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Azariah’s Rule Over Judah

15 King Azariah son of Amaziah of Judah became king in the 27th year that Jeroboam was king of Israel. Azariah was 16 years old when he began to rule. He ruled 52 years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Jecoliah of Jerusalem. Azariah did what the Lord said was right, just as his father Amaziah had done. But he did not destroy the high places. People still made sacrifices and burned incense in these places of worship.

The Lord caused King Azariah to become sick with leprosy. He was a leper until the day he died. Azariah lived in a separate house. His son Jotham was in charge of the king’s palace, and he judged the people.

All the great things that Azariah did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Judah. Azariah died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Azariah’s son Jotham became the new king after him.

Zechariah’s Short Rule Over Israel

Zechariah son of Jeroboam ruled over Samaria in Israel for six months. This was during the 38th year that Azariah was king of Judah. Zechariah did what the Lord said was wrong. He did the same things his ancestors did. He did not stop committing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat who caused Israel to sin.

10 Shallum son of Jabesh made plans against Zechariah. Shallum killed Zechariah in Ibleam.[a] Shallum became the new king. 11 All the other things that Zechariah did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel. 12 In this way the Lord’s word came true. He had told Jehu that four generations of his descendants would be kings of Israel.

Shallum’s Short Rule Over Israel

13 Shallum son of Jabesh became king of Israel during the 39th year that Uzziah was king of Judah. Shallum ruled for one month in Samaria.

14 Menahem son of Gadi came up from Tirzah to Samaria and killed Shallum son of Jabesh. Then Menahem became the new king after him.

15 All the things Shallum did, including his plans against Zechariah, are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel.

Menahem’s Rule Over Israel

16 Menahem defeated Tiphsah and the area around it. The people refused to open the city gate for him. So Menahem defeated them and ripped open all the pregnant women in that city.

17 Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel during the 39th year that Azariah was king of Judah. Menahem ruled ten years in Samaria. 18 Menahem did what the Lord said was wrong. He did not stop committing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat who caused Israel to sin.

19 King Pul of Assyria came to fight against Israel. Menahem gave Pul 75,000 pounds[b] of silver so that Pul would support him and help him gain complete control of the kingdom. 20 Menahem raised the money by making all the rich and powerful men pay taxes. He taxed each man 20 ounces[c] of silver and gave the money to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria left and did not stay there in Israel.

21 All the great things that Menahem did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel. 22 Menahem died and was buried with his ancestors. His son Pekahiah became the new king after him.

Pekahiah’s Rule Over Israel

23 Pekahiah son of Menahem became king over Israel in Samaria during the 50th year that Azariah was king of Judah. Pekahiah ruled two years. 24 He did what the Lord said was wrong. He did not stop committing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that caused Israel to sin.

25 The commander of Pekahiah’s army was Pekah son of Remaliah. Pekah killed Pekahiah in Samaria at the king’s palace. Pekah had 50 men from Gilead with him when he killed Pekahiah. Then Pekah became the new king after him.

26 All the great things Pekahiah did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel.

Pekah’s Rule Over Israel

27 Pekah son of Remaliah began to rule over Israel in Samaria during the 52nd year that Azariah was king of Judah. Pekah ruled 20 years. 28 Pekah did what the Lord said was wrong. He did not stop committing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat who caused Israel to sin.

29 King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria came to fight against Israel while Pekah was king of Israel. Tiglath Pileser captured Ijon, Abel Bethmaacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, Galilee, and all the area of Naphtali. He took the people from these places as prisoners to Assyria.

30 Hoshea son of Elah made plans against Pekah son of Remaliah and killed him. Then Hoshea became the new king. This was during the 20th year that Jotham son of Uzziah was king of Judah.

31 All the great things that Pekah did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel.

Jotham’s Rule Over Judah

32 Jotham son of Uzziah became king of Judah. This was during the second year that Pekah son of Remaliah was king of Israel. 33 Jotham was 25 years old when he became king. He ruled 16 years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok. 34 Jotham did what the Lord said was right, just as his father Uzziah had done. 35 But he did not destroy the high places. The people still made sacrifices and burned incense at those places of worship. Jotham built the upper gate of the Lord’s Temple. 36 All the great things that Jotham did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Judah.

