2 Crônicas 28
Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
2 Crônicas 28
Spurgeon - God had driven out the Canaanites because of these abominations; therefore, for his own people to practice them, was peculiarly provoking to him. They had set up the worship of God under emblems, there were the calves of Bethel, the representation of strength: it was the worship of God by imagery, and Ahaz imitated it, and went even further in sin, —If we worship the true God under some symbol, the next step is to worship a false God. John Walton - made molten images. -- Ahaz cast idols of the Baals of Canaan, not to local representations. The plural (Baals) may be used as a parallel with the plural Elohim, the generic name for the Hebrew God. Casting idols for worship was specifically condemned in the Mosaic Law (see Ex 34:17). Metal casts of Canaanite deities (including Baals) have been found at numerous sites in Palestine. (See page 449 The IVP Bible Background Commentary-Old Testament) Baals (01168) ba'al This refers to the pagan deity known as Baal. Elijah confronted and destroyed the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Ki 18:18–40). Another remarkable account is Jehu’s thorough eradication of Baal worship from the northern kingdom (2 Ki 10:18–28). Earlier, before God used Gideon to deliver Israel from the Midianites, He required him to tear down his father’s backyard altar to Baal (Jdg 6:25–31). Because of this, Gideon was given the name Jerubbaal, meaning “Let Baal contend against him” (Jdg 6:32). Although God granted victory through Gideon, the people’s hearts were not truly cleansed from Baal’s influence, for “as soon as Gideon was dead, the sons of Israel again played the harlot with the Baals and made Baal-berith their god” (Jdg 8:33). What a sobering reminder that outward deliverance does not guarantee inward transformation! Truly, “the heart is more deceitful than all else and desperately sick” (Jer 17:9). Later we read that “Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth and served the LORD alone” (1 Sa 7:4), yet their cry in 1 Samuel 12:10 shows how quickly they backslid. Beware of idols. Flee (present imperative AND the only way to continually FLEE is by continually depending on the Holy Spirit to enable us!) from idolatry. (1Co 10:14+) Num. 22:41; Jos. 13:17; Jdg. 2:11; Jdg. 2:13; Jdg. 3:7; Jdg. 6:25; Jdg. 6:28; Jdg. 6:30; Jdg. 6:31; Jdg. 6:32; Jdg. 8:33; Jdg. 10:6; Jdg. 10:10; 1 Sam. 7:4; 1 Sam. 12:10; 1 Ki. 16:31; 1 Ki. 16:32; 1 Ki. 18:18; 1 Ki. 18:19; 1 Ki. 18:21; 1 Ki. 18:22; 1 Ki. 18:25; 1 Ki. 18:26; 1 Ki. 18:40; 1 Ki. 19:18; 1 Ki. 22:53; 2 Ki. 3:2; 2 Ki. 10:18; 2 Ki. 10:19; 2 Ki. 10:20; 2 Ki. 10:21; 2 Ki. 10:22; 2 Ki. 10:23; 2 Ki. 10:25; 2 Ki. 10:26; 2 Ki. 10:27; 2 Ki. 10:28; 2 Ki. 11:18; 2 Ki. 17:16; 2 Ki. 21:3; 2 Ki. 23:4; 2 Ki. 23:5; 2 Chr. 17:3; 2 Chr. 23:17; 2 Chr. 24:7; 2 Chr. 28:2; 2 Chr. 33:3; 2 Chr. 34:4; Jer. 2:8; Jer. 2:23; Jer. 7:9; Jer. 9:14; Jer. 11:13; Jer. 11:17; Jer. 12:16; Jer. 19:5; Jer. 23:13; Jer. 23:27; Jer. 32:29; Jer. 32:35; Hos. 2:8; Hos. 2:13; Hos. 2:17; Hos. 11:2; Hos. 13:1; Zeph. 1:4 David
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Spurgeon - He could not do enough of it; so many trees, so many altars. There are some men who use every opportunity for sin, with a diligence which should bring the blush into the face of Christians, who are not as diligent in obeying as these men are in sinning. According to the command of God, there was to be but one altar, and that one was to be at Jerusalem; but these people multiplied their altars; there could not be a high place but they must have an idol shrine set up upon it. On the high places (bamah) and on the hills and under every green tree - Notice how the Holy Spirit uses three locations to show how thoroughly Ahaz abandoned the worship of Yahweh. Ahaz replaced God’s appointed worship with a marketplace of pagan devotion, turning every hill and tree into a rival altar to the LORD. This is not mere geography—it is theology. The verse portrays a king who multiplied venues of false worship, rejecting the one place God had chosen—the temple in Jerusalem (Dt 12:5–14+). The distance from God's chosen site the Temple to man's choice of a tree is only one small step of compromise. John
2 Crônicas 28
Spurgeon - It did not look as if the captives would ever return; yet the prophet’s son was named Shear-jashub, “The remnant shall return.” Ahaz might have said to Isaiah, “Your child’s name is a lie.” We shall see. Spoil (07998) shalal is a masculine noun meaning spoils, plunder, or booty—that which is taken by force, usually in the context of war. The taking of spoil was often one of the chief motivations for military campaigns. Raids could function as thinly veiled plundering expeditions, such as the Amalekite attack on Ziklag (1 Sam 30:16, 19–20, 22, 26). At times shalal was seized as an act of political aggression (Esth 3:13; 8:11). Scripture also portrays the taking of spoil as the wicked preying upon the weak or righteous (Prov 1:13). Scripture shows that taking spoil in war was sometimes permitted by God, as outlined in Deuteronomy 20:14, and typically included people, livestock, and valuables. Often a portion of this spoil was dedicated to the Lord for use in tabernacle or temple service (2 Sam 8:12; 1 Chr 26:27). Yet there were clear exceptions—no spoil was allowed at Jericho, in the destruction of idolatrous cities, or in Saul’s campaign against the Amalekites (Deut 13:17; 1 Sam 15). The Bible consistently teaches that the rise and fall of cities and the loss of their goods are under God’s sovereign control, as seen in His use of Assyria and Babylon as instruments of judgment (Isa 10:6; Ezek 7:21). Nevertheless, God will not permit the plundering of His people forever, and oppressors themselves will ultimately be despoiled (Zech 2:8; Hab 2:8; Jer 50:10; Ezek 39:10). “Spoil” can also describe unjust gain taken from the helpless (Prov 1:13; Isa 10:2), while the joy of dividing spoil becomes a metaphor for Israel’s future deliverance (Isa 9:3) and even for the triumphant victory of the Messiah, with the Psalmist likening delight in God’s Word to finding rich spoil (Ps 119:162). “Booty” refers to the wealth of a person that is seized by another. In the Hebrew Bible, such seizure is permitted only in the context of war. Throughout much of history, booty served as the primary compensation for soldiers. Scripture identifies several categories of property that could be taken as booty. Persons were at times included (Deut 20:14; 2 Chr 28:8; Jer 45:5; 50:10; Zech 2:9). Livestock and clothing were also common forms (Judg 5:30; 1 Sam 14:32; Jer 49:32). Other items are summarized under the broader expression “the booty of the city” (Josh 8:2), likely referring to any movable property that could be carried away. 2 Chronicles 28:9 But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded; and he went out to meet the army which came to Samaria and said to them, “Behold, because the LORD, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, He has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage which has even reached heaven. he went out: 2Ch 19:1,2 25:15,16 1Ki 20:13,22,42 2Ki 20:14,15 because the LORD the God: 2Ch 28:5 Judges 3:8 Ps 69:26 Isa 10:5-7 47:6 Jer 15:17,18 Eze 25:12-17 Eze 26:2,3 Ob 1:10-16 Zec 1:15 reached: Ge 4:10 11:4 Ezr 9:6 Rev 18:5 OBED'S WARNING TO ISRAEL But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded and he went out to meet the army which came to Samaria; Into the midst of national triumph and blood-stained celebration, God raised up a solitary voice. Oded, otherwise unknown in Scripture, stands as a reminder that the Lord never leaves Himself without a witness, even in the spiritually corrupt northern kingdom. While the armies of Israel marched home boasting of victory and dragging 200,000 Judean captives behind them, this prophet went out to meet the army—a courageous act that placed him directly in the path of hardened soldiers intoxicated with success. TSK adds "To this beautiful speech nothing can be added by the best comment: it is simple, humane, pious, and overwhelmingly convincing; and it is no wonder that it produced the effect here described. That there was much humanity, as well as firmness, in the heads of the children of Ephraim, who joined with the prophet of Jehovah on this occasion, their subsequent conduct, as detailed in the fifteenth verse, sufficiently proves. They did not barely dismiss these most unfortunate captives, but they took that very spoil which their victorious army had taken, and with clothed, shod, fed, and anointed these distressed people, set the feeblest of them upon asses, and escorted them safely to Jericho! We can scarcely find a parallel to this in the universal history of the wars which savage man has carried on against his fellows from the foundation of the world. The compliance also of the whole army, in leaving both the captives and spoil to the disposal of the princes, was really wonderful, and perhaps unparalleled in history. Both the princes and army are worthy to be held up to the admiration and imitation of mankind." And said to them, “Behold, because the LORD, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, He has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage which has even reached heaven. Oded first acknowledges the truth the victors had ignored. Judah’s defeat was not due to Israel’s strength but to “the LORD, the God of your fathers.” The same covenant God Who had once united all twelve tribes had, in righteous anger over Ahaz’s idolatry, allowed Judah to fall. Israel was merely an instrument in His hand. Yet an instrument can become guilty when it exceeds God’s purpose. The prophet therefore exposes the deeper sin that “you have slain them in a rage which has even reached heaven.” What began as divinely permitted discipline had turned into uncontrolled vengeance. The northern army had crossed the line from obedience to brutality, from justice to cruelty. The phrase “reached heaven” is striking. It echoes earlier biblical language where human wickedness rises before God like a stench demanding response (cf. Ge 18:20–21; Ezra 9:6). Oded declares that Israel’s violence has not gone unnoticed; heaven itself bears witness against them. The prophet thus confronts the victors with an uncomfortable truth that God may use a nation to chastise another, yet still hold that nation accountable for its motives