2 Kings 16
Read 2 Kings 16 (WEB)+
1In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign. 2Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He didn’t do that which was right in Yahweh his God’s eyes, like David his father. 3But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yes, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out from before the children of Israel. 4He sacrificed and burned incense in the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree. 5Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war. They besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him. 6At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drove the Jews from Elath; and the Syrians came to Elath, and lived there, to this day. 7So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your 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, who rise up against me.” 8Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in Yahweh’s house, and in the treasures of the king’s house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria. 9The king of Assyria listened to him; and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried its people captive to Kir, and killed Rezin. 10King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria, and saw the altar that was at Damascus; and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest a drawing of the altar and plans to build it. 11Urijah the priest built an altar. According to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus, so Urijah the priest made it for the coming of king Ahaz from Damascus. 12When the king had come from Damascus, the king saw the altar; and the king came near to the altar, and offered on it. 13He burned his burnt offering and his meal offering, poured his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings on the altar. 14The bronze altar, which was before Yahweh, he brought from the front of the house, from between his altar and Yahweh’s house, and put it on the north side of his altar. 15King Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, “On the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, the evening meal offering, the king’s burnt offering, his meal offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, their meal offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle on it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice; but the bronze altar will be for me to inquire by.” 16Urijah the priest did so, according to all that king Ahaz commanded. 17King Ahaz cut off the panels of the bases, and removed the basin from off them, and took down the sea from off the bronze oxen that were under it, and put it on a pavement of stone. 18He removed the covered way for the Sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king’s entry outside to Yahweh’s house, because of the king of Assyria. 19Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 20Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in David’s city, and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.
World English Bible (public domain)
“And he sacrificed his son, and burned him as an offering, according to the abominable practices of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel.”
2 Kings 16:3
Summary
2 Kings chapter 16 recounts the reign of Ahaz, king of Judah, who ruled during a tumultuous time marked by political alliances and idolatrous practices. Ahaz's reign is characterized by disobedience to God, as he embraced the worship of foreign gods and made alliances with the Assyrian empire, relying on pagan practices rather than trusting in Yahweh. He even went so far as to sacrifice his own son, following the detestable ways of the nations around him and engaging in the worship centered at the high places. This departure from faithfulness resulted in spiritual decay within Judah and a decline in national integrity. The chapter also details Ahaz's strategic decisions as he faces threats from the kingdoms of Israel and Syria. In his efforts to secure military support, he enters a detrimental pact with Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria, showcasing a tragic shift away from reliance on God. The chapter highlights the consequences of turning away from divine guidance, as Ahaz’s actions lead not only to personal spiritual turmoil but also to national strife. The temple worship was compromised as Ahaz introduced a false altar, influenced by the pagan practices he observed in Damascus. Ultimately, 2 Kings 16 serves as a stark reminder of the danger of forsaking God’s ways for the sake of political expediency and worldly alliances. Ahaz’s reign lays groundwork for further division and chaos in Judah, illustrating the broader theological theme of the importance of faithfulness to God amidst external pressures. The chapter warns subsequent generations about the dire consequences of abandoning God's covenant for temporal security and superficial peace.
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