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2 Kings

Continues the story of the divided kingdoms, their decline, and eventual exile.

Chapter 16

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1 In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.

In the 17th year of King Pekah, Ahaz, son of Jotham, became the new king of Judah.

2 Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD his God, like David his father.

At age 20, Ahaz started ruling for 16 years in Jerusalem. He didn't do what was right in the eyes of the LORD, like his father, David.

3 But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel.

But he acted like the kings of Israel did, even going so far as to make his son go through fire, which was very wrong and something the Lord didn't want the people to do, since He had thrown those who did such things out from in front of the Israelites.

4 And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

He offered sacrifices and burned incense at high locations, on hills, and under all green trees.

5 Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him.

Then King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah, son of Remaliah of Israel, went to fight in Jerusalem. They tried to blockade King Ahaz, but couldn't defeat him.

6 At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day.

At that time, King Rezin of Syria took back Elath for Syria and forced the Jews out of Elath. Since then, the Syrians have lived in Elath until now.

7 So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me.

Ahaz asked messengers to tell the king of Assyria that he was their servant and son. He requested the king to help him by coming to save him from the kings of Syria and Israel who were attacking him.

8 And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king’s house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria.

And Ahaz took the silver and gold from the Lord's place and the king's storage, then he sent them as a gift to the king of Assyria.

9 And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin.

The Assyrian king listened and followed his advice. He attacked Damascus, captured it, and took its people as prisoners to a place called Kir. He also killed a leader named Rezin.

10 And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof.

King Ahaz visited Tiglathpileser in Damascus and saw an altar. He asked Urijah the priest to make a similar altar based on its design.

11 And Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus: so Urijah the priest made it against king Ahaz came from Damascus.

Urijah the priest constructed an altar following all of King Ahaz's instructions from Damascus. This was done before King Ahaz arrived from Damascus.

12 And when the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar: and the king approached to the altar, and offered thereon.

When the king returned from Damascus, he saw the altar. He went closer to the altar and made an offering on it.

13 And he burnt his burnt offering and his meat offering, and poured his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings, upon the altar.

He burned his sacrifices, cooked his food offering, poured his drink offering, and splashed the blood from his peace offerings on the altar.

14 And he brought also the brasen altar, which was before the LORD, from the forefront of the house, from between the altar and the house of the LORD, and put it on the north side of the altar.

He moved the bronze altar, which was in front of God, from the front of the temple, between that altar and the Lord's temple, and placed it to the north side of the main altar.

15 And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meat offering, and the king’s burnt sacrifice, and his meat offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and the brasen altar shall be for me to enquire by.

King Ahaz told Urijah the priest to burn morning and evening sacrifices, as well as the king's offerings, along with those of the people on the big altar. He also instructed Urijah to splash all the blood from these sacrifices onto the altar. This brass altar would be used only for him to make decisions.

16 Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all that king Ahaz commanded.

So, Urijah the priest did as the king commanded, without any changes.

17 And king Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from off them; and took down the sea from off the brasen oxen that were under it, and put it upon a pavement of stones.

King Ahaz shortened the edges of the bases, and removed the large basin from them. He also took the sea away from the bronze bulls underneath it and placed it on a floor made of stones.

18 And the covert for the sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king’s entry without, turned he from the house of the LORD for the king of Assyria.

They made a special area for the Sabbath day inside the house, and a separate entrance for the king. But when the king of Assyria came, he ignored the house of the Lord and focused on those areas instead.

19 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

Doesn't the book of Judah's king records include all other things Ahaz did?

20 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.

Ahaz passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. His son Hezekiah took over the kingdom after him.

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