2 Kings 16:3

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

1Pekah, son of Remaliah, was in his seventeenth year as king of Israel when King Ahaz, son of Jotham, began to rule as king of Judah. 2Ahaz was 20 years old when he began to rule. He ruled for 26 years in Jerusalem. He didn’t do what the Lord his God considered right, as his ancestor David had done. He followed the example of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son by burning him alive. Sacrificing ⌞children⌟ was one of the disgusting things done by the nations that the Lord had forced out of the Israelites’ way. 4He offered sacrifices and burned incense as an offering at the illegal worship sites, which were on hills and under every large tree. 5Then King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah, son of Remaliah of Israel, came to wage war against Jerusalem. They blockaded Ahaz but couldn’t get him to fight.

2 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 followed the ways of the kings of Israel, as Ahab’s family had done, because his wife was Ahab’s daughter. So he did what the Lord considered evil.
• 1 Kings 12:28After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said, “You’ve been worshiping in Jerusalem long enough. Israel, here are your gods who brought you out of Egypt.”
• 1 Kings 16:31It wasn’t enough that he committed the same sins as Jeroboam (Nebat’s son). He also married Jezebel, daughter of King Ethbaal of Sidon. Ahab then served and worshiped Baal.
• 1 Kings 21:25There was no one else like Ahab. At the urging of his wife, he sold himself to do what the Lord considered evil.
• 1 Kings 22:52He did what the Lord considered evil. He followed the example of his father and mother and of Jeroboam (Nebat’s son) who led Israel to sin.
• 2 Chronicles 22:3Ahaziah also followed the ways of Ahab’s family, because his mother gave him advice that led him to sin.
• 2 Chronicles 28:2He followed the example of the kings of Israel and even made metal idols for worshiping other gods—the Baals.
• 2 Kings 17:17They sacrificed their sons and daughters by burning them alive. They practiced black magic and cast evil spells. They sold themselves by doing what the Lord considered evil, and they made him furious.
• 2 Kings 23:10Josiah also made Topheth in the valley of Ben Hinnom unclean so that people would never again sacrifice their sons or daughters by burning them to the god Molech.
• Leviticus 18:21Never give your children as sacrifices to the god Molech ⌞by burning them alive⌟. If you do, you are dishonoring the name of your God. I am the Lord.
• Leviticus 20:2“Tell the Israelites: If Israelites or foreigners living among you give one of their children as a sacrifice to ⌞the god⌟ Molech, they must be put to death. The common people must stone them to death.
• Deuteronomy 12:31Never worship the Lord your God in the way they worship their gods, because everything they do for their gods is disgusting to the Lord. He hates it! They even burn their sons and daughters as sacrifices to their gods.
• Deuteronomy 18:10You must never sacrifice your sons or daughters by burning them alive, practice black magic, be a fortuneteller, witch, or sorcerer,
• 2 Chronicles 33:6He burned his son as a sacrifice in the valley of Ben Hinnom, consulted fortunetellers, cast evil spells, practiced witchcraft, and appointed ⌞royal⌟ mediums and psychics. He did many things that made the Lord furious.
• Psalms 106:37They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons.
• Psalms 106:38They shed innocent blood, the blood of their own sons and daughters whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan. The land became polluted with 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

• Ahaz
• Children
• Fire
• Idolatry
• Molech
• Offerings
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Children of Israel
• Ahaz
• Fashion
• Pekah
• Assyria
• Baal (1)
• Fire
• Firstborn; Firstling
• God

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