2 Kings 16:15

KJV

And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meat offering, and the king's burnt sacrifice, and his meat offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and the brasen altar shall be for me to enquire [by].

KJV (with Strong's)

And king {H4428} Ahaz {H271} commanded {H6680} Urijah {H223} the priest {H3548}, saying {H559}, Upon the great {H1419} altar {H4196} burn {H6999} the morning {H1242} burnt offering {H5930}, and the evening {H6153} meat offering {H4503}, and the king's {H4428} burnt sacrifice {H5930}, and his meat offering {H4503}, with the burnt offering {H5930} of all the people {H5971} of the land {H776}, and their meat offering {H4503}, and their drink offerings {H5262}; and sprinkle {H2236} upon it all the blood {H1818} of the burnt offering {H5930}, and all the blood {H1818} of the sacrifice {H2077}: and the brasen {H5178} altar {H4196} shall be for me to enquire {H1239} by.

Complete Jewish Bible

Then King Achaz instructed Uriyah the cohen as follows: "Henceforth, it is on the large altar that you are to offer the morning burnt offering, the evening grain offering, the king's burnt offering and his grain offering, together with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, their grain offering and their drink offerings; and you are to splash all the blood of the burnt offering against it and all the blood of the sacrifice. As for the bronze altar, I will take care of that."

Berean Standard Bible

Then King Ahaz commanded Uriah the priest, “Offer on the great altar the morning burnt offering, the evening grain offering, and the king’s burnt offering and grain offering, as well as the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings of all the people of the land. Sprinkle on the altar all the blood of the burnt offerings and sacrifices. But I will use the bronze altar to seek guidance.”

