Ahaz's Wickedness
Study note
Ahaz became king at age twenty and ruled for sixteen years. Unlike his ancestor David, he followed the evil practices of the kings of Israel. He even sacrificed his own son in the fire, copying the horrifying practices of the nations God had driven out of the land. He worshipped at the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
1 Ahaz son of Jotham became king of Judah during the seventeenth year of King Pekah of Israel. In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.
2 Ahaz was twenty when he took the throne and ruled from Jerusalem for sixteen years. Unlike his ancestor David, he did not do what was right in the Lord's eyes. Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD his God, like David his father.
3 Instead, he followed the sinful ways of Israel's kings. He even burned his own son as a sacrifice, copying the awful customs of the nations God had driven out of the land ahead of Israel. But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel.
4 He made sacrifices and burned incense at the hilltop shrines, on the hills, and under every large green tree. And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
Ahaz Appeals to Assyria
Study note
King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah of Israel attacked Jerusalem but could not conquer it. Rezin recaptured the port city of Elath for Syria. Instead of turning to God, Ahaz sent a message to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, calling himself his servant and asking for rescue. He sent all the silver and gold from the temple and palace as payment. Assyria responded by attacking Damascus, deporting its people, and killing King Rezin.
5 King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah of Israel attacked Jerusalem. They surrounded it, but they could not take it. Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him.
6 During that time, King Rezin of Syria recaptured the city of Elath for Syria and expelled Judah's people from it. Syrians moved in and have lived there ever since. At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day.
7 Ahaz sent envoys to King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria with this message: "I am your loyal servant and ally. Please come rescue me from the kings of Syria and Israel who are attacking me." So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy 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, which rise up against me.
8 Ahaz took the silver and gold from the Lord's temple and the palace treasury. He sent it all as a payment to the Assyrian king. And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria.
9 The Assyrian king agreed to help. He attacked Damascus, captured it, deported its people to the city of Kir, and executed King Rezin. And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin.
Ahaz Changes the Temple
Study note
When Ahaz went to Damascus to meet the king of Assyria, he saw a pagan altar there and loved it. He sent the design to the priest Urijah, who built a copy before Ahaz returned. Ahaz then replaced the bronze altar of the Lord with this new altar and rearranged the temple furnishings to please the king of Assyria. He stripped the temple of its decorations, showing his complete disregard for God's house.
10 King Ahaz traveled to Damascus to meet King Tiglath-pileser. While there, he noticed an altar and sent the priest Urijah a detailed drawing with exact measurements and plans for building a copy. And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof.
11 Priest Urijah constructed the altar according to every detail King Ahaz had sent from Damascus. He had it completed before the king returned. And Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus: so Urijah the priest made it against king Ahaz came from Damascus.
12 When Ahaz got back from Damascus and saw the new altar, he walked right up to it and began making offerings on it. And when the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar: and the king approached to the altar, and offered thereon.
13 He burned his offerings and grain offerings on it. He poured out drink offerings. He also splashed the blood from his peace offerings on the altar. And he burnt his burnt offering and his meat offering, and poured his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings, upon the altar.
14 He moved the old bronze altar that used to stand between the new altar and the temple. He put it on the north side of the new altar. And he brought also the brasen altar, which was before the LORD, from the forefront of the house, from between the altar and the house of the LORD, and put it on the north side of the altar.
15 Then Ahaz told Priest Urijah: "Use the big new altar for the morning burnt offering and the evening grain offering. Use it for all the regular offerings of the king and the people -- their burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings. Splash all the blood from the sacrifices on it. But keep the old bronze altar for me to use when I ask for guidance." And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meat offering, and the king's burnt sacrifice, and his meat offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and the brasen altar shall be for me to inquire by.
16 Priest Urijah did exactly what King Ahaz told him to do. Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all that king Ahaz commanded.
17 King Ahaz also dismantled the bronze water carts, removing the panels and basins. He took the huge bronze basin called the Sea off the bronze oxen holding it up and set it on a stone platform instead. And king Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from off them; and took down the sea from off the brasen oxen that were under it, and put it upon a pavement of stones.
18 He removed the covered Sabbath walk. He removed the king's private entry to the temple. He did this to please Assyria's king. And the covert for the sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king's entry without, turned he from the house of the LORD for the king of Assyria.
19 The rest of what Ahaz did is written in the official history of Judah's kings. Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
20 When Ahaz died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Hezekiah became the next king. And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.