Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 2 Kings · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
Verſ. 1. IN the ſeventeenth yeare of Pekah the ſonne of Remaliah, Ahaz the ſonne of Jotham, &c.] The ſeventeenth yeare of Pekah was the ſixteenth yeare of Jotham, chap. 15.32. at which time Jotham did either reſigne the kingdome to his ſonne Ahaz; or at leaſt he left the government to him, but yet the lived at leaſt foure years after. See chap. 15.30.
Verſ. 2. Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reigne, and he reigned ſixteen years, &c.] If Ahaz was twenty years old when he began his reigne, when he died, ſixteen years after, he was but thirty ſix years old, and then was Hezekiah his ſonne twenty five years old, chap. 18.2. Twenty and five years old was Hezekiah when he began to reigne, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jeruſalem: whereby it may ſeem that Hezekiah was born to Ahaz, when he was yet but ten or eleven years old; which (ſay ſome Expoſitours) we need not wonder at, conſidering the ſingular bleſſing that nation had for generation: but becauſe it is very unlikely that the Jews had children ſo young, therefore other Expoſitours do anſwer this objection two other wayes; to wit, firſt, that Ahaz was twenty years old when he (that is, Jotham his father) of whom he had ſpoken in the former verſe, began to reigne, to wit, after the death of his father Uzziah: or ſecondly, (and I think thus it is better anſwered) that Ahaz began to reigne when he was firſt deſigned king in the life of Jotham his father, and then he was but twenty years old; and the like muſt then be ſaid of Jotham too, chap. 15.30. but when after his fathers death he began to reigne as abſolute king himſelf (from which theſe ſixteen years muſt be reckoned) he might be twenty five or twenty ſix years old, or perhaps more.
Verſ. 3. But he walked in the wayes of the kings of Iſrael.] That is, he worſhipped idols as they alſo did; for ſo it is expreſſed, 2. Chron. 28.3. He burnt incenſe in the valley of the ſonne of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen.
Yea, & made his ſonne to paſſe through the fire, &c.] Concerning this abominable idolatry of making their children to paſſe through the fire, ſee what is noted, Levit. 18.21. But the Ahaz did indeed burn his ſonnes, at leaſt ſome one of his ſonnes, as by way of ſacrificing them to his idol-gods, is evident 2. Chron. 28.3. where alſo the place is named where he offered this inhumane oblation, to wit▪ the valley of the ſonne of Hinnom, a valley not farre from Jeruſalem: Moreover he burnt incenſe in the valley of the ſonne of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire. This high place was called Tophet, and was it ſeems eſpecially uſed for this execrable idolatry, Jer. 7.31. They have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the ſonne of Hinnom, to burn their ſonnes and their daughters in the fire: and by Joſiah it was defiled, chap. 23.10. He defiled Tophet which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his ſonne or his daughter to paſſe through the fire to Molech.
Verſ. 5. Then Rezin king of Syria, and Pekah ſonne of Remaliah king of Iſrael, came up to Jeruſalem to warre.] No ſooner was Ahaz ſettled in the throne of Judah, but both Rezin king of Syria, and Pekah king of Iſrael began ſtreight to invade Judah; for Pekah reigned in all but twenty years, chap. 15.27. and Ahaz began not his reigne till the ſeventeenth yeare of Pekah, verſ. 1. In the ſeventeenth yeare of Pekah the ſonne of Remaliah, Ahaz the ſonne of Jotham king of Judah began to reigne; and as Ahaz exceeded all the kings before him in wickedneſſe, ſo the judgements that God brought upon his kingdome, were moſt terrible. Firſt, they each invaded the land ſeverally, as is related in the Chronicles, and both of them prevailed againſt Ahaz, and exceedingly weakened and ſpoiled his countrey: for Rezin carried away many of the people captives to Damaſcus, and Pekah ſlew in one day one hundred and twenty thouſand of them, (amongſt whom was Maaſeiah the kings ſonne (he ſacrificed one ſonne to his idol-gods, and now another was ſlain by the ſword of his enemies) and Azrikam the governour of his houſe, and Elkanah the ſecond perſon to the king: who were ſlain by Zichri a mighty man of Ephraim, and carried away alſo two hundred thouſand priſoners, women and children; though indeed by the counſel of the prophet Oded, they were returned and delivered back again, 2. Chron. 28.5—15. but this invaſion here ſpoken of was after them; when not content with what ſpoil they had made in Judah, they reſolved to joyn their forces together, and to go up and beſiege Jeruſalem, and to depoſe Ahaz, and make the ſonne of Tabeal king of Judah, Iſa. 7.5, 6. Becauſe Syria, Ephraim, and the ſonne of Remaliah have taken evil counſel againſt thee, ſaying, Let us go up against Judah and vex it, and let us make a breach in it for us, and ſet up a king in the midſt of it, even the ſonne of Tabeal: for this is that confederacie of Rezin and Pekah, whereof the prophet ſpeaks in that chapter: when as is there related, the king and people▪ being grievouſly affrighted at the tidings of it, Iſaiah was ſent to comfort Ahaz, and to aſſure him that they ſhould not prevail againſt him; to which end, when he had given him liberty to ask what ſigne he would, and Ahaz refuſed to ask a ſigne, he had for a ſigne given him a moſt glorious promiſe of Chriſt: verſ. 14. The Lord himſelf ſhall give you a ſigne: Behold a virgin ſhall conceive and beare a ſonne, and ſhall call his name Emmanuel, Iſaiah 7.1 — 16.
