Ahaz uniquely combines royal authority with religious innovation, commissioning Damascus altar blueprints and personally overseeing temple renovations—unprecedented administrative detail for a condemned king.
2 Kings 16
Ahaz of Judah
1In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.
2Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He didn’t do that which was right in the LORD his God’s eyes, like David his father.
3But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and even made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel.
4He sacrificed and burned incense in the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
5Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war. They besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him.
6At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drove the Jews from Elath; and the Syrians came to Elath, and lived there to this day.
7So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria and out of the hand of the king of Israel, who rise up against me.”
8Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the LORD’s house, and in the treasures of the king’s house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria.
9The king of Assyria listened to him; and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus and took it, and carried its people captive to Kir, and killed Rezin.
10King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria, and saw the altar that was at Damascus; and King Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest a drawing of the altar and plans to build it.
11Urijah the priest built an altar. According to all that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus, so Urijah the priest made it for the coming of King Ahaz from Damascus.
12When the king had come from Damascus, the king saw the altar; and the king came near to the altar, and offered on it.
13He burned his burnt offering and his meal offering, poured his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings on the altar.
14The bronze altar, which was before the LORD, he brought from the front of the house, from between his altar and the LORD’s house, and put it on the north side of his altar.
15King Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, “On the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, the evening meal offering, the king’s burnt offering and his meal offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, their meal offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle on it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice; but the bronze altar will be for me to inquire by.”
16Urijah the priest did so, according to all that King Ahaz commanded.
17King Ahaz cut off the panels of the bases, and removed the basin from off them, and took down the sea from off the bronze oxen that were under it, and put it on a pavement of stone.
18He removed the covered way for the Sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king’s outer entrance to the LORD’s house, because of the king of Assyria.
19Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
20Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in David’s city; and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.
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Theme
King Ahaz of Judah reigns wickedly for sixteen years, practicing child sacrifice and idolatry like the pagan nations. When attacked by Syria and Israel, he appeals to Assyria for help, paying tribute with temple treasures rather than trusting God. After Assyria defeats his enemies, Ahaz copies a pagan altar from Damascus and replaces proper temple worship, demonstrating complete apostasy and dependence on foreign powers.
Context
This chapter continues the pattern of declining kings in both kingdoms, setting up Judah's eventual exile while showing how political alliances led to religious compromise.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-4 Ahaz's Wicked Reign Begins Ahaz becomes king at twenty and immediately practices idolatry, child sacrifice, and pagan worship throughout Judah.
- 5-6 Syrian-Israelite Attack Syria and Israel besiege Jerusalem but cannot conquer it, though Syria recaptures the port city of Elath.
- 7-9 Appeal to Assyria Ahaz sends temple treasures as tribute to Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria, who responds by conquering Damascus and killing Rezin.
- 10-16 Pagan Altar Installation Ahaz copies a Damascus altar design and has priest Urijah build it in the temple, replacing proper worship practices.
- 17-18 Temple Desecration The king dismantles and relocates sacred temple furnishings, completing his corruption of Judah's worship.
Ahaz of Judah
16:1–16:20 narrative narration solemn
King Ahaz of Judah reigns wickedly, practicing idolatry and child sacrifice, then seeks Assyrian help against Syria and Israel while corrupting temple worship with a foreign altar design.
person_contrast
Ahaz uniquely combines royal authority with religious innovation, commissioning Damascus altar blueprints and personally overseeing temple renovations—unprecedented administrative detail for a condemned king.
Insights
Cross-References
Connected passages across Scripture
2 Kings 16:1 5 references
Lexicals 5
Isaiah 7:1 Lexical
In the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Re…
2 Kings 15:30 Lexical
Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, attacked him, killed him, and reigned in his…
2 Kings 15:32 Lexical
In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel, Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah began to reign.
2 Kings 15:25 Lexical
Pekah the son of Remaliah, his captain, conspired against him and attacked him in Samaria, in the fortress of the king’s…
2 Kings 15:27 Lexical
In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria for t…
2 Kings 16:2 5 references
Lexicals 5
2 Chronicles 28:1 Lexical
Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He didn’t do that which was…
2 Chronicles 27:8 Lexical
He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.
2 Kings 15:33 Lexical
He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Je…
2 Chronicles 27:1 Lexical
Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name wa…
2 Kings 17:1 Lexical
In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea the son of Elah began to reign in Samaria over Israel for nine years.
2 Kings 16:3 1 reference
2 Kings 16:4 5 references
Lexicals 5
2 Chronicles 28:4 Lexical
He sacrificed and burned incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
1 Kings 14:23 Lexical
For they also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every gre…
Jeremiah 17:2 Lexical
Even their children remember their altars and their Asherah poles by the green trees on the high hills.
