2 Kings 15
Good News Translation
King Uzziah of Judah(A)
15 In the twenty-seventh year of the reign of King Jeroboam II of Israel, Uzziah son of Amaziah became king of Judah 2 at the age of sixteen, and he ruled in Jerusalem for fifty-two years. His mother was Jecoliah from Jerusalem. 3 Following the example of his father, he did what was pleasing to the Lord. 4 But the pagan places of worship were not destroyed, and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. 5 The Lord struck Uzziah with a dreaded skin disease that stayed with him the rest of his life. He lived in a separate house, relieved of all duties, while his son Jotham governed the country.
6 Everything else that Uzziah did is recorded in The History of the Kings of Judah. 7 (B)Uzziah died and was buried in the royal burial ground in David's City, and his son Jotham succeeded him as king.
King Zechariah of Israel
8 In the thirty-eighth year of the reign of King Uzziah of Judah, Zechariah son of Jeroboam II became king of Israel, and he ruled in Samaria for six months. 9 He, like his predecessors, sinned against the Lord. He followed the wicked example of King Jeroboam son of Nebat, who led Israel into sin. 10 Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against King Zechariah, assassinated him at Ibleam,[a] and succeeded him as king.
11 Everything else that Zechariah did is recorded in The History of the Kings of Israel.
12 (C)So the promise was fulfilled which the Lord had made to King Jehu: “Your descendants down to the fourth generation[b] will be kings of Israel.”
King Shallum of Israel
13 In the thirty-ninth year of the reign of King Uzziah of Judah, Shallum son of Jabesh became king of Israel, and he ruled in Samaria for one month.
14 Menahem son of Gadi went from Tirzah to Samaria, assassinated Shallum, and succeeded him as king. 15 Everything else that Shallum did, including an account of his conspiracy, is recorded in The History of the Kings of Israel. 16 As Menahem was on his way from Tirzah, he completely destroyed the city of Tappuah,[c] its inhabitants, and the surrounding territory, because the city did not surrender to him. He even ripped open the bellies of all the pregnant women.
King Menahem of Israel
17 In the thirty-ninth year of the reign of King Uzziah of Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king of Israel, and he ruled in Samaria for ten years. 18 He sinned against the Lord, for until the day of his death he followed the wicked example of King Jeroboam son of Nebat, who led Israel into sin. 19 Tiglath Pileser, the emperor of Assyria, invaded Israel, and Menahem gave him thirty-eight tons of silver to gain his support in strengthening Menahem's power over the country. 20 Menahem got the money from the rich men of Israel by forcing each one to contribute fifty pieces of silver. So Tiglath Pileser went back to his own country.
21 Everything else that Menahem did is recorded in The History of the Kings of Israel. 22 He died and was buried, and his son Pekahiah succeeded him as king.
King Pekahiah of Israel
23 In the fiftieth year of the reign of King Uzziah of Judah, Pekahiah son of Menahem became king of Israel, and he ruled in Samaria for two years. 24 He sinned against the Lord, following the wicked example of King Jeroboam son of Nebat, who led Israel into sin. 25 An officer of Pekahiah's forces, Pekah son of Remaliah, plotted with fifty men from Gilead, assassinated Pekahiah in the palace's inner fortress[d] in Samaria, and succeeded him as king.
26 Everything else that Pekahiah did is recorded in The History of the Kings of Israel.
King Pekah of Israel
27 In the fifty-second year of the reign of King Uzziah of Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king of Israel, and he ruled in Samaria for twenty years. 28 He sinned against the Lord, following the wicked example of King Jeroboam son of Nebat, who led Israel into sin.
29 It was while Pekah was king that Tiglath Pileser, the emperor of Assyria, captured the cities of Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, and Hazor, and the territories of Gilead, Galilee, and Naphtali, and took the people to Assyria as prisoners.
30 In the twentieth year of the reign of Jotham son of Uzziah as king of Judah, Hoshea son of Elah plotted against King Pekah, assassinated him, and succeeded him as king. 31 Everything else that Pekah did is recorded in The History of the Kings of Israel.
King Jotham of Judah(D)
32 In the second year of the reign of Pekah son of Remaliah as king of Israel, Jotham son of Uzziah became king of Judah 33 at the age of twenty-five, and he ruled in Jerusalem for sixteen years. His mother was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok. 34 Following the example of his father Uzziah, Jotham did what was pleasing to the Lord. 35 But the pagan places of worship were not destroyed, and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. It was Jotham who built the North Gate of the Temple.
36 Everything else that Jotham did is recorded in The History of the Kings of Judah. 37 It was while he was king that the Lord first sent King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah of Israel to attack Judah. 38 Jotham died and was buried in the royal tombs in David's City, and his son Ahaz succeeded him as king.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 15:10 One ancient translation at Ibleam; Hebrew before people.
- 2 Kings 15:12 Zechariah was Jehu's great-great-grandson.
- 2 Kings 15:16 One ancient translation Tappuah; Hebrew Tiphsah.
- 2 Kings 15:25 Hebrew has two additional words, the meaning of which is unclear.
2 Kings 15
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Azariah Reigns over Judah
15 In the twenty-seventh year of King Jeroboam of Israel, King Azariah son of Amaziah of Judah began to reign.(A) 2 He was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.(B) 3 He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. 4 Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places.(C) 5 The Lord struck the king so that he had a defiling skin disease to the day of his death and lived in a separate house. Jotham the king’s son was in charge of the palace, governing the people of the land.(D) 6 Now the rest of the acts of Azariah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? 7 Azariah slept with his ancestors; they buried him with his ancestors in the city of David; his son Jotham succeeded him.(E)
Zechariah Reigns over Israel
8 In the thirty-eighth year of King Azariah of Judah, Zechariah son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six months. 9 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his ancestors had done. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin. 10 Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against him and struck him down in Ibleam[a] and killed him and reigned in place of him.(F) 11 Now the rest of the deeds of Zechariah are written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 12 This was the promise of the Lord that he gave to Jehu, “Your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” And so it happened.(G)
Shallum Reigns over Israel
13 Shallum son of Jabesh began to reign in the thirty-ninth year of King Uzziah of Judah; he reigned one month in Samaria.(H) 14 Then Menahem son of Gadi came up from Tirzah and came to Samaria; he struck down Shallum son of Jabesh in Samaria and killed him; he reigned in place of him.(I) 15 Now the rest of the deeds of Shallum, including the conspiracy that he made, are written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 16 At that time Menahem sacked Tiphsah, all who were in it and its territory from Tirzah on; because they did not open it to him, he sacked it. He ripped open all the pregnant women in it.(J)
Menahem Reigns over Israel
17 In the thirty-ninth year of King Azariah of Judah, Menahem son of Gadi began to reign over Israel; he reigned ten years in Samaria.(K) 18 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not depart all his days from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin. 19 King Pul of Assyria came against the land; Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, so that he might help him confirm his hold on the royal power.(L) 20 Menahem exacted the silver from Israel, that is, from all the wealthy, fifty shekels of silver from each one, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back and did not stay there in the land. 21 Now the rest of the deeds of Menahem and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel? 22 Menahem slept with his ancestors, and his son Pekahiah succeeded him.
Pekahiah Reigns over Israel
23 In the fiftieth year of King Azariah of Judah, Pekahiah son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria; he reigned two years.(M) 24 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin. 25 Pekah son of Remaliah, his captain, conspired against him with fifty of the Gileadites and attacked him in Samaria, in the citadel of the palace along with Argob and Arieh; he killed him and reigned in place of him.(N) 26 Now the rest of the deeds of Pekahiah and all that he did are written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel.
Pekah Reigns over Israel
27 In the fifty-second year of King Azariah of Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria; he reigned twenty years.(O) 28 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin.
29 In the days of King Pekah of Israel, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and he carried the people captive to Assyria.(P) 30 Then Hoshea son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah son of Remaliah, attacked him, and killed him; he reigned in place of him, in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah. 31 Now the rest of the acts of Pekah and all that he did are written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel.
Jotham Reigns over Judah
32 In the second year of King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel, King Jotham son of Uzziah of Judah began to reign.(Q) 33 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok. 34 He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, just as his father Uzziah had done.(R) 35 Nevertheless, the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. He built the upper gate of the house of the Lord.(S) 36 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham and all that 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 King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah against Judah.(T) 38 Jotham slept with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David, his ancestor; his son Ahaz succeeded him.
Footnotes
- 15.10 Lucianic: Meaning of Heb uncertain
2 Kings 15
Complete Jewish Bible
15 It was in the twenty-seventh year of Yarov‘am king of Isra’el that ‘Azaryah the son of Amatzyah, king of Y’hudah, began his reign. 2 He was sixteen years old when he began to rule, and he ruled for fifty-two years in Yerushalayim. His mother’s name was Y’kholyahu, from Yerushalayim. 3 He did what was right from Adonai’s perspective, following the example of everything his father Amatzyah had done. 4 However, the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and offered on the high places.
5 Adonai struck the king, so that he had tzara‘at until his dying day, so that he lived in a separate house, while Yotam the king’s son ran the king’s household and was regent over the people of the land.
6 Other activities of ‘Azaryah and all his accomplishments are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Y’hudah. 7 So ‘Azaryah slept with his ancestors the kings of Isra’el, and they buried him with his ancestors in the City of David. Then Yotam his son took his place as king.
8 It was in the thirty-eighth year of ‘Azaryah king of Y’hudah that Z’kharyah the son of Yarov‘am began his reign over Isra’el in Shomron; he ruled for six months. 9 He did what was evil from Adonai’s perspective, just as his ancestors had done; he did not turn from all the sins of Yarov‘am the son of N’vat, who made Isra’el sin.
10 Shalum the son of Yavesh formed a conspiracy against him. He struck him in the presence of the people and killed him; then he took his place as king.
11 Other activities of Z’kharyah are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Isra’el. 12 The word of Adonai which he had spoken to Yehu was, “Your descendants down to the fourth generation will sit on the throne of Isra’el”; and that is exactly what happened.
13 Shalum the son of Yavesh began his reign in the thirty-ninth year of ‘Uziyah king of Y’hudah; he ruled in Shomron for only a month. 14 Menachem the son of Gadi went up from Tirtzah, came to Shomron, struck Shalum the son of Yavesh in Shomron and killed him. Then he took his place as king.
15 Other activities of Shalum and the conspiracy he formed are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Isra’el
16 From Tirtzah Menachem attacked Tifsach, all the people in it and its territory, because they had not opened their gates to him. So he sacked the city and ripped apart all its pregnant women.
17 It was in the thirty-ninth year of ‘Azaryah king of Y’hudah that Menachem the son of Gadi began his reign over Isra’el; he ruled ten years in Shomron. 18 He did what was evil from Adonai’s perspective; throughout his life he did not turn from the sins of Yarov‘am the son of N’vat, who made Isra’el sin.
19 Pul the king of Ashur invaded the land. Menachem gave Pul thirty-three tons of silver, so that he would confirm Menachem’s hold on the kingdom. 20 He did this by taxing the wealthy men in Isra’el; from each he required one-and-a-quarter pounds of silver to give to the king of Ashur. Then the king of Ashur turned around and left the land.
21 Other activities of Menachem and all his accomplishments are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Isra’el. 22 Menachem slept with his ancestors, and P’kachyah his son took his place as king.
23 It was in the fiftieth year of ‘Azaryah king of Y’hudah that P’kachyah the son of Menachem began his reign over Isra’el in Shomron; he ruled for two years. 24 He did what was evil from Adonai’s perspective; he did not turn from the sins of Yarov‘am the son of N’vat, who made Isra’el sin.
25 Pekach the son of Remalyahu, one of his commanders, conspired against him. With Argov, Aryeh and fifty men from Gil‘ad, he assassinated him in the palace stronghold in Shomron. After killing him, he took his place as king.
26 Other activities of P’kachyah and all his accomplishments are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Isra’el.
27 It was in the fifty-second year of ‘Azaryah king of Y’hudah that Pekach the son of Remalyah began to reign over Isra’el in Shomron; his reign lasted twenty years. 28 He did what was evil from Adonai’s perspective; he did not turn from the sins of Yarov‘am the son of N’vat, who made Isra’el sin.
29 During the time of Pekach king of Isra’el, Tiglat-Pil’eser king of Ashur came and conquered ‘Iyon, Avel-Beit-Ma‘akhah, Yanoach, Kedesh, Hatzor, Gil‘ad, and the Galil — all the land of Naftali — and took them captive to Ashur.
30 Hoshea the son of Elah conspired against Pekach the son of Remalyah, struck him, killed him and took his place as king in the twentieth year of Yotam the son of ‘Uziyah.
31 Other activities of Pekach and all his accomplishments are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Isra’el.
32 It was in the second year of Pekach the son of Remalyah, king of Isra’el, that Yotam the son of ‘Uziyah king of Y’hudah began his reign. 33 He was twenty-five years old when he began his reign, and he ruled for sixteen years in Yerushalayim. His mother’s name was Yerusha the daughter of Tzadok. 34 He did what was right from Adonai’s perspective, following the example of everything his father ‘Uziyah had done. 35 However, the high places were not taken away; and the people still sacrificed and offered on the high places.
