Ahaz was the worst of all the kings of Judah. He imitated the worst of the Israelite kings - Ahab and Ahaziah - by a re-introduction of the Baal worship, which had been rooted out of Israel by Jehu and out of Judah by Jehoiada. AND MADE IRIS SON TO PASS THROUGH THE FIRE - i. e. Ahaz adopted the Molo... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SACRIFICED ... - Other kings of Judah bad allowed their people to do so. Ahaz was the first, so far as we know, to countenance the practice by his own example.... [ Continue Reading ]
Rezin and Pekah, who had already begun their attacks upon Judaea in the reign of Jotham 2 Kings 15:37, regarded the accession of a boy-king, only 16 years of age, as especially favorable to their projects, and proceeded without loss of time to carry them out. The earlier scenes of the war, omitted b... [ Continue Reading ]
Either during the siege, or on breaking up from before Jeruasalem, Rezin made an expedition to the lied Sea coast, and became master of the city which had belonged to Judaea about 70 years (marginal reference). Most moderns render this verse, “Rezin recovered (or restored) Elath to Edom ... and the... [ Continue Reading ]
Ahaz was threatened on all sides, on the north by Rezin and Pekah; on the southeast by Edom 2 Chronicles 28:17; and on the southwest by the Philistines 2 Chronicles 28:18. To these external dangers was added the still greater peril of disaffection at home. A large party in Judah was “weary” of the h... [ Continue Reading ]
Compare the marginal reference and 1 Kings 15:18. Political necessity was always held to justify the devotion of the temple treasure to secular purposes.... [ Continue Reading ]
The submission of Judah, which Ahaz proffered, would be of the utmost importance in connection with any projects that might be entertained of Egyptian conquests. Naturally, Damascus was the first object of attack. It was the head of the confederacy, and it lay nearest to an army descending upon Lowe... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAW AN ALTAR - Rather, “The altar,” i. e. an Assyrian altar, and connected with that formal recognition of the Assyrian deities which the Ninevite monarchs appear to have required of all the nations whom they received into their empire. THE FASHION OF THE ALTAR - Assyrian altars were not very e... [ Continue Reading ]
Hereto the “Brasen altar” (marginal reference) had, it would seem, occupied a position directly in front of the temple porch, which it exactly equalled in width. Now Ahaz removed it from this place, and gave the honorable position to his new altar, which he designed to supersede the old far all ordi... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BRASEN ALTAR SHALL BE FOR ME TO INQUIRE BY - The bulk of modern commentators translate - “As for the Brasen altar, it will be for me to inquire (or consider) what I shall do with it.”... [ Continue Reading ]
The writer condemns the obsequiousness of Urijah, whose conduct was the more inexcusable after the noble example of his predecessor Azariah 2 Chronicles 26:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
See the marginal references. The acts recorded here, were probably not mere wanton acts of mutilation, but steps in the conversion of these sacred objects to other uses, as to the ornamentation of a palace or of an idol temple. The bases, the oxen, and the sea were not destroyed - they remained at J... [ Continue Reading ]
THE COVERT ... IN THE HOUSE - A canopied seat in the temple for the king and his family when they attended public worship on the sabbath. It stood no doubt in the inner court of the temple. THE KING’S ENTRY WITHOUT - This would seem to have been a private passage by which the king crossed the outer... [ Continue Reading ]
THE REST OF THE ACTS OF AHAZ - Such as are described in Isaiah 7:10; 2 Chronicles 28:23; 2 Chronicles 29:3, 2 Chronicles 29:7.... [ Continue Reading ]