CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
2 Chronicles 28
Chapter 28 of 36
Chapter Overview
What happens in 2 Chronicles 28
Ahaz is one of the worst kings of Judah. He worships Baal, sacrifices his own children in fire, and eventually shuts down the Lord's temple. God allows Syria, Israel, and other nations to defeat him, but Ahaz only turns more and more to foreign gods.
Scripture
2 Chronicles 28
Ahaz's Wickedness
Study note
Ahaz was 20 when he became king and reigned 16 years. Unlike his ancestor David, he followed the wicked ways of the northern kings of Israel. He made metal images of the Baals, burned incense in the Valley of Hinnom, and even sacrificed his own children in fire — following the horrible practices of the nations God had driven out of the land.
1 Ahaz was 20 years old when he became king, and he ruled in Jerusalem for 16 years. He did not do what the Lord considered right, unlike his ancestor David. Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father:
2 Instead, he copied the sinful ways of Israel's kings. He even made metal statues for worshipping the Baal idols. For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim.
3 He burned incense in the Valley of Hinnom. He even burned his own children as offerings in the fire. He followed the awful ways of the nations that the Lord had driven out before the people of Israel. Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
4 He gave offerings and burned incense at hilltop shrines. He did this on hills and under every large green tree. He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
God Punishes Judah Through Syria and Israel
Study note
Because of Ahaz's wickedness, God allowed the king of Syria to defeat him and carry many captives to Damascus. He also allowed King Pekah of Israel to kill 120,000 of Judah's soldiers in a single day and take 200,000 captives. But a prophet named Oded met the Israelite army and told them to release the captives because God's anger would fall on them too. Four leaders of Ephraim agreed. They clothed and fed the captives and returned them to Jericho — a remarkable act of mercy.
5 So the Lord his God let the king of Syria defeat him. The Syrians beat him in battle and took a large number of prisoners back to Damascus. He was also handed over to the king of Israel, who crushed him with heavy losses. Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter.
6 Pekah son of Remaliah killed 120,000 soldiers in Judah in just one day. All of them were brave men, but they died because the people had turned away from the Lord, the God of their ancestors. For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.
7 Zichri was a fighter from Ephraim. He killed Maaseiah the king's son. He killed Azrikam the palace leader. He killed Elkanah, who ranked second to the king. And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king.
8 The Israelite soldiers captured 200,000 of their own relatives from Judah. These included women, sons, and daughters. They also took many valuable goods and brought everything back to Samaria. And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.
9 But a prophet of the Lord named Oded was living in Samaria. He went out to meet the returning army and said, "The Lord, the God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah, so he let you defeat them. But you have killed them in a rage that reaches all the way to heaven." But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven.
10 "And now you plan to make the people of Judah and Jerusalem your slaves. Are you not just as guilty of sins against the Lord your God?" And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God?
11 "Listen to me! Send these prisoners back. They are your own relatives. If you do not, the Lord's fierce anger will come down on you." Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you.
12 Then four leaders from the tribe of Ephraim stood up against those coming home from the battle. They were Azariah son of Johanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai. Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war,
13 They said, "You must not bring those captives here. We are already guilty before the Lord. Do you want to add even more to our sin and guilt? Our guilt is already enormous, and God's fierce anger hangs over Israel." And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the LORD already, ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.
14 So the soldiers handed over the prisoners and the stolen goods to the officials and the whole group. So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.
15 And the men who were designated by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and gave them sandals, and gave them food and drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria. And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.
Ahaz Turns to Assyria and Other Gods
Study note
Ahaz asked the king of Assyria for help against the Edomites and Philistines who were attacking Judah. He even took silver and gold from the Lord's temple to pay Assyria. But the king of Assyria came and made things worse for Ahaz instead of helping.
16 Around that time, King Ahaz asked the king of Assyria to come and help him. At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him.
17 The Edomites had attacked Judah again and carried away prisoners. For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives.
18 The Philistines had also raided cities in the foothills and the southern part of Judah. They captured Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco, Timnah, and Gimzo, along with their nearby villages, and moved in. The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there.
19 The Lord brought Judah low because of King Ahaz. Ahaz had led Judah into sin and had been completely unfaithful to the Lord. For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD.
20 King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came to him, but instead of helping, he caused even more trouble. And Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.
21 Ahaz took treasures from the Lord's temple, the royal palace, and the officials' houses and gave them to the king of Assyria. But it did no good. For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the LORD, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not.
Ahaz Shuts Down the Temple
Study note
In his deepest distress, Ahaz only became more unfaithful. He worshipped the gods of Damascus, reasoning that since Syria's gods helped them, maybe they would help him too. But they brought his ruin. He gathered the temple vessels, cut them up, shut the doors of the Lord's temple, and set up altars on every street corner in Jerusalem. He built hilltop shrines in every city of Judah. When he died, he was buried in Jerusalem but not in the royal tombs.
22 Even during his worst times, King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord. And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz.
23 He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, the nation that had defeated him. He thought, 'The gods of Syria's kings helped them win, so maybe if I sacrifice to those gods, they will help me too.' But those gods only brought ruin to him and to all Israel. 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.
24 Ahaz gathered the articles from God's temple and smashed them to pieces. He locked the doors of the Lord's temple and set up altars to foreign gods on every street corner in Jerusalem. And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.
25 In every city throughout Judah, he built hilltop worship places to burn incense to other gods. This made the Lord, the God of his ancestors, very angry. And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers.
26 All else about his rule and deeds is in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
27 When Ahaz died, he was buried in the city of Jerusalem, but not in the tombs of the kings of Israel. His son Hezekiah became the next king. And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.
Key Themes
Themes in 2 Chronicles 28
The catastrophic effects of total spiritual rebellionTurning to false allies instead of GodChild sacrifice as the ultimate corruption of worshipShutting out God brings ruin
Apply This Today
Living 2 Chronicles 28
Ahaz shut the doors of God's temple and set up altars on every corner. When we systematically shut God out of areas of our lives, we create space for destructive influences to take over. Keep every door of your life open to God's presence and authority.
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