2 Chronicles 28:20
New International Version
Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came to him, but he gave him trouble instead of help.

New Living Translation
So when King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria arrived, he attacked Ahaz instead of helping him.

English Standard Version
So Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him.

Berean Standard Bible
Then Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came to Ahaz but afflicted him rather than strengthening him.

King James Bible
And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.

New King James Version
Also Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came to him and distressed him, and did not assist him.

New American Standard Bible
So Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him.

NASB 1995
So Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him.

NASB 1977
So Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him.

Legacy Standard Bible
So Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and distressed him instead of strengthening him.

Amplified Bible
So Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and harassed him instead of strengthening and supporting him.

Christian Standard Bible
Then King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came against Ahaz; he oppressed him and did not give him support.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came against Ahaz; he oppressed him and did not give him support.

American Standard Version
And Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.

Contemporary English Version
So Tiglath Pileser came to Judah, but instead of helping, he made things worse.

English Revised Version
And Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
King Tillegath Pilneser of Assyria attacked Ahaz. Instead of strengthening Ahaz, Tillegath Pilneser made trouble for him.

Good News Translation
The Assyrian emperor, instead of helping Ahaz, opposed him and caused him trouble.

International Standard Version
King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria attacked Ahaz and, instead of helping him, attacked him.

Majority Standard Bible
Then Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came to Ahaz but afflicted him rather than strengthening him.

NET Bible
King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came, but he gave him more trouble than support.

New Heart English Bible
Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria came to him, and distressed him, but did not strengthen him.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came to him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.

World English Bible
Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came to him and gave him trouble, but didn’t strengthen him.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Tilgath-Pilneser king of Asshur comes to him, and does distress him, and has not strengthened him,

Young's Literal Translation
And Tilgath-Pilneser king of Asshur cometh in unto him, and doth distress him, and hath not strengthened him,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Tilgath-Pileser king of Assur, will come to him and he will press upon him, and he strengthened him not.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he brought, against him Thelgathphalnasar king of the Assyrians, who also afflicted him, and plundered him without any resistance.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he led against him Tilgath-pilneser, the king of the Assyrians, who also afflicted him and laid waste to him, without resistance.

New American Bible
Tilgath-pilneser, king of Assyria, did indeed come to him, but to oppress him rather than to lend strength.

New Revised Standard Version
So King Tilgath-pilneser of Assyria came against him, and oppressed him instead of strengthening him.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Tiglath-pilezer king of Assyria came against him, and encamped against him and distressed him greatly.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And TeglathPalsar King of Assyria came against him, and he encamped against him and he inflicted great suffering on him.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Tillegath-pilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And there came against him Thalgaphellasar king of Assyria, and he afflicted him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Idolatry of Ahaz
19For the LORD humbled Judah because Ahaz king of Israel had thrown off restraint in Judah and had been most unfaithful to the LORD. 20 Then Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came to Ahaz but afflicted him rather than strengthening him. 21Although Ahaz had taken a portion from the house of the LORD, from the royal palace, and from the princes and had presented it to the king of Assyria, it did not help him.…

Cross References
2 Kings 16:7-9
So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me from the hands of the kings of Aram and Israel, who are rising up against me.” / Ahaz also took the silver and gold found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king’s palace, and he sent it as a gift to the king of Assyria. / So the king of Assyria responded to him, marched up to Damascus, and captured it. He took its people to Kir as captives and put Rezin to death.

Isaiah 7:1-9
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. / When it was reported to the house of David that Aram was in league with Ephraim, the hearts of Ahaz and his people trembled like trees in the forest shaken by the wind. / Then the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out with your son Shear-jashub to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct that feeds the upper pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field, ...

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.

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

Isaiah 8:4
For before the boy knows how to cry ‘Father’ or ‘Mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria.”

Hosea 5:13
When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah his wound, then Ephraim turned to Assyria and sent to the great king. But he cannot cure you or heal your wound.

Hosea 8:9-10
For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey on its own. Ephraim has hired lovers. / Though they hire allies among the nations, I will now round them up, and they will begin to diminish under the oppression of the king of princes.

2 Kings 18:7
And the LORD was with Hezekiah, and he prospered wherever he went. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and refused to serve him.

