2 Kings 14:1–20:21
14:1–7pp—2Ch 25:1–4,11–12
14:8–22pp—2Ch 25:17–26:2
14 In the second year of Jehoasha son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah began to reign. 2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem. 3 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not as his father David had done. In everything he followed the example of his father Joash. 4 The high places,l however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
5 After the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, he executedm the officialsn who had murdered his father the king. 6 Yet he did not put the children of the assassins to death, in accordance with what is written in the Book of the Lawo of Moses where the Lord commanded: “Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.”b p
7 He was the one who defeated ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Saltq and captured Selar in battle, calling it Joktheel, the name it has to this day.
8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, with the challenge: “Come, let us face each other in battle.”
9 But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: “A thistles in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle underfoot. 10 You have indeed defeated Edom and now you are arrogant.t Glory in your victory, but stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?”
11 Amaziah, however, would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel attacked. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth Shemeshu in Judah. 12 Judah was routed by Israel, and every man fled to his home.v 13 Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down the wallw of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gatex to the Corner Gatey—a section about four hundred cubits long.c 14 He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace. He also took hostages and returned to Samaria.
15 As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, what he did and his achievements, including his warz against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 16 Jehoash rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. And Jeroboam his son succeeded him as king.
17 Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel. 18 As for the other events of Amaziah’s reign, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?
19 They conspireda against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish,b but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there. 20 He was brought back by horsec and was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors, in the City of David.
21 Then all the people of Judah took Azariah,d d who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. 22 He was the one who rebuilt Elathe and restored it to Judah after Amaziah rested with his ancestors.
23 In the fifteenth year of Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboamf son of Jehoash king of Israel became king in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years. 24 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.g 25 He was the one who restored the boundaries of Israel from Lebo Hamathh to the Dead Sea,e i in accordance with the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, spoken through his servant Jonahj son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher.
26 The Lord had seen how bitterly everyone in Israel, whether slave or free,k was suffering;f l there was no one to help them.m 27 And since the Lord had not said he would blot outn the name of Israel from under heaven, he savedo them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.
28 As for the other events of Jeroboam’s reign, all he did, and his military achievements, including how he recovered for Israel both Damascusp and Hamath,q which had belonged to Judah, are they not written in the book of the annalsr of the kings of Israel? 29 Jeroboam rested with his ancestors, the kings of Israel. And Zechariah his son succeeded him as king.
15 In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariaha s son of Amaziah king of Judah began to reign. 2 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. 3 He did what was rightt in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. 4 The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
5 The Lord afflictedu the king with leprosyb until the day he died, and he lived in a separate house.c v Jothamw the king’s son had charge of the palacex and governed the people of the land.
6 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? 7 Azariah restedy with his ancestors and was buried near them in the City of David. And Jothamz his son succeeded him as king.
8 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. 9 He did evila 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 assassinatedb him and succeeded him as king. 11 The other events of Zechariah’s reign are written in the book of the annalsc of the kings of Israel. 12 So the word of the Lord spoken to Jehu was fulfilled:d “Your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.”e
13 Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah, and he reigned in Samariae one month. 14 Then Menahem son of Gadi went from Tirzahf up to Samaria. He attacked Shallum son of Jabesh in Samaria, assassinatedg 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 annalsh of the kings of Israel.
16 At that time Menahem, starting out from Tirzah, attacked Tiphsahi and everyone in the city and its vicinity, because they refused to openj their gates. He sacked Tiphsah and ripped open all the pregnant women.
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 evilk 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 Pulf l king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem gave him a thousand talentsg 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 shekelsh of silver to be given to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria withdrewm 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.
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 eviln 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, Pekaho son of Remaliah, conspired against him. Taking fifty men of Gilead with him, he assassinatedp 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.
27 In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahq son of Remaliahr 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-Pilesers king of Assyria came and took Ijon,t Abel Beth Maakah, Janoah, Kedesh and Hazor. He took Gilead and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali,u and deportedv the people to Assyria. 30 Then Hosheaw son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah. He attacked and assassinatedx 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 annalsy of the kings of Israel?
32 In the second year of Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel, Jothamz 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 righta in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Uzziah had done. 35 The high places,b however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gatec of the temple of the Lord.