And they beſieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him.] And ſo theſe two kings that aſſured themſelves of ſuch ſucceſſe, becauſe in their former invaſions they had ſo ſpoiled and weakened the land of Judah; proved in the concluſion, but as two tails of ſmoaking firebrands, as the prophet called them, Iſa. 7.4. that is, their great attempts vaniſhed into ſmoak, though they thought to have devoured, and burnt up all before them.
Verſ. 6. At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria▪ &c.] That is, being forced to leave the ſiege of Jeruſalem, he went (perhaps with their joynt forces) to Elath, which Azariah or Uzziah the grandfather of Ahaz, had taken from the Syrians, chap. 14.22. and took it, and reſtored it to Syria.
Verſ. 7. So Ahaz ſent meſſengers to Tiglath-pileſer king of Aſſyria, ſaying, I am thy ſervant, and thy ſonne, &c.] That is, he yeilded to be his vaſſall, and tributary, upon condition he would come to help him; and hence it is ſaid, chap. 18.7. that Hezekiah rebelled against the king of Aſſyria, juſt the ſame time when Rezin and Pekah vexed Judah on the north: the Edomites and Philiſtines laying hold on this advantage, entred upon them from the ſouth, ſlew many people, carried away many priſoners; yea the Philiſtines took ſix cities which had formerly belonged to Judah: whereupon Ahaz ſeeing himſelf environed on all ſides, he ſent for aid unto the Aſſyrian king, 2 Chron. 28.16, 17, 18. At the ſame time did king Ahaz ſend unto the king of Aſſyria to help him. For again the Edomites had come and and ſmitten Judah, and carried away captives. The Philiſtines alſo had invaded the cities of the low countrey, and of the ſouth of Judah: when he craved this aid, it is not certain; but certain it is, firſt, that he ſinned in craving the Aſſyrians help, becauſe the prophet Iſaiah had aſſured him, that theſe two king ſhould not be able to hurt him: ſecondly, that Rezin and Pekah were gone from Jeruſalem, before the Aſſyrian came againſt them: (for elſe Rezin would not have gone with his army to Elath to recover that, as verſ. 6. it is ſaid he did) and thirdly, when the Aſſyrian did come, he diſtreſſed Ahaz, but he helped him not.
Verſ. 9. The king of Aſſyria went up againſt Damaſcus, and took it, &c.] Though Rezin and Pekah were gone from the ſiege of Jeruſalem, before the Aſſyrians came to help Ahaz; yet when he came he invaded the land of Iſrael, where what havock he made, we heard before chap. 15.29. In the dayes of Pekah king of Iſrael, came Tiglath-pileſer king of Aſſyria, and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maachah, and Janoah, and Ked…ſh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Aſſyria: and then at the ſame time, as is here ſaid, he went againſt Damaſcus, and ſlew Rezin, and carried the people captives to Kir, of which Amos had long before prophecied in the dayes of Uzziah, Amos 1.3, 4, 5. Thus ſaith the Lord, For three tranſgreſſions of Damaſcus and for foure, I will not turn away the puniſhment thereof, becauſe they have threſhed Gilead with threſhing instruments of iron: But I will ſend a fire into the houſe of Hazael, which ſhall devoure the palaces of Ben-hadad, I will break alſo the barre of Damaſcus, and cut off the inhabitants from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the ſceptre from the houſe of Eden, and the people of Syria ſhall go into captivity unto Kir, ſaith the Lord: and after Iſaiah foretold the ſame, Iſaiah 8.3, 4.
Verſ. 10. And king Ahaz went to Damaſcus to meet Tiglath-pileſer king of Aſſyria.] To wit, to congratulate his ſucceſſe in taking Damaſcus, doubtleſſe he was highly pleaſed with ſeeing his enemies that had lately beſieged him in Jeruſalem, brought on a ſudden ſo low; Rezin being ſlain, and his kingdome quite loſt, and the king of Iſrael extremely weakened, and brought into contempt amongſt his ſubjects, by the carrying away of five tribes of Iſrael captives into Aſſyria: and it is very likely, that he triumphed in the ſucceſſe of his own counſels, in ſending for the king of Aſſyria, contrary to what the prophet Iſaiah had adviſed, Iſaiah 7.4. little thinking that within a few years that very nation, in whoſe victories he now triumphed, ſhould utterly ruine the kingdome of Judah, as they had done other kingdomes; of which it ſeems, the prophet Iſaiah gave Ahaz warning, Iſaiah 7.17. The Lord ſhall bring upon thee and upon thy people, and upon thy fathers houſe, dayes that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; even the king of Aſſyria.
