Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary2 Chronicles 28

The Wickednessof AhazAhaz became king at a time when things were going well for Judah. The kingdom was strong, and true worship of the Lord

v. 3: Ahaz’s wickedness went even further. He burned his own children in the fire as a sacrifice to Moloch (he burnt his children in the fire, 2 Chronicles 28:3 ). This was not just dedicating them, but actually destroying them for a false god. This shows how far he had turned from both natural love and true religion.

v. 5: Because Ahaz turned away from God and trusted in idols, God allowed his enemies to defeat him . The Syrians attacked and won, taking many people captive. Even the king of Israel, who was also an idolater, became a tool to punish Ahaz and caused a great defeat for Judah. The people suffered greatly—many died, their land was ruined, and families were destroyed. When they had a good king, his goodness protected them, even if they were not perfect (they did corruptly, 2 Chronicles 27:2 ). But with a bad king, all protection was gone, and disaster came. The people learned to appreciate the blessings they had lost by seeing the troubles of Ahaz’s reign.

The King of Israel Defeats AhazThis section describes a serious conflict between Judah and Israel. Judah, led by Ahaz, faces God’s punishment because of their sins. The defeat is harsh and shocking, bringing much suffering. At the same time, Israel, though victorious, is warned by God not to be proud or cruel. Through a prophet’s message, God teaches both nations important lessons about justice, mercy, and humility.v. 6: Judah is severely punished by God. The king of Israel becomes the instrument of this punishment. The battle results in a huge loss for Judah—about 120,000 brave men are killed in one day (v. 6, 2 Chronicles 28:6 ). Even important people, like the king’s son and close advisors, are killed. This is seen as a just result, because Ahaz had even sacrificed some of his sons to idols. The defeat happens not because Israel is strong, but because God allows it. The men of Judah are so discouraged and guilty that they cannot stand against their enemies. They are described as being like sheep for the slaughter, because they have turned away from the Lord

v. 8: Many women and children from Judah are also taken as captives (v. 8,. After the army is defeated, the cities and villages are easily conquered. People are taken away to become slaves, and their possessions are stolen.

v. 9: Israel, although victorious, is rebuked by a prophet sent from God. The prophet does not congratulate them but instead warns them. He explains that their victory is not a reward for their goodness. It happened because God was angry with Judah (because he was wroth with Judah). The prophet reminds them that God sometimes uses one sinful nation to punish another, but that does not mean the victorious nation is innocent (Not for your righteousness... but for their wickedness, Deuteronomy 9:5 ; see also Romans 11:20-21 ).v. 9-10: The prophet continues to correct Israel for their cruelty. They killed their fellow Israelites with too much anger and violence—this is called a rage that reached up to heaven. Their actions were not just or merciful. The prophet also rebukes them for planning to make slaves of their brothers from Judah. God pays attention even to their intentions (You now purpose to keep them under).

v. 10: The prophet reminds Israel that they, too, have sinned against the Lord

v. 11: God commands Israel to let the prisoners go and send them home safely . If they do not show mercy, God’s anger will be against them.

v. 12-13: The leaders of Israel agree with the prophet. They oppose those who want to bring the captives into Samaria and refuse to make the situation worse (2 Chronicles 28:12-13 ). They realize they already have many sins and do not want to add more. This shows obedience to God’s word and compassion for their fellow Israelites. God’s mercy is working in their hearts (made them to be pitied of all those that carried them captive, Psalm 106:44, 46 ).

v. 14: The soldiers obey the leaders and release the prisoners, giving up their claim to the spoils . This act of surrendering what they had won in battle shows real strength of character, as they choose to do what is right, not just what benefits them.

v. 15: The leaders take care of the released captives, sending them home with kindness and supplies . This teaches us that if we hope for mercy from God, we must also show mercy to others. It is surprising that these leaders listened to God’s word in this situation, even though they did not remove idolatry from their land, which would later cause their downfall.

Ahaz Seeks Help from AssyriaThis section reveals the consequences of King Ahaz's lack of faith in the Lord

v. 17-18: The Edomites and Philistines took advantage of Judah's weakened state and attacked them (The Edomites had come and smitten Judah, 2 Chronicles 28:17 ). God allowed these enemies to afflict Judah as a result of Ahaz's sins. The Philistines invaded and took several cities and villages in the lowlands of Judah, leaving the people vulnerable and humiliated. These defeats were a clear sign of God's judgment, as Judah had drifted far from His protection.

v. 19: The chronicler explains why Judah suffered these attacks: it was because Ahaz had led the nation into sin and rebellion against the Lord

v. 20: Ahaz's reliance on the king of Assyria backfired. Instead of helping, Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, oppressed him (And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not,. This was a bitter lesson for Ahaz: trusting in human alliances, especially with ungodly powers, leads to disappointment and destruction.

v. 21: Ahaz stripped the temple of its treasures and gave them to the king of Assyria in a desperate attempt to secure his help (For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the Lord

The Hardness of Ahaz’s Heartv. 22: Instead of humbling himself under God's judgment, Ahaz became even more unfaithful (In the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord

v. 23: Ahaz’s unfaithfulness reached new depths as he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, believing they had helped the Syrians defeat him (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,. This was a tragic delusion. Ahaz failed to see that it was the Lord

v. 24: Ahaz shut the doors of the temple and ceased all worship of the Lord

v. 25: Ahaz’s idolatry was not limited to Jerusalem—he built high places throughout Judah to worship other gods (In every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods,. This widespread rebellion against the Lord

The Death of Ahazv. 26: The chronicler records the rest of Ahaz's deeds, including his wickedness and failures, as written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel . Ahaz’s reign was marked by unfaithfulness, idolatry, and defeat. His life serves as an example of how far a leader and a nation can fall when they turn away from God.

v. 27: Ahaz died and was buried in Jerusalem, but not in the tombs of the kings, showing the dishonor he brought upon himself (And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel, 2 Chronicles 28:27 ). Hezekiah, his son, succeeded him, bringing hope for Judah’s spiritual restoration. Ahaz’s burial outside the royal tombs was a fitting end for a king who had rejected God and brought shame upon the kingdom. This passage shows us the consequences of rejecting God and trusting in worldly solutions. Ahaz’s reign was characterized by idolatry, faithlessness, and defeat, yet God’s mercy endured, preparing the way for a righteous king, Hezekiah, to restore Judah.