2 Kings 16:1-20

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 16:1-4

We have here a general character of the reign of Ahaz. Few and evil were his days?few, for he died at thirty-six?evil, for we are here told, 1. That he did not that which was right like David (2 Kgs. 16:2), that is, he had none of that concern and affection for the instituted service and worship of God for which David was celebrated. He had no love for the temple, made no conscience of his duty to God, nor had any regard to his law. Herein he was unlike David; it was his honour that he was of... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 16:5-9

Here is, 1. The attempt of his confederate neighbours, the kings of Syria and Israel, upon him. They thought to make themselves masters of Jerusalem, and to set a king of their own in it, Isa. 7:6. In this they fell short, but the king of Syria recovered Elath, a considerable port upon the Red Sea, which Amaziah had taken from the Syrians, 2 Kgs. 14:22. What can those keep that have lost their religion? Let them expect, thenceforward, to be always on the losing hand. 2. His project to get... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 16:10-16

Though Ahaz had himself sacrificed in high places, on hills, and under every green tree (2 Kgs. 16:4), yet God's altar had hitherto continued in its place and in use, and the king's burnt-offering and his meat-offering (2 Kgs. 16:15) had been offered upon it by the priests that attended it; but here we have it taken away by wicked Ahaz, and another altar, an idolatrous one, put in the room of it?a bolder stroke than the worst of the kings had yet given to religion. We have here, I. The model... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 16:17-20

Here is, I. Ahaz abusing the temple, not the building itself, but some of the furniture of it. 1. He defaced the bases on which the lavers were set (1 Kgs. 7:28, 29) and took down the molten sea, 2 Kgs. 16:17. These the priests used for washing; against them therefore he seems to have had a particular spite. It is one of the greatest prejudices that can be done to religion to obstruct the purifying of the priests, the Lord's ministers. 2. He removed the covert for the sabbath, erected either... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 16:1

In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign. Jotham began to reign in the second of Pekah, and he reigned sixteen years, and therefore his last year would fall in the eighteenth of Pekah; but as his first year might be at the beginning of the second of Pekah, his last was towards the end of the seventeenth of Pekah's, as here; see 2 Kings 15:32 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 16:2

Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem ,.... The same number of years his father did: and did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord God, like David his father ; his more remote progenitor, nor even like his more immediate father, from whom he received such good instructions, and of whom he had so good an example; but grace is neither propagated by blood, nor obtained through the force of education. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 16:3

But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel ..... Worshipping the calves as they did; which, as it was contrary to the religious sentiments in which he was educated, so against his political interest, which was the only, or at least the principal thing, which swayed with the kings of Israel to continue that idolatry: yea, and made his son to pass through the fire ; between two fires to Molech, by way of lustration; which might be true of Hezekiah his son, and others of his sons, for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 16:4

And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills ,.... Which none of the kings of Judah before him ever did; for though they connived at this practice in the people, they never encouraged it by their own example; and very probably he offered sacrifices there to idols, see 2 Chronicles 28:25 whereas the people sacrificed to the true God, though at a wrong place: and under every green tree ; and which is never said of the people, and seems to confirm it, that Ahaz... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 16:5

Then Rezin king of Syria, and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel, came up to Jerusalem to war ,.... To fight with Ahaz, moved to it by the Lord, to chastise Ahaz for his idolatry, 2 Kings 15:37 . but could not overcome him ; so as to take Jerusalem, and set up another king there, as their scheme was, Isaiah 7:5 though they had both at other times got great advantages over him, and slew many of his people, and carried them captive, see 2 Chronicles 28:5 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 16:6

At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria ,.... A port on the Red sea, that formerly belonged to Edom, taken from them by David, retaken by them when they revolted in Joram's time, and perhaps taken by Amaziah again, since his son Azariah rebuilt it, and restored it to Judah, 2 Kings 14:22 and it seems by this that it had been in the hands of the Syrians, who now recovered it; unless instead of Aram, rendered Syrians, we could substitute Edom, which Le Clerc has ventured to... read more

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