The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 5 · Section 19 · Concurrent kings · Judah · Ahaz
The 12th. that reigned in Judah, AHAZ.AHAZ ſucceeded his father Jotham in the very end of the ſeventeenth year of Pekah. He was twenty *Object. If he was only 20 years old when he began to reign and reigned only 16 years, then how could his Son Hezekiah be 25 when he began to reign, 2 King. 18.2. for then he muſt be born when Ahaz was but 11 years old. Anſ. Ahaz was 20 years old when he was firſt deſigned King in his Fathers life time, (it being the manner of Kings in thoſe troubleſome times to ſet up their Sons in the Throne with themſelves in their life time, that they might hold it the more ſure after their death.) But when he began to reign by himſelf alone after his fathers death (from which the 16 years of his reign muſt be reckoned) he might be 24 or 25, and ſo his Son Hezekiah might well be 25 at his death.years old when he began to reign, and reigned ſixteen years. He did not that which was right in the ſight of the Lord his God like David his Father. The Lord was his God as to outward profeſſion, and David was his Father by lineal deſcent, but he would neither faithfully ſerve God, nor imitate David. Soon after his Father was dead, Rezin King of Syria, and Pekah King of Iſrael confederated together, and conſpired againſt him, intending with their joint forces to go up and beſiege Jeruſalem, and to depoſe him, and to make the Son of Tabeal (probably ſome eminent Syrian) King in his ſtead. The King and people of Judah were exceedingly ſtartled at theſe tidings as apprehending a ſudden and final deſtruction of their Kingdom. God hereupon ſends the Prophet Iſaiah to Ahaz to comfort him, and bids him take his Son Shear-jaſhub along with him, whoſe name intimated that though the Jews ſhould be brought low yet a remnant of them at leaſt ſhould return to their former condition again, and ſhould encreaſe and enjoy the happineſs of being a people and a Commonwealth of themſelves. It ſeems the names of Iſaiahs Sons(a)The Sons of Iſaiah were for ſigns and for wonders, C. 8. 18. by reaſon of the ſignification of their names, which preſignified the goodneſs of God to the Jews. were impoſed upon them by a ſpirit of Propheſie, and ſo they were for ſigns and ſignifications of the goodneſs of God which he intended to the Jews, ſee Iſa. 8.18. And thus Iſaiah brought his Son Shear-jaſhub to Ahaz to confirm him and his people with this ſign that they ſhould not utterly be deſtroyed by theſe two confederate Kings. Therefore he adviſes him to take heed of diſtruſting God, and to be quiet and not to be afraid of thoſe two Tails or ends of ſmoking fire-brands, viz. Rezin and Pekah, whom he ſo calls becauſe they ſhould ſoon be extinct, and their attempts vaniſh into ſmoke, though they thought to have burnt up all before them. For within the compaſs of 65 years (reckoning from the Earthquake in the 22 year of Ʋzziah's reign *See more hereof in the life of Uzziah.the Kingdom of Syria ſhall be ſwallowed up by the Aſſyrian, and Ephraim ſhall be broken †This was brought to paſs by Salmanaſſar, 2 King. 17.6.that it be not a people. But Ahaz ſeems ſtill incredulous and believed not the Prophets words. Iſaiah therefore tells him if he doubted of the truth of what he had ſaid to him in Gods name, he might freely ask a ſign of the Lord to be ſhewn him either in the heaven or in the earth for the confirmation of his faith. But he in a ſeeming piety ſaid, he would not tempt the Lord by deſiring a ſign; whereas they do not tempt God who ask a ſign when he allows them (as we ſee in the inſtances of Gideon, Judg. 6.36, 37. and Hezekiah, 2 King. 20.8.) but they that will not believe he will ſave them (according to his promiſe) except he ſhews them a miracle to confirm his promiſe as may be gathered from Luk. 11.16. Seeing therefore Ahaz refuſed to ask a ſign when the Lord permitted him to do it, Iſaiah tells him that the Lord himſelf would give him a ſign without asking, and that was this, Behold one that is now a (a)Though in the firſt ſenſe the Virgin here meant was the Virgin which Iſaiah afterwards took to wife, by whom he had a Son call'd Immanuel (whoſe name was to ſignifie to the Jews that the Lord would be with them) yet in a ſecond and more ſublime ſenſe the Virgin Mary is here ſignified, who was a Virgin and a Mother both in ſenſu compoſito (as the School ſpeaks) that is, a Virgin even when ſhe was a Mother. And the Son who was to be born of her was Immanuel, not only in name, but in deed. For he was true God, and being made man dwelt with us, and among us men, and came into the world to be our Saviour, of whom Immanuel the Son of Iſaiah was but a Type. And he was not only ſignum portendens, but ſignum operans, a ſign not only foreſhewing, but working out our Redemption.Virgin ſhall be married *Some underſtand this of that Prophetes whom Iſaiah (poſſibly being at this time a widower) immediately after took to wife. See Ch. 8 v. 3., and ſhall conceive and bear a Son, and ſhall call his name Immanuel. This Son ſhall be born before Rezin and Pekah ſhall lay ſiege to Jeruſalem. and the childs name Immanuel ſhall ſignifie that God will be with the Jews to help them. Further the Prophet tells him that this child ſhall eat butter and hony, therefore there ſhall be plenty of food in Jeruſalem during the ſiege. And before the child ſhall come to the uſe of reaſon, and know how to refuſe evil and chooſe good, the lands of Syria and Iſrael (which Ahaz ſo much abhorred and dreaded) ſhall be rid of both their Kings, and they ſhall be taken away by a violent death. This was the ſign the Lord would give him. And accordingly theſe two Kings came up and beſieged Jeruſalem, but could not prevail againſt it, and were fain to return without taking of it; and what became of them afterwards we ſhall ſee in the ſequel of the ſtory.
