Amplified Bible
2 Kings 16:3
3Instead he walked in the way of the [idolatrous] kings of Israel, and even made his son pass through the fire [as a human sacrifice], in accordance with the repulsive [and idolatrous] practices of the [pagan] nations whom the Lord drove out before the Israelites.
2 Kings 16:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)He followed the ways of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire, engaging in the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites.
- English Standard Version (ESV)but he walked in the way of the kings of Israel. He even burned his son as an offering, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel; indeed he made his son pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had cast out from before the children of Israel.
Context of 2 Kings 16:3
1In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, Ahaz the son of Jotham, king of Judah, became king. 2Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the sight of the Lord his God, as his father (ancestor) David had done. Instead he walked in the way of the [idolatrous] kings of Israel, and even made his son pass through the fire [as a human sacrifice], in accordance with the repulsive [and idolatrous] practices of the [pagan] nations whom the Lord drove out before the Israelites. 4He also sacrificed and burned incense on the high places and on the hills and under every green tree. 5Then Rezin the king of Aram (Syria) and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, came up to Jerusalem to wage war. They besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome and conquer him.
Read all of 2 Kings 162 Kings 16:3 word by word
וַיֵּ֕לֶךְ בְּדֶ֖רֶךְ מַלְכֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְגַ֤ם אֶת־בְּנוֹ֙ הֶעֱבִ֣יר בָּאֵ֔שׁ כְּתֹֽעֲבוֹת֙ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר הוֹרִ֤ישׁ יְהוָה֙ אֹתָ֔ם מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But he walkedיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- in the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
- of the kingsמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- yea, and made his sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- to pass throughעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
- the fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
- according to the abominationsתּוֹעֵבַהtô‛êbah tô‛êbah · abominationH8441
- of the heathenגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
- whom the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- cast outיָרַשׁyârash yârêsh · to possess: takeH3423
- from beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
Cross-references for 2 Kings 16:3
- 2 Kings 8:18He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for [Athaliah] the daughter of Ahab became his wife. He did evil in the sight of the Lord.
- 1 Kings 12:28So the king took counsel [and followed bad advice] and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, “It is too much for you to go [all the way] up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”
- 1 Kings 16:31It came about, as if it had been a trivial thing for Ahab to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him.
- 1 Kings 21:25There certainly was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the Lord, because Jezebel his wife incited him.
- 1 Kings 22:52He did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the [idolatrous] way of his father [Ahab] and of his mother [Jezebel], and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin.
- 2 Chronicles 22:3He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his adviser [and she encouraged him] to act wickedly.
- 2 Chronicles 28:2Instead he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and even made cast images for the Baals.
- 2 Kings 17:17They made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire [as human sacrifices], and used divination [to foretell the future] and enchantments; and they sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him to anger.
- 2 Kings 23:10Josiah also defiled Topheth, which is in the Valley of Ben-hinnom (son of Hinnom), so that no man could make his son or his daughter pass through the fire [as a burnt offering] for Molech.
- Leviticus 18:21You shall not give any of your children to offer them [by fire as a sacrifice] to Molech [the god of the Ammonites], nor shall you profane the name of your God [by honoring idols as gods]. I am the Lord.
- Leviticus 20:2“Moreover, you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘Any Israelite or any stranger residing in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech (the god of the Ammonites) [as a human sacrifice] shall most certainly be put to death; the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
- Deuteronomy 12:31You shall not behave this way toward the Lord your God, for they have done for their gods every repulsive thing which the Lord hates; for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire [as sacrifices] to their gods.
- Deuteronomy 18:10There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire [as a sacrifice], one who uses divination and fortune-telling, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,
- 2 Chronicles 33:6He made his sons pass through the fire [as an offering to his gods] in the Valley of Ben-hinnom; and he practiced witchcraft, used divination, and practiced sorcery, and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him to anger.
- Psalms 106:37They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons
- Psalms 106:38And shed innocent blood, Even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; And the land was polluted with their blood.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 16:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Made his son to pass through the fire - On this passage I beg leave to refer the reader to my notes on Leviticus 18:21; Leviticus 20:2, Leviticus 20:14, where the subject is considered at large.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Ahaz was the worst of all the kings of Judah. He imitated the worst of the Israelite kings - Ahab and Ahaziah - by a re-introduction of the Baal worship, which had been rooted out of Israel by Jehu and out of Judah by Jehoiada. And made Iris son to pass through the fire - i. e. Ahaz adopted the Moloch worship of the Ammonites and Moabites 2 Kings 3:27; Micah 6:7, and sacrificed at least one son, probably his firstborn, according to the horrid rites of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-3David was Ahaz's ancestor. He is the benchmark for judging the spiritual character of Judah's kings (2 Kings 14:3; 1 Kings 15:3, 11). he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel: Ahaz was one of Judah's most wicked kings. He adopted Israel's false religion and the pagan practices of other nations, even sacrificing his own son in fire (see Jeremiah 19:5; 32:35). Levitical laws forbade such sacrifices as detestable to the Lord (Leviticus 18:10; 20:1–5)…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-162Ki 16:1-16. Ahaz' Wicked Reign over Judah. 1-4. Ahaz ... did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord--[See on 2Ch 28:1.] The character of this king's reign, the voluptuousness and religious degeneracy of all classes of the people, are graphically portrayed in the writings of Isaiah, who prophesied at that period. The great increase of worldly wealth and luxury in the reigns of Azariah and Jotham had introduced a host of corruptions, which…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Kings 16:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Kings 16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Amplified Bible — © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631
Commentaries