2 Chronicles 28:21
in 2 Chronicles 28Although 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of Jehovah, and out of the house of the king and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but it helped him not.
KJV
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.
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This verse in 2 Chronicles 28
Commentary
5 notes on this verseBut he helped him not - He did him no ultimate service. See the note on 2Ki 16:9. After 2Ki 16:15, the 23d, 24th, and 25th verses are introduced before the 16th, in the Syriac and Arabic, and the 22d verse is wholly wanting in both, though some of the expressions may be found in the twenty-first verse.
This site's exposition
afflicted him rather than strengthening him
on 2 Chronicles 28:20-21
Tiglath-pileser comes to Ahaz, but he “afflicted him rather than strengthening him”. Ahaz had taken a portion from the house of the LORD, from the royal palace and from the princes to pay for that help. Chronicles tells what the alliance cost and what it failed to buy.
This site's exposition
it did not help him
2 Kings 16:9 records that the Assyrian king took Damascus and killed Rezin. Clarke squares this with the verdict here by saying the help did Ahaz no lasting good. Matthew Henry remarks that a power bought in this way holds no real loyalty toward the king who turned to it.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
It is often found that wicked men themselves have no real affection for those that revolt to them, nor do they care to do them a kindness. A degenerate branch is looked upon, on all sides, as an abominable branch, Isa. xiv.
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,.... A part out of the treasures of the temple, and a part out of his own treasures, and another which he levied upon his nobles: and gave it unto the king of Assyria; sent it to him as a present, to engage him on his side, and assist him against his enemies, 2Ki 16:10. but he helped him not; See Gill on 2Ch 28:20.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
but he was of no help to him Even though we find in II Kings (ibid.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
came upon him for he had sent after him to aid him, as is written in II Kings (16:7): “And Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-Pilneser.”
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
16 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| חָלַ֤ק | chalak | he had plundered | H2505 → | |
| אָחָז֙ | ʾachaz | Ahaz | H271 → | 42 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בֵּ֣ית | beit | [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בֵּ֥ית | beit | [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| וְהַשָּׂרִ֑ים | vehasarim | and the officials | H8269 → | 421 times |
| וַיִּתֵּן֙ | vaiyiten | and he had given | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לְמֶ֣לֶךְ | lemelekh | to [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| אַשּׁ֔וּר | ʾashur | Assyria | H804 → | 151 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| לְעֶזְרָ֖ה | leezrah | for help | H5833 → | |
| לֽוֹ׃ | lo | for him |
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
חָלַ֤קhe had plundered
chalakH2505 →
אָחָז֙Ahaz
ʾachazH271 →42 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בֵּ֣ית[the] house of
beitH1004 →2046 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
בֵּ֥ית[the] house of
beitH1004 →2046 times
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
וְהַשָּׂרִ֑יםand the officials
vehasarimH8269 →421 times
וַיִּתֵּן֙and he had given
vaiyitenH5414 →2011 times
לְמֶ֣לֶךְto [the] king of
lemelekhH4428 →2525 times
אַשּׁ֔וּרAssyria
ʾashurH804 →151 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
לְעֶזְרָ֖הfor help
leezrahH5833 →
לֽוֹ׃for him
lo
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 20:25It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly, only later to reconsider his vows.
it leads to
- Ecclesiastes 5:4–6
When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow.
- Matthew 5:33
Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’
- Malachi 3:8–10
Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you ask, ‘How do we rob You?’ In tithes and offerings.
- Leviticus 5:15
“If someone acts unfaithfully and sins unintentionally against any of the LORD’s holy things, he must bring his guilt offering to the LORD: an unblemished ram from the flock, of proper value in silver…
- Leviticus 27:9–10
If he vows an animal that may be brought as an offering to the LORD, any such animal given to the LORD shall be holy.
- Ecclesiastes 5:4–6
Through
2 Chronicles 12:9So King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem and seized the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the royal palace. He took everything, including the gold shields that Solomon had made.
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 9:15–16
King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of hammered gold went into each shield.
- 1 Kings 10:16–17
King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield.
- 2 Kings 16:8
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.
- 2 Chronicles 9:15–16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 2 Chronicles

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
