2 KINGS

Author and date:

See the introduction to 1 Kings.
Themes:
Events in the history of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah until the destruction of both,
the remarkable ministry of the prophet Elisha, times of revival in Judah, the exile of
Israel to Assyria, the fall of Jerusalem. The events recorded in 2 Kings took place over
a period of 266 years.
Contents:
King Ahaziah’s accident ................................................................. 1:1-6
Elijah, the king’s captains, the king’s death ..................................... 1:6-18
Elijah goes bodily into heaven ........................................................ 2:1-12
Elisha becomes Elijah’s successor ................................................... 2:13-18
Elisha heals the bitter water ............................................................ 2:19-22
Elisha, the young men, and the bears .............................................. 2:23-25
Israel’s bad king Jehoram and Judah’s good king
Jehoshaphat join hands against Moab..................................... 3:1-27
Elisha’s miracles ............................................................................. 4:1—6:23
Oil for a widow ........................................................................ 4:1-7
Raising the dead son of the Shunammite .................................. 4:8-37
Pot of stew ................................................................................ 4:38-41
Feeding a hundred men ............................................................ 4:42-44
Healing of Naaman’s leprosy .................................................... 5:1-19
Bringing leprosy on Gehazi ...................................................... 5:20-27
Making the axe head float ........................................................ 6:1-7
Capturing the Arameans .......................................................... 6:8-23
Israel’s war with Ben-Hadad and a miraculous deliverance ............. 6:24—7:20
The Shunammite woman’s land restored ........................................ 8:1-8
Elisha’s mission to Hazael .............................................................. 8:7-15
Judah’s evil king Jehoram ............................................................... 8:16-24
Judah’s evil King Ahaziah.............................................................. 8:25-29
Jehu becomes king over Israel and reigns ........................................ 9:1—10:36
A prophet anoints Jehu ............................................................. 9:1-13
Jehu kills Joram and Ahaziah................................................... 9:14-28
The death of Jezebel ................................................................. 9:30-37
Jehu kills all of Ahab’s descendants .......................................... 10:1-17
Jehu destroys Baal worship in Israel ......................................... 10:18-28
Jehu’s failure, sin, and death ..................................................... 10:29-36
Judah’s evil queen Athaliah ............................................................ 11:1-16
Joash becomes king at age 7............................................................ 11:17-21
Judah’s good king Joash ................................................................. 12:1-21
Joash’s reforms ......................................................................... 12:1-16
Joash’s wrong step .................................................................... 12:17-18
Israel’s evil king Jehoahaz .............................................................. 13:1-9
Israel’s evil king Jehoash ................................................................ 13:10-25
Death of Elisha......................................................................... 13:20
2 Kings 502

Judah’s good king Amaziah ........................................................... 14:1-22

Israel’s evil king Jeroboam II .......................................................... 14:23-29
Judah’s good king Azariah (Uzziah) ............................................... 15:1-7
Four evil kings in Israel – Zechariah, Shallum,
Menachem, Pekahiah............................................................. 15:8-26
The Assyrians capture part of Israel ............................................... 15:27-31
Judah’s good king Jotham .............................................................. 15:32-38
Judah’s evil King Ahaz................................................................... 16:1-20
Israel’s last king, the evil Hoshea .................................................... 17:1-2
The destruction of the northern kingdom and
the exile of the Israelites ......................................................... 17:3-6
The reason for Israel’s destruction and exile ................................... 17:7-23
Foreigners settle in Israel ................................................................ 17:24-41
Judah’s good King Hezekiah .......................................................... 18:1—20:21
Hezekiah’s reforms and victories .............................................. 18:1-8
Sennacherib attacks Judah ....................................................... 18:13-16
Sennacherib’s army comes to Jerusalem ................................... 18:17-37
Isaiah predicts Jerusalem’s deliverance ..................................... 19:1-7
Hezekiah’s prayer ..................................................................... 19:14-19
Isaiah sends another message to Hezekiah ................................ 19:20-34
The destruction of Sennacherib’s army ..................................... 19:35-36
Hezekiah’s illness and healing .................................................. 20:1-11
Hezekiah and the envoys from Babylon .................................... 20:12-20
Judah’s wicked king Manasseh ....................................................... 21:1-18
Judah’s evil king Amon .................................................................. 21:19-26
Judah’s good king Josiah ................................................................ 22:1—23:30
The repair of the temple ............................................................ 22:3-7
The book of the law of God found............................................. 22:8-20
Josiah’s reforms ........................................................................ 23:1-24
Judah’s evil king Jehoahaz ............................................................. 23:31-32
Egypt subdues Judah ...................................................................... 23:33-35
Judah’s evil King Jehoiakim, the first invasion
of the Babylonians .................................................................. 23:36—24:7
Judah’s evil king Jehoiachin, the first deportation
of the Jews to Babylon............................................................ 24:8-17
Judah’s evil King Zedekiah, the destruction
of Jerusalem, and the people’s deportation ............................. 24:18—25:21
Gedaliah is appointed governor of Judah ........................................ 25:22-26
Jehoiachin’s time in Babylon .......................................................... 25:27-30
503 2 Kings 1:15

1 Moab rebelled against Israel, after the 9 Then the king sent a captain of fifty with

death of Ahab. 2 And Ahaziah fell down his fifty men to Elijah. And he went up to
through a lattice in his upper room that was him; and he appeared sitting on the top of
in Samaria and was injured. And he sent a hill. And he spoke to him, “Man of God,
messengers, saying to them, “Go, inquire the king says, ‘Come down.’ ”
of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, whether I 10 And Elijah answered and said to the

will recover from this injury”. captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God,
3 But the angel of the LORD said to then may fire come down from heaven,
Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet and consume you and your fifty”. And fire
the messengers of the king of Samaria, and came down from heaven and consumed
say to them, ‘Is it because you think there him and his fifty.
is no God in Israel, that you go to inquire 11 And he also sent to him another captain

of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? 4 Now of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and
therefore thus says the LORD, You will said to him, “Man of God, the king says,
not come down from that bed on which ‘Come down quickly.’ ”
you have gone up, but will surely die.’ ” 12 And Elijah answered and said to them,

And Elijah departed. “If I am a man of God, may fire come down
5 And when the messengers returned to from heaven, and consume you and your
Ahaziah, he said to them, “Why have you fifty”. And the fire of God came down from
now returned?” heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
6 And they said to him, “A man came up 13 And again he sent a captain of a third

to meet us, and said to us, ‘Go, return to the fifty with his fifty. And the third captain
king who sent you and say to him, Thus says of fifty went up, and came and fell on his
the Lord, Is it because you think there is no knees before Elijah, and pled with him and
God in Israel, that you send to inquire of said to him, “Man of God, please let my life,
Baalzebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you and the life of these fifty of your servants,
will not come down from that bed on which be precious in your sight. 14 See, fire came
you have gone up, but will surely die.’ ” down from heaven, and burned up the two
7 And he said to them, “What kind of man captains of the former fifties with their
was he who came up to meet you, and told fifties; therefore let my life now be precious
you these words?” in your sight”.
8 And they answered him, “He was a 15 And the angel of the LORD said to Elijah,

hairy man, and had a leather belt fastened “Go down with him. Do not be afraid of
around his waist”. And he said, “It is Elijah him”. And he arose and went down with
the Tishbite”. him to the king.
1:1 “Moab”– Gen 19:37; Num 22:1-7; 2 Sam 8:2. and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17).
“Death of Ahab”– 1 Kings 22:40. 1:9 The king wanted to show authority over God’s
1:2 “Ahaziah”– Ahab’s son who became king. prophet. He wanted either to kill him or force
“Baalzebub”– the name means “Lord of the him to change his prophecy, hoping thereby to
flies”. One of the gods of the Philistines (Ekron escape the force of the prophecy already uttered.
was a Philistine city) was named Baal-Zebul, The superstitious idea that this was possible was
which means “Baal the prince”. Apparently not uncommon in those days.
Jewish writers changed his name in ridicule. 1:10 This was a contest between the true God
Later the Jews applied the name to Satan. See and His spokesman and an unbelieving king who
Mark 3:22. looked to false gods. In the circumstances it was
1:3 “Angel of the LORD”– note at Gen 16:7. important for God to demonstrate His reality and
“Elijah”– 1 Kings 17:1. The king sent his power. Compare the contest between Moses and
messengers, God sent His. Ahaziah’s sin in trying Pharaoh. Notes at Ex 7:11-17; 12:12.
to consult a false god was very great. Obviously “Fire”– Num 16:35; 1 Kings 18:36-38; Rev 11:5;
he wanted nothing to do with the God of Israel, 20:9. God does not always choose the way of
the one true God. God calls for an exclusive fiery judgment (compare Luke 9:54-55), but He
allegiance from His people (Ex 20:1-6; Josh 24:15; does so when it is necessary and wise to do so.
1 Kings 18:21; Matt 6:24; 2 Cor 6:14-18). Is it not 1:12 Since Ahaziah would not stop the contest,
because people think there is no true God that neither would Elijah.
they rush after false gods and idols? 1:13 The third captain had more sense than
1:4 Ezek 18:10-13. the king – he could see who the winner of the
1:8 Compare Matt 3:4. John came in the spirit contest was.
2 Kings 1:16 504
16 And he said to the king, “Thus says and as your soul lives, I will not leave you”.
the LORD: ‘You have sent messengers to So they came to Jericho.
inquire of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron. Is it 5 And the sons of the prophets who were

because you think there is no God in Israel at Jericho came to Elisha, and said to him,
to inquire of his word? Therefore you will “Do you know that the LORD will take
not come down from that bed on which you away your master from over you today?”
have gone up, but will surely die.’ ” 17 So he And he answered, “Yes, I know it. Be silent”.
died according to the word of the LORD 6 And Elijah said to him, “Please wait here,

which Elijah had spoken. And because he for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan”.
had no son, Jehoram became king in his And he said, “As the LORD lives, and as
place, in the second year of Jehoram, the your soul lives, I will not leave you”. And
son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. the two of them went on.
18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah 7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets

which he did, are they not written in the went and stood at a distance to watch. And
book of The Annals of the Kings of Israel? the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 And
Elijah took his cloak and folded it, and struck

2 And it happened, when the LORD

would take Elijah up into heaven in a
whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from
the waters, and they were divided left and
right, so that the two of them went over on
dry ground.
Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please 9 And it happened, when they had crossed,

wait here, for the LORD has sent me to that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I
Bethel”. And Elisha said to him, “As the should do for you, before I am taken away
LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will from you”. And Elisha said, “Please, may
not leave you”. So they went down to Bethel. a double portion of your spirit be on me”.
3 And the sons of the prophets who were at 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard

Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I
“Do you know that the LORD will take away am taken from you, it will be so to you; but
your master from over you today?” And he if not, it will not be so”.
said, “Yes, I know it. Be silent”. 11 And it came about as they still walked on
4 And Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please and talked, that, suddenly, a chariot of fire
wait here, for the LORD has sent me to and horses of fire appeared and separated
Jericho”. And he said, “As the LORD lives, the two of them; and Elijah went up in a

1:16 Because of Ahaziah’s senseless stubbornness happen. His faith and devotion now have the
102 men of Israel died, but the message remained promise of reward. Compare Mark 10:28-30.
the same. Deut 21:17 reveals that a “double portion” was
1:17 Every word of God will be fulfilled – the share of the heir. Elisha was the spiritual
1 Sam 15:29; Isa 44:26; 46:11; Matt 5:18. heir of Elijah. He was not asking to be twice
“Jehoram”– or “Joram”. He was Ahaziah’s as spiritual as Elijah, but that he should be his
younger brother. successor as prophet. Perhaps he felt a double
1:18 “Annals”– 1 Kings 14:19. portion of Elijah’s spirit was needed for him
2:1 “Up into heaven”– apparently God had revealed to serve as a prophet, that he was twice as
this to Elijah, Elisha, and others (vs 3,5). weak and needy as Elijah. Or perhaps he was
2:2 “Wait here”– said possibly to test Elisha. If so, inspired by God to utter this request without
Elisha was equal to the test. See 1 Kings 19:20-21. understanding himself the reason for it. On
Compare Matt 4:20,22; 19:27; Luke 9:62; desiring gifts from God see 1 Kings 3:5,9-12;
24:28-29; John 6:67-69. 1 Cor 12:31.
2:3 “Prophets”– see 1 Sam 10:5; 19:10; 1 Kings 18:4; 2:10 Elijah recognizes that Elisha’s request is
20:35. not his to grant, and leaves it to God. But Elisha
2:8 Compare Ex 14:16,21,22; Josh 3:7-17. God must be with him to the very end (v 3).
demonstrated publicly once again that He was 2:11 “Fire”– 6:17; Ps 68:17. Elijah had always
the true God and that Elijah was His prophet. been under God’s protection. Here was the
See 1 Kings 18:36-37; 2 Kings 1:10. This is what visible sign of that.
Elijah’s ministry was all about. “Went up”– only two persons in the whole
2:9 “Ask what I should do for you”– three times, Bible were taken to heaven without dying,
it seems, Elijah had tested Elisha. Three times Elijah and Enoch (Gen 5:24; Heb 11:5). In this
Elisha had declared his determination to stay they are a picture of a great many in the future
with Elijah to the end, regardless of what might – 1 Cor 15:51-52; 1 Thess 4:16-18.
505 2 Kings 3:2

whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw them, “Did I not tell you not to go?”
it and cried out, “My father, my father! The 19 And the men of the city said to Elisha,

chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he “Please look, the situation of this city is
saw him no more; and he took hold of his pleasant, as my lord sees. But the water is
own clothes and tore them in two pieces. bad, and the ground is barren”.
13 He also took up the cloak of Elijah that 20 And he said, “Bring me a new jar, and

had fallen from him, and went back and put salt in it”. And they brought it to him.
stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14 And 21 And he went out to the spring of water,

he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen and threw the salt in there, and said, “Thus
from him, and struck the waters and said, says the LORD, ‘I have healed this water.
“Where is the LORD God of Elijah?” And From it there will be no more death or barren
when he also had struck the waters, they land”. 22 So the water has been healed to
were divided left and right, and Elisha this day, according to the word of Elisha
went over. which he spoke.
15 And when the sons of the prophets 23 And he went up from there to Bethel,

who were watching at Jericho saw him, and as he was going up on the road, youths
they said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting came out of the city, and mocked him and
on Elisha”. And they came to meet him, said to him, “Go up, you bald head! Go up,
and bowed down to the ground before him. you bald head!” 24 And he turned back and
16 And they said to him, “See now, there looked at them, and pronounced a curse on
are fifty strong men with your servants. them in the name of the LORD. And two
Please let them go and look for your master. female bears came out of the woods, and
Perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken tore forty-two of the youths. 25 And he went
him up, and thrown him on some mountain from there to mount Carmel, and from there
or into some valley”. And he said, “You he returned to Samaria.
must not send”.

