2 Reis 16
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
2 Reis 16
NJB (MT versing) Ahaz Reigns Over Judah Ahaz Reigns in Judah The Reign of Ahaz in Judah King Ahaz of Judah The Reign of Ahaz in Judah (736-716) 16:1-6 16:1-4 16:1-4 16:1-4 16:1-4 Ahaz Seeks Help from Aram 16:5-6 16:5-9 16:5-9 16:5-9 16:7-9 16:7-9 Damascus Falls 16:10-16 16:10-16 16:10-16 16:10-16 16:10-16 16:17-18 16:17-18 16:17-20 16:17-18 16:17-18 Hezekiah Reigns Over Judah 16:19-20 16:19-20 16:19-20 16:19-20 Etc.
2 Reis 16:1-6
16:1 "Ahaz" This Judean king (full name Jehoahaz; NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 366-368) is discussed in 2 Chronicles 28 and Isaiah 7-12. See Introduction to Isaiah online for the historical, religious, and social setting of this period. (www.freebiblecommentary.org) 16:2 The dates do not fit well with 2 Chr. 29:1. There are some LXX and Syrian MSS that have "25 years at his accession" not "20 years old." this discrepancy can be explained as a co-reign with his father, Jotham; see Hard Sayings of the Bible, p. 59. ▣ "as his father David" Notice Jotham is not mentioned. The purpose of this phrase is to reenforce Ahaz's Davidic origin. Ahaz was one of the most wicked kings of Judah (Manasseh being the worst). However, he was still part of YHWHistic promise to David in 2 Samuel 7 and 1 Chronicles 17. YHWH had a purpose for Judah! SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN 16:2-4 "he did not do what was right in the sight of the Lord" Four items are listed of his evil. He did not follow in the footsteps of his father, David. He walked in the way of the kings of Israel. He made his sons pass through the fire. He sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. 16:3 "walked in the way of" The Mosaic life of faith is described as a well worn, straight, smooth, clear path or road (Ps. 1:1; 139:24). The path of Ba'al worship was unintentionally encouraged by Jeroboam I's building of two rival worship sites (i.e., Dan and Bethel). These turned into fertility worship sites, especially during Ahab and Jezebel's reign. SPECIAL TOPIC: FERTILITY WORSHIP OF THE ANE ▣ "made his sons pass through the fire" This refers to the worship of the Phoenician and later Canaanite fire god, Molech. This deity is highly condemned in the OT (cf. Lev. 18:21; Deut. 12:31; 18:9-10). It seems that children were sacrificed alive to this fire god (cf. 2 Chr. 28:3). Not even Assyria practiced child sacrifices! Modern sdcholarship thinks molech is a type of sacrifice and not the name of a deity. SPECIAL TOPIC: MOLECH ▣ "abomination" See SPECIAL TOPIC: ABOMINATION (OT). ▣ "the nations whom the Lord had driven out" This is "holy war" vocabulary. It was part of YHWH's promise to Abraham about a homeland in Canaan (cf. Gen. 12:1-3; 15:12-21). The exodus under Moses and the conquest under Joshua fulfilled this promise. Israel was to destroy the Canaanites lest they corrupt their covenant relationship with Abraham's seed (i.e., Deut. 20:17-18). SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT PROMISES TO THE PATRIARCHS SPECIAL TOPIC: ISRAEL'S MANDATED RESPONSE TO CANAANITE FERTILITY WORSHIP 16:4 "on the high places and on the hills under every green tree" This reflects outlawed Canaanite fertility worship (cf. Deut. 12:2; 1 Kgs. 14:23,24; Jer. 2:20; 3:2,6; 17:2; Isa. 57:5,7; Ezek. 6:13; 20:28; Hosea 4:13). The fertility gods were worshiped in many localities (i.e., natural hills or man made platforms). Trees were often viewed as sacred (esp. in arid places) because they showed underground water was present. SPECIAL TOPIC: TREES 16:5 Syria and Israel tried to force Judah to join their rebellion against Assyria (NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 1244-1245) but their siege could not cause Jerusalem to surrender (735 B.C.). It is possible that this co-alliance also included Tyre Philistia It may have occurred at the instigation of Neo-Babylonian nationalism which aggressively encouraged revolt against Assyria. 16:6 There is some confusion in the ancient versions about this verse. Rezin, king of Syria/Aram (MT); UBS Text Project gives this an "A" rating for both uses of "Syria/Aram." King of Edom. . .to Edom came Elath; the second use of Edom is supported by the Masoretic scholars (Qere) and the LXX, Targums, Vulgate. The UBS Text Project, p. 362, suggests that Elath was restored to Edom which was the original text but that there are no existing MSS that support this. Aram ‒ ארם Edom ‒ אדם This is the common "R" ‒ "D" confusion caused by the similarity of the Hebrew letters. ▣ "Elath" This city is located on the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba. It is very close to Ezion-geber. They both were ports. The one who controlled this port controlled the lucrative trade route north to Jerusalem and Damascus. Solomon first developed this area for Israel (cf. 1 Kgs. 9:26-28). It was restored by Uzziah (cf. 2 Kgs. 14:22; 2 Chr. 26:2). It was an Idumean city which shows Syria's influence far to the south (i.e., Josephus Antiq. 9.12.1; R. K. Harrison, Old Testament Times, p. 229) was restored to Edom and this continued "to this day" (cf. 2 Chr. 28:17) The UBS Text Project, p. 362, suggests that Elath was restored to Edom and was the original text but that there are no existing MSS that support this. Aram ‒ ארם Edom ‒ אדם This is the common "R" ‒ "D" confusion. SPECIAL TOPIC: EDOM AND ISRAEL, C. ▣ "Elath. . .Eloth" This verse contains two spellings of this Idumean city's name, which may also show the composite nature of the history recorded in Kings (i.e., a northern source and a southern source). See John H. Walton and D. Brent Sandy, The Lost World of Scripture.