American Standard Version

And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt-offering, and the evening meal-offering, and the king’s burnt-offering, and his meal-offering, with the burnt-offering of all the people of the land, and their meal-offering, and their drink-offerings; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt-offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: but the brazen altar shall be for me to inquire by.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Second Kings 16:15 meticulously records King Ahaz's audacious decree to Urijah the priest, mandating that all legitimate daily, royal, and communal sacrifices—including the morning burnt offering, evening grain offering, and various drink offerings—be transferred from the divinely ordained bronze altar to the newly constructed, pagan-inspired "great altar." This command not only usurped the sacred space and purpose of God's prescribed altar but also relegated it to a mere instrument for Ahaz's personal inquiry, profoundly corrupting the sacred worship practices of Judah and illustrating the king's deep-seated spiritual rebellion and the priesthood's alarming complicity.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse serves as a climactic moment in the narrative of King Ahaz's profound apostasy, which is meticulously detailed in [2 Kings 16](/2_kings/16 "2 Kings 16 - Ahaz's Idolatry and Rebellion"). The chapter opens by immediately establishing Ahaz's wicked reign, highlighting his deviation from the righteous path of his ancestor David. His journey to Damascus, undertaken as an act of political alliance with the powerful Assyrian Empire, proved to be a pivotal catalyst for his religious perversion. While there, he was captivated by a pagan altar, whose precise design and specifications he promptly sent back to Jerusalem, instructing Urijah the priest to construct a replica before his return (compare [2 Kings 16:10-12](/2_kings/16-10-12 "2 Kings 16:10-12 - Ahaz Orders a New Altar")). Upon his return, Ahaz personally inspected the new altar and, without hesitation, commanded that all traditional temple sacrifices be offered upon it, thereby effectively replacing the divinely appointed bronze altar. Verse 15 solidifies this act of sacrilege, not only by mandating the use of the new altar for all primary offerings but also by explicitly demoting the original bronze altar to a subservient, almost superstitious, role for Ahaz's personal use, further demonstrating his complete disregard for Yahweh's commands.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** King Ahaz reigned over Judah for approximately 16 years (c. 735-715 BC), a tumultuous period characterized by the escalating threat of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. Unlike his righteous father Jotham, Ahaz pursued a policy of appeasement and alliance with Assyria, even engaging in horrific pagan practices such as sacrificing his own son in the fires of Molech (see [2 Kings 16:3](/2_kings/16-3 "2 Kings 16:3 - Ahaz Sacrifices His Son")). His trip to Damascus was part of this broader Assyrian strategy, where he formally met with Tiglath-Pileser III, the Assyrian monarch. In the ancient Near East, altars were central to religious cults, often reflecting the power and prestige of the deity or ruler they served. Ahaz's adoption of a foreign altar design and its imposition on the Jerusalem Temple was a direct importation of pagan religious practices, symbolizing his political and spiritual subservience to foreign powers and their gods. This act constituted a blatant disregard for the Mosaic Law, which strictly forbade idolatry and prescribed specific forms and locations for worship, particularly regarding the altar of burnt offering (e.g., [Exodus 27:1-8](/exodus/27-1-8 "Exodus 27:1-8 - Design of the Bronze Altar") and [Deuteronomy 12:5-7](/deuteronomy/12-5-7 "Deuteronomy 12:5-7 - The Chosen Place of Worship")).
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully illustrates several critical themes woven throughout [2 Kings](/2_kings "The Book of 2 Kings - A History of Kings and Prophets"). Firstly, it starkly portrays **Apostasy and Idolatry**, as Ahaz's actions represent a deliberate and defiant abandonment of the covenant with Yahweh and a wholesale embrace of foreign religious practices. His replacement of God's prescribed altar with a pagan model directly challenged divine authority and the purity required in worship. Secondly, the passage underscores the **Perversion of Worship**. The very rituals designed for atonement and communion with God—the daily burnt and grain offerings—were now defiled by being offered on an altar that symbolized rebellion and idolatry, effectively stripping them of their spiritual efficacy and meaning in God's eyes. Thirdly, the **Complicity of Leadership** is a stark and tragic theme, as Urijah the priest, who was divinely entrusted with upholding God's law and guiding the people in righteousness, readily obeyed Ahaz's ungodly commands. This demonstrates a dangerous compromise of spiritual integrity for political expediency, highlighting the failure of those meant to protect the sanctity of God's worship. Finally, this episode vividly depicts the profound conflict between **Human Authority and Divine Command**, where human will and political expediency attempt to override God's explicit instructions, leading inevitably to spiritual decay and, ultimately, national judgment.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Great (Hebrew, _gâdôwl'_):** From H1419, this word signifies something "great in any sense," including size, importance, or even insolence. In this context, "great altar" refers to the new, larger altar Ahaz had constructed, which was a replica of the pagan altar he saw in Damascus. The term highlights not its divine approval, but its imposing physical presence and the king's inflated sense of authority in dictating worship, contrasting sharply with the divinely ordained, yet now demoted, bronze altar.
* **Meat offering (Hebrew, _minchâh'_):** From H4503, this term refers to a "donation" or "tribute," specifically a "sacrificial offering (usually bloodless and voluntary)." In the KJV, "meat" is an archaic term for food in general, not animal flesh. This was typically a grain or cereal offering, often presented alongside burnt offerings, symbolizing dedication, thanksgiving, and the fruits of one's labor offered to God. Ahaz's command to burn this offering on the new altar thus perverted a fundamental act of devotion by moving it to an unauthorized, idolatrous site.
* **Enquire [by] (Hebrew, _bâqar'_):** From H1239, a primitive root meaning "to plough" or "break forth," but figuratively, "to inspect, admire, care for, consider," or "to inquire, search, seek out." While "to inquire" can have a positive connotation of seeking God, in Ahaz's context, his intention for the bronze altar—to "enquire by" it—suggests a superstitious or divinatory use, perhaps for personal omens, magical consultations, or a mere curiosity, rather than its divinely appointed purpose for corporate worship and atonement. This transforms a sacred instrument into a tool for personal, potentially pagan, manipulation.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying":** This opening clause immediately establishes the king's absolute and illicit authority over religious matters, and the priest's alarming, immediate subservience. It highlights a critical reversal of roles: the king, not the priest, is dictating sacred religious practice, and Urijah, rather than upholding the Mosaic Law and challenging the king's ungodly decree, readily complies. This sets the stage for the profound perversion of worship that follows, demonstrating a dangerous erosion of spiritual authority and integrity.
* **"Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meat offering, and the king's burnt sacrifice, and his meat offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings":** This constitutes the core of Ahaz's sacrilege. He commands that all the regular, divinely prescribed daily and communal sacrifices—the morning and evening offerings (which were foundational to Israelite worship and atonement), as well as specific royal and popular offerings—be transferred from the legitimate bronze altar to the newly constructed, pagan-inspired "great altar." This act systematically desecrated the entire sacrificial system, rendering the offerings meaningless in God's sight, as they were performed on an unauthorized altar, symbolizing rebellion and syncretism rather than obedience and true worship.
* **"and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice":** This part of the command extends the perversion to the most sacred element of the sacrificial system: the blood. The sprinkling of blood was central to atonement and purification, symbolizing life offered to God as a means of covering sin (compare [Leviticus 17:11](/leviticus/17-11 "Leviticus 17:11 - The Life is in the Blood")). By commanding that this holy act be performed on the defiled "great altar," Ahaz further polluted the very means by which Israel was to draw near to God and receive forgiveness, effectively nullifying the spiritual efficacy of the rituals.
* **"and the brasen altar shall be for me to enquire [by].":** This final clause reveals Ahaz's ultimate contempt for God's design and his profound spiritual blindness. The bronze altar, divinely ordained for the most significant acts of national atonement and corporate worship, is stripped of its primary function. Instead, it is relegated to a personal, perhaps superstitious or divinatory, instrument for Ahaz's private "inquiry." This demotion is a profound act of disrespect, transforming a holy object into a mere curiosity or a tool for human manipulation, symbolizing Ahaz's complete disregard for God's revealed will and the sacredness of His sanctuary.

