II
C H R O N I C L E S
CHAP. XXVIII.
This
chapter is the history of the reign of Ahaz the son of Jotham; a bad reign it
was, and which helped to augment the fierce anger of the Lord. We have here,
I. His great wickedness, ver. 1-4. II. The trouble he brought himself into by
it, ver. 5-8. III. The reproof which God sent by a prophet to the army of
Israel
for trampling upon their brethren of Judah, and the obedient ear they gave to that
reproof, ver. 9-15. IV. The many calamities that followed to Ahaz and his
people, ver. 16-21. V. The continuance of his idolatry notwithstanding (ver.
22-25), and so his story ends, ver. 26, 27.
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The Wickedness of Ahaz.
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B.
C. 738.
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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.
Never surely had a man greater opportunity of doing well than Ahaz had,
finding things in a good posture, the kingdom rich and strong and religion
established; and yet here we have him in these few verses, 1. Wretchedly
corrupted and debauched. He had had a good education given him and a good
example set him: but parents cannot give grace to their children. All the
instructions he had were lost upon him: He did not that which was right in
the sight of the Lord (v. 1), nay, he did a great deal that was
wrong, a wrong to God, to his own soul, and to his people; he walked in the
way of the revolted Israelites and the devoted Canaanites, made molten images
and worshipped them, contrary to the second commandment; nay, he made them for
Baalim, contrary to the first commandment. He forsook the temple of the Lord
and sacrificed and burnt incense on the hills, as if they would place him
nearer heaven, and under every green tree, as if they would signify the
protection and influence of heaven by their shade and dropping. To complete
his wickedness, as one perfectly divested of all natural affection as well as
religion and perfectly devoted to the service and interest of the great enemy
of mankind, he burnt his children in the fire to Moloch (v. 3),
not thinking it enough to dedicate them to that infernal fiend by causing them
to pass through the fire. See what an absolute sway the prince of the power of
the air bears among the children of disobedience. 2. Wretchedly spoiled and
made a prey of. When he forsook God, and at a vast expense put himself under
the protection of false gods, God, who of right was his God, delivered him
into the hands of his enemies, v. 5. (1.) The Syrians insulted him and
triumphed over him, beat him in the field and carried away a great many of his
people into captivity. (2.) The king of Israel, though an idolater too, was
made a scourge to him, and smote him with a great slaughter. The people
suffered by these judgments: their blood was shed, their country wasted, their
families ruined; for when they had a good king, though they did corruptly
(ch. xxvii. 2), yet then his goodness sheltered them; but now that they
had a bad one all the defence had departed from them and an inundation of
judgments broke in upon them. Those that knew not their happiness in the
foregoing reign were taught to value it by the miseries of this reign.
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The
King of Israel Defeats Ahaz.
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B.
C. 738.
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6 For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah a
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.
We have here,
I. Treacherous Judah under the rebukes of God's providence, and they are very
severe. Never was such bloody work made among them since they were a kingdom,
and by Israelites too. Ahaz walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and the
king of Israel was the instrument God made use of for his punishment. It is
just with God to make those our plagues whom we make our patterns or make
ourselves partners with in sin. A war broke out between Judah and Israel, in
which Judah was worsted. For, 1. There was a great slaughter of men in the
field of battle. Vast numbers (120,000 men, and valiant men too at other
times) were slain (v. 6) and some of the first rank, the king's son for
one. He had sacrificed some of this sons to Moloch; justly therefore is this
sacrificed to the divine vengeance. Here is another that was next the king,
his friend, the prime-minister of state, or perhaps next him in the battle, so
that the king himself had a narrow escape, v. 7. The kingdom of Israel
was not strong at this time, and yet strong enough to bring this great
destruction upon Judah. But certainly so many men, great men, stout men, could
not have been cut off in one day if they had not been strangely dispirited
both by the consciousness of their own guilt and by the righteous hand of God
upon them. Even valiant men were numbered as sheep for the slaughter,
and became an easy prey to the enemy because they had forsaken the Lord God
of their fathers, and he had therefore forsaken them. 2. There was a great
captivity of women and children, v. 8. When the army in the
field was routed, the cities, and towns, and country villages, were all easily
stripped, the inhabitants taken for slaves, and their wealth for a prey.
II. Even victorious Israel under the rebuke of God's word for the bad
principle they had gone upon in making war with Judah and the bad use they had
made of their success, and the good effect of this rebuke. Here is,
1. The message which God sent them by a prophet, who went out to meet them,
not to applaud their valour or congratulate them on their victory, though they
returned laden with spoils and triumphs, but in God's name to tell them of
their faults and warn them of the judgments of God.
