Ahaz Reigns in Judah
In 735 BC, during the seventeenth year of...
In 735 BC, during the seventeenth year of King Pekah's reign, Ahaz began to rule. He had been co-ruler for eleven years, but now he officially became king. This marked his transition from being under his father Jotham, who ruled from 743 to 735 BC, to ruling in his place from 735 to 732 BC. Ahaz likely had his official accession ceremony after his father's death in 732 BC. The author of Kings counts Ahaz's reign as lasting sixteen years, from 731 BC (the year after his father died) to 715 BC. See also study note on 2 Kings 17:1.
1In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah, Ahaz son of Jotham became king of Judah.
David was Ahaz's ancestor. He is the benchmark...
David was Ahaz's ancestor. He is the benchmark for judging the spiritual character of Judah's kings (2 Kings 14:3; 1 Kings 15:3, 11).
he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel: Ahaz was one of Judah's most wicked kings. He adopted Israel's false religion and the pagan practices of other nations, even sacrificing his own son in fire (see Jeremiah 19:5; 32:35). Levitical laws forbade such sacrifices as detestable to the Lord (Leviticus 18:10; 20:1–5), yet God's people continued the practice (Isaiah 30:33; Jeremiah 7:31) until Josiah's reforms (2 Kings 23:10).
David was Ahaz's ancestor. He is the benchmark for judging the spiritual character of Judah's kings (2 Kings 14:3; 1 Kings 15:3, 11).
he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel: Ahaz was one of Judah's most wicked kings. He adopted Israel's false religion and the pagan practices of other nations, even sacrificing his own son in fire (see Jeremiah 19:5; 32:35). Levitical laws forbade such sacrifices as detestable to the Lord (Leviticus 18:10; 20:1–5), yet God's people continued the practice (Isaiah 30:33; Jeremiah 7:31) until Josiah's reforms (2 Kings 23:10).
2Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. And unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD his God. 3Instead, he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire,† according to the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. 4And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
Rezin … Pekah: This alliance between the kings...
Rezin … Pekah: This alliance between the kings of Aram and Israel was made to resist Assyrian control under Tiglath-pileser III (2 Kings 15:29–30; Isaiah 9:1). They attacked Judah to force it into the alliance or to replace its king with someone they preferred (Isaiah 7:3–6). This led to captivity and many deaths in Judah (2 Chronicles 28:5–15). Isaiah notes that Rezin and Pekah wanted to put a new king on Judah’s throne (Isaiah 7:3–6). Judah also faced attacks from the Edomites and Philistines (2 Chronicles 28:17–18). These events were seen as God's response to Ahaz’s terrible spiritual practices, which caused great sin in Judah (2 Chronicles 28:5, 19).
5Then Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to wage war against Jerusalem. They besieged Ahaz but could not overcome him.
6At that time Rezin king of Aram recovered Elath† for Aram,† drove out the men of Judah, and sent the Edomites into Elath, where they live to this day.
Instead of trusting in God's help (Isaiah 7:7–16),...
Instead of trusting in God's help (Isaiah 7:7–16), Ahaz asked Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria to save him from his enemies. Tiglath-pileser succeeded, leading to Rezin's death, the capture of Damascus, and the deportation of its people in 732 BC. This also helped remove Pekah as king of Israel that same year (2 Kings 15:29–30). However, the rescue was costly; Ahaz paid a large tribute, and Assyria's involvement made Judah a vassal state (a state under the control of another).
7So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me from the hands of the kings of Aram and Israel, who are rising up against me.”
8Ahaz also took the silver and gold found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king’s palace, and he sent it as a gift to the king of Assyria. 9So the king of Assyria responded to him, marched up to Damascus, and captured it. He took its people to Kir as captives and put Rezin to death.
The Idolatry of Ahaz
Ahaz noticed the altar of the Arameans and...
Ahaz noticed the altar of the Arameans and had a copy made to imitate their religious practices.
10Then King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria. On seeing the altar in Damascus, King Ahaz sent Uriah the priest a model of the altar and complete plans for its construction. 11And Uriah the priest built the altar according to all the instructions King Ahaz had sent from Damascus, and he completed it before King Ahaz returned.
The king started using the new altar by...
The king started using the new altar by making traditional offerings on it (see Leviticus 1–3; Numbers 15:1–10; 28:9–15, 24, 31; 2 Kings 6:8–23; 7:11–20). Unfortunately, these offerings on a non-religious altar by a leader lacking spiritual integrity made a mockery of their true spiritual significance.
12When the king came back from Damascus and saw the altar, he approached it and presented offerings on it. 13He offered his burnt offering and his grain offering, poured out his drink offering, and splattered the blood of his peace offerings on the altar. 14He also took the bronze altar that stood before the LORD from the front of the temple (between the new altar and the house of the LORD) and he put it on the north side of the new altar.
Ahaz ordered that the daily sacrifices (Numbers 28:1–8)...
Ahaz ordered that the daily sacrifices (Numbers 28:1–8) and the king's and people's offerings be made on the new altar. He then limited the bronze altar to his own private use. The text says this was to seek guidance, likely meaning he intended to use it for pagan divination. This demand showed arrogant disrespect toward the Lord and his worship. Uriah the priest obeyed the king instead of resisting him (2 Kings 16:10–11, 16).
15Then King Ahaz commanded Uriah the priest, “Offer on the great altar the morning burnt offering, the evening grain offering, and the king’s burnt offering and grain offering, as well as the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings of all the people of the land. Splatter on the altar all the blood of the burnt offerings and sacrifices. But I will use the bronze altar to seek guidance.”
16So Uriah the priest did just as King Ahaz had commanded.
The side panels and basins from the water...
The side panels and basins from the water carts and the Sea were made of bronze (see 1 Kings 7:25–40). Ahaz might have used them to pay tribute or for another project.
on account: At the king of Assyria's request, Ahaz removed the canopy leading to the inner court and the king’s private temple entrance. Judah lost much freedom because Ahaz trusted the Assyrian king's military help (2 Kings 16:7–8, 10).
The side panels and basins from the water carts and the Sea were made of bronze (see 1 Kings 7:25–40). Ahaz might have used them to pay tribute or for another project.
on account: At the king of Assyria's request, Ahaz removed the canopy leading to the inner court and the king’s private temple entrance. Judah lost much freedom because Ahaz trusted the Assyrian king's military help (2 Kings 16:7–8, 10).
17King Ahaz also cut off the frames of the movable stands and removed the bronze basin from each of them. He took down the Sea from the bronze oxen that were under it and put it on a stone base. 18And on account of the king of Assyria, he removed the Sabbath canopy† they had built in the temple and closed the royal entryway outside the house of the LORD.
19As for the rest of the acts of Ahaz, along with his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
20And Ahaz rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the City of David, and his son Hezekiah reigned in his place.