2 Kings 14–15

Judah’s King Amaziah

14In ^lthe second year of Israel’s King Jehoash ^mnson of Jehoahaz, ^oAmaziah ^pson of Joash became king of Judah. ²He was 25 years old when he became king and reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan ^qand was from Jerusalem. ³He did what was right in the Lord’s sight, but not like his ancestor David. He did everything his father Joash had done. ^r4Yet the high places were not taken away, and the people continued sacrificing and burning incense on the high places. ^s

⁵As soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, Amaziah killed his servants who had murdered his father the king. ^t6However, he did not put the children of the murderers to death, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses where the Lord commanded, “Fathers must not be put to death because of children, and children must not be put to death because of fathers; instead, each one will be put to death for his own sin.” ^u

⁷Amaziah killed 10,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. ^vHe took Sela ^win battle and called it Joktheel, ^xwhich is its name to this very day. ⁸Amaziah then sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us meet face to face.” ^y

⁹King Jehoash of Israel sent word to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thistle that was in Lebanon once sent a message to the cedar ^zthat was in Lebanon, ^asaying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle. ¹⁰You have indeed defeated Edom, and you have become overconfident. ^bEnjoy your glory and stay at home. Why should you stir up such trouble that you fall—you and Judah with you?”

¹¹But Amaziah would not listen, so King Jehoash of Israel advanced. He and King Amaziah of Judah faced off at Beth-shemesh ^cthat belongs to Judah. ¹²Judah was routed before Israel, and everyone fled to his own tent. ^d13King Jehoash of Israel captured Judah’s King Amaziah son of Joash, ^eson of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down 200 yards ^fof Jerusalem’s wall from the Ephraim Gate ^gto the Corner Gate. ^h14He took all the gold and silver, all the articles found in the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the king’s palace, and some hostages. ⁱThen he returned to Samaria.

Jehoash’s Death

¹⁵The rest of the events of Jehoash’s reign, along with his accomplishments, his might, and how he waged war against Amaziah king of Judah, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings. ^j16Jehoash rested with his fathers, and he was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. His son Jeroboam became king in his place.

Amaziah’s Death

¹⁷Judah’s King Amaziah son of Joash lived 15 years after the death of Israel’s King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz. ^k18The rest of the events of Amaziah’s reign are written in the Historical Record of Judah’s Kings. ^l19A conspiracy was formed against him in Jerusalem, ^mand he fled to Lachish. ⁿHowever, men were sent after him to Lachish, and they put him to death there. ²⁰They carried him back ^oon horses, and he was buried in Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David. ^p

²¹Then all the people of Judah took Azariah, ^qrwho was 16 years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. ²²He rebuilt Elath ^stand restored it to Judah after Amaziah the king rested with his fathers.

Israel’s King Jeroboam

²³In the fifteenth year of Judah’s King Amaziah son of Joash, Jeroboam ^uson of Jehoash ^vbecame king of Israel in Samaria and reigned 41 years. ²⁴He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. He did not turn away from all the sins Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit. ^w

²⁵He restored Israel’s border ^xfrom Lebo-hamath ^yas far as the Sea of the Arabah, ^zaccording to the word the Lord, the God of Israel, had spoken through His servant, the prophet Jonah ^ason of Amittai from Gath-hepher. ^b26For the Lord saw that the affliction of Israel was very bitter. ^cThere was no one to help Israel, neither bond nor free. ²⁷However, the Lord had not said He would blot out the name of Israel under heaven, ^dso He delivered ^ethem by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash. ^f

²⁸The rest of the events of Jeroboam’s reign—along with all his accomplishments, the power he had to wage war, and how he recovered for Israel Damascus ^gand Hamath, ^hwhich had belonged to Judah ⁱ—are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings. ^j29Jeroboam rested with his fathers, the kings of Israel. His son Zechariah became king in his place. ^k

Judah’s King Azariah

15In the twenty-seventh year of Israel’s King Jeroboam, Azariah ^lmson of Amaziah became king of Judah. ⁿ²He was 16 years old when he became king and reigned 52 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecoliah, who was from Jerusalem. ³Azariah did what was right in the Lord’s sight ^ojust as his father Amaziah had done. ⁴Yet the high places were not taken away; the people continued sacrificing and burning incense on the high places. ^p

