1Ahaz reigning very wickedly is smitten by the kings of Syria and Israel. 8The Israelites, having carried many thousands of Judah captive to Samaria, at the remonstrance of the prophet Oded send them home. 16Ahaz calleth the king of Assyria to his aid, but is not at all benefited by his assistance. 22In his distress he becometh still more idolatrous. 26His acts and death: Hezekiah succeedeth him.
1AHAZ wasa1twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but 2he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father:
a 2 Kings 16:2, etc.
1 Hebr. a son of twenty years.
2 Compare the annotation at 1 Kings 11 on verse 6.
2For he 3walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images 4for Baalim.
3 See 2 Chron. 21 on verse 6.
4 That is, to the honor of the idols, which they called Baalim, because they held them to be their lords. See Judges 2 on verse 11.
3Moreover he burnt incense in the 5valley of the son of Hinnom, and 6burntb his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
5 See 2 Kings 23 on verse 10.
6 In 2 Kings 16:3 it is stated that he made his son to pass through the fire. This king Ahaz caused some of his sons to be burnt, as is here confirmed, and it may be that he made only one to pass through the fire, as it is written in 2 Kings 16:3. See of this pagan abomination Lev. 18 on verse 21. Compare the annotation at 2 Chron. 33 on verse 6.
b Deut. 18:10; 2 Kings 21:6; Jer. 7:31; 19:5.
4He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the 7high places, 8and on the hills, and under every green tree.
7 See Lev. 26 on verse 30.
8 See Deut. 12 on verse 2.
5Wherefore the LORD 9his God deliveredc him into the hand of the 10king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to 11Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the 12king of Israel, who 13smote him with a great slaughter.
9 Namely, according to the Covenant of Grace, which God had made with Abraham and his posterity, or according to the hypocritical profession which Ahaz made, feigning himself to hold the LORD, the God of his fathers, to be his God also; as idolaters do commonly halt on both sides, 1 Kings 18:21.
c Isa. 7:1.
10 Called Rezin, 2 Kings 16:5.
11 Hebr. Darmesek. Also 2 Chron. 16:2.
12 Called Pekah, in the following verse and 2 Kings 16:5.
13 Compare 2 Chron. 13 on verse 17.
6¶For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all 14valiant men; 15because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.
14 Hebr. sons of battle, army, or strength. Of the significations of the Hebrew word haïl may be seen Gen. 47 on verse 6.
15 Compare the annotation at 1 Kings 9 on verse 9.
7And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the 16king’s son, and Azrikam 17the governor of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king.
16 Namely, Ahaz.
17 Or the leader of the house, who as high steward had the chief or supreme command over the king’s household; also the ruler over the treasurers is put for the chief or supreme treasurer, 1 Chron. 26:24.
8And the children of Israel carried away captive of their 18brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.
18 That is, of the Jews, who, with the Israelites, were descended from one father Jacob. See 2 Chron. 11 on verse 4. Also below verses 11 and 15.
9But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was 19Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage 20that reacheth 21up unto heaven.
19 A prophet, to be distinguished from another of this name, who lived in the time of king Asa, 2 Chron. 15:1.
20 Or, which, that is, which deed.
21 An hyperbole or phrase signifying a special exaggeration of the thing whereof mention is made, and importing withal a threatening and vengeance of God from heaven. Compare Gen. 11:4; Ezra 9:6.
10And now ye 22purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: 23but are there not with you, even with you, 24sins against the LORD your God?
22 Hebr. say, or, are saying. See Gen. 20 on verse 11; 1 Kings 5 on verse 5. Also below verse 13.
23 Namely, who seek your brethren to make them slaves? Or, are ye not, besides that, altogether full of guilt?
24 That is, nothing but sins. It is as much as if he had said: As for you, who are the rod of God’s judgment against the Jews, who have incensed Him, are ye better than they? What is there else with you, but mere sins and transgressions, whereby ye have continually hitherto provoked the Lord to anger, so that ye can expect nothing else but His punishments? Other, are they not with you, yea, concerning you, sins?, etc.
11Now hear me therefore, and deliver 25the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you.
25 Hebr. prison. See Num. 31 on verse 12. Also below verses 13, 14, 15, 17.
12Then 26certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war,
26 Understand the rulers of Samaria. In verse 14 they are called rulers or princes.
13And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives 27hither: for whereas we have offended 28against the LORD already, ye 29intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is fierce 30wrath against Israel.
