Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary2 Chronicles 28

Ahaz. This chapter, dealing with the reign of Ahaz, is parallel to 2 Kings 16. The account in Chronicles is, on the whole, fuller than that in Kings, but does not mention a few details there given.

Images for Baalim. See on Judges 2:11; see also 1 Kings 16:31; 2 Kings 1:2; 2 Chron. 21:6; 22:3; 24:7.

Valley of the son of Hinnom. This valley was west and south of Jerusalem (see Joshua 15:8; 18:16). It was the scene of some of the most cruel and revolting rites, probably derived from Canaanite worship. Burnt his children. Apparently sacrificed as burnt offerings to Molech (see on Lev. 18:21; 20:2; Deut. 18:10; 32:17). Human sacrifice was one of the most terrible abominations of Palestine, and in the period of Judah it became a not uncommon feature of religious worship (Jer. 7:31; 19:2–6; 32:35; Eze. 16:20, 21).

Delivered him. See on ch. 22:8.

Forsaken the Lord. When the protection of the Lord is withdrawn, man discovers to his sorrow that the master he has chosen can be exceedingly cruel. After such heavy losses, there was nothing to prevent Syria and Israel from besieging Jerusalem. However, they did not take it (2 Kings 16:5). It was the object of the allies to depose Ahaz and set up a new ruler of their own (Isa. 7:6). The panic of Ahaz is vividly described in Isa. 7:2.

Governor of the house. Evidently the chief officer of the palace (see 1 Kings 4:6; 18:3). Next to the king. Compare 1 Sam. 23:17; Esther 10:3. The deaths of these three prominent personages are mentioned because of their close connection with Ahaz. The blow that struck them struck the king.

Two hundred thousand. These were women and children taken as slaves.

A prophet. This whole section (vs. 9–15), dealing with the return of the prisoners, is found only in Chronicles. Wroth with Judah. The Lord desired Israel to know that it was not because of their prowess that they had been victorious in this campaign, but because of Judah’s sin. God’s protecting hand had been withdrawn from Judah; hence it was possible for Israel to triumph over her. In a rage. The fact that the Lord’s protection had been withdrawn from Judah did not justify Israel in the severe and cruel measures she had taken against her neighbor. The Lord is a God of infinite justice, “longsuffering, and of great, mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty” (Num. 14:18). The Lord allowed Assyria to be the instrument for the punishment of His people, but in turn predicted that He would “punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria” (Isa. 10:5–12; see on 2 Chron. 2:8).

Are there not with you? Do you not have trespasses of your own against the Lord which likewise merit judgment? Are you yourselves so completely guiltless that your indignation against your brethren can be justified in the sight of Heaven?

Deliver the captives. Through Moses the Lord had expressly forbidden the Israelites to reduce their brethren to bondage (Lev. 25:42–46).

Upon you. Israel had witnessed the fate that befell the people of Judah when the wrath of the Lord was upon them. The fact that God’s wrath was now directed against Israel made some of the heads of the nation think seriously.

Heads. The patriarchal chiefs of the northern tribes here referred to as “Ephraim” (see Isa. 7:2, 5, 9; Hosea 5:9–14).

City of palm trees. Compare Deut. 34:3.

Kings of Assyria. Verses 16–21, dealing with the appeal of Ahaz for help from Assyria, are parallel to 2 Kings 16:7–9. See also Isa. 7, 8.

The Philistines. Having been smitten by Uzziah (ch. 26:6), the Philistines were evidently eager to retaliate. The cities they took were in regions often in dispute between Judah and Philistia. They dwelt there. These were not merely minor border raids but serious attacks in which the areas seized were occupied and held for a time.

Tilgath-pilneser. This was Tiglath-pileser III (745–727 B.C.), one of the greatest conquerors among Assyrian emperors. According to the Assyrian Eponym Canon, or limmu list (see Vol. II, pp. 55, 155), he came against the Philistines in 734 and against Damascus in 733 and 732. It is possible that these campaigns were undertaken in response to Ahaz’s urgent plea for help. Strengthened him not. The king of Assyria was not interested in the welfare of Ahaz or the people of Judah. When he came against Philistia and Syria he sought to promote his own interests and those of his nation. The Assyrians were as ready to destroy the Hebrew nation as they were any other nation. This Ahaz and Hezekiah were soon to discover.

Helped him not. Ahaz learned to his sorrow that the rapacity of an Assyrian king was not easily satisfied, and that he had purchased to himself only sorrow and distress by his foolish course.

Trespass yet more. Instead of learning lessons from his distress, Ahaz became only more bitter and stubborn. From one evil he went on to another, leading his people down a path that could end only in ruin.

Gods of Damascus. Instead of coming to his senses and realizing that his distress was due to his forsaking the Lord, Ahaz became all the more angry and bitter against God, and followed a course that brought upon himself and his nation still severer judgments. When Tiglath-pileser captured Damascus, Ahaz went to that city to pay homage to the Assyrian king. While there he saw an altar of which he made a copy, and had it set up before the Temple in Jerusalem, moving the brazen altar from its place (see 2 Kings 16:9–16).

Cut in pieces. See on 2 Kings 16:17. There appears to have been a general destruction of the sacred vessels of the Temple. Shut up the doors. Ahaz put a stop to the Temple services. The lamps were put out, the burning of incense ceased, and the sacrifice of offerings was discontinued (ch. 29:7). Altars in every corner. The one great altar of burnt offering was a forceful method of impressing upon the minds of the people the doctrine of the one true God. Numerous altars in all parts of Jerusalem spoke unmistakably of the polytheism that Ahaz fostered.

High places. Compare vs. 2–4. Provoked to anger. Compare Deut. 32:16, 17.

Sepulchres of the kings. Compare the treatment given to Jehoram, Joash, and Uzziah (chs. 21:20; 24:25; 26:23).