2 Kings 16

1 anno septimodecimo Phacee filii Romeliae regnavit Ahaz filius Ioatham regis Iuda

2 viginti annorum erat Ahaz cum regnare coepisset et sedecim annis regnavit in Hierusalem non fecit quod erat placitum in conspectu Domini Dei sui sicut David pater eius

3 sed ambulavit in via regum Israhel insuper et filium suum consecravit transferens per ignem secundum idola gentium quae dissipavit Dominus coram filiis Israhel

4 immolabat quoque victimas et adolebat incensum in excelsis et in collibus et sub omni ligno frondoso

5 tunc ascendit Rasin rex Syriae et Phacee filius Romeliae rex Israhel in Hierusalem ad proeliandum cumque obsiderent Ahaz non valuerunt superare eum

6 in tempore illo restituit Rasin rex Syriae Ahilam Syriae et eiecit Iudaeos de Ahilam et Idumei venerunt in Ahilam et habitaverunt ibi usque in diem hanc

7 misit autem Ahaz nuntios ad Theglathfalassar regem Assyriorum dicens servus tuus et filius tuus ego sum ascende et salvum me fac de manu regis Syriae et de manu regis Israhel qui consurrexerunt adversum me

8 et cum collegisset argentum et aurum quod invenire potuit in domo Domini et in thesauris regis misit regi Assyriorum munera

9 qui et adquievit voluntati eius ascendit enim rex Assyriorum in Damascum et vastavit eam et transtulit habitatores eius Cyrenen Rasin autem interfecit

10 perrexitque rex Ahaz in occursum Theglathfalassar regis Assyriorum in Damascum cumque vidisset altare Damasci misit rex Ahaz ad Uriam sacerdotem exemplar eius et similitudinem iuxta omne opus eius

11 extruxitque Urias sacerdos altare iuxta omnia quae praeceperat rex Ahaz de Damasco ita fecit Urias sacerdos donec veniret rex Ahaz de Damasco

12 cumque venisset rex de Damasco vidit altare et veneratus est illud ascenditque et immolavit holocausta et sacrificium suum

13 et libavit libamina et fudit sanguinem pacificorum quae obtulerat super altare

14 porro altare aeneum quod erat coram Domino transtulit de facie templi et de loco altaris et de loco templi Domini posuitque illud ex latere altaris ad aquilonem

15 praecepit quoque rex Ahaz Uriae sacerdoti dicens super altare maius offer holocaustum matutinum et sacrificium vespertinum et holocaustum regis et sacrificium eius et holocaustum universi populi terrae et sacrificia eorum et libamina eorum et omnem sanguinem holocausti et universum sanguinem victimae super illud effundes altare vero aeneum erit paratum ad voluntatem meam

16 fecit igitur Urias sacerdos iuxta omnia quae praeceperat rex Ahaz

17 tulit autem rex Ahaz celatas bases et luterem qui erat desuper et mare deposuit de bubus aeneis qui sustentabant illud et posuit super pavimentum stratum lapide

18 Musach quoque sabbati quod aedificaverat in templo et ingressum regis exterius convertit in templo Domini propter regem Assyriorum

19 reliqua autem verborum Ahaz quae fecit nonne haec scripta sunt in libro sermonum dierum regum Iuda

20 dormivitque Ahaz cum patribus suis et sepultus est cum eis in civitate David et regnavit Ezechias filius eius pro eo

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.