2 Chronicles 28:23

23 offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, his smiters, or destroyers, and he said, The gods of the kings of Syria help them, which gods I shall please by sacrifices, and they shall help me; when, on the contrary, they were (the cause of) falling to him, and to all Israel. (offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, his destroyers, and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, I shall please these gods, and then they shall also help me; when, on the contrary, they were the cause of his downfall, and that of all Israel.)

2 Chronicles 28:23 Meaning and Commentary

2 Chronicles 28:23

For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him,
&c.] As he foolishly imagined, that they might do him no more hurt; as it is said of the Indians, that they worship the devil, that he may not hurt them; but that a king of Judah should do this is monstrous stupidity; rather therefore the meaning may be, that he worshipped the gods of those that smote him, those of the men or soldiers of Damascus

---

FOOTNOTES:

F13 see ( 2 Chronicles 28:5 ) for the Spirit of God would never ascribe the smiting of him to idols, though he himself might;

and he said, because the gods of the kings of Syria help them;
which looks as if this was before Damascus was taken by the king of Assyria, and when Rezin king of Syria prevailed over Ahaz:

therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me;
against the Edomites and Philistines; wherefore rather to this, his idolatry, respect is had in ( 2 Chronicles 28:22 ) ,

but they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel;
the worship of them was the cause of all the calamities that came upon that part of Israel of which he was king.

F13 So Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

2 Chronicles 28:23 In-Context

21 Therefore Ahaz, after that he had spoiled the house of the Lord, and the house of the king, and (those) of the princes, gave gifts to the king of Assyrians, and nevertheless it profited nothing to him. (And so Ahaz, after that he had spoiled the House of the Lord, and the house of the king, and those of the leaders, gave gifts to the king of Assyria, but nevertheless it profited nothing to him.)

22 Furthermore also in the time of his anguish he increased despite against God; that king Ahaz, himself, (And furthermore in the time of his anguish he increased his defiance against God; for King Ahaz, himself,)

23 offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, his smiters, or destroyers, and he said, The gods of the kings of Syria help them, which gods I shall please by sacrifices, and they shall help me; when, on the contrary, they were (the cause of) falling to him, and to all Israel. (offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, his destroyers, and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, I shall please these gods, and then they shall also help me; when, on the contrary, they were the cause of his downfall, and that of all Israel.)

24 Therefore after that Ahaz had taken away, and broken all the vessels of the house of God, he closed the gates of God's temple, and he made altars to himself in all the corners of Jerusalem (and he made altars for himself in all the corners of Jerusalem).

25 And in all the cities of Judah he builded altars to burn incense (to other gods), and he stirred the Lord God of his fathers to wrathfulness.