2 Chronicles 28

Chapter context

What is happening in 2 Chronicles 28?

templereformprayerjudgment

2 Chronicles 28 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as exile and Cyrus’s decree. Second Chronicles recounts Solomon’s temple, the Judahite kings, reform movements, the fall of Jerusalem, and Cyrus’s decree of return. Read this chapter with the wider themes of temple, reform, and prayer in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.

¹ Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father: ² For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim. ³ Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. ⁴ He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree. ⁵ Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter. ⁶ For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. ⁷ And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king’s son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king. ⁸ And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria. ⁹ But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven. ¹⁰ And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God? ¹¹ Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you. ¹² Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war, ¹³ And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the LORD already, ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel. ¹⁴ So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation. ¹⁵ And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria. ¹⁶ At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him. ¹⁷ For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives. ¹⁸ The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Bethshemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there. ¹⁹ For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD. ²⁰ And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not. ²¹ For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the LORD, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not. ²² And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz. ²³ For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel. ²⁴ And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem. ²⁵ And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers. ²⁶ Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. ²⁷ And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.

Study helps

Glossary

David Person v. 1: Beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother’s name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25 .
Jerusalem Place v. 1, 10, 24, 27: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Jerusalem.
Hinnom Person v. 3: A deep, narrow ravine separating Mount Zion from the so-called “Hill of Evil Counsel. ” It took its name from “some ancient hero, the son of Hinnom. ” It is first mentioned in Josh. 15:8 .
Valley of Hinnom Place v. 3: Biblical valley. Modern identification: Hinnom Valley.
Damascus Place v. 5, 23: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Damascus.
Syria Place v. 5, 23: Biblical region. Modern identification: Damascus.
Pekah Person v. 6: Open-eyed, the son of Remaliah a captain in the army of Pekahiah, king of Israel, whom he slew, with the aid of a band of Gileadites, and succeeded (B. C. 758) on the throne ( 2 Kings 15:25 ).
Remaliah Person v. 6: Adorned by the Lord, the father of Pekah, who conspired successfully against Pekahiah ( 2 Kings 15:25 , 27, 30, 32, 37; Isa. 7:1 , 4, 5, 9; 8:6).
Elkanah Person v. 7: God-created. (1. ) The second son of Korah ( Ex. 6:24 ), or, according to 1 Chr. 6:22 , 23, more correctly his grandson.
Zichri Person v. 7: Remembered; illustrious. (1. ) A Benjamite chief ( 1 Chr. 8:19 ). (2. ) Another of the same tribe ( 1 Chr. 8:23 ).
Samaria Place v. 8-9, 15: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Samaria.
Oded Person v. 9: Restoring, or setting up. (1. ) Father of the prophet Azariah ( 2 Chr. 15:1 , 8). (2. ) A prophet in the time of Ahaz and Pekah ( 2 Chr. 28:9-15 ).
Amasa Person v. 12: Burden. (1. ) The son of Abigail, a sister of king David ( 1 Chr. 2:17 ; 2 Sam. 17:25 ). He was appointed by David to command the army in room of his cousin Joab.
Azariah Person v. 12: Whom Jehovah helps. (1. ) Son of Ethan, of the tribe of Judah ( 1 Chr. 2:8 ). (2. ) Son of Ahimaaz, who succeeded his grandfather Zadok as high priest ( 1 Chr. 6:9 ; 1 Kings 4:2 ) in the days of Solomon.
Hadlai Person v. 12: Resting, an Ephraimite; the father of Amasa, mentioned in 2 Chr. 28:12 .
Shallum Person v. 12: Retribution. (1. ) The son of Jabesh, otherwise unknown. He “conspired against Zachariah, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead” ( 2 Kings 15:10 ).
City People v. 15, 25, 27: The earliest mention of city-building is that of Enoch, which was built by Cain ( Gen. 4:17 ). After the confusion of tongues, the descendants of Nimrod founded several cities (10:10-12).
City of Palms Place v. 15: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Tell es Sultan.
Jericho Place v. 15: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Tell es Sultan.
Assyria Place v. 16, 20-21: Biblical region. Modern identification: Nineveh.
Edom Place v. 17: Biblical region. Modern identification: Buseira.
Aijalon Place v. 18: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Yalo.
Beth-shemesh Place v. 18: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Tel Bet Shemesh.
Gederoth Place v. 18: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Khirbet Judraya.
Gimzo Place v. 18: A place fertile in sycamores, a city in the plain of Judah, the villages of which were seized by the Philistines ( 2 Chr. 28:18 ). It is now called Jimzu, about 3 miles south-east of Ludd, i. e., Lydda.
Negeb Place v. 18: Biblical region. Modern identification: Tel Beer Sheva.
Shephelah Place v. 18: Biblical region. Modern identification: Shephelah.
Socoh Place v. 18: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Tel Socho.
Timnah Place v. 18: A portion. (1. ) A town of Judah ( Josh. 15:10 ). The Philistines took possession of it in the days of Ahaz ( 2 Chr. 28:18 ). It was about 20 miles west of Jerusalem. It has been identified with Timnatha of Dan. Modern identification: Tel Batash.
Hezekiah Person v. 27: Whom Jehovah has strengthened. (1. ) Son of Ahaz ( 2 Kings 18:1 ; 2 Chr. 29:1 ), whom he succeeded on the throne of the kingdom of Judah. He reigned twenty-nine years (B. C. 726-697).