UNROLL
Dusk over the terraced hills of Judah: on a far hilltop under one broad, spreading green oak, a thin line of gray smoke rises from a small rough stone altar; no people; above, a calm, deepening dusk sky.

The Book of

2 Kings 16

Jerusalem is besieged. Ahaz begs Assyria to save him, and comes home with an altar from Damascus.

20 verses≈ 5 min4 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–8ElishaThe prophet's double portion
  2. 9–12JehuThe house of Ahab falls
  3. 13–17Last kings of IsraelSamaria fallsChapter 16
  4. 18–20HezekiahTrust in the LORD
  5. 21–23JosiahThe Book found
  6. 24–25ExileJerusalem falls

Ahaz Reigns in Judah

Judah

Ahaz of Judah · 16 years

  1. Pekah’s 17th year

    Ahaz son of Jotham becomes king

    In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah, Ahaz son of Jotham became king of Judah.

  2. Twenty; sixteen years in Jerusalem

    Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years.

  3. not like David

    Unlike David his father

    And unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD his God.

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Instead, he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.

Dusk, from the top of Jerusalem's plain stone wall: across the valley the camps of Aram and Israel spread over the facing hills, rows of dark tents and many small cooking fires; a few men of Judah stand on the wall in the foreground, seen from behind, watching.

Then Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to wage war against Jerusalem.

They besieged Ahaz but could not overcome him.

2 Kings 16:5

At that time Rezin king of Aram recovered Elath for Aram, drove out the men of Judah, and sent the Edomites into Elath, where they live to this day.

So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me from the hands of the kings of Aram and Israel, who are rising up against me.”

2 Kings 16:7

Ahaz also took the silver and gold found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king’s palace, and he sent it as a gift to the king of Assyria.

So the king of Assyria responded to him, marched up to Damascus, and captured it. He took its people to Kir as captives and put Rezin to death.

Reflect

Come up and save me

Ahaz was in real danger, and he called on the king of Assyria: “I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me.” He paid with silver and gold from the house of the LORD. In those very days Isaiah had told him to trust the LORD. When you are afraid, whom do you call on first? Write down one fear, and give it to the LORD before you reach for anyone else.

The Idolatry of Ahaz

Bright morning in a temple court of Damascus paved and lined with dark basalt: a great altar of dressed stone on a stepped platform, its wide top smoking; King Ahaz stands before it gazing, beside Assyrian officials, while a craftsman holds a small clay model of the altar.

Then King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria. On seeing the altar in Damascus, King Ahaz sent Uriah the priest a model of the altar and complete plans for its construction. And Uriah the priest built the altar according to all the instructions King Ahaz had sent from Damascus, and he completed it before King Ahaz returned.

0:22

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Then King Ahaz commanded Uriah the priest, “Offer on the great altar the morning burnt offering, the evening grain offering, and the king’s burnt offering and grain offering, as well as the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings of all the people of the land. Splatter on the altar all the blood of the burnt offerings and sacrifices. But I will use the bronze altar to seek guidance.”

So Uriah the priest did just as King Ahaz had commanded.

King Ahaz also cut off the frames of the movable stands and removed the bronze basin from each of them. He took down the Sea from the bronze oxen that were under it and put it on a stone base.

And on account of the king of Assyria, he removed the Sabbath canopy they had built in the temple and closed the royal entryway outside the house of the LORD.

Inner court · size not givenNEastThe houseBronze altarThe SeaStandsStandsThe house, enlarged · 60 × 20 cubitsBoazJachinArkCherubimLampstandsSide roomsMost Holy PlaceHoly PlacePortico

Plan to scale in cubits · north at the top

Where it stood

What Ahaz moved

Solomon’s bronze altar stood in the court before the house. Ahaz set his new altar in front of it and moved the bronze altar to the north side. He took the Sea off its twelve bronze oxen and set it on a stone base, and cut the frames off the ten movable stands and removed their basins.

As for the rest of the acts of Ahaz, along with his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

And Ahaz rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the City of David, and his son Hezekiah reigned in his place.

Pray

The city that stood

Jerusalem was besieged, but its enemies “could not overcome” it, though its king would not trust the LORD. Thank God that He keeps the promise He made to David even when its kings fail. Confess the ways you copy the world’s altars or reshape worship to please the powerful. Ask for courage to stand firm in faith. And pray for children everywhere, that they would be protected and cherished.

You’ve experienced

2 Kings 16

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A verse to carry with you

Then Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to wage war against Jerusalem. They besieged Ahaz but could not overcome him.

2 Kings 16:5

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