2 Kings 16:18

18 The Musach also for the sabbath, which he had built in the temple, and the king’s entry from without, he turned into the temple of the Lord, because of the king of the Assyrians.

2 Kings 16:18 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 16:18

And the covert for the sabbath that they had built in the
house
Used on the sabbath day, either for the people to sit under to hear the law explained by the priests; or for the course of the priests to be in, that went out that day, to give way to the course that entered, which yet did not depart from the temple till evening; or rather for the king himself to sit under, while attending the temple service of that day, and might be the cover of the scaffold, ( 2 Chronicles 6:13 ) and be very rich cloth of gold; and therefore he took it away for the king of Assyria, or to signify that he should not frequent the place any more: and hence it follows,

and the king's entry without, turned he from the house of the Lord;
the way which led from the king's palace to it, he turned it a round about way, that it might not be discerned there was a way from the one to the other: and this he did

for the king of Assyria;
to gratify him, that he might from hence conclude that he had wholly relinquished the worship of God in the temple, and should cleave to the gods of Damascus and Syria; or for fear of him, that he might not see the way into the temple, and take away the vessels; or find him, should he be obliged to hide himself there, when in danger by him.

2 Kings 16:18 In-Context

16 So Urias, the priest, did according to all that king Achaz had commanded him.

17 And king Achaz took away the graven bases, and the laver that was upon them: and he took down the sea from the brazen oxen that held it up, and put it upon a pavement of stone.

18 The Musach also for the sabbath, which he had built in the temple, and the king’s entry from without, he turned into the temple of the Lord, because of the king of the Assyrians.

19 Now the rest of the acts of Achaz which he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the of the days of the kings of Juda?

20 And Achaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with them in the city of David, and Ezechias, his son, reigned in his stead.