2 Chronicles 28:23

23 by sacrificing to the gods of Dammesek, who had attacked him, reasoning, "The gods of the kings of Aram helped them, so I will sacrifice to them, and then they'll help me." But they became the ruin of him and of all Isra'el.

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 even though Achaz had stripped the house of ADONAI and the palaces of the king and princes and had given the plunder to the king of Ashur, it didn't help him at all.

22 During his time of distress this same King Achaz added to his treachery against ADONAI

23 by sacrificing to the gods of Dammesek, who had attacked him, reasoning, "The gods of the kings of Aram helped them, so I will sacrifice to them, and then they'll help me." But they became the ruin of him and of all Isra'el.

24 Achaz collected the equipment from the house of God, broke to pieces the equipment from the house of God and sealed the doors of the house of ADONAI; then he made himself altars in every corner of Yerushalayim.

25 In every city of Y'hudah he made high places for offering to other gods, thus provoking ADONAI the God of his ancestors.