This wicked King Ahaz was no ſooner delivered from this great danger, but he forſook God his deliverer, and forthwith walked in the ways of the Kings of Iſrael, and ſet up the Idolatrous worſhip of Baal, and made molten images for that Idol, and offered ſacrifice in the valley *This was a valley near Jeruſalem. See 2 Chr. 33.6. 'Twas call'd Tophet from Toph a Drum, becauſe they uſed Drums & other ſounding Inſtruments to drown the cry of the child that was ſacrificed. See Jer. 7.31. Thence Gehenna came to ſignifie Hell, and Tophet to be uſed in the like ſenſe, Iſa. 30.33.of Benhinnom, and made one of his Sons to paſs through the fire, and offered him as a ſacrifice to Molech, (contrary to the expreſs Law of God, Lev. 18.21.) even after the abomination of the heathen whom God had caſt out before the children of Iſrael; and he offered ſacrifices in the high places, and upon the hills, under every green tree †Non tantum in lucis, ſed etiam ſub magnis arboribus ſacra ſaciebant. Grot., which in height and ſhade excelled others, and ſeemed fit for that purpoſe, ſee Deut. 12.2.
When Ahaz had thus forſaken God, God alſo forſook him; whereupon Rezin and Pekah dividing their forces, came again up againſt him, and overcame him, which before when both joined together they could not do. For the Lord being provoked by his grievous ſins, firſt gave him up into the hands of the Syrians, who having worſted him, carried away a great multitude of his people captive to Damaſcus. Then Rezin at the ſame time as it ſeems ſubdued Elath which Ʋzziah had recovered to Judah, and built it a new, and placed his Syrians to dwell there. The Lord alſo gave him up into the hands of the King of Iſrael, who made a great ſlaughter of his people, God therein uſing one Idolater to ſcourge another; for Pekah ſlew in one day an hundred and twenty thouſand of them (Zickri a man of Ephraim ſlaying one of the Kings Sons, and two other great officers of the Kings, which is mentioned for his particular honour) and the King of Iſrael carried away two hundred thouſand priſoners of the Jews, among whom were many women and children. There was at that time a Prophet of the Lord in Samaria, whoſe name was Oded, whereby we ſee that God was not wanting to ſend the Iſraelites Prophets to admoniſh them, even then when they were moſt corrupt. This Prophet met the hoſt of Iſrael coming triumphantly with their ſpoils and captives towards Samaria, to whom he ſpake after this manner, Becauſe the Lord was wroth with Judah he hath delivered them into your hands, and ye have ſlain them with a rage reaching up to heaven. And now I perceive ye purpoſe to keep under the children of Judah, and to make the captives ye have taken bondmen, and bondwomen, whereas the Law of God forbids you [Levit. 25.39, 40, 41.] to make any of your brethren bondmen. But conſider I pray you, are there not with you, even with you, ſins againſt the Lord your God? Now therefore hearken unto me, I adviſe you to ſend back theſe priſoners and captives of your Brethren which ye have taken, or elſe aſſure your ſelves the fierce anger of the Lord will fall upon you. It ſeems ſome eminent men of great authority in Samaria (whoſe names to their laſting honour are ſet down, 2 Chron. 