And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the Lord ,.... Which Uzziah and Jotham had put there; for all that was found there in the times of Amaziah was taken away by Jehoash king of Israel, 2 Kings 14:14 . and in the treasures of the king's house ; whatever gold and silver he had of his own: and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria ; to obtain his help and assistance. read more
And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him ,.... Complied with his request: for the king of Syria went up against Damascus, and took it ; the metropolis of the kingdom of Syria, and so made a powerful diversion in favour of the king of Judah: and carried the people of it captive to Kir ; not Cyrene, as the Vulgate Latin version, a country belonging to Egypt, which the king of Assyria had no power over; but a place in upper Media, as Josephus F16 Antiqu. l. 9. c. 12. sect. 3. ... read more
And King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglathpileser king of Assyria ,.... When he heard he was come thither, and had taken it, to congratulate him on the victory, and to give him thanks for his assistance; which place from Jerusalem was one hundred and sixty miles, according to Bunting F17 Travels, &c.; p. 185. . and saw an altar that was at Damascus ; where, in all probability, he attended at the sacrifice on it along with the king of Assyria: and King Ahaz sent to Urijah... read more
And Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus ,.... Exactly according to the size, form, figure, and carved work of it, though expressly contrary to the command of God; which fixed both the form and matter of the altar of God, with everything appertaining to it, which he, being high priest, could not be ignorant of, Exodus 27:1 , &c.; but he was a timeserver, and sought to curry favour with his prince: so Urijah the priest made it... read more
And when the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar ,.... Looked at it, and liked it, being exactly according to the pattern he had sent: and the king approached the altar, and offered thereon ; either by a priest, or it may be in his own person, having no regard to the laws and appointments of God, and especially as his sacrifices were not offered to him, but to the gods of Damascus and Syria, 2 Chronicles 28:23 . read more
And he burnt his burnt offering, and his meat offering ,.... Which went together according to the law of God, and was imitated by the Heathens: and poured his drink offering ; a libation of wine, as probably it was, like what they used according to the Levitical law: and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings upon the altar ; as used according to the same law; for all sorts of sacrifices were offered by idolaters, as by the people of God, in imitation of them. read more
And he brought also the brasen altar which was before the Lord ,.... That which Solomon made, 2 Chronicles 4:1 , which stood in the court by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord, Leviticus 1:5 from the forefront of the house; the frontispiece of the temple, which was at the eastern gate of it: from between the altar and the house of the Lord for it seems Urijah had placed the new altar behind the old one, more out of sight; the brasen altar standing between... read more
And King Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying ,.... Who was not to be commanded by the king in matters of worship, but to attend to the laws and institutions of God: saying, upon the great altar ; meaning the new one, which either was of a larger size than the altar of God, or was greater in the esteem of Ahaz: burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meat offering ; the daily sacrifice, morning and evening: and the king's burnt sacrifice, and his meat offering, with... read more
Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all that King Ahaz commanded. Not only concerning the structure of the altar, but the sacrifices to be offered on it; like king like priest, both apostates and idolaters. read more
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John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 16:7
So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria ,.... Of whom see 2 Kings 15:29 . saying, I am thy servant, and thy son ; signifying, that he would be his vassal, and become tributary to him, and serve him as a servant to his master, or a son his father, on condition he would come to his assistance, and so he became his servant; hence his son Hezekiah is said to rebel against the king of Assyria, 2 Kings 18:1 . come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria,... read more