2 Chronicles 28

The Reign of Ahaz

1 Ahaz [was] twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And he did not do what is right in the eyes of Yahweh like David his ancestor.

2 But he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and also made molten idols for the Baals.

3 And he himself burned incense in the valley of Ben-Hinnom and burned his sons in the fire, according to the detestable [practices] of the nations whom Yahweh drove out before the Israelites.

4 And he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops, and under every flourishing tree.

5 Then Yahweh his God gave him into the hand of the king of Aram who defeated him and captured many captives from him and brought [them to] Damascus. Moreover, he was also given into the hand of the king of Israel, and he defeated him by a great attack.

6 And Pekah, the son of Remaliah, killed in one day one hundred and twenty thousand in Judah, all men of strength, because they forsook Yahweh the God of their ancestors.

7 And Zikri, a mighty warrior of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the son of the king, Azrikam the commander of the house, and Elkanah the second to the king.

8 And the Israelites captured two hundred thousand of their brothers, women, sons, and daughters. And they also plundered much booty from them and brought the booty to Samaria.

9 Now a prophet of Yahweh was there; Oded [was] his name. And he went out before the army that was coming to Samaria and said to them, "Look, [it is] on account of the anger of Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, against Judah [that] he gave them into your hands, and you killed them in a rage reaching to the heavens.

10 So now, you yourselves plan to subdue people of Judah and Jerusalem as slaves and female servants for yourselves. {Is there not also guilt on your part} against Yahweh your God?

11 So now, listen to me and return the captives of your brothers whom you have taken captive, for the fierce anger of Yahweh [is] against you."

12 Then men from the heads of Ephraim--Azariah the son of Jehohanan, Berekiah the son of Meshillemoth, Hezekiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai--stood against those returning from the fight.

13 And they said to them, "You shall not bring the captives here, for [it is] as guilt [against] Yahweh upon us. You yourselves plan to add to our sins and to our guilt, but our guilt is very great, and [there is] great anger against Israel."

14 So the soldiers left the captives and the plunder before the commanders and all the assembly.

15 Then the men designated by name arose and took the captives and from the plunder clothed all their nakedness. So they clothed them, gave them sandals, gave them food to eat, gave them water to drink, anointed them, and guided them with the donkeys [provided] for all those who stumbled, and brought them to Jericho, the city of the palm trees, next to their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria.

16 At that time King Ahaz sent to the king of Assyria to help him,

17 since again the Edomites came and struck against Judah and took captives.

18 And the Philistines sent raids into the cities of the Shephelah and the Negeb of Judah. And they captured Beth-Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Socoh with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages. And they settled there.

19 For Yahweh subdued Judah for the sake of Ahaz, king of Israel, for he created disorder in Judah and acted unfaithfully against Yahweh.

20 Then Tiglath-Pileser the king of Assyria came against him and brought trouble for him, {instead of helping him},

21 for Ahaz took a portion [from] the house of Yahweh and the house of the king and the princes, and he gave [it] to the king of Assyria, but it was no help to him.

22 And in the time of his distress, King Ahaz continued to act unfaithfully against Yahweh.

23 He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus that had defeated him and said, "Because the gods of the king of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them so that they will help me." But they were {a disaster} to him and to all Israel.

24 Then Ahaz gathered the objects of the house of God, and he cut the objects of the house of God to pieces. And he shut the doors of the house of Yahweh and made for himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem.

25 And {in every city} of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and he provoked Yahweh, the God of his ancestors, to anger.

26 Now the remainder of his words and all his ways, [from] the first [to] the last, behold, they are written upon the scroll of the kings of Judah and Israel.

27 And Ahaz slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, for they did not bring him to the burial site of the kings of Israel. And Hezekiah his son became king in his place.

2 Chronicles 28 Commentary

Chapter 28

The wicked reign of Ahaz in Judah.

- Israel gained this victory because God was wroth with Judah, and made them the rod of his indignation. He reminds them of their own sins. It ill becomes sinners to be cruel. Could they hope for the mercy of God, if they neither showed mercy nor justice to their brethren? Let it be remembered, that every man is our neighbour, our brother, our fellow man, if not our fellow Christian. And no man who is acquainted with the word of God, need fear to maintain that slavery is against the law of love and the gospel of grace. Who can hold his brother in bondage, without breaking the rule of doing to others as he would they should do unto him? But when sinners are left to their own heart's lusts, they grow more desperate in wickedness. God commands them to release the prisoners, and they obeyed. The Lord brought Judah low. Those who will not humble themselves under the word of God, will justly be humbled by his judgments. It is often found, that wicked men themselves have no real affection for those that revolt to them, nor do they care to do them a kindness. This is that king Ahaz! that wretched man! Those are wicked and vile indeed, that are made worse by their afflictions, instead of being made better by them; who, in their distress, trespass yet more, and have their hearts more fully set in them to do evil. But no marvel that men's affections and devotions are misplaced, when they mistake the author of their trouble and of their help. The progress of wickedness and misery is often rapid; and it is awful to reflect upon a sinner's being driven away in his wickedness into the eternal world.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "father"
• [b]. Or "Syria"
• [c]. Or "fathers"
• [d]. Or "fathers"
• [e]. Literally "Is there not only you with yourselves guilt?"
• [f]. The Hebrew reads "Tilgath-Pilneser"
• [g]. Literally "and did not strengthen him"
• [h]. Or "Syria"
• [i]. Literally "a cause of stumbling"
• [j]. Literally "in all city and city"
• [k]. Or "fathers"
• [l]. Or "fathers"

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 28

This chapter contains the reign of Ahaz, and gives an account of the idolatry he was guilty of, 2Ch 28:1-4, what calamities came upon him and his people, being delivered up into the hands of the kings of Syria and Israel, who slew many, and carried others captives, 2Ch 28:5-8, though they that were taken captive by Israel, at the admonition of a prophet, were sent back again, 2Ch 28:9-15, how also he was distressed by the Edomites and Philistines, and not helped by the king of Assyria, he sent for and made presents to, 2Ch 28:16-21 and yet went into more and greater idolatries, 2Ch 28:22-25, and the chapter is concluded with his death and burial, 2Ch 28:26,27.

These verses are much the same with 2Ki 16:2-4, only in 2Ch 28:2 it is said,

\\he made also molten images for Baalim\\; the several Baals or idols of the nations round about, as well as served Jeroboam's calves; see Jud 2:11, and he is said in 2Ch 28:3,

\\to burn incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom\\; to Molech, the god of the Ammonites, who was worshipped there. \\See Gill on "2Ki 16:2"\\ \\See Gill on "2Ki 16:3"\\ \\See Gill on "2Ki 16:4"\\ 19724-950128-0841-2Ch28.2