(1.) He told them how they came by this victory of which they were so proud.
It was not because God favoured them, or that they had merited it at his hand,
but because he was wroth with Judah, and made them the rod of his
indignation. Not for your righteousness, be it known to you, but for
their wickedness (Deut. ix. 5) they are broken off; therefore be
not you high-minded, but fear lest God also spare not you, Rom. xi. 20,
21.
(2.) He charged them with the abuse of the power God had given them over their
brethren. Those understand not what victory is who think it gives them
authority to do what they will, and that the longest sword is the clearest
claim to lives and estates (Jusque datum sceleri--might is right);
no, as it is impolitic not to use a victory, so it is impious to abuse it. The
conquerors are here reproved, [1.] For the cruelty of the slaughter they had
made in the field. They had indeed shed the blood of war in war; we
suppose that to be lawful, but it turned into sin to them, because they did it
from a bad principle of enmity to their brethren and after a bad manner, with
a barbarous fury, a rage reaching up to heaven, that is, that cried to
God for vengeance against such bloody men, that delighted in military
execution. Those that serve God's justice, if they do it with rage and a
spirit of revenge, make themselves obnoxious to it, and forfeit the honour of
acting for him; for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
[2.] For the imperious treatment they gave their prisoners. "You now
purpose to keep them under, to use them or sell them as slaves, though
they are your brethren and free-born Israelites." God takes notice of
what men purpose, as well as of what they say and do.
(3.) He reminded them of their own sins, by which they also were obnoxious to
the wrath of God: Are there not with you, even with you, sins against the
Lord your God? v. 10. He appeals to their own consciences, and to
the notorious evidence of the thing. "Though you are now made the
instruments of correcting Judah for sin, yet do not think that you are
therefore innocent yourselves; no, you also are guilty before God." This
is intended as a check, [1.] To their triumph in their success. "You are
sinners, and it ill becomes sinners to be proud; you have carried the day now,
but be not secure, the wheel may ere long return upon yourselves, for, if
judgment begin thus with those that have the house of God among them,
what shall be the end of such as worship the calves?" [2.] To their
severity towards their brethren. "You have now got them under, but you
ought to show mercy to them, for you yourselves are undone if you do not find
mercy with God. It ill becomes sinners to be cruel. You have transgressions
enough to answer for already, and need not add this to the rest."
(4.) He commanded them to release the prisoners, and to send them home again
carefully (v. 11); "for you having sinned, the fierce wrath of
God is upon you, and there is no other way of escaping it than by showing
mercy."
2. The resolution of the princes thereupon not to detain the prisoners. They stood
up against those that came from the war, though flushed with victory, and
told them plainly that they should not bring their captives into Samaria, v.
12, 13. They had sin enough already to answer for, and would have nothing done
to add to their trespass. In this they discovered an obedient regard to the
word of God by his prophet and a tender compassion towards their brethren,
which was wrought in them by the tender mercy of God; for he regarded the
affliction of this poor people, and hears their cry, and made them to be
pitied of all those that carried them captive, Ps. cvi. 44, 46.
3. The compliance of the soldiers with the resolutions of the princes in this
matter, and the dismission of the captives thereupon. (1.) The armed men,
though being armed they might be force have maintained their title to what
they got by the sword, acquiesced, and left their captives and the spoil to
the disposal of the princes (v. 14), and herein they showed more
truly heroic bravery than they did in taking them. It is a great honour for
any man to yield to the authority of reason and religion against his interest.
(2.) The princes very generously sent home the poor captives well
accommodated, v. 15. Those that hope to find mercy with God must learn
hence with what tenderness to carry themselves towards those that lie at their
mercy. It is strange that these princes, who in this instance discovered such
a deference to the word of God, and such an influence upon the people, had not
so much grace as, in obedience to the calls of God by so many prophets, to
root idolatry out of their kingdom, which, soon after this, was the ruin of
it.
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The
Death of Ahaz.
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B.
C. 738.
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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 Beth-shemesh, 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 Tilgath-pilneser 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.