and excesses. What is fascinating is that this scene is one of the rare bright moments in the history of the Northern Kingdom. A single faithful man, armed only with the Word of the Lord, challenges an entire army and reminds them that covenant brotherhood still matters. His message prepares the way for mercy, for the captives will soon be clothed, fed, and returned, but first sin must be named. Oded teaches that even in times of justified judgment, God demands compassion, restraint, and reverence for fellow members of His covenant people. Spurgeon - It was very wonderful that these wild fellows should listen to this prophet with all those captives round about them. It was a brave act on the part of the prophet Oded to go out, and utter his protest. ODED [ISBE] A prophet of Samaria (2 Ch 28:9) who lived in the reigns of Pekah, king of the Northern Kingdom, and Ahaz, king of Judah. According to 2 Ch 28, Oded protested against the enslavement of the captives which Pekah had brought from Judah and Jerusalem on his return from the Syro-Ephraimitic attack on the Southern Kingdom (735 BC). In this protest he was joined by some of the chiefs of Ephraim, and the captives were well treated. After those who were naked (i.e. those who had scanty clothing; compare the meaning of the word "naked" in Mk 14:51) had been supplied with clothing from the spoil, and the bruised anointed with oil, the prisoners were escorted to Jericho. The narrative of 2 Ch 28 as a whole does not agree with that of 2 Ki 15:37; 16:5 f, where the allied armies of Rezin of Damascus and Pekah besieged Jerusalem, but failed to capture it (compare Isa 7:1-17; 8:5-8a). As Curtis points out (Chronicles, 459, where he compares Ex 21:2 ff; Lev 25:29-43; Dt 15:12-18), wholesale enslavement of their fellow-countrymen was not allowed to the Hebrews, and this fact the passage illustrates. It seems to be a fulfillment in spirit of Isa 61:1-2, a portion which our Lord read in the synagogue at Nazareth (Lk 4:16-20). David Francis Roberts 2 Chronicles 28:10 “Now you are proposing to subjugate for yourselves the people of Judah and Jerusalem for male and female slaves. Surely, do you not have transgressions of your own against the LORD your God? subjugate: Lev 25:39-46 do you not have: Jer 25:29 Mt 7:2-4 Ro 12:20,21 1Pe 4:17,18 the LORD: 2Ch 28:5 OBED'S WARNING AGAINST ISRAEL Now you are proposing to subjugate for yourselves the people of Judah and Jerusalem for male and female slaves. The prophet confronts Israel with a sobering charge. The northern army, having defeated their southern brethren, was preparing to turn fellow Israelites into permanent property—treating covenant relatives as disposable spoils of war. What they planned was not merely political domination but a moral outrage: the enslavement of those who shared the same ancestry, promises, and worship of Yahweh. Surely, do you not have transgressions of your own against the LORD your God Obed's rebuke continues with a piercing rhetorical question, calculated to expose the hypocrisy of the Northern Kingdom who, while celebrating Judah’s downfall, were blind to their own guilt. Israel had been just as rebellious, idolatrous, and faithless. To enslave their brothers was to act as if they themselves were righteous, yet their hands were equally stained before Jehovah! The message carries a powerful theological truth that judgment never grants a license for cruelty. God may discipline one nation through another, but He does not approve of brutality or exploitation. Israel was meant to be an instrument of correction, not an agent of oppression. By seeking to profit from Judah’s misery, they revealed hearts no better than those they condemned. 🙏 THOUGHT - Obed's warning calls all of us to humility. Before condemning another’s sin, we must remember our own need for mercy. The Lord measures not only what we do to our enemies, but how we treat our brethren in their weakness. The next time you point your index finger at someone's sin, be sure to remember that 4 fingers are pointing back at you! J.A. Thompson: Any intention to make the people of Judah slaves was a breach of the law that forbade the enslaving of fellow Israelites (Lev 25:39-55). Short-term slavery of one Israelite to another was allowable, but ruling over one’s brothers “ruthlessly” (Lev 25:43) was forbidden. Israel itself was only a hairsbreadth from judgment. Repentance toward God and magnanimity toward their brethren was called for. They had taken prisoners. These should be sent back. Repentance required some display of appropriate action. (SEE 1, 2 Chronicles: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition) Martin Selman: For the moment, however, Chronicles shows how God’s anger can be unexpectedly turned aside. A prophet from Samaria called Oded intervenes to greet the returning victorious Israelite army with the apparently unwelcome message that the prisoners must be sent back (vv. 9–11). He gives three reasons, that the Israelites had reacted with excessive rage (v. 9), that their plan to subject the Judean prisoners of war to the usual fate of slavery was unacceptable (v. 10a), and that they had ‘committed sins’ (v. 10b, JB; ‘are guilty’, REB, NEB) before God. As with many previous prophecies in Chronicles, Oded uses earlier Scripture. Excessive violence in war regularly met with God’s disapproval (cf. Isa. 10:15–16; Hos. 1:4; Hab. 2:2–20; Zech. 1:15), even though the Israelites might claim that they were simply getting their own back on Amaziah (cf. 25:11–12). Slavery of fellow Israelites was against the law of Leviticus 25:42–43, 46, because they were (lit.) ‘brothers’ (vv. 8, 11, 15; ‘kinsmen’, REB, NEB; ‘kinsfolk’, RSV), a significant theme throughout Chronicles (cf. 1 Chr. 12:39; 13:2; 2 Chr. 11:4). Also, ‘to force into slavery’ (v. 10, REB, NEB) is a phrase always associated with God’s disapproval, and occurs only in Jeremiah 34:11, 16 and Nehemiah 5:5, in the latter case perhaps not too distant from the Chronicler’s own experience. Finally, the prophecy is an appeal for repentance (v. 11). The only hope against God’s anger for both Israelites and Judeans (vv. 9, 11) is in God’s mercy, which according to 2 Chronicles 6:36–39 was available even in captivity. Though they had sinned against the law and the prophets, Scripture also pointed the way to forgiveness. (See 2 Chronicles: An Introduction and Commentary - Page 500) C H Spurgeon - A home question (sermon) “But are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord your God?” 2 Chronicles 28:10 Tell him that his sins deserve the wrath of hell. Make him feel that it is an awful thing to fall into the hands of our God, for he is a consuming fire. Then throw him down on a bed of spikes, and make him sleep there if he can. Roll him on the spikes, and tell him that bad as he is, he is worse by nature than by practice. Make him feel that the leprosy lies deep within. Give him no rest. Treat him as cruelly as he could treat another. It would only be his deserts. But who is this that I am telling you to treat so? Yourself, my hearer, yourself. Be as severe as you can, but let the culprit be yourself. Put on the wig, and sit upon the judgment-seat. Read the king’s commission. There is such a commission for you to be a judge. It says—Judge thyself—though it says judge not others. Put on, I say, your robes; sit up there Lord Chief Justice of the Isle of Man, and then bring up the culprit. Make him stand at the bar. Accuse him; plead against him; condemn him. Say: “Take him away, jailor.” Find out the hardest punishment you can discover in the statute book, and believe that he deserves it all. Be as severe as ever you can on yourself, even to the putting on the black cap, and reading the sentence of death. When you have done this, you will be in a hopeful way for life, for he that condemns himself God absolves. He that stands self-convicted, may look to Christ hanging on the cross, and see himself hanging there, and see his sins for ever put away by the sacrifice of Jesus on the tree. 2 Chronicles 28:11 “Now therefore, listen to me and return the captives whom you captured from your brothers, for the burning anger of the LORD is against you.” return: Isa 58:6 Jer 34:14,15 Heb 13:1-3 burning anger: Ezr 10:14 Mt 5:7 7:2 Jas 2:13 RETURN OR BURN Now therefore, listen to me - Obed's appeal is both reasoned and compassionate. The phrase “listen to me” is a call to stop, reconsider, and submit to the voice of truth rather than the momentum of victory and greed. Though Israel had triumphed militarily, they were now standing on dangerous spiritual ground. Their prisoners were not foreigners but brothers—fellow members of the covenant family of Israel. To keep them as slaves would be to violate the bonds of kinship and the law of God that commanded mercy toward one’s own people. Return the captives whom you captured from your brothers, The prophet’s demand to “return the captives” required more than a political decision; it called for repentance. These prisoners represented human lives torn from homes, families, and worship. What Israel had gained by the sword could not be kept with God’s blessing. True obedience meant reversing their actions, undoing the injustice, and restoring what had been wrongly taken. For the burning anger of the LORD is against you.” For is a term of explanation, giving the explanation in the form of a warning as to why they should return their brethren. And the warning is severe. The imagery of burning anger conveys a wrath already kindled and ready to break forth. Israel may have thought their victory warranted divine approval, but the prophet declares just the opposite, that Yahweh was displeased with their cruelty and "kidnapping" of their brethren. The same Lord who had allowed Judah to be disciplined would now judge Israel if they refused to show mercy. This verse reveals that God weighs not only outcomes but motives and conduct. When discipline becomes exploitation, the disciplinarian becomes guilty. The LORD’s people are called to be instruments of restoration, not destruction; to heal wounds, not deepen them. The prophet’s message echoes through the ages. Whenever we have power over another, whether through position, circumstance, or advantage, God calls us to act with compassion and restraint. To ignore that call is to invite His displeasure. Repentance often requires costly reversal, yet it is the only path that turns away the burning anger of the LORD and restores fellowship among brothers. Warren
