King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
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.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Achaz was twenty years old when he began to rule, and he reigned sixteen years in Yerushalayim. But he did not do what was right from the perspective of ADONAI his God, as David his ancestor had done.
Berean Standard Bible:
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.
American Standard Version:
Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and he did not that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah his God, like David his father.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
Twenty{H6242} years{H8141} old{H1121} was Ahaz{H271} when he began to reign{H4427}, and reigned{H4427} sixteen{H8337}{H6240} years{H8141} in Jerusalem{H3389}, and did{H6213} not that which was right{H3477} in the sight{H5869} of the LORD{H3068} his God{H430}, like David{H1732} his father{H1}.
Cross-References (KJV):
1 Kings 9:4
- And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, [and] wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
1 Kings 11:4
- For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, [that] his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as [was] the heart of David his father.
1 Kings 11:8
- And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.
2 Chronicles 29:2
- And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done.
2 Kings 22:2
- And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.
1 Kings 3:14
- And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.
2 Kings 18:3
- And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for 2 Kings 16:2
2 Kings 16:2 provides a brief account of the reign of Ahaz, who became king of Judah at the age of twenty and ruled for sixteen years in Jerusalem. This verse is set within the broader historical context of the divided monarchy period, where the united kingdom of Israel under David and Solomon had split into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah.
Ahaz's reign is evaluated negatively in this verse, as it is noted that he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord his God. This judgment is made in comparison to King David, who is often held up as the standard of a righteous king in the Old Testament narrative. The mention of David here emphasizes the expectation for Judah's kings to emulate his faithfulness to God.
The themes present in this verse include the importance of righteous leadership, the expectation for kings to follow the example of David, and the consequence of failing to adhere to God's laws. Ahaz's failure to meet these expectations sets the stage for the religious and political turmoil that characterized his reign, including the adoption of foreign religious practices and the political subjugation of Judah by stronger neighboring kingdoms. This verse serves as a prelude to the subsequent narrative that details Ahaz's actions and their impact on Judah's spiritual and national life.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H6242
There are 281 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֶשְׂרִים
Transliteration: ʻesrîym
Pronunciation: es-reem'
Description: from עֶשֶׂר; twenty; also (ordinal) twentieth; (six-) score, twenty(-ieth). - Strong's Number: H8141
There are 647 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁנֶה
Transliteration: shâneh
Pronunciation: shaw-neh'
Description: (in plural or (feminine) שָׁנָה; from שָׁנָה; a year (as a revolution of time); [phrase] whole age, [idiom] long, [phrase] old, year([idiom] -ly). - Strong's Number: H1121
There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּן
Transliteration: bên
Pronunciation: bane
Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth. - Strong's Number: H271
There are 521 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָחָז
Transliteration: ʼÂchâz
Pronunciation: aw-khawz'
Description: from אָחַז; possessor; Achaz, the name of a Jewish king and of an Israelite; Ahaz. - Strong's Number: H4427
There are 284 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מָלַךְ
Transliteration: mâlak
Pronunciation: maw-lak'
Description: a primitive root; to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel; consult, [idiom] indeed, be (make, set a, set up) king, be (make) queen, (begin to, make to) reign(-ing), rule, [idiom] surely. - Strong's Number: H8337
There are 203 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שֵׁשׁ
Transliteration: shêsh
Pronunciation: shaysh
Description: masculine שִׁשָּׁה; a primitive number; compare שׂוּשׂ; six (as an overplus beyond five or the fingers of the hand); as ord. sixth; six(-teen, -teenth), sixth. - Strong's Number: H6240
There are 292 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָשָׂר
Transliteration: ʻâsâr
Pronunciation: aw-sawr'
Description: for עֶשֶׂר; ten (only in combination), i.e. -teen; also (ordinal) -teenth; (eigh-, fif-, four-, nine-, seven-, six-, thir-) teen(-th), [phrase] eleven(-th), [phrase] sixscore thousand, [phrase] twelve(-th). - Strong's Number: H3389
There are 600 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם
Transliteration: Yᵉrûwshâlaim
Pronunciation: yer-oo-shaw-lah'-im
Description: rarely יְרוּשָׁלַיִם; a dual (in allusion to its two main hills (the true pointing, at least of the former reading, seems to be that of יְרוּשָׁלֵם)); probably from (the passive participle of) יָרָה and שָׁלַם; founded peaceful; Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine; Jerusalem. - Strong's Number: H6213
There are 2286 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָשָׂה
Transliteration: ʻâsâh
Pronunciation: aw-saw'
Description: a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application; accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use. - Strong's Number: H3477
There are 119 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָשָׁר
Transliteration: yâshâr
Pronunciation: yaw-shawr'
Description: from יָשַׁר; straight (literally or figuratively); convenient, equity, Jasher, just, meet(-est), [phrase] pleased well right(-eous), straight, (most) upright(-ly, -ness). - Strong's Number: H5869
There are 830 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עַיִן
Transliteration: ʻayin
Pronunciation: ah'-yin
Description: probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape); affliction, outward appearance, [phrase] before, [phrase] think best, colour, conceit, [phrase] be content, countenance, [phrase] displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, [phrase] favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), [idiom] him, [phrase] humble, knowledge, look, ([phrase] well), [idiom] me, open(-ly), [phrase] (not) please, presence, [phrase] regard, resemblance, sight, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them, [phrase] think, [idiom] us, well, [idiom] you(-rselves). - Strong's Number: H3068
There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְהֹוָה
Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה. - Strong's Number: H430
There are 2334 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֱלֹהִים
Transliteration: ʼĕlôhîym
Pronunciation: el-o-heem'
Description: plural of אֱלוֹהַּ; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative; angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty. - Strong's Number: H1732
There are 911 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: דָּוִד
Transliteration: Dâvid
Pronunciation: daw-veed'
Description: rarely (fully); דָּוִיד; from the same as דּוֹד; loving; David, the youngest son of Jesse; David. - Strong's Number: H1
There are 15773 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָב
Transliteration: ʼâb
Pronunciation: awb
Description: a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application; chief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.