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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Second Kings, Chapter XVI].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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<h3><a href="http://www.biblesnet.com" target="_blank">Back to Biblesnet.com Home Page</a>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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[<A HREF="MHC12015.HTM">Previous</A>]
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<TD ALIGN="RIGHT" VALIGN="TOP">
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>S E C O N D K I N G S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XVI.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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This chapter is wholly taken up with the reign of Ahaz; and we have
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quite enough of it, unless it were better. He had a good father, and a
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better son, and yet was himself one of the worst of the kings of Judah.
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I. He was a notorious idolater,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+16:1-4">ver. 1-4</A>.
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II. With the treasures of the temple, as well as his own, he hired the
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king of Assyria to invade Syria and Israel,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+16:5-9">ver. 5-9</A>.
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III. He took pattern from an idol's altar which he saw at Damascus for
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a new altar in God's temple,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+16:10-16">ver. 10-16</A>.
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IV. He abused and embezzled the furniture of the temple,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+16:17,18">ver. 17, 18</A>.
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And so his story ends,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+16:19,20">ver. 19, 20</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="2Ki16_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki16_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki16_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki16_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Reign of Ahaz.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 726.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the
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son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.
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2 Twenty years old <I>was</I> Ahaz when he began to reign, and
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reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not <I>that which was</I>
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right in the sight of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> his God, like David his father.
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3 But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and
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made his son to pass through the fire, according to the
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abominations of the heathen, whom the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> cast out from before
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the children of Israel.
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4 And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and
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on the hills, and under every green tree.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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We have here a general character of the reign of Ahaz. Few and evil
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were his days--few, for he died at thirty-six--evil, for we are here
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told,
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1. That he <I>did not that which was right like David</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+16:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>),
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that is, he had none of that concern and affection for the instituted
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service and worship of God for which David was celebrated. He had no
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love for the temple, made no conscience of his duty to God, nor had any
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regard to his law. Herein he was unlike David; it was his honour that
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he was of the house and lineage of David, and it was owing to God's
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ancient covenant with David that he was now upon the throne, which
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aggravated his wickedness; for he was a reproach to that honourable
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name and family, which therefore was really a reproach to him
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(<I>Degeneranti genus opprobrium</I>--<I>A good extraction is a
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disgrace to him who degenerates from it</I>), and though he enjoyed the
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benefit of David's piety he did not tread in the steps of it.
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2. That he walked <I>in the way of the kings of Israel</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+16:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>),
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who all worshipped the calves. He was not joined in any affinity with
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them, as Jehoram and Ahaziah were with the house of Ahab, but, <I>ex
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mero motu--without any instigation,</I> walked in their way. The kings
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of Israel pleaded policy and reasons of state for their idolatry, but
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Ahaz had no such pretence: in him it was the most unreasonable
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impolitic thing that could be. They were his enemies, and had proved
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enemies to themselves too by their idolatry; yet he walked in their
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way.
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3. That he <I>made his sons to pass through the fire,</I> to the honour
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of his dunghill-deities. He burnt them, so it is expressly said of him
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+28:3">2 Chron. xxviii. 3</A>),
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burnt some of them, and perhaps made others of them (Hezekiah himself
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not excepted, though afterwards he was never the worse for it) to pass
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between two fires, or to be drawn through a flame, in token of their
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dedication to the idol.
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4. That he did <I>according to the abominations of the heathen whom the
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Lord had cast out.</I> it was an instance of his great folly that he
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would be guided in his religion by those whom he saw fallen into the
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ditch before his eyes, and follow them; and it was an instance of his
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great impiety that he would conform to those usages which God had
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declared to be abominable to him, and set himself to write after the
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copy of those whom God had cast out, thus walking directly contrary to
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God.
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5. That he <I>sacrificed in the high places,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+16:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>.
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If his father had but had zeal enough to take them away, the debauching
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of his sons might have been prevented; but those that connive at sin
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know not what dangerous snares they lay for those that come after them.
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He forsook God's house, was weary of that place where, in his father's
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time, he had often been detained before the Lord, and performed his
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devotions on high hills, where he had a better prospect, and under
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green trees, where he had a more pleasant shade. It was a religion
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little worth, which was guided by fancy, not by faith.</P>
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<A NAME="2Ki16_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki16_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki16_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki16_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki16_9"> </A>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>5 Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of
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Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but
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could not overcome <I>him.</I>
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6 At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria,
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and drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and
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dwelt there unto this day.
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7 So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria,
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saying, I <I>am</I> thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out
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of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king
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of Israel, which rise up against me.
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8 And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house
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of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent
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<I>it for</I> a present to the king of Assyria.