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Spurgeon - The king of Assyria was the greatest potentate in that region, and all the little kings were afraid of him, and therefore sent to him for help when they were in trouble. Ahaz made no appeal to God, for the assistance he required, but he turned to the arm of flesh. J.A. Thompson: Ahaz was in dire straits. His predecessors who had been faithful to the Lord had seen God subdue such enemies many times. But Ahaz did not trust in the Lord (cf. Isa 7:10-16). With Philistines and Edomites in the south and the SyroEphraimite invasion in the north (2Ch 28:5-8), he faced a two-front war. The verb help is important to the Chronicler. God was ever available to “help” faithful kings (1 Chr 5:20; 2 Chr 14:11; 18:31; 25:8; 26:7, 15; 32:8 = ED: SEE MANY USES BELOW IN CHRONICLES). Such help (azar) was not available from other sources (2Ch 28:21, 23). Ahaz had turned to human – indeed foreign – help instead of to the God of Israel. (SEE 1, 2 Chronicles: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition) Spurgeon -When men are determined to be unbelievers and disobedient, they will send anywhere for help but to the Lord. Israel and Syria were very little kingdoms; but Assyria was a great empire, the mighty nation of the period. Yet no help came to Ahaz from that quarter, for we read in the twentieth verse, “And Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.” The twenty-first verse tells us that Ahaz bribed the king of Assyria; “but he helped him not.” That is always the dirge at the end of all efforts to secure human instead of divine aid. John Walton - Ahaz asking help of Assyrians. In response to the invasion of Judah by the other Syro-Palestian states, Ahaz appealed to Assyria. Although the Assyrian annals do not explicitly state his appeal, he is listed as one of the kings who gave tribute to Tiglath-Pileser III (See page 450 The IVP Bible Background Commentary-Old Testament) Help (05826) 'azar means to protect, aid, help, succor, support, give material or nonmaterial encouragement. Azar often refers to aid in the form of military assistance and in many instances refers to help from Jehovah as illustrated by the uses below. Webster says to help means to aid, to assist, to succour (see below), to lend strength or means towards effecting a purpose. To relieve; to cure, or to mitigate pain or disease. To remedy; to change for the better. The Septuagint translates 'azar most often with the word group that includes boáo, boetheo, boethos, all conveying the general idea of running to the aid of one who cries out for help (e.g., see He 2:18+ which uses boetheo) which is similar to the English word succour (from Latin succurrere = to run up, run to help) means literally to run to and so to run to to support, to go to the aid of, to help or relieve when in difficulty, want or distress; to assist and deliver front suffering; as, to succor a besieged city; to succor prisoners. The Theological Lexicon of the OT notes that…Connotations can vary from “to support” (Ezra 10:15), “to help out” (Josh 1:14; cf. Ge 2:18), “to assist” (Ge 49:25) to “to stand with to deliver” (Da 10:13; cf. Lam 4:17) and “to come to aid” (2Sa 21:17; cf. Ps 60:13 = Ps 108:13). To this extent, the Hebrew terms coincide with the English terms “to help” and “help.” (Jenni, E., & Westermann, C. Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament (872). Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers) Azar - 76v with 22 uses in Chronicles - Gen. 49:25; Deut. 32:38; Jos. 1:14; Jos. 10:4; Jos. 10:6; Jos. 10:33; 1 Sam. 7:12; 2 Sam. 8:5; 2 Sam. 18:3; 2 Sam. 21:17; 1 Ki. 1:7; 1 Ki. 20:16; 2 Ki. 14:26; 1 Chr. 5:20; 1 Chr. 12:1; 1 Chr. 12:17; 1 Chr. 12:18; 1 Chr. 12:19; 1 Chr. 12:21; 1 Chr. 12:22; 1 Chr. 15:26; 1 Chr. 18:5; 1 Chr. 22:17; 2 Chr. 14:11; 2 Chr. 18:31; 2 Chr. 19:2; 2 Chr. 20:23; 2 Chr. 25:8; 2 Chr. 26:7; 2 Chr. 26:13; 2 Chr. 26:15; 2 Chr. 28:16; 2 Chr. 28:23; 2 Chr. 32:3; 2 Chr. 32:8; Ezr. 8:22; Ezr. 10:15; Job 9:13; Job 26:2; Job 29:12; Job 30:13; Ps. 10:14; Ps. 22:11; Ps. 28:7; Ps. 30:10; Ps. 37:40; Ps. 46:5; Ps. 54:4; Ps. 72:12; Ps. 79:9; Ps. 86:17; Ps. 107:12; Ps. 109:26; Ps. 118:7; Ps. 118:13; Ps. 119:86; Ps. 119:173; Ps. 119:175; Isa. 30:7; Isa. 31:3; Isa. 41:6; Isa. 41:10; Isa. 41:13; Isa. 41:14; Isa. 44:2; Isa. 49:8; Isa. 50:7; Isa. 50:9; Isa. 63:5; Jer. 47:4; Lam. 1:7; Ezek. 30:8; Dan. 10:13; Dan. 11:34; Dan. 11:45; Zech. 1:15 Matthew Henry Notes: 2Ch 28:16-27 Here is, I. The great distress which the kingdom of Ahaz was reduced to for his sin. In general, 1. The Lord brought Judah low, 2Ch 28:19. They had lately been very high in wealth and power; but God found means to bring them down, and make them as despicable as they had been formidable. Those that will not humble themselves under the word of God will justly be humbled by his judgments. Iniquity brings men low, Ps. 106:43. 2. Ahaz made Judah naked. As his sin debased them, so it exposed them. It made them naked to their shame; for it exposed them to contempt, as a man unclothed. It made them naked to their danger; for it exposed them to assaults, as a man unarmed, Ex. 32:25. Sin strips men. In particular, the Edomites, to be revenged for Amaziah's cruel treatment of them (2Ch 25:12), smote Judah, and carried off many captives, 2Ch 28:17. The Philistines also insulted them, took and kept possession of several cities and villages that lay near them (2Ch 28:18), and so they were revenged for the incursions which Uzziah had made upon them, 2Ch 26:6. And, to show that it was purely the sin of Ahaz that brought the Philistines upon his country, in the very year that he died the prophet Isaiah foretold the destruction of the Philistines by his son, Isa. 14:28, 29. II. The addition which Ahaz made both to the national distress and the national guilt. 1. He added to the distress, by making court to strange kings, in hopes they would relieve him. When the Edomites and Philistines were vexatious to him, he sent to the kings of Assyria to help him (2Ch 28:16); for he found his own kingdom weakened and made naked, and he could not put any confidence in God, and therefore was at a vast expense to get an interest in the king of Assyria. He pillaged the house of God, and the king's house, and squeezed the princes for money to hire these foreign forces into his service, 2Ch 28:21. Though he had conformed to the idolatry of the heathen nations, his neighbours, they did not value him for that, nor love him the better, nor did his compliance, by which he lost God, gain them, nor could he make any interest in them, but with his money. It is often found that wicked men themselves have no real affection for those that revolt to them, nor do they care to do them a kindness. A degenerate branch is looked upon, on all sides, as an abominable branch, Isa. 14:19. But what did Ahaz get by the king of Assyria? Why, he came to him, but he distressed him, and strengthened him not (2Ch 28:20), helped him not, 2Ch 28:21. The forces of the Assyrian quartered upon his country, and so impoverished and weakened it; they grew insolent and imperious, and created him a great deal of vexation, like a broken reed, which not only fails, but pierces the hand. 2. He added to the guilt, by making court to strange gods, in hopes they would relieve him. In his distress, instead of repenting of his idolatry, which he had reason enough to see the folly of, he trespassed yet more (2Ch 28:22), was more mad than ever upon his idols. A brand of infamy is here set upon him for it: This is that king Ahaz, that wretched man, who was the scandal of the house of David and the curse and plague of his generation. Note, Those are wicked and vile indeed that are made worse by their afflictions, instead of being made better by them, who in their distress trespass yet more, have their corruptions exasperated by that which should mollify them, and their hearts more fully set in them to do evil. Let us see what his trespass was. (1.) He abused the house of God; for he cut in pieces the vessels of it, that the priests might not perform the service of the temple, or not as it should be performed, for want of vessels; and, at length, he shut up the doors, that the people might not attend it, 2Ch 28:24. This was worse than the worst of the kings before him had done. (2.) He confronted the altar of God, for he made himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem; so that, as the prophet speaks, they were like heaps in the furrows of the fields, Hos. 12:11. And in the cities of Judah, either by his power or by his purse, perhaps by both, he erected high places for the people to burn incense to what idols they pleased, as if on purpose to provoke the God of his fathers, 2Ch 28:25. (3.) He cast off God himself; for he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus (2Ch 28:23), not because he loved them, for he thought they smote him; but because he feared them, thinking that they helped his enemies, and that, if he could bring them into his interest, they would help him. Foolish man! It was his own God that smote him and strengthened the Syrians against him, not the gods of Damascus; had he sacrificed to him, and to him only, he would have helped him. But no marvel that men's affections and devotions are misplaced when they mistake the author of their trouble and their help. And what comes of it? The gods of Syria befriend Ahaz no more than the kings of Assyria did; they were the ruin of him and of all Israel. This sin provoked God to bring judgments upon them, to cut him off in the midst of his days, when he was but thirty-six years old; and it debauched the people so that the reformation of the next reign could not prevail to cure them of their inclination to idolatry, but they retained that root of bitterness till the captivity in Babylon plucked it up. The chapter concludes with the conclusion of the reign of Ahaz, 2Ch 28:26, 27. For aught that appears, he died impenitent, and therefore died inglorious; for he was not buried in the sepulchres of the kings. Justly was he thought unworthy to be laid among them who was so unlike them-to be buried with kings who had used his kingly power for the destruction of the church and not for its protection or edification. 