2 Chronicles 28:2

2 but he went in the ways of the kings of Israel. Furthermore and he melted out images to Baalim (And furthermore he cast metal images of the Baalim).

2 Chronicles 28:2 Meaning and Commentary

2 Chronicles 28:17

And the priest shall take holy water
Out of the laver, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, and so Jarchi and Aben Ezra:

in an earthen vessel;
which held half a log, and that was but a quarter of a pint, or three egg shells; for no more was assigned, to a suspected woman, according to the Misnah ^F18. Some say only a fourth part: an earthen vessel was made use of, as everything vile and mean was in this affair:

and of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest
shall take, and put [it] into the water;
first the water was put in, and then the dust, as Ben Gersom observes: there was a place a cubit square, where was a marble table, and a ring fixed in it, and when he lifted it up he took dust from under it, and put it so as it might be upon the top of the water ^F19; which was used, either, as the Targum of Jonathan suggests, because the end of all flesh is to come to dust, and so to put her in mind of her original and her end; and in like manner the earthen vessel might signify, that she would be broke to pieces as that vessel; as also it might direct her thoughts to the tempter, by the influence of whose temptation she had been drawn into this sin, dust being the serpent's food; and this being taken off the floor of the tabernacle, might add to the veneration of it, and make it more solemn and awful to drink of it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 Sotah, c. 2. sect. 2. Menachot, c. 9. sect. 3.
F19 Sotah, c. 2. sect. 2.

2 Chronicles 28:2 In-Context

1 Ahaz was of twenty years, when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; he did not rightfulness in the sight of the Lord, as David, his father, did (he did not go rightfully before the Lord, like his forefather David did);

2 but he went in the ways of the kings of Israel. Furthermore and he melted out images to Baalim (And furthermore he cast metal images of the Baalim).

3 He it is that burnt incense in the valley of Ben-hinnon, and purged his sons by fire (It was he who burned incense in the Valley of Ben-hinnon, and who burned his sons in the fire), (as) by the custom of heathen men, whom the Lord (had) killed in the coming of the sons of Israel from Egypt/in the coming of the sons of Israel to the land of promise.

4 Also he made sacrifice, and burnt incense in high places, and in hills, and under each tree full of boughs. (And he made sacrifices, and burned incense at the hill shrines, and on the hills, and under each tree full of boughs.)

5 And the Lord his God betook him in(to) the hand of the king of Syria, which smote Ahaz, and took a great prey of his empire, and brought into Damascus. Also Ahaz was betaken to the hands of the king of Israel, and he was smitten with a great wound. (And the Lord his God delivered him into the hands of the king of Syria, who struck Ahaz, and took away many captives from his empire, and brought them to Damascus. And then Ahaz was delivered into the hands of the king of Israel, who struck down his army with a great slaughter.)