37 At that time the Lord sent King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah to fight against Judah.

38 Jotham died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David, his ancestor. Jotham’s son Ahaz became the new king after him.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 15:10 in Ibleam This is found in some copies of the ancient Greek version. The standard Hebrew text has “in public.”
  2. 2 Kings 15:19 75,000 pounds Literally, “1000 talents” (34,500 kg).
  3. 2 Kings 15:20 20 ounces Literally, “50 shekels” (575 g).

Azariah King of Judah(A)

15 In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah[a](B) son of Amaziah king of Judah began to reign. He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem. He did what was right(C) in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

The Lord afflicted(D) the king with leprosy[b] until the day he died, and he lived in a separate house.[c](E) Jotham(F) the king’s son had charge of the palace(G) and governed the people of the land.

As for the other events of Azariah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? Azariah rested(H) with his ancestors and was buried near them in the City of David. And Jotham(I) his son succeeded him as king.

Zechariah King of Israel

In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned six months. He did evil(J) in the eyes of the Lord, as his predecessors had done. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.

10 Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against Zechariah. He attacked him in front of the people,[d] assassinated(K) him and succeeded him as king. 11 The other events of Zechariah’s reign are written in the book of the annals(L) of the kings of Israel. 12 So the word of the Lord spoken to Jehu was fulfilled:(M) “Your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.”[e]

Shallum King of Israel

13 Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah, and he reigned in Samaria(N) one month. 14 Then Menahem son of Gadi went from Tirzah(O) up to Samaria. He attacked Shallum son of Jabesh in Samaria, assassinated(P) him and succeeded him as king.

15 The other events of Shallum’s reign, and the conspiracy he led, are written in the book of the annals(Q) of the kings of Israel.

16 At that time Menahem, starting out from Tirzah, attacked Tiphsah(R) and everyone in the city and its vicinity, because they refused to open(S) their gates. He sacked Tiphsah and ripped open all the pregnant women.

Menahem King of Israel

17 In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria ten years. 18 He did evil(T) in the eyes of the Lord. During his entire reign he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.

19 Then Pul[f](U) king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem gave him a thousand talents[g] of silver to gain his support and strengthen his own hold on the kingdom. 20 Menahem exacted this money from Israel. Every wealthy person had to contribute fifty shekels[h] of silver to be given to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria withdrew(V) and stayed in the land no longer.

21 As for the other events of Menahem’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 22 Menahem rested with his ancestors. And Pekahiah his son succeeded him as king.

Pekahiah King of Israel

23 In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah son of Menahem became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned two years. 24 Pekahiah did evil(W) in the eyes of the Lord. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit. 25 One of his chief officers, Pekah(X) son of Remaliah, conspired against him. Taking fifty men of Gilead with him, he assassinated(Y) Pekahiah, along with Argob and Arieh, in the citadel of the royal palace at Samaria. So Pekah killed Pekahiah and succeeded him as king.

26 The other events of Pekahiah’s reign, and all he did, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel.

Pekah King of Israel

27 In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah(Z) son of Remaliah(AA) became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned twenty years. 28 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.

29 In the time of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser(AB) king of Assyria came and took Ijon,(AC) Abel Beth Maakah, Janoah, Kedesh and Hazor. He took Gilead and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali,(AD) and deported(AE) the people to Assyria. 30 Then Hoshea(AF) son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah. He attacked and assassinated(AG) him, and then succeeded him as king in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah.

31 As for the other events of Pekah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals(AH) of the kings of Israel?

Jotham King of Judah(AI)

32 In the second year of Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel, Jotham(AJ) son of Uzziah king of Judah began to reign. 33 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother’s name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok. 34 He did what was right(AK) in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Uzziah had done. 35 The high places,(AL) however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate(AM) of the temple of the Lord.

36 As for the other events of Jotham’s reign, and what he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 37 (In those days the Lord began to send Rezin(AN) king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah against Judah.) 38 Jotham rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David, the city of his father. And Ahaz his son succeeded him as king.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 15:1 Also called Uzziah; also in verses 6, 7, 8, 17, 23 and 27
  2. 2 Kings 15:5 The Hebrew for leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
  3. 2 Kings 15:5 Or in a house where he was relieved of responsibilities
  4. 2 Kings 15:10 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts in Ibleam
  5. 2 Kings 15:12 2 Kings 10:30
  6. 2 Kings 15:19 Also called Tiglath-Pileser
  7. 2 Kings 15:19 That is, about 38 tons or about 34 metric tons
  8. 2 Kings 15:20 That is, about 1 1/4 pounds or about 575 grams