Here is, I. The great distress which the kingdom of Ahaz was reduced to for
his sin. In general, 1. The Lord brought Judah low, v. 19. They
had lately been very high in wealth and power; but God found means to bring
them down, and make them as despicable as they had been formidable. Those that
will not humble themselves under the word of God will justly be humbled by his
judgments. Iniquity brings men low, Ps. cvi. 43. 2. Ahaz made Judah
naked. As his sin debased them, so it exposed them. It made them naked to
their shame; for it exposed them to contempt, as a man unclothed. It made them
naked to their danger; for it exposed them to assaults, as a man unarmed,
Exod. xxxii. 25. Sin strips men. In particular, the Edomites, to be revenged
for Amaziah's cruel treatment of them (ch. xxv. 12), smote Judah, and
carried off many captives, v. 17. The Philistines also insulted them,
took and kept possession of several cities and villages that lay near them (v.
18), and so they were revenged for the incursions which Uzziah had made upon
them, ch. xxvi. 6. And, to show that it was purely the sin of Ahaz that
brought the Philistines upon his country, in the very year that he died the
prophet Isaiah foretold the destruction of the Philistines by his son, Isa.
xiv. 28, 29.
II. The addition which Ahaz made both to the national distress and the
national guilt.
1. He added to the distress, by making court to strange kings, in hopes they
would relieve him. When the Edomites and Philistines were vexatious to him, he
sent to the kings of Assyria to help him (v. 16); for he found his
own kingdom weakened and made naked, and he could not put any confidence in
God, and therefore was at a vast expense to get an interest in the king of
Assyria. He pillaged the house of God, and the king's house, and squeezed the
princes for money to hire these foreign forces into his service, v. 21.
Though he had conformed to the idolatry of the heathen nations, his
neighbours, they did not value him for that, nor love him the better, nor did
his compliance, by which he lost God, gain them, nor could he make any
interest in them, but with his money. It is often found that wicked men
themselves have no real affection for those that revolt to them, nor do they
care to do them a kindness. A degenerate branch is looked upon, on all sides,
as an abominable branch, Isa. xiv. 19. But what did Ahaz get by the
king of Assyria? Why, he came to him, but he distressed him, and
strengthened him not (v. 20), helped him not, v.
21. The forces of the Assyrian quartered upon his country, and so impoverished
and weakened it; they grew insolent and imperious, and created him a great
deal of vexation, like a broken reed, which not only fails, but pierces the
hand.
2. He added to the guilt, by making court to strange gods, in hopes they would
relieve him. In his distress, instead of repenting of his idolatry, which he
had reason enough to see the folly of, he trespassed yet more (v.
22), was more mad than ever upon his idols. A brand of infamy is here set upon
him for it: This is that king Ahaz, that wretched man, who was the
scandal of the house of David and the curse and plague of his generation.
Note, Those are wicked and vile indeed that are made worse by their
afflictions, instead of being made better by them, who in their distress
trespass yet more, have their corruptions exasperated by that which should
mollify them, and their hearts more fully set in them to do evil. Let
us see what his trespass was. (1.) He abused the house of God; for he cut
in pieces the vessels of it, that the priests might not perform the
service of the temple, or not as it should be performed, for want of vessels;
and, at length, he shut up the doors, that the people might not attend
it, v. 24. This was worse than the worst of the kings before him had
done. (2.) He confronted the altar of God, for he made himself altars in
every corner of Jerusalem; so that, as the prophet speaks, they were like heaps
in the furrows of the fields, Hos. xii. 11. And in the cities of Judah,
either by his power or by his purse, perhaps by both, he erected high places
for the people to burn incense to what idols they pleased, as if on purpose to
provoke the God of his fathers, v. 25. (3.) He cast off God
himself; for he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus (v. 23), not
because he loved them, for he thought they smote him; but because he feared
them, thinking that they helped his enemies, and that, if he could bring them
into his interest, they would help him. Foolish man! It was his own God that
smote him and strengthened the Syrians against him, not the gods of Damascus;
had he sacrificed to him, and to him only, he would have helped him. But no
marvel that men's affections and devotions are misplaced when they mistake the
author of their trouble and their help. And what comes of it? The gods of
Syria befriend Ahaz no more than the kings of Assyria did; they were the
ruin of him and of all Israel. This sin provoked God to bring judgments
upon them, to cut him off in the midst of his days, when he was but thirty-six
years old; and it debauched the people so that the reformation of the next
reign could not prevail to cure them of their inclination to idolatry, but
they retained that root of bitterness till the captivity in Babylon plucked it
up.
The chapter concludes with the conclusion of the reign of Ahaz, v. 26,
27. For aught that appears, he died impenitent, and therefore died inglorious;
for he was not buried in the sepulchres of the kings. Justly was he
thought unworthy to be laid among them who was so unlike them--to be buried
with kings who had used his kingly power for the destruction of the church and
not for its protection or edification.
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