2 Reis 16:7-9
16:7 This is diplomatic language of a vassal to his overlord (i.e., "servant" and "son"). Ahaz went to meet Tiglath-pileser III in v. 10. 16:8 Ahaz paid tribute to Assyria to save Judah from the Syro-Ephraimatic coalition (cf. vv. 17-18 and possibly v. 15). 16:9 "Kir" This is omitted by the LXX. In Amos 1:5 it is also identified as the place where the Syrians were exiled in 732 B.C. It possibly refers to "Ashur" or a region of Assyria (cf. Isa. 22:6; ABD, vol. 4, p. 83). Josephus (Antiq. 9.12.3) identifies the place of exile as "Upper Media." He also notes that a colony of Assyrians occupied Damascus.
2 Reis 16:10-16
16:10 "the altar" This worship altar was probably built by the king of Syria but the Assyrian victors kept it. Ahaz's building a copy of it was a way to acknowledge and honor Tiglath-pileser III (NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 1250-1251). Its construction and placement in the temple in Jerusalem shows how quickly true YHWHism was corrupted. ▣ NASB, LXX, Peshitta "the pattern" "the design" NRSV, JPSOA "a sketch" "an exact model of it" "a picture" The MT has three descriptive words. a model ‒ BDB 198 its pattern ‒ BDB 125 exact in all its details ‒ BDB 481 CONSTRUCT BDB 795 ▣ "Urijah" This priest (BDB 22) was called a "faithful witness" by Isaiah (cf. Isa. 8:2, "Uriah") was probably the "high priest," but not listed in 1 Chr. 5:27-41 nor in Josephus (Antiq. 10) ▣ "its model" The UBS Text Project, p. 362, gives "model" or "the likeness" (BDB 198, cf. Gen. 1:26) a "B" rating (some doubt). דמות ‒ likeness (NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 643-647) מדות ‒ measurement (BDB 551, LXX) The altar was probably originally Rimmon's (2 Kgs. 5:18) but now was spared by Tiglath-pileser III and used for the worship of Ashur, the head of the Assyrian pantheon. 16:11 Urijah the priest built an altar in accordance with Ahaz's instructions and model. He did this before Ahaz returned from Damascus. This rapid building implies the altar was of wood, not stone or metal. Most metal had been stripped from the temple and palace and sent as tribute to Tiglath-pileser III. 16:12-13 Ahaz used his role as king to inaugurate this new sacrificial altar (cf. 2 Sam. 6:17-18; 1 Kgs. 8:63; 12:32). He drew near to it ascended to it offered a burnt offering poured out a drink offering offered a peace offering The difference between this and Uzziah's act was that this altar was not in the central shrine, but before it. SPECIAL TOPIC: BURNT OFFERING SPECIAL TOPIC: PEACE OFFERING SPECIAL TOPIC: GRAIN OFFERING 16:14 "the bronze altar" Ahaz moved this to the side and replaced it with the new one. It is possible that all the bronze had been removed and given to Tiglath-pileser III as tribute (cf. vv. 17-18). SPECIAL TOPIC: THE ALTAR OF SACRIFICE 16:15 "the morning burnt offering" This morning and evening daily offering was called "the continual" (cf. Exod. 29:38-42; Num. 28:2-8). It seems that in this period only the morning offering was a burnt offering and the evening offering was a grain offering (cf. Ezek. 46:13-15). ▣ "But the bronze altar shall be for me to inquire by" This is unusual! The VERB "inquire" (BDB 133, KB 151, Piel INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT) could mean decide later what to do with it (cf. v. 14) ‒ JPSOA a place for Ahaz to seek spiritual information from YHWH (but note 2 Chr. 28:24-28) but probably divination (cf. 2 Chr. 28:23; NIDOTTE, vol. 1, p. 707, #1) SPECIAL TOPIC: DIVINATION
2 Reis 16:17-18
16:17-18 Ahaz stripped Solomon's temple to pay tribute. the borders of the stands (cf. 1 Kgs. 7:27-39) the laver of its stand of oxen "the covered way"; see note below SPECIAL TOPIC: THE LAVER 16:18 "the covered way" "the pavilion" "the structure" "the platform" "the dais" "the covered portal" "the sabbath passage" "the foundation of the seat" "the shelter" The MT has "the covered way (Qere) for the sabbath" (BDB 697 CONSTRUCT BDB 992). The exact reference is uncertain. NASB and JPSOA pick up on "passage" TEV sees it as the special platform for the king to stand on (cf. 2 Kgs. 11:14; 2 Chr. 6:13; 23:13 [Vulgate] and Neh. 8:4) LXX picks up on "foundation" (BDB 414) NJB footnote suggests that "dais" was a symbol of royal power that Assyria made Ahaz remove Whatever it was, this was removed to give the king of Assyria more tribute!