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Selected Verse: 2 Chronicles 28:1 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
2Ch 28:1	Strong Concordance	Ahaz [0271] was twenty [06242] years [08141] old [01121] when he began to reign [04427], and he reigned [04427] sixteen [08337] [06240] years [08141] in Jerusalem [03389]: but he did [06213] not that which was right [03477] in the sight [05869] of the LORD [03068], like David [01732] his father [01]:
	King James	Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father:

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
AHAZ, REIGNING WICKEDLY, IS AFFLICTED BY THE SYRIANS. (2Ch. 28:1-21) Ahaz was twenty years old--(See on Kg2 16:1-4). This prince, discarding the principles and example of his excellent father, early betrayed a strong bias to idolatry. He ruled with an arbitrary and absolute authority, and not as a theocratic sovereign: he not only forsook the temple of God, but embraced first the symbolic worship established in the sister kingdom, and afterwards the gross idolatry practised by the Canaanites.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

AHAZ, REIGNING WICKEDLY, IS AFFLICTED BY THE SYRIANS. (2Ch. 28:1-21)

Ahaz was twenty years old--(See on Kg2 16:1-4). This prince, discarding the principles and example of his excellent father, early betrayed a strong bias to idolatry. He ruled with an arbitrary and absolute authority, and not as a theocratic sovereign: he not only forsook the temple of God, but embraced first the symbolic worship established in the sister kingdom, and afterwards the gross idolatry practised by the Canaanites.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
This chapter is supplemental in character, The writer seems to assume that the narrative of Kings (marginal reference) is known, and is mainly anxious to add points which the author of that narrative has omitted.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
In the general statements as to the king's age, and the duration and the spirit of his reign, both accounts (Ch2 28:1-4; Kg2 16:1-4), agree entirely, with the exception of some unessential divergences; see the commentary on Kg2 16:1-4. From Ch2 28:5 onwards both historians go their own ways, so that they coincide only in mentioning the most important events of the reign of this quite untheocratic king. The author of the book of Kings, in accordance with his plan, records only very briefly the advance of the allied kings Rezin and Pekah against Jerusalem, the capture of the seaport Elath by the Syrians, the recourse which the hard-pressed Ahaz had to the help of Tiglath-pileser the king of Assyria, whom he induced, by sending him the temple and palace treasures of gold and silver, to advance upon Damascus, to capture that city, to destroy the Syrian kingdom, to lead the inhabitants away captive to Kir, and to slay King Rezin (Ch2 28:5-9). Then he records how Ahaz, on a visit which he paid the Assyrian king in Damascus, saw an altar which so delighted him, that he sent a pattern of it to the priest Urijah, with the command to build a similar altar for the temple of the Lord, on which Ahaz on his return not only sacrificed himself, but also commanded that all the sacrifices of the congregation should be offered. And finally, he recounts how he laid violent hands on the brazen vessels of the court, and caused the outer covered sabbath way to be removed into the temple because of the king of Assyria (Ch2 28:10-18); and then the history of Ahaz is concluded by the standing formulae (Ch2 28:19, Ch2 28:20). The author of the Chronicle, on the contrary, depicts in holy indignation against the crimes of the godless Ahaz, how God punished him for his sins. 1. He tells us how God gave Ahaz into the hand of the king of Syria, who smote him and led away many prisoners to Damascus, and into the hand of King Pekah of Israel, who inflicted on him a dreadful defeat, slew 120,000 men, together with a royal prince and two of the highest officials of the court, and carried away 200,000 prisoners-women and children-with a great booty (Ch2 28:5-8); and how the Israelites yet, at the exhortation of the prophet Oded, and of some of the heads of the people who supported the prophet, again freed the prisoners, provided them with food and clothing, and conducted them back to Jericho (Ch2 28:9-15). 2. He records that Ahaz turned to the king of Assyria for help (Ch2 28:16), but that God still further humbled Israel by an invasion of the land by the Edomites, who carried prisoners away (Ch2 28:17); by an attack of the Philistines, who deprived Judah of a great number of cities (Ch2 28:18); and finally also by the Assyrian king Tiglath-pileser, who, although Ahaz had sent him the gold and silver of the temple and of the palaces of the kings and princes, yet did not help him, but rather oppressed him (Ch2 28:20.). 3. Then he recounts how, notwithstanding all this, Ahaz sinned still more against Jahve by sacrificing to the idols of the Syrians, cutting up the vessels of the house of God, closing the doors of the temple, and erecting altars and high places in all corners of Jerusalem, and in all the cities of Judah, for the purpose of sacrificing to idols (Ch2 28:22-25). This whole description is planned and wrought out rhetorically; cf. C. P. Caspari, der syrisch-ephraimitische Krieg, S. 42ff. Out of the historical materials, those facts which show how Ahaz, notwithstanding the heavy blows which Jahve inflicted upon him, always sinned more deeply against the Lord his God, are chosen, and oratorically so presented as not only to bring before us the increasing obduracy of Ahaz, but also, by the representation of the conduct of the citizens and warriors of the kingdom of Israel towards the people of Judah who were prisoners, the deep fall of that kingdom.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

