2 Kings 16:10-16

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 16:10

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 16:11

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 16:12

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 16:13

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 16:14

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 16:15

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

John Gill

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

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Kings 16:10

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Kings 16:14

Put it on the north side - He seems to have intended to conform every thing in the Lord's house as much as possible to the idolatrous temples which he saw at Damascus, and to model the Divine worship in the same way: in a word to honor and worship the gods of Syria, and not the God of heaven. All the alterations specified here were in contempt of the true God. Thus he provoked to anger the Lord God of his fathers, 2 Chronicles 28:25 . read more

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