2 Kings 16:3

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

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Kings 16:3

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 16:1-4

General character of the reign of Ahaz . Ahaz was the most wicked king that had as yet reigned in Judah. The author, therefore, prefaces his account of the reign by a brief summary of some of the king's chief iniquities. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 16:1-4

The godliness of parents does not secure the perseverance of their children in well doing, but increases the children's guilt if they take to evil courses. Ahaz, the worst of all the kings of Judah, is the son of one of whom it is said that "he did right in the sight of the Lord" ( 2 Kings 15:34 ). Manasseh, perhaps the next worst, is the child of the one king for whom the sacred writers have no word of blame. Wicked Abimelech is the son of the pious Gideon ( 9:1 ). We naturally expect... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 16:1-4

The wickedness of Ahaz. The history has passed rapidly over the later kings of Israel. That kingdom was lost beyond recovery. "The victim having once got his stroke-of-grace, the catastrophe can be considered as almost come. There is small interest now in watching his long low moans; notable only are his sharper agonies, what convulsive struggles he may make to cast the torture off from him; and then, finally, the last departure of life itself" (Carlyle). In Judah the crisis too is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 16:1-20

REIGN OF AHAZ OVER JUDAH . WAR OF AHAZ WITH PEKAH AND REZIN . EXPEDITION OF TIGLATH - PILESER AGAINST THEM . RELIGIOUS CHANGES MADE BY AHAZ . HIS DEATH . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 16:1-20

Steps in a downward path: the reign of Ahaz. In the opening chapters of Isaiah we have an account of the condition of the kingdom of Judah at the time that Ahaz succeeded to the throne. The prosperity which the country had enjoyed under Uzziah had been continued and increased under the righteous reign of his son Jotham. And now the grandson, Ahaz, a young man of twenty, finds the country abounding in wealth, full of silver and gold. Isaiah says there was no end of their treasure; their land... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 16:1-20

A people's king and priest; or, kinghood and priesthood. "In the seventeenth year of Pekah," etc. Throughout all lands, almost throughout all times, two functionaries have been at the head of the peoples, too often treading them down by oppression, and fattening on them by their greed. One of these functionaries was not, among the Jews, of Divine ordinations; for the Almighty is represented as saying, "They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not." Let... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 16:3

But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel. Not, of course, by establishing a worship of calves, but by following the worst practices of the worst Israelite kings, e . g . Ahab and Ahaziah, and reintroducing into Judah the Phoenician idolatry, which Joash and the high priest Jehoiada had cast out ( 2 Kings 11:17 , 2 Kings 11:18 ). As the writer of Chronicles says ( 2 Chronicles 28:2 ), "He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim ."... read more

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