2 Chronicles 28:23

23 by sacrificing to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him. "Since the gods of Aram's kings are helping them," he said, "I'll sacrifice to them too, so that they will help me." But they became the ruin of both him and 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

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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 Even though Ahaz took items from the LORD's temple, the royal palace, and the officials to buy off the king of Assyria, it was of no help.

22 It was during this troubled time that King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD

23 by sacrificing to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him. "Since the gods of Aram's kings are helping them," he said, "I'll sacrifice to them too, so that they will help me." But they became the ruin of both him and all Israel.

24 Ahaz gathered the objects from God's temple, cut them up, shut the doors of the LORD's temple, and made himself altars on every corner in Jerusalem.

25 He made shrines in all the towns of Judah for burning incense to other gods. This made the LORD, the God of his ancestors, very angry.