Now 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? Some others are written in the canonical book of Chronicles, 2 Chronicles 28:1 and were, it is highly probable, in the annals of the kings of Judah, now lost. read more
And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David ,.... But not in the sepulchres of the kings of Israel, as David and Solomon, he being such a wicked prince, 2 Chronicles 28:27 . and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead ; of whom much is said in the following part of this history. read more
Twenty years old was Ahaz - Here is another considerable difficulty in the chronology. Ahaz was but twenty years old when he began to reign, and he died after he had reigned sixteen years; consequently his whole age amounted only to thirty-six years. But Hezekiah his son was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and if this were so, then Ahaz must have been the father of Hezekiah when he was but eleven years of age! Some think that the twenty years mentioned here respect the... read more
Made his son to pass through the fire - On this passage I beg leave to refer the reader to my notes on Leviticus 18:21 ; Leviticus 20:2 , Leviticus 20:14 , where the subject is considered at large. read more
But could not overcome him - It is likely that this was the time when Isaiah was sent to console Ahaz; (see Isaiah 7:1 ;); and predicted the death both of Rezin and Pekah, his enemies. read more
Recovered Elath to Syria - See the note on 2 Kings 14:22 . read more
I am thy servant and thy son - I will obey thee in all, and become tributary to thee; only help me against Syria and Israel. read more
The king of Assyria hearkened unto him - It is said, 2 Chronicles 28:20 , that Tilgath-pilneser distressed him, but strengthened him not. Though he came against the Syrians, and took Damascus, and slew Rezin, yet he did not help Ahaz against the Philistines, nor did he lend him any forces to assist against Israel; and he distressed him by taking the royal treasures, and the treasures of the temple, and did him little service for so great a sacrifice. He helped him a little,... read more
Ahaz went to Damascus - He had received so much help on the defeat of Rezin, that he went to Damascus to meet the king of Assyria, and render him thanks. Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar - This was some idolatrous altar, the shape and workmanship of which pleased Ahaz so well that he determined to have one like it at Jerusalem. For this he had no Divine authority, and the compliance of Urijah was both mean and sinful. That Ahaz did this... read more
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John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 16:18
And the covert for the sabbath that they had built in the house ,.... Used on the sabbath day, either for the people to sit under to hear the law explained by the priests; or for the course of the priests to be in, that went out that day, to give way to the course that entered, which yet did not depart from the temple till evening; or rather for the king himself to sit under, while attending the temple service of that day, and might be the cover of the scaffold, 2 Chronicles 6:13 and be... read more