Read the Passage: 2 Kings 16-17

Idolatry of Ahaz (16:1–20)

All combined, the previous four kings of Judah—Joash, Amaziah, Azariah, and Jotham—had reigned for just over 100 years. At best, these kings could be described as mediocre rulers, for while they did do what was right (cf. 2 Kings 12:2; 14:3; 15:3, 34), they did not take away the high places (cf. 2 Kings 12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35), nor did they measure up to their forebearer David (cf. 2 Kings 14:3). After the death of Jotham, the people of Judah surely desired a good king, and would have even accepted another mediocre king. Unfortunately, however, Ahaz ascended to the throne, and he would become the most wicked king to date. 2 Kings 16:2 says that, in general, “Ahaz did not do what was right in the sight of the Lord.” The rest of this passage then describes four specific sins of Ahaz: (1) he sacrificed his children; (2) he worshiped at the high places; (3) he relied on Assyria for help, rather than God; and (4) he gave Assyria the silver and gold from the temple.

Judah was under siege by Syria and Israel, as they wanted Judah to join their coalition of nations against Assyria (cf. Isa. 7:1–17). In response, Ahaz hired the Assyrians to attack Syria. Later, after Assyria defeated Syria, Ahaz traveled to Damascus to meet with the king of Assyria. While Ahaz was in Damascus, a pagan altar caught his attention. Ahaz then sent the pattern for this altar back to Judah, and ordered that it be built in Jerusalem. Observe the irrationality of this event, as the Syrian gods who had been worshiped at this pagan altar were unable to defend Syria from the Assyrians. Nevertheless, Ahaz had the altar copied and placed in the temple. Ahaz then removed the bronze altar from before the Lord, and he commanded that the new altar be used for the daily sacrifices. Next, 2 Kings 16:17–18 describes several additional changes Ahaz made to the temple in Jerusalem.

Rebellion of Hoshea (17:1–6)

The twentieth and final king of Israel was Hoshea who reigned from 732–722 BC. As with the previous nineteen kings before him, so Hoshea “did evil in the sight of the Lord” (2 Kings 17:2). Yet, this text also notes that Hoshea was not as bad “as the kings of Israel who were before him.” So, while Hoshea was evil, he did not add to the wicked acts that had been introduced 250 years earlier by Jeroboam. 2 Kings 17:3–4 reveals that initially Israel became a vassal state of Assyria, and paid yearly tribute money to Assyria. This was likely around 726 BC. However, Hoshea soon rebelled as he tried to form an alliance with Egypt. When the Assyrians discovered this betrayal, they laid siege to the city of Samaria. This siege lasted for three years, until 722 BC. When Assyria finally conquered Israel, they deported the people to the upper Tigris valley where they were assimilated into the pagan population.

Deportation of Israel (17:7–41)

In 2 Kings 17:7–23 the author lists many of the sins, or categories of sins, that had led to the deportation of Israel. These were: first, they worshiped other gods (cf. 2 Kings 17:7–8); second, they built and worshiped at high places (cf. 2 Kings 17:9–10); third, they burned incense to idols (cf. 2 Kings 17:11–12); fourth, they refused to listen to God’s prophets (cf. 2 Kings 17:13–14); fifth, they refused to obey God’s Word (cf. 2 Kings 17:15–16); sixth, they sacrificed their children and practiced witchcraft (cf. 2 Kings 17:17–18); seventh, they led Judah astray (cf. 2 Kings 17:19–20); and eighth, they followed the sins of Jeroboam (cf. 2 Kings 17:21–23). Note that the ten tribes of Israel never returned from their exile, as their assimilation into Assyria was permanent. Indeed, 2 Kings 17:23 explains, “Israel was carried away from their own land to Assyria, as it is to this day.”

At 2 Kings 17:5–6, the fate of the Israelite people was described, as their assimilation into Assyria was noted. Now, at 2 Kings 17:24–41, details are given about the fate of the Israelite land. Just as the Assyrians had deported the Israelites into other areas of their empire, so the Assyrians also relocated other captured peoples into the land of Israel. This passage reports that these pagan refugees “did not fear the Lord, therefore the Lord sent lions among them” (2 Kings 17:25). The people then reached out to the king of Assyria, who, in turn, sent an Israelite priest to teach the new inhabitants of the land about God. While this unnamed priest “taught [the people] how they should fear the Lord” (2 Kings 17:28), these refugees, who would come to be known as the Samaritans, still worshiped their own gods; thus, “They feared the Lord, yet served their own gods” (2 Kings 17:33).

Application Questions:

1. How does the history of Israel and Judah demonstrate that God is long-suffering, patient, and merciful?
2. Given God’s kindness toward Judah during the reign of the previous kings, why did Ahaz turn to idolatry?
3. What worship practices are Christians free to adjust, and what practices ought to remain unchanged?
4. What happened to the ten tribes that were deported? Does the exile of Israel make God unfaithful to His promises?
5. Why did God send lions among those who were relocated to Israel? What was special about the land of Palestine?