2 Kings 16:11 kjv
And Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus: so Urijah the priest made it against king Ahaz came from Damascus.
2 Kings 16:11 nkjv
Then Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus. So Urijah the priest made it before King Ahaz came back from Damascus.
2 Kings 16:11 niv
So Uriah the priest built an altar in accordance with all the plans that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus and finished it before King Ahaz returned.
2 Kings 16:11 esv
And Uriah the priest built the altar; in accordance with all that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus, so Uriah the priest made it, before King Ahaz arrived from Damascus.
2 Kings 16:11 nlt
Uriah followed the king's instructions and built an altar just like it, and it was ready before the king returned from Damascus.
2 Kings 16 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Ki 16:10 | Now King Ahaz went to Damascus...he sent to Uriah the priest the pattern… | Ahaz’s initiative to copy pagan altar. |
| 2 Ki 16:12 | And when the king came from Damascus, the king saw the altar… | Ahaz inspects the completed altar. |
| 2 Ki 16:14 | And the bronze altar…he moved from before the house…to the north side… | Replacing YHWH's altar. |
| 2 Ki 16:3 | Ahaz walked in the ways of the kings of Israel…made his son pass through fire | Ahaz's general wickedness. |
| 2 Chr 28:2-3 | He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel…made molten images for Baals | Ahaz's idolatry detailed. |
| 2 Chr 28:22-23 | In his time of trouble, King Ahaz became even more unfaithful…sacrificed… | Ahaz's deepening apostasy. |
| Exo 27:1 | You shall make an altar of acacia wood, five cubits long… | God's specific design for the altar. |
| Exo 25:9 | According to all that I show you…so shall you make it. | Command to build according to divine pattern. |
| Exo 25:40 | See that you make them according to the pattern… | Emphasis on divine blueprint. |
| 1 Chr 28:19 | All this…the LORD made me understand in writing by His hand upon me… | David receiving written pattern for Temple. |
| Heb 8:5 | Who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely | Earthly temple reflecting heavenly pattern. |
| Deut 12:2-4 | You shall utterly destroy all the places…there you shall tear down their | Command to destroy pagan altars. |
| Deut 12:29-31 | When the LORD your God cuts off before you…do not inquire after their gods | Warning against adopting foreign customs. |
| Lev 18:3 | You shall not do according to the deeds of the land of Egypt…nor…of Canaan | Warning against following foreign practices. |
| Lev 10:1-3 | Nadab and Abihu…offered unauthorized fire…the LORD consumed them | Priestly failure bringing divine judgment. |
| Mal 2:7-8 | For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, and people should seek the | Priestly responsibility to uphold the law. |
| Jer 2:13 | For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me…digged…cister | Forsaking God for human inventions. |
| Jer 19:5 | And built the high places of Baal…to burn their sons with fire as offerings | Building unauthorized altars and child sacrifice. |
| Rom 1:21-23 | Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of…for | Exchanging divine truth for corrupted worship. |
| 1 Cor 10:20-21 | No, but the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons… | Associating pagan sacrifices with demons. |
| 1 Sam 2:30 | …those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly | Consequences for honoring/dishonoring God. |
| Exo 34:15-16 | Lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants…and marry their daughters | Warning against syncretism. |
| Josh 24:15 | But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. | Call to commitment to YHWH alone. |
| Pro 29:25 | The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe | Uriah's fear of man vs. fear of God. |
| Jn 4:24 | God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. | Principle of true worship. |
| Eze 44:23 | They shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the common… | Priests distinguishing holy from profane. |
2 Kings 16 verses
2 Kings 16 11 Meaning
This verse describes a significant act of apostasy within the kingdom of Judah. It states that Uriah, who was the chief priest, faithfully executed King Ahaz's command to build a new altar in Jerusalem. This altar was not of divine design, but a replica of a pagan altar King Ahaz had observed and admired in Damascus. The construction of this foreign altar for worship marked a grave defiance of YHWH's specific commands regarding the proper place and manner of worship in the Jerusalem Temple.
