Azariah’s Reign over Judah

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

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.^{[d] 7} Azariah passed away^[e] and was buried^[f] with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Jotham replaced him as king.

Zechariah’s Reign over Israel

⁸ In the thirty-eighth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Jeroboam’s son Zechariah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for six months. ⁹ He did evil in the sight of^[g] the Lord, as his ancestors had done. He did not repudiate^[h] the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. ¹⁰ Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against him; he assassinated him in Ibleam^[i] and took his place as king. ¹¹ The rest of the events of Zechariah’s reign are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.^{[j] 12} His assassination fulfilled^[k] the Lord’s message to Jehu, “Four generations of your descendants will rule on Israel’s throne.”^[l] And that is how it happened.

¹³ Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of King Uzziah’s^[m] reign over Judah. He reigned for one month^[n] in Samaria. ¹⁴ Menahem son of Gadi went up from Tirzah to^[o] Samaria and attacked Shallum son of Jabesh.^[p] He killed him and took his place as king. 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.^{[q] 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.^[r] He even ripped open the pregnant women.

Menahem’s Reign over Israel

¹⁷ In the thirty-ninth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel. He reigned for ten years in Samaria. ¹⁸ He did evil in the sight of^[s] the Lord; he did not repudiate^[t] the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who encouraged Israel to sin.^[u]

During his reign, ¹⁹ Pul^[v] king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem paid^[w] him^[x] 1,000 talents^[y] of silver to gain his support^[z] and to solidify his control of the kingdom.^{[aa] 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.^[ab] Then the king of Assyria left; he did not stay there in the land.

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.^{[ac] 22} Menahem passed away^[ad] and his son Pekahiah replaced him as king.

Pekahiah’s Reign over Israel

²³ In the fiftieth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Menahem’s son Pekahiah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for two years. ²⁴ He did evil in the sight of^[ae] the Lord; he did not repudiate^[af] the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 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.^[ag] Pekah^[ah] then took his place as king.

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.^[ai]

Pekah’s Reign over Israel

²⁷ In the fifty-second year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for twenty years. ²⁸ He did evil in the sight of^[aj] the Lord; he did not repudiate^[ak] the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. ²⁹ During Pekah’s reign over Israel, King Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, including all the territory of Naphtali. He deported the people^[al] to Assyria. ³⁰ Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah. He assassinated him^[am] and took his place as king, in the twentieth year of the reign of Jotham son of Uzziah.

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.^[an]

Jotham’s Reign over Judah

³² In the second year of the reign of Israel’s King Pekah son of Remaliah, Uzziah’s son Jotham became king over Judah. ³³ He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. ³⁴ He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Uzziah had done.^{[ao] 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.

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.^{[ap] 37} In those days the Lord prompted King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah to attack Judah.^{[aq] 38} Jotham passed away^[ar] and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor David. His son Ahaz replaced him as king.