In the general statements as to the king's age, and the duration and the spirit of his reign, both accounts (Ch2 28:1-4; Kg2 16:1-4), agree entirely, with the exception of some unessential divergences; see the commentary on Kg2 16:1-4. From Ch2 28:5 onwards both historians go their own ways, so that they coincide only in mentioning the most important events of the reign of this quite untheocratic king. The author of the book of Kings, in accordance with his plan, records only very briefly the advance of the allied kings Rezin and Pekah against Jerusalem, the capture of the seaport Elath by the Syrians, the recourse which the hard-pressed Ahaz had to the help of Tiglath-pileser the king of Assyria, whom he induced, by sending him the temple and palace treasures of gold and silver, to advance upon Damascus, to capture that city, to destroy the Syrian kingdom, to lead the inhabitants away captive to Kir, and to slay King Rezin (Ch2 28:5-9). Then he records how Ahaz, on a visit which he paid the Assyrian king in Damascus, saw an altar which so delighted him, that he sent a pattern of it to the priest Urijah, with the command to build a similar altar for the temple of the Lord, on which Ahaz on his return not only sacrificed himself, but also commanded that all the sacrifices of the congregation should be offered. And finally, he recounts how he laid violent hands on the brazen vessels of the court, and caused the outer covered sabbath way to be removed into the temple because of the king of Assyria (Ch2 28:10-18); and then the history of Ahaz is concluded by the standing formulae (Ch2 28:19, Ch2 28:20). The author of the Chronicle, on the contrary, depicts in holy indignation against the crimes of the godless Ahaz, how God punished him for his sins. 1. He tells us how God gave Ahaz into the hand of the king of Syria, who smote him and led away many prisoners to Damascus, and into the hand of King Pekah of Israel, who inflicted on him a dreadful defeat, slew 120,000 men, together with a royal prince and two of the highest officials of the court, and carried away 200,000 prisoners-women and children-with a great booty (Ch2 28:5-8); and how the Israelites yet, at the exhortation of the prophet Oded, and of some of the heads of the people who supported the prophet, again freed the prisoners, provided them with food and clothing, and conducted them back to Jericho (Ch2 28:9-15). 2. He records that Ahaz turned to the king of Assyria for help (Ch2 28:16), but that God still further humbled Israel by an invasion of the land by the Edomites, who carried prisoners away (Ch2 28:17); by an attack of the Philistines, who deprived Judah of a great number of cities (Ch2 28:18); and finally also by the Assyrian king Tiglath-pileser, who, although Ahaz had sent him the gold and silver of the temple and of the palaces of the kings and princes, yet did not help him, but rather oppressed him (Ch2 28:20.). 3. Then he recounts how, notwithstanding all this, Ahaz sinned still more against Jahve by sacrificing to the idols of the Syrians, cutting up the vessels of the house of God, closing the doors of the temple, and erecting altars and high places in all corners of Jerusalem, and in all the cities of Judah, for the purpose of sacrificing to idols (Ch2 28:22-25). This whole description is planned and wrought out rhetorically; cf. C. P. Caspari, der syrisch-ephraimitische Krieg, S. 42ff. Out of the historical materials, those facts which show how Ahaz, notwithstanding the heavy blows which Jahve inflicted upon him, always sinned more deeply against the Lord his God, are chosen, and oratorically so presented as not only to bring before us the increasing obduracy of Ahaz, but also, by the representation of the conduct of the citizens and warriors of the kingdom of Israel towards the people of Judah who were prisoners, the deep fall of that kingdom.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Ahaz was twenty years old - For the difficulties in this chronology, see the notes on Kg2 16:2 (note).