#### Literary Devices
The passage employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of spiritual decay and the king's audacious rebellion. **Irony** is profoundly evident, as the "great altar" built by Ahaz, intended to impress or perhaps appease foreign deities and secure political favor, ultimately becomes a symbol of Judah's spiritual diminishment and the king's profound unfaithfulness to Yahweh. The very acts of worship, divinely intended to bring the people closer to God and secure atonement, are perverted into acts of rebellion and idolatry. **Contrast** is also central, highlighting the stark difference between the divinely ordained bronze altar and the pagan-inspired "great altar," as well as the fundamental contrast between true, obedient worship and Ahaz's corrupted, self-serving rituals. This juxtaposition underscores the gravity of Ahaz's sin and the defilement of God's sanctuary. Furthermore, the narrative uses powerful **Symbolism**; the new altar symbolizes Ahaz's idolatry, his political alliances, and his spiritual apostasy, while the demoted bronze altar tragically symbolizes the rejection of God's covenant and the desecration of His holy sanctuary. Urijah the priest's immediate compliance, rather than courageous resistance, serves as a tragic symbol of compromised spiritual leadership and the pervasive moral decay within Judah.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The account of Ahaz's perversion of worship in [2 Kings 16:15](/2_kings/16-15 "2 Kings 16:15 - Ahaz's Command to Urijah") resonates deeply with the biblical emphasis on true worship and the profound dangers of idolatry and syncretism. God consistently demands exclusive devotion and worship conducted strictly according to His revealed will, not human invention, cultural trends, or political expediency. Ahaz's actions represent a direct and flagrant violation of the first two commandments—having no other gods before Yahweh and not making graven images or bowing down to them (see [Exodus 20:3-6](/exodus/20-3-6 "Exodus 20:3-6 - The First and Second Commandments")). His imposition of a foreign altar and the demotion of God's altar demonstrate a fundamental misunderstanding, indeed a contempt, for God's holiness, sovereignty, and His prescribed means of atonement. This episode serves as a powerful and enduring warning against spiritual syncretism, where elements of true faith are mixed with pagan practices, ultimately leading to apostasy, divine judgment, and the spiritual ruin of a nation. It underscores the timeless truth that God values obedience and a pure heart in worship far more than the mere performance of rituals, especially when those rituals are offered on defiled altars.

* [Deuteronomy 12:2-4](/deuteronomy/12-2-4 "Deuteronomy 12:2-4 - Destroying Idolatrous Places and Worshiping God Alone") - Commands Israel to utterly destroy pagan altars and places of worship, and to worship only where God chooses to put His name.
* [Jeremiah 7:30-31](/jeremiah/7-30-31 "Jeremiah 7:30-31 - Abominations in the Temple and Topheth") - Condemns Judah for setting up abominations in the very house of God and sacrificing their children, illustrating God's abhorrence of defiled worship and idolatry within His sanctuary.
* [Malachi 1:7-8](/malachi/1-7-8 "Malachi 1:7-8 - Defiled Offerings and Contempt for God's Name") - Critiques the priests for offering defiled and contemptible sacrifices, demonstrating that God rejects worship that is not offered with reverence, purity, and a sincere heart, regardless of the ritual itself.

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The narrative of King Ahaz and Urijah the priest in [2 Kings 16:15](/2_kings/16-15 "2 Kings 16:15 - Ahaz's Corrupt Worship") offers profound and sobering lessons for contemporary believers regarding the nature of true worship and the insidious perils of spiritual compromise. In a world that often prioritizes personal preference, cultural relevance, or political expediency over divine truth, this passage calls us to critically examine the foundations of our own faith and worship practices. Are we genuinely worshipping God on His terms, or are we subtly introducing "foreign altars" into our spiritual lives—whether they be worldly values, self-serving ambitions, human traditions, or even seemingly innocuous cultural trends that dilute the purity and exclusivity of our devotion to Christ? The complicity of Urijah, the priest entrusted with upholding God's law, serves as a stark reminder that spiritual leaders, and indeed all believers, have a solemn responsibility to courageously uphold God's truth, even when it is unpopular, inconvenient, or challenges established human authority. Authentic worship is not merely about performing rituals or attending services; it is fundamentally about a heart submitted to God's revealed will, seeking to honor Him in spirit and truth. This requires constant discernment to distinguish between genuine devotion and practices that, while appearing religious, may be rooted in human desire, cultural conformity, or even outright rebellion rather than divine command.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways might we, like Ahaz, be tempted to introduce "foreign altars" or human preferences into our worship practices or personal spiritual lives today?**
* **How can we ensure our worship, both individually and corporately, is truly "in spirit and truth" ([John 4:24](/john/4-24 "John 4:24 - Worship in Spirit and Truth")) and not merely a performance of rituals or a pursuit of personal comfort?**
* **What are the potential dangers of spiritual leaders compromising biblical truth for the sake of popularity, peace, institutional stability, or political favor?**
* **How does this passage challenge our understanding of obedience to God versus obedience to human authority, especially when those authorities issue commands that conflict with divine revelation?**

