1-5 Ahaz reigning very wickedly, is greatly afflicted by the Syrians. 6-15 Judah being captivated by the Israelites, is sent home by the counsel of Oded the prophet. 16-21 Ahaz sending for aid to Assyria, is not helped thereby, 22-25 In his distress he grows more idolatrous 26,27 He dying, Hezekiah succeeds him

A.M. 3262-3278 B.C. 742-726
Ahaz 2Ki 16:1,2 1Ch 3:13 Isa 1:1 7:1-12 Ho 1:1 Mic 1:1 Mt 1:9

like David his father 2Ch 17:3

2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim.

For he walked 2Ch 21:6 22:3,4 1Ki 16:31-33 2Ki 10:26-28

molten images Ex 34:17 Le 19:4

Baalim Jud 2:11,13 Ho 2:13,17

3 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.

burnt incense. or, offered sacrifice
the valley 2Ki 23:10 Jer 7:31,32 19:2-6,13

burnt 2Ch 33:6 Le 18:21 2Ki 16:3 Ps 106:37,38 Jer 2:34 32:35 Eze 16:20,21 Mic 6:7

after the abominations 2Ch 33:2 De 12:31

4 He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

Le 26:30 De 12:2,3 2Ki 16:4

5 Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter.

his God 2Ch 36:5 Ex 20:2,3

delivered him 2Ch 24:24 33:11 36:17 Jud 2:14 2Ki 16:5,6 Isa 7:1,6

Damascus [heb] Darmesek

6 For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.

Pekah 2Ki 15:27,37 Isa 7:4,5,9 9:21

an hundred 2Ch 13:17

valiant men [heb] sons of valour
because 2Ch 15:2 De 6:14,15 28:15,25 29:24-26 31:16,17 32:20 Jos 23:16 24:20 Isa 1:28 24:5,6 Jer 2:19 15:6

7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king.

next to the king [heb] the second to the king

8 And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.

carried De 28:25,41

brethren 2Ch 11:4 Ac 7:26 13:26

9 But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: 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 that reacheth up unto heaven.

he went out 2Ch 19:1,2 25:15,16 1Ki 20:13,22,42 2Ki 20:14,15

Behold To this beautiful speech nothing can be added by the best comment: it is simple, humane, pious, and overwhelmingly convincing; and it is no wonder that it produced the effect here described. That there was much humanity, as well as firmness, in the heads of the children of Ephraim, who joined with the prophet of Jehovah on this occasion, their subsequent conduct, as detailed in the fifteenth verse, sufficiently proves. They did not barely dismiss these most unfortunate captives, but they took that very spoil which their victorious army had taken, and with clothed, shod, fed, and anointed these distressed people, set the feeblest of them upon asses, and escorted them safely to jericho! We can scarcely find a parallel to this in the universal history of the wars which savage man has carried on against his fellows from the foundation of the world. The compliance also of the whole army, in leaving both the captives and spoil to the disposal of the princes, was really wonderful, and perhaps unparalleled in history. Both the princes and army are worthy to be held up to the admiration and imitation of mankind.

because the Lord God 2Ch 28:5 Jud 3:8 Ps 69:26 Isa 10:5-7 47:6 Jer 15:17,18 Eze 25:12-17 26:2,3 Ob 1:10-16 Zec 1:15

reacheth Ge 4:10 11:4 Ezr 9:6 Re 18:5

10 And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God?

keep Le 25:39-46

not with Jer 25:29 Mt 7:2-4 Ro 12:20,21 1Pe 4:17,18

the Lord 2Ch 28:5

11 Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you.

deliver Isa 58:6 Jer 34:14,15 Heb 13:1-3

the fierce Ezr 10:14 Mt 5:7 7:2 Jas 2:13

12 Then certain 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,

the heads 1Ch 28:1

stood up Jer 26:6

13 And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the LORD already, ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.

add more Nu 32:14 Jos 22:17,18 Mt 23:32,35 Ro 2:5

14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.