And ſaw an altar that was at Damaſcus: and king Ahaz ſent to Urijah the prieſt the faſhion of the altar, &c.] What moved him to this is expreſſed in the Chronicles, 2. Chron. 28.23. For he ſacrificed unto the gods of Damaſcus, which ſmote him: and he ſaid, Becauſe the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I ſacrifice to them, that they may help me; but they were the ruine of him, and of all Iſrael: and becauſe he did this alſo at a time when God had ſo heavily afflicted him, his ſinne was the more grievous; as it is there noted, verſ. 22. And in the time of his diſtreſſe, did he treſpaſſe yet more against the Lord.
Verſ. 11. And Urijah the prieſt built an Altar according to all that king Ahaz had ſent from Damaſcus, &c.] Though hitherto this Urijah had maintained the true worſhip of God in the Temple, and was not long before this choſen by the prophet Iſaiah as a witneſſe of his propheſie, which he faſtned upon the doores of the Temple, Iſaiah 8.1, 2. yet now he turned Apoſtate and yeilded preſently to further this wicked command of Ahaz.
Verſ. 12: And the king approached to the altar, and offered thereon.] To wit, to the gods of Aſſyria, 2. Chron. 28.23. He ſacrificed unto the gods of Damaſcus, which ſmote him: and he ſaid, Becauſe the gods of the kings of Syria, &c.
Verſ. 14. And he brought alſo the braſen altar which was before the Lord, from the forefront of the houſe, &c.] That is, having ſet up his new altar in the forefront of the Temple, where the brazen altar which Solomon had made ſtood; becauſe he would not have the brazen altar ſtand above his, he removed that from the place where it ſtood betwixt his altar and the Temple, and ſet it in on the north ſide, as it were in a corner out of the way.
Verſ. 15. And king Ahaz commanded Ʋrijah the prieſt, ſaying, Ʋpon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, &c.] That is, upon his new altar, which it ſeems was greater then Solomons altar; or elſe more highly eſteemed by him, and therefore ſo called: yet that it was not of braſſe, we may probably conceive, becauſe in the foregoing verſe, Solomons altar is diſtinguiſhed from this new altar, by the name of the braſen altar.
And the brazen altar ſhall be for me to enquire by.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, meddle not with that but leave that to me, when I ſhall think fit I will make uſe of it, and otherwiſe there ſhall be no uſe made of it.
Verſ. 18. And the covert for the ſabbath that they had built in the houſe, and the kings entry without, turned he, &c.] It is hard to ſay what this covert of the ſabbath was; ſome think it was a place provided for the Levites, that kept the watch before the doores of the Temple, into which they entred every ſabbath day in their courſes: but the moſt probable opinion ſeems to be, that it was either ſome place provided for the prieſts, when they taught the people on the ſabbath dayes; or rather ſome coſtly covered ſeat, wherein the kings of Judah uſed to heare the prieſts expounding the law on the ſabbath day: whatever it was, both that, and the kings entry without, that is, the entry whereby the kings uſed to paſſe from their palace to the Temple, Ahaz turned them from the houſe of the Lord; that is, he took them from the Temple, and that for the king of Aſſyria; that is, either he brake them down, and ſold the materials which were happely coſtly, to make up the money he gave to the king of Aſſyria; or elſe he diverted them to ſome other uſe, that the heathen king ſeeing him ſo eſtranged from the religion of his fathers, might be the faſter friend to him: it is alſo added in the Chronicles, that he ſhut up the doores of the houſe of the Lord, and made him altars in every corner of Jeruſalem, &c. 2. Chron. 28.24, 25.
Verſ. 20. And Ahaz ſlept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the citie of David.] But not in the ſepulchre of the kings, 2. Chron. 28.27. And Ahaz ſlept with his fathers, and they buried him in the citie, even in Jeruſalem, but they brought him not into the ſepulchre of the kings of Iſrael. He began his reigne in the end of the ſeventeenth yeare of Pekah king of Iſrael, and reigned ſixteen years verſ. 1, 2. the firſt three years therefore of his reigne, were the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth of Pekah; the other thirteen years of his reigne, Hoſhea was partly ſtriving to ſettle himſelf in the kingdome of Iſrael, and partly ſettled in the kingdome. See the note, chap. 17.1.