# 2 Kings 16 đź“–: Ahaz Turns to Assyria
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#🧠Chapter Summary]]
> [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]]
> [[#đź’¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đź“‚ Internal Notes]]
## đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### Ahaz’s Reign over Judah
[[#Verse 01.]] In the seventeenth year of the reign of Pekah son of Remaliah, Jotham’s son Ahaz became king over Judah.Â
[[#Verse 02.]] Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what pleased the Lord his God, in contrast to his ancestor David.Â
[[#Verse 03.]] He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel. He passed his son through the fire, a horrible sin practiced by the nations whom the Lord drove out from before the Israelites.Â
[[#Verse 04.]]Â He offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
[[#Verse 05.]] At that time King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel attacked Jerusalem. They besieged Ahaz, but were unable to conquer him.Â
[[#Verse 06.]] (At that time King Rezin of Syria recovered Elat for Syria; he drove the Judahites from there. Syrians arrived in Elat and live there to this very day.)
[[#Verse 07.]] Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your dependent. March up and rescue me from the power of the king of Syria and the king of Israel, who have attacked me.”Â
[[#Verse 08.]] Then Ahaz took the silver and gold that were in the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent it as tribute to the king of Assyria.
[[#Verse 09.]] The king of Assyria responded favorably to his request; he attacked Damascus and captured it. He deported the people to Kir and executed Rezin.
[[#Verse 10.]] When King Ahaz went to meet with King Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria in Damascus, he saw the altar there. King Ahaz sent to Uriah the priest a drawing of the altar and a blueprint for its design.Â
[[#Verse 11.]] Uriah the priest built an altar in conformity to the plans King Ahaz had sent from Damascus. Uriah the priest finished it before King Ahaz arrived back from Damascus.Â
[[#Verse 12.]] When the king arrived back from Damascus and saw the altar, he approached it and offered a sacrifice on it.
[[#Verse 13.]]Â He offered his burnt sacrifice and his grain offering. He poured out his libation and sprinkled the blood from his peace offerings on the altar.Â
[[#Verse 14.]] He moved the bronze altar that stood in the Lord’s presence from the front of the temple (between the altar and the Lord’s temple) and put it on the north side of the new altar.Â
[[#Verse 15.]] King Ahaz ordered Uriah the priest, “On the large altar offer the morning burnt sacrifice, the evening grain offering, the royal burnt sacrifices and grain offering, the burnt sacrifice for all the people of the land, their grain offering, and their libations. Sprinkle all the blood of the burnt sacrifice and other sacrifices on it. The bronze altar will be for my personal use.”Â
> [!illustration] **DANGER OF WORLDLY EXAMPLES**
> Scripture: 2 Kings 15:15
> Summary: The evil king of Israel saw how a pagan nation worshipped their god while visiting. Then he had the priests build an altar just like it. It’s possible he thought if he worshiped like that, he would have the same success.
> Point: Don’t use the tactics of the world to seek God’s favor. Use what He has already said.
> Tags: #illustration/BadExamples #illustration/Perverted-Worship
> Used: no
[[#Verse 16.]] So Uriah the priest did exactly as King Ahaz ordered.
[[#Verse 17.]] King Ahaz took off the frames of the movable stands, and removed the basins from them. He took “The Sea” down from the bronze bulls that supported it and put it on the stone pavement.Â
[[#Verse 18.]] He also removed the Sabbath awning that had been built in the temple and the king’s outer entranceway to the Lord’s temple, on account of the king of Assyria.
[[#Verse 19.]] The rest of the events of Ahaz’s reign, including his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah.
[[#Verse 20.]] Ahaz passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Hezekiah replaced him as king.
## đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
###### Verse 19.
###### Verse 20.
## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Ahaz made his son pass through the fire (16:3), a form of child sacrifice God's law condemned (Leviticus 18:21).
2. Rezin of Aram and Pekah of Israel attacked Jerusalem (16:5), likely trying to force Judah into an alliance against Assyria.
3. Isaiah 7 records Isaiah meeting Ahaz during this crisis and urging him not to fear.
4. Ahaz called himself the "servant and son" of the Assyrian king (16:7), the language of a vassal.
5. An inscription of Tiglath-Pileser III lists "Jehoahaz of Judah" (the full form of Ahaz's name) among the kings who paid tribute.
6. Tiglath-Pileser captured Damascus (16:9), usually dated to 732 BC.
7. The people of Damascus were deported to Kir (16:9), just as Amos had prophesied (Amos 1:5).
8. Ahaz sent a model of the Damascus altar to Uriah the priest, who built a copy (16:10-11).
9. This Uriah may be the same priest Isaiah named as a reliable witness (Isaiah 8:2).
10. Second Chronicles 28:24 adds that Ahaz shut the doors of the Lord's temple.
## 🧠Chapter Summary
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the sign Ahaz refused to trust. During this very crisis, Isaiah told Ahaz that a virgin would bear a son called Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14). Matthew declares that this promise is fulfilled in Jesus, God with us (Matthew 1:22-23).
## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đź’¬ Discussion Questions
1. Ahaz sent the temple's silver and gold to Assyria instead of trusting the Lord (16:7-8). Where are you tempted to look for security in something other than God?
2. Ahaz copied a foreign altar and moved the Lord's altar aside (16:10-14). How can we slowly let culture reshape our worship?
3. Hezekiah grew up under an evil father but became a godly king (16:20; 18:3). What hope does that give to someone who did not have a godly example at home?
## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember
- đź“– verse 3: Ahaz sacrifices his son in the fire, following the practices of the nations.
- đź“– verse 7: Ahaz calls himself the servant and son of the king of Assyria.
- đź“– verses 10-11: Ahaz has a copy of the Damascus altar built for the Lord's temple.
## đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference
- đź”— [[Isaiah 07#Verse 14.|Isaiah 7:14]] - The virgin will bear a son called Immanuel.
- đź”— [[Matthew 01#Verse 22.|Matthew 1:22-23]] - Jesus is Immanuel, God with us.
- đź”— [[Isaiah 07#Verse 04.|Isaiah 7:4]] - Do not fear these two smoldering stubs.
- đź”— [[Leviticus 18#Verse 21.|Leviticus 18:21]] - Do not give your children to Molech.
- đź”— [[Psalm 146#Verse 03.|Psalm 146:3]] - Do not trust in princes.
## 🙏 Devotional Reflection
đź“ť SOAP: [[2 Kings 16 - SOAP|Make a Fresh Start]]
## đź“‚ Internal Notes