2 Chronicleschapter 28

A.Ahaz burns his own children, and Judah is slaughteredvv. 1-8

1 Ahaz 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 Instead, he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and even made cast images of the Baals. 3 Moreover, 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. 4 And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree. 5 So 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. 6 For in one day Pekah son of Remaliah killed 120,000 valiant men in Judah. This happened because they had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers. 7 Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the son of the king, Azrikam the governor of the palace, and Elkanah the second to the king. 8 Then the Israelites took 200,000 captives from their kinsmen—women, sons, and daughters. They also carried off a great deal of plunder and brought it to Samaria.

B.Oded stops the captors: the prisoners clothed, fed, and sent homevv. 9-15

9 But a prophet of the LORD named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army that returned to Samaria. “Look,” he said to them, “because of His wrath against Judah, the LORD, the God of your fathers, has delivered them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches up to heaven. 10 And now you intend to reduce to slavery the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem. But are you not also guilty before the LORD your God? 11 Now therefore, listen to me and return the captives you took from your kinsmen, for the fierce anger of the LORD is upon you.” 12 Then some of the leaders of the Ephraimites—Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai—stood in opposition to those arriving from the war. 13 “You must not bring the captives here,” they said, “for you are proposing to bring guilt upon us from the LORD and to add to our sins and our guilt. For our guilt is great, and fierce anger is upon Israel.” 14 So the armed men left the captives and the plunder before the leaders and all the assembly. 15 Then the men who were designated by name arose, took charge of the captives, and provided from the plunder clothing for the naked. They clothed them, gave them sandals and food and drink, anointed their wounds, and put all the feeble on donkeys. So they brought them to Jericho, the City of Palms, to their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria.

C.Assyria's help that distressed instead of strengthenedvv. 16-21

16 At that time King Ahaz sent for help from the king of Assyria. 17 The Edomites had again come and attacked Judah and carried away captives. 18 The Philistines had also raided the cities of the foothills and the Negev of Judah, capturing and occupying Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, and Gederoth, as well as Soco, Timnah, and Gimzo with their villages. 19 For the LORD humbled Judah because Ahaz king of Israel had thrown off restraint in Judah and had been most unfaithful to the LORD. 20 Then Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came to Ahaz but afflicted him rather than strengthening him. 21 Although Ahaz had taken a portion from the house of the LORD, from the royal palace, and from the princes and had presented it to the king of Assyria, it did not help him.

D.In his distress he trespassed yet more, and shut the doorsvv. 22-27

22 In the time of his distress, King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD. 23 Since Damascus had defeated him, he sacrificed to their gods and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But these gods were the downfall of Ahaz and of all Israel. 24 Then 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. 25 In every city of Judah he built high places to offer incense to other gods, and so he provoked the LORD, the God of his fathers. 26 As for the rest of the acts of Ahaz and all his ways, from beginning to end, they are indeed written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 27 And Ahaz rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of Jerusalem, but he was not placed in the tombs of the kings of Israel. And his son Hezekiah reigned in his place.

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Chapter summary

Ahaz is the mirror image.

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Ahaz is the mirror image. He makes molten images for the Baalim and burns his children in the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom. Syria and Israel strike him hard, and a hundred and twenty thousand of Judah fall in one day; but when the northern army brings back two hundred thousand captives, Oded the prophet stops them, and the captives are clothed, shod, fed, anointed, and carried on asses back to Jericho. Ahaz appeals to Assyria, and Tilgath-pilneser 'distressed him, and strengthened him not.' He sacrifices to the gods of Damascus that beat him ('they were the ruin of him'), cuts up the temple vessels, and shuts the doors of the house of Jehovah.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.

Context

History · Ezra — 2 Chronicles overview

A. 1–8 Ahaz burns his own children, and Judah is slaughtered
B. 9–15 Oded stops the captors: the prisoners clothed, fed, and sent home
C. 16–21 Assyria's help that distressed instead of strengthened
D. 22–27 In his distress he trespassed yet more, and shut the doors

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

2 Kings 165 verses
- 2 Kings 16:4And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
- 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 16:8Ahaz 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.
- 2 Kings 16:17King 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.
- 2 Kings 16:19As 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?
- Read 2 Kings 16 →
Isaiah 13 verses
- 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 1:5Why do you want more beatings? Why do you keep rebelling? Your head has a massive wound, and your whole heart is afflicted.
- Isaiah 1:28But rebels and sinners will together be shattered, and those who forsake the LORD will perish.
- Read Isaiah 1 →
2 Chronicles 333 verses
- 2 Chronicles 33:2And he did evil in the sight of the LORD by following the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.
- 2 Chronicles 33:3For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had torn down, and he raised up altars for the Baals and made Asherah poles. And he worshiped and served all the host of heaven.
- 2 Chronicles 33:6He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
- Read 2 Chronicles 33 →
Isaiah 72 verses
- 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 7:17The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since the day Ephraim separated from Judah—He will bring the king of Assyria.”
- Read Isaiah 7 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Judges 22 verses
- Judges 2:11And the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals.
- Judges 2:13for they forsook Him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.
- Read Judges 2 →
Leviticus 262 verses
- Leviticus 26:18And if after all this you will not obey Me, I will proceed to punish you sevenfold for your sins.
- Leviticus 26:30I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and heap your lifeless bodies on the lifeless remains of your idols; and My soul will despise you.
- Read Leviticus 26 →
2 Chronicles 242 verses
- 2 Chronicles 24:24Although the Aramean army had come with only a few men, the LORD delivered into their hand a very great army. Because Judah had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers, judgment was executed on Joash.
- 2 Chronicles 24:25And when the Arameans had withdrawn, they left Joash severely wounded. His own servants conspired against him for shedding the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest, and they killed him on his bed. So he died and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.
- Read 2 Chronicles 24 →
Genesis 432 verses
- Genesis 43:12Take double the silver with you so that you may return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake.
- Genesis 43:15So the men took these gifts, along with double the amount of silver, and Benjamin as well. Then they hurried down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
- Read Genesis 43 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.