XVI The idolatry of Ahaz, ver. 1-4. He hires the king of Assyria to invade Syria and Israel, ver. 5-9. He erects a new altar in the temple, ver. 10-16. Spoils the temple, ver. 17-18. Dies, ver. 19, 20.

Verse 3. Pass - By way of oblation, so as to be consumed for a burnt- offering, which was the practice of Heathens, and of some Israelites, in imitation of them.

Verse 5. Could not overcome - Because God of his own mere grace, undertook his protection, and disappointed the hopes of his enemies.

Verse 7. Sent messengers, &c. - But was it because there was no God in Israel, that he sent to the Assyrian for help? The sin itself was its own punishment; for tho' it served his present turn, yet he made but an ill bargain, seeing he not only impoverished himself, but enslaved both himself and his people.

Verse 12. Offered - A sacrifice, and that not to God, but to the Syrian idols, to whom that altar was appropriated.

13. Peace-offerings - For the Heathens; and Ahaz, in imitation of them, offered the same sorts of offerings to their false gods, which the Israelites did to the true.

Verse 14. Brazen altar - Of burnt-offerings, made by Solomon, and placed there by God's appointment. From between, &c. - His new altar was at first set below the brazen altar, and at a farther distance from the temple. This he took for a disparagement to his altar; and therefore impiously takes that away, and puts his in its place. And put, &c. - So he put God's altar out of its place and use! A bolder stroke than the very worst of kings had hitherto given to religion.

Verse 15. Great altar - This new altar; which was greater than Solomon's. Sacrifice - Whatsoever is offered to the true God, either in my name (for possibly he did not yet utterly forsake God, but worshipped idols with him) or on the behalf of the people, shall be offered on this new altar. Inquire by - That shall be reserved for my proper use, to inquire by; at which I may seek God, or inquire of his will, by sacrifices joined with prayer, when I shall see fit. Having thrust it out from the use for which it was instituted, which was to sanctify the gifts offered upon it, he pretends to advance it above its institution, which it is common for superstitious people to do. But to overdo is to underdo. Our wisdom is, to do just what God has commanded.