Westminster Annotations, 2 Kings (4 Kings) · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
Vers. 1. SEventeenth yeer of Pekah the son of Remaliah, Ahaz, &c.] 2 Chron. 28. 1. See the Notes on chap. 15. v. 32.
V. 2. Twenty yeers old] By this account, Ahaz was but eleven yeers old when his son Hezekiah was born; for he reigned but sixteen yeers: and Hezekiah was five and twenty yeers old when he began to reign, chap. 18. v. 2. Some refer the relative particle, he, to Jotham, as if it had been thus expressed; Twenty yeers old was Ahaz, when Jotham began to reign. See 2 Chron. 36. 9.
V. 3. to passe thorow the fire] The heathen burnt their children to death for a sacrifice to their idoll, which the Jews learned of them: and it is set out, sometimes by offering up their children for a sacrifice, as Psal. 106, 37, 38. Jer. 7. 31. and 19. 5. Sometimes, by causing them to passe thorow the fire, as 2 Chron. 33. 6. Jer. 32. 35. The idol to which they consecrated their children, was Molech; whereof, see the Notes on 1 King 11. 5. The place where they used so to do, was called, The valley of the son of Hinnom. Hinnom was the name of a man: his son had a pleasant place neer Jerusalem, in a valley, which was usually called, The valley of the son of Hinnom, Josh. 15. 8. and 18. 16. It is also called, The valley of Hinnom, Neh. 11. 30. In this valley was a place called Topheth, from the Hebrew word foreign toph, tympanum, a timbrel or drum. See the Notes on Exod. 14. 20. Because of the sacrificing of children, they used to beat a drum, and sound other instruments, that the cry of the childe might not be heard. Of sacrificing children in this valley, see 2 Chron. 28. 3. and 33. 6. Of Topheth in that valley, see Jer. 7. 31, 32. From that cruelty used in the valley of Hinnom, which in Hebrew is foreign Gehinnom; the Greek word foreign, Gehenna, which signifieth hell, ariseth, Matth. 5. 22, 29. Yea, Topheth also is used in a like signification, Isai. 30. 33. See of Gehinnom, the Notes on Josh. 15. 8.
V. 4. on the hills] See the Notes on 1 King. 14. 23.
V. 5. Then Kezin king of Syria] Isai. 7. 1.
could not] Because God hindered them, Isai. 7. 7.
V. 6. Elath] See the Notes on chap. 14. v. 22.
unto this day] See the Notes on 1 King. 9. 13.
V. 7. Tiglath] See the Notes on chap. 15. 29.
servant] To be in subjection and to serve thee.
son] To be under thy protection.
V. 8. took the silver, &c.] As Joash had done before (chap 12. 18.) and Hezekiah did after him, chap. 18. 16.
V. 9. Damascus] Heb. Dammesek.
to Kir] Not Kir of Moab, mentioned Isai. 15. 1. but another Kir in Media, Am. 1. 5. Isa. 22. 6.
Rezin] King of Syria, v. 6.
V. 10. to meet Tiglath] To congratulate his victory: and to obtain further ayd against the Syrians, but all in vain, 2 Chr. 28. 18, 21. For Tiglath-Pileser took very chargeable presents of him, and thereby distressed him, but sent him no ayd: only for his own turn he overcame Damascus, but suffered others to spoil Ahaz.
an altar] Whereon the Syrians offered sacrifices to their idols: wherein he preferred the Syrians idols before Jehovah the God of Israel: This is pleaded against Israel, Jerem. 2. 9, 11.
V. 11. priest] The priest, or was, or should have been better instructed in the law (Mal. 2. 7.) but they who set themselves to please princes, regard not Gods law, Gal. 1. 10.
against he came] That the king might see how ready and forward he was to please him.
V. 12. and offered thereon] Herein Ahaz committed two great sins: one was to usurp the priests office, as Uzziah had done, 2 Chron. 26. 16. The other to bring in a strange altar into the house of the LORD. In this, he is said to sacrifice unto the gods of Damascus, 2 Chro. 28. 23.
V. 13. his burnt-offering] Which he offered up for himself: so the rest.
burnt-offering] See Levit. 1.
meat-offering] See Levit. 2.
drink-offering] See Levit. 23. 13.
his] Heb. which were his.
peace-offerings] See Exod. 20. 24.
the altar] That strange altar mentioned, v. 11.
V. 14. the brasen altar] Which Solomon made, 2 Chron. 4. 1.
before the Lord] At the entrance into the house of the LORD, Exod. 40. 29. 1 King. 8. 64.
from between the altar] That the LORDS altar might not stand betwixt his altar and the temple.
on the north-fide] Not in the midst directly, before the temple. There he placed his own altar, and set the LORDS altar at the north-side of his.
V. 15. the great altar] That new strange altar, which Urijah had made (v. 11.) which was in quantity, and in his account, greater then the LORDS altar.
the brasen altar] The LORDS altar shall be for me to enquire of the LORD, what, and when I please. Thus he would have his own altar to be continually used for all holy services enjoyned to the people of God: and the LORDS altar, for what he pleased.
V. 16. Thus did Ʋrijah] Too basely and slavishly.
V. 17. cut off] He defaced the beauty of those holy vessels which Solomon had made.
borders] See 1 King. 7. 28.
the sea, &c.] See 1 King. 7. 23, 25.
V. 18. the covert for the sabbath] A place in the temple for them, or, for the priests, who by sabbaths, or weeks kept their courses (of whom intimation is made, chap. 11. v. 5.) to rest therein: this he took away.
the kings entry without] The gallery without the temple, whereby the king ascended from his own palace to the house of God. Hereof see the notes on 1 King. 10. 5.
turned he from, &c.] Because he had no minde to go to Gods house, the doors whereof he shut up, 2 Chron. 28. 24.
for the king of Assyria] Partly to collogue with him by shewing a detestation of the Jewish religion, and partly to cut of all bie-passages to his palace, through fear of the king of Assyria.
V. 20. in the city of David] But not in the sepulchre of the kings, 2 Chron. 28. 27. So Joash, chap. 12. 21.