Bible Strands
2 Chronicles 28:16
At that time King Ahaz sent for help from the king of Assyria.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The chronicler records King Ahaz’s decision during a period of active military pressure from Aram and Israel. This action occurs immediately after Judah’s former captors return their people and before Edomites launch another raid.
The words — The Hebrew verb שָׁלַח (sha.Lach) literally means “he sent,” combined with עַל־ ('al-) to indicate direction toward the Assyrian monarch. The temporal phrase בָּ/עֵת הַ/הִ֗יא (ba./'Et ha./Hi') anchors the event to a specific, urgent moment in the narrative.
The thread — This diplomatic maneuver parallels the siege described in 2 Kings 16:5 and echoes the prophetic warning in Isaiah 7:17 regarding impending judgment on Ahaz’s house.
Why it lands — The text states that Ahaz initiated contact with Assyrian leadership for military assistance. A reader must confront the practical reality that substituting foreign alliances for divine protection alters the course of national survival.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him.
Cross-references
- 2 Kings 16:5 Then Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to wage war against Jerusalem. They besieged Ahaz but could not overcome him.
- Isaiah 7:17 The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since the day Ephraim separated from Judah—He will bring the king of Assyria.”
- Isaiah 7:1 Now in the days that Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, Rezin king of Aram marched up to wage war against Jerusalem. He was accompanied by Pekah son of Remaliah the king of Israel, but he could not overpower the city.