2 Chronicles 28 25

2 Chronicles 28:25 kjv

And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers.

2 Chronicles 28:25 nkjv

And in every single city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers.

2 Chronicles 28:25 niv

In every town in Judah he built high places to burn sacrifices to other gods and aroused the anger of the LORD, the God of his ancestors.

2 Chronicles 28:25 esv

In every city of Judah he made high places to make offerings to other gods, provoking to anger the LORD, the God of his fathers.

2 Chronicles 28:25 nlt

He made pagan shrines in all the towns of Judah for offering sacrifices to other gods. In this way, he aroused the anger of the LORD, the God of his ancestors.

2 Chronicles 28 verses

2 Chronicles 28 25 Meaning

This verse describes the pervasive and deliberate idolatry implemented by King Ahaz throughout the kingdom of Judah. It states that in every single city, Ahaz constructed and established altars (high places) specifically for the purpose of burning incense to deities other than the LORD. This extensive act of false worship was a direct and intentional affront, designed "to provoke the LORD God of his fathers," indicating a profound rebellion against the covenant God of Israel and a rejection of his ancestral faith.

2 Chronicles 28 25 Context

Chapter 28 of 2 Chronicles recounts the utterly deplorable reign of King Ahaz (c. 735-715 BC) over Judah. Ahaz is depicted as one of the most wicked kings, deviating entirely from the righteous path of his ancestors like David, and even surpassing the Northern Kingdom's kings in his spiritual corruption. The chapter opens with his descent into grave idolatry, including child sacrifice (vv. 1-4), which results in God's judgment through military defeat by Aram and Israel (vv. 5-8), leading to significant casualties and captivity (though mercifully the captives were later released through prophetic intervention, vv. 9-15).

Instead of repentance, Ahaz seeks aid from Assyria rather than trusting the LORD, leading to further distress and subjugation (vv. 16-21). Shockingly, his response to this distress is not humility but increased apostasy. He sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, believing them to be more powerful because they aided his enemies (vv. 22-23). He then despoils the LORD's temple in Jerusalem, cuts up its vessels, and shuts its doors, effectively ceasing the prescribed worship of Yahweh (v. 24). Verse 25 follows directly, illustrating the widespread extent of his active rebellion, decentralizing and establishing idolatry throughout every city in Judah, thereby profoundly "provoking" the God of his lineage.

Historically, this period sees the powerful Assyrian Empire expanding its influence, leading smaller nations like Judah and Aram to form alliances or succumb to tribute. Ahaz's religious syncretism and outright rejection of Yahweh worship were often tied to these political maneuvers, misinterpreting the power dynamics of human empires as demonstrations of their respective gods' superiority.

2 Chronicles 28 25 Word analysis

• And in every several city of Judah (וּבְכָל-עִיר וָעִיר בִּיהוּדָה - u-v’kol-ʿir va-ʿir bi-Yehudah)

  • "every several city": The Hebrew phrase "עִיר וָעִיר" (ʿir va-ʿir), literally "city and city," is an intensive idiom meaning "every single city" or "city by city." This emphasizes the systematic, comprehensive, and pervasive nature of Ahaz's idolatry. It was not localized or accidental; he actively orchestrated the spread of pagan worship across the entire kingdom of Judah, not just in the capital, Jerusalem. This highlights the unprecedented scale of his apostasy.
  • "Judah": Refers to the Southern Kingdom, the covenant land chosen by God for His people and the location of His Temple. The contamination of every city within Judah underscores the depth of Ahaz's spiritual corruption, impacting the entire nation that bore the covenant name of God.

• he made high places (עָשָׂה בָמוֹת - ʿasah bamot)

  • "made" (עָשָׂה - ʿasah): Indicates an active construction and establishment. Ahaz was not merely tolerating existing idolatry but proactively creating new sites for forbidden worship, showcasing his initiative in leading Judah astray.
  • "high places" (בָמוֹת - bamot): These were elevated shrines or altars, traditionally used by Canaanite fertility cults and other pagan religions. While some high places had been used for Yahwistic worship before the centralization of worship in the Temple, they invariably became sites for syncretistic or purely idolatrous practices. Their proliferation was consistently condemned by the prophets and righteous kings. Their existence signified a deviation from the exclusive worship of Yahweh.

• to burn incense unto other gods (לְהַקְטִיר לֵאלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים - l'haqtir le'lohîm aḥerîm)

  • "to burn incense" (לְהַקְטִיר - l'haqtir): Burning incense was a deeply significant act of worship in ancient Israel, often associated with prayer, devotion, and reverence to God (Ex 30:7-8). To offer this sacred act to "other gods" was the ultimate act of spiritual betrayal, transferring allegiance and adoration away from the LORD to false deities.
  • "other gods" (אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים - 'elohîm 'aḥerîm): This standard biblical phrase denotes any deities besides Yahweh, the one true God of Israel. It inherently carries a connotation of illegitimacy and warns against their worship. These were likely gods of surrounding nations, particularly Aram and Assyria, whose supposed power Ahaz was mistakenly trying to harness through propitiation.

