2 Kings 16:1-6

Judah's King Ahaz

1 In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah, Ahaz son of Jotham became king of Judah.

2 Ahaz was 20 years old when he became king; he reigned 16 years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the sight of the Lord his God like his ancestor David

3 but walked in the way of the kings of Israel. He even made his son pass through the fire,^[a] imitating the abominations of the nations the Lord had dispossessed before the Israelites.^[b]

4 He sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.^[c]

5 Then Aram's King Rezin and Israel's King Pekah son of Remaliah came to wage war against Jerusalem. They besieged Ahaz but were not able to conquer him.

6 At that time Rezin king of Aram recovered Elath for Aram and expelled the Judahites from Elath. Then the Arameans came to Elath, and they live there until today.^[d]

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2 Kings 16:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 16

This chapter contains the reign of Ahaz only, relates his idolatry, 2Ki 16:1-4 his hiring the king of Assyria with the treasure of the temple, and his own, to assist him against the kings of Israel and Syria, who besieged him, 2Ki 16:5-9, his seeing the altar of an idol at Damascus, the fashion of which he took, and ordered one like it to be built at Jerusalem, 2Ki 16:10-16, his defacing and removing some things in the temple, 2Ki 16:17,18, and the chapter is concluded with his death and burial, 2Ki 16:19,20.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Footnotes 4

[a]. Either a Canaanite cult practice or child sacrifice
[b]. 2 Kg 21:6; Dt 18:10; 2 Ch 33:6
[c]. 2 Ch 28:1-4
[d]. 2 Ch 28:5-6; Isa 7:1-9

2 Kings 16:1-6

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Judah's King Ahaz

2 Kings 16:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 16

Footnotes 4