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¹ In the seventeenth [07651] [06240] [08141] year [08141] of Pekah [06492] the son [01121] of Remaliah [07425] Ahaz [0271] the son [01121] of Jotham [03147] king [04428] of Judah [03063] began to reign [04427].
² Twenty [06242] years [08141] old [01121] was Ahaz [0271] when he began to reign [04427], and reigned [04427] sixteen [08337] [06240] years [08141] in Jerusalem [03389], and did [06213] not that which was right [03477] in the sight [05869] of the LORD [03068] his God [0430], like David [01732] his father [01].
³ But he walked [03212] in the way [01870] of the kings [04428] of Israel [03478], yea, and made his son [01121] to pass through [05674] the fire [0784], according to the abominations [08441] of the heathen [01471], whom the LORD [03068] cast out [03423] from before [06440] the children [01121] of Israel [03478].
⁴ And he sacrificed [02076] and burnt incense [06999] in the high places [01116], and on the hills [01389], and under every green [07488] tree [06086].

²² And in the time [06256] of his distress [06887] did he trespass [04603] yet more [03254] against the LORD [03068]: this is that king [04428] Ahaz [0271].
²³ For he sacrificed [02076] unto the gods [0430] of Damascus [01834], which smote [05221] him: and he said [0559], Because the gods [0430] of the kings [04428] of Syria [0758] help [05826] them, therefore will I sacrifice [02076] to them, that they may help [05826] me. But they were the ruin [03782] of him, and of all Israel [03478].
²⁴ And Ahaz [0271] gathered together [0622] the vessels [03627] of the house [01004] of God [0430], and cut in pieces [07112] the vessels [03627] of the house [01004] of God [0430], and shut up [05462] the doors [01817] of the house [01004] of the LORD [03068], and he made [06213] him altars [04196] in every corner [06438] of Jerusalem [03389].
²⁵ And in every several city [05892] of Judah [03063] he made [06213] high places [01116] to burn incense [06999] unto other [0312] gods [0430], and provoked to anger [03707] the LORD [03068] God [0430] of his fathers [01].

²⁰ And Tilgathpilneser [08407] king [04428] of Assyria [0804] came [0935] unto him, and distressed [06696] him, but strengthened [02388] him not.

¹⁸ The Philistines [06430] also had invaded [06584] the cities [05892] of the low country [08219], and of the south [05045] of Judah [03063], and had taken [03920] Bethshemesh [01053], and Ajalon [0357], and Gederoth [01450], and Shocho [07755] with the villages [01323] thereof, and Timnah [08553] with the villages [01323] thereof, Gimzo [01579] also and the villages [01323] thereof: and they dwelt [03427] there.

¹⁷ For again the Edomites [0130] had come [0935] and smitten [05221] Judah [03063], and carried away [07617] captives [07628].

¹⁶ At that time [06256] did king [04428] Ahaz [0271] send [07971] unto the kings [04428] of Assyria [0804] to help [05826] him.

