1Ácház mal dvadsaťpäť rokov, keď sa stal kráľom, a šestnásť rokov kraľoval v Jeruzaleme. Nerobil však to, čo je správne v očiach Hospodinových, ako jeho praotec Dávid, 2ale chodil po cestách izraelských kráľov, ba zhotovil i zlievané modly pre baalov. 3Sám kadil v Ben-Hinnómskom údolí a synov si previedol cez oheň podľa ohavných zvykov národov, ktoré Hospodin vyhnal spred Izraela. 4Obetoval a kadil na výšinách, na kopcoch a pod každým zeleným stromom. 5Preto ho Hospodin vydal do rúk sýrskeho kráľa, ktorý ho porazil, odvliekol z neho veľmi mnohých do zajatia a dopravil do Damasku. Hospodin ho vydal aj do rúk izraelského kráľa, ktorý mu pripravil veľkú porážku. 6Pekach, syn Remaljov, pobil v Judsku za jediný deň stodvadsaťtisíc ľudí, všetko udatných bojovníkov, pretože opustili Boha svojich otcov. 7Zichrí, efrajimský hrdina, zabil kráľovho syna Maaseju, predstaveného kráľovského paláca Azríkáma a kráľovho zástupcu Elkánu. 8Izraelci odvliekli svojim bratom do zajatia dvestotisíc žien, synov a dcér. Vzali im aj veľkú korisť, ktorú odniesli do Samárie. 9Bol tam Hospodinov prorok menom Ódéd, ktorý vyšiel pred vojsko, vchádzajúce do Samárie, a povedal mu: Hľa, pretože sa Hospodin, Boh vašich otcov, rozhneval na Júdejcov, vydal vám ich do rúk. Vy ste ich však vraždili so zúrivosťou, ktorá prenikla až do neba. 10Teraz zamýšľate podrobiť si Júdejcov a Jeruzalemcov za otrokov a otrokyne. Či aj vy nie ste vinní pred Hospodinom, svojím Bohom? 11Poslúchnite ma teda a vráťte zajatcov, ktorých ste odvliekli svojim bratom, lebo vás zasiahne páľava Hospodinovho hnevu. 12Tu mužovia spomedzi efrajimských predákov: Azarja - syn Jóchánánov, Berechja, syn Mešillémótov, Chizkija, syn Šallumov, a Amásá, syn Chadlajov - vystúpili naproti tým, ktorí prichádzali z výpravy, 13a povedali im: Nevoďte sem zajatcov, lebo by ste k nášmu previneniu proti Hospodinovi mohli úmyselne pripojiť ďalšie hriechy a previnenia. Beztak máme mnoho vín a páľava hnevu spočíva na Izraeli. 14Nato ozbrojenci prepustili zajatcov a korisť pred hodnostármi a celým zhromaždením. 15Mužovia vyzvaní po menách povstali, ujali sa zajatcov a z koristi zaodeli všetkých nahých. Keď ich zaodeli, zaobuli, nakŕmili, napojili a ošetrili masťou, prepravili všetkých nevládnych na osloch. Zaviedli ich k ich bratom do Jericha, Mesta paliem, a vrátili sa do Samárie. 16V tom čase kráľ Ácház poslal k asýrskemu kráľovi po pomoc. 17Nato ešte vnikli Edómci, porazili Júdejcov a odvliekli zajatcov. 18Filištínci zase vydrancovali mestá na Nížine a i v judskom Negebe a zabrali Bét-Šemeš, Ajalón, Gedérót a Sócho s príslušnými dedinami, Timnu s príslušnými dedinami, Gimzó s príslušnými dedinami a usadili sa tam. 19Lebo Hospodin pokoril Judsko pre Ácháza, kráľa Izraela, pretože zaviedol v Judsku neviazaný život a dopustil sa veľkej nevernosti voči Hospodinovi. 20Tu pritiahol proti nemu asýrsky kráľ Tiglat-Pilneser, ktorý ho stiesnil, miesto toho, aby ho posilnil. 21Lebo Ácház vylúpil dom Hospodinov, kráľovský palác i hodnostárov a odo vzdal to asýrskemu kráľovi; ale nepomohlo mu to. 22V čase, keď ho tiesnil, dokazoval kráľ Ácház ešte viac nevernosť voči Hospodinovi tým, 23že obetoval bohom Damasku, ktorí ho porazili. Uvažoval: Keďže bohovia sýrskych kráľov svojim pomohli, budem im obetovať, aby mi pomáhali. Tí však spôsobili pád jemu i celému Izraelu. 24Ácház zozbieral a roztĺkol náčinie domu Božieho a zamkol dvere domu Hospodinovho. Na každom rohu v Jeruzaleme si spravil oltáre 25a v každom meste Judska spravil výšiny, aby sa kadilo iným bohom. Tým popudzoval Hospodina, Boha svojich otcov. 26Ostatné jeho skutky a všetky jeho skoršie i neskoršie podujatia sú opísané v Knihe judských a izraelských kráľov. 27Keď Ácház usnul so svojimi otcami, pochovali ho v meste Jeruzaleme, pretože ho nepreniesli k hrobom izraelských kráľov. Miesto neho sa stal kráľom jeho syn Chizkija.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 AHAZ, REIGNING WICKEDLY, IS AFFLICTED BY THE SYRIANS. (2Ch. 28:1-21)
Ahaz was twenty years old--(See on
2Kgs 16:1-4). This prince, discarding the principles and example of his excellent father, early betrayed a strong bias to idolatry. He ruled with an arbitrary and absolute authority, and not as a theocratic sovereign: he not only forsook the temple of God, but embraced first the symbolic worship established in the sister kingdom, and afterwards the gross idolatry practised by the Canaanites.