• to provoke the LORD God of his fathers (לְהַכְעִיס אֶת-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתָיו - l'hakhiyis 'et-YHWH 'Elohê 'Avotav)

  • "to provoke" (לְהַכְעִיס - l'hakhiyis): A strong verb meaning "to anger deeply," "to vex," "to grieve," or "to enrage." It signifies an intentional and extreme level of disobedience that incurs divine wrath. Ahaz's actions were not merely mistaken or ignorant but a deliberate and insulting challenge to God's sovereignty and holiness.
  • "the LORD God" (יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי - YHWH 'Elohê): Employs both the covenant name (YHWH, or Yahweh) which signifies God's personal and relational aspect, and the general term for God ('Elohim). This highlights the intimate and covenantal relationship that Ahaz was desecrating.
  • "of his fathers" (אֲבֹתָיו - 'Avotav): This phrase underscores Ahaz's radical departure from the heritage of his faithful ancestors like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David, who had a personal and obedient relationship with YHWH. He rejected not just a god, but the specific, covenant-making, and historically faithful God of his own lineage and people, whose steadfastness towards them was undeniable.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "in every several city of Judah he made high places": This phrase highlights the complete administrative effort by Ahaz to spread false worship. It shows not merely the prevalence of idolatry but its systemic implementation and governmental endorsement throughout the entire kingdom, leading to national spiritual pollution.
• "to burn incense unto other gods": This specifies the precise nature of the transgression: actively worshipping illegitimate deities using practices reserved for Yahweh. It emphasizes the direct breach of the First Commandment, substituting God's unique honor with reverence for false idols.
• "to provoke the LORD God of his fathers": This conclusive phrase encapsulates the theological implications. It clarifies that Ahaz's idolatry was understood by the narrator as a direct act of intentional affront and insult to Yahweh, incurring His righteous anger. It connects God's anger to His historical relationship with Judah, intensifying the severity of Ahaz's betrayal.

2 Chronicles 28 25 Bonus section

• The Chronicler's Theological Emphasis: The Chronicler's particular concern with the Temple, true worship, and the consequences of kings' obedience or disobedience is vividly illustrated here. Ahaz's defilement of "every several city" and his systematic promotion of high places directly contradicts the Chronicler's ideal of a nation centered on the exclusive worship of Yahweh in the Jerusalem Temple.
• Polemics against Idolatry: The narrative implies a powerful polemic against the efficacy of "other gods." Despite Ahaz's desperate attempts to appease foreign deities and align with powerful nations, "the LORD brought Judah low" (2 Ch 28:19) and "Assyria distressed him, but did not help him" (2 Ch 28:20). Ahaz's turning to false gods only exacerbated his problems and confirmed their impotence compared to the sovereign power of the LORD, who was genuinely angry at Ahaz's foolish and faithless heart.
• Contrasting Kingship: Ahaz's extreme wickedness stands in stark contrast to his righteous son, Hezekiah, who would embark on an aggressive campaign of religious reform (2 Ch 29-31), demonstrating God's grace in raising up a reformer even from the lineage of a notoriously wicked king. The narrative structure emphasizes the oscillation between faithfulness and apostasy that marked the Davidic dynasty, ultimately pointing towards the need for a truly righteous and unwavering king, the Messiah.

2 Chronicles 28 25 Commentary

2 Chronicles 28:25 provides a chilling summary of King Ahaz's comprehensive religious rebellion. After actively shutting down true worship in the Jerusalem Temple, he extended his wicked agenda to every corner of Judah, ensuring that idolatry permeated the entire social and religious fabric of the nation. The deliberate establishment of "high places" and the offering of "incense" to "other gods" were acts of explicit defiance against God's law, a flagrant rejection of the unique covenant between Yahweh and Israel.

This verse reveals Ahaz not as a passive recipient of foreign influences, but as an active and aggressive proponent of false worship. His actions were aimed at a systemic dismantling of Yahweh worship in favor of foreign cults, potentially influenced by political alliances and a pragmatic, yet ultimately flawed, belief in the efficacy of foreign deities during a time of national distress. However, the biblical narrator offers the ultimate spiritual verdict: Ahaz's every action was "to provoke the LORD God of his fathers." This isn't just about bad choices; it's about intentional and profound rebellion that invokes divine judgment. Ahaz’s reign serves as a stark example of how a leader's sin can systematically corrupt an entire nation, demonstrating the devastating consequences when those in authority betray their spiritual mandate. His persistent faithlessness even in the face of divine discipline underscored his hardening heart, bringing further distress upon Judah.