2 Kings 15

Azariah, Struck with Leprosy

1In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah son of Amaziah, king of Judah, began to reign. 2He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecoliah, of Jerusalem. 3He did what was upright in Yahweh’s sight, just as his father Amaziah had done. 4Only the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. 5Yahweh struck the king, and he was a leper until the day of his death; he lived in a separate house, while Jotham the king’s son was over the palace, governing the people of the land. 6As for the rest of the acts of Azariah — all he did — are they not written in the Annals of the Kings of Judah? 7Azariah rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the City of David; Jotham his son succeeded him as king.

The Kings Who Fell One After Another

8In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria — six months. 9He did evil in Yahweh’s sight, as his fathers had done; he never turned from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had led Israel into sin. 10Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against him, struck him down in front of the people, and killed him; then he became king in his place. 11As for the rest of the acts of Zechariah, they are written in the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 12This was the word Yahweh had spoken to Jehu: “Your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” And so it happened. 13Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah, and he reigned a full month in Samaria. 14Menahem son of Gadi went up from Tirzah and came to Samaria; he struck down Shallum son of Jabesh in Samaria and killed him, then became king in his place. 15As for the rest of the acts of Shallum, and the conspiracy he formed, they are written in the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 16Then Menahem struck Tiphsah and everyone in it, along with its territory, from Tirzah on, because it had not opened its gates to him; he struck it down and ripped open all its pregnant women. 17In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem son of Gadi began to reign over Israel — ten years in Samaria. 18In Yahweh’s eyes he did what was evil; all his days he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had led Israel into sin. 19Pul king of Assyria came against the land, and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver so that his hand would be with him and strengthen his hold on the kingdom. 20Menahem raised this silver from Israel — from all the men of wealth — fifty shekels of silver from each man, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back and did not stay in the land. 21As for the rest of the acts of Menahem — all he did — are they not written in the Annals of the Kings of Israel? 22Menahem went to rest with his fathers, and Pekahiah his son took the throne in his place. 23In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria — two years. 24He did what was evil in Yahweh’s eyes; he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had led Israel into sin. 25Pekah son of Remaliah, his captain, conspired against him and struck him down in Samaria, in the citadel of the king’s house, along with Argob and Arieh; fifty men of Gilead were with him. He killed him and became king in his place. 26As for the rest of the acts of Pekahiah — all he did — they are written in the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 27In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria — twenty years. 28He did evil in Yahweh’s sight; he never turned from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had led Israel into sin. 29In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee — all the land of Naphtali — and deported the people to Assyria. 30Hoshea son of Elah formed a conspiracy against Pekah son of Remaliah; he struck him down and killed him, then became king in his place, in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah. 31As for the rest of the acts of Pekah — all he did — they are written in the Annals of the Kings of Israel.

Jotham King of Judah

32In the second year of Pekah son of Remaliah, king of Israel, Jotham son of Uzziah, king of Judah, began to reign. 33He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerusha, daughter of Zadok. 34In Yahweh’s eyes, he did what was right; he did everything just as his father Uzziah had done. 35Only the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. He built the Upper Gate of the house of Yahweh. 36As for the rest of the acts of Jotham — what he did — are they not written in the Annals of the Kings of Judah? 37In those days Yahweh began to send Rezin king of Aram, and Pekah son of Remaliah, against Judah. 38Jotham was laid to rest with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father; Ahaz his son became king in his place.