2 Chronicles 28:17 For again the Edomites had come and attacked Judah and carried away captives. Edomites: 2Ch 25:11-12 Lev 26:18 Ob 1:10,13,14 Related Passages: 2 Chronicles 25:11-12+ Now Amaziah strengthened himself and led his people forth, and went to the Valley of Salt and struck down 10,000 of the sons of Seir (EDOMITES). 12 The sons of Judah also captured 10,000 alive and brought them to the top of the cliff and threw them down from the top of the cliff, so that they were all dashed to pieces. KING AHAZ SURROUNDED EDOMITES ATTACK FROM SOUTH EDOMITES INVADE FROM THE SOUTH For again - This is a time phrase and in this context suggests that Edomite aggression was not a single incident but a recurring humiliation under the reign of Ahaz. The Edomites had once been subject to David and Solomon and most recently defeated by Amaziah (2Ch 25:11-12+) were now bold enough to invade the land of Judah at will. The balance of power had shifted, and Judah’s former vassals had become her oppressors. BACKGROUND ON EDOM: Recall that although David had subjugated the Edomites (2Sa 8:13-14+), circa 848 BC under the reign of evil King Jehoram (Joram, son of Jehoshaphat) the Edomites revolted and resisted Jehoram's attempt to suppress their rebellion (2Ki 8:20-22, 2Ch 21:8-10), resulting in the first permanent loss of Edom after the Davidic period. Then circa 796–767 BC Amaziah defeated Edom in the Valley of Salt and killed 10,000 Edomites (2Ki 14:7; 2Ch 25:11–12), regaining regained military dominance over Edom, but control was fragile and not total. Then circa 792–740 BC Uzziah rebuilt Elath (Eilat) on the Gulf of Aqaba (2Ki 14:22; 2Ch 26:2) which shows that Judah again held the key Edomite port and trade route, implying renewed control. Now we come to the reign of Ahaz and circa 735 BC during the Syro-Ephramite crisis, the Edomites attacked Judah (2Ch 28:17). Ahaz and Judah also lost control of Elath to Rezin (2Ki 16:6). After Ahaz, Judah never again controlled Edom; later the region passed under Assyrian, Babylonian, and eventually Nabatean rule. Captives Carried Away The Edomites had come and attacked Judah and carried away captives - The Edomites, descendants of Esau (the twin brother of Jacob and grandson of Abraham), were longtime rivals of Israel. Their hostility reached back to the days of the Exodus and had flared repeatedly through the centuries. Now, sensing Judah’s weakness and God’s displeasure with Ahaz’s unfaithfulness, they seized the opportunity to strike. Their attack was not merely a border raid, for they carried away captives, tearing families from their homes and reducing fellow descendants of Abraham to slavery. The Edomite attack was more than a political setback, but ultimately was a spiritual consequence of Ahaz's and Judah’s idolatry and misplaced trust in Assyria which resulted in Yahweh removing His divine protection that once restrained Judah's enemies. What Ahaz hoped to avoid through foreign alliances (military loss, shame, captivity) was coming upon the nation from every direction (SEE MAP ABOVE). The Edomite incursion became another visible sign that reliance on human power cannot replace obedience to the LORD. As an aside, Edom would find out that what "goes around, comes around" for later the prophet Obadiah foretold Edom's fate writing... Obadiah 10-14 Because of violence to your brother Jacob (AKA JUDAH), You will be covered with shame, And you will be cut off forever. 11 “On the day that you stood aloof, On the day that strangers carried off his wealth, And foreigners entered his gate And cast lots for Jerusalem– You too were as one of them. 12 “Do not gloat over your brother’s day, The day of his misfortune. And do not rejoice over the sons of Judah In the day of their destruction; Yes, do not boast In the day of their distress. 13 “Do not enter the gate of My people In the day of their disaster. Yes, you, do not gloat over their calamity In the day of their disaster. And do not loot their wealth In the day of their disaster. 14 “Do not stand at the fork of the road To cut down their fugitives; And do not imprison their survivors In the day of their distress. Frederick Mabie: In addition to the pressure on Judah from Aram and Israel to the north (2Ch 28: 5-8), Ahaz also faces pressure in the south as the Edomites launch offensives into Judah (2Ch 28:17). In addition, the Philistines seize several key Judean cities in the Shephelah, including Beth Shemesh, Aijalon, Soco, and Timnah (2Ch 28:18). Note that most of these cities were located on the major passes (roads) leading into the central hill country. (SEE 1 and 2 Chronicles) Spurgeon -The Edomites had been under subjection to Judah; but now that God had left her, Judah could not hold her position. John Walton - military difficulties. Not only was Ahaz fearful of Aram-Israelite invasions, it appears his appeal to Assyria was for his war against Edom and Philistia. Recent excavations along the ancient border between Edom and Judah have confirmed the expansion of Edom into the Negev of Judah at towns such as En Hatzeva and Qitmit. Pottery ostraca from Arad that contain military correspondence from this period also show that Edomite invasions were considered imminent. The Philistines expanded their presence into the Shephelah region, regaining control of the area that had been under Judean control during the reign of Uzziah (see comment on 26:6-8). The description includes the three main passes into the Judean hills (the Aijalon, Sorek and Elah Valleys). There are no archaeological finds that illumine this Philistine conquest in any of the sites mentioned here. Tiglath-Pileser’s campaign of 734 included the Philistines among his targets. This led to setting up a stele in Gaza in 734 and the conquest of Ashkelon in 733. An Assyrian letter from Nimrud indicates the unstable conditions that existed in Palestine at this time. The territories lost by Ahaz were not returned to him but organized into Assyrian provinces. (See page 450 The IVP Bible Background Commentary-Old Testament) 2 Chronicles 28:18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland and of the Negev of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, and Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages, and they settled there. Philistines: Eze 16:27,57 Beth-shemesh: Jos 15:10 1Sa 6:9 Ajalon: 2Ch 11:10, Aijalon Gederoth: Jos 15:41 Soco: Jos 15:48, Socoh Timnah: Judges 14:1 PHILISTINES ATTACK FROM WEST PHILISTINES INVADE FROM THE WEST The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland and of the Negev of Judah - As shown on the map above, Judah was being pressed from every side. While Edom struck from the southeast, the Philistines surged in from the west and southwest. These were ancient enemies who had troubled Israel since the days of the Judges and Saul. The “lowland” refers to the fertile Shephelah—the rolling foothills between the coastal plain and the Judean mountains—an area vital for agriculture and trade. The Negev was Judah’s southern frontier, a region that guarded access to the heartland. To lose control of these areas meant economic ruin and strategic vulnerability. And had taken Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, and Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages, The naming of these specific towns underscores the scale of the disaster. Beth-shemesh and Aijalon were historic cities associated with earlier victories of Israel but now they had fallen without resistance. Soco and Timnah lay along key routes connecting Judah with the coast, and Gimzo guarded approaches toward Jerusalem itself. Each town represented families displaced, fields lost, and defenses dismantled. What had once been Judah’s protective belt on the western side was being peeled away piece by piece. And they settled there - They refers to the Philistines. The point is that the Philistine invasion was not a temporary 'one and done" raid but a permanent occupation. The Philistines did not merely plunder and withdraw, but moved in to stay. Judah was losing territory that had belonged to the people of God for generations. The land promised to David’s line was being handed over to pagans, a visible sign that the nation’s spiritual foundations were crumbling under the evil reign of King Ahaz! Under Ahaz, Judah had turned to idols and to Assyria rather than to the LORD. As a result, the divine hedge of protection was removed (see 2Ch 28:19). Enemies long restrained now advanced with ease. 🙏 THOUGHT - These last 2 verses illustrate a sobering principle that when God’s people forsake Him, even once firm strongholds can fall, and ground once gained can be lost. Can we not apply this truth to our spiritual lives? That's a rhetorical question of course! How easily this truth applies to our own lives, for what once stood firm can slip away when our love of Christ grows cold (cf Rev 2:4-5+) Woe to us if we presume upon yesterday’s victories while neglecting daily faithfulness! See Beware of Slowly Drifting From Your First Love of Jesus! Spurgeon - A people that one might have thought had become extinct, so weak were they that we scarcely hear of them; yet “the Philistines also” — Raymond Dillard: The inciting incident in Ahaz’s seeking the help of Tiglath-pileser III was the attack of the Syro-Ephraimite coalition according to 2 Kgs 16:7; here instead it is attacks from the Edomites and Philistines. These two nations were natural allies against Judah and could have been seeking to forge overland trading routes free of Judean influence linking the strategic gulf trade through Elath with the coastal highway to the west; Uzziah had extended Judean control into the region (2Ch 28:7–8). Pressure from the North (2Ch 28:5) would have encouraged opportunism on Judah’s southern and western flanks. The attacks from Edom may have been incited by the Arameans to further the interests of the coalition against Judah or the Aram of 2 Kgs 16:6 may have derived from misreading Edom. The cities captured by the Philistines (with the exception of Gimzo) were all along the Ayyalon, Sorek, and Elah valleys in the buffer zone of the Shephelah between the two nations or in the Negev (Arad). 