2 Kings 16 11 Context
2 Kings chapter 16 describes the reign of King Ahaz of Judah. Unlike his father Jotham, Ahaz chose a path of deep apostasy, introducing pagan practices and even child sacrifice into Judah. The specific context for verse 11 is Ahaz's visit to Damascus to form an alliance with Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria against Aram (Syria) and Israel. While in Damascus, Ahaz was impressed by a pagan altar and, in a shocking display of spiritual perversion and contempt for YHWH's commands, sent its exact pattern to Uriah the chief priest in Jerusalem. This command directly circumvented centuries of Mosaic Law and established Temple practice, showing Ahaz's determination to reform worship according to foreign standards rather than divine revelation.
2 Kings 16 11 Word analysis
- And Uriah (וְאֽוּרִיָּה - vᵉʾūriyyāh): "Uriah" means "YHWH is my light." This name is ironically contrasted with his actions, which embrace spiritual darkness. He was likely the high priest (2 Ki 16:10, 2 Ki 16:15) during Ahaz's reign, the highest spiritual authority. His complicity signals profound spiritual compromise at the very top of Judah's religious hierarchy.
- the priest (הַכֹּהֵן - hakkohen): Emphasizes his specific office, which carried immense responsibility for maintaining the purity of YHWH's worship and teaching the law. His actions here represent a significant failure of his divine mandate.
- built (בָּנָה - bana): Implies construction and establishment. This was a physical, deliberate act, not an accidental occurrence. It implies a sense of purpose and commitment to the task assigned by the king.
- an altar (מִזְבֵּחַ - mizbeaḥ): A place for sacrifice and worship. The problem was not an altar in itself, but one built according to a foreign pattern, for potentially foreign worship, directly conflicting with YHWH's precise instructions for the Temple altar.
- according to all that (כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר - kᵉkōl ʾasher): This phrase indicates strict, exact conformity. Uriah did not merely take inspiration from Damascus; he meticulously replicated the foreign altar, demonstrating complete obedience to the king's unholy directive.
- King Ahaz (הַמֶּלֶךְ אָחָז - hammelek ʾaḥaz): The royal authority. Ahaz overstepped his authority, dictating religious practice rather than submitting to divine law. He represented a type of king who actively led his people away from YHWH.
- had sent (שָׁלַח - shālach): The verb implies transmission and initiation. Ahaz was the originator of the perverse idea and the one who conveyed the explicit instructions for its execution.
- from Damascus (מִדַּמֶּשֶׂק - middammeseq): This geographically precise detail signifies the foreign origin of the altar's design. Damascus was the capital of Aram, a rival kingdom, and a center of pagan worship. Its influence symbolizes Judah's embrace of ungodly alliances and practices.
- so Uriah the priest made it (וַיַּעַשׂ אֻרִיָּה הַכֹּהֵן כֵּן - vayyaʿaś ʾūriyyāh hakkohen kēn): This concluding phrase repeats the action, solidifying Uriah's active role and complicity. "Made it" or "did so" underscores the completion and direct responsibility of Uriah in carrying out the sacrilegious command.
2 Kings 16 11 Bonus section
- The rapid execution of Ahaz's command by Uriah contrasts sharply with the slow and often resistant process of adherence to YHWH's commands found elsewhere in Scripture.
- This act sets a precedent for later religious reforms under Ahaz (2 Ki 16:12-18), showing a king's unbridled authority over religious matters, which directly challenged the distinct roles of king and priest as outlined in Mosaic law.
- The incident highlights a core Old Testament conflict: whether Israel would remain faithful to the unique covenant with YHWH or succumb to the syncretistic practices of surrounding nations, which were often tied to political alliances.
2 Kings 16 11 Commentary
2 Kings 16:11 marks a profound betrayal of YHWH by both Judah's king and its high priest. Ahaz's decree was not a simple error but a deliberate rejection of centuries of divinely ordained worship, replacing the God-given pattern for an altar with a pagan model from Damascus. This was more than an aesthetic preference; it reflected a shift in theological allegiance, suggesting that foreign powers and their gods held more sway than the Lord of Israel.
Uriah's obedience is chilling. As the high priest, his duty was to safeguard the sanctity of the Temple and to instruct the people in YHWH's law. Instead, he became an accessory to, and even an active participant in, its defilement. His actions demonstrate a terrifying prioritization of the king's command over God's. This compliance paved the way for even deeper spiritual decline, as seen in subsequent verses where the legitimate bronze altar is removed and services are adjusted to the new, pagan-inspired structure. The verse powerfully illustrates how worldly alliances and the fear of man can corrupt spiritual leadership and institutions, leading an entire nation away from the covenant with YHWH.