28.12.) met the Army alſo at the ſame place with many others of the City, and hearing what the Prophet had ſaid, they were ſo mov'd thereby that they ſtood up againſt the Army, and told them they ſhould not carry their priſoners into the City; for (ſay they) we have offended againſt the Lord already, and have ſins too many upon us to anſwer for, and ye (if you go on according to your intentions) will add more to our ſins. For our treſpaſſes are great, and there is fierce wrath from the Lord hanging over our heads for the cruelty we have already exerciſed againſt our Brethren, and therefore you ſhall carry theſe priſoners no further. The Providence of God ſo wrought upon the hearts of the Commanders and Souldiers of the Army that they preſently ſubmitted, and left their priſoners and ſpoils to thoſe Princes, and the people there preſent to diſpoſe of them as they ſhould think fit. Hereupon theſe Governours took thoſe of the captives that were almoſt naked and clothed them out of the ſpoils that were taken, and gave apparel and ſhoes to them that wanted, and gave them to eat and drink and refreſhed them, and anointed *Or poſſibly anointed ſome of the better ſort of them to revive and refreſh them according to the cuſtom of thoſe Eaſtern Countries.ſuch of them as were wounded; and then ſetting all the feeble of them upon aſſes, carried them back to Jericho, and there delivered them to their Brethren in Judea. Thus the Lord inclin'd the hearts hearts of the Iſraelites to deal mercifully with the men of Judah. Shortly after (as it ſeems) the Edomites invaded Judah, and carried from thence many captives. The Philiſtines alſo (whom Ʋzziah whilſt he truſted in God had ſubdued, 2 Chron. 26.6.) now brake in upon the Cities of Judah in the low Countries, and the South parts thereof, and took ſix of them, and dwelt therein. Thus God gave the people of Judah over to the ſpoil, and brought them low becauſe of the ſins of Ahaz their King, who made them naked, that is, depriv'd them of the help and protection of God by his great tranſgreſſions in practiſing Idolatry himſelf, and drawing his people alſo into it.
Ahaz being thus forſaken of God, and ſore diſtreſſed on every ſide, he takes the gold and ſilver that was in the Lords houſe, and in the Treaſures of his own houſe, and ſends it for a preſent to Tiglath-pileſar King of Aſſyria, ſaying to him, I am thy ſervant, and thy ſon, that is, I am willing to be Tributary to thee, and to ſerve thee, and will be obedient to thee as a Son to his Father, if thou wilt come and deliver me out of the hands of the King of Syria, and the King of Iſrael. The King of Aſſyria being an ambitious Prince, and affecting rule and domination over all Nations about him, readily embrac'd this occaſion of invading Syria, and coming with a great Army to Damaſcus he took it, and carried away the inhabitants thereof to Kir a City of Media, and put to death Rezin King of Syria; fulfilling therein the forementioned Prophecy of Iſaiah, Ch. 7.16. Before the Child ſhall have knowledg to refuſe evil and chooſe good, the lands which thou abhorreſt ſhall be forſaken of both their Kings *Of Pekah's death ſee 2 King. 15.30. Hoſhea conſpir'd againſt him and ſlew him, about the fourth year of Ahaz. See more in the life of Pekah.. And Chap. 8. Before the child ſhall have knowledg to cry, My Father, and my Mother, the riches of Damaſcus, and the ſpoil of Samaria ſhall be taken away before the King of Aſſyria, that is, it ſhall be plundred and waſted in his ſight, and by his command. And Ch. 9.11. Therefore the Lord ſhall ſet up the adverſaries of Rezin againſt him, and join his enemies together. Amos alſo proheſied of theſe things, Ch. 1.3, 4, 5. Thus ſaith the Lord, for three tranſgreſſions of Damaſcus, and for four I will not turn away the puniſhment thereof, but I will break the bar of Damaſcus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain or Aven, and him that holdeth the ſcepter from the houſe of Eden, and the people of Syria ſhall go into captivity unto Kir, ſaith the Lord.
Thus the Kingdom of Damaſcus, (and with it that of Hamath of which as being then in a flouriſhing condition mention is made, Iſa. 37.13. and Jer. 49.23.) which was begun in Rezon, 1 King. 11.23, 24. now ended in this Rezin, after it had continued about ten Generations.
Ahaz now goes to Damaſcus to Tiglath-Pileſar to congratulate him for his late victory obtained over the Syrians; he ſeeth there an Idolatrous Altar, the faſhion and pattern of which, with all the workmanſhip thereof, he took and ſent to Ʋrijah the Prieſt at Jeruſalem, with command that he ſhould make the like there, which he accordingly did againſt his return. And Ahaz took a reſolution, (as it ſeems) to ſacrifice to the gods of Damaſcus which he vainly thought had ſmitten him, and helped the Syrians againſt him, whereas he ſaw they could not defend their own worſhippers from the power of Tiglath-Pileſar. However he ſaid becauſe the gods of the Syrians help them, I will ſacrifice unto them, that they may alſo help me. But this Idolatry proved fatal to him, and to all that joined with him therein, for thereby they provoked God to give them over into the hands of their enemies. Ahaz being now return'd to Jeruſalem, and this new Idolatrous Altar provided for him, he commanded Ʋrijah to remove the Brazen Altar (which Solomon had made) from the forepart of the Prieſts-Court where it ſtood, and to ſet it on the North-ſide (as it were in a corner out of the way) and to place this new Altar in the place of it, telling him that Solomon's Altar ſhould be for him to inquire of the Lord by when he thought fit. Then on this new great Altar he offered a burnt-offering and a meat-offering, and poured out a drink-offering to dedicate it. He commanded alſo Ʋrijah to offer the morning and evening-ſacrifice on this Altar, and all other ſacrifices, that either King or people ſhould offer.*R…cte Tertullianus oportet nos in omni obſequio eſſe ſubditos Principibus Magiſtratibus poteſtatibus, ſed intra limites diſciplinae. Peccavit Uriah malens placere Regi qu…m Deo. Secus fecit Ambroſ. Epiſt. 5.32. Ʋrijah like a wicked falſe hearted wretch, and a fellow that would do any thing (even forſake God and his Religon) to pleaſe his Prince, readily did what Ahaz commanded him. Ahaz then proceeded further and defaced and cut in ſunder many of the Sacred veſſels and utenſils of the houſe of the Lord, that they might never be uſed again in his ſervice. He cut off the borders of the baſes, and removed the lavers from them, and took down the Molten Sea from off the ſtately Brazen oxen on which it ſtood, and ſet it aſide. And the Covert of the Sabbath (viz. the retiring place for the guard and watchmen that on the Sabbath-day and whole week were to keep the watch of the Temple which they had built in the houſe) he removed, and put by or ſtopt up the Entry and ſtately Gallery, whereby the Kings us'd to paſs from their Palace to the houſe of the Lord. And he ſhut up the doors of the covered Temple, that the Prieſts might not enter into it to perform the ſervices there requir'd, and it ſeems it was not opened again till his ſons days. See 2 Chron. 29.3. Further, he made him Altars in every corner of Jeruſalem, and in ſeveral Cities of Judah he ſet up high places to burn incenſe to other gods, and ſo provoked the Lord exceedingly againſt him. And all this (it ſeems) he did to ingratiate himſelf with the King of Aſſyria, and that he might ſhew that he had forſaken the Religion of his Fathers, and had embrac'd Heatheniſm. And becauſe he did all this when he had been lately ſo heavily afflicted of the Lord, therefore was his ſin highly aggravated, and this brand and black mark ſet on him, This is that King Ahaz, viz. that treſpaſſed ſo heinouſly againſt the Lord.
When Ahaz had thus made himſelf a vaſſal and tributary to the King of Aſſyria (which vaſſalage his Son ſoon ſhook off. See 2 King. 18.7.) he quickly found that he had received more hurt than help from him, as the Prophet had before intimated to him, Iſa. 7.20. In the ſame day ſhall the Lord ſhave with a razor that is hired, namely by them beyond the River, by the King of Aſſyria, the head and the hair of the feet, and it ſhall alſo conſume the beard. For though the King of Aſſyria to ſerve his own turn vanquiſhed Damaſcus, yet he impoveriſh'd Ahaz, and did not reſtore to him any of thoſe Cities which his enemies had taken from him; nor did him any other good in recompence of thoſe great treaſures which he had given him; and perhaps he did otherways diſtreſs him.
As Tiglath-pileſer went up againſt Damaſcus and took it, and ſlew Rezin (as hath been ſaid before) ſo he ſhortly after (as it ſeems) invaded the land of Iſrael, and made that great havock, of which we read 2 King. 15.29. In the days of Pekah King of Iſrael came Tiglath-pileſer King of Aſſyria and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-Maacah, and Junoah, and Kedeſh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Aſſyria. See more hereof in the life of Pekah.
Ahaz towards the latter end of his reign, ſet up a ſtately Dial which afterwards afforded a miraculous ſign to his Son Hezekiah, though he himſelf refus'd to ask a ſign.
In the laſt year of his reign he ſet up his Son Hezekiah with him in the Kingdom.
Ahaz now dying was buried in Jeruſalem but not among the Kings, he having been ſo great an Idolater.
The Prophet Iſaiah this year forewarns the Moabites of a great calamity that would befall them within three years after. See Iſaiah 15.1. & Ch. 16.14.
2 King. 16. wh. Ch.
2 Chron. 28. whole Chapter.
Iſai. 7. from v. 1, to 17.