3 Now Jehoram, the son of Ahab, began

17 And when they urged him until he was

ashamed, he said, “Send”. So they sent fifty to reign over Israel in Samaria in the
men, and they looked for three days, but did eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, king of
not find him. 18 And when they came back Judah, and he reigned twelve years. 2 And
to him (for he waited at Jericho) he said to he did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not
2:12 13:14. same Hebrew word is used of Joseph at the
“Tore”– Gen 37:29; Job 1:20. Elijah’s departure age of 17 (Gen 37:2), and Absalom after he
was a grief to Elisha. He was not glad to see him was grown to full manhood (2 Sam 18:5).
gone so that he himself might be in the limelight. Another Hebrew word is translated “youths”
2:13 Verse 8. The cloak was a symbol that Elisha in v 24. This word is used of Daniel and his
was Elijah’s successor. See 1 Kings 19:19. friends in Dan 1:4,10,13,15,17. The insults of
2:14 Elisha acted in faith and was willing to act in these young people expressed their scornful
the sight of those who may have been watching. rejection of God and all that for which Elijah
He believed that according to Elijah’s word (v and Elisha stood. Bethel (where this happened)
10), he now had a double portion of Elijah’s was the center of the wicked apostate religion
spirit. Now God publicly reveals by this miracle introduced by Jeroboam (1 Kings 12:32-33;
that Elisha was His chosen prophet. It has been Amos 7:13).
estimated that Elisha’s ministry was twice as 2:24 “A curse”– God Himself had already
long as Elijah’s, and the number of his recorded pronounced a curse against such. See
miracles is double that of Elijah’s. Deut 28:15,45. Elisha was anointed by the Spirit
2:15 “Bowed down”– an open recognition that of God and his response to the ridicule of these
Elisha was Elijah’s successor. young men was in complete harmony with the
2:16 Compare 18:12. It seems they did not believe Law of God.
that a man in the body could be taken completely “Bears came”– a fulfillment of Lev 26:21-22.
out of the world. Sometimes God has to judge harshly in order to
2:19 “The city”– Jericho. emphasize how serious it is to show contempt
2:21 “Healed”– compare Ex 15:25-26. Notice it for His Word and His servants. It can never be
was the Lord who healed the waters, not the salt. a light matter to belittle the things of God. See
Salt was but a symbol of God’s covenant with what the book of Proverbs has to say on the
Israel (Lev 2:13; Num 18:19). subject – Prov 1:22-27; 3:33-34; 9:12; 19:29; 21:11;
2:23 “Youths”– these were not children. The 29:8; 30:17.
2 Kings 3:3 506

like his father and like his mother; for he put down to him.
away the image of Baal that his father had 13 And Elisha said to the king of Israel,

made. 3 Nevertheless he clung to the sins “What have I to do with you? You go to the
of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused prophets of your father and to the prophets
Israel to sin; he did not departed from them. of your mother”. And the king of Israel said
4 And Mesha, king of Moab, was a sheep to him, “No, for the LORD has called these
owner, and paid tribute of a hundred three kings together to deliver them into the
thousand lambs and a hundred thousand hands of Moab”.
rams, with the wool, to the king of Israel. 14 And Elisha said, “As the LORD of hosts
5 But it happened when Ahab was dead, that lives, before whom I stand, if it were not that
the king of Moab rebelled against the king I respect the presence of Jehoshaphat the king
of Israel. 6 And King Jehoram went out of of Judah, I would not even look at you or see
Samaria at that same time, and counted you. 15 But now bring me a musician”. And
all Israel. 7 And he went and sent word to it happened when the musician played, that
Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, saying, the hand of the LORD came on him. 16 And
“The king of Moab has rebelled against he said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Make this
me. Will you go with me against Moab to valley full of ditches.’ 17 For thus says the
fight?” And he said, “I will go up. I am as LORD: ‘You will not see wind, nor will you
you are, my people as your people, and my see rain, yet that valley will be filled with
horses as your horses”. water, so that you may drink, both you, and
8 And he said, “Which way should we go your livestock and your animals.’ 18 And
up?” And he answered, “The way through this is but a small thing in the sight of the
the wilderness of Edom”. LORD. He will also deliver the Moabites
9 So the king of Israel and the king of into your hands. 19 And you shall defeat
Judah and the king of Edom went and every fortified city, and every choice city,
circled around on a seven days’ march; and and shall fell every good tree, and stop up
there was no water for the army and for the all the wells of water, and ruin every good
livestock that followed them. piece of land with stones”.
10 And the king of Israel said, “Alas, that the 20 And it came about in the morning, when

LORD has called these three kings together the grain offering was offered, that water
to deliver them into the hands of Moab!” appeared coming by the way from Edom,
11 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here a and the region was filled with water.
prophet of the LORD, so that we can inquire 21 And when all the Moabites heard that

of the LORD through him?” the kings had come up to fight against them,
And one of the servants of the king of they gathered all who were able to put on
Israel answered and said, “Elisha the son armour, and older, and stood at the border.
of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands 22 And they rose up early in the morning,

of Elijah, is here”. and the sun was shining on the water, and
12 And Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the the water on the other side appeared to the
LORD is with him”. So the king of Israel Moabites as red as blood. 23 And they said,
and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went “This is blood! The kings have surely been
3:2 “Like his father”– his father was Ahab who had 3:11 “Inquire of the LORD”– 1 Kings 22:7.
been the worst of Israel’s kings (1 Kings 16:30-34; “Elisha”– 1 Kings 19:21.
21:25-26), and his mother was Jezebel, one of the “Who poured water on the hands of Elijah”– this
worst women in history. indicates that he acted as Elijah’s personal servant.
3:3 1 Kings 12:28-33; 14:9,16. 3:13 1 Kings 22:6. Elisha knew that the king
3:7 “Jehoshaphat”– note at 1 Kings 22:2,4. of Israel had no love for the true God, and was
Apparently Jehoshaphat had learned nothing only consulting him because he was in trouble.
from his experience with Ahab and the rebuke of 3:14 “LORD of hosts”– note at 1 Sam 1:3.
the prophets (2 Chron 18:1; 19:1-2; 20:35-37). The “Jehoshaphat”– 2 Chron 17:1-6.
marriage alliance he had made with the house 3:15 1 Sam 16:23.
of Ahab continued to pervert his judgment and “Musician played”– note at 1 Chron 25:1.
lead him into evil compromise. 3:18 “Small”– Gen 18:14; Jer 32:17,27; Mark 10:27.
3:9 “King of Edom”– Edom was controlled by Doing miracles is easier for God than digging
Judah and this king had been appointed by the ditches is for men.
king of Judah. 3:20 “Offering”– Ex 29:38-40.
507 2 Kings 4:13

killed, and have struck one another down. utensils from all your neighbours, empty
Now therefore, Moab, to the plunder!” utensils. Do not borrow a few. 4 And when
24 And when they came to the camp of you have come in, you must shut the door
Israel, the Israelites rose up and attacked the behind you and behind your sons, and pour
Moabites, so that they fled before them. And out the oil into all those utensils, and put
they advanced, striking down the Moabites, aside what is full”.
even into their country. 25 And they broke 5 So she went from him and shut the door

down the cities, and each man threw his behind her and behind her sons, who had
stone on every good piece of land and filled brought the utensils to her, and she poured
it up, and they stopped all the wells of water, out the oil. 6 And it came about, when the
and felled all the good trees. Only in Kir- utensils were full, that she said to her son,
Haraseth did they leave its stones. However “Bring me another utensil”. And he said
the slingers went around it and attacked it. to her, “There is not another utensil”. And
26 And when the king of Moab saw that the the oil stopped.
battle was too fierce for him, he took with 7 Then she came and told the man of God.

him seven hundred men who drew swords, And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your
to break through to the king of Edom, but debt, and you and your children live off
they could not. 27 Then he took his oldest the rest”.
son, who would have reigned in his place, 8 And one day it came about that Elisha

and offered him as a burnt offering on the passed over to Shunem, where there was a
wall. And there was great indignation against great woman; and she urged him to eat bread.
Israel; and they departed from him, and And so it was, that whenever he passed by,
returned to their own land. he turned in there to eat bread. 9 And she
said to her husband, “Look now, I perceive

4 Now a certain woman of the wives of the

sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha,
saying, ‘Your servant my husband is dead.
that this is a holy man of God, who is always
passing by us. 10 Please let us make a little
room on the wall, and let us place there a
And you know that your servant feared the bed and a table and a stool and a candlestick
LORD. And the creditor has come to take for him. And it shall be that whenever he
my two sons to be slaves for himself”. comes to us, he can turn in there”.
2 And Elisha said to her, “What shall I do 11 And one day it happened that he came

for you? Tell me, what do you have in the there, and went into the room and lay there,
house?” And she said, “Your maidservant 12 and said to Gehazi, his servant, “Call this

does not have anything in the house, except Shunammite”. And when he had called her,
a pot of oil”. she stood before him. 13 And he said to him,
3 Then he said, “Go outside, borrow “Now tell her, ‘Look, you have taken all this
3:27 “Sacrifice”– the god of Moab was Chemosh. God’s compassion and faithfulness to His servant.
Note at 1 Kings 11:7. By this sacrifice Moab’s Many are the miracles of provision God has
king lost his son and gained nothing. Men can shown in secret to His believers. God’s people
get no profit by abominable worship of detestable have a shepherd who provides for them (Ps 23:1;
gods, only loss. 37:25; 2 Cor 9:8; Phil 4:19).
4:1 “Prophets”– 2:3,5. 4:8 “Great woman”– the Hebrew word translated
“Feared the LORD”– notes at Gen 20:11; “great” can mean great in any sense – in age, size,
Ps 34:11-14; 111:10; Prov 1:7. position, wealth, family background. It may mean
4:2 “What shall I do for you”– a desire to help wealthy here, but the greatness of this woman’s
others is one of the marks of a true servant of character is revealed in the following verses. She
God. Compare Matt 24:45-51; 25:34-36; Acts 3:6; wanted to help the servants of God (vs 8-10); she
20:33-35; Jam 1:27. was a woman of spiritual perception (v 9); she
4:3-6 God was ready to perform a miracle for was humble and undemanding (v 13); she had
this poor widow. She experienced the miracle a large faith (vs 22-37). Let us seek greatness in
only by her obedience and faith. Unbelief or these things that are truly great.
disobedience would have robbed her of God’s 4:9 “I perceive”– Matt 7:15-20; 1 John 4:1.
miraculous provision. Notice that she was to “Holy man of God”– see the splendid name
shut the door while pouring the oil. This was not Elisha had earned. Man of God was a usual way
a public miracle to prove to Israel that Jehovah of designating a prophet.
was God. It was a private miracle demonstrating 4:12 “Gehazi”– vs 29-31; 5:20-27; 8:4-5.
2 Kings 4:14 508

care to look after us, what is to be done for the man of God saw her at a distance, that
you? Would you be spoken for to the king, or he said to Gehazi his servant, “Look, there
to the commander of the army?’ ” And she is that Shunammite. 26 Please run now to
answered, “I live among my own people”. meet her, and say to her, ‘Is it well with you?
14 And he said, “What then is to be done Is it well with your husband? Is it well with
for her?” And Gehazi answered, “She has the child?’ ” And she answered, “It is well”.
no child at all, and her husband is old”. 27 And when she came to the man of God
15 And he said, “Call her”. And when he on the hill, she took hold of his feet, but
called her, she stood in the door. 16 And he Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And
said, “About this season next year you will the man of God said, “Let her alone, for
embrace a son”. And she said, “No, my her soul is troubled in her, and the LORD
lord, you man of God, do not lie to your has hidden it from me and has not told me”.
maid servant”. 28 Then she said, “Did I ask a son from my
17 And the woman conceived, and bore a lord? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me?’ ”
son at that season the next year as Elisha 29 Then he said to Gehazi, “Tuck up your

had said to her. robe in your belt, and take my staff in your
18 And the child grew; and it happened hand, and go your way. If you meet anyone do
one day that he went out to his father to not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not
the reapers. 19 And he said to his father, reply; and lay my staff on the face of the child”.
“My head! My head!” And he said to a lad, 30 And the mother of the child said, “As the