15 And the men which 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 anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.

expressed by name 2Ch 28:12

clothed Job 31:15-23 Isa 58:7 Mt 25:35-45 Ac 9:39 1Ti 5:10 Jas 2:15,16 1Jo 3:17,18

gave them 2Ki 6:22 Pr 25:21,22 Lu 6:27 8:27,35 Ro 12:20,21

carried Ro 15:1

the city De 34:3 Jud 1:16

16 At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him.

did king 2Ki 16:5-7 Isa 7:1-9,17

the kings Instead of malchey, `kings,' the Chaldee, Syriac, Arabic, and Vulgate, one MS., and the parallel place, have {mailech}, `king.'

17 For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives.

the Edomites 2Ch 25:11,12 Le 26:18 Ob 1:10,13,14

captives [heb] a captivity

18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Bethshemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there.

Philistines Eze 16:27,57

Beth-shemesh Jos 15:10 1Sa 6:9

Ajalon 2Ch 11:10

Aijalon
Gederoth Jos 15:41

Socoh
Timnah Jud 14:1

Timnath

19 For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD.

the Lord De 28:43 1Sa 2:7 Job 40:12 Ps 106:41-43 Pr 29:23

because of Ahaz Ho 5:11 Mic 6:16

Israel 2Ch 21:2

made judah Ge 3:7,11 Ex 32:25 Re 3:17,18 16:15

20 And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.

A.M. 3264 B.C. 740
Tilgath-pilneser 2Ki 15:29 16:7-10

Tiglath-pilsesr 1Ch 5:26 Ho 5:13

distressed him 2Ki 17:5 Isa 7:20 30:3,16 Jer 2:37

21 For Ahaz took 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 he helped him not.

took away 2Ch 12:9 2Ki 18:15,16 Pr 20:25

22 And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz.

in the 2Ch 33:12 Ps 50:15 Isa 1:5 Eze 21:13 Ho 5:15 Re 16:9-11

this is Es 7:6 Ps 52:7

23 For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.

For he sacrificed This passage, says Mr. Hallet, greatly surprised me; for the sacred historian is here represented as saying, `The gods of Damascus had smitten Ahaz.' But it is impossible to suppose that an inspired author should say this for the Scripture every where represents the heathen idols as nothing and vanity, and as incapable of doing either good or hurt. All difficulty is avoided if we follow the old Hebrew copies, from which the Greek translation was made: `And king Ahaz said, I will seek to the gods of Damascus which have smitten me.' 2Ch 25:14 2Ki 16:12,13

Damascus [heb] Darmesek
Because the gods Hab 1:11

sacrifice to them Jer 10:5 44:15-18

But they were Isa 1:28 Jer 44:20-28 Ho 13:9

24 And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.

cut in pieces 2Ki 16:17,18 25:13

shut up 2Ch 29:3,7

he made 2Ch 33:3-5 Jer 2:28 Ho 12:11 Ac 17:16,23

25 And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers.

burn. or, offer

26 Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

the rest 2Ch 20:34 27:7-9 2Ki 16:19,20

27 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.

A.M. 3278 B.C. 726
they brought 2Ch 21:20 26:23 33:20 1Sa 2:30 Pr 10:7

the kings of Israel. Or, `the kings of Judah;' the name Israel being sometimes applied by the writer of this book, in a general way, to judah. The Hebrews were accustomed to honour the memory of those kings who had reigned well, by depositing their remains in the royal cemetery. On the contrary, those who died under the the disapprobation of the people, as a mark of posthumous disgrace, were denied interment with their predecessors, and were buried in some other place in Jerusalem. So it was with Ahaz, who, though brought into the city, was not buried in the sepulchres of the kings of Judah. It was doubtless with a design to make a suitable impression on the minds of their kings while living, that such distinctions were observed. They might thus restrain them from evil, or excite them to good, according as they were fearful of being execrated, or desirous of being honoured, when dead.