Jeremiah 2:20 Lexical
“For long ago I broke off your yoke, and burst your bonds. You said, ‘I will not serve;’ for on every high hill and unde…
Ezekiel 6:13 Lexical
You will know that I am the LORD when their slain men are among their idols around their altars, on every high hill, on…
2 Kings 16:5 5 references
Lexicals 5
Isaiah 7:1 Lexical
In the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Re…
2 Kings 15:37 Lexical
In those days, the LORD began to send Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah against Judah.
Isaiah 7:4 Lexical
Tell him, ‘Be careful, and keep calm. Don’t be afraid, neither let your heart be faint because of these two tails of smo…
1 Kings 20:1 Lexical
Ben Hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together; and there were thirty-two kings with him, with horses and ch…
Jeremiah 21:4 Lexical
‘The LORD, the God of Israel says, “Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you f…
2 Kings 16:8 5 references
Lexicals 5
2 Kings 14:14 Lexical
He took all the gold and silver and all the vessels that were found in the LORD’s house and in the treasures of the king…
2 Kings 20:13 Lexical
Hezekiah listened to them, and showed them all the storehouse of his precious things—the silver, the gold, the spices, a…
2 Chronicles 25:24 Lexical
He took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in God’s house with Obed-Edom, and the treasures of…
Isaiah 39:2 Lexical
Hezekiah was pleased with them, and showed them the house of his precious things, the silver, the gold, the spices, and…
1 Kings 15:19 Lexical
“Let there be a treaty between me and you, like that between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent to you a pre…
2 Kings 16:9 1 reference
2 Kings 16:13 5 references
Lexicals 5
Exodus 30:9 Lexical
You shall offer no strange incense on it, nor burnt offering, nor meal offering; and you shall pour no drink offering on…
Numbers 29:39 Lexical
“‘You shall offer these to the LORD in your set feasts—in addition to your vows and your free will offerings—for your bu…
Ezekiel 45:17 Lexical
It shall be the prince’s part to give the burnt offerings, the meal offerings, and the drink offerings, in the feasts, a…
Leviticus 9:18 Lexical
He also killed the bull and the ram, the sacrifice of peace offerings, which was for the people. Aaron’s sons delivered…
Leviticus 17:6 Lexical
The priest shall sprinkle the blood on the LORD’s altar at the door of the Tent of Meeting, and burn the fat for a pleas…
2 Kings 16:14 2 references
2 Kings 16:15 5 references
Lexicals 5
Leviticus 9:17 Lexical
He presented the meal offering, and filled his hand from there, and burned it upon the altar, in addition to the burnt o…
Numbers 28:8 Lexical
The other lamb you shall offer at evening. As the meal offering of the morning, and as its drink offering, you shall off…
Exodus 29:41 Lexical
The other lamb you shall offer at evening, and shall do to it according to the meal offering of the morning and accordin…
Numbers 18:17 Lexical
“But you shall not redeem the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat. They are holy…
Leviticus 17:6 Lexical
The priest shall sprinkle the blood on the LORD’s altar at the door of the Tent of Meeting, and burn the fat for a pleas…
2 Kings 16:17 5 references
Lexicals 5
Jeremiah 52:20 Lexical
They took the two pillars, the one sea, and the twelve bronze bulls that were under the bases, which King Solomon had ma…
1 Kings 7:38 Lexical
He made ten basins of bronze. One basin contained forty baths. Every basin measured four cubits. One basin was on every…
1 Kings 7:30 Lexical
Every base had four bronze wheels and axles of bronze; and its four feet had supports. The supports were cast beneath th…
2 Kings 25:16 Lexical
The two pillars, the one sea, and the bases, which Solomon had made for the LORD’s house, the bronze of all these vessel…
2 Kings 25:13 Lexical
The Chaldeans broke up the pillars of bronze that were in the LORD’s house and the bases and the bronze sea that were in…
2 Kings 16:18 1 reference
2 Kings 16:19 5 references
Lexicals 5
1 Kings 15:7 Lexical
The rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of J…
1 Kings 16:5 Lexical
Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his might, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of…
1 Kings 16:20 Lexical
Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he committed, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles…
1 Kings 14:19 Lexical
The rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he fought and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicl…
1 Kings 11:41 Lexical
Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, aren’t they written in the book of the acts of…
2 Kings 16:20 5 references
Lexicals 5
2 Chronicles 28:27 Lexical
Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem, because they didn’t bring him into the…
2 Chronicles 27:9 Lexical
Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in David’s city; and Ahaz his son reigned in his place.
2 Kings 15:38 Lexical
Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in his father David’s city; and Ahaz his son reigned in h…
2 Chronicles 32:33 Lexical
Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the ascent to the tombs of the sons of David. All Judah and the…
2 Kings 18:1 Lexical
Now in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
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