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9 And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: for the king of
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Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried <I>the
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people of</I> it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here is,
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1. The attempt of his confederate neighbours, the kings of Syria and
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Israel, upon him. They thought to make themselves masters of Jerusalem,
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and to set a king of their own in it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+7:6">Isa. vii. 6</A>.
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In this they fell short, but the king of Syria recovered Elath, a
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considerable port upon the Red Sea, which Amaziah had taken from the
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Syrians,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+14:22"><I>ch.</I> xiv. 22</A>.
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What can those keep that have lost their religion? Let them expect,
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thenceforward, to be always on the losing hand.
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2. His project to get clear of them. Having forsaken God, he had
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neither courage nor strength to make head against his enemies, nor
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could he, with any boldness, ask help of God; but he made his court to
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the king of Assyria, and got him to come in for his relief. Those whose
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hearts condemn them will go any where in a day of distress rather than
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to God. Was it because there was not a God in Israel that he sent to
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the Assyrian for help? Was the rock of ages removed out of its place,
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that he stayed himself on this broken reed? The sin itself was its own
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punishment; for, though it is true that he gained his point (the king
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of Assyria hearkened to him, and, to serve his own turn, made a descent
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upon Damascus, whereby he gave a powerful diversion to the king of
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Syria,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+16:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>,
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and obliged him to let fall his design against Ahaz, carrying the
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Syrians captive to Kir, as Amos had expressly foretold,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Am+1:5"><I>ch.</I> i. 5</A>),
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yet, considering all, he made but a bad bargain; for, to compass this,
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(1.) He enslaved himself
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+16:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>):
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<I>I am thy servant and thy son,</I> that is, "I will be as dutiful and
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obedient to thee as to a master or father, if thou wilt but do me this
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good turn." Had he thus humbled himself to God, and implored his
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favour, he might have been delivered upon easier terms; he might have
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saved his money, and needed only to have parted with his sins. But, if
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the prodigal forsake his father's house, he soon becomes a slave to the
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worst of masters,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+15:15">Luke xv. 15</A>.
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(2.) He impoverished himself; for he took the silver and gold that were
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laid up in the treasury both of the temple and of the kingdom, and sent
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it to the king of Assyria,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+16:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>.
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Both church and state must be squeezed and exhausted, to gratify this
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his new patron and guardian. I know not what authority he had thus to
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dispose of the public stock; but it is common for those that have
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brought themselves into straits by one sin to help themselves out by
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another; and those that have alienated themselves from God will make no
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difficulty of alienating any of his rights.</P>
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<A NAME="2Ki16_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki16_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki16_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki16_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki16_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki16_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ki16_16"> </A>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>10 And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king
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of Assyria, and saw an altar that <I>was</I> at Damascus: and king
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Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the
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pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof.
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11 And Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that
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king Ahaz had sent from Damascus: so Urijah the priest made <I>it</I>
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against king Ahaz came from Damascus.
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12 And when the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the
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altar: and the king approached to the altar, and offered thereon.
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13 And he burnt his burnt offering and his meat offering, and
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poured his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace
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offerings, upon the altar.
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14 And he brought also the brasen altar, which <I>was</I> before the
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L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, from the forefront of the house, from between the altar and
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the house of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, and put it on the north side of the altar.
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15 And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the
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great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meat
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offering, and the king's burnt sacrifice, and his meat offering,
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with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their
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meat offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle upon it
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all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the
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sacrifice: and the brasen altar shall be for me to enquire <I>by.</I>
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16 Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all that king Ahaz
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commanded.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Though Ahaz had himself sacrificed in high places, on hills, and under
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every green tree
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+16:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>),
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yet God's altar had hitherto continued in its place and in use, and the
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<I>king's burnt-offering and his meat-offering</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+16:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>)
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had been offered upon it by the priests that attended it; but here we
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have it taken away by wicked Ahaz, and another altar, an idolatrous
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one, put in the room of it--a bolder stroke than the worst of the kings
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had yet given to religion. We have here,</P>
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<P>
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I. The model of this new altar, taken from one at Damascus, by the king
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himself,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+16:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>.
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The king of Assyria having taken Damascus, thither Ahaz went, to
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congratulate him on his success, to return him thanks for the kindness
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he had done him by this expedition, and, as his servant and son, to
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receive his commands. Had he been faithful to his God, he would not
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have needed to crouch thus meanly to a foreign power. At Damascus,
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either while viewing the rarities of the place, or rather while joining
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with them in their devotions (for, when he was there, he thought it no
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harm to do as they did), he saw an altar that pleased his fancy
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extremely, not such a plain old-fashioned one as that which he had been
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trained up in attendance upon at Jerusalem, but curiously carved, it is
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likely, and adorned with image-work; there were many pretty things
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about it which he thought significant, surprising, very charming, and
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calculated to excite his devotion. Solomon had but a dull fancy, he
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thought, compared with the ingenious artist that made this altar.