2 Kings 18:21
Look now, you are trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff that will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.

Isaiah 30:1-5
“Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD, “to those who carry out a plan that is not Mine, who form an alliance, but against My will, heaping up sin upon sin. / They set out to go down to Egypt without asking My advice, to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shade. / But Pharaoh’s protection will become your shame, and the refuge of Egypt’s shade your disgrace. ...

Isaiah 31:1
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in their abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD.

Jeremiah 2:36-37
How impulsive you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be disappointed by Egypt just as you were by Assyria. / Moreover, you will leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not prosper by their help.”

Ezekiel 16:26-29
You prostituted yourself with your lustful neighbors, the Egyptians, and increased your promiscuity to provoke Me to anger. / Therefore I stretched out My hand against you and reduced your portion. I gave you over to the desire of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed of your lewd conduct. / Then you prostituted yourself with the Assyrians, because you were not yet satisfied. Even after that, you were still not satisfied. ...

Matthew 23:37-39
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! / Look, your house is left to you desolate. / For I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

Luke 13:34-35
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! / Look, your house is left to you desolate. And I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”


Treasury of Scripture

And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came to him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.

A.

2 Kings 15:29
In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.

2 Kings 16:7-10
So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy 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, which rise up against me…

Tiglath-pilsesr

1 Chronicles 5:26
And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day.

Hosea 5:13
When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.

distressed him

2 Kings 17:5
Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.

Isaiah 7:20
In the same day shall the Lord shave with a rasor that is hired, namely, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard.

Isaiah 30:3,16
Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion…

Jump to Previous
Afflicted Asshur Assyria Cause Distress Distressed Help Instead Pilneser Strength Strengthen Strengthened Strengthening Support Tiglath-Pileser Tilgath Tilgathpilneser Tilgath-Pilneser Til'gath-Pilne'ser Tillegath-Pilneser Trouble Troubled
Jump to Next
Afflicted Asshur Assyria Cause Distress Distressed Help Instead Pilneser Strength Strengthen Strengthened Strengthening Support Tiglath-Pileser Tilgath Tilgathpilneser Tilgath-Pilneser Til'gath-Pilne'ser Tillegath-Pilneser Trouble Troubled
2 Chronicles 28
1. Ahaz, reigning wickedly, is greatly afflicted by the Syrians.
6. Judah, being captivated by the Israelites, is sent home by the counsel of Oded.
16. Ahaz sending for aid to Assyria, is not helped thereby,
22. In his distress he grows more idolatrous
26. He dying, Hezekiah succeeds him














Then Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria
The mention of Tiglath-pileser III, a prominent Assyrian king, is significant in understanding the geopolitical landscape of the 8th century BC. His reign marked the expansion of the Assyrian Empire, and he was known for his military prowess and administrative reforms. In the Hebrew text, his name is "Tiglath-pileser," which reflects his historical identity as a powerful ruler. This highlights the desperation of King Ahaz of Judah, who sought help from a foreign power rather than relying on God. The historical context underscores the futility of seeking alliances with pagan nations, a recurring theme in the Old Testament.

came to him
This phrase indicates the physical arrival of Tiglath-pileser to King Ahaz. In the broader scriptural context, it symbolizes the consequences of Ahaz's lack of faith. Instead of turning to God, Ahaz turned to a foreign king, which is a direct violation of the covenantal relationship between God and Israel. The Hebrew verb used here can also imply an aggressive or forceful approach, suggesting that Tiglath-pileser's arrival was not entirely welcome or beneficial.

but he brought him distress
The word "distress" in Hebrew is "tsarah," which conveys a sense of trouble, adversity, or anguish. This is a pivotal moment in the narrative, as it reveals the outcome of Ahaz's misplaced trust. Instead of receiving the help he anticipated, Ahaz found himself in a worse situation. This serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of relying on human strength and wisdom over divine guidance. Theologically, it reflects the principle that turning away from God leads to turmoil and hardship.

instead of strength
The contrast between "distress" and "strength" is stark. The Hebrew word for "strength" is "oz," which often denotes might, power, or security. Ahaz's expectation was that an alliance with Assyria would fortify his kingdom against threats. However, the outcome was the opposite, illustrating the biblical truth that true strength and security come from God alone. This phrase serves as a reminder of the futility of seeking strength outside of God's provision and the inevitable disappointment that follows.

