2 Kings 16
1 Chronicles 16 is a chapter about worship in which David holds an offering of thanks and praise to God after bringing the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. The chapter can be divided into three main parts. First (verses 1–6) depicts David assigning roles of worship to the Levites and priests after bringing the ark, second (verses 7–36) consists of the songs of praise and thanks David sings to God together with the people, and third (verses 37–43) is made up of the continuing service of the Levites after the worship and David’s return home.
1verseIn the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.
2verseAhaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He didn’t do that which was right in the LORD his God’s eyes, like David his father.
3verseBut he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and even made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel.
4verseHe sacrificed and burned incense in the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
5verseThen Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war. They besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him.
6verseAt that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drove the Jews from Elath; and the Syrians came to Elath, and live there to this day.
7verseSo Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria and out of the hand of the king of Israel, who rise up against me.”
8verseAhaz took the silver and gold that was found in the LORD’s house, and in the treasures of the king’s house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria.
9verseThe king of Assyria listened to him; and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus and took it, and carried its people captive to Kir, and killed Rezin.
10verseKing Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria, and saw the altar that was at Damascus; and King Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest a drawing of the altar and plans to build it.
11verseUrijah the priest built an altar. According to all that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus, so Urijah the priest made it for the coming of King Ahaz from Damascus.
12verseWhen the king had come from Damascus, the king saw the altar; and the king came near to the altar, and offered on it.
13verseHe burned his burnt offering and his meal offering, poured his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings on the altar.
14verseThe bronze altar, which was before the LORD, he brought from the front of the house, from between his altar and the LORD’s house, and put it on the north side of his altar.
15verseKing Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, “On the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, the evening meal offering, the king’s burnt offering and his meal offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, their meal offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle on it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice; but the bronze altar will be for me to inquire by.”
16verseUrijah the priest did so, according to all that King Ahaz commanded.
17verseKing Ahaz cut off the panels of the bases, and removed the basin from off them, and took down the sea from off the bronze oxen that were under it, and put it on a pavement of stone.
18verseHe removed the covered way for the Sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king’s outer entrance to the LORD’s house, because of the king of Assyria.
19verseNow the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
20verseAhaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in David’s city; and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.
The Centrality of the Ark of the Covenant and Worship (16:1-6)
David and all Israel finally bring God’s ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. At this time, sacrifices (burnt offerings and peace offerings) are presented, and David proclaims blessings to the entire people while distributing food. By appointing among the Levites those responsible for worship and praise, we can see how the order and center of the worship community becomes established.
A Song of Thanks and Praise (16:7-36)
In this section, David assigns to Asaph and his brothers the task of offering a song of praise to God. The song’s content is as follows: it begins by thanking God (verses 8–14), then recalls the history of salvation (verses 15–22), proclaims that the whole world will praise the Lord God (verses 23–33), and finally concludes with a doxology that exalts God once again and asks for blessings on the people (verses 34–36). The song is connected to Psalms 105, 96, and 106, leading us to deeply reflect on who God is and how faithful the covenant God made with Israel is.
Worship in Practice and Ongoing Service (16:37-43)
After the worship is completed, David instructs the Levites and priests to serve God according to their respective roles. In Jerusalem, praise and thanks continue, and in Gibeon, the offerings continue as well. Even David himself wraps things up impressively by returning home and blessing his family, showing that the emotion of worship extends into everyday life.
Points to Reflect On
- True worship: In the worship posture of David and the people of Israel, we can think about genuine thanks and praise offered to God.
- Order in the community: You can reflect on what meaning establishing each person’s roles and order in worship, praise, and service has for today’s faith community.
Try Applying It to Me
- What kind of thanks and praise can I offer to God in my daily life? Think about it, and you can practice a life of giving thanks starting with small things.
- Within the community, my role is to carry it out faithfully, and you can also reflect on whether worship and service naturally continue within your life.
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