2 Chronicles 28 3

2 Chronicles 28:3 kjv

Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.

2 Chronicles 28:3 nkjv

He burned incense in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and burned his children in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.

2 Chronicles 28:3 niv

He burned sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom and sacrificed his children in the fire, engaging in the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.

2 Chronicles 28:3 esv

and he made offerings in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom and burned his sons as an offering, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel.

2 Chronicles 28:3 nlt

He offered sacrifices in the valley of Ben-Hinnom, even sacrificing his own sons in the fire. In this way, he followed the detestable practices of the pagan nations the LORD had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites.

2 Chronicles 28 verses

2 Chronicles 28 3 Meaning

2 Chronicles 28:3 describes King Ahaz's profound apostasy by detailing his involvement in detestable idolatrous practices. Specifically, it states that Ahaz committed the horrific act of sacrificing his own children by burning them in the fire. This grievous act was in imitation of the abominable rituals practiced by the pagan nations whom the Lord had driven out before the Israelites due to their wickedness, highlighting Ahaz's deep betrayal of the covenant and his adoption of the very evils God had judged.

2 Chronicles 28 3 Context

2 Chronicles 28:3 falls within the historical narrative of King Ahaz's reign over Judah (735-715 BC). The preceding verse (28:2) establishes Ahaz's evil character, stating he "did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as his father David had done," and instead walked "in the ways of the kings of Israel," referring to the idolatrous kings of the northern kingdom. This verse, 28:3, elaborates on the depths of his apostasy. Ahaz's reign occurred during a tumultuous period marked by the rise of Assyria as a dominant power. Judah faced threats from the Syro-Ephraimite coalition (Syria and Northern Israel), leading Ahaz to seek a disastrous alliance with Assyria instead of trusting in the Lord. Culturally, child sacrifice was a well-documented abhorrent practice among various Canaanite and surrounding pagan nations, particularly in the worship of deities like Molech (or Milcom) and Baal. The "Valley of Hinnom" (Ge Ben-Hinnom), a ravine outside Jerusalem, was notorious as the specific site where these horrific rituals were performed. God had explicitly forbidden these acts in Mosaic Law, and the very reason for dispossessing the Canaanites was their detestable practices. Ahaz's actions directly challenged God's covenant, national identity, and moral law, demonstrating extreme spiritual and moral decay.

2 Chronicles 28 3 Word analysis

• Moreover he burnt: The Hebrew verb is śāraph (שָׂרַף), meaning "to burn completely," often used for consuming by fire, implying a complete destruction or offering by fire. In this context, it explicitly denotes sacrificial burning. The Septuagint uses kategnisen, meaning "to sacrifice."
• his children: This emphasizes the personal and ultimate nature of Ahaz's devotion to false gods. The sacrifice of one's offspring was considered the highest and most profound act of worship to these deities, an unspeakably horrific act from God's perspective, violating all natural human affection and divine command.
• in the fire: Directly links to the established method of Molech worship, which involved passing children through or burning them in the fire as an offering. It evokes images of the altar or pyre at Topheth in the Valley of Hinnom.
• according to the abominations: The phrase "according to" (kĕmishpaṭ) indicates conformity or adherence to the custom or judgment of. "Abominations" translates the Hebrew tô‘ēvah (תּוֹעֵבָה), which signifies something ritually, morally, or ethically detestable to God. This term is consistently used throughout the Law and Prophets to describe practices utterly repugnant to the Lord, especially idolatry, child sacrifice, and certain sexual sins. It underscores the profound offense Ahaz's actions were to divine holiness.
• of the heathen: The Hebrew word gôyim (גּוֹיִם), referring to the nations or gentiles, specifically those polytheistic cultures surrounding Israel, like the Canaanites. Ahaz, as king of Judah, was supposed to uphold God's covenant and law, setting Israel apart from these nations. By adopting their customs, he eradicated the distinctiveness and holiness of God's chosen people.
• whom the LORD had cast out: The Hebrew verb gāraš (גָּרַשׁ) means "to drive out," "to dispossess," or "to expel." This refers to God's act of expelling the Canaanite nations from the land before Israel due to their detestable practices, precisely the practices Ahaz was now engaging in. This highlights Ahaz's direct imitation of those who were objects of God's righteous judgment.
• before the children of Israel: This emphasizes the historical memory and divine mandate. Israel was well aware of why God had given them the land; it was a result of divine judgment on the original inhabitants' wickedness. Ahaz's actions were a deliberate rejection of this foundational truth and an invitation for similar judgment upon Judah.

Words-group analysis:

• "he burnt his children in the fire": This is the core act of child sacrifice, the ultimate defilement and perversion of life. It speaks to extreme idolatry where worship of false gods demanded the highest possible human cost, showing utter moral depravity and spiritual blindness.
• "according to the abominations of the heathen": This phrase contextualizes Ahaz's act not as an isolated evil but as a conscious adoption of pagan rituals that God expressly condemned. It highlights a deliberate rejection of Yahweh and an embrace of the very practices that defined the unholy and unclean nations.
• "whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel": This phrase serves as a severe theological indictment. Ahaz was mirroring the very behavior for which the original inhabitants of Canaan were dispossessed, thereby placing Judah under the same righteous judgment. It signifies a profound reversal of divine intent and covenant faithfulness, warning that Judah was heading towards a similar fate of expulsion from the land.

2 Chronicles 28 3 Bonus section

• The Specific Location: While not explicitly named in 2 Chr 28:3, other parallel accounts and prophetic condemnations clearly identify the "Valley of Hinnom" (Ge Hinnom), or Topheth within it, as the site of these sacrifices. This valley later became a symbolic reference for eternal judgment in the New Testament (Gehenna), due to the abominable practices committed there, highlighting the lasting defilement associated with Ahaz's actions.
• Progressive Sin: Ahaz's reign illustrates a rapid and alarming descent into depravity. Beginning with general unfaithfulness, he progressed to child sacrifice, signaling a total abandonment of Mosaic Law and Davidic legacy. This highlights how once an individual or nation starts compromising God's commands, the door opens for increasingly grievous sins.
• Polemic against Paganism: This verse and similar passages serve as a direct polemic against the supposed power and benevolence of the pagan deities. The God of Israel condemns what these "gods" demand—the very lives of children—exposing their cruel and demonic nature in stark contrast to Yahweh's life-giving character.
• Reversal of Creation/Covenant: The sacrifice of children directly opposes God's command to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth, and the covenant promise of offspring. It is an anti-creational and anti-covenant act that brings defilement upon the land and its people.

2 Chronicles 28 3 Commentary

2 Chronicles 28:3 reveals the horrific spiritual depth of King Ahaz's apostasy, setting a benchmark for depravity even among the wicked kings of Judah. His act of burning his children in the fire for false gods was not merely a ritual transgression; it was the ultimate act of rebellion against the Lord, striking at the heart of the covenant's demand for exclusive devotion to Yahweh and the sanctity of human life. The mention of "the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out" underscores the severe irony and tragedy: Ahaz, the Davidic king, adopted the very practices for which God had dispossessed the previous inhabitants of the land, signaling that Judah itself was ripe for divine judgment. This verse serves as a potent warning against the progressive nature of sin, from failing to do what is right (28:2) to the absolute depths of evil, mirroring and even surpassing the wickedness of the most degenerate pagan nations. It highlights that rejection of God's truth inevitably leads to spiritual darkness and detestable acts, revealing the consequences of unfaithfulness in the covenant. The sacrifice of one's children signifies the abandonment of all boundaries and natural affection under the spell of spiritual idolatry, showcasing the devastating power of false worship to pervert every good thing.