In those days the Lord began to send against Judah Rezin, etc. It is evident from the position of this verse at the close of the account of Jotham, that the incursions of the allied Syrians and Israelites into Judah under the command of Rezin and Pekah commenced in the closing years of Jotham, so that these foes appeared before Jerusalem at the very beginning of the reign of Ahaz. - It is true that the Syrians had been subjugated by Jeroboam II((2 Kings 14:28); but in the anarchical condition of the Israelitish kingdom after his death, they had no doubt recovered their independence. They must also have been overcome by the Assyrians under Pul, for he could never have marched against Israel without having first of all conquered Syria. But as the power of the Assyrians was greatly weakened for a time by the falling away of the Medes and Babylonians, the Syrians had taken advantage of this weakness to refuse the payment of tribute to Assyria, and had formed an alliance with Pekah of Israel to conquer Judah, and thereby to strengthen their power so as to be able to offer a successful resistance to any attack from the side of the Euphrates. - But as 2 Kings 16:6. and 2 Kings 17 show, it was otherwise decreed in the counsels of the Lord.

2 Kings 16:5 Parallel Commentaries

A.M.

3262 B.C.

742
Rezin

2 Kings 15:37 In those days the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.

2 Chronicles 28:5-15 Why the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him...

Isaiah 7:1,2 And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria...

but could not

1 Kings 11:36 And to his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light always before me in Jerusalem...

1 Kings 15:4 Nevertheless for David's sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him...

Isaiah 7:4-6,14 And say to him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands...

Isaiah 8:6,9,10 For as much as this people refuses the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son...

Isaiah 9:6,7 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given: and the government shall be on his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful...