Rashi on the Former Prophets

He exiled [it's people] to Kir. The people therein he exiled to a province named Kir.

Before [king Achaz] came. [He built the altar] before the king came from Damesek.

And the Copper Altar … he brought, etc. It is impossible to say that this was the Copper Altar that Moshe made, because it was hidden. It is also impossible to say that his was the stone altar that Shlomo made, and he called it the “Copper Altar,” because it was impossible to move it from one corner to another without taking it apart, but we learned that the fire that descended in Shlomo's time, did not leave the altar until Menashe came and removed it, for he demolished the altar, as we find in the Aggadah of [the chapter entitled] “Cheilek.” I have no way to explain this “[copper] altar” except as [referring to] the basin and the bases of copper, which were accessories of the altar and were near the holy altar. Now, when Achaz made the altar for the idols, he removed the basin and moved it to another side, [farther] away from the Temple, so as not to intervene between the altar he made and the Temple of Adonoy, and he placed it next to the holy altar on the north. We find that our Rabbis explained a passage in a similar manner, ”And they came and stood next to the Copper Altar.” Did the Copper Altar exist? He said to them, ”Begin from the place where they recite songs before Me.” Thus we see here that copper musical instruments are referred to as a “[copper] altar.”

To visit. At intervals, when it enters my mind to visit it.

The frames of the bases. The rows upon which the bases were made, as it is stated, ”The bases were made in the following manner: They had frames … ”

The canopy for Shabbos. The roof of a tent made for shade, that had served during the week, would stay until after Shabbos. That too he removed.—Radak to sit under it in the [Temple] courtyard on Shabbos.
And the king's … entrance. [The entrance] through which he would come, from his house to the Beis [Hamikdosh] of Adonoy through the outside, he changed to a concealed place because of the king of Ashur, so that he would not covet those vessels, and he also changed the entrance, in case he would have to hide and secretly escape.