1map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
2tnHeb “and he did not do what was proper in the eyes of the Lord his God, like David his father.”
3tnHeb “he walked in the way of.”
4sn This may refer to child sacrifice, though some interpret it as a less drastic cultic practice. For discussion see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 266-67.
5tnHeb “like the abominable practices of the nations.”
6tnHeb “went up to Jerusalem for battle.”
7tn That is, Jerusalem, Ahaz’s capital city.
8tnHeb “they were unable to fight.” The object must be supplied from the preceding sentence. Elsewhere when the Niphal infinitive of לָחָם (lakham) follows the verb יָכֹל (yakhol), the infinitive appears to have the force of “prevail against.” See Num 22:11; 1 Sam 17:9; and the parallel passage in Isa 7:1.
9tc Some prefer to read “the king of Edom” and “for Edom” here. The names Syria (Heb “Aram,” אֲרָם, ’aram) and Edom (אֱדֹם, ’edom) are easily confused in the Hebrew consonantal script.
10tnHeb “from Elat.”
11tc The consonantal text (Kethib), supported by many medieval Hebrew mss, the Syriac version, and some mss of the Targum and Vulgate, read “Syrians” (Heb “Arameans”). The marginal reading (Qere), supported by the LXX, Targums, and Vulgate, reads “Edomites.”
12tnHeb “son.” Both terms (“servant” and “son”) reflect Ahaz’s subordinate position as Tiglath-pileser’s subject.
13tnHeb “hand, palm.”
14tnHeb “who have arisen against.”
15tnHeb “that was found.”
16tn Or “bribe money.”
17tnHeb “listened to him.”
18tnHeb “the king of Assyria.”
19tnHeb “it.”
20tnHeb “in Damascus.”
21tnHeb “the likeness of the altar and its pattern for all its work.”
22tnHeb “according to all that King Ahaz sent from Damascus.”
23tnHeb “so Uriah the priest did, until the arrival of King Ahaz from Damascus.”
24tnHeb “and the king.”
25tnHeb “the altar.”
26tn Or “ascended it.”
27tn The word “new” is added in the translation for clarification.
28tn That is, the newly constructed altar.
29tnHeb “for me to seek.” The precise meaning of בָּקַר (baqar), “seek,” is uncertain in this context. For discussion see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 189.
30tnHeb “according to all which.”
31sn See the note at 1 Kgs 7:23.
32tnHeb “that [were] under it.”
33tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term מוּסַךְ (musakh; Qere) / מִיסַךְ (misakh; Kethib) is uncertain. For discussion see HALOT 557 s.v. מוּסַךְ and M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 189-90.
34tnHeb “that they built.”
35sn It is doubtful that Tiglath-pileser ordered these architectural changes. Ahaz probably made these changes so he could send some of the items and materials to the Assyrian king as tribute. See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 190, 193.
36tnHeb “As for the rest of the events of Ahaz, and that which he did, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah?”