2 Kings 16:11

11 And (then) Urijah, the priest, builded an altar by all things that king Ahaz had commanded from Damascus; so did the priest Urijah, till king Ahaz came from Damascus (so did Urijah the priest, until King Ahaz came back from Damascus).

2 Kings 16:11 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 16:11

And Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that
King Ahaz had sent from Damascus
Exactly according to the size, form, figure, and carved work of it, though expressly contrary to the command of God; which fixed both the form and matter of the altar of God, with everything appertaining to it, which he, being high priest, could not be ignorant of, ( Exodus 27:1 ) but he was a timeserver, and sought to curry favour with his prince:

so Urijah the priest made it against King Ahaz came from Damascus;
both king and priest were in haste to have this altar made. Ahaz could not stay till he came home, but sent directions about it from Damascus, and the priest was so expeditious in observing his commands, that he got it done before he came thence to Jerusalem.

2 Kings 16:11 In-Context

9 and he assented to his will. Soothly the king of Assyrians went up into Damascus, and wasted it, and translated the dwellers thereof to Kir (and carried away all of its inhabitants to Kir); soothly he killed Rezin.
10 And king Ahaz went into meeting to Tiglathpileser, king of Assyrians; and when king Ahaz had seen the altar of Damascus, he sent into Jerusalem to Urijah, the priest, the exemplar and [the] likeness thereof, by all the work thereof. (And King Ahaz went to meet Tiglathpileser, the king of Assyria; and when King Ahaz had seen the altar of Damascus, he sent back to Jerusalem an exact description and a model of it, to Urijah the priest.)
11 And (then) Urijah, the priest, builded an altar by all things that king Ahaz had commanded from Damascus; so did the priest Urijah, till king Ahaz came from Damascus (so did Urijah the priest, until King Ahaz came back from Damascus).
12 And when the king came from Damascus, he saw the altar, and worshipped (on) it;
13 and he went up, and offered burnt sacrifices, and his sacrifice; and he offered moist sacrifices, and he poured the blood of peaceable things, which he had offered, on the altar. (and he went up, and offered his burnt sacrifices, and his grain sacrifices; and he offered a wine offering, and he poured the blood of his peace offering on the altar.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.