⁵The Lord afflicted the king, and he had a serious skin disease until the day of his death. ^qHe lived in a separate house, ^rswhile Jotham, ^tthe king’s son, was over the household governing the people of the land. ^u

⁶The rest of the events of Azariah’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Judah’s Kings. ^v7Azariah rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. His son Jotham became king in his place. ^w

Israel’s King Zechariah

⁸In the thirty-eighth year of Judah’s King Azariah, Zechariah ^xson of Jeroboam became king over Israel in Samaria for six months. ⁹He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight as his fathers had done. ^yHe did not turn away from the sins Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit. ^z

¹⁰Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against Zechariah. He struck him down publicly, ^akilled him, and became king in his place. ^b11As for the rest of the events of Zechariah’s reign, they are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings. ^c12The word of the Lord that He spoke to Jehu was, “Four generations of your sons will sit on the throne of Israel,” ^dand it was so.

Israel’s King Shallum

¹³In the thirty-ninth year of Judah’s King Uzziah, Shallum son of Jabesh became king; he reigned in Samaria ^ea full month. ¹⁴Then Menahem son of Gadi came up from Tirzah ^fto Samaria and struck down Shallum son of Jabesh there. He killed him and became king in his place. ¹⁵As for the rest of the events of Shallum’s reign, along with the conspiracy that he formed, they are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.

Israel’s King Menahem

¹⁶At that time, starting from Tirzah, Menahem attacked Tiphsah, ^gall who were in it, and its territory. Because they wouldn’t surrender, ^hhe attacked it and ripped open all the pregnant women. ⁱ

¹⁷In the thirty-ninth year of Judah’s King Azariah, Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel and reigned 10 years in Samaria. ¹⁸He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. Throughout his reign, he did not turn away from the sins Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit. ^j

¹⁹Pul ^klking of Assyria invaded the land, so Menahem gave Pul 75,000 pounds ^mof silver so that Pul would support him to strengthen his grip on the kingdom. ⁿ²⁰Then Menahem exacted 20 ounces ^oof silver from each of the wealthy men of Israel to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria withdrew and did not stay there in the land. ^p

²¹The rest of the events of Menahem’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings. ²²Menahem rested with his fathers, and his son Pekahiah became king in his place. ^q

Israel’s King Pekahiah

²³In the fiftieth year of Judah’s King Azariah, Pekahiah son of Menahem became king over Israel in Samaria and reigned two years. ²⁴He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight and did not turn away from the sins Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit. ^r

²⁵Then his officer, Pekah ^sson of Remaliah, conspired against him ^tand struck him down in Samaria at the citadel of the king’s palace ^u—as well as Argob and Arieh. ^vThere were 50 Gileadite men with Pekah. He killed Pekahiah and became king in his place.

²⁶As for the rest of the events of Pekahiah’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, they are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.

Israel’s King Pekah

²⁷In the fifty-second year of Judah’s King Azariah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king over Israel in Samaria and reigned 20 years. ²⁸He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. He did not turn away from the sins Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit.

²⁹In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser ^wking of Assyria came and captured Ijon, ^xAbel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee—all the land of Naphtali ^y—and deported the people to Assyria. ^z

³⁰Then Hoshea ^ason of Elah organized a conspiracy against Pekah son of Remaliah. He attacked him, killed him, ^band became king in his place in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah.

³¹As for the rest of the events of Pekah’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, they are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.

Judah’s King Jotham

³²In the second year of Israel’s King Pekah son of Remaliah, Jotham ^cson of Uzziah became king of Judah. ³³He was 25 years old when he became king ^dand reigned 16 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok. ³⁴He did what was right in the Lord’s sight just as his father Uzziah had done. ^e35Yet the high places were not taken away; the people continued sacrificing and burning incense on the high places.

Jotham built the Upper Gate of the Lord’s temple. ^f36The rest ^gof the events of Jotham’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, they are written in the Historical Record of Judah’s Kings. ^h37In those days the Lord began sending Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah against Judah. ⁱ³⁸Jotham rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the…