2 Chronicles 28:16 kjv
At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him.
2 Chronicles 28:16 nkjv
At the same time King Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria to help him.
2 Chronicles 28:16 niv
At that time King Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria for help.
2 Chronicles 28:16 esv
At that time King Ahaz sent to the king of Assyria for help.
2 Chronicles 28:16 nlt
At that time King Ahaz of Judah asked the king of Assyria for help.
2 Chronicles 28 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Kgs 16:7-8 | So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria... | Parallel account of Ahaz sending for help. |
| Isa 7:3-9 | "...If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all." | Isaiah warns Ahaz not to fear, to trust God. |
| Isa 30:1-7 | Woe to the rebellious children...who carry out a plan, but not Mine | Warning against alliances with foreign nations. |
| Isa 31:1-3 | Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help... | Condemnation of relying on human strength. |
| Jer 17:5 | Cursed is the man who trusts in man... | Principle of trusting man vs. God. |
| Ps 146:3 | Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom... | Caution against relying on human leaders. |
| Ps 118:8-9 | It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man... | Superiority of trusting God. |
| Hos 5:13 | When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, then Ephraim... | Israel seeking Assyrian help instead of God. |
| Hos 8:9 | ...for they have gone up to Assyria, a wild donkey wandering alone. | Criticizes going to Assyria for help. |
| Deut 28:15 | "But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God..." | Warnings against disobedience leading to curses. |
| 2 Chr 28:1-5 | Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned... | Context of Ahaz's extreme wickedness. |
| 2 Chr 28:20 | So Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came to him and troubled him... | Assyrian help became a burden. |
| 2 Chr 32:7-8 | "With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to..." | Contrast with Hezekiah's trust in God. |
| Ps 121:1-2 | I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? | Recognition that true help comes from God. |
| 4:16 | Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that... | Encouragement to seek God's help. |
| Phil 4:6-7 | Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and... | Entrusting concerns to God. |
| Prov 3:5-6 | Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own... | Principle of trusting God fully. |
| 1 Chr 5:20 | They were helped against them... for they cried to God in battle. | Example of seeking God for help in battle. |
| Isa 10:5-6 | Ah! Assyria, the rod of my anger... | God using nations as His instruments. |
| 2 Kgs 16:9 | The king of Assyria listened to him... but also carried the people... | Assyria did help but caused more problems. |
| Isa 7:1-2 | When Ahaz was king of Judah, Rezin king of Syria and Pekah... | Syro-Ephraimite war, leading to Ahaz's appeal. |
2 Chronicles 28 verses
2 Chronicles 28 16 Meaning
At that particular and difficult juncture, King Ahaz, who ruled over Judah, initiated a desperate appeal to the rulers of the powerful Assyrian Empire, seeking military intervention and assistance against his pressing enemies. This action marked a pivotal moment, as it represented Ahaz's profound distrust in the Lord God of Israel and a reliance on human power and a foreign, pagan nation for deliverance.
2 Chronicles 28 16 Context
The setting for 2 Chronicles 28:16 is the reign of King Ahaz of Judah, a period marked by profound spiritual decline and political instability. Ahaz stands as one of the most wicked kings in Judah's history, openly rejecting the Lord and adopting the abominable practices of the surrounding pagan nations, including child sacrifice and idol worship (2 Chr 28:1-5). During his reign, Judah faced severe military threats. Specifically, they were attacked by a coalition of forces from Aram (Syria), led by King Rezin, and the northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim), led by King Pekah. This is known as the Syro-Ephraimite War. Overwhelmed by these enemies, Ahaz faced intense pressure. Instead of turning to the Lord for deliverance, as previous faithful kings like Asa or Jehoshaphat had done (e.g., 2 Chr 14, 20), Ahaz, in his lack of faith, decided to appeal to a powerful foreign empire. This verse describes that desperate, yet misguided, action to seek military aid from Assyria, a choice with significant long-term implications for Judah's sovereignty and spiritual destiny, foreshadowed and warned against by the prophet Isaiah (Isa 7, 30, 31).
2 Chronicles 28 16 Word analysis
- At that time (בָּעֵת הַהִיא - bā‘ēt hahī’): Signifies a specific, critical moment of dire straits for Judah under Ahaz. It highlights the immediate context of severe military pressure mentioned earlier in the chapter.
- King Ahaz (הַמֶּלֶךְ אָחָז - hammelekh ’Āḥāz): Refers to Ahaz, Judah's reigning monarch. His character as an unfaithful and idolatrous king (detailed in 2 Chr 28:1-5) underscores the tragic nature of his decision to trust human power over divine promise. This choice starkly contrasts with kings who relied on the Lord.
- sent (שָׁלַח - shalakh): Denotes a deliberate and active dispatching of messengers. This was not a passive request but an intentional initiative by Ahaz to secure external aid. The verb implies action and responsibility for the consequences.
- to the kings of Assyria (אֶל מַלְכֵי אַשּׁוּר - ’el malchê ’Ashur): While Assyria had one main king at this time (Tiglath-Pileser III), the plural "kings" could signify the grandeur of the imperial power, encompass a succession of rulers who might be appealed to, or refer to the overarching authority of the empire. It identifies the chosen source of help: a powerful, non-covenantal foreign empire, known for its brutality and pagan worship. This choice directly opposed God's covenant instructions.
- for help (לַעֲזֹר לוֹ - la‘azōr lô): Literally "to help him." This phrase reveals Ahaz's motivation: relief from his current enemies. However, it exposes his deep-seated lack of faith. He sought human, military aid for a situation that required divine intervention and trust. This reliance on Assyria represented a failure to acknowledge the Lord's omnipotence and faithfulness to His people, making Judah a vassal state to Assyria and eventually leading to further spiritual degradation.
2 Chronicles 28 16 Bonus section
This act by Ahaz illustrates the dangerous slippery slope of distrusting God. His turning to Assyria marks a crucial turning point, showing the initial stages of Judah's deeper entanglement with and spiritual defilement from the nations, ultimately contributing to their eventual Babylonian exile. This verse contrasts sharply with earlier examples in Chronicles, like King Asa's victory relying on God (2 Chr 14) or King Jehoshaphat's trust in divine intervention against a multitude (2 Chr 20). Ahaz's decision was also a direct spiritual "vassalage" before it became a political one, demonstrating that an idolatrous heart naturally seeks ungodly external support.
2 Chronicles 28 16 Commentary
2 Chronicles 28:16 records a desperate and spiritually disastrous decision by King Ahaz of Judah. Faced with overwhelming military pressure from Aram and Israel, Ahaz, instead of repenting and seeking the Lord's intervention as advised by the prophet Isaiah, consciously chose to trust in the military might of pagan Assyria. This act was not merely a political maneuver; it was a profound theological statement. It underscored Ahaz's utter lack of faith in the covenant God of Israel and a practical denial of His power and willingness to deliver His people. By sending for Assyrian help, Ahaz committed Judah to a path of foreign dependence, not only politically as a vassal state but also religiously, leading to deeper syncretism and idolatry. What began as a plea for relief became, as the text later reveals, a burdensome alliance that brought more trouble than deliverance (2 Chr 28:20). It serves as a stark warning against relying on worldly solutions when God's faithfulness and power are the true source of security.