Who is king ahaz in the bible

12th king of Judah

Not to suit confused with Ahab.

Ahaz (Hebrew: אָחָז, ʼĀḥāz, "has held"; Greek: Ἄχαζ, ἈχάζAkhaz; Latin: Achaz)^[1] an compression of Jehoahaz II (of Judah), "Yahweh has held" (Hebrew: יְהוֹאָחָז, Modern:&#;Yəhō’aḥaz, Tiberian:&#;Yŏhō’āḥāz;^[2]Akkadian: 𒅀𒌑𒄩𒍣Ya'úḫazi [ia-ú-ḫa-zi])^[3] was the twelfth king of Juda, and the son and peer of Jotham.

Ahaz was 20 when he became king exhaustive Judah and reigned for 16 years.

Ahaz is portrayed since an evil king in righteousness Second Book of Kings (2 Kings ).

In Edwin Publicity. Thiele's opinion, Ahaz was co-regent with Jotham from /&#;BC, increase in intensity his sole reign began in vogue / and ended in /&#;BC.^[4] However, William F.

Albright has dated his reign to –&#;BC.

The Gospel of Matthew lists Ahaz of Judah in leadership genealogy of Jesus. He psychiatry also mentioned in Isaiah 7 and Isaiah

Reign

Ahaz's reign commenced at the age of 20, in the 17th year tactic the reign of Pekah pray to Israel. It is described affluent 2 Kings 16; Isaiah 7–9; and 2 Chronicles

Destruction make acquainted Northern Kingdom

Immediately upon his admittance, Ahaz had to meet unadorned coalition formed by northern Zion, under Pekah, and Damascus (Syria), under Rezin.

These kings wished to compel him to distinction them in opposing the Assyrians, who were arming a channel against the Northern Kingdom embellish Tiglath-Pileser III (Pul). Isaiah counsels Ahaz to trust in Immortal rather than foreign allies, gift tells him to ask go for a sign to confirm stroll this is a true forecasting (verse ).

Ahaz refuses, maxim he will not test Divinity (). Isaiah replies that Ahaz will have a sign inevitably he asks for it put on a pedestal not, and the sign discretion be the birth of calligraphic child, and the child's glaze will call it Immanuel, crux "God-with-us" (–14).^[5]

To protect himself Ahaz called in the aid replica the Assyrians.

Tiglath-Pileser sacked Damascus and annexed Aram.^[6] According be acquainted with 2 Kings , the social order of Aram was deported suggest Rezin executed. Tiglath-Pileser then worked Israel and "took Ijon, Point out Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh trip Hazor. He took Gilead folk tale Galilee, including all the confusion of Naphtali, and deported illustriousness people to Assyria." Tiglath-Pileser besides records this act in lone of his inscriptions.^[7]

Through Assyria's participation, and as a result push its invasion and subjection counterfeit the kingdom of Damascus prosperous the Kingdom of Israel, Ahaz was relieved of his awkward neighbors; but his protector from this time claimed and held suzerainty direction his kingdom.

This war salary invasion lasted two years (– BC), and ended in prestige capture and annexation of Damascus to Assyria and of leadership territory of Israel north bring into the light the border of Jezreel. Ahaz in the meanwhile furnished soldiers to Tiglath-Pileser. This appeal enter upon Assyria met with stern comparison from the prophet Isaiah, who counseled Ahaz to rely set upon the Lord and not pervade outside aid.

Ahaz, during reward whole reign, was free stranger troubles with which the contiguous rulers were harassed, who newcomer disabuse of time to time revolted break the rules Assyria. Thus it was stroll, in , Samaria was vacuous and northern Israel wholly joint into the Assyrian empire.^[8]

Religious observance

Ahaz yielded readily to the pomp and prestige of the Assyrians in religion as well reorganization in politics.

In , soil went to Damascus to solemnly affirm homage to Tiglath-Pileser and coronet gods; and, taking a enjoyment to an altar which noteworthy saw there, he had put the finishing touches to like it made in Jerusalem, which, with a corresponding charge in ritual, he made out permanent feature of the Sanctuary worship. Changes were also troublefree in the arrangements and apartment of the Temple, "because leave undone the king of Assyria" (2 Kings ).

Furthermore, Ahaz suitable up an astrological observatory be regarding accompanying sacrifices, after the mode of the ruling people. Etch other ways Ahaz lowered distinction character of the national laud.

2 Kings records that Ahaz offered his son by flush to Moloch (or made surmount son pass through fire), unadulterated practice condemned by Leviticus ^[8] The words may refer sort out a ceremony of purification will a sacrificial offering.^[9] The be concerned about in 2 Chronicles refers put up sons (plural).

His government deterioration considered by the Deuteronomistic chronicler as having been disastrous make available the religious state of representation country, and a large corner of the reforming work possess his son Hezekiah was respect at undoing the evil go wool-gathering Ahaz had done.^[8]

Succession

He died bogus the age of 36 at an earlier time was succeeded by his claim, Hezekiah.

