2 Chronicles 28 Study Notes

28:22-23 Ahaz decided to pursue still another solution. Since the Arameans had defeated him earlier, the king concluded that the gods of Damascus must be strong, so he worshiped them (see note at 25:14-15). This was another futile move.

28:24-25 Ahaz seemed to become angry at God. His solution for dealing with these ineffective false gods was to empty the temple of the true God, shut its doors, and continue to proliferate idolatrous worship sites. These were utterly irrational actions, but we can understand them a little bit more by calling on the description of some of the events recorded in Is 7-8. Ahaz had placed himself in a state of war against God; regardless of the consequences, he was not about to let God win. The prophet Isaiah had specifically warned Ahaz against making this unreliable alliance with the Assyrians. When Ahaz rejected the admonition, Isaiah even gave him the opportunity to ask for a sign from God, to verify that God would protect him.

In a thoroughly hypocritical display of false piety, Ahaz responded to Isaiah by saying that he would never be so presumptuous as to ask for a sign from God. But Isaiah did not leave it alone. He said to Ahaz that if he were not going to ask for a sign, one would still be provided for him. He told him of the coming of a child (Is 7:14) who would grow up in a time of famine—referring to the consequences brought about soon by Ahaz’s actions, but who would also represent God’s presence with his people, thereby telescoping into the far future by predicting the coming Savior (Mt 1:23). This meant to Ahaz that God was going to actively oppose his efforts; therefore when the supposed alliance with Assyria did not work out, just as Isaiah had predicted, Ahaz blamed Isaiah’s God.

The history of ma‘al is uncertain. It indicates being unfaithful (Neh 1:8), primarily towards God. But wives acted unfaithfully by committing adultery (Nm 5:6). Ma‘al describes individuals breaking faith (Dt 32:51) with God. In twenty verses the verb occurs alongside the noun ma‘al (29x), both together translated as be unfaithful (Nm 5:12), commit treachery (Jos 22:16), commit unfaithfulness (Ezk 39:26), or show disloyalty (Dn 9:7). The noun alone is unfaithfulness (Ezr 9:4) or treachery (Jos 22:22), and once deceptive (Jb 21:34). Like adultery, ma‘al implied grave sin. Saul died for it (1Ch 10:13), and Moses and Aaron could not enter Canaan (Dt 32:51). Ma‘al characterized kings like Ahaz (2Ch 28:19) and Manasseh (2Ch 33:19). It brought exile to the northern (2Ch 30:7) and southern (1Ch 9:1) kingdoms. Unfaithfulness and disgrace summarize Israel’s sin (Ezk 39:26).

28:26-27 The Chronicler’s obituary of Ahaz is brief; the facts have spoken for themselves.