“Carry him to his mother”. LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not
20 And when he had picked him up and leave you”. And he arose and followed her.
brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees 31 And Gehazi passed on before them and

until noon and then died. 21 And she went up laid the staff on the face of the child, but there
and laid him on the bed of the man of God, was neither sound nor response. Therefore
and shut the door behind him and went out. he went back to meet him, and told him,
22 And she called to her husband and said, saying, “The child did not wake up”.
“Please send one of the young men to me, 32 And when he came into the house, Elisha

and one of the donkeys, so that I may hurry saw that the child was dead, and had been
to the man of God, and come back”. laid on his bed. 33 Therefore he went in and
23 And he said, “Why will you go to him shut the door behind the two of them, and
today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath”. prayed to the LORD. 34 And he went up
And she said, “It is well”. and lay on the child, and put his mouth on
24 Then she saddled a donkey and said to his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes, and
her servant, “Drive, and go forward. Do his hands on his hands, and he stretched
not slow the pace for me, unless I tell you”. himself on the child. And the flesh of the
25 So she went and came to the man of God child became warm. 35 Then he got off and
at mount Carmel. And it came about, when walked to and fro in the house, and went
4:13 “What”– v 2. The woman was content and 1 Chron 23:31.
was not looking for favors from the mighty. “She said”– evidently her husband was not
Compare 1 Tim 6:6-8; Heb 13:5. the kind of person she could share her thoughts
4:16 Gen 18:10-14. with.
4:20 Here was a severe test of this great woman’s 4:26 Being a woman of discernment, she would
faith. The verses which follow show her faith was not share her thoughts with Gehazi either, and
equal to the test. she had no confidence he could do anything
4:21-22 She did not reason that when a person is (vs 29,30).
dead he is dead, and nothing can be done about it. 4:27 “Her soul is troubled”– God’s good gifts
She believed God could work a miracle through can lead us into trial and grief. But the end
Elisha. Compare Heb 11:35. was not yet.
4:23 “Why”– the husband was a different sort “The LORD has hidden it”– God does not tell
of person from his wife. It was her suggestion, His servants everything, only what they need to
not his, to help Elisha (vs 8-10). He seemed to know.
care little for his son (v 19), and after the boy’s 4:30 This was language Elisha could well
death he could not imagine why his wife wanted understand. See 2:2,4,6.
to go to Elisha. 4:33 1 Kings 17:19-22; Matt 6:6; 9:25; Luke 8:51;
“New moon, Sabbath”– Num 10:10; 28:9,11; Acts 9:40.
509 2 Kings 5:7

up and stretched himself on him. And the I set this before a hundred men?” He said
child sneezed seven times, and the child again, “Give it to the people, so that they
opened his eyes. may eat. For thus says the LORD: ‘They
36 And he called Gehazi and said, “Call will eat, and leave some of it.’ ” 44 So he set
this Shunammite”. So he called her. And it before them, and they ate, and left some
when she had come in to him, he said, of it, according to the word of the LORD.
“Take up your son”. 37 Then she went in
and prostrated herself at his feet, bowing
down to the ground, and took up her son
and went out.
5 Now Naaman, commander of the
army of the king of Syria, was a great
and highly respected man with his master,
38 And Elisha went back to Gilgal. And because by him the LORD had given victory
there was a famine in the land. And the sons to Syria. He was also a valiant warrior, but
of the prophets were sitting before him, and he was a leper.
he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot, 2 And the Syrians had gone out in raiding

and cook stew for the sons of the prophets”. bands, and had brought a little girl captive
39 And someone went out into the field to from the land of Israel; and she waited on
gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and Naaman’s wife. 3 And she said to her mistress,
gathered his lap full of wild gourds from it, “Would God my lord were with the prophet
and came and shredded them into the pot who is in Samaria! For he would heal him
of stew, for they did not know what they of his leprosy”.
were. 40 So they poured out the stew for the 4 And he went in and told his lord, saying,

men to eat. And it came about, as they were “Thus and thus is what the girl who is from
eating the stew, that they cried out and said, the land of Israel said”. 5 And the king of
“O man of God, there is death in the pot!” Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter
And they could not eat it. to the king of Israel”. And he departed, and
41 But he said, “Then bring flour”. And he took with him ten talents of silver and six
threw it into the pot and said, “Pour it out thousand pieces of gold and ten changes of
for the people, so they may eat”. And there clothing. 6 And he brought the letter to the
was no harm in the pot. king of Israel, which said: “Now when this
42 And a man came from Baal Shalisha, letter comes to you, see, with it I have sent
and brought the man of God bread from Naaman my servant to you, that you may
the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and heal him of his leprosy”.
full heads of grain in its husk. And he said, 7 And it came about, when the king of

“Give it to the people, so that they may eat”. Israel had read the letter, that he tore his
43 And his servant said, “What, should clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and
4:37 1 Kings 17:23; Heb 11:35. Great faith receives observing it was the LORD (Jehovah) who gave
great rewards. them victory. God is sovereign over the world
4:38 “Famine”– famine was an evidence of and works His will among all nations (Dan 4:35).
God’s anger on His people’s sins (Lev 26:18-20; “Leper”– see note at Lev 13:2.
Deut 28:15,23,24; 2 Sam 21:1; 1 Kings 8:35-39). 5:3 “Prophet”– Elisha.
4:40 “Death in the pot”– because of a poisonous 5:5 “Silver”– ten talents equals about 340
plant put in the stew. In times of famine people kilograms.
search for anything that might be eaten whether “Gold”– 6000 shekels equals about 70
they know what it is or not. kilograms. Obviously this was an extremely
4:41 Compare 2:21. God will provide for His valuable gift. It indicates how serious Namaan’s
servants even if He has to perform a miracle to disease was and how much he longed to be rid
do so. Ps 33:18-19; 37:18-19. of it. King Omri had purchased the whole hill of
4:42 Another way which God uses to provide for Samaria for two talents of silver (1 Kings 16:24).
His servants. God can provide their necessities 5:7 “Tore his clothes”– 2 Sam 13:31; 1 Kings 21:27;
in famine as easily as in years of plenty. Esther 4:1,3; Job 1:20; 2:8. The captive girl (vs
4:43-44 A miracle of the same kind as that of 2,3) knew more than the king of Israel about
Matt 14:13-21. Elisha and God’s power working through him.
5:1 “Namaan”– Luke 4:27. It is often true that the meek and lowly know
“Victory”– Syria was not God’s chosen nation important things about God of which the
as Israel was. It was an idolatrous nation usually high and mighty are ignorant. The king could
hostile to Israel. They would have attributed think only that the Syrians had some sinister
their victories to the power of their gods. But plot in mind.
2 Kings 5:8 510

to make alive, that this man sends word to ” 14 Then he went down and dipped seven
me to heal a man of his leprosy? Therefore times in the Jordan, in accordance with the
please consider, and see how he is seeking word of the man of God, and his flesh was
grounds for a quarrel against me”. restored like the flesh of a little child, and
8 And it came about when Elisha the man he was clean.
of God heard that the king of Israel had torn 15 And he returned to the man of God, he

his clothes, he sent word to the king, saying, and all his company, and came and stood
“Why did you tear your clothes? Let him before him, and said, “Look, now I know
come now to me, and he will know that there that there is no God in all the earth, except
is a prophet in Israel”. 9 So Naaman came with in Israel. Therefore now please accept a gift
his horses and with his chariot, and stood at from your servant”.
the door of the house of Elisha. 10 And Elisha 16 But he said, “As the LORD lives, before

sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and whom I stand, I will not accept any”. And
wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh he urged him to take it, but he refused.
will be restored to you, and you will be clean”. 17 And Naaman said, “Then, please, shall
11 But Naaman was angry and went away, not two mules’ load of earth be given to your
and said, “Look, I thought he will surely servant? For from now on your servant will
come out to me, and stand and call on the offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to
name of the LORD his God, and wave his other gods, but to the LORD. 18 In this thing
hand over the place and heal the leprosy. the LORD pardon your servant, that when
12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of my master goes into the house of Rimmon
Damascus, better than all the waters of to worship there, and he leans on my hand,
Israel? May I not wash in them and be clean?” and I bow in the house of Rimmon. When
So he turned and went away in a rage. I bow down in the house of Rimmon, the
13 And his servants came near, and spoke LORD pardon your servant in this thing”.
to him and said, “My father, if the prophet 19 And he said to him, “Go in peace”. So

had told you to do some great thing, would he departed from him a little distance.
you not have done it? How much more then, 20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the

when he says to you, ‘Wash and be clean?’ man of God, said, “Look, my master has
5:8 “Why”– this was a rebuke to the unbelief and might get. This one gift from Namaan would
ignorance of the king. have made him a rich man (v 5), but Elisha was
5:10 Elisha did not even come out to see or meet not interested in obtaining wealth, even by gifts
this “great” man (v 1). others wanted to give him. How unlike Balaam
“Jordan”– the waters of the Jordan had no and many others since (2 Pet 2:15. See Paul’s
power to heal the body, cleanse from sin, or warning to Timothy in 1 Tim 6:6-11).
do any spiritual good whatever. In this it was 5:17 “Earth”– to make an altar in Damascus. It
like all other rivers in the world. None of them seems he did not understand that the earth of
anywhere have any spiritual power. God is the Israel was no more sacred for this purpose than
healer (Ex 15:26; Deut 32:39). When Namaan earth anywhere else.
was healed it was faith and obedience to God’s 5:18 Namaan knew that bowing to another god
word given through His prophet that brought would not be right, but did not see how he could
the healing. escape when the king with him bowed.
5:11-12 Namaan had pre-conceived ideas of 5:19 Elisha did not try to be Namaan’s conscience,
how the prophet should heal him. He was not but left it to him to work out his own problem.
ready yet for childlike obedience. It seems also 5:20 Gehazi is typical of all those who seek
that his pride was offended. He thought surely personal gain through the service of God. He was
Elisha would come out to him – after all, he was eager for money. The mind of Gehazi is often
a great man in Syria. Pride can rob men of God’s seen in Christian circles today. It leads to God’s
blessings (Jam 4:6,10; Mark 10:15). judgment (Matt 6:24; Luke 12:15; 1 Tim 6:5,9).
5:14 Faith and humble obedience gain from God Man of God, flee these things! Beware of greed, of
what nothing else ever can. trying to make gain from your position, of taking
5:15 This foreign idolater learned what Israel as a gifts God does not want you to have. Those things
nation had not learned (1 Kings 18:21, etc). They can ruin your ministry and your life.
were rushing after other gods, he was about to 5:22 Getting what he wanted involved Gehazi
abandon his. This knowledge Namaan gained in lying and misrepresenting his master. One
was a far greater gift of God than the healing of sin, as often happens, led to another. He loved
his body. Compare John 17:3. money more than truth, like so many today.
5:16 Elisha did not serve God for the gifts he When they who say they are servants of Christ
511 2 Kings 6:12

let this Syrian Naaman off lightly, by not let us go to the Jordan, and each man take
accepting from his hands what he brought. a beam from there, and let us make a place
But, as the LORD lives, I will run after him for ourselves there, where we can live”. And
and take something from him”. he answered, “Go”.
21 So Gehazi went after Naaman. And 3 And one of them said, “Please be willing

when Naaman saw him running after him, to go with your servants”. And he answered,
he got down from the chariot to meet him, “I will go”.
and said, “Is all well?” 4 So he went with them. And when they
22 And he said, “All is well. My master has came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. 5 But
sent me, saying, ‘Look, just now two young as one of them was felling a tree, the axe
men of the sons of the prophets have come to head fell into the water, and he cried out and
me from Mount Ephraim. Please give them a said, “Alas, master! For it was borrowed”.
talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’ ” 6 And the man of God said, “Where did
23 And Naaman said, “Be pleased to take it fall?” And he showed him the place. And
two talents”. And he urged him, and tied up he cut down a stick and threw it in there,
two talents of silver in two bags, with two and the iron floated up. 7 So he said, “Lift it
changes of clothing, and placed them on two out for yourself”. And he stretched out his
of his servants, and they carried them in front hand and took it.
of him. 24 And when he came to the tower, he 8 Then the king of Syria was at war against

took them from their hand and stored them Israel, and he took counsel with his servants,
in the house, and he let the men go, and they saying, “My camp will be in such and such
departed. 25 But he went in and stood before a place”.
his master. And Elisha said to him, “From 9 And the man of God sent word to the

where are you coming, Gehazi?” And he king of Israel, saying, “Beware that you
said, “Your servant did not go anywhere”. do not pass that place, for the Syrians have
26 And he said to him, “Did not my heart come down there”. 10 And the king of Israel
go with you, when the man turned back sent men to the place about which the man
from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to of God had told him and warned him, and
accept money and to accept clothes, and olive saved himself there, not once or twice.
groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen, 11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria

and male and female servants? 27 Therefore was greatly troubled about this thing, and
the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and he called his servants and said to them,
to your offspring forever”. And he went out “Will you not tell me which of us is for the
from his presence a leper as white as snow. king of Israel?”
12 And one of his servants said, “No one,

6 And the sons of the prophets said to

Elisha, “Now look, the place where we
are living with you is too small for us. 2 Please
my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who
is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words
that you speak in your bedroom”.

are greedy for money and twist the facts to get it, you? Take, then, his leprosy!”
they are misrepresenting Christ, bringing harm 6:1 “Prophets”– 2:3,5; 4:1,38. Evidently, part of
to His work on earth, and eventually great harm Elisha’s ministry was training these prophets
to themselves. for God’s service.
5:24 The cover-up begins. Compare Achan 6:5 “It was borrowed”– here is a problem that can
(Josh 7:1,11,12,21). always arise with borrowed things – they can be
5:25 The attempt to cover up wrongdoing usually lost or ruined. And this can produce hard feelings
leads to more lying, all of which is hateful to God in the lender. One should be just as careful with
(Prov 6:16-19. See also Prov 28:13). borrowed things as with one’s own – or even
5:26 “Did not my heart go”– God enabled Elisha more so. And any loss should be paid by the
to know what Gehazi had been doing. He had borrower. See Ex 22:14.
an ability to see things others could not see. 6:6-7 Through the prophet God showed His
Compare 6:17. Of course, it may be possible for concern for even small matters which affected
men to hide their sins from other men. But God His servants. Compare Matt 10:30.
sees what is going on and in His time and way will 6:9 “There”– 5:26. God revealed to Elisha the
expose and punish it (Ps 90:8; 139:1-7; Heb 4:13). movements of the Syrian army.
5:27 It is as though Elisha was saying “You 6:11 The king thought there was a traitor in their
wanted something belonging to Namaan, did midst sending information to Israel.
2 Kings 6:13 512
13 And he said, “Go and find out where he strike them down? Shall I strike them down?”
is, so that I can send men and bring him”. 22 And he answered, “You shall not strike