2 Chronicles 28:19 For the LORD humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had brought about a lack of restraint in Judah and was very unfaithful to the LORD. KJV For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD. NKJ For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had encouraged moral decline in Judah and had been continually unfaithful to the LORD. NET The LORD humiliated Judah because of King Ahaz of Israel, for he encouraged Judah to sin and was very unfaithful to the LORD. CSB For the LORD humbled Judah because of King Ahaz of Judah, who threw off restraint in Judah and was unfaithful to the LORD. ESV For the LORD humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had made Judah act sinfully and had been very unfaithful to the LORD. NIV The LORD had humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had promoted wickedness in Judah and had been most unfaithful to the LORD. NLT The LORD was humbling Judah because of King Ahaz of Judah, for he had encouraged his people to sin and had been utterly unfaithful to the LORD. For the LORD humbled Judah: De 28:43 1Sa 2:7 Job 40:12 Ps 106:41-43 Pr 29:23 because of Ahaz: Ho 5:11 Mic 6:16 Israel: 2Ch 21:2 Judah: Ge 3:7,11 Ex 32:25 Rev 3:17,18 16:15 Related Passages: 2 Chronicles 13:18 (200 YEARS BEFORE KING ABIJAH [913-911 BC] EXPERIENCED THE OPPOSITE OF AHAZ'S FATE [731-715 BC]) Thus the sons of Israel were subdued at that time, and the sons of Judah conquered because they trusted in the LORD, the God of their fathers. AHAZ'S UNRESTRAIN: GOD WITHDRAWN RESTRAINT For - This is the first of three terms of explanation in this verse. This one explains why Edomites and Philistines defeated Judah and why God allowed this. The LORD humbled (kana ;LXX - tapeinoo - make low) Judah -The humiliation of Judah was not ultimately caused by Edom, Philistia, or Assyria, but by the sovereign hand of the LORD. God used these foreign nations to bring Judah to its knees. The purpose was not cruelty but was to motivate the nation to repent. Unfortunately, the people for the most part were not personally humbled and did not repent. KJV For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD. Because of - Like an explanatory sandwich, the Spirit explains why Yahweh humbled the entire nation. Ahaz king of Israel - Israel in this context refers to the Southern Kingdom. Evil leadership spread like leaven and corrupted all of Judah. Though Ahaz ruled Judah, his behavior mirrored the apostasy of the northern kingdom. For - This explains the evil leadership of Ahaz, the effect of it on the people and the cause of it in Ahaz. He had brought about a lack of restraint in Judah - KJV = "for he made Judah naked." NKJV = "for he had encouraged moral decline in Judah" NLT = "for he had encouraged his people to sin." The weak, evil leadership of Ahaz infected the people, loosening the moral and spiritual fabric of the nation. Under Ahaz’s influence, the nation cast off the disciplines of the covenant, and what had once been guarded by the Law was now treated as optional. Deadly idolatry spread like bubonic plague without check, worship was corrupted, and the people followed the king’s example into religious confusion and ethical decline. Leadership that should have acted as a brake on evil instead removed the reins altogether, allowing passions, pagan customs, and political expediency to run wild! The result was a society no longer anchored by a healthy fear of the LORD, resulting in a nation drifting without restraint toward chaos and divine judgment. And was very unfaithful (maal) to the LORD - At the heart of the crisis lay betrayal of relationship. Note Ahaz was not just unfaithful but VERY unfaithful to Yahweh. The adverb VERY underscores the depth of his rebellion, persistent, deliberate, and public. His reign was marked by repeated betrayal of the LORD, replacing worship of Yawheh with worship of idols and pursuing political dependence on pagan powers. Humbled (03665) kana is a verb whose basic sense is to be lowly or meek. In the Old Testament it carries two primary meanings: most commonly to subdue—often in the sense of political humiliation—and secondly to humble oneself (Lev 26:41; 1 Ki 21:29 [twice]; 2 Ki 22:19; 2 Chr 7:14; 12:5–7, 12; 30:11; 32:26; 33:12, 19, 23; 34:27; 36:12). The term is used of nations being subdued, as in Judges 3:30, “So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel, and the land was undisturbed for eighty years.” Yet Scripture makes clear that the power to subdue ultimately belongs to God, for Judges 4:23 states, “So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the sons of Israel.” This is a comforting truth for believers living in a world where evil appears unchecked—yet it is not out of control, for God remains sovereign. As Paul affirms, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Ro 16:20). Kana often pictures a person falling to his knees in submission or humiliation. In Leviticus 26:41 it describes the Lord humbling an uncircumcised, prideful heart. The verb also denotes God’s defeat of Israel’s enemies (Dt 9:3; Jdg 3:30; 4:23; 8:28; 1 Chr 17:10; 18:1; 20:4). At the same time it speaks of voluntary humility, as seen in Ahab’s response (1 Ki 21:29). The key to Israel’s restoration after failure was repentance and self-humbling before the Lord (2 Chr 7:14). God alone can humble the wicked in His time, as He declared to Job: “Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him… crush the wicked where they stand” (Job 40:12). KANA - 32V - Lev. 26:41; Deut. 9:3; Jdg. 3:30; Jdg. 4:23; Jdg. 8:28; Jdg. 11:33; 1 Sam. 7:13; 2 Sam. 8:1; 1 Ki. 21:29; 2 Ki. 22:19; 1 Chr. 17:10; 1 Chr. 18:1; 1 Chr. 20:4; 2 Chr. 7:14; 2 Chr. 12:6; 2 Chr. 12:7; 2 Chr. 12:12; 2 Chr. 13:18; 2 Chr. 28:19; 2 Chr. 30:11; 2 Chr. 32:26; 2 Chr. 33:12; 2 Chr. 33:19; 2 Chr. 33:23; 2 Chr. 34:27; 2 Chr. 36:12; Neh. 9:24; Job 40:12; Ps. 81:14; Ps. 106:42; Ps. 107:12; Isa. 25:5 Unfaithful (treachery) (04604) maal from the verb maal = to act unfaithfully or treacherously, to violate a legal obligation) is a masculine noun which refers to an unfaithful (not adhering to vows, allegiance, or duty) act, a violation of allegiance (the fidelity owed by a subject to his or her Sovereign God) or of faith and confidence. Most uses of maal reflect violations are against Jehovah (exception = Job 21:34). The NAS translates maal as falsehood (1), treachery (2), trespass (1), trespass* (1), unfaithful (3), unfaithful act (4), unfaithful deeds (1), unfaithfully (6), unfaithfulness (6), very unfaithful (1). Treachery is that which is untrue to what should command one’s fidelity or allegiance (in this case fidelity to God alone). Furthermore, treachery implies a readiness to betray trust or confidence. Webster's 1828 edition adds "The man who betrays his country in any manner, violates his allegiance, arid is guilty of treachery. This is treason. The man who violates his faith pledged to his friend, or betrays a trust in which a promise of fidelity is implied, is guilty of treachery. The disclosure of a secret committed to one in confidence, is treachery. This is perfidy." Maal - 26v - Lev. 5:15; Lev. 6:2; Num. 5:6; Num. 5:12; Num. 5:27; Num. 31:16; Jos. 7:1; Jos. 22:16; Jos. 22:20; Jos. 22:22; Jos. 22:31; 1 Chr. 9:1; 1 Chr. 10:13; 2 Chr. 28:19; 2 Chr. 29:19; 2 Chr. 33:19; 2 Chr. 36:14; Ezr. 9:2; Ezr. 9:4; Ezr. 10:6; Job 21:34; Ezek. 15:8; Ezek. 17:20; Ezek. 18:24; Ezek. 39:26; Dan. 9:7 2 Chronicles 28:20 So Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him. NET King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came, but he gave him more trouble than support. BGT καὶ ἦλθεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν Θαγλαθφελλασαρ βασιλεὺς Ασσουρ καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτόν LXE And there came against him Thalgaphellasar king of Assyria, and he afflicted him. CSB Then Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came against Ahaz; he oppressed him and did not give him support. ESV So Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him. NIV iglath-Pileser king of Assyria came to him, but he gave him trouble instead of help. NLT So when King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria arrived, he attacked Ahaz instead of helping him. Tilgath pilneser: 2Ki 15:29 16:7-10, Tiglath-Pileser 1Ch 5:26 Ho 5:13 afflicted him: 2Ki 17:5 Isa 7:20 30:3,16 Jer 2:37 Parallel Passages 2 Kings 16:9+ So the king of Assyria listened to him; and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus and captured it, and carried the people of it away into exile to Kir, and put Rezin to death. Isaiah 31:1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help And rely on horses, And trust in chariots because they are many And in horsemen because they are very strong, But they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the LORD! Psalm 146:3-5+ Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation. 4 His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; In that very day his thoughts perish. 5 How blessed is he whose HELP (ezer related to azar; LXX - boethos = Helper) is the God of Jacob, Whose hope is in the LORD his God, Jeremiah 17:5-7 (THIS WOULD BE APROPOS TO KING AHAZ) Thus says the LORD, “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from the LORD. 6 “For he will be like a bush in the desert And will not see when prosperity comes, But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, A land of salt without inhabitant. 