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.
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.
Commenting on 2 Chronicles 28:1-5
Burnt his children in the fire - There is a most remarkable addition here in the Chaldee which I shall give at length: "Ahaz burnt his children in the fire; but the Word of the Lord snatched Hezekiah from among them; for it was manifest before the Lord that the three righteous men, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were to proceed from him; who should deliver...
2Ch 28:1-4 In the general statements as to the king’s age, and the duration and the spirit of his reign, both accounts (2Ch 28:1-4; 2Ki 16:1-4), agree entirely, with the exception of some unessential divergences; see the commentary on 2Ki 16:1-4. From 2Ch 28:5 onwards both historians go their own ways, so that they coincide only in mentioning the most important events of the reign of this quite untheocratic king.
Commenting on 2 Chronicles 28:1-4