And it was told him as follows: “See, he is them down. Would you strike down those
in Dothan”. 14 Therefore he sent horses and whom you take captive with your sword
chariots and a large army there, and they and with your bow? Set food and water
came at night and surrounded the city. before them, that they may eat and drink
15 And when the servant of the man of God and go to their master”. 23 And he prepared
rose early and went out, he saw an army a great feast for them. And when they had
surrounding the city with both horses and eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and
chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, they went to their master. So the bands of
my master! What shall we do?” Syria no longer came into the land of Israel.
16 And he answered, “Do not be afraid, for 24 But after this it happened that Ben-Hadad

those who are with us are more than those king of Syria gathered all his army, and went
who are with them”. up and besieged Samaria. 25 And there was
17 And Elisha prayed and said, “LORD, a great famine in Samaria, and, see, they
I pray you, open his eyes, so that he can besieged it until a donkey’s head was sold
see”. And the LORD opened the eyes of the for eighty pieces of silver, and the fourth of
young man, and he looked an saw that the a kab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.
mountain was full of horses and chariots of 26 And as the king of Israel was passing

fire around Elisha. by on the wall, a woman cried out to him,

18 And when they came down to him, Elisha saying, “Help, my lord, O king”.
prayed to the LORD and said, “I pray you, 27 And he said, “If the Lord does not help

strike this people with blindness”. And he you, from where shall I help you? From the
struck them with blindness in accordance barn floor or from the winepress?” 28 And the
with the word of Elisha. king said to her, “What is troubling you?”
19 And Elisha said to them, “This is not And she answered, “This woman said to me,
the way, nor is this the city. Follow me, and ‘Give your son so that we can eat him today,
I will take you to the man for whom you and we will eat my son tomorrow.’ 29 So we
are looking”. But he led them to Samaria. boiled my son and ate him. And the next
20 And it came about, when they came into day I said to her, ‘Give your son so that we
Samaria, that Elisha said, “LORD, open the can eat him.’ And she has hidden her son”.
eyes of these men, so that they can see”. And 30 And when the king heard the words of

the LORD opened their eyes, and they looked the woman, it came about that he tore his
and saw that they were in the middle of clothes, and he passed by on the wall, and
Samaria. 21 And when he saw them, the king the people looked and there inside he had
of Israel said to Elisha, “My father, shall I sackcloth on his body. 31 Then he said, “May
6:16 “With us are more”– see 2 Chron 32:7-8; this way show the baseness of their character.
Ps 18:16-18; 34:7; 55:16-19; 68:17; 91:11; Matt 26:53; “A kab”– probably about 0.3 liter.
Rom 8:31; Heb 1:14. “Of dove’s dung”– or this could be translated “of
6:17 See 5:26. seed pods”. There may have been a plant or its
“Fire”– 2:11-12. God guards all of His servants. fruit called “dove’s dung”, strange as the name
He has all the angels of heaven available for this might seem to us.
purpose. It is not possible for anyone to capture “Five shekels”– about 55 grams.
any servant of God or do any physical harm to 6:28-29 God told them such things would happen
him without God’s permission and wise purpose. if they did not obey Him. See Lev 26:27-29;
6:18 “Blindness”– Gen 19:11; Acts 13:10-11. God Deut 28:52-57.
may use such means to protect His people and 6:30 “Sackcloth”– Gen 37:34; 1 Kings 21:27;
to further His work. Esther 4:1-2; Job 16:15.
6:22-23 The purpose of Elisha’s actions was not 6:31 Compare 1 Kings 18:10,16; 21:20. Elisha by
to destroy these men, but to prove to them that his prayers, walk with God, and counsel to the
God was defending Israel. For the time being king (6:9-10) was the greatest human protector
they learned their lesson. of the kingdom. It was madness for the king to
6:24 “After this”– often kings do not grasp the blame him for something that resulted from the
lessons of history. See 1 Kings chapter 20. unbelief and disobedience of himself and the
6:25 Eighty shekels equals about one kilogram. people. Such is fallen human nature. And such
In times of famine there are usually those who has been and still is the experience of many of
make profit from the suffering of others and in God’s servants.
513 2 Kings 7:14

God do harm to me and more also, if the chariots and a sound of horses, the sound of
head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains a large army. And they said to one another,
on him today”. “Look, the king of Israel has hired against
32 But Elisha was sitting in his house, us the kings of the Hittites and the kings
and the elders were sitting with him. And of the Egyptians, to attack us”. 7 Therefore
the king sent a man from his presence, but they arose and fled at twilight, and left their
before the messenger came to him, he said tents and their horses and their donkeys, the
to the elders, “Do you see how this son of a camp just as it was, and fled for their life.
murderer has sent someone to take off my 8 And when these lepers came to the

head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut outskirts of the camp, they went into one
the door and hold him fast at the door. Is not tent, and ate and drank, and carried silver
the sound of his master’s feet behind him?” and gold and clothes from there and went
33 And while he was still talking with them, and hid it, and came back, and entered
there was the messenger coming down to another tent, and carried things from there
him. And the king said, “Look, this disaster also, and went and hid them.
is from the LORD. Why should I wait for 9 Then they said to one another, “We are

the LORD any longer?” not behaving well. Today is a day of good
news, and we are keeping silent. If we wait

7 Then Elisha said, “Hear the word of

the LORD!
Thus says the LORD: Tomorrow about
till morning light, some punishment will
come on us. Therefore come now, let’s go
and tell the king’s household”.
this time a measure of fine flour will be sold 10 So they came and called to the gatekeepers

for a shekel and two measures of barley for of the city and told them, saying, “We went
a shekel, in the gate of Samaria”. to the camp of the Syrians, and, see, there
2 Then an officer on whose hand the king was no one there, not a human sound, but
was leaning answered the man of God horses tied up and donkeys tied up, and the
and said, “Look, even if the LORD made tents as they were”. 11 And the gatekeeper
windows in heaven, could this thing be?” called out, and they reported it inside the
And he said, “Look, you will see it with king’s house.
your eyes, but will not eat of it”. 12 And the king arose in the night and said
3 And there were four men with leprosy to his servants, “I will now tell you what
at the entrance of the gate, and they said to the Syrians are doing to us. They know that
one another, “Why should we sit here until we are hungry, so they have gone out of the
we die? 4 If we say, We will go into the city, camp to hide themselves in the field, saying,
then the famine is in the city, and we will ‘When they come out of the city, we will
die there. And if we still sit here, we will capture them alive, and get into the city.’ ”
die also. Therefore, come now and let’s go 13 And one of his servants answered and

over to the camp of the Syrians. If they save said, “Please let some men take five of the
us alive, we will live; and if they kill us, we horses that remain, which are left in the city.
will but die”. Look, they may become like all the multitude
5 And they rose at twilight to go to the of Israel who are left in it; yes, I say, they
camp of the Syrians, and when they arrived may become just like the whole multitude
at the outskirts of the Syrian camp, there of the Israelites who have perished. But let
was no one there. 6 For the Lord had caused us send them and see”.
the army of the Syrians to hear a sound of 14 So they took two chariot horses, and

6:33 “Why should I wait...any longer”– Jehoram was “Gate”– excluded from the city (Lev 13:46;
an evil man (3:1-3), and was seeking to kill the Num 5:2-3).
greatest man in Israel. He had not been waiting 7:6 “The LORD had caused”– God has many
for the Lord in repentance and faith. ways of protecting His people and working His
7:1 “Measure”– this measure was about 7.3 liters. sovereign will.
“A shekel”– about 11 grams. Compare 6:25. “A sound of chariots”– 6:17.
Elisha is predicting an end, at least a temporary 7:9 “Not behaving well”– it is never right to keep
end, of the famine. good news from those who might benefit from
7:2 “Not eat”– v 17. Possibly his death was God’s it. Compare Mark 16:15; Acts 20:20.
judgment for his unbelief. 7:12 The king did not believe Elisha’s word
7:3 “Leprosy”– note at Lev 13:2. in v 1.
2 Kings 7:15 514

the king sent them after the army of the 3 And it came about at the end of the seven

Syrians, saying, “Go and see”. 15 And they years that the woman returned from the land
went after them to the Jordan, and saw the of the Philistines, and she went to cry out to
whole road was full of clothes and articles the king for her house and for her land. 4 And
which the Syrians had thrown away in their the king was talking with Gehazi the servant
haste. And the messengers returned and of the man of God, saying, “Please tell me
told the king. 16 And the people went out all the great things that Elisha has done”.
and plundered the tents of the Syrians. So a 5 And it so happened that as he was telling

measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, the king how he had restored a dead body
and two measures of barley for a shekel, in to life, that suddenly the woman whose son
accordance with the word of the LORD. he had restored to life, cried out to the king
17 And the king appointed the officer on for her house and for her land. And Gehazi
whose hand he leaned to have charge of said, “My lord, O king, this is the woman,
the gate; and the people trampled on him and this is her son whom Elisha restored to
in the gate, and he died, as the man of God life”. 6 And when the king asked the woman,
had said, who spoke when the king came she told him. So the king appointed an officer
down to him. 18 And it happened just as the for her, saying, “Restore all that was hers,
man of God had spoken to the king, saying, and all the produce of the field from the day
“There will be two measures of barley for that she left the land until now”.
a shekel and a measure of fine flour for a 7 And Elisha came to Damascus. And Ben-

shekel, tomorrow about this time in the Hadad the king of Syria was sick, and it was
gate of Samaria”. 19 And that officer had told him, saying, “The man of God has come
answered the man of God and said, “Now, here. 8 And the king said to Hazael, “Take a
look, even if the LORD made windows in present in your hand, and go, meet the man
heaven, might such a thing be?” And he had of God and ask the LORD through him,
said, “Look, you will see it with your eyes, saying, “Will I recover from this disease?”
but will not eat of it”. 20 And so it happened 9 So Hazael went to meet him and took a

to him; for the people trampled on him in present with him, some of every good thing
the gate, and he died. in Damascus, forty camels’ loads, and came
and stood before him and said, “Your son

8 Then Elisha spoke to the woman whose

son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise,
and go with your household, and stay for a
Ben-Hadad, king of Syria, has sent me to you,
saying, “Will I recover from this disease?”
10 And Elisha said to him, “Go, say to him,

time wherever you can stay, for the LORD ‘You may certainly recover,’ however the
has called for a famine; and also it will LORD has revealed to me that he will surely
come on the land for seven years”. 2 And the die”. 11 And he fixed his gaze steadily, until
woman arose and acted in accordance with he was ashamed. And the man of God wept.
the word of the man of God, and she went 12 And Hazael said, “Why is my lord

with her household and stayed in the land weeping?” And he answered, “Because I
of the Philistines for seven years. know the evil that you will do to the children
7:16 Verse 1. To fulfill His word God put a strong 8:8 Interesting that this idolatrous king wanted
army to flight. God would move heaven and to consult Jehovah the God of Israel. The story
earth, if He needed, to do what He said. of Namaan, the commander of his army, perhaps
7:17-19 Verse 2; Isa 44:26. had a profound effect on him.
8:1 “Restored to life”– the son of the woman of 8:9 “A present”– it is unlikely that Elisha accepted
Shunem (4:18-35). any part of this. See 5:16.
“Famine”– 2 Sam 21:1; 1 Kings 8:37; 17:1; 8:10 “Recover”– Elisha’s meaning seems to be
2 Kings 6:25; Ps 105:16; Hag 1:11. God has often that Ben Hadad’s illness was not to death. If left
sent famine because of the disobedience and alone he would recover. But Elisha knew what
wickedness of people. Hazael would do (vs 14,15). Possibly the Hebrew
8:4 “King”– which king is not stated. Jehoram may also be translated “Go and say, ‘You will
was familiar with many of Elisha’s great works. certainly not recover’, for the LORD”, etc.
This king may have been Jehu who succeeded 8:12 10:32-33; 12:17; 13:3,7; Amos 1:3-4. Hazael
Jehoram. is a terrible warning of the depths to which a
8:7 In this foreign capital Elisha was famous for man can sink when he refuses the control of
his miraculous deeds. God (Jer 17:9).
515 2 Kings 9:1

of Israel. You will set their strongholds on chariots; and the people fled to their tents.
fire, and you will kill their young men with 22 Yet Edom revolted from under the hand

the sword, and will dash their children down, of Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted
and rip open their pregnant women”. at the same time.
13 And Hazael said, “But what! Is your 23 And the rest of the acts of Joram and

servant a dog that he would do this great all that he did, are they not written in the
thing?” And Elisha answered, “The Lord book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah?
has revealed to me that you will be king 24 And Joram slept with his ancestors and

over Syria”. was buried among his ancestors in the city

14 So he left Elisha and came to his master, of David, and Ahaziah his son reigned in
who said to him, “What did Elisha say to his place.
you?” And he answered, “He told me that 25 In the twelfth year of Joram, the son

you would surely recover”. 15 And it came of Ahab king of Israel, Ahaziah the son
about the next day that he took a thick cloth of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign.
and dipped it in water, and spread it on his 26 Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when

face, so that he died, and Hazael reigned he began to reign and he reigned one year
in his place. in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was
16 And in the fifth year of Joram the son Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel.
of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being 27 And he walked in the way of the house of

then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the LORD,
Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign. as the house of Ahab had done; for he was
17 He was thirty-two years old when he a son-in-law of the house of Ahab.
began to reign, and he reigned eight years 28 And he went with Joram, the son of

in Jerusalem. 18 And he walked in the way Ahab, to the war against Hazael, king of
of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab Syria, in Ramoth-Gilead, and the Syrians
had done, for his wife was Ahab’s daughter. wounded Joram. 29 And king Joram went
And he did evil in the sight of the LORD. back to Jezreel to be healed of the wounds
19 Yet, for the sake of his servant David, the which the Syrians had given him at Ramah,
LORD would not destroy Judah, since he when he fought against Hazael king of Syria.
promised him to give to him, and to his And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of
descendants, a perpetual light. Judah, went down to see Joram, the son of
20 In his days Edom revolted from under Ahab, in Jezreel, because he was sick.
the hand of Judah, and made a king over
themselves. 21 So Joram went over to Zair,
and all the chariots went with him; and he
rose at night and attacked the Edomites who
9 And Elisha the prophet called one of
the sons of the prophets, and said to
him, “Tuck up your robe in your belt, and
surrounded him, and the captains of the take this flask of oil in your hand and go

