2Ki 16 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 2Kgs 16:1-2: 16:1-2 The seventeenth year of King Pekah’s reign was 735 BC . At that time Ahaz ... began to rule: He had already been co-regent for eleven years, but now he officially acceded to the throne. This marks the transition from subordination to his father, Jotham (743–735 BC ), to a position of reigning in his stead (735–732 BC ). Ahaz presumably had his official accession ceremony following his father’s death in 732 BC , so the author of Kings reckons Ahaz’s reign of sixteen years from 731 BC , the year after his father died, to 715 BC . See also study note on 17:1.

Summary for 2Kgs 16:1-2: 16:1-2 ^a The seventeenth year of King Pekah’s reign was 735 BC. At that time Ahaz ... began to rule: He had already been co-regent for eleven years, but now he officially acceded to the throne. This marks the transition from subordination to his father, Jotham (743–735 BC), to a position of reigning in his stead (735–732 BC). Ahaz presumably had his official accession ceremony following his father’s death in 732 BC, so the author of Kings reckons Ahaz’s reign of sixteen years from 731 BC, the year after his father died, to 715 BC. See also study note on 17:1.
Summary for 2Kgs 16:2-3: 16:2-3 ^b Again, his ancestor David serves as the standard for measuring the spiritual character of Judah’s kings (14:3 ^c; 1 Kgs 15:3 ^d, 11 ^e).

• the example of the kings of Israel: Ahaz was one of Judah’s most wicked kings. He indulged in the apostate religion of Israel and the pagan practices of other nations to the extent of even sacrificing his own son in the fire (see Jer 19:5 ^f; 32:35 ^g). Although Levitical regulations prohibited such sacrifices as an abomination detestable to the Lord (Lev 18:10 ^h; 20:1-5 ⁱ), the practice was repeated among God’s people (Isa 30:33 ^j; Jer 7:31 ^k) until Josiah’s reforms (2 Kgs 23:10 ^l).
Summary for 2Kgs 16:5-6: 16:5-6 ^m Rezin ... Pekah: This alliance between the kings of Aram and Israel was intended to free the area of Assyrian dominance under Tiglath-pileser III (15:29-30 ⁿ; Isa 9:1 ^o). The attack against Judah may have occurred to force Judah into the alliance or to replace the Judean king with one of their own choosing (Isa 7:3-6 ^p). The result was captivity and widespread death for the people of Judah (2 Chr 28:5-15 ^q). Isaiah reports that Rezin and Pekah intended to install a new king on Judah’s throne (Isa 7:3-6 ^r). Judah also suffered further attacks by the Edomites and Philistines (2 Chr 28:17-18 ^s). All of this was God’s will due to Ahaz’s detestable spiritual practices, which led to great sin among the people of Judah (2 Chr 28:5 ^t, 19 ^u).
16:6 ^v The NLT translators have chosen to follow the text of several ancient translations, since the town of Elath is far to the south, nearer to Edom than to Aram.
Summary for 2Kgs 16:7-9: 16:7-9 ^w Rather than trusting in God’s provision (Isa 7:7-16 ^x), Ahaz petitioned Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria to rescue him from his enemies. Tiglath-pileser was successful, and his victory brought about the death of Rezin, the capture of Damascus, and the deportation of its citizens (732 BC). It also contributed to unseating Pekah as king of Israel in the same year (2 Kgs 15:29-30 ^y). The cost of the rescue was great, however; Ahaz paid a heavy tribute to Tiglath-pileser, and the Assyrian intervention reduced Judah to vassal status.
16:9 ^z The location of Kir is unknown; it was the original home of the Arameans (Amos 9:7 ^aa).
Summary for 2Kgs 16:10-11: 16:10-11 ^ab Ahaz ... took special note of the altar of the Arameans and had a copy made so as to emulate their pagan worship.
Summary for 2Kgs 16:12-13: 16:12-13 ^ac The king initiated the new altar by making the traditional offerings upon it (see Lev 1–3 ^ad; Num 15:1-10 ^ae; 28:9-15 ^af, 24 ^ag, 31 ^ah; 2 Kgs 6:8-23 ^ai; 7:11-20 ^aj). Sadly, such offerings upon a pagan altar by a leader devoid of spiritual character constituted a mockery of their deep spiritual meaning.
16:14 ^ak Solomon had originally placed the bronze altar in front of the Temple (see Exod 40:6 ^al; 2 Chr 4:1 ^am; 7:7-10 ^an). At first, Ahaz positioned his new altar so that worshipers would come to it before coming to the bronze altar. Then Ahaz had the bronze altar placed ... on the north side of the new altar, completely replacing the bronze altar as the center of sacrificial activity.
Summary for 2Kgs 16:15-16: 16:15-16 ^ao Ahaz ordered that standard daily sacrifices (Num 28:1-8 ^ap) as well as the individual offerings of the king and people would be made on the new altar. Ahaz then restricted the bronze altar to his personal use (literally for seeking/inquiry), probably to use it for pagan divination. This demand displayed a callous insolence against the Lord and his worship. Uriah the priest complied with Ahaz’s demands (2 Kgs 16:10-11 ^aq, 16 ^ar), rather than resisting the king.
Summary for 2Kgs 16:17-18: 16:17-18 ^as Because the side panels and basins from the ... water carts and the Sea were made of bronze (see 1 Kgs 7:25-40 ^at), Ahaz might have used them to pay tribute or for some other project.

• In deference: Apparently at the request of the king of Assyria, Ahaz removed the canopy that led to the inner court as well as to the king’s private entrance to the Temple. Judah paid a heavy price in loss of freedom because of Ahaz’s trust in the Assyrian king’s military intervention on their behalf (2 Kgs 16:7-8 ^au, 10 ^av).
16:19 ^aw The rest of the events in Ahaz’s reign: In further rejection of the Lord, Ahaz removed the utensils from the Temple “and broke them into pieces” (2 Chr 28:24 ^ax). He then closed the Temple and discontinued services there, instead promoting paganism throughout the land (2 Chr 28:25 ^ay; 29:7 ^az). In redefining the worship of Judah so completely, his apostasy was similar to that of Jeroboam I (cp. 2 Kgs 3:3 ^ba; 13:2 ^bb; 16:2-4 ^bc; 17:21 ^bd; 1 Kgs 12:25-33 ^be; 16:26 ^bf; 22:52 ^bg)