Bible Commentaries
2 Chronicles 28

Verse 5

Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter.

His God — God was his God, tho’ not by special relation, (which Ahaz had renounced) yet by his sovereign dominion over him: for God did not forfeit his right by Ahaz’s denying it.

Verse 6

For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.

Forsaken — Ahaz walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and God chose the king of Israel for his scourge: it is just with God, to make them a plague to us, whom we have made our patterns, or partners in sin.

Verse 9

But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven.

A rage — An unbounded rage, which cries to God for vengeance, against such bloody men.

Verse 10

And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God?

To keep under — It ill becomes sinners to be cruel. Shew mercy to them, for you are undone, unless God shew you mercy.

Verse 14

So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.

Left the captives — And herein they shewed a more truly heroic bravery, than they did in taking them. It is true honour for a man to yield to reason and religion even in spite of interest.

Verse 15

And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.

Were expressed — Who were appointed to take care about the management of this business.

Verse 16

At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him.

Kings — Princes, who may be called kings in a more general signification of the word.

Verse 19

For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD.

Low — As high as they were before in wealth and power. They that will not humble themselves under the word of God will be humbled by his judgments.

Naked — Taking away their ornament and their defence and strength, namely their treasures, which he sent to the Assyrian to no purpose; their frontier towns, and other strong holds, which by his folly and wickedness were lost; their religion, and the Divine protection, which was their great and only firm security.

Verse 20

And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.

Distressed — Or, straitened him, by robbing him of his treasures.

Strengthened not — A most emphatical expression: for tho’ he weakened his present enemy the Syrian, yet all things considered, he did not strengthen Ahaz and his kingdom, but weaken them; for by removing the Syrian, who, tho’ a troublesome neighbour, was a kind of bulwark to him, he smoothed the way for himself, a far more dangerous enemy, as appears in the very next king’s reign.

Verse 22

And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz.

That Ahaz — That monster and reproach of mankind, that unteachable and incorrigible prince, whom even grievous afflictions made worse, which commonly make men better. This is he, whose name deserves to be remembered and detested for ever.