7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD. Tiglath-Pileser III as depicted on a stele from the walls of his royal palace So Tilgath-pilneser (pileser) king of Assyria came against him and afflicted (tsarar) him instead of strengthening him. How vain it is to seek relief apart from God! The very power Ahaz had courted for protection became the instrument of Ahaz's distress. He had sent tribute to Assyria, calling himself a servant and son (2Ki 16:7+), hoping the mighty empire would rescue Judah from Aram and Israel. Instead, Tilgath-pilneser arrived not as a savior but as a master. What Ahaz expected to be help turned into humiliation. The phrase came against him reveals the bitter reversal. Judah had asked Tilgath-pilneser to intervene, and indeed he did intervene, butnot the way Ahaz had sought. Ahaz by inviting a stronger nation into his affairs, surrendered Judah's independence and dignity. The ally became an oppressor. And afflicted (tsarar) him instead of strengthening (chazaq) him - I like the NET version = " but he gave him more trouble than support." This is the tragic heart of this verse. Human schemes that ignore God often produce the opposite of what they promise. (Been there, done that!) Ahaz believed Assyria would stabilize his throne, yet the alliance drained Judah’s resources, imposed heavy tribute, and deepened Judah's spiritual corruption. The king discovered that dependence on worldly power brings bondage, not freedom. Afflicted (06887) tsarar means to be narrow, to be cramped, to be straitened, to be constricted, to hem or be hemmed in. Tsarar may refer to anything that is confining. In the context of Isaiah 8:16, it means to bind up, tie, or wrap in order to safeguard from tampering (cf. Prov 26:8; Ex 12:34; Josh 9:4). The imagery most likely refers to scribes binding a document into a sealed scroll for preservation. A similar figurative use appears in Hosea 13:12, where Israel’s sins are portrayed as written down and permanently bound in a sealed scroll, ensuring that their guilt is retained and remembered. Figuratively, tsarar often means to oppress, harass, or act as an adversary. The best-known example is Psalm 23:5, “in the presence of my enemies (tsarar).” This sense occurs frequently (e.g., Ex 23:22; Num 10:9; 25:17–18; Esth 3:10; 8:1; 9:10, 24; Ps 6:7; 7:4, 6; 8:2; 10:5; 23:5; 31:11; 42:10; 69:19; 74:4, 23; 129:1–2; 143:12; Isa 11:13; Amos 5:12), describing those who actively oppose or afflict God’s people. The word also conveys the idea of being hard-pressed or distressed (about 13 of 36 uses), carrying nuances of anxiety, trouble, oppression, or being cramped. In contrast, the Hebrew concept of something “broad” or “wide-open” often pictures freedom and deliverance. Job 20:22 illustrates this meaning, describing a person in “narrow straits,” hemmed in by pressure, stress, or calamity. To “bind up” a city can mean to besiege it (Deut 28:52). In the Septuagint this is rendered either by extribō (“to rub out, remove by irritation”) or more commonly by thlipsis, meaning pressure or constriction. Passages where the LXX translates tsarar with thlipsis include Deut 28:52; Judg 10:9; 1 Sam 28:15; 30:6; 2 Sam 13:2; 1 Kgs 8:37; 2 Chr 6:28; 22:5; 33:12; Neh 9:27; Job 20:22; Ps 31:9; 69:17; and Lam 1:20. In another nuance, tsarar can mean to shut someone in or exclude a person, as in 2 Samuel 20:3. It may also describe something cramped, shortened, or restricted, as in Job 18:7, where affliction hems a man in so that he can no longer walk with the full, vigorous stride he once enjoyed. TSARAR - 36V - Ge 32:7; Ex 12:34; Dt. 28:52; Jos. 9:4; Jdg. 2:15; Jdg. 10:9; Jdg. 11:7; 1 Sam. 25:29; 1 Sam. 28:15; 1 Sam. 30:6; 2 Sam. 1:26; 2 Sam. 13:2; 2 Sam. 20:3; 1 Ki. 8:37; 1 Chr. 21:13; 2 Chr. 6:28; 2 Chr. 28:20; 2 Chr. 28:22; 2 Chr. 33:12; Neh. 9:27; Job 18:7; Job 20:22; Job 26:8; Ps. 31:9; Ps. 69:17; Prov. 4:12; Prov. 26:8; Prov. 30:4; Isa. 8:16; Isa. 28:20; Isa. 49:19; Jer. 10:18; Lam. 1:20; Hos. 4:19; Hos. 13:12; Zeph. 1:17 TIGLATH-PILESER Tiglath-Pileser III was a powerful king of Assyria who reigned during the 8th century B.C., around 745–727 B.C. His rule marked a turning point in the history of the ancient Near East and had significant implications for both Israel and Judah. Historically, Tiglath-Pileser reorganized the Assyrian Empire, expanding its borders through military conquest and establishing a policy of deporting conquered peoples to prevent rebellion. The Bible refers to him several times, especially in connection with the kings of Israel and Judah who sought his help or who suffered his wrath. In 2 Chronicles 28:20 “So Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him.” This verse recounts the reign of King Ahaz of Judah, who sought help from Tiglath-Pileser against his enemies. Instead of aiding Ahaz, Tiglath-Pileser used the opportunity to oppress Judah further. According to 2Ki 16:7–9, Ahaz sent silver and gold from the temple of the Lord as tribute to Tiglath-Pileser, choosing political expedience over faith in God. The result was tragic as Ahaz trusted in human alliances rather than divine protection, leading to greater suffering for his nation. Biblically and historically, Tiglath-Pileser was also involved in the downfall of the northern kingdom of Israel. In 2Ki 15:29, we read, “In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came and captured Ijon and Abel-beth-maacah and Janoah and Kedesh and Hazor and Gilead and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria.” Thus, Tiglath-Pileser was an instrument of God’s judgment upon Israel’s disobedience, fulfilling the prophetic warnings that had long been ignored. Tiglath-Pileser’s rise coincided with Isaiah’s prophetic ministry and the turbulent political alliances of that age. When Ahaz refused to trust the Lord, looking instead to Assyria, Isaiah gave a prophetic sign through the naming of his son Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, which means “Speed the spoil and hasten the booty.” This name symbolized the coming Assyrian invasion that would swiftly seize the wealth of Israel and Syria. The prophet’s message in Isaiah 8:3–4 confirms this: “The Lord said to me, ‘Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz; for before the boy knows how to cry out "My father" or "My mother," the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.’” Theologically, Tiglath-Pileser reminds us that trusting in human power instead of God leads to ruin. The alliance Ahaz pursued brought distress, not deliverance, because God alone is worthy of His people’s confidence. Pr 3:5–6 exhorts us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Tiglath-Pileser was thus both a political figure in history and a divine instrument of judgment in Scripture, used by God to discipline nations that had turned away from Him. ANOTHER SOURCE: [ISBE] - (SEE ALSO WIKIPEDIA) tig-lath-pi-le-zer tighlath pil'eser, as the name is read in 2 Kings, tilleghath pilnecer, in 2 Chronicles; Septuagint Algathphellasar; Assyrian, Tukulti-abal-i-sarra): King of Assyria in the days of Menahem, Pekahiah, and Pekah, kings of Israel, and of Uzziah, Jotham and Ahaz, kings of Judah. The king of Assyria, whom the historian of 2 Kings knows as exacting tribute from Menahem, is Pul (2 Ki 15:19 f). In the days of Pekah who had usurped the throne of Menahem's son and successor, Pekahiah, the king of Assyria is known as Tiglath-pileser, who invaded Naphtali and carried the inhabitants captive to Assyria (2 Ki 15:29). This invasion is described by the Chronicler (1 Ch 5:25 f) rather differently, to the effect that "the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river of Gozan, unto this day." Still later we find Pekah forming a coalition with Rezin, king of Damascus, into which they tried to force Ahaz, even going the length of besieging him in Jerusalem (2 Ki 16:5). The siege was unsuccessful. Ahaz called in the aid of Tiglath-pileser, sacrificing his independence to get rid of the invaders (2 Ki 16:7,8). He offered the Assyrian the silver and gold that were found in the house of the Lord and in the royal treasury; and Tiglath-pileser, in return, invaded the territories of Damascus and Israel in the rear, compelling the allied forces to withdraw from Judah, while he captured Damascus, and carried the people away to Kir and slew Rezin (2 Ki 16:9). It was on the occasion of his visit to Damascus to do homage to his suzerain Tiglath-pileser, that Ahaz fancied the idolatrous altar, a pattern of which he sent to Urijah, the priest, that he might erect an altar to take the place of the brazen altar which was before the Lord in the temple at Jerusalem. It is a significant comment which is made by the Chronicler (2 Ch 28:21) upon the abject submission of Ahaz to the Assyrian king: "It helped him not." From the inscriptions we learn particulars which afford striking corroboration of the Biblical narrative and clear up some of the difficulties involved. It is now practically certain that Pul, who is mentioned as taking tribute from Menahem, is identical with Tiglath-pileser (Schrader, COT, I, 230, 231). In all probability Pul, or Pulu, was a usurper, who as king of Assyria assumed the name of one of his predecessors, Tiglath-pileser I, and reigned as Tiglath-pileser III. This king of Assyria, who reigned, as we learn from his annals, from 745 BC to 727 BC, was one of the greatest of Assyrian monarchs. See ASSYRIA. From the fact that no fewer than five Hebrew kings are mentioned in his annals, the greatest interest attaches to his history as it has come down to us. These kings are Uzziah or Azariah, and Jehoahaz, that is Ahaz, of Judah; and Menahem, Pekah and Hushes of Israel. Along with them are mentioned their contemporaries Rezin of Damascus, Hiram of Tyre, and two queens of Arabia otherwise unknown, Zabibi and Samsi. When he died in 727 BC, he was succeeded by Shalmaneser IV, who had occasion to suspect the loyalty of his vassal Hoshea, king of Israel, and besieged him in Samaria. - T. Nicol 2 Chronicles 28:21 Although Ahaz took a portion out of the house of the LORD and out of the palace of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria, it did not help him. took: 2Ch 12:9 2Ki 18:15,16 Pr 20:25 Parallel Passages 2 Kings 16:8+ And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king's house, and sent a present to the king of Assyria. DESPERATE MOVES OF AN UNFAITHFUL KING Although Ahaz took a portion out of the house of the LORD and out of the palace of the king and of the princes, In desperation Ahaz stripped the very treasures that symbolized Judah’s covenant relationship with God. The wealth stored in the temple had been dedicated to the LORD, offerings given in gratitude for His protection and blessing. By seizing these sacred resources, Ahaz treated what was holy to God as mere currency. He also drained the royal palace and even the possessions of his leading officials, spreading the burden of his misguided policy across the whole nation. This act revealed how far his heart had drifted. Instead of turning to the LORD whose house he plundered, he robbed God to purchase human assistance. The temple, meant to be a place of prayer and trust, became a bank for political schemes. What earlier kings had guarded with reverence, Ahaz sacrificed without hesitation. And gave it to the king of Assyria Ahaz's tribute was intended to buy favor from Tiglath-pileser, to secure Judah’s safety through trust in gold rather than trust in God. In the ancient world such payments signified submission as well as alliance. Ahaz was not merely seeking help but was in effect making Judah a vassal state under Assyrian dominance. The people of God were being "mortgaged" to a pagan king by use of treasures meant for the worship of the true King! It did not help ('ezrah; LXX - boetheia) him - The Beatles were right "Money can't buy you love!" Ahaz's costly sacrifice achieved absolutely nothing! Assyria took the gifts but offered no genuine protection; instead it tightened its grip and increased Judah’s misery. What Ahaz believed would be a solution became another chain around his neck. Money cannot purchase peace when the heart is estranged from the LORD. Henry