27 Namely, in Samaria.
28 Hebr. guilt of the Lord, that is, against the Lord, as verse 10.
29 Hebr. ye are saying, that is, purposing in your heart. See on verse 10. It is as much as if they had said: What ye intend, is a new sin, whereby ye would aggravate our former sins, whereas we have already but too many of the same.
30 Namely, of the LORD, whereby He is incensed against our sins. The word wrath is, without the addition of the words of God, often understood as the wrath of God, because it may properly, in respect of its greatness, be called wrath. Also Num. 1:53; 18:5; Joshua 22:20; 1 Chron. 27:24; 2 Chron. 24:18.
14So the 31armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.
31 That is, the ready prepared or the soldiers.
15And the men 32which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and 33anointed them, and carried all the 34feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, 35the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.
32 Namely, verse 12. Understand those who were ordered for this work, namely, to conduct the captives, and to furnish them with necessities.
33 Namely, to revive and to refresh these captives according to the custom of those oriental countries. See Ruth 3 on verse 3.
34 Hebr. every stumbling ones, that is, those who, by reason of old age, or youth, or sickness, or wounds, or weariness, were not well able to go, and to keep pace with the multitude.
35 See Deut. 34 on verse 3.
16 ¶ 36At that time did king Ahaz send unto 37the kings of Assyria to help him.
36 Namely, when Rezin, the king of Syria, and Pekah, king of Israel, made war against him. See verse 5; 2 Kings 16:5, 7.
37 That is, to the famous and great king of Assyria, called Tiglath-pileser, 2 Kings 16:7, or the plural number is put here for the singular. See Gen. 19 on verse 29.
17For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives.
18The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken 38Beth-shemesh, and 39Ajalon, and 40Gederoth, and 41Shocho with the 42villages thereof, and 43Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there.
38 See 2 Kings 14 on verse 11.
39 See 2 Chron. 11 on verse 10.
40 A city in the tribe of Judah, Joshua 15:41.
41 See 2 Chron. 11 on verse 6 and verse 7.
42 Hebr. daughters, that is, places belonging thereunto. See Num. 21 on verse 25.
43 A city situated in Judah, Joshua 15:10.
19For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah 44naked, and transgressed 45sore against the LORD.
44 Or, had drawn away, namely, from the true God unto idols, from the pure worship of God to false and superstitious idolatries. The similar signification has the Hebrew word in Exod. 5:4. Other, for he made Judah naked namely, of the help and protection of God, causing them to sin.
45 Hebr. transgressed transgression.
20And 46Tilgath-pilneser 47king of Assyria came unto him, and 48distressed him, but strengthened him not.
46 Also called Tiglath-pileser, 2 Kings 15:29, etc. See there the annotation.
47 Whose help Ahaz had sought, verse 16.
48 Or, put him to a great strait, causing him to purchase on his side this hired razor (as Isaiah calls him, Isa. 7:20) with a great sum of money, and Ahab found it very difficult to raise such a sum of money.
21For Ahaz 49took away a portion out of the house of the LORD, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but 50he helped him not.
49 That is, he took away the silver and the gold that was in the temple, and in the treasurers of the king’s house, etc., and gave the same for a present to the king of Assyria. See 2 Kings 16:8.
50 Hebr. he was no help unto him, namely, to king Ahaz.
22¶And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: 51this is that king Ahaz.
51 That is, such a person was king Ahaz, namely, always the same man, so that he grew no whit better, but waxed worse and worse, although the LORD plagued and punished him grievously.
23For he sacrificed unto the gods of 52Damascus, 53which smote him: and he said, Becaused the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were 54the ruin of him, and of all Israel.
52 Hebr. Darmesek.
53 Some apply these words which smote him to the people of the city of Damascus; yet others to the gods of Damascus, so that Ahaz’ belief would be that they were the gods of Damascus that had smitten him.
d Judges 16:23; Hab. 1:11.
54 Hebr. to cause him to fall.
24And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, 55and shut up the doors 56of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.
55 Compare 2 Chron. 29:3.
56 Namely, of the porch and of the holy place, 2 Chron. 29:7, whereby this wicked king caused the entire service of God to cease.
25And 57in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto 58other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers.
57 Hebr. in every city and city.
58 Understand other than the true God, Who had revealed Himself unto His people, and therefore are also called strange gods. See Gen. 35:2, and the annotation thereon.
26¶Now the rest of his acts and of all 59his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
59 See 2 Chron. 27 on verse 6.
27And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the 60city, even in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings 61of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.
60 That is, in the city of David, which was a part of the city of Jerusalem. See 2 Kings 16:20.
61 That is, Judah. See 2 Chron. 21 on verse 2.