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.
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.
- BSB 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.
- 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 began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He didn’t do that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, like David his father,
- 2 Chr 17:3Yahweh was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and didn’t seek the Baals,
- 1 Kgs 11:4–8When Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his God, as the heart of David his father was.
- 1 Kgs 9:4As for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, and will keep my statutes and my ordinances;
- 2 Kgs 14:3He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, yet not like David his father. He did according to all that Joash his father had done.
- 2 Chr 34:2–3He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, and walked in the ways of David his father, and didn’t turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
- 2 Kgs 15:3He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, according to all that his father Amaziah had done.
- 1 Kgs 3:14If you will walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”
- 2 Kgs 15:34He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes. He did according to all that his father Uzziah had done.
- 1 Kgs 15:3He walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; and his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his God, as the heart of David his father.
- 2 Chr 29:2He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, according to all that David his father had done.
- 2 Kgs 22:2He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, and walked in all the way of David his father, and didn’t turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
- 2 Kgs 18:3He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, according to all that David his father 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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