8:13 1 Kings 19:15. God would use Hazael’s 8:19 2 Sam 7:12-15; 1 Kings 11:36; 15:4; Ps 132:17.
elevation to the throne to punish His disobedient 8:20 “Edom”– Gen 25:30; 27:40; 1 Kings 22:47.
people. For some time Judah had controlled Edom and
8:16-24 2 Chron 21:1-20. appointed their rulers. When God’s people went
“Joram”– 1:17; 3:1. Jehoram shared the throne astray from Him it always resulted in trouble.
with his father for some five years before he Compare Jud 2:11-23.
became the sole king of Judah. 8:21 “Joram”– Jehoram.
8:18 “Kings of Israel” – 1 Kings 12:28-33; 8:24-29 2 Chron 22:1-7.
21:25-26. 8:24 “Slept”– note at 1 Kings 2:10.
“Ahab’s daughter”– 2 Chron 18:1. The marriage “City of David”– 2 Sam 5:6-7.
of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat to Athaliah 8:26 “Omri”– 1 Kings 16:23-26.
daughter of Ahab was a tragedy for Judah. Those 8:27 Verse 18; 2 Chron 18:1.
who arranged it probably meant to encourage 8:28 “Hazael”– v 15.
peace and cooperation between Israel and Judah, 8:29 9:15-16.
but it led to the corruption and degradation of “Ramah”– or “Ramoth”.
Judah. Failure to live according to God’s standards 9:1-10 2 Chron 22:7-9.
always has serious consequences. Every believer 9:1 “Prophets”– 1 Sam 10:5; 2 Kings 2:3,5; 6:1.
should be very careful about marriage alliances. “Oil”– oil was used to anoint leaders
See 2 Cor 6:14-18. (1 Sam 10:1; 16:1; 1 Kings 1:39).
2 Kings 9:2 516

to Ramoth-Gilead. 2 And when you arrive anointed you king over Israel.’ ”
there, look for Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, 13 Then each one of them hurriedly took

the son of Nimshi, and go in and have him his cloak, and put it under him on the top of
stand up among his brethren, and take him the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying,
to an inner room. 3 Then take the flask of “Jehu is king!”
oil, and pour the oil on his head, and say, 14 So Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son

Thus says the LORD, ‘I have anointed you of Nimshi, conspired against Joram. (Now
king over Israel.’ Then open the door and Joram had been guarding Ramoth-Gilead,
flee, and do not wait”. he and all Israel, because of Hazael king
4 So the young man, the young man the of Syria. 15 But king Joram had returned to
prophet, went to Ramoth-Gilead. 5 And Jezreel to be healed of the wounds which
when he arrived, there were the commanders the Syrians had given him, when he fought
of the army sitting, and he said, “I have a with Hazael king of Syria.) And Jehu said,
message for you, O commander!” And Jehu “If you are so minded, then let no one go
said, “To which one of all of us?” And he out or escape from the city to go to tell it in
said, “To you, O commander”. Jezreel. 16 So Jehu rode in a chariot and went
6 And he arose and went into the house; to Jezreel, for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah
and he poured the oil on his head, and said king of Judah had come down to see Joram.
to him, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel, 17 And a watchman stood on the tower in

‘I have anointed you king over the people Jezreel, and he saw the troop of Jehu as he
of the LORD, over Israel. 7 And you shall was coming, and said, “I see a troop”.
strike the house of Ahab your master, so that And Joram said, “Take a horseman and
I may avenge the blood of my servants the send him to meet them, and have him say,
prophets, and the blood of all the servants ‘Is it peace?’ ”
of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel. 8 For 18 So someone went on horseback to meet

the whole house of Ahab will perish; and I him, and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it
will cut off from Ahab every male person, peace?’ ”
both bond and free in Israel. 9 And I will And Jehu said, “What have you to do
make the house of Ahab like the house of with peace? Turn in behind me”. And the
Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the watchman reported this, saying, “The
house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. 10 And messenger went to them, but he is not
the dogs will eat Jezebel in the plot of ground coming back”.
in Jezreel, and there will be no one to bury 19 Then he sent out a second man on

her.’ ” And he opened the door and fled. horseback, who went to them and said,
11 Then Jehu came out to the servants of “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’ ”
his lord; and one of them said to him, “Is all And Jehu answered, “What have you to
well? Why did this mad fellow come to you?” do with peace? Turn in behind me”.
And he said to them, “You know the man 20 And the watchman reported this, saying,

and his talk”. “He also went to them, and is not coming
12 And they said, “That is not true! Tell back. And the driving is like the driving
us now”. of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he drives
And he said, “Thus and thus he told furiously”.
me, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: I have 21 And Joram said, “Make ready”. And his

9:2 1 Kings 19:16-17. This Jehu was not the “Every male person”– in Hebrew, “him who
prophet who had the same name (1 Kings 16:1); urinates against the wall”.
and this Jehoshaphat was not the same as the 9:9 1 Kings 14:10-11; 15:29; 16:3-4,11,12.
king of Judah (8:16). 9:10 “Jezebel”– note at 1 Kings 16:31.
9:4 “Gilead”– Ramoth Gilead was east of the 9:11 “Mad fellow” – God’s prophets (and
Jordan River, nearly 100 kilometers from Samaria. even His Son) were sometimes regarded
9:7 “Ahab”– Jehu knew what Ahab had done and a s c ra z y by si n f u l, world ly p eo ple –
that God’s vengeance would come on Ahab’s Jer 29:26-27; Hos 9:7; Mark 3:21; John 10:20;
house. See vs 25,26. Acts 26:24.
“Avenge”– note at Num 31:2-3. 9:13 “Trumpets”– 2 Sam 15:10; 1 Kings 1:34.
9:8 10:17; 1 Kings 14:10; 21:21. There was not 9:15 “Joram”– or “Jehoram”.
one of Ahab’s descendants who was righteous “Jezreel”– 8:29. This was nearly 75 kilometers
and God-fearing, who deserved to be spared. from Ramoth.
517 2 Kings 10:3

chariot was made ready. And Joram king of 30 And when Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel

Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah set out, heard of it, and she painted her eyes and
each in his chariot, and they went out against adorned her head, and looked out at a
Jehu, and met him in the plot of ground of window. 31 And as Jehu came in at the gate,
Naboth the Jezreelite. 22 And it came about she said, “Did Zimri, who killed his master,
when Joram saw Jehu that he said, “Is it have peace?”
peace, Jehu?” And he answered, “What 32 And he raised his face to the window,

peace, as long as the acts of prostitution of and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” And
your mother Jezebel and her acts of witchcraft two or three eunuchs looked out at him.
are so many?” 33 And he said, “Throw her down”. So they
23 And Joram turned his hands and fled, threw her down; and some of her blood
and said to Ahaziah, “There is treachery, splattered on the wall and on the horses;
Ahaziah!” and he trampled her under foot.
24 And Jehu drew a bow with his full 34 And when he had come in, he ate and

strength, and hit Jehoram between his drank, and said, “Go, see now to that
shoulders, and the arrow went out through cursed woman, and bury her, for she is a
his heart, and he sank down in his chariot. king’s daughter”. 35 And they went to bury
25 Then Jehu said to Bidkar his captain, “Take her, but they found no more of her than
him up and throw him in the plot of ground the skull and the feet and the palms of her
of Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember when hands. 36 Therefore they came back and told
you and I were riding together behind his him. And he said, “This is the word of the
father Ahab that the LORD laid this burden LORD, which he spoke through his servant
on him: 26 ‘I have certainly seen yesterday the Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘In the plot of
blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons, ground at Jezreel dogs will eat the flesh of
says the LORD, and I will repay you in this Jezebel. 37 And the corpse of Jezebel will be
plot, says the LORD.’ Now, therefore, take like dung on the surface of the ground in
him and throw him into that plot of ground, the plot at Jezreel, so that they will not say,
in accordance with the word of the LORD”. This is Jezebel.’ ”
27 But when Ahaziah the king of Judah

saw this, he fled by the way of the garden

house. And Jehu followed him, and said,
“Strike him down too, in the chariot”. And
10 And Ahab had seventy sons in
Samaria.
And Jehu wrote letters and sent them to
they did so at the ascent to Gur, which is at Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders
Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died and to those who brought up Ahab’s children,
there. 28 And his servants carried him in a saying, 2 “Now as soon as this letter reaches
chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his you, since your master’s sons are with you,
tomb with his ancestors in the city of David. and there are with you chariots and horses,
29 And in the eleventh year of Joram, the son also a fortified city and weapons, 3 choose
of Ahab, Ahaziah began to reign over Judah. the best and most worthy of your master’s

9:21 “Naboth”– 1 Kings 21:1-7,15-21; 2 Chron 22:7. away from women of depraved heart. Compare
9:22 “Jezebel”– 1 Kings 16:30-33; 18:19; 21:25. Isa 3:16-24.
All idolatry and all witchcraft are detestable to 9:31 Zimri had murdered king Elah
God, and He will see to it that no individual, no – 1 Kings 16:9-10.
nation practicing them will know permanent 9:34 1 Kings 16:31.
peace – Ex 22:18; Deut 13; 18:10-13; 1 Sam 15:23; 9:36 1 Kings 21:23. Every word of God will be
Gal 5:20; Isa 48:22; 57:21. fulfilled – Isa 44:26.
9:23 11:14. They who are traitors toward God, 9:37 In this way God showed His hatred of
should not be surprised when men rise against all that in which Jezebel delighted. Compare
them. Compare Ps 18:25-26. Ps 83:9-10; Isa 5:25; Jer 8:2; 9:22; 16:4; 25:33;
9:25 1 Kings 21:1,19-22. Luke 16:15.
9:26 1 Kings 21:13; Gal 6:7-8. 10:1 “Samaria”– this was the capital of the
9:27 2 Chron 22:7-9. northern kingdom of Israel, and Jehu had to
“By way of the garden house”– or “up the road control this city to be sure of controlling the
to Beth-Haggan”. kingdom.
9:30 Jer 4:30; Ezek 23:36-40. Paint and well- 10:3 The meaning was “Submit, if you are not
arranged hair cannot keep God’s judgment willing to fight”.
2 Kings 10:4 518

sons, and set him on his father’s throne, and said, “Who are you?”
fight for your master’s house”. And they answered, “We are Ahaziah’s
4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and relatives, and we are going down to greet
said, “Look, two kings did not stand before the children of the king and the children of
him. How then shall we stand?” the queen”.
5 And the one who was in charge of the 14 And he said, “Take them alive!” And

house, and the one who was over the city they took them alive, forty-two men, then
and the elders, and those who brought up killed them at the pit of the shearing house.
the children, sent word to Jehu, saying, “We He did not leave any of them.
are your servants and will do all that you 15 And when he left there, he met Jehonadab

tell us. We will not make any king. You do the son of Rechab coming to meet him, and
what is good in your eyes”. he greeted him and said to him, “Is your
6 Then a second time he wrote a letter to heart right, as my heart is with your heart?”
them, saying, “If you are mine, and if you And Jehonadab answered, “It is”. Jehu
will listen to my voice, take the heads of the said, “If it is, give me your hand”. And he
men, your master’s sons, and come to me gave him his hand, and Jehu took him up to
to Jezreel by this time tomorrow”. Now the him into the chariot. 16 And he said, “Come
king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the with me and see my zeal for the LORD”. So
chief men of the city who brought them up. they had him ride in his chariot.
7 And it came about, when the letter came 17 And when he came to Samaria, he

to them, that they took the king’s sons, and killed all who were left of Ahab’s family
killed the seventy persons, and put their in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, in
heads in baskets and sent them to him at accordance with the saying of the LORD
Jezreel. 8 And a messenger came and told which he spoke to Elijah.
him, saying, “They have brought the heads 18 And Jehu gathered all the people

of the king’s sons”. together, and said to them, “Ahab served

And he said, “Lay them in two heaps at Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him much.
the entrance of the gate until morning”. 19 Now therefore call to me all the prophets
9 And in the morning it came about that of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests.
he went out and stood, and said to all the Do not let one be missing. For I have a
people, “You are righteous. See, I conspired great sacrifice to make to Baal. Whoever
against my master, and killed him. But who is missing will not live”. But Jehu did this
killed all these? 10 Know now that not a deceptively, for the purpose of destroying
word of the LORD, which the LORD spoke the worshippers of Baal.
concerning the house of Ahab, will fall to 20 And Jehu said, “Proclaim a solemn

the earth; for the LORD has done what he assembly for Baal”. And they proclaimed
said through his servant Elijah”. 11 So Jehu it. 21 And Jehu sent word through all Israel.
killed all who remained of the house of And all the ministers of Baal came, so that
Ahab in Jezreel, and all his chief men and there was not a man who did not come. And
his relatives and his priests, until he left no they came into the house of Baal, and the
one remaining to him. house of Baal was filled from one end to the
12 And he arose and departed and came to other. 22 And he said to the one in charge of
Samaria. And when he was at the shearing the wardrobe, “Bring out robes for all the
house on the way, 13 Jehu met with the worshippers of Baal”. And he brought out
relatives of Ahaziah, king of Judah, and robes for them.
10:4 9:24,27. more for his own advancement than for God’s
10:7 9:8-9; 1 Kings 21:21. glory. Let us be careful against using the service
10:9 He put the responsibility for these murders of God for selfish ends.
on the leading men of Samaria. 10:17 Verse 10.
10:10 1 Kings 21:19-29. 10:18 “Baal”– 1 Kings 16:30-33. Note at
10:13 8:24,29. Jud 2:11.
10:15 “Rechab”– Jer 35:6-19. 10:19 Men often think (mistakenly) that they
10:16 1 Kings 19:10 – it would seem from Jehu’s must use deceitful means to accomplish God’s
later actions that his “zeal for the LORD”, which purposes. Compare Gen 27:18-26; Josh 2:4-6;
he apparently so much wanted others to see, was 1 Sam 21:2,13.
519 2 Kings 11:4
23 And Jehu and Jehonadab the son of law of the LORD God of Israel with all his
Rechab went into the house of Baal, and heart, for he did not depart from the sins of
said to the worshippers of Baal, “Search Jeroboam, who caused Israel to sin.
and see that there are none of the servants 32 In those days the LORD began to cut

of the LORD with you here, but only the away parts of Israel, and Hazael defeated
worshippers of Baal”. 24 And when they went them in all the territories of Israel, 33 from
in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead,
appointed eighty men outside, and said, “If the Gadites and the Reubenites and the
any of the men whom I have brought into Manassites from Aroer, which is by the
your hands escapes, the life of the one who river Arnon, Gilead and Bashan.
lets him go will be required for his life”. 34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all
25 And it came about, as soon as he finished that he did and all his might, are they not
offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said written in the book of The Annals of the
to the guard and to the captains, “Go in, Kings of Israel?
and kill them! Do not let anyone get out”. 35 And Jehu slept with his ancestors; and