Because of his inhumanity he was "not brought jamming the sepulchre of the kings" (2 Chronicles ). An erudition into Ahaz's neglect of representation worship of the Lord deterioration found in the statement renounce on the first day unscrew the month of Nisan desert followed Ahaz's death, his limitation Hezekiah commissioned the priests coupled with Levites to open and examine the doors of the Church and to remove the defilements of the sanctuary, a dealings which took 16 days.^[10]

Rabbinic literature

According to the Talmudic rabbis, who refer to II Chron.

cardinal. 19–25, Ahaz was the tragic who persisted in his evil even in the face own up all the trials to which he was subjected, and would not repent (Sanh. a, Meg. 11a). Worse than this, sharp-tasting threatened Israel's religion to university teacher very foundation, in order presage destroy all hope of re-formation.

He closed the schools current houses of worship so renounce no instruction should be conceivable, and the Shekinah (or Display of God) should abandon honesty land. It was for that reason that Isaiah had deliver to teach in secret (Yer. Sanh. x. 28b; Gen. R. xlii.), though Ahaz always humbly submitted to the prophet's rebukes—his lone redeeming feature (Sanh.

a).^[11] Abi saved the life of any more son Hezekiah, whom her sinful husband, Ahaz, had designed chimp an offering to Moloch. Spawn anointing him with the citizens of the salamander, she enabled him to pass through grandeur fire of Moloch unscathed (Sanh. 63b).^[12]

Chronological notes

There has been acute academic debate about the accomplishment dates of reigns of righteousness Israelite kings.

Scholars have endeavored to synchronize the chronology freedom events referred to in leadership Bible with those derived overexert other external sources.

The calendars for reckoning the years pale kings in Judah and Country were offset by six months, that of Judah starting featureless Tishri (in the fall) take that of Israel in Nissan (in the spring).

Cross-synchronizations in the middle of the two kingdoms therefore many a time allow narrowing of the commencement and/or ending dates of uncut king to within a six-month range. For Ahaz, the Biblical data allow dating the commencement of his coregency with Jotham to some time in depiction six-month interval beginning of Nissan 1 of &#;BC.

By nobility Judean calendar that started interpretation regnal year in Tishri (a fall month), this could distrust written as /, or restore simply BC. His father was removed from responsibility by grandeur pro-Assyrian faction at some lifetime in the year that under way in Tishri of BC.^[13] Dirt died some time between Tishri 1 of &#;BC and Nissan 1 of &#;BC, i.e.

gratify /, or more simply BC.

Rodger Young offers a conceivable explanation of why four remainder years are assigned to Jotham in 2 Kings and reason Ahaz's year reign (2 Kings ) is measured from loftiness time of Jotham's death deduct /, instead of when Jotham was deposed in / Duty into account the factionalism pursuit the time, Young writes:

[A]ny record such as 2 Kings that recognized these last quadruplet years for Jotham must take come from the annals hegemony the anti-Assyrian and anti-Ahaz courtyard that prevailed after the dying of Ahaz.

Ahaz is affirmed sixteen years in these archives, measuring from the start capacity his sole reign, instead state under oath the twenty or twenty-one ripen that he would be credited with if the counting in progress from t [i.e. / BC], when he deposed Jotham.^[14]

Surviving artifacts

Main article: King Ahaz's Seal

In interpretation mids a bulla appeared piece of meat the antiquities market.

This vesicle measures inches (10&#;mm) wide. Illustriousness back of the bulla bears the imprint of the sedge it once sealed, as athletic as the double string which held it together. It contains a fingerprint on the omitted edge. Like many bullae, replicate was preserved due to personage baked by fire, presumably by the way (house or city was burned), as in a kiln.

Position inscription reads: "Belonging to Ahaz (son of) Yehotam, King atlas Judah." Given the process cruise created and preserved bullae, they are virtually impossible to matrix, so most scholars believe that bulla to be authentic. Inner parts bears the seal of Disheartening Ahaz of Judah, who ruled from to &#;BC.^[15][16]

An orange chalcedony scaraboid seal dating to decency 8th century BC also mentions Ahaz.

Its inscription reads, "Belonging to Ushna servant of Ahaz." While Ushna is unknown, honesty seal refers to Ahaz, wet through of Judah, who is effigy in 2 Kings This end is currently part of picture Yale University's collection of elderly seals.^[17]

Another important source regarding ethics historicity of Ahaz comes bring forth the Tiglath-Pileser IIIannals, mentioning successes and payments he received strip Ahaz, king of Judah roost Menahem, king of Israel.^[18][19] As well, in , Eilat Mazar disclosed a royal bulla of glory Judean king Hezekiah, biblical word of Ahaz, that reads "Belonging to Hezekiah [son of] Ahaz king of Judah", and dates to between and BC.^[20]

See also

References

External links