5 the Lord . . . delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria . . . he was also delivered into the hand of the King of Israel--These verses, without alluding to the formation of a confederacy between the Syrian and Israelitish kings to invade the kingdom of Judah, or relating the commencement of the war in the close of Jotham's reign (
2Kgs 15:37), give the issue only of some battles that were fought in the early part of the campaign.
delivered him . . . smote him . . . he was also delivered--that is, his army, for Ahaz was not personally included in the number either of the slain or the captives. The slaughter of one hundred twenty thousand in one day was a terrible calamity, which, it is (
2Chr 28:6) expressly said, was inflicted as a judgment on Judah, "because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers." Among the slain were some persons of distinction:
7 Maaseiah the king's son--the sons of Ahaz being too young to take part in a battle, this individual must have been a younger son of the late King Jotham;
Azrikam the governor of the house--that is, "the palace"; and
Elkanah that was next to the king--that is, the vizier or prime minister (
Gen 41:40;
Esth 10:3). These were all cut down on the field by Zichri, an Israelitish warrior, or as some think, ordered to be put to death after the battle. A vast number of captives also fell into the power of the conquerors; and an equal division of war prisoners being made between the allies, they were sent off under a military escort to the respective capitals of Syria and Israel [
2Chr 28:8].
8 the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand--These captives included a great number of women, boys, and girls, a circumstance which creates a presumption that the Hebrews, like other Orientals, were accompanied in the war by multitudes of non-combatants (see on
Judg 4:8). The report of these "brethren," being brought as captives to Samaria, excited general indignation among the better-disposed inhabitants; and Oded, a prophet, accompanied by the princes (
2Chr 28:12 compared with
2Chr 28:14), went out, as the escort was approaching, to prevent the disgraceful outrage of introducing such prisoners into the city. The officers of the squadron were, of course, not to blame; they were simply doing their military duty in conducting those prisoners of war to their destination. But Oded clearly showed that the Israelitish army had gained the victory--not by the superiority of their arms, but in consequence of the divine judgment against Judah. He forcibly exposed the enormity of the offense of keeping "their brethren" as slaves got in war. He protested earnestly against adding this great offense of unnatural and sinful cruelty (
Lev 25:43-
Lev 25:44;
Mic 2:8-
Mic 2:9) to the already overwhelming amount of their own national sins. Such was the effect of his spirited remonstrance and the opposing tide of popular feeling, that "the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation."
15 the men which were expressed by name rose up--These were either the "heads of the children of Ephraim" (mentioned
2Chr 28:12), or some other leading individuals chosen for the benevolent office. Under their kindly superintendence, the prisoners were not only released, but out of the spoils were comfortably relieved with food and clothing, and conveyed as far as Jericho on their way back to their own homes. This is a beautiful incident, and full of interest, as showing that even at this period of national decline, there were not a few who steadfastly adhered to the law of God.
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
2Kgs 16:7). Though delivered from this danger, other enemies infested his dominions both on the south and the west.
17 again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah--This invasion must have been after Rezin (at the beginning of the recent Syro-Israelitish war), had released that people from the yoke of Judah (
2Chr 15:11; compare
2Kgs 16:6).
18 Gederoth--on the Philistine frontier (
Josh 15:41).
Shocho--or Socoh (
Josh 15:35), now Shuweikeh, a town in the Valley of Judah (see on
1Sam 17:1).
Gimzo--now Jimza, a little east of Ludd (Lydda) [ROBINSON]. All these disasters, by which the "Lord brought Judah low," were because of Ahaz, king of Israel (Judah), see
2Chr 21:2;
2Chr 24:16;
2Chr 28:27, who made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the Lord.
20 Tilgath-pilneser . . . distressed him, but strengthened him not--that is, notwithstanding the temporary relief which Tilgath-pilneser afforded him by the conquest of Damascus and the slaughter of Rezin (
2Kgs 16:9), little advantage resulted from it, for Tilgath-pilneser spent the winter in voluptuous revelry at Damascus; and the connection formed with the Assyrian king was eventually a source of new and greater calamities and humiliation to the kingdom of Judah (
2Chr 28:2-3).
22 HIS IDOLATRY IN HIS DISTRESS. (
2Chr 28:22-27)
in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord--This infatuated king surrendered himself to the influence of idolatry and exerted his royal authority to extend it, with the intensity of a passion--with the ignorance and servile fear of a heathen (
2Chr 28:23) and a ruthless defiance of God (see on
2Kgs 16:10-20).