And they struck them with the edge of the they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz
sword, and the guard and the captains threw his son reigned in his place. 36 And the time
them out, and went into the inner shrine of that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was
the house of Baal. 26 And they brought the twenty-eight years.
images out of the house of Baal and burned
them. 27 And they broke down the image of
Baal, and tore down the house of Baal and
made it a latrine, as it is to this day.
11 And when Athaliah, the mother
of Ahaziah, saw that her son was
dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal
28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel. offspring. 2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of
29 However Jehu did not depart from the sins king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash
of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away
Israel to sin, that is, the golden calves at from among the king’s sons who were killed.
Bethel and at Dan. And they hid him from Athaliah, him and
30 And the LORD said to Jehu, “Because his nurse, in a bedroom, so that he was
you have done well in carrying out what is not killed. 3 And he was with her hidden at
right in my eyes, and have done to the house the house of the LORD for six years. And
of Ahab in accordance with all that was Athaliah reigned over the land.
in my heart, your offspring will sit on the 4 And the seventh year Jehoiada sent men

throne of Israel to the fourth generation”. and brought the rulers over hundreds, with
31 But Jehu was not careful to walk in the the captains and the guard, brought them
10:28 The worship of this false god was a disgrace 10:35 “Slept”– note at 1 Kings 2:10.
to the people of Israel, and Jehu did well to root 11:1-20 2 Chron 22:10—23:21.
it out. But the people did not turn back to the 11:1 “Athaliah”– 8:18,26; 9:27.
Lord. A work of destruction is not the same as “The royal offspring”– this was the royal
a work of creation. house of David. See God’s promise to David
10:29 1 Kings 12:26-32; 13:33-34. Jehu himself, in 2 Sam 7:11,16; 2 Kings 8:19. Satan used
though professing great zeal for Jehovah, was this evil woman in an attempt to destroy
guilty of false worship and of following the evil David’s family line and leave God’s word
Jeroboam. unfulfilled. Athaliah’s attack was principally
10:30 “To the fourth generation”– the four were on her own grandchildren, and was for the
Jehoahaz, Joash, Jeroboam II, Zechariah. sole purpose of seizing power for herself. She
10:31 Jehu showed great energy in destroying evil, was not the last person to side with Satan for
but was not equally concerned in building up what powers sake. And many wicked persons since
was good. There is an important principle here. Athaliah have tried to destroy the purposes
God’s servants are called not only to condemn of God. But none have succeeded, and none
error, but to follow and encourage what is true ever will.
and edifying. A mainly negative ministry is of 11:2 “Jehosheba”– God always has instruments
little lasting value. to accomplish His will. Compare Ex 1:22—2:10;
10:32 “Hazael”– 8:12; Amos 1:3-5. When His Matt 2:13-16. Joash was only a year old at this
people are unbelieving and disobedient, God time. Compare v 3 with v 21.
knows how to cut them down to size. 11:4 “Jehoiada”– this man was Jehosheba’s
10:34 “Annals”– 1 Kings 14:19. husband and a priest (2 Chron 22:11).
2 Kings 11:5 520

to him into the house of the LORD, and pillar, as the custom was, and the leaders
made a covenant with them, and took an and the trumpeters by the king, and all the
oath from them in the house of the LORD, people of the land rejoicing and blowing with
and showed them the king’s son. 5 And he trumpets. And Athaliah tore her clothes and
commanded them, saying, “This is what cried out, “Treason! Treason!”
you must do: a third of you who come on 15 But Jehoiada the priest gave a command

duty on the Sabbath shall keep watch over to the captains of the hundreds, the officers
the king’s house, 6 and a third will be at the of the army, saying to them, “Take her out
Sur gate, and a third at the gate behind the of the area, and kill with the sword anyone
guard. So you must keep watch over the who follows her”. For the priest had said,
house, that it be not broken into. 7 And two- “Do not let her be killed in the house of the
thirds of all of you who go off duty on the LORD”. 16 And they seized her; and she
Sabbath, shall keep watch over the house arrived at the path by which the horses came
of the LORD, around the king. 8 And you to the king’s house, and she was killed there.
shall surround the king, each man with his 17 And Jehoiada made a covenant between

weapons in his hand. And whoever comes the LORD and the king and the people,
near your ranks must be killed. And you that they would be the LORD’s people; also
shall be with the king as he goes out and as between the king and the people. 18 And all
he comes in”. the people of the land went into the house
9 And the captains over the hundreds acted of Baal and broke it down. They completely
in accordance with everything that Jehoiada smashed his altars and his images and killed
the priest commanded, and each one took Mattan, the priest of Baal, before the altars.
his men who were to come on duty on the And Jehoiada the priest appointed officers
Sabbath, with those who would go off duty over the house of the LORD. 19 And he took
on the Sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the the rulers over hundreds and the captains and
priest. 10 And the priest gave to the captains the guard, and all the people of the land, and
over hundreds King David’s spears and they brought the king down from the house
shields, that were in the temple of the LORD. of the LORD, and came by the road of the
11 And the guards stood, each man with his Gate of the Guard to the king’s house. And
weapons in his hand, all around the king, he sat on the throne of the kings. 20 And all
from the right corner of the temple to the the people of the land rejoiced, and the city
left corner of the temple, along by the altar was quiet, for they had killed Athaliah with
and the temple. the sword beside the king’s house.
12 And he brought out the king’s son, and 21 Jehoash was seven years old when he

put the crown on him and gave him the began to reign.
Testimony; and they made him king and
anointed him, and clapped their hands and
said, “God save the king!”
13 And when Athaliah heard the voice of
12 Jehoash began to reign in the seventh
year of Jehu, and he reigned forty
years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name
the guards and of the people, she came to the was Zibiah. She was from Beersheba. 2 And
people into the temple of the LORD. 14 And Jehoash did what was right in the sight of
when she looked, there stood the king by a the LORD all the days in which Jehoiada
“Son”– Joash. introduced into Judah probably by king Jehoram
11:10 2 Sam 8:7; 1 Chron 18:7. and his wife Athaliah (8:16-18).
11:12 “Testimony”– Deut 17:18-20. 11:19 2 Kings 11:4-6.
“Anointed”– 1 Sam 9:16; 16:1; 1 Kings 1:34,39. 11:20 “Rejoiced”– Prov 11:10; 28:12; 29:2.
11:14 See note at 9:23. 11:21 “Jehoash”– (also vs 2,4,6,7,18) – Joash.
11:17 Josh 24:25; 1 Sam 10:25; 2 Chron 15:12-15; 12:1-14 2 Chron 24:1-14.
24:15-16. Jehoiada was a godly man who had 12:2 2 K ings 11:4. Joash did right as
the best interests of the people in his heart long as he was under the instruction of
(2 Chron 24:15-16). And he knew there could Jehoiada, but later forsook the truth he
be no lasting good for the people if they forsook knew (2 Chron 24:17-27). Blessed are they
the true God. who faithfully serve God to the end of
11:18 De ut 12:2 -3; 1 K i ng s 18:4 0; their lives – 2 Tim 4:6-7; Heb 3:14; 6:11-12;
2 Kings 10:11,26,27. Baal worship had been Rev 2:10,26.
521 2 Kings 12:18

the priest instructed him. 3 But the high much money in the chest, the king’s scribe
places were not taken away. The people and the high priest came up and put it in
still sacrificed and burned incense on the bags, and counted the money that was found
high places. in the house of the LORD. 11 And they gave
4 And Jehoash said to the priests, “All the the counted money into the hands of those
money of the dedicated things that is brought who did the work, who had the oversight of
into the house of the LORD, each man’s the house of the LORD; and they paid it out
census money, the money from each man’s to the carpenters and builders who worked
assessment, and all the money any man’s on the house of the LORD, 12 and to masons
heart prompts him to bring into the house of and stone cutters, and to buy timber and cut
the LORD, 5 let the priests themselves take stone to repair the damaged places in the
it, each one from his acquaintances, and house of the LORD, and for all that was
let them repair the damaged places of the paid out for the house to repair it.
house, wherever any damage may be found”. 13 However, no silver bowls, snuffers,
6 But it so happened that by the twenty- basins, trumpets, no gold or silver articles
third year of king Jehoash the priests had not were made for the house of the LORD,
repaired the damaged places in the house. from the money that was brought into the
7 Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the house of the LORD, 14 but they gave it to the
priest and the other priests, and said to them, workmen, and made repairs to the house of
“Why are you not repairing the damaged the LORD with it. 15 Moreover, they did not
places of the house? Now therefore accept demand an account with the men into whose
no more money from your acquaintances, hands they delivered the money to be given
but deliver it for the damaged places in the to workmen, for they dealt faithfully. 16 The
house”. 8 And the priests agreed to receive money for trespass offerings and money for
no more money from the people, and not sin offerings was not brought into the house
to repair the damaged places in the house of the LORD. It belonged to the priests.
themselves. 17 Then Hazael king of Syria went up and
9 But Jehoiada the priest took a chest and fought against Gath and took it; and Hazael
bored a hole in its lid, and set it beside the set his face to go up to Jerusalem. 18 And
altar, on the right side as one comes into the Jehoash king of Judah took all the sacred
house of the LORD; and the priests who were things that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and
doorkeepers put in it all the money that was Ahaziah, his forefathers, kings of Judah, had
brought into the house of the LORD. 10 And dedicated, and his own sacred things, and
so it was that whenever they saw there was all the gold that was found in the treasuries
12:3 1 Kings 3:2; 15:14; 22:43. At this time on 12:9 “Chest”– Mark 12:41; Luke 21:1.
these high places they worshiped Jehovah and 12:11-14 With proper supervision the work went
not false gods. Even so, this was not according ahead and funds collected were used in a proper
to God’s instructions for worship – Ex 20:24; way. The money for repair work was not spent
Num 33:52; Deut 7:5; 12:3,5,8,13,14. on something else.
12:4 “Census money”– Ex 30:11-16; 38:25-26; 12:15 “Faithfully”– 22:7; 1 Cor 4:2. How
Num 2:32. important this is in the work of God. It cannot
“Man’s heart prompts him”– Lev 22:18-23; be overemphasized. God is a God of truth and
Deut 16:10. demands truth in our hearts (Ps 31:5; 51:6). If we
12:6 The temple had been finished in 959 B.C. lack honesty we have no right to expect blessing
The 23rd year of Joash was 835. The date when or reward from God, and we might well wonder
Joash spoke the words of v 4 is not known, but if we know God at all.
evidently a considerable length of time had gone 12:16 Lev 4:24,29; 5:15-18; 7:7; Num 4:9,19.
by and no repairs had been made. The question 12:17-21 2 Chron 24:23-26 reveals that these
arises, what had happened to the money the priests events occurred after Joash murdered the son
had been receiving for the work? And where of Jehoiada.
was their zeal for God’s service? How vital it is 12:17 “Hazael”– 8:9-13; 10:32-33.
that Christian workers, and all of God’s people, 12:18 1 Kings 15:18; 2 Kings 16:8; 18:15-16. Using
should be completely honest in money matters. God’s property to bribe God’s enemies was
To misuse money given for the work of God is surely both wrong and unnecessary. It showed
to steal from God. And to be lacking in zeal for a lack of faith in God’s protection. What Joash
God and His work is to show the smallness of needed to do was repent and turn to God with
our love for Him. all his heart.
2 Kings 12:19 522

of the house of the LORD and in the king’s only fifty horsemen and ten chariots and
house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria; ten thousand foot soldiers; for the king of
and he went away from Jerusalem. Syria had destroyed them and had made
19 And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all them like the dust of threshing.
that he did, are they not written in the book 8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and

of The Annals of the Kings of Judah? 20 And all that he did and his might, are they not
his servants arose and made a conspiracy, written in the book of The Annals of the
and killed Joash in the house of Millo, on Kings of Israel? 9 And Jehoahaz slept with his
the way down to Silla. 21 For Jozachar the ancestors; and they buried him in Samaria.
son of Shimeath and Jehozabad the son of And his son Joash reigned in his place.
Shomer, his servants, struck him, and he 10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joash,

died; and they buried him with his ancestors king of Judah, Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz
in the city of David. And his son Amaziah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and
reigned in his place. he reigned for sixteen years. 11 And he did
what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He

13 In the twenty-third year of Joash,

the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah,
Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign
did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam
the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin,
but he walked in them.
over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned for 12 And the rest of the acts of Joash and all

seventeen years. 2 And he did what was evil that he did, and his might, with which he
in the sight of the LORD, and followed the fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are
sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who they not written in the book of The Annals
caused Israel to sin. He did not depart from of the Kings of Israel? 13 And Joash slept
them. 3 And the anger of the LORD burned with his ancestors; and Jeroboam sat on his
against Israel, and he delivered them into throne. And Joash was buried in Samaria
the hands of Hazael king of Syria, and into with the kings of Israel.
the hands of Ben Hadad the son of Hazael, 14 Now Elisha had fallen sick with his

all their days. sickness, of which he died. And Joash the

4 And Jehoahaz pleaded with the LORD, king of Israel came down to him, and wept
and the LORD listened to him, for he saw over his face and said, “O my father, my
the oppression of Israel; because the king father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen”.
of Syria oppressed them. 5 And the LORD 15 And Elisha said to him, “Take bow and

gave Israel a saviour, so that they escaped arrows”. And he took bow and arrows. 16 And
from under the hand of the Syrians; and the he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand
children of Israel lived in their tents as before. on the bow”. And he put his hand on it, and
6 Nevertheless they did not depart from the Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.
sins of the house of Jeroboam, who caused 17 And he said, “Open the east window”.

