Assyria to help him. 17For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away [1]captives. 18The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland, and of the South of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, and Aijalon, and Gederoth, and Soco with the [2]towns thereof, and Timnah with the [2]towns thereof, Gimzo also and the [2]towns thereof: and they dwelt there. 19For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he had [3]dealt wantonly in Judah, and trespassed sore against the LORD. 20And Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came [4]unto him, and distressed him, but [5]strengthened him not. 21For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the LORD, and out of the house of the king and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but it helped him not. 22And in the time [6]of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD, this same king Ahaz. 23For he sacrificed unto the gods of
18. had invaded] Rather, raided.
the lowland] Heb. Shephēlāh. Cp. i. 15 (note).
Beth-shemesh] Cp. 1 Chr. vi. 59 [44, Heb.], note.
Aijalon] Cp. xi. 10.
Gederoth] Jos. xv. 41.
Soco] Cp. xi. 7.
Timnah] Jos. xv. 10; Judg. xiv. 1 ff.
Gimzo] The modern Jimzu S.E. of Lydda, Bädeker, Pal.5, p. 18. The place is not mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament.
19. king of Israel] Cp. xi. 3 (note).
he had dealt wantonly] mg. "cast away restraint." Cp. Ex. xxxii. 25 (A.V. and R.V.) where the same Heb. verb is twice used.
20. Tilgath-pilneser] i.e. Tiglath-pileser IV. Cp. 1 Chr. v. 6 (note).
came . . . him not] Tiglath-pileser, invoked as an ally, is here represented as having come as an unscrupulous oppressor, accepting the bribe and not fulfilling the task for which he was paid by Ahaz (ver. 21). But neither 2 Kin. nor the Assyrian records relate that Tiglath-pileser thus came into Judah; and it must be remarked that the Heb. text in this verse does not inspire confidence. Any interpretation is accordingly rendered uncertain.
22—25 (cp. 2 Kin. xvi. 10—18). Apostasy of Ahaz.
23. the gods of Damascus] In 2 Kin. the statement is merely that Ahaz made a copy of an altar which he saw at Damascus, and sacrificed
