UNDER THE PRESSURE OF NEW ENEMIES, AHAZ ASKS HELP FROM ASSYRIA, BUT RECEIVES HURT (2Chronicles 28:17-21). (Comp. 2Kings 16:7-18.)

(16) At that time.—Apparently after the events above narrated; how soon after we can hardly decide.

The kings of Assyria.—A generalised expression, as in 2Chronicles 28:3 (comp. 2Chronicles 28:20-21), where the actual king is named. All the old versions have “king.”

2 Chronicles 28:16-19. Did Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him — That is, the king, namely, Tiglath-pileser, (2 Kings 16:7,) the plural number being put for the singular, either because he was a great king, a king of kings, or because Ahaz sent to divers of his princes also, who may be called kings in a more general signification of the word. Ahaz 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 procure an interest in the king of Assyria, 2 Chronicles 28:18-19. The cities of the low country — That part of Judah which was toward the sea, and toward the Philistines’ land. For the Lord brought Judah low — As high as they were before in wealth and power. They that will not humble themselves under the word of God will be humbled by his judgments. For he made Judah naked — Taking away their ornament, and their defence and strength, namely, their treasures, which Ahaz sent to the Assyrian to no purpose; their frontier towns, and other strong holds, which by his folly and wickedness were lost; their religion, and the divine protection, which was their great and only security, which by his sins he forfeited. And transgressed sore against the Lord — The Targum renders it, The house of Judah ceased from the worship of God, which Ahaz in a manner wholly abolished, and thereby transgressed more grievously than any or all of his predecessors.

28:1-27 The wicked reign of Ahaz in Judah. - Israel gained this victory because God was wroth with Judah, and made them the rod of his indignation. He reminds them of their own sins. It ill becomes sinners to be cruel. Could they hope for the mercy of God, if they neither showed mercy nor justice to their brethren? Let it be remembered, that every man is our neighbour, our brother, our fellow man, if not our fellow Christian. And no man who is acquainted with the word of God, need fear to maintain that slavery is against the law of love and the gospel of grace. Who can hold his brother in bondage, without breaking the rule of doing to others as he would they should do unto him? But when sinners are left to their own heart's lusts, they grow more desperate in wickedness. God commands them to release the prisoners, and they obeyed. The Lord brought Judah low. Those who will not humble themselves under the word of God, will justly be humbled by his judgments. 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. This is that king Ahaz! that wretched man! 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, and have their hearts more fully set in them to do evil. But no marvel that men's affections and devotions are misplaced, when they mistake the author of their trouble and of their help. The progress of wickedness and misery is often rapid; and it is awful to reflect upon a sinner's being driven away in his wickedness into the eternal world.Jericho, which lies much farther from Samaria than many points of the territory of Judah, was perhaps selected because the captives had been carried off principally from this point; or because there may have been less danger of falling in with portions of Pekah's army on this than on the direct route. 16. At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria—"kings," the plural for the singular, which is found in many ancient versions. "At that time," refers to the period of Ahaz' great distress, when, after a succession of defeats, he retreated within the walls of Jerusalem. Either in the same or a subsequent campaign, the Syrian and Israelitish allies marched there to besiege him (see on [461]2Ki 16:7). Though delivered from this danger, other enemies infested his dominions both on the south and the west. The kings of Assyria, i.e. the king; the plural number for the singular; either,

1. Because he was a great king and a king of kings; as the elephant, or, as others think, the crocodile, is called behemoth, which signifies beasts, Job 40, because of his vast bulk and eminency above other beasts. Or,

2. Because he wrote to divers of the kings or great princes, who may be called kings in a more general signification of the word, and indeed are so called, Isaiah 10:8, Are not my princes altogether kings?

At that time did King Ahaz send to the kings of Assyria to help him. To Tiglathpileser, and his son, see 2 Kings 16:7, and the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions, read in the singular, and so the Targum. At that time did king Ahaz send unto the {m} kings of Assyria to help him.

(m) To Tiglath Pileser and those kings who were under his dominion, 2Ki 16:7.