Israel to sin, but walked in them; and also And he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot”.
the idolatrous grove in Samaria remained. And he shot. And he said, “The arrow of
7 For he left of the people of Jehoahaz the LORD’s deliverance, and the arrow of
12:19 “Annals”– 1 Kings 14:19. 13:7 Verse 22; 8:12; 10:32; Amos 1:3.
12:20 “Killed Joash”– the reason for this is seen 13:8 “Annals”– 1 Kings 14:19.
in 2 Chron 24:25. 13:9 “Slept”– note at 1 Kings 2:10.
12:21 “City of David”– 2 Sam 5:6-7. 13:11 1 Kings 12:26-33.
13:2 1 Kings 12:26-33. 13:14 “Sickness”– Elisha was a great prophet, a
13:3 “Anger”– notes at Num 25:3; Ps 90:7-11. faithful man of God. He did miracles for others
“Ben-Hadad”– v 24. (4:32-37), but there was no miracle for him when
“Hazael”– 8:11-12; 10:32-33. he fell ill. Compare 1 Tim 5:23; 2 Tim 4:20.
13:4 Verse 26,27; Ex 3:7,9; Jud 2:14-18; Jehoash, king of Israel, like many godless men,
2 Chron 33:10-13; Ps 78:38-39; 103:13-14; had respect for God’s prophet. But though he used
Isa 55:6-7. the same words to Elisha that Elisha had used to
13:5 “Saviour”– possibly Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash Elijah (2:10), he did not have their faith. Many
(v 25). today can use the language of Bible-believing
13:6 God’s goodness did not lead them to Christians without believing the Bible.
repentance. Compare Joel 2:18-19; Rom 2:4. 13:17 “East window”– facing the area controlled
“Grove”– or “Asherah pole” – note at Jud 3:7. by Syria beyond the Jordan River.
523 2 Kings 14:11

deliverance from Syria. For you shall strike 2 He was twenty-five years old when he
down the Syrians in Aphek until you have began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine
destroyed them”. years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name
18 And he said, “Take the arrows”. And was Jehoaddan. She was from Jerusalem.
he took them. And he said to the king of 3 And he did what was right in the sight of

Israel, “Strike the ground”. And he struck the LORD, but not like David his father.
three times and stopped. 19 And the man of He did everything as his father Joash had
God was angry with him and said, “You done. 4 However the high places were not
should have struck five or six times. Then taken away. The people still sacrificed and
you would have struck Syria until you had burned incense on the high places.
destroyed it, but now you will strike Syria 5 And it came about, as soon as the kingdom

only three times”. was established in his hands, that he killed

20 And Elisha died; and they buried him. his servants who had killed his father the
And the raiding bands of the Moabites king. 6 But he did not kill the children of
invaded the land at the beginning of the the murderers, in accordance with what is
year. 21 And it so happened when they were written in the book of the law of Moses, in
burying a man, that suddenly they saw a which the LORD gave a command, saying,
band of men, and they threw the man into the “The fathers shall not be put to death for the
tomb of Elisha; and when the man dropped children, nor the children be put to death
down and touched the bones of Elisha, he for the fathers; but each man shall be put to
came to life and stood up on his feet. death for his own sin”.
22 But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel 7 He killed ten thousand Edomites in the

all the days of Jehoahaz. 23 And the LORD Valley of Salt, and took Selah in a battle and
was gracious to them and had compassion on called its name Joktheel, as it is to this day.
them, and showed regard for them, because 8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to

of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu,
Jacob, and would not destroy them or cast king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us look
them from his presence as yet. one another in the face”.
24 So Hazael king of Syria died, and Ben 9 And Jehoash the king of Israel sent word

Hadad his son reigned in his place. 25 And to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The
Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took back out thistle that was in Lebanon sent word to the
of the hands of Ben Hadad the son of Hazael cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give
the cities which he had taken by war out your daughter in marriage to my son.’ And
of the hands of Jehoahaz his father. Three a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by
times Joash defeated him and recovered the and trampled down the thistle. 10 You have
cities of Israel. indeed defeated Edom, and your heart has
lifted you up. Glory in this, but stay at home,

14 In the second year of Joash son of

Jehoahaz, king of Israel, Amaziah
the son of Joash became king of Judah.
for why should you meddle with trouble so
that you fall, you, and Judah with you?”
11 But Amaziah would not listen. Therefore

“Aphek”– 1 Kings 20:26. God punished them and removed them from the
13:19 Verse 25. land altogether – 17:1-23.
13:21 Elisha’s bones had no power in themselves 14:1-6 2 Chron 25:1-4.
to raise the dead or to do anything else. They 14:1“Joash”– or “Jehoash”.
were dead and death cannot give life. The power 14:3 David worshiped Jehovah, the only true God,
to raise the dead was, and is, in the God Elisha and had nothing to do with gods. Amaziah did
served. God was reminding the people of this. not follow that example. See 2 Chron 25:14-16.
Compare 1 Sam 2:6; John 5:21. 14:4 “High places”– 12:3.
13:22 8:12-13; 10:32-33. 14:5 12:20.
13:23 “Compassion”– Ex 34:6; Deut 32:36; 14:6 Deut 24:16; Jer 31:29-30; Ezek 18:1-32.
Jud 2:18; Ps 86:15; Isa 49:15; Matt 9:36. 14:7 2 Sam 8:13; 1 Chron 18:12; Ps 60.
“Covenant”– Gen 13:16-17; 17:2-7; Ex 2:24-25. 14:8-14 2 Chron 25:17-24.
13:25 10:32-33; 12:17; 13:18-19; 14:25. God gave 14:8 “Face”– he meant face to face in battle.
these victories and a further period of prosperity 14:9 Jehoash thinks of himself as a mighty cedar,
to Israel to give the nation the opportunity to Amaziah as a tiny thistle.
repent, but Israel did not learn its lesson. Later 14:10 Prov 16:18.
2 Kings 14:12 524

Jehoash king of Israel went up, and he and built Elath and restored it to Judah, after
Amaziah king of Judah looked one another the king slept with his ancestors.
in the face at Beth-Shemesh, which belongs 23 In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the

to Judah. 12 And Judah was defeated by son of Joash, king of Judah, Jeroboam the
Israel, and they all fled to their tents. 13 And son of Joash, king of Israel, began to reign
Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years.
king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son 24 And he did what was evil in the sight of the

of Ahaziah, at Beth-Shemesh, and came LORD. He did not depart from all the sins
to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused
Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Israel to sin. 25 He restored the territory of
Corner Gate, four hundred cubits. 14 He took Israel from the entrance of Hamath to the
all the gold and silver, and all the articles Sea of the Plain, in accordance with the
that were found in the house of the LORD word of the LORD God of Israel, which
and in the treasuries of the king’s house, and he spoke through his servant Jonah, the
hostages, and returned to Samaria. son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from
15 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which Gath-Hepher.
he did, and his might and how he fought 26 For the LORD saw that the suffering of

with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not Israel was very bitter; for there was no one
written in the book of The Annals of the either slave or free to come to the help of
Kings of Israel? 16 And Jehoash slept with his Israel. 27 And the LORD did not say that he
ancestors, and was buried in Samaria with would blot out the name of Israel from under
the kings of Israel, and his son Jeroboam heaven, but he saved them by the hands of
reigned in his place. Jeroboam the son of Joash.
17 And Amaziah the son of Joash, king of 28 Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam,

Judah, lived fifteen years after the death and all that he did and his might, how he
of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel. made war and how he recovered Damascus
18 And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah,
they not written in the book of The Annals for Israel, are they not written in the book
of the Kings of Judah? of The Annals of the Kings of Israel? 29 And
19 Now they made a conspiracy against Jeroboam slept with his ancestors, with
him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish, the kings of Israel, and his son Zachariah
but they sent men after him to Lachish and reigned in his place.
killed him there. 20 And they brought him on
horses, and he was buried at Jerusalem with
his ancestors in the city of David.
21 And all the people of Judah took Azariah,
15 In the twenty-seventh year of
Jeroboam, king of Israel, Azariah
son of Amaziah, king of Judah, began to
who was sixteen years old, and made him reign. 2 He was sixteen years old when he
king in place of his father Amaziah. 22 He began to reign, and he reigned fifty-two

14:11 “Beth-Shemesh”– a town about 25 kilometers 14:26 “Saw”– 13:23.

west of Jerusalem. “Suffering”– because of the Syrians (8:12;
14:12 Amaziah’s defeat was a punishment from 10:32-33; 13:3-4).
God for his idolatry. See 2 Chron 25:14-16,20. 14:27 13:5,23. The fact that God used Jeroboam
14:15 “Annals”– 1 Kings 14:19. does not mean he was a good man. It means God
14:16 “Slept”– 1 Kings 2:10. had mercy on the people and used their leader to
14:17-20 2 Chron 25:25-28. help them even though he was a wicked man – v 24.
14:19 2 Chron 25:27. 14:28 From the military and secular point
14:21 2 Chron 26:1-2. Azariah is known also of view Jeroboam II was a mighty king who
as Uzziah. brought victory and prosperity to Israel. But
14:22 “Elath”– a seaport in the south on the from a spiritual point of view he was a disaster,
Gulf of Aquaba. even as the first Jeroboam had been. Both
14:23 1 Kings 12:26-33. Hosea and Amos prophesied during his reign,
14:25 10:32; 13:25. Hamath was in the extreme and a reading of their books makes clear the sad
north of the land of Israel. The Sea of the Plain spiritual condition of the people during his rule.
is the Dead Sea. 14:29 “Slept”– 1 Kings 14:19.
“Jonah”– this was the prophet of the book of 15:1 14:17,21. Azariah is called Uzziah in v 13,
Jonah. 2 Chron 26:1-4, and some other places.
525 2 Kings 15:20

years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name the word of the LORD which he spoke to
was Jecholiah; she was from Jerusalem. Jehu, saying, “Your sons will sit on the
3 And he did what was right in the sight of throne of Israel to the fourth generation”.
the LORD, in accordance with all that his And so it happened.
father Amaziah had done, 4 except that the 13 Shallum the son of Jabesh began to

high places were not removed. The people reign in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king
still sacrificed and burned incense on the of Judah, and he reigned a full month in
high places. Samaria. 14 For Menahem the son of Gadi
5 And the LORD struck the king, so that went up from Tirzah and came to Samaria,
he was a leper to the day of his death and and struck down Shallum the son of Jabesh
lived in a house apart. And Jotham, the in Samaria and killed him, and reigned in
king’s son, was over the house, judging the his place.
people of the land. 15 And the rest of the acts of Shallum, and
6 And the rest of the acts of Azariah and the conspiracy which he made, see, they are
all that he did, are they not written in the written in the book of The Annals of the
book of The Annals of the Kings of Judah? Kings of Israel.
7 So Azariah slept with his ancestors; and 16 Then from Tirzah Menahem attacked

they buried him with his ancestors in the Tiphsah, and all who were in it, and its
city of David; and his son Jotham reigned territories. He attacked it because they did
in his place. not open to him, and he ripped open all the
8 In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah, king pregnant women in it.
of Judah, Zachariah the son of Jeroboam 17 In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah, king

reigned over Israel in Samaria six months. of Judah, Menahem the son of Gadi began
9 And he did what was evil in the sight of the to reign over Israel, and he reigned ten years
LORD, as his fathers had done. He did not in Samaria. 18 And he did what was evil in
depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of the sight of the LORD. All his days he did
Nebat, who caused Israel to sin. not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son
10 And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin.
against him, and struck him in front of the 19 And Pul the king of Assyria came against

people and killed him, and reigned in his the land; and Menahem gave Pul a thousand
place. 11 And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, talents of silver, so that he might join hands
see, they are written in the book of The with him to establish the kingdom in his
Annals of the Kings of Israel. 12 This was hand. 20 And Menahem exacted the money
15:3 14:3. 15:12 10:30. Zechariah was the last of Jehu’s
15:4 12:3; 14:4. descendants to occupy the throne. Once more
15:5 “Leper”– the reason why God afflicted him the Word of God was fulfilled to the letter.
like this is seen in 2 Chron 26:16-23. Observe that 15:13 Uzziah is Azariah (v 1).
God at times may send disease as punishment. 15:16 “Women”– here was a man from Israel,
But because this is so, we should not think that God’s people, behaving as the cruel and idolatrous
every person who gets a disease is being punished king of Syria had behaved (8:12).
by God. Note on leprosy at Lev 13:2. 15:18 1 Kings 12:28-33.
“House apart”– Lev 13:46. Here this may 15:19 Pul is another name for Tiglath-Pileser
indicate a house where he was relieved of (1 Chron 5:26).
responsibility. “Assyria”– an ancient kingdom that lay to the
15:6 “Annals”– 1 Kings 14:19. northeast of Israel and controlled the area which
15:7 “Slept”– note at 1 Kings 2:10. is now occupied by Iraq, Syria, and parts of Iran
15:8-31 These verses present a picture of national and Turkey. Its name was derived from Asshur
confusion, of plots and murder, of swift succession its national god and also the name of one of its
of evil leaders. All this resulted from the fact principal cities. Its capital became Nineveh, a
that the nation would not honor God and walk city founded by Nimrod (Gen 10:11), and one
in His ways. The repeated refrain in these verses of the largest and most famous cities of ancient
is “the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat” (vs times (see Jonah 1:2). Assyria reached its greatest
9,18,24,28). power and extent between 700-650 B.C. Nineveh
15:8 2 Kings 14:29; 5:1. was destroyed in 612 B.C. and Assyria lost its
15:9 1 Kings 12:28-33. power to the Babylonians.
15:10 Amos 7:9. “Thousand talents”– about 34,000 kilograms.
2 Kings 15:21 526

