2 Kings 16

Achab is abominable Idolater, ver 1, &c. Rezin and Pekah making war against him, he hireth tiglath Pilefer against them, 5. He traveth to Damascus, and causeth an alter to be made at Jerusalem, according to the pattern of the altar, which he saw at Damascus,10. on which he offereth, corrupting the true worshipping of God, 12. He dieth and Hizkia reigneth, 20

1. In the Seventy year [Heb. In the year of the seventh year, see Genesis 5:5 and the annotate. Thereon] of Pekah the son of Remalia, Achaz the son of Jotham king of Juda became King.

2. Achaz wa twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years, at Jerusalem ad he did not that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, like David his father.

3. For he walked in the way of the king of Isreal, yeah he also made his son pass thorow the fire, [what this is, see lev 18. on verse 21 and compare 2 chron 28.3 and see the annotate there] according to the abomination of the Heathen, which the Lord had driven out before the children of Israel.

4. He also offered, and burnt incense on the high places, [see Lev. 26 on verse 30] and on the hills: also under all (for every) green tree. [see of this idolatious custome, Duet 12, on v. 2 and compare below chapter 17.10 2 Chron. 28.4. Jeremiah 2:20. Hosea 4:13.]

5. Then Rezin the King of Syria marched up, with Pekah the son of Remalia the King of Israel, to Jerusalem to battle and they besieged Achaz; but they prevailed not by fighting. [they were hindered by God who not onely long ago had promised to protect Jerusalem, 1 Kings chapter 11.36. 2 chron.7.16 but also at this present time Isaiah 7:4,&c.]

6. At that time Rezin king of Syria brought Elath [Azaria the grandfather of Achaz had formerly taken this city and brought it under the subjection of the kingdome of Juda above chap 14.22. see of this city 1 King. 9 on v. 26.] again Syria and cast the Jews out of Elath [i.e out of the dominion of Elath: and Syrians [oth. Edomites] came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day.

7. Now Achaz sent messengers to Tiglath-Pileser [see above chapter 15 on ver 29] king of Assyria saying: I am thy servant, and thy son: [oth. Let me by thy servant, ad son: that is let me by thy vassal, that I may trust under thy protection on which condition I promise to thee truth as a servant and obedience, as a son] come up and deliver me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me.

8. And Achaz took the silver, and the gold that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the King’s house: and he sent thee King of Assyria a present: [see 2 Chron. 28.21]

9. So the King of Assyria hearkened to him; for the King of Assyria marched up against Damascus and took it, and carried it [To wit, Damascus; that is, the Inhabitants of Damascus] away captive to Kir: [understand here a countrey in Media, whither these Syrians were carried captives as Amos had foretold, chapter 5.1. and distinguishing this Kir from another, called Kir of the Moabites, Isa.15.1.] and he slew Resin.

10. Then Achaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria,[to wit, to give him thanks for the aid he had given him, to congratulate him for the victory he had obtained, and to crave his good will and affection towards him for the future, and mainly his assistance against his Philistines, to recover again that which they had taken away from him: see 2 Chron. 28.18.] and having seen an Altar which was at Damascus, [[on which the Syrians in Damascus offered sacrifices to their idols] King Achaz sent to Uria the priest the likeness of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to the workmanship thereof.

11. And Uria the priest built the altar: according to all that King Achaz had sent from Damascus; so did Uria the Priest against King Achaz came from Damascus.

12. Now when the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar: and king approached to the altar and offered thereo. [he is not contented with his Royal Dignity, but likewise entrencheth upon thepriestly office, being not afraid of the judgement of his grandfather Uzzia for doing so, 2 Chron chap 26. v. 19.]

13. And kindled his burnt-offering and his meat-offering and poured his drink-offering; and sprinkled the blood of his thank-offerings. [Hebr. Of the thanks-offerings that were his, or which he had] upon that altar. [Which he had caused to be made according to the fashion of the Syrian Altar, above verse 10.]

14. But the copper altar [understand the altar of burnt-offering, which Salomon had caused to be made, 2 chron. 4.1] which was made before the face of the LORD, [see Lev. 1 on verse 3.] the same he brought from the fore-part of the house, [that is, from the place of the court, that was before the temple, where this altar was stand, according to the law of the Lord] from between (his) Altar and from between the house of the LORD: and he put it at the side of (his) altar Northward. [i.e. at the right side, as they went into the Temple: thither he removed the altar of the Lord, as being unworthy to keep its former place, that his that was made according to the Syrian fashion, might stand next to the temple.]

15. And K. Achaz commanded Uria the priest saying, upon the great alter, [Understand the new alter, made after the Syrian pattern, which he calleth great, because the form thereof was bigger and larger then the form of the copper altar, or because (in his opinion) it was more value and worth then that] burn the morning-burn-offering, and the evening meat-offering and the King’s-burnt offering, and his meat-offering, and the burnt-offering of all the people of the land, and their meat-offering and their drink –offerings, and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt-offering: but the copper altar shall be for me, to acquire (by). [The words may be likewise being translated: as for the copper alter, it shall be, or stand by me, to visit (the same); that is, I will use it at my pleasure, to offer upon it: or I will acquire, or consider (thereon) at my pleasure.]

16. And Uria the priest did, [as a wicked and Idolatrous hypocrite] according to all that King Achaz had commanded him.

17. And King Achaz cut off the borders of the hases [Heb, shutting’s in, or shutting’s about. Understanding the circumstances of the bases, in which the vessels that stood upon them were fitted in and shut in: see of these 1 Kings 17.28. what these were, see 1 Kings 17 on vers. 27] And took away the laver [see of this 1 Kings 7 on vers. 38] from above them and pulled down the sea [see of this 1 Kings 7 on verse 23.] from off the copper oxen [see 1 Kings 7:25.] that were under it, and he set it upon a stone floor.

18. Moreover he turned, [Heb. Turned off the cover of the Sabbath, [this seemeth to have been a hut or lodge, wherein the priests, when they had finished their weekly course, in taking heed of the worship of God, did keep on the Sabbath, until they returned home others hold this covert of the Sabbath to have been retiring place for the guard or watch men, that on the Sabbath and the whole week long were to keep the watch on the temple. Now to remove this, was as much as to shut up the temple; which Achaz did, 2 Chron. 28.24. some understand this of a covert, where with the people’s court was coverd against rain and winde. There be also those that conceive, that is, was a place were the king sat on the high dayes and did his alms] which they had built n the house and the King’s outermost entry [thorow which the king went from the strong hold of Zion to the temple: se 1 Kings 10:5 and the annotations. Item, the annotation on verse 12.] from the house of the LORD, because of the King of Assyria [i.e. partly to please the King of Assyria, shewing thus, that he left his own religion and embraced the Heathenish; partly for fear, that the King of Assyria might at any time by means of this entry take the strong hold of Zion and the King’s house]

19. Now the rest of the Acts what he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of juda?

20. And Achaz fell asleep with his father, and was buried by his fathers in the city of David: [But not in the Sepulchtes of the Kings: see 2 Chron. 28.27. and compare 2 Chron. 24.25.] and Hizkia his son became King in his stead.