מלכים ב, פרק ט״ז, פסוק י״א

King Ahaz's command to build a replica of a foreign altar in Jerusalem is carried out with surprising speed and precision by Uriah the priest. After seeing an altar in Damascus, the king sent its exact design back home, and Uriah followed the instructions perfectly. He made sure to build the new altar according to every drawing and precise detail that had been sent to him [מצודת דוד].

The construction was completed entirely before the king even returned from his trip. Ahaz's letter had reached Jerusalem swiftly, and Uriah finished the work while the king was still traveling back from Damascus. As a result, the altar was fully built and ready the moment the king arrived.

However, the priest's quick work is viewed as a profound failure. Instead of rushing, Uriah should have intentionally delayed the construction. By waiting for the king to return, the priest would have had the opportunity to speak with him and attempt to change his mind. He could have explained that it is entirely wrong to push aside God's proper altar in favor of a foreign design.

It is possible that reasonable words and a true reverence for God might have led Ahaz to regret his plan. Even if the king had stubbornly insisted on moving forward, the sin of building the foreign altar would have rested solely on his own shoulders. Instead, Uriah chose to hurry and even beautify the new altar, ensuring that the king could offer sacrifices on it immediately upon his return [חומת אנך].