Ahaz
Summary
One of the most wicked kings of Judah who practiced child sacrifice, introduced Assyrian religion into Jerusalem, closed the Temple, and refused Isaiah's offer of a divine sign. The Immanuel prophecy was given during his crisis.
- Among the passages here, Ahaz is first named in 2 Kings 16:1: “In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah, Ahaz son of Jotham became…”
- The record places Ahaz in Divided Kingdom.
- 47 verses name Ahaz, in 7 books.
- 7 moments stand in order on this page, each with its verse.
On this page
Start here
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14→- 7 key events in order
- 47 verses name Ahaz, across 7 books
In Scripture
- Verses
- 47
- Books
- 7
Ahaz
- Role
- 12th King of Judah
- Era
- Divided Kingdom
- Dates
- 735–715 BC
- Tribe
- Judah
- Father
- Jotham
- Children
- Hezekiah
The life in order
from the events the row records, with the first and last verse that names the person among the passages this page stands on
1Where the passages this page records open
2What the record holds, in its own order
- Child sacrifice2 Chronicles 28:3Moreover, Ahaz burned incense in the Valley of Hinnom and sacrificed his sons in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.
- Syro-Ephraimite WarIsaiah 7:1-2Now in the days that Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, Rezin king of Aram marched up to wage war against Jerusalem. He was accompanied by Pekah son of Remaliah the king of Israel, but he could not overpower the city.
- Refused Isaiah's signIsaiah 7:10-12Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying,
- Immanuel prophecyIsaiah 7:14Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.
- Alliance with Assyria2 Kings 16:7-9So 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.”
- Replaced Temple altar2 Kings 16:10-16Then 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.
- Closed and stripped the Temple2 Chronicles 28:24Then Ahaz gathered up the articles of the house of God, cut them into pieces, shut the doors of the house of the LORD, and set up altars of his own on every street corner in Jerusalem.
3Where the passages this page records close
Biography
Ahaz is considered the worst king of Judah apart from Manasseh. He made cast images of Baal, burned his own sons in the fire as an offering (a practice of Molech worship), and sacrificed at the high places and on hills and under every green tree.
When the Syro-Ephraimite coalition attacked Judah, God sent Isaiah with a message of deliverance and offered Ahaz any sign he wished — to which Ahaz piously refused, hiding his unbelief behind false reverence. Isaiah then gave the unsolicited sign: the famous Immanuel prophecy. Rather than trusting God, Ahaz sent silver and gold from the Temple treasury to Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria, becoming his vassal.
He then had a copy of the Assyrian altar in Damascus made and installed in the Temple, moved the original bronze altar, and eventually closed and stripped the Temple entirely. His submission to Assyria set the political and religious trajectory that would culminate in Judah's eventual exile.
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.
What they got right, and what they got wrong
Strengths
Political savvy, survived military crises
Weaknesses
Idolatry, child sacrifice, unbelief, political compromise, dismantling of Temple worship, complete rejection of God
Lessons
Political solutions to spiritual problems make things worse. Ahaz's choice to trust Assyria instead of God did not save Judah — it enslaved it. The very power he ran to became the rod of oppression for his son's generation.
Spiritual significance
Ahaz represents the danger of political pragmatism over divine trust. His decision to call on Assyria rather than God set a catastrophic course for Judah. Paradoxically, his unbelief became the occasion for one of the greatest messianic prophecies in all of Scripture.
How Ahaz points to Jesus
The Immanuel prophecy given to Ahaz points to Christ: born of a virgin, "God with us," arriving as the ultimate deliverer whom Ahaz refused to receive.
Ahaz in Scripture
Open a book to read its mentions here. Text: Berean Standard Bible. Names repeat in Scripture, so some of these verses may speak of another person called Ahaz. The two marks are drawn from the chapters this page's own references stand in.
Old TestamentNew Testamentsegment width = share of mentions
Old Testament6 books · 46 mentions
2 Kings17 mentions
- 2 Kings 15:38And Jotham rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the City of David his father. And his son Ahaz reigned in his place.
- 2 Kings 16:1In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah, Ahaz son of Jotham became king of Judah.
- 2 Kings 16:2Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. And unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD his God.
- 2 Kings 16:5Then 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 16:7So 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.”
12 further mentions in 2 Kings, read them in the book.
1 Chronicles5 mentions
- 1 Chronicles 3:13Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son,
- 1 Chronicles 8:35The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz.
- 1 Chronicles 8:36Ahaz was the father of Jehoaddah, Jehoaddah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri, and Zimri was the father of Moza.
- 1 Chronicles 9:41The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz.
- 1 Chronicles 9:42Ahaz was the father of Jarah; Jarah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri was the father of Moza.
2 Chronicles14 mentions
- 2 Chronicles 27:9And Jotham rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. And his son Ahaz reigned in his place.
- 2 Chronicles 28:1Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. And unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD.
- 2 Chronicles 28:3Moreover, Ahaz burned incense in the Valley of Hinnom and sacrificed his sons in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.
- 2 Chronicles 28:5So the LORD his God delivered Ahaz into the hand of the king of Aram, who attacked him and took many captives to Damascus. Ahaz was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him with great force.
- 2 Chronicles 28:16At that time King Ahaz sent for help from the king of Assyria.
9 further mentions in 2 Chronicles, read them in the book.
Isaiah8 mentions
- Isaiah 1:1This is the vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
- Isaiah 7:1Now in the days that Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, Rezin king of Aram marched up to wage war against Jerusalem. He was accompanied by Pekah son of Remaliah the king of Israel, but he could not overpower the city.
- Isaiah 7:2When it was reported to the house of David that Aram was in league with Ephraim, the hearts of Ahaz and his people trembled like trees in the forest shaken by the wind.
- Isaiah 7:3Then the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out with your son Shear-jashub to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct that feeds the upper pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field,
- Isaiah 7:10Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying,
3 further mentions in Isaiah, read them in the book.
Hosea1 mention
New Testament1 book · 1 mention
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