### FAQ
**What was the significance of the "great altar" Ahaz commanded to be built?**

Answer: The "great altar" was profoundly significant because it was not a divinely sanctioned structure but a deliberate replica of a pagan altar Ahaz had admired in Damascus. Its construction and mandated use symbolized Ahaz's profound spiritual rebellion, his adoption of foreign idolatrous practices, and his direct challenge to God's authority and the purity of worship in the Jerusalem Temple. By commanding all legitimate, divinely prescribed sacrifices to be offered on this new, unauthorized altar, Ahaz effectively defiled the entire sacrificial system and introduced a blatant element of syncretism into Israelite worship, which was strictly forbidden by God's law (e.g., [Deuteronomy 12:2-4](/deuteronomy/12-2-4 "Deuteronomy 12:2-4 - Destroying Idolatrous Places")). This act represented a national turning away from Yahweh.

**Why was Urijah the priest's compliance so problematic?**

Answer: Urijah's compliance was deeply problematic because, as a priest, he held a sacred office entrusted with upholding God's law, guarding the sanctity of the Temple, and mediating between God and the people. His primary duty was to ensure that worship was conducted precisely according to divine commands, not human whims, especially those that were idolatrous or rebellious. By readily obeying Ahaz's command to build and use the pagan altar and demote the bronze altar, Urijah failed in his sacred duty. He prioritized the king's decree and likely his own personal safety or position over God's explicit instructions, demonstrating a dangerous compromise of spiritual integrity and setting a terrible precedent for the people, effectively facilitating the king's apostasy and the defilement of the sanctuary (compare [Malachi 2:7-8](/malachi/2-7-8 "Malachi 2:7-8 - The Priest's Lips Should Preserve Knowledge")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The perversion of worship under King Ahaz, as meticulously detailed in [2 Kings 16:15](/2_kings/16-15 "2 Kings 16:15 - Ahaz's Corrupt Worship"), powerfully underscores humanity's inherent inability to approach a holy God on its own terms and highlights the desperate need for a perfect High Priest and a final, undefiled sacrifice. The Old Testament sacrificial system, with its divinely ordained altars and rituals, was always a shadow, pointing forward to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Ahaz's audacious attempt to replace God's altar with a human-designed one, and to pervert the very acts of atonement, demonstrates the utter futility of human efforts to bridge the gap with God through corrupted or unauthorized means. In stark contrast, Jesus Christ is the true and perfect [Lamb of God](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God") whose sacrifice was offered once for all on the ultimate "altar" of the cross—not a man-made structure, but a divine appointment and a cosmic event (see [Hebrews 9:26-28](/hebrews/9-26-28 "Hebrews 9:26-28 - Christ's Sacrifice Once for All")). He serves as our High Priest, not like Urijah who compromised, but one who is "holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens" ([Hebrews 7:26](/hebrews/7-26 "Hebrews 7:26 - Christ Our Perfect High Priest")). Through Christ, believers are invited to worship God "in spirit and truth" ([John 4:24](/john/4-24 "John 4:24 - Worship in Spirit and Truth")), no longer bound by physical altars or humanly devised rituals, but by the perfect and complete work of the Son, who has opened a new and living way to the Father ([Hebrews 10:19-20](/hebrews/10-19-20 "Hebrews 10:19-20 - Access Through Christ's Blood")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Exodus 29:39

The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even:

Exodus 29:41

And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

2 Chronicles 29:21

And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer [them] on the altar of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 29:24

And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded [that] the burnt offering and the sin offering [should be made] for all Israel.

2 Kings 18:4

He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.

1 Kings 8:64

The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court that [was] before the house of the LORD: for there he offered burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings: because the brasen altar that [was] before the LORD [was] too little to receive the burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.

2 Chronicles 29:32

And the number of the burnt offerings, which the congregation brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, an hundred rams, [and] two hundred lambs: all these [were] for a burnt offering to the LORD.