⁹ But a prophet [05030] of the LORD [03068] was there, whose name [08034] was Oded [05752]: and he went out [03318] before [06440] the host [06635] that came [0935] to Samaria [08111], and said [0559] unto them, Behold, because the LORD [03068] God [0430] of your fathers [01] was wroth [02534] with Judah [03063], he hath delivered [05414] them into your hand [03027], and ye have slain [02026] them in a rage [02197] that reacheth up [05060] unto heaven [08064].
¹⁰ And now ye purpose [0559] to keep under [03533] the children [01121] of Judah [03063] and Jerusalem [03389] for bondmen [05650] and bondwomen [08198] unto you: but are there not with you, even [07535] with you, sins [0819] against the LORD [03068] your God [0430]?
¹¹ Now hear [08085] me therefore, and deliver [07725] the captives [07633] again, which ye have taken captive [07617] of your brethren [0251]: for the fierce [02740] wrath [0639] of the LORD [03068] is upon you.
¹² Then certain [0582] of the heads [07218] of the children [01121] of Ephraim [0669], Azariah [05838] the son [01121] of Johanan [03076], Berechiah [01296] the son [01121] of Meshillemoth [04919], and Jehizkiah [03169] the son [01121] of Shallum [07967], and Amasa [06021] the son [01121] of Hadlai [02311], stood up [06965] against them that came [0935] from the war [06635],
¹³ And said [0559] unto them, Ye shall not bring in [0935] the captives [07633] hither: for whereas we have offended [0819] against the LORD [03068] already, ye intend [0559] to add [03254] more to our sins [02403] and to our trespass [0819]: for our trespass [0819] is great [07227], and there is fierce [02740] wrath [0639] against Israel [03478].
¹⁴ So the armed men [02502] left [05800] the captives [07633] and the spoil [0961] before [06440] the princes [08269] and all the congregation [06951].
¹⁵ And the men [0582] which were expressed [05344] by name [08034] rose up [06965], and took [02388] the captives [07633], and with the spoil [07998] clothed [03847] all that were naked [04636] among them, and arrayed [03847] them, and shod [05274] them, and gave them to eat [0398] and to drink [08248], and anointed [05480] them, and carried [05095] all the feeble [03782] of them upon asses [02543], and brought [0935] them to Jericho [03405], the city [05892] of palm trees [08558] [05899], to [0681] their brethren [0251]: then they returned [07725] to Samaria [08111].

⁵ Wherefore the LORD [03068] his God [0430] delivered [05414] him into the hand [03027] of the king [04428] of Syria [0758]; and they smote [05221] him, and carried away [07617] a great multitude [01419] of them captives [07633], and brought [0935] them to Damascus [01834]. And he was also delivered [05414] into the hand [03027] of the king [04428] of Israel [03478], who smote [05221] him with a great [01419] slaughter [04347].
⁶ For Pekah [06492] the son [01121] of Remaliah [07425] slew [02026] in Judah [03063] an hundred [03967] and twenty [06242] thousand [0505] in one [0259] day [03117], which were all valiant [02428] men [01121]; because they had forsaken [05800] the LORD [03068] God [0430] of their fathers [01].
⁷ And Zichri [02147], a mighty man [01368] of Ephraim [0669], slew [02026] Maaseiah [04641] the king's [04428] son [01121], and Azrikam [05840] the governor [05057] of the house [01004], and Elkanah [0511] that was next [04932] to the king [04428].
⁸ And the children [01121] of Israel [03478] carried away captive [07617] of their brethren [0251] two hundred [03967] thousand [0505], women [0802], sons [01121], and daughters [01323], and took also away [0962] much [07227] spoil [07998] from them, and brought [0935] the spoil [07998] to Samaria [08111].

²⁰ And Tilgathpilneser [08407] king [04428] of Assyria [0804] came [0935] unto him, and distressed [06696] him, but strengthened [02388] him not.

¹⁹ For the LORD [03068] brought [03665] Judah [03063] low [03665] because of Ahaz [0271] king [04428] of Israel [03478]; for he made [06544] Judah [03063] naked [06544], and transgressed [04603] sore [04604] against the LORD [03068].

