altar, and went up thereon (comp. 1Ki 12:32-33 ). It thus appears that Ahaz, like Uzziah, personally exercised the priestly function of sacrifice], and offered thereon.

13. And he burnt his burnt-offering and his meat-offering, and poured his drink-offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace-offerings, upon the altar.

14. And he brought also the brasen altar, which was before the Lord, from the fore-front of the house, from between the altar and the house of the Lord, and put it on the north side of the altar.

15. And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar [the high altar] burn the morning burnt-offering, and the evening meat-offering, and the king's burnt-sacrifice, and his meat-offering, with the burnt-offering of all the people of the land, and their meat offering, and their drink-offerings; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt-offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and the brasen altar shall be for me to enquire by.

16. Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all that king Ahaz commanded.

17. ¶ And king Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from off them; and took down the sea from of the brasen oxen [these were ultimately carried off by the Babylonians ( Jer 52:20 )] that were under it, and put it upon a pavement of stones [a pedestal or foundation of stonework].

18. And the covert for the sabbath [an obscure expression. The best interpretation is "the covered hall (or stand) set apart for the use of the king and his attendants when he visited the Temple on holy days"] that they had built in the house, and the king's entry without, turned he from the house of the Lord [stripped them of their ornamental work] for the king of Assyria.

19. ¶ Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

20. And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.