He built the Upper Gate of the house of Adonai.
36 Other activities of Yotam and all his accomplishments are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Y’hudah.
37 It was during this period that Adonai began sending against Y’hudah Retzin the king of Aram and Pekach the son of Remalyah.
38 Yotam slept with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David his ancestor. Then Achaz his son took his place as king.
2 Kings 15
The Message
Azariah (Uzziah) of Judah
15 1-5 In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah son of Amaziah became king in Judah. He was sixteen years old when he began his rule and he was king for fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecoliah. She was from Jerusalem. He did well in the eyes of God, following in the footsteps of his father Amaziah. But he also failed to get rid of the local sex-and-religion shrines; they continued to be popular with the people. God afflicted the king with a bad skin disease until the day of his death. He lived in the palace but no longer acted as king; his son Jotham ran the government and ruled the country.
6-7 The rest of the life and times of Azariah, everything he accomplished, is written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. Azariah died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Jotham his son was king after him.
Zechariah of Israel
8-9 In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in Samaria. He lasted only six months. He lived a bad life before God, no different from his ancestors. He continued in the line of Jeroboam son of Nebat who led Israel into a life of sin.
10 Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against him, assassinated him in public view, and took over as king.
11-12 The rest of the life and times of Zechariah is written plainly in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. That completed the word of God that was given to Jehu, namely, “For four generations your sons will sit on the throne of Israel.” Zechariah was the fourth.
Shallum of Israel
13 Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah. He was king in Samaria for only a month.
14 Menahem son of Gadi came up from Tirzah to Samaria. He attacked Shallum son of Jabesh and killed him. He then became king.
15 The rest of the life and times of Shallum and the account of the conspiracy are written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.
Menahem of Israel
16 Using Tirzah as his base, Menahem opened his reign by smashing Tiphsah, devastating both the town and its suburbs because they didn’t welcome him with open arms. He savagely ripped open all the pregnant women.
17-18 In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel. He ruled from Samaria for ten years. As far as God was concerned he lived an evil life. Sin for sin, he repeated the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who led Israel into a life of sin.
19-20 Then Tiglath-Pileser III king of Assyria showed up and attacked the country. But Menahem made a deal with him: He bought his support by handing over about thirty-seven tons of silver. He raised the money by making every landowner in Israel pay fifty shekels to the king of Assyria. That satisfied the king of Assyria, and he left the country.
21-22 The rest of the life and times of Menahem, everything he did, is written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. Menahem died and joined his ancestors. His son Pekahiah became the next king.
Pekahiah of Israel
23-24 In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah son of Menahem became king of Israel. He ruled in Samaria for two years. In God’s eyes he lived an evil life. He stuck to the old sin tracks of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who led Israel into a life of sin.
25 And then his military aide Pekah son of Remaliah conspired against him—killed him in cold blood while he was in his private quarters in the royal palace in Samaria. He also killed Argob and Arieh. Fifty Gadites were in on the conspiracy with him. After the murder he became the next king.
26 The rest of the life and times of Pekahiah, everything he did, is written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.
Pekah of Israel
27-28 In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king of Israel in Samaria. He ruled for twenty years. In God’s view he lived an evil life; he didn’t deviate so much as a hair’s breadth from the path laid down by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who led Israel into a life of sin.
29 During the reign of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser III king of Assyria invaded the country. He captured Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, Galilee—the whole country of Naphtali—and took everyone captive to Assyria.
30 But then Hoshea son of Elah mounted a conspiracy against Pekah son of Remaliah. He assassinated him and took over as king. This was in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah.
31 The rest of the life and times of Pekah, everything he did, is written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.
Jotham of Judah
32-35 In the second year of Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel, Jotham son of Uzziah became king in Judah. He was twenty-five years old when he became king and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok. He acted well in God’s eyes, following in the steps of his father Uzziah. But he didn’t interfere with the traffic to the neighborhood sex-and-religion shrines; they continued, as popular as ever. The construction of the High Gate to The Temple of God was his work.
36-38 The rest of the life and times of Jotham, the record of his work, is written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. It was during these years that God began sending Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah to attack Judah. Jotham died and joined his ancestors. They buried him in the family cemetery in the City of David. His son Ahaz was the next king.
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New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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