¹⁰ And now ye purpose [0559] to keep under [03533] the children [01121] of Judah [03063] and Jerusalem [03389] for bondmen [05650] and bondwomen [08198] unto you: but are there not with you, even [07535] with you, sins [0819] against the LORD [03068] your God [0430]?
¹¹ Now hear [08085] me therefore, and deliver [07725] the captives [07633] again, which ye have taken captive [07617] of your brethren [0251]: for the fierce [02740] wrath [0639] of the LORD [03068] is upon you.
¹² Then certain [0582] of the heads [07218] of the children [01121] of Ephraim [0669], Azariah [05838] the son [01121] of Johanan [03076], Berechiah [01296] the son [01121] of Meshillemoth [04919], and Jehizkiah [03169] the son [01121] of Shallum [07967], and Amasa [06021] the son [01121] of Hadlai [02311], stood up [06965] against them that came [0935] from the war [06635],
¹³ And said [0559] unto them, Ye shall not bring in [0935] the captives [07633] hither: for whereas we have offended [0819] against the LORD [03068] already, ye intend [0559] to add [03254] more to our sins [02403] and to our trespass [0819]: for our trespass [0819] is great [07227], and there is fierce [02740] wrath [0639] against Israel [03478].
¹⁴ So the armed men [02502] left [05800] the captives [07633] and the spoil [0961] before [06440] the princes [08269] and all the congregation [06951].
¹⁵ And the men [0582] which were expressed [05344] by name [08034] rose up [06965], and took [02388] the captives [07633], and with the spoil [07998] clothed [03847] all that were naked [04636] among them, and arrayed [03847] them, and shod [05274] them, and gave them to eat [0398] and to drink [08248], and anointed [05480] them, and carried [05095] all the feeble [03782] of them upon asses [02543], and brought [0935] them to Jericho [03405], the city [05892] of palm trees [08558] [05899], to [0681] their brethren [0251]: then they returned [07725] to Samaria [08111].
¹⁶ At that time [06256] did king [04428] Ahaz [0271] send [07971] unto the kings [04428] of Assyria [0804] to help [05826] him.
¹⁷ For again the Edomites [0130] had come [0935] and smitten [05221] Judah [03063], and carried away [07617] captives [07628].
¹⁸ The Philistines [06430] also had invaded [06584] the cities [05892] of the low country [08219], and of the south [05045] of Judah [03063], and had taken [03920] Bethshemesh [01053], and Ajalon [0357], and Gederoth [01450], and Shocho [07755] with the villages [01323] thereof, and Timnah [08553] with the villages [01323] thereof, Gimzo [01579] also and the villages [01323] thereof: and they dwelt [03427] there.

¹ Ahaz [0271] was twenty [06242] years [08141] old [01121] when he began to reign [04427], and he reigned [04427] sixteen [08337] [06240] years [08141] in Jerusalem [03389]: but he did [06213] not that which was right [03477] in the sight [05869] of the LORD [03068], like David [01732] his father [01]:
² For he walked in [03212] the ways [01870] of the kings [04428] of Israel [03478], and made [06213] also molten images [04541] for Baalim [01168].
³ Moreover he burnt incense [06999] in the valley [01516] of the son [01121] of Hinnom [02011], and burnt [01197] his children [01121] in the fire [0784], after the abominations [08441] of the heathen [01471] whom the LORD [03068] had cast out [03423] before [06440] the children [01121] of Israel [03478].
⁴ He sacrificed [02076] also and burnt incense [06999] in the high places [01116], and on the hills [01389], and under every green [07488] tree [06086].

² Twenty [06242] years [08141] old [01121] was Ahaz [0271] when he began to reign [04427], and reigned [04427] sixteen [08337] [06240] years [08141] in Jerusalem [03389], and did [06213] not that which was right [03477] in the sight [05869] of the LORD [03068] his God [0430], like David [01732] his father [01].