(20) Tilgath-pilneser (Heb., Pilne'eser). In 2 Kings more correctly called Tiglath-pileser (Pil'eser). (See Note on 1Chronicles 5:26.) According to the As syrian Eponym Canon, Tiglath-pileser II. came to the throne B.C. 745, and marched westward against Damascus and Israel, B.C. 734. The importance of these dates for the chronology of the period is obvious.

Came unto him.--Comp. the more detailed narrative in 2Kings 16:7-10; and see Note on 2Chronicles 28:16. Tiglath was induced by the message and present of Ahaz to undertake a campaign in the west; he captured Damascus, slew Rezin, and transported the population of the city to Kir (Kings, l.c.). After this, "king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria" (2Kings 16:10). The chronicler in the words before us, is estimating the results of this expedition as they affected the interests of Judah. At the prayer of Ahaz the Assyrian had indeed "come to him"; but not with any purpose of strengthening the southern kingdom. Glad of a pretext for interference in the affairs of the west, the ambitious usurper was simply bent on the extension of his own empire; and when the more powerful states of Syria and Israel lay at his feet, he naturally proceeded to require a most unequivocal acknowledgment of vassalage from Ahaz. He thus "distressed" or oppressed him by reducing his kingdom to a mere dependency of Assyria, besides impoverishing him of all his treasure, which Ahaz had sent as the price of this ruinous help.

Distressed him, but strengthened him not.--This is correct. A possible rendering is: "and besieged him, and conquered him not"; but the context is against it. (The word chazaq, "strengthened," everywhere else means to be strong, or, to prevail. LXX. omits the last words, rendering the whole ??? ???????? ?????. Syriac and Arabic, "besieged him." The Vulg. has: "et afflixit eum, et nullo resistente vastavit." That Judah now became tributary to Assyria is evident from 2Kings 18:7; 2Kings 18:14; 2Kings 18:20. . . .

Verse 20. - Tilgath-Pilneser (see 1 Chronicles 5:6, 26; 2 Kings 15:29; 2 Kings 16:10, our parallel. See our notes in full on 1 Chronicles 5:6, 26). Gesenius dates his reign as King of Assyria as B.C. 753-734; others as about B.C. 747-728. Distressed him, but strengthened him not. This is in our writer's usual deeper moral and religious vein, and was no doubt most true. For all Ahaz paid and bribed out of the sacrilegiously employed treasure of the temple, out of the depreciating and partial dismantling of "the house of the king," and out of the begged contributions or taxes extortionately wrung "of the princes" (see the succinct account of next verse, and compare the parallel in its vers. 8, 18), he bought a master for himself, servitude, tributariness, and the humiliation of disgrace itself. The temporary relief he obtained (and which the writer of Chronicles in no way means to deny) from one enemy rivetted round his neck the yoke of another and greater. And worse than this, he secured in his own heart the greatest adversary of all - a restless, implacable foe, which ever goaded him on to worse folly and deeper sin.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then Tiglath-pileser
פִּלְנְאֶ֖סֶר (pil·nə·’e·ser)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8407: Tiglath-pileser -- an Assyrian king

king
מֶ֣לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Assyria
אַשּׁ֑וּר (’aš·šūr)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 804: Ashshur

came
וַיָּבֹ֣א (way·yā·ḇō)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to Ahaz
עָלָ֔יו (‘ā·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

but afflicted
וַיָּ֥צַר (way·yā·ṣar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6696: To confine, bind, besiege

him
ל֖וֹ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

rather than
וְלֹ֥א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

strengthening him.
חֲזָקֽוֹ׃ (ḥă·zā·qōw)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2388: To fasten upon, to seize, be strong, obstinate, to bind, restrain, conquer


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OT History: 2 Chronicles 28:20 Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria came to (2 Chron. 2Ch iiCh ii ch 2 chr 2chr)
2 Chronicles 28:19
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