2 Kings 16

1 In the seventeenth year of Pekach the son of Remalyahu Achaz the son of Yotam king of Yehudah began to reign.

2 Twenty years old was Achaz when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Yerushalayim: and he didn't do that which was right in the eyes of the LORD his God, like David his father.

3 But he walked in the way of the kings of Yisra'el, yes, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Yisra'el.

4 He sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

5 Then Retzin king of Aram and Pekach son of Remalyahu king of Yisra'el came up to Yerushalayim to war: and they besieged Achaz, but could not overcome him.

6 At that time Retzin king of Aram recovered Elat to Aram, and drove the Yehudim from Elat; and the Aram came to Elat, and lived there, to this day.

7 So Achaz sent messengers to Tiglat-Pil'eser king of Ashshur, saying, I am your servant and your son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Aram, and out of the hand of the king of Yisra'el, who rise up against me.

8 Achaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent it for a present to the king of Ashshur.

9 The king of Ashshur listened to him; and the king of Ashshur went up against Dammesek, and took it, and carried [the people of] it captive to Kir, and killed Retzin.

10 King Achaz went to Dammesek to meet Tiglat-Pil'eser king of Ashshur, and saw the altar that was at Dammesek; and king Achaz sent to Uriyahu the Kohen the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship of it.

11 Uriyahu the Kohen built an altar: according to all that king Achaz had sent from Dammesek, so did Uriyahu the Kohen make it against the coming of king Achaz from Dammesek.

12 When the king was come from Dammesek, the king saw the altar: and the king drew near to the altar, and offered thereon.

13 He burnt his burnt offering and his meal-offering, and poured his drink-offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace-offerings, on the altar.

14 The brazen altar, which was before the LORD, he brought from the forefront of the house, from between his altar and the house of the LORD, and put it on the north side of his altar.

15 King Achaz commanded Uriyahu the Kohen, saying, On the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meal-offering, and the king's burnt offering, and his meal-offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their meal-offering, and their drink-offerings; and sprinkle on it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: but the brazen altar shall be for me to inquire by.

16 Thus did Uriyahu the Kohen, according to all that king Achaz commanded.

17 King Achaz cut off the panels of the bases, and removed the basin from off them, and took down the sea from off the brazen oxen that were under it, and put it on a pavement of stone.

18 The covered way for the Shabbat that they had built in the house, and the king's entry outside, turned he to the house of the LORD, because of the king of Ashshur.

19 Now the rest of the acts of Achaz which he did, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Yehudah?

20 Achaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Hizkiyahu his son reigned in his place.

2 Kings 16 Commentary

Chapter 16

Ahaz, king of Judah, His wicked reign. (1-9) Ahaz takes a pattern from an idol's altar. (10-16) Ahaz spoils the temple. (17-20)

Verses 1-9 Few and evil were the days of Ahaz. Those whose hearts condemn them, will go any where in a day of distress, rather than to God. The sin was its own punishment. It is common for those who bring themselves into straits by one sin, to try to help themselves out by another.

Verses 10-16 God's altar had hitherto been kept in its place, and in use; but Ahaz put another in the room of it. The natural regard of the mind of man to some sort of religion, is not easily extinguished; but except it be regulated by the word, and by the Spirit of God, it produces absurd superstitions, or detestable idolatries. Or, at best, it quiets the sinner's conscience with unmeaning ceremonies. Infidels have often been remarkable for believing ridiculous falsehoods.

Verses 17-20 Ahaz put contempt upon the sabbath, and thus opened a wide inlet to all manner of sin. This he did for the king of Assyria. When those who have had a ready passage to the house of the Lord, turn it another way to please their neighbours, they are going down-hill apace to ruin.

Chapter Summary

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.