Bible Commentaries

2 Kings 13:1 to 2 Kings 17:6. The remainder of the history of Israel to the fall of Samaria, with the contemporary annals of Judah, is of the nature of chronicle rather than history. There are few interesting narratives like those in the earlier parts of the book. The exceptions are: (a) the death of Elisha (2 Kings 13:14 ff.); (b) the war between Israel and Judah (2 Kings 14:8-16); (c) the repairs of the Temple at Jerusalem by Ahaz (2 Kings 16:10-16). The main sources are: (a) the records of the kings of Israel and Judah; (b) the biography of Elisha; (c) Deuteronomic notes of reigns, etc.; (d) later additions.

2 Kings 16. Reign of Ahaz.—This chapter is assigned to different sources, and deals mainly with the king's alteration of the Temple, though it alludes to his apostasy and his wars. The Temple record (2 Kings 16:10-18) may be compared to similar passages in 2 K.—e.g. 2 Kings 11, 2 Kings 12:4 ff. The verdict on Ahaz is more unfavourable than on any king of Judah except Manasseh.

2 Kings 16:1. Ahaz.—The full name was Yehoahaz, and it appears in almost this form in an inscription of Tiglath-pileser. The king mentioned in 2 Kings 23:31 is properly Jehoahaz II.

2 Kings 16:3. Ahaz is the only Israelite king who is expressly said to have been guilty of sacrificing his son in this manner (2 Kings 3:27*). Child sacrifice became dreadfully common in the last days of the monarchy. According to 2 Kings 23:10, the place was Tophet (Jeremiah 7:31*), in the Valley of Hinnom.

2 Kings 16:5. For the invasion of Judah by Rezin and Pekah see pp. 70f., Isaiah 7:1 f., and the parallel passage 2 Chronicles 28:1-15.

2 Kings 16:6. Elath: 1 Kings 9:26*; it could not have been "recovered" by the Syrians since, so far as we know, they had never owned it. Read "the Edomites" (mg.), who as the natural owners of the country came and occupied Elath after Rezin had dispossessed the Judans.

2 Kings 16:7-9. Ahaz became an Assyrian vassal by sending a present, i.e. tribute, to Tiglath-pileser. Damascus was besieged by the Assyrians in 732 B.C. There is no other record of the Syrians being taken captive to Kir, nor is the place mentioned in the LXX. But see Amos 1:5*, Amos 9:8.

2 Kings 16:10-16. Ahaz went to do homage to his master, Tiglath-pileser, at Damascus. There he saw an altar, the pattern of which took his fancy, and he had it copied for his Temple at Jerusalem. No blame is here suggested, though a sinister interpretation is given in 2 Chronicles 28:16-27.—Urijah is mentioned in Isaiah 8:2.

2 Kings 16:17 f. Ahaz was compelled to diminish the splendour of the Temple in order to pay the Assyrian tribute. For the "bases," "sea," and "oxen," see 1 Kings 7:23; 1 Kings 7:27. Brass was valued highly; when the Temple was finally destroyed, all the brazen vessels in it were broken up and carried to Babylon (Jeremiah 52:17-24).