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Spurgeon writes "A black mark is put against his name, to show how greatly guilty he was. Those who rebel against divine checks, and will not be held in by the providence of God, are to be written down in capital letters as great sinners. They sin with emphasis who sin against the chastising rod.” Instead of repenting, Ahaz doubled down on his unfaithfulness. This is what you call stiffening your neck and hardening your heart even more, not a good response to the omnipotent God. Ahaz did not read the divine "tea leaves" like Manasseh did after suffering the distress of being taken in hooks to Babylon (2Ch 33:11+)! In marked contrast to Ahaz the chronicler records "When he (MANASSEH) was in distress, he entreated the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers." (2Ch 33:12). 🙏 THOUGHT - Dear reader, are you experiencing a time of distress because of unconfessed, unrepentant sin? And by the way, most of us have experienced those times, from time to time (I certainly have in 38 years of walking with Jesus!). If you are in distress, do not seek worldly methods to get out of the distress, but SEEK HIM Who has allowed (or sometimes sent) the distress! Cry out! Run to Him! Seek Him! As an earthly father, I can say that when my 4 children have sought me in humility and repentance, my heart has melted every time! David
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Spurgeon - Sermon Notes - 2 Chron. 28:23—“But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.” Narrate the actual circumstances. Ahaz turned away from Jehovah to serve the gods of Damascus, because Syria enjoyed prosperity. “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 ruin of him, and of all Israel.” The consequent introduction of false deities and defilement of the worship of God became the ruin of Ahaz and his kingdom. We fear lest this should be the ruin of England; for the idols of the Papists and the doctrines of Rome are again being set up in our land. Though no country prospers in which these prevail, yet besotted minds are labouring to restore the gods of the Vatican. This subject deserves many faithful sermons. At this time we shall turn the text to more general use. I. THE MAN RUINING HIMSELF. Ahaz is the type of many self-destroyers. “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself.” Hos. 13:9. He would be his own master. This ruined the prodigal, and will ruin millions more. He was high-handed in sin. “He walked in the way of the kings of Israel”: 2 Kings 16:3, 4. This is a race to ruin. He lavished treasure upon it. He spent much but gained little. Profligacy and many other wrong ways are expensive and ruinous. He defied chastisement. “In the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord”: 2 Chron. 28:22. This defiance of correction leads to sure ruin. He was exceedingly clever, and curried favour with the great. He made a copy of a classic altar, and sent it home. More men perish through being too clever than by being simple. He was a man of taste. He admired the antique, and the æsthetic in religion. He had officials to back him. “Urijah, the priest, built an altar according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus”: 2 Kings 16:11. Bad ministers are terrible destroyers. He imitated prosperous sinners. The king of Assyria became his type. This is ruinous conduct. He abandoned all worship of God. “He shut up the doors of the house of the Lord” (verse 24). This is the climax of rebellion, and the seal of ruin. But he did not prosper; the false gods were the ruin of him. II. THE MAN IN RUINS. We leave Ahaz to think of some around us. The man becomes eaten up with secret vice. A rotting ruin haunted by bats and owls, and foul creatures of the night. The man of drinking habits, not fit for society, a brute, a fiend. The man of evil company and foul speech: likely to be soon in prison, or an outcast. The man of unbelieving notions and blasphemous conversation, lost to God, to goodness, and moral sense. All around us we see such spiritual ruins. Turned from holy uses to be mouldering wastes. The man is ruined in— Peace, character, usefulness, prospects. Worst of all, he is himself a ruin, and will be so for ever. A ruin suggests many reflections. What it was! What it might have been! What it is! What it will be! Meditations among ruins may be useful to those who are inclined to repeat the experiment of Ahaz. III. OTHERS RUINED WITH HIM. “They were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.” Designedly. Some men by example create drunkards, by teaching make infidels, by seduction ruin virtue, by their very presence destroy all that is good in their associates. Incidentally; even without intent they spread the contagion of sin. Their irreligion ruins the young, their conduct influences the unsettled, their language inflames the wicked. Sin will ruin you if persisted in. Your downfall will drag down others. Will you not endeavour to escape from ruin? Jesus is the Restorer of the wastes. RELICS There is an Australian missile called the boomerang, which is thrown so as to describe singular curves, and to return at last to the hand of the thrower. Sin is a kind of boomerang, which goes off into space curiously, but turns again upon its author, and with tenfold force strikes the guilty soul that launched it. We might illustrate the evil of sin by the following comparison:—“Suppose I were going along a street, and were to dash my hand through a large pane of glass, what harm would I receive?” “You would be punished for breaking the glass.” “Would that be all the harm I should receive?” “Your hand would be cut by the glass.” “Yes; and so it is with sin. If you break God’s laws, you shall be punished for breaking them; and your soul is hurt by the very act of breaking them.”—J. Inglis. I have heard that a shepherd once stood and watched an eagle soar out from a cliff. The bird flew far up into the air, and presently became unsteady, and reeled in its flight. First one wing dropped, and then the other; presently, with accelerated speed, the poor bird fell rapidly to the ground. The shepherd was curious to know the secret of its fall. He went and picked it up. He saw that when the eagle lighted last on a cliff, a little serpent had fastened itself upon him; and as the serpent gnawed in farther and farther, the eagle in its agony reeled in the air. When the serpent touched its heart, the eagle fell. Have you never seen a man or woman in the church, or in society, rising and rising; the man becoming more and more influential, apparently strong, widely known, asserting power far and near; but, by and by, growing unsteady, uncertain, reeling, as it were, in uncertainty and inconsistency, and at last falling to the earth, and lying there in hopeless disgrace, a spectacle for angels to weep over, and scoffers and devils to jeer at? You do not know the secret of the fall, but the omniscient eye of God saw it. That neglect of prayer, that secret dishonesty in business, that stealthy indulgence in the intoxicating cup, that licentiousness and profligacy unseen of men, that secret tampering with unbelief and error, was the serpent at the heart that brought the eagle down.—T. Cuyler. Sages of old contended that no sin was ever committed whose consequences rested on the head of the sinner alone; that no man could do ill and his fellows not suffer. They illustrated it thus:—“A vessel, sailing from Joppa, carried a passenger, who, beneath his berth, cut a hole through the ship’s side. When the men of the watch expostulated with him, saying, ‘What doest thou, O miserable man?’ the offender calmly replied, ‘What matters it to you? The hole I have made lies under my own berth.’ ” This ancient parable is worthy of the utmost consideration. No man perishes alone in his iniquity; no man can guess the full consequences of his transgression. 2 Chronicles 28:24 Moreover, when Ahaz gathered together the utensils of the house of God, he cut the utensils of the house of God in pieces; and he closed the doors of the house of the LORD and made altars for himself in every corner of Jerusalem. cut: 2Ki 16:17-18 25:13-17 closed the doors of the house: 2Ch 29:3,7 made altars for himself : 2Ch 33:3-5 Jer 2:28 Ho 12:11 Ac 17:16,23 Related Passages: 2 Kings 16:17-18+ Then King Ahaz cut off the borders of the stands, and removed the laver from them; he also took down the sea from the bronze oxen which were under it and put it on a pavement of stone. 18 The covered way for the sabbath which they had built in the house, and the outer entry of the king, he removed from the house of the LORD because of the king of Assyria. AHAZ "LOOTS" GOD'S HOUSE TO PAY OFF ASSYRIAN KING Moreover, when Ahaz gathered together the utensils of the house of God, he cut the utensils of the house of God in pieces -(See 2 Kings 16:17 above). This action reveals how far Ahaz had fallen from the faith of his fathers. The treasures stored in the temple were not merely national wealth; they were symbols of God’s covenant presence and provision. By stripping the house of the LORD to purchase Assyrian help, Ahaz treated sacred gifts as bargaining chips, placing his confidence in political power rather than in the God Who dwelt among His people. What earlier kings had guarded as holy, Ahaz surrendered in fear. John Walton - furnishings of the temple. The furnishings of the temple probably included vessels, utensils, furniture and tools. According to 2 Kings 16:17-18 Ahaz was required to send very precise items, including the “Sabbath canopy,” to the king of Assyria. The Assyrians did not normally interfere with local cultic practices. It appears that Ahaz sent them to satisfy a metal tribute obligation. (See page 450 The IVP Bible Background Commentary-Old Testament) David
