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

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 for sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do what was right in the sight of the Lord his God, as his father David had done. But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and he even made his son pass through the fire, in accordance with the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had driven out before the sons of Israel. 4And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree. 5Then Rezin the king of Aram and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem for war; and they besieged Ahaz, but were not capable of fighting him.

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

• But he walkedהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
• in the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
• of the kingsמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• and he evenגַּםgam · alsoH1571
• made his sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• passעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• through the fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
• in accordance with the abominationsתּוֹעֵבַהtô‛êbah tô‛êbah · abominationH8441
• of the nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• whomאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• drivenיָרַשׁyârash yârêsh · to possess: possessH3423
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• the sonsבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121

Cross-references for 2 Kings 16:3

• 2 Kings 8:18He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for Ahab’s daughter was his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the Lord.
• 1 Kings 12:28So the king consulted, and he made two golden calves; and he said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt.”
• 1 Kings 16:31And as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, 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 gave himself over 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 way of his father and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who misled Israel into sin.
• 2 Chronicles 22:3He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor to act wickedly.
• 2 Chronicles 28:2But he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel; he also made cast metal images for the Baals.
• 2 Kings 17:17Then they made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire, and they practiced divination and interpreting omens, and gave themselves over to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him.
• 2 Kings 23:10He also defiled Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, so that no one would make his son or his daughter pass through the fire for Molech.
• Leviticus 18:21You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God; I am the Lord.
• Leviticus 20:2“You shall also say to the sons of Israel: ‘Anyone from the sons of Israel or from the strangers residing in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech, shall 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, because every abominable act which the Lord hates, they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire for their gods.
• Deuteronomy 18:10There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, a soothsayer, one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,
• 2 Chronicles 33:6He also made his sons pass through the fire in the Valley of Ben-hinnom; and he practiced witchcraft, used divination, 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 the demons,
• Psalms 106:38And shed innocent blood, The blood of their sons and their daughters Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; And the land was defiled with the 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