The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 329

EXPOSITION. of this king (Rezin) does not appear tn this CHAPTER XXVIII. chapter, but it does in the parallel, vers. 5, 6, 0. This chapter is paralleled by 2 Kings xvi. They smote him. A previous unsuccessful There is a great deal gained in this case by attempt of Rezin and Pekah is apparently passed over in oar chapter (2 Kings xvi. 5), addition on the two accounts, however. Our while the contents of ou:r present venie must chapter contains the wickedness by idolatry be understood to have its place just before of Ahaz, the severe punishment thereof by the last clause of ver. 5 in the parallel, and the King of Syria, the Syrian captivity of to he significantly confirmed by the contents Judah, and the release of the latter eo unex- of its following verse. They smote ... carried away . . . brought. 'fhese plurals pectedly (vers. 1-15): other punishments strongly indicate the dislocation of sen- by war of Ahaz, his hardened heart, greater tences in compiled matter. They probably sins, and end (vers. 16-27). The united came from original sources, where the con- unsuccessful attaohs of Syria and Israel, joined names of Rezin and Pekah hail been under Rezin and Pelcah respectively, on the antecedents (see on this history, Isa. vii., viii., ix.). :Brought them to Damas~us. Jerusalem, and attempt at the siege of Ahaz The mode of the first introduction of the there; the Syrian recovery of Elo.th, and name of Ahaz in connection with Damascus expulsion of the Jews thence, and the in the parallel (ver. 10) is a suggestive Assyrian taking of Damascus (2 Kings xvi. illustration of how these parallel but very 5-9), are, though so full of interest, all various narratives proffer to piece themselves, omitted from our chapter. and in a wonderful manner clear their whole subject of any possible taint of the "cun- Ver. 1.-Ahaz. The signification of this ningly devised fable." A great multitude word is "grasping." Isaiah (vii. I: xxxviii, of J udah's people had been carried captives 8), Hosea, and Micah were contemporaries and "brought to Damascus." When the of Ahaz, whose reign may be set down at King of Assyria (parallel, ver. 9) came to the B.o. 744-728. His name shows in the As- help of Ahaz, he struck a fierce and evi- syrian tablets, Jahukhazi, or Jehoahaz. dently deci~ive blow against Damascus and Ver. 2.-Molten images; Hebrew, nb_lpl?. Rezin, and to Damascus,'' to meet" Assyria's This was a characteristic sin of Israel, but king, Tiglath-Pileser, the very next verse J udo.h had uot been guilty of making molten tells us, Ahaz went-little doubt to pay his images during lo.te reigus. bills, over which a decent veil of silence is Ver. 3.-l!urut inoense . . . Hinnom. thrown. He was also delivered into the The sin of Solomon (1 Kings xi. 7, 8) is re- hand, etc. 'l'he form of this sentence, with produced. For the valley of the son of its "also," and with its evidently tacked-on Einnom, which curved round the south-west appearance, coupled with the conjunction and west of JeruRo.lem (Ge Ben-Hinnom), "for" with which the following verse is 11ee Conder's 'Handbook,' oh. vii. pp. 330- dra<><>ed in, seems to give great probt\bility 832. :Burnt his ohildren (see Lev. xviii. 21): to th~ idea,.first, that the latter half of ver. but there cannot be nny doubt tho.t Ahaz's 5 and all of ver. 6 find their real place prnctioe here st11ted was an incident of the before (say) the word "D,\mt<scus; " O.lld Moioch-superetition o.nd horrible cruelty secondly, that they are strict! y e.utl con kr- (see the po.mile! in its vers. 3, 4). minously paralleled by the former part of Ver. 5.-The King of Syria. The name ver. 5 p11rallel.  832 'l'HE SEOOND BOOK OF THE CHRONIOLES. [err. xxvm. 1-27.