2 Chronicles 28


2 Chronicles 28 is the twenty-eighth chapter of the Second Book of Chronicles the Old Testament in the Christian Bible or of the second part of the Books of Chronicles in the Hebrew Bible. The book is compiled from older sources by an unknown person or group, designated by modern scholars as "the Chronicler", and had the final shape established in late fifth or fourth century BCE. This chapter belongs to the section focusing on the kingdom of Judah until its destruction by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar and the beginning of restoration under Cyrus the Great of Persia . The focus of this chapter is the reign of Ahaz, king of Judah.

Text

This chapter was originally written in the Hebrew language and is divided into 27 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Leningradensis. A fragment containing a part of this chapter was found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, that is, 4Q118 with extant verse 27.
There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus, and Codex Alexandrinus.

Old Testament references

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    Ahaz, king of Judah (28:1–4)

Ahaz's reign was dominated by the Syro-Ephraimite war, against the kingdoms of Israel
and Aram, due to Ahaz's wicked way and refusal to convert.
His reign marks the unmitigated decline of the kingdom of Judah.

Verse 1

  • Cross references: 2 Kings 15:33;
  • "16 years": according to Thiele's chronology, Ahaz became co-regent in September 735 BCE, then as sole king for 16 years between September 732 BCE and September 731 BCE until he died a few weeks before Nisan 715 BCE. A royal bulla with the inscription: "Belonging to Ahaz Yehotam, King of Judah" was discovered and authenticated.

    Judah were defeated by enemies (28:5–21)

A possible opportunity of Israel reunification by northern kingdom's subjugation of Judah was prevented by God's word through the prophet Oded and some chiefs of the Ephraimites, so the army of Israel treated the captives from Judah humanely. Some details of the good treatments by the people of "Samaria" in verses 9–15 are apparently underlined in the well-known story of "the Good Samaritans" in the Gospel of Luke. While Ahaz sought and waited for Tiglath-pileser's support, the Edomites and the Philistines had successfully defeated Judah. Verses 20–21 emphasize that Tiglath-pileser did not really come to help, because he extorted heavy tribute from Judah.

Apostasy and death of Ahaz (28:22–27)

Verses 22–25 record the cultic sins of Ahaz as he worshipped for the gods of
Damascus, the land that defeated him, and abandoned the worship of YHWH.

Verse 15

  • "Clothed them, gave them sandals": alluding the 'miserable destitution of captives'.
This verse displays the strongest parallels with Luke 10.