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Nothing will serve him but he must have an altar just like this: a
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pattern of it must be taken immediately; he cannot stay till he returns
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himself, but sends it before him in all haste, with orders to Urijah
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the priest to get one made exactly according to this model and have it
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ready against he came home. The pattern God showed to Moses in the
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mount or to David by the Spirit was not comparable to this pattern sent
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from Damascus. The hearts of idolaters walked after their eyes, which
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are therefore said to <I>go a whoring after their idols;</I> but the
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true worshippers worship the true God by faith.</P>
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<P>
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II. The making of it by Urijah the priests,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+16:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>.
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This Urijah, it is likely, was the chief priest who at this time
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presided in the temple-service. To him Ahaz sent an intimation of his
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|
mind (for we read not of any express orders he gave him), to get an
|
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|
altar made by this pattern. And, without any dispute or objection, he
|
||
|
put it in hand immediately, being perhaps as fond of it as the king
|
||
|
was, at least being very willing to humour the king and desirous to
|
||
|
curry favour with him. Perhaps he might have this excuse for gratifying
|
||
|
the king herein, that, by this means, he might keep him to the temple
|
||
|
at Jerusalem and prevent his totally deserting it for the high places
|
||
|
and the groves. "Let us oblige him in this," thinks Urijah, "and then
|
||
|
he will bring all his sacrifices to us; for by this craft we get our
|
||
|
living." But, whatever pretence he had, it was a most base wicked thing
|
||
|
for him that was a priest, a chief priest, to make this altar, in
|
||
|
compliance with an idolatrous prince, for hereby,
|
||
|
|
||
|
1. He prostituted his authority and profaned the crown of his
|
||
|
priesthood, making himself a servant to the lusts of men. There is not
|
||
|
a greater disgrace to the ministry than obsequiousness to such wicked
|
||
|
commands as this was.
|
||
|
|
||
|
2. He betrayed his trust. As priest, he was bound to maintain and
|
||
|
defend God's institutions, and to oppose and witness against all
|
||
|
innovations; and, for him to assist and serve the king in setting up an
|
||
|
altar to confront the altar which by divine appointment he was
|
||
|
consecrated to minister at, was such a piece of treachery and
|
||
|
perfidiousness as may justly render him infamous to all posterity. Had
|
||
|
he only connived at the doing of it,--had he been frightened into it by
|
||
|
menaces,--had he endeavoured to dissuade the king from it, or but
|
||
|
delayed the doing of it till he came home, that he might first talk
|
||
|
with him about it,--it would not have been so bad; but so willingly to
|
||
|
walk after his commandment, as if he were glad of the opportunity to
|
||
|
oblige him, was such an affront to the God he served as was utterly
|
||
|
inexcusable.</P>
|
||
|
|
||
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
||
|
III. The dedicating of it. Urijah, perceiving that the king's heart was
|
||
|
much upon it, took care to have it ready against he came down, and set
|
||
|
it near the brazen altar, but somewhat lower and further from the door
|
||
|
of the temple. The king was exceedingly pleased with it, approached it
|
||
|
with all possible veneration, and offered thereon his burnt-offering,
|
||
|
&c.,
|
||
|
|
||
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+16:12,13"><I>v.</I> 12, 13</A>.
|
||
|
|
||
|
His sacrifices were not offered to the God of Israel, but to the gods
|
||
|
of Damascus (as we find
|
||
|
|
||
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+28:23">2 Chron. xxviii. 23</A>),
|
||
|
|
||
|
and, when he borrowed the Syrians' altar, no marvel that he borrowed
|
||
|
their gods. Naaman, the Syrian, embraced the God of Israel when he got
|
||
|
earth from the land of Israel to make an altar of.</P>
|
||
|
|
||
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
||
|
IV. The removal of God's altar, to make room for it. Urijah was so
|
||
|
modest that he put this altar at the lower end of the court, and left
|
||
|
God's altar in its place, <I>between this and the house of the
|
||
|
Lord,</I>
|
||
|
|
||
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+16:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>.
