New English Translation
2 Chronicles 28:23
23He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus whom he thought had defeated him. He reasoned, “Since the gods of the kings of Damascus helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.” But they caused him and all Israel to stumble.
2 Chronicles 28:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.
- New International Version (NIV)He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought, “Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.” But they were his downfall and the downfall of all Israel.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus that had defeated him and said, "Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me." But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him, saying, “Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel.
Context of 2 Chronicles 28:23
21Ahaz gathered riches from the Lord’s temple, the royal palace, and the officials and gave them to the king of Assyria, but that did not help. 22During his time of trouble King Ahaz was even more unfaithful to the Lord. He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus whom he thought had defeated him. He reasoned, “Since the gods of the kings of Damascus helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.” But they caused him and all Israel to stumble. 24Ahaz gathered the items in God’s temple and removed them. He shut the doors of the Lord’s temple and erected altars on every street corner in Jerusalem. 25In every city throughout Judah he set up high places to offer sacrifices to other gods. He angered the Lord God of his ancestors.
Read all of 2 Chronicles 282 Chronicles 28:23 word by word
וַיִּזְבַּ֗ח לֵֽאלֹהֵ֣י דַרְמֶשֶׂק֮ הַמַּכִּ֣ים בּוֹ֒ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כִּ֠י אֱלֹהֵ֤י מַלְכֵֽי־אֲרָם֙ הֵ֚ם מַעְזְרִ֣ים אוֹתָ֔ם לָהֶ֥ם אֲזַבֵּ֖חַ וְיַעְזְר֑וּנִי וְהֵ֛ם הָֽיוּ־ל֥וֹ לְהַכְשִׁיל֖וֹ וּלְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For he sacrificedזָבַחzâbach · to sacrificeH2076
- unto the godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- of Damascusדַּמֶּ֫שֶׂקdammeώeq dûmeώeq darmeώeq · DamascusH1834
- which smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- him: and he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- of the kingsמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Syriaאֲרָם'ărâm · SyriaH758
- helpעָזַר‛âzar · to helpH5826
- me. But they were the ruinכָּשַׁלkâshal · to stumbleH3782
- of him, and of all Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
Cross-references for 2 Chronicles 28:23
- 2 Chronicles 25:14When Amaziah returned from defeating the Edomites, he brought back the gods of the people of Seir and made them his personal gods. He bowed down before them and offered them sacrifices.
- 2 Kings 16:12When the king arrived back from Damascus and saw the altar, he approached it and offered a sacrifice on it.
- Habakkuk 1:11They sweep by like the wind and pass on. But the one who considers himself a god will be held guilty.”
- Jeremiah 10:5Such idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field. They cannot talk. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them because they cannot hurt you. And they do not have any power to help you.”
- Jeremiah 44:15Then all the men who were aware that their wives were sacrificing to other gods, as well as all their wives, answered Jeremiah. There was a great crowd of them representing all the people who lived in northern and southern Egypt. They answered,
- Isaiah 1:28All rebellious sinners will be shattered, those who abandon the Lord will perish.
- Jeremiah 44:20Then Jeremiah replied to all the people, both men and women, who responded to him in this way.
- Hosea 13:9I will destroy you, O Israel! Who is there to help you?
Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 28:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23He sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him - "This passage," says Mr. Hallet, "greatly surprised me; for the sacred historian himself is here represented as saying, The gods of Damascus had smitten Ahaz. But it is impossible to suppose that an inspired author could say this; for the Scripture everywhere represents the heathen idols as nothing and vanity, and as incapable of doing either good or hurt. All difficulty is avoided if we follow…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23His adoption of the Syrian gods, Hadad, Rimmon, and others, as objects of worship, no doubt preceded the destruction of Damascus by the Assyrians 2 Kings 16:9. Israel - i. e. “Judah;” so in 2 Chronicles 28:27. Compare 2 Chronicles 28:19.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22-23King Ahaz rejected the Lord by building an altar like one in Damascus (2 Kings 16:10–16) and by offering sacrifices to the gods of Damascus.Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Chronicles 28:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 28
- 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
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