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Spurgeon adds that Ahaz "set up little shrines, so that every passer-by might worship which idol he pleased, and each man might present a little incense; thus the whole city was filled with idolatry." John Walton - altars at every street corner. Babylonian texts speak of small open-air shrines or niches on street corners or courtyards. One text says that there were 180 of them in the city of Babylon to the goddess Ishtar. These shrines featured a raised structure with an altar on the top and seem to have been frequented primarily by women. In this sense the word “corner” may refer to what is basically a cultic niche (See page The IVP Bible Background Commentary-Old Testament) Once compromise begins, it continues to grow Warren
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Spurgeon - There was a holy and reverent feeling amongst the remnant of God’s people that a man who had lived as Ahaz had done should not lie with the good kings of Israel. PAUL APPLE - DEVOTIONAL QUESTIONS: Page 599 1) To whom do you turn for help in times of crisis? 2) How do you respond to divine discipline when God is in the process of humbling you? 3) What are some false sources of power and deliverance that people turn to today instead of seeking help from the Lord? 4) How does apostasy escalate and end up causing such collateral damage? QUOTES FOR REFLECTION: Eugene Merrill: Historical Background Since the early 9th century, Assyria had becoming increasingly powerful and more and more inclined to look to the west for its riches and its ready access to the Mediterranean Sea. Assyria’s first significant contact with western principalities, including Israel under Ahab, was in 853 BC and by King Shalmaneser III (858-824 BC — the Battle of Qarqar). No territories were acquired but large bribes and booty were extracted. A series of weaker monarchs followed, with only occasional references to their engagement with the west, particularly with Israel and Judah. Then came the next great figure in Neo-Assyrian history, namely, Tiglath Pileser III (745-727 BC). His tenure is elaborately documented by numerous texts that are of particular relevance to the Bible. The first reference to him is by the secondary name Pulu of the Dynasty of Shashi. It is of interest to note that he is known by name (Hebrew: “Pul”) in both 2 Kings 15:19 and 1 Chronicles 5:26, and he is also called Tiglath Pilneser (2 Chron 28:20). The issue here is primarily neither historical nor textual confusion but the inherent problem in linguistics of transliteration (accounting for the different spellings and variants of the name of this Assyrian King). Tiglath Pileser’s first recorded foray against the west is attested to on a building inscription from early in his reign in which he speaks of receiving tribute from Jehoahaz of Judah. Years later, Tiglath Pileser recounts that he rendered Rezon of Damascus and Menahem of Samaria tributary states in addition to Hiram of Tyre. A date critical for both Damascus and Samaria is 732 BC, the year that Tiglath-Pileser defeated both capitals, slew Rezon, and placed on King Menahem of Israel a heavy tribute. A short time later, the Assyrian returned and established the man Hoshea (732-722 BC) as king of Israel in place of Pekah (752-732) who had been assassinated by his own inner circles. While Assyria was exercising its might, intrigue amongst the smaller states of the littoral was in full bloom. This is hinted at by the Chronicler who explains why TiglathPileser was involved in the affairs of the west to begin with. Though the Assyrian’s own texts say nothing about his motives in westward expansion, the Chronicler indicates that King Ahaz had pleaded with him to come to deliver him from the vicious attacks of the Edomites and the Philistines (2 Chron 28:16-18). However, the Chronicler is completely silent about the Aram-Israel alliance that may be the primary reason for Ahaz’s frantic appeals for help in the first place. Another amazing witness to these same times is the prophet Isaiah who devotes considerable attention to the matter (Isaiah 7:1-9). Isaiah’s public ministry commenced in the year that King Uzziah died (Isa 6:1; about 740 BC). Five years later, then, he spoke to his own historical situation. He summoned King Ahaz to a vantage point where he could look to the north, toward the enemy nations, and predicted that the plot against Ahaz and Judah could NOT stand if only Ahaz would trust in Yahweh. This leads to the far more transcendent promise that even if Ahaz could NOT believe, Yahweh would give him a sign about a hitherto barren young woman who would conceive, bear a son, and call his name Immanuel (Isa 7:14). Christian theology identifies this son as Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary (Matt 1:23). To return to the 2 Chronicles 28 text, the narrator, having spoken of the loss of Eloth (the southernmost city of Israel on the northern tip of the Red Sea) to the Edomites, lists the places in the foothills and Negev (desert) seized by the Philistines: Beth Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco, Timnah, and Gizmo. These were all border posts guarding the Judean hill country and the capital from Philistine forces so their loss to the Philistines would in fact be disastrous Raymond Dillard: H. Williamson (343–49; IBC, 114–18) has shown how the Chronicler has reworked his account of Ahaz from that found in 2 Kgs 16 in order to effect an almost complete reversal of the relationship of North and South as found in 2 Chr 13. (a) Like Jeroboam at the time of the schism, Ahaz too makes molten images for worship (2Ch 28:2). He also worships the gods of Damascus (2Ch 28:10–16, 23), reflecting the charge of Abijah that Israel was worshiping the golden calves and “them that are no gods” (2Ch 13:8–9). (b) Ahaz shut the doors of the temple (28:24), put out the lamps and stopped the offerings of incense and sacrifices (2Ch 29:7), and neglected the shewbread (2Ch 29:18). These additions to the Chronicler’s account amount to the negation of Abijah’s boast of orthodoxy before Jeroboam (2Ch 13:11). These changes show that apostasy in the South had reached the same depths as that in the North at the time of the schism. (c) At the time of the schism, the righteous left the North to join Judah (2Ch 11:13–17), but during the reign of Ahaz, righteousness was found in the North (2Ch 28:9–15). Whereas at the time of the schism, Judah was obedient to the word of a prophet regarding attacking the sister kingdom (2Ch 11:1–4), here it is Israel that heeds the admonition of a prophet (2Ch 28:9). (d) The military fortunes of the two kingdoms are also reversed. Contrast the fortunes of Jeroboam (“God delivered them into their hand, and Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter,” 2Ch 13:16–17) with those of Ahaz (“he was delivered into the hand of the king of Israel who smote him with a great slaughter,” 2Ch 28:5). At the time of Abijah it was Israel that was subjugated (2Ch 13:18), whereas at the time of Ahaz, it was Judah (2Ch 28:19). Ahaz is the only king of Judah for whom the Chronicler does not mention at least some redeeming feature; Ahaz is the antithesis of Abijah and the shadow of Jeroboam. August Konkel: The example of Ahaz may be uncomfortably close to the practice of faith by affluent Christians. There is a tendency to trust ourselves, our resources, and to be most concerned about whatever is immediate. Modern and postmodern Christians manifest deistic tendencies. It is hard to conceive of God as active and present in maintaining life in his world. Everything can be understood as cause and effect; it can all be brought under human control. It is not a disbelief in God, but rather a belief that does not affirm the presence of God in our daily affairs. There is a tendency to cultural conformity without consideration of the ways in which this may be a sin against God. The greatest dangers are perceived to be tangible ones, observed forces that may threaten our well-being. There is no sense that the greatest danger may be less tangible, an implicit faith in ourselves for the needs of life rather than a genuine knowledge that life is a divine gift. Exclusive trust in God is very difficult in times of power and affluence. God has given the means of life to use and trust, but they must all be recognized for what they are: gifts from God. In a modern or postmodern society, there is a tendency to feel entitled, to believe that government and investments bring security. These are the sorts of compromises of which Ahaz was guilty. It is always a good practice to give thanks for every meal. Life and everything that sustains it must continually be acknowledged as divine gifts. Failure to make this confession readily leads to the unfaithfulness of which Ahaz was guilty. (SEE 1 & 2 Chronicles) Martin Selman: The Chronicler’s history reaches another low point with the reign of Ahaz. - To start with, Ahaz did not do what was right before God (2Ch 28:1), in contrast to his immediate predecessor Jotham (2Ch 27:2). - Secondly, the totally negative assessment of Ahaz puts him on a par with the rulers of Ahab’s house (2 Chr. 21-23) and with the kings whose reigns led directly to the exile (2 Chr. 36; cf. also 2 Chr. 33:21-25). - Thirdly, Chronicles has made Kings’ descriptions of Ahaz’ failings much more explicit. Additional interpretative comments explain that Judah was being punished because he had forsaken God (2Ch 28:6) and because Ahaz had been most unfaithful (2Ch 28:19), in sharp contrast with the merciful attitudes shown by the inhabitants of Israel (2Ch 28:12-15). . . Ahaz’s real failure, however, was to seek human rather than divine help. One of the Chronicler’s principles is that “God has the power to help or to overthrow” (2 Ch. 25:8; cf. 2Ch 32:8), and that he helps those who put their trust in him (cf. 1 Ch. 5:20; 14; 10; 18:31). Ahaz’ turning to Assyria was therefore a sign of his unbelief (cf. Is. 7:9-12). Ahaz also “behaved without restraint” (v. 19, NRSV) and was most unfaithful. The former expression really means to favor license rather than true liberty, while the latter is a typical term in Chronicles for failing to give God his due. Therefore God humbled Judah as had Israel under Jeroboam (2 Ch. 13:18), but with even more disastrous results. Geoffrey Kirkland: A Drama of Depraved Disasters — Politically, Nationally & Religiously! We can observe the absolute tragedy of Ahaz’s reign under 4 words… 1. Corruption (2Ch 28:1-4) -- Key word = Depravity 2. Conquest (2Ch 28:5-15) -- Key word = Discipline 3. Compromise (2Ch 28:16-21) -- Key word = Disfunction 4. Condemnation (2Ch 28:22-27) -- Key word = Downfall Steven