|
||
|
|
||
|
But that would not satisfy Ahaz; he removed God's altar to an obscure
|
||
|
corner in the north side of the court, and put his own before the
|
||
|
sanctuary, in the place of it. He thinks his new altar is much more
|
||
|
stately, and much more sightly, and disgraces that; and therefore "let
|
||
|
that be laid aside as a vessel in which there is no pleasure." His
|
||
|
superstitious invention, at first, jostled <I>with</I> God's sacred
|
||
|
institution, but at length jostled it <I>out.</I> Note, Those will soon
|
||
|
come to make nothing of God that will not be content to make him their
|
||
|
all. Ahaz durst not (perhaps for fear of the people) quite demolish the
|
||
|
brazen altar and knock it to pieces; but, while he ordered all the
|
||
|
sacrifices to be offered upon this new altar
|
||
|
|
||
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+16:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>),
|
||
|
|
||
|
<I>The brazen altar</I> (says he) <I>shall be for me to enquire by.</I>
|
||
|
Having thrust it out from the use for which it was instituted, which
|
||
|
was to sanctify the gifts offered upon it, he pretends to advance it
|
||
|
above its institution, which it is common for superstitious people to
|
||
|
do. The altar was never designed for an oracle, yet Ahaz will have it
|
||
|
for that use. The Romish church seemingly magnifies Christ's
|
||
|
sacraments, yet wretchedly corrupts them. But some give another sense
|
||
|
of Ahaz's purpose: "As for the brazen altar, I will consider what to do
|
||
|
with it, and give order about it." The Jews say that, afterwards, of
|
||
|
the brass of it he made that famous dial which was called <I>the dial
|
||
|
of Ahaz,</I>
|
||
|
|
||
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+20:11"><I>ch.</I> xx. 11</A>.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The base compliance of the poor-spirited priest with the presumptuous
|
||
|
usurpations of an ill-spirited king is again taken notice of
|
||
|
|
||
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+16:16"><I>v.</I> 16</A>):
|
||
|
|
||
|
<I>Urijah the priest did according to all that king Ahaz commanded.</I>
|
||
|
Miserable is the case of great men when those that should reprove them
|
||
|
for their sins strengthen and serve them in their sins.</P>
|
||
|
|
||
|
<A NAME="2Ki16_17"> </A>
|
||
|
<A NAME="2Ki16_18"> </A>
|
||
|
<A NAME="2Ki16_19"> </A>
|
||
|
<A NAME="2Ki16_20"> </A>
|
||
|
|
||
|
<P>
|
||
|
<FONT SIZE=+1>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 <I>were</I> under it, and put it upon a pavement 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 L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> for the king of Assyria.
|
||
|
19 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, <I>are</I> they
|
||
|
not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
|
||
|
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.
|
||
|
</FONT></P>
|
||
|
|
||
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
||
|
Here is,
|
||
|
|
||
|
I. Ahaz abusing the temple, not the building itself, but some of the
|
||
|
furniture of it.
|
||
|
|
||
|
1. He defaced the bases on which the lavers were set
|
||
|
|
||
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+7:28,29">1 Kings vii. 28, 29</A>)
|
||
|
|
||
|
and took down the molten sea,
|
||
|
|
||
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+16:17"><I>v.</I> 17</A>.
|
||
|
|
||
|
These the priests used for washing; against them therefore he seems to
|
||
|
have had a particular spite. It is one of the greatest prejudices that
|
||
|
can be done to religion to obstruct the purifying of the priests, the
|
||
|
Lord's ministers.
|
||
|
|
||
|
2. He removed <I>the covert for the sabbath,</I> erected either in
|
||
|
honour of the sabbath or for the conveniency of the priests, when, on
|
||
|
the sabbath, they officiated in greater numbers than on other days.
|
||
|
Whatever it was, it should seem that in removing it he intended to put
|
||
|
a contempt upon the sabbath, and so to open as wide an inlet as any to
|
||
|
all manner of impiety.
|
||
|
|
||
|
3. The king's entry, which led to the house of the Lord, for the
|
||
|
convenience of the royal family (perhaps that ascent which Solomon had
|
||
|
made, and which the queen of Sheba admired,
|
||
|
|
||
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+10:5">1 Kings x. 5</A>),
|
||
|
|
||
|
he turned another way, to show that he did not intend to frequent the
|
||
|
house of the Lord any more. This he did for the king of Assyria, to
|
||
|
oblige him, who perhaps returned his visit, and found fault with this
|
||
|
entry, as an inconvenience and disparagement to his palace. When those
|
||
|
that have had a ready passage to the house of the Lord, to please their
|
||
|
neighbours, turn it another way, they are going down the hill apace
|
||
|
towards their ruin.</P>
|
||
|
|
||
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
||
|
II. Ahaz resigning his life in the midst of his days, at thirty-six
|
||
|
years of age
|
||
|
|
||
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+16:19"><I>v.</I> 19</A>)
|
||
|
|
||
|
and leaving his kingdom to a better man, Hezekiah his son
|
||
|
|
||
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+16:20"><I>v.</I> 20</A>),
|
||
|
|
||
|
who proved as much a friend to the temple as he had been an enemy to
|
||
|
it. Perhaps this very son he had made to pass through the fire, and
|
||
|
thereby dedicated him to Moloch; but God, by his grace, snatched him as
|
||
|
a brand out of the burning.</P>
|
||
|
|
||
|
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