KJV

2 Kings 16

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¹¶ In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.

²Twenty years old [was] Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD his God, like David his father.

³But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel.

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

⁵¶ Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome [him].

⁶At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day.

⁷So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, saying, I [am] thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me.

⁸And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent [it for] a present to the king of Assyria.

⁹And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried [the people of] it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin.

¹⁰¶ And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that [was] at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof.

¹¹And Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus: so Urijah the priest made [it] against king Ahaz came from Damascus.

¹²And when the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar: and the king approached to the altar, and offered thereon.

¹³And he burnt his burnt offering and his meat offering, and poured his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings, upon the altar.

¹⁴And he brought also the brasen altar, which [was] before the LORD, from the forefront of the house, from between the altar and the house of the LORD, and put it on the north side of the altar.

¹⁵And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meat offering, and the king's burnt sacrifice, and his meat offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and the brasen altar shall be for me to enquire [by].

¹⁶Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all that king Ahaz commanded.

¹⁷¶ And king Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from off them; and took down the sea from off the brasen oxen that [were] under it, and put it upon a pavement of stones.

¹⁸And the covert for the sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king's entry without, turned he from the house of the LORD for the king of Assyria.

¹⁹Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

²⁰And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.

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2 Kings 16:1-9 Verses 1-9

Few and evil were the days of Ahaz. Those whose hearts condemn them, will go any where in a day of distress, rather than to God. The sin was its own punishment. It is common for those who bring themselves into straits by one sin, to try to help themselves out by another.

2 Kings 16:10-16 Verses 10-16

God's altar had hitherto been kept in its place, and in use; but Ahaz put another in the room of it. The natural regard of the mind of man to some sort of religion, is not easily extinguished; but except it be regulated by the word, and by the Spirit of God, it produces absurd superstitions, or detestable idolatries. Or, at best, it quiets the sinner's conscience with unmeaning ceremonies. Infidels have often been remarkable for believing ridiculous falsehoods.

2 Kings 16:17-20 Verses 17-20

Ahaz put contempt upon the sabbath, and thus opened a wide inlet to all manner of sin. This he did for the king of Assyria. When those who have had a ready passage to the house of the Lord, turn it another way to please their neighbours, they are going down-hill apace to ruin.

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Key Words in This Passage

King 18 in this passage Ahaz 14 in this passage Altar 11 in this passage Offering 7 in this passage Lord 6 in this passage Offerings 6 in this passage Son 6 in this passage Assyria 5 in this passage Burnt 5 in this passage Damascus 5 in this passage Sent 5 in this passage Aram 4 in this passage Bronze 4 in this passage Grain 4 in this passage Priest 4 in this passage Took 4 in this passage Uriah 4 in this passage House 3 in this passage Israel 3 in this passage Judah 3 in this passage Kings 3 in this passage Put 3 in this passage Rezin 3 in this passage According 2 in this passage

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Related Topics

Ahaz: King of Judah, Son and Successor of Jotham 2 Kings 16:1

In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah, Ahaz son of Jotham became king of Judah.

Ahaz: King of Judah, Son and Successor of Jotham: Idolatrous Abominations of 2 Kings 16:3, 4

Instead, 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. / And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.

Ahaz: King of Judah, Son and Successor of Jotham: Kingdom of, Invaded by the Kings of Syria and Samaria 2 Kings 16:5, 6

Then 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. / At 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.

Ahaz: King of Judah, Son and Successor of Jotham: Robs the Temple to Purchase Aid from the King of Asia 2 Kings 16:7–9, 17, 18

So 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.” / Ahaz 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. / So 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.

Ahaz: King of Judah, Son and Successor of Jotham: Succeeded by Hezekiah 2 Kings 16:20

And Ahaz rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the City of David, and his son Hezekiah reigned in his place.

Ahaz: Visits Damascus 2 Kings 16:10–16

Then 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. / And Uriah the priest built the altar according to all the instructions King Ahaz had sent from Damascus, and he completed it by the time King Ahaz had returned. / When the king came back from Damascus and saw the altar, he approached it and presented offerings on it.

Alliances: Ahaz and Tiglath 2 Kings 16:7, 8

Alliances: Rezin and Pekah 2 Kings 16:5

Then 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.

Altar in Solomon's Temple: Removed by Ahaz, and One of Idolatrous Fashion Substituted 2 Kings 16:14–17

He 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. / Then 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. Sprinkle on the altar all the blood of the burnt offerings and sacrifices. But I will use the bronze altar to seek guidance.” / So Uriah the priest did just as King Ahaz had commanded.

Altar used in Idolatrous Worship 2 Kings 16:10

Then 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.

Altars of Ahaz 2 Kings 16:10–12

Ambassadors: Ahaz to Tiglath 2 Kings 16:7

Armies: March in Ranks: Confederated 2 Kings 16:9

So 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.

Assyria: Tiglathpileser King of Asked to Aid Ahaz Against Syria 2 Kings 16:7, 8

Assyria: Tiglathpileser King of Conquered Syria 2 Kings 16:9

So 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.

Children: Caused to Pass Through Fire 2 Kings 16:3

Instead, 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.

Church and State: State Superior to Religion: Ahaz, in Transforming the Altars 2 Kings 16:10–16

Church: House of the Lord 2 Kings 16:18

And 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.

Damascus: Taken by King of Assyria 2 Kings 16:9

So 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.

Diplomacy: Ahaz Purchases Assistance from the King of Assyria 2 Kings 16:7–9

Elath by the Syrians 2 Kings 16:6

At 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.

Fire: Children Caused to Pass Through 2 Kings 16:3

Instead, 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.

Hezekiah: King of Judah 2 Kings 16:20

And Ahaz rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the City of David, and his son Hezekiah reigned in his place.

High Places: Sacrifices and Incense offered to Idols Upon 2 Kings 16:4

And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.

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Peace offerings (Heb. shelamim), detailed regulations regarding given in Lev. 3; 7:11-21,… Burnt offering Hebrew olah; i.e., "ascending," the whole being consumed by fire,… Chronicles The words of the days, (1 Kings 14:19; 1 Chr.… Jerusalem Called also Salem, Ariel, Jebus, the "city of God," the… Remaliah Adorned by the Lord, the father of Pekah, who conspired… Damascus Activity, the most ancient of Oriental cities; the capital of… Offering An oblation, dedicated to God. Thus Cain consecrated to God… Hezekiah Whom Jehovah has strengthened. (1.) Son of Ahaz (2 Kings… Incense A fragrant composition prepared by the "art of the apothecary."… Sabbath (Heb. verb shabbath, meaning "to rest from labour"), the day… Assyria The name derived from the city Asshur on the Tigris,… Evening The period following sunset with which the Jewish day began… Palace Used now only of royal dwellings, although originally meaning simply… Temple First used of the tabernacle, which is called "the temple… Father A name applied (1) to any ancestor (Deut. 1:11; 1… Jotham Jehovah is perfect. (1.) The youngest of Gideon's seventy sons.… Silver Used for a great variety of purposes, as may be… Israel The name conferred on Jacob after the great prayer-struggle at…