<< 2 Chronicles 28:4 >>

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
He offered sacrifices and burned incense as an offering at the illegal worship sites, which were on hills and under every large tree.

King James Bible
He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

Jump to Previous Occurrence
Burned Burnt Green Heights High Hills Hilltops Incense Leafy Maketh Offered Offerings Perfume Perfumes Places Sacrificed Sacrifices Sacrificeth Spreading Tree

Jump to Next Occurrence
Burned Burnt Green Heights High Hills Hilltops Incense Leafy Maketh Offered Offerings Perfume Perfumes Places Sacrificed Sacrifices Sacrificeth Spreading Tree

Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary

Chapter 28

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 (v. 1-4). II. The trouble he brought himself into by it (v. 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 (v. 9-15). IV. The many calamities that followed to Ahaz and his people (v. 16-21). V. The continuance of his idolatry notwithstanding (v. 22-25), and so his story ends (v. 26, 27).

Verses 1-5

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. 27:2), 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.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org.

GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Quotations are used by permission. Copyright 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved.

Alphabetical: and at burned every green He high hills hilltops incense offered on places sacrificed sacrifices spreading the tree under

Bible Browser