Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. And unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD his God.
Parallel translations
- WEB Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He didn’t do that which was right in Yahweh his God’s eyes, like David his father.
- KJV Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD his God, like David his father.
- NKJV Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do what was right in the sight of the Lord his God, as his father David had done.
- NASB Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do what was right in the sight of the Lord his God, as his father David had done.
- NLT Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. He did not do what was pleasing in the sight of the Lord his God, as his ancestor David had done.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Ahaz reigned sixteen years but did not do right like his father David. He receives a negative verdict for his unfaithfulness.
Overview
Unlike his ancestor David, the standard of covenant loyalty, Ahaz failed to walk faithfully before the LORD. The comparison to David highlights how far this Davidic king had fallen. His example shows that physical descent from David counted for nothing apart from genuine faith, intensifying the longing for the true Son of David who would perfectly please His Father.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- 2 Chr 28:1–4Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. And unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD.
- 2 Chr 17:3Now the LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek out the Baals,
- 1 Kgs 11:4–8For when Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the LORD his God, as his father David had been.
- 1 Kgs 9:4And as for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked, with a heart of integrity and uprightness, doing all I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and ordinances,
- 2 Kgs 14:3And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father David had done. He did everything as his father Joash had done.
- 2 Chr 34:2–3And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.
- 2 Kgs 15:3And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done.
- 1 Kgs 3:14So if you walk in My ways and keep My statutes and commandments, just as your father David did, I will prolong your days.”
- 2 Kgs 15:34And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Uzziah had done.
- 1 Kgs 15:3And Abijam walked in all the sins that his father before him had committed, and his heart was not as fully devoted to the LORD his God as the heart of David his forefather had been.
- 2 Chr 29:2And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done.
- 2 Kgs 22:2And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.
- 2 Kgs 18:3And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done.
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Christ at the center
Amid the long decline toward exile, the promise to David's house refuses to die; the flickering lamp kept burning anticipates the coming King who will not fail or be cut off.
How 2 Kings 16:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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