2 Kings 15

Azariah’s Reign over Judah

15:1 In the twenty-seventh year of King Jeroboam’s reign over Israel, Amaziah’s son Azariah became king over Judah. 15:2 He was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem.¹ His mother’s name was Jecholiah, who was from Jerusalem. 15:3 He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Amaziah had done.² 15:4 But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. 15:5 The Lord afflicted the king with an illness; he suffered from a skin disease³ until the day he died. He lived in separate quarters,⁴ while his son Jotham was in charge of the palace and ruled over the people of the land.

15:6 The rest of the events of Azariah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah.⁵ 15:7 Azariah passed away⁶ and was buried⁷ with his ancestors in the city of David. His son Jotham replaced him as king.

Zechariah’s Reign over Israel

15:8 In the thirty-eighth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Jeroboam’s son Zechariah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria⁸ for six months. 15:9 He did evil in the sight of⁹ the Lord, as his ancestors had done. He did not repudiate¹⁰ the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 15:10 Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against him; he assassinated him in Ibleam¹¹ and took his place as king. 15:11 The rest of the events of Zechariah’s reign are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.¹² 15:12 His assassination brought to fulfillment the Lord’s word to Jehu,¹³ “Four generations of your descendants will rule over Israel.”¹⁴ That is exactly what happened.¹⁵

15:13 Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of King Uzziah’s¹⁶ reign over Judah. He reigned for one month¹⁷ in Samaria. 15:14 Menahem son of Gadi went up from Tirzah to¹⁸ Samaria and attacked Shallum son of Jabesh.¹⁹ He killed him and took his place as king. 15:15 The rest of the events of Shallum’s reign, including the conspiracy he organized, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.²⁰ 15:16 At that time Menahem came from Tirzah and attacked Tiphsah. He struck down all who lived in the city and the surrounding territory, because they would not surrender.²¹ He even ripped open the pregnant women.

Menahem’s Reign over Israel

15:17 In the thirty-ninth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel. He reigned for twelve years in Samaria.²² 15:18 He did evil in the sight of²³ the Lord; he did not repudiate²⁴ the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin.²⁵

During his reign, 15:19 Pul²⁶ king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem paid²⁷ him²⁸ a thousand talents²⁹ of silver to gain his support³⁰ and to solidify his control of the kingdom.³¹ 15:20 Menahem got this silver by taxing all the wealthy men in Israel; he took fifty shekels of silver from each one of them and paid it to the king of Assyria.³² Then the king of Assyria left; he did not stay there in the land.

15:21 The rest of the events of Menahem’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.³³ 15:22 Menahem passed away³⁴ and his son Pekahiah replaced him as king.

Pekahiah’s Reign over Israel

15:23 In the fiftieth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Menahem’s son Pekahiah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria³⁵ for two years. 15:24 He did evil in the sight of³⁶ the Lord; he did not repudiate³⁷ the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 15:25 His officer Pekah son of Remaliah conspired against him. He and fifty Gileadites assassinated Pekahiah, as well as Argob and Arieh, in Samaria in the fortress of the royal palace.³⁸ Pekah then took his place as king.

15:26 The rest of the events of Pekahiah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.³⁹

Pekah’s Reign over Israel

15:27 In the fifty-second year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria⁴⁰ for twenty years. 15:28 He did evil in the sight of⁴¹ the Lord; he did not repudiate⁴² the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 15:29 During Pekah’s reign over Israel, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor,⁴³ Gilead, and Galilee, including all the territory of Naphtali. He deported the people⁴⁴ to Assyria. 15:30 Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah. He assassinated him⁴⁵ and took his place as king, in the twentieth year of the reign of Jotham son of Uzziah.

15:31 The rest of the events of Pekah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.⁴⁶

Jotham’s Reign over Judah

15:32 In the second year of the reign of Israel’s King Pekah son of Remaliah, Uzziah’s son Jotham became king over Judah. 15:33 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem.⁴⁷ His mother was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. 15:34 He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Uzziah had done.⁴⁸ 15:35 But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. He built the Upper Gate to the Lord’s temple.

15:36 The rest of the events of Jotham’s reign, including his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah.⁴⁹ 15:37 In those days the Lord prompted King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah to attack Judah.⁵⁰ 15:38 Jotham passed away⁵¹ and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor David. His son Ahaz replaced him as king.

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