2 Chronicles 28:23

23 For he made offerings to the gods of Damascus, who were attacking him, and said, Because the gods of the kings of Aram are giving them help, I will make offerings to them so that they may give me help. But they were the cause of his downfall, and of that of all Israel.

2 Chronicles 28:23 Meaning and Commentary

2 Chronicles 28:23

For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him,
&c.] As he foolishly imagined, that they might do him no more hurt; as it is said of the Indians, that they worship the devil, that he may not hurt them; but that a king of Judah should do this is monstrous stupidity; rather therefore the meaning may be, that he worshipped the gods of those that smote him, those of the men or soldiers of Damascus

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 see ( 2 Chronicles 28:5 ) for the Spirit of God would never ascribe the smiting of him to idols, though he himself might;

and he said, because the gods of the kings of Syria help them;
which looks as if this was before Damascus was taken by the king of Assyria, and when Rezin king of Syria prevailed over Ahaz:

therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me;
against the Edomites and Philistines; wherefore rather to this, his idolatry, respect is had in ( 2 Chronicles 28:22 ) ,

but they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel;
the worship of them was the cause of all the calamities that came upon that part of Israel of which he was king.

F13 So Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

2 Chronicles 28:23 In-Context

21 For Ahaz took a part of the wealth from the house of the Lord, and from the house of the king and of the great men, and gave it to the king of Assyria; but it was no help to him.

22 And in the time of his trouble, this same King Ahaz did even more evil against the Lord.

23 For he made offerings to the gods of Damascus, who were attacking him, and said, Because the gods of the kings of Aram are giving them help, I will make offerings to them so that they may give me help. But they were the cause of his downfall, and of that of all Israel.

24 And Ahaz got together the vessels of the house of God, cutting up all the vessels of the house of God, and shutting the doors of the Lord's house; and he made altars in every part of Jerusalem.

25 And in every town of Judah he made high places where perfumes were burned to other gods, awaking the wrath of the Lord, the God of his fathers.