2 Kings 16:4

4 At the pagan places of worship, on the hills, and under every shady tree, Ahaz offered sacrifices and burned incense.

2 Kings 16:4 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 16:4

And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on
the hills
Which none of the kings of Judah before him ever did; for though they connived at this practice in the people, they never encouraged it by their own example; and very probably he offered sacrifices there to idols, see ( 2 Chronicles 28:25 ) whereas the people sacrificed to the true God, though at a wrong place:

and under every green tree;
and which is never said of the people, and seems to confirm it, that Ahaz sacrificed to other gods, since the Heathens used to place idols under green trees, and worship them, whom the Jews imitated, ( Jeremiah 2:2 ) ( 3:6 ) .

2 Kings 16:4 In-Context

2 at the age of twenty, and he ruled in Jerusalem for sixteen years. He did not follow the good example of his ancestor King David; instead, he did what was not pleasing to the Lord his God

3 and followed the example of the kings of Israel. He even sacrificed his own son as a burnt offering to idols, imitating the disgusting practice of the people whom the Lord had driven out of the land as the Israelites advanced.

4 At the pagan places of worship, on the hills, and under every shady tree, Ahaz offered sacrifices and burned incense.

5 King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah of Israel attacked Jerusalem and besieged it, but could not defeat Ahaz.

6 (At the same time the king of Edom regained control of the city of Elath and drove out the Judeans who lived there. The Edomites settled in Elath and still live there.)