from Israel, from all the wealthy men, fifty son of Uzziah.
shekels of silver from each man, to give to 31 And the rest of the acts of Pekah and

the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria all that he did, see, they are written in the
turned back and did not stay there in the land. book of The Annals of the Kings of Israel.
21 And the rest of the acts of Menahem and 32 In the second year of Pekah the son of

all that he did, are they not written in the Remaliah, king of Israel, Jotham the son
book of The Annals of the Kings of Israel? of Uzziah, king of Judah, began to reign.
22 And Menahem slept with his ancestors, 33 He was twenty-five years old when he

and his son Pekahiah reigned in his place. began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years
23 In the fiftieth year of Azariah, king of in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was
Judah, Pekahiah, the son of Menahem, Jerusha. She was the daughter of Zadok.
began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and 34 And he did what was right in the sight of

he reigned two years. 24 And he did what the LORD. He did everything just as his
was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did father Uzziah had done. 35 However the high
not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the places were not removed. The people still
son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin. 25 But sacrificed and burned incense on the high
Pekah the son of Remaliah, a captain of his, places. He built the upper gate of the house
conspired against him and struck him down of the LORD.
in Samaria, in the citadel of the king’s house, 36 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham and

with Argob and Arieh; and with him were all that he did, are they not written in the
fifty Gileadite men. And he killed him, and book of The Annals of the Kings of Judah?
reigned in his place. 37 In those days the LORD began to send
26 And the rest of the acts of Pekahiah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son
and all that he did, see, they are written of Remaliah, against Judah. 38 And Jotham
in the book of The Annals of the Kings slept with his ancestors, and was buried with
of Israel. his ancestors in the city of David his father.
27 In the fifty-second year of Azariah, And his son Ahaz reigned in his place.
king of Judah, Pekah the son of Remaliah
began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and
he reigned twenty years. 28 And he did what
was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did
16 In the seventeenth year of Pekah,
the son of Remaliah, Ahaz the son
of Jotham, king of Judah, began to reign.
not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son 2 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began

of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin. to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in
29 In the days of Pekah, king of Israel, Jerusalem. And he did not do what was right
Tiglath Pileser, king of Assyria, came and in the sight of the LORD his God, like his
took Ijon and Abel-Beth-Maachah and forefather David, 3 but he walked in the way
Janoah and Kedesh and Hazor and Gilead of the kings of Israel. He even made his son
and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and pass through the fire, in accordance with
carried them captive to Assyria. 30 And the abominations of the nations whom the
Hoshea the son of Elah conspired against LORD drove out from before the children
Pekah the son of Remaliah, and struck him of Israel. 4 And he sacrificed and burned
down and killed him and reigned in his incense in the high places and on the hills,
place, in the twentieth year of Jotham the and under every green tree.
15:20 “Fifty Shekels”– about 0.6 kilogram. Because 16:1-4 2 Chron 28:1-4.
of their sin the people of God had to send bribes 16:1 Isa 1:1; 7:1.
to a heathen king to keep him away. 16:2 14:3.
15:24 1 Kings 12:28-33. 16:3 “Pass through the fire”– this probably
15:27 Isa 7:1. means burning them in the fire as a sacrifice
15:28 Verses 9,18,24. – Lev 18:21; Deut 12:31; 18:10; 2 Kings 17:17;
15:29 This was the beginning of the end of the 21:6,11; Ps 106:37-38. Two nations near Israel
northern kingdom of Israel. who made such abominable sacrifices were Moab
15:32-38 2 Chron 26:23—27:9. and Ammon. The gods to whom they sacrificed
15:34 15:3-4; 2 Chron 26:4-5. were Chemosh and Molech.
15:35 Verse 3; 12:3; 14:4. 16:4 “High places”– 12:3; 1 Kings 3:2.
15:37 16:5; Isa 7:1. “Tree”– 17:10; 1 Kings 14:23; Deut 12:12;
15:38 “Slept”– note at 1 Kings 2:10. Jer 2:20; 3:6; 17:2.
527 2 Kings 16:20
5 Then Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah, and his grain offering, and poured out his
son of Remaliah, king of Israel, came up to drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of
Jerusalem to fight, and they besieged Ahaz, but his peace offerings. 14 And also he took the
could not overcome him. 6 At that time Rezin bronze altar, which was before the LORD,
king of Syrians recovered Elath for Syria, and from the front of the house, from between
drove the Jews from Elath; and the Syrians the altar and the house of the LORD, and
came to Elath, and have lived there to this day. put it on the north side of the altar.
7 So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath 15 And King Ahaz commanded Urijah the

Pileser, king of Assyria, saying, “I am your priest, saying, “On the great altar burn the
servant and your son. Come up and save me morning burnt offering and the evening grain
out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out offering, and the king’s burnt sacrifice and his
of the hand of the king of Israel, who have grain offering, with the burnt offering of all
risen up against me”. 8 And Ahaz took the the people of the land and their grain offering,
silver and gold that was found in the house and their drink offerings; and sprinkle on it
of the LORD, and in the treasuries of the all the blood of the burnt offering, and all
king’s house, and sent it as a present to the the blood of the sacrifice. And the bronze
king of Assyria. 9 And the king of Assyria altar will be for me to make inquiry” 16 Urijah
listened to him; for the king of Assyria went the priest did so, in accordance with all that
up against Damascus and took it, and carried King Ahaz commanded.
its people captive to Kir, and killed Rezin. 17 And King Ahaz cut off the panels from
10 And King Ahaz went to Damascus to the stands, and removed the lavers from
meet Tiglath Pileser, king of Assyria, and them, and took the sea down from the
saw an altar that was at Damascus, and King bronze oxen that were under it, and put it on
Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the design a pavement of stones. 18 And he removed the
of the altar and its pattern, in accordance pavilion for the Sabbath that they had built
with all its workmanship. 11 And Urijah the in the house, and the king’s outer entrance
priest built an altar in accordance with all from the house of the LORD, on account
that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus. of the king of Assyria.
So Urijah the priest made it before King 19 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which

Ahaz returned from Damascus. 12 And when he did, are they not written in the book of
the king returned from Damascus, the king The Annals of the Kings of Judah? 20 And
saw the altar, and the king approached the Ahaz slept with his ancestors, and was buried
altar and made an offering on it. 13 And with his ancestors in the city of David, and
on the altar he burned his burnt offering Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.

16:5 15:37; 2 Chron 28:5-6; Isa 7:1-17. country is given the first place, and Ahaz made
16:6 14:22. his offerings on the new altar. So little did he have
16:7-16 2 Chron 28:16-25. room in his religion for the true God.
16:7 “Assyria”– note at 15:19. Tiglath Pileser is 16:13 “Burnt offering”, etc– Leviticus chapters 1–3.
the same as Pul in 15:19,29. 16:15 Ahaz tried to shove God aside and
“Save me”– King Ahaz had religion (vs 3,4), worship as he pleased. But in time of need
but did not have God. Those without God have to he wanted to get guidance from God’s altar
look elsewhere for help. They have to try to find (but not by seeking God Himself ). Actually
their security in some worldly power rather than nothing is said anywhere in the Bible about
in the Almighty. Compare Ahaz with Hezekiah the altar being able to give guidance. Ahab
(chapter 19). Because of Ahaz Judah fell under was showing superstition, not faith. And
the power of Assyria until Hezekiah rebelled should anyone expect to get guidance from
(18:7). God in time of need when they ignore God
16:8 12:17-18. Because there was no faith and at all other times?
obedience in the leader of God’s people, once again 16:16 “Commanded”– all too often those who
God’s money was spent to bribe a heathen power. should stand for truth and oppose error, weakly
16:9 Isa 7:16; Amos 1:3-5. give in to a strong corrupt leader.
16:10-14 By this action Ahaz openly departs 16:17 1 Kings 7:23-28,38. Ahaz began to destroy
even further from the true God and His worship. the work of Solomon.
The altar built according to God’s instructions 16:19 “Annals”– 1 Kings 14:19.
(Ex 27:1-8) was put in a secondary position, an 16:20 “Slept”– 1 Kings 2:10.
altar designed for idolatrous worship in a foreign “City of David”– 2 Sam 5:6-7.
2 Kings 17:1 528

17 In the twelfth year of Ahaz, king of

Judah, Hoshea the son of Elah began
to reign in Samaria over Israel. He reigned
they built high places for themselves in all
their cities, from the watchman’s tower to
the fortified city. 10 And they set up images
nine years. 2 And he did what was evil in the and groves for themselves on every high hill
sight of the LORD, but not like the kings of and under every green tree, 11 and there they
Israel who were before him. burnt incense on all the high places, like the
3 Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up nations whom the LORD took away before
against him, and Hoshea became his servant them, and did wicked things, provoking the
and paid him tribute. 4 And the king of LORD to anger; 12 for they served idols,
Assyria found out a conspiracy by Hoshea; about which the LORD had said to them,
for he had sent messengers to So, king of “You shall not do this thing”. 13 Though the
Egypt, and brought no tribute to the king LORD testified against Israel and against
of Assyria, as he had done year by year. Judah, through all the prophets and through
Therefore the king of Assyria shut him up all the seers, saying, “Turn from your evil
and bound him in prison. 5 Then the king ways and keep my commandments and
of Assyria came up throughout the whole my statutes, in accordance with all the law
land, and went up to Samaria and besieged which I commanded your fathers, and which
it three years. 6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, I sent to you by my servants the prophets”.
the king of Assyria captured Samaria and 14 However, they would not hear, but

took Israel away into Assyria, and placed hardened their necks, like the necks of their
them in Halah and in Habor by the river of fathers who did not believe in the LORD
Gozan and in the cities of the Medes. their God. 15 And they rejected his statutes
7 Now this occurred because the children and his covenant that he made with their
of Israel had sinned against the LORD fathers, and his testimonies which he testified
their God who had brought them up from against them. And they followed vanity and
the land of Egypt, from under the hand of became vain, and went after the nations
Pharaoh king of Egypt, and they had feared that were around them, concerning whom
other gods, 8 and walked in the customs of the LORD had commanded them not to
the nations whom the LORD drove out do like them.
from before the children of Israel, and 16 And they left all the commandments

those of the kings of Israel which they had of the LORD their God, and made cast
introduced. 9 And the children of Israel metal images for themselves, two calves,
secretly did those things that were not and made a grove, and worshipped all
right against the LORD their God, and the starry host of heaven, and served
17:1 15:30. 17:13 “All the seers”– during the time of Israel’s
17:3 18:9-12. Shalmaneser succeeded Tiglath- apostasy God raised up some of the greatest
Pileser (15:19,29). men of God whoever lived: the prophets Elijah,
17:4 When God has given up an individual or a Elisha, Isaiah, Hosea, Amos, and others not so
people to punishment, there will be no help from well known. He spoke through them repeatedly
human beings in trying to avert it. to warn and exhort the people, but all to no
“To So, king”– or “to Sais, to the king”. avail. Nothing – no promises, no threats, no
17:6 Israel’s captivity was the inevitable punishment, no rewards – nothing at all would
punishment for their sin, as the following verses keep them from following the desires of their
make clear. See also Lev 26:33; Deut 28:63-64. depraved hearts. In other words, they were
All the curses God pronounced on a disobedient ordinary sinful people like all other people in
people in Deuteronomy chapter 28 came upon the world.
them. God always does exactly as He says He 17:14 Ex 32:9; 33:3; Deut 9:23-24; Ps 78:22;
will do. 106:24; Prov 29:1; Acts 7:51.
17:7-8 Ex 20:1-5; Josh 23:16; Jud 6:10; 17:15 “Covenant”– Ex 19:5-6; 24:6-8.
1 Kings 12:28-33; 16:31-33; 2 Kings 16:3. “Vain”– see Ps 115:8.
17:9 16:3-4; 1 Kings 3:2; 15:14. “Nations that were around”– Deut 12:29-32. They
17:10 Ex 34:12-13; 1 Kings 14:15,23. did the exact opposite of all God laid down in
17:11 “Incense”– a symbol of prayer and worship His Word as right behavior.
(Ex 30:7,34-38). If they follow the depravity of 17:16 Deut 4:15-19; 1 Kings 12:28; 14:15-23; 16:31.
their hearts men will misuse and pervert all the “A grove”– or “Asherah pole” – note at Jud 3:7.
holy things of God. “Starry host”– a sin God said was worthy of
17:12 Ex 20:3-5; 23:13; Lev 26:1. death. See Deut 17:2-5.
529 2 Kings 17:32

Baal. 17 And they caused their sons and possessed Samaria, and lived in its cities.
their daughters to pass through the fire, 25 And it so happened, when they began to

and used divination and sorcery, and sold live there, that they did not fear the LORD,
themselves to do evil in the sight of the so the LORD sent lions among them, which
LORD, provoking him to anger. killed some of them. 26 Therefore they spoke
18 Therefore the LORD was very angry to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations
with Israel, and removed them out of his which you have removed, and placed in the
sight. None was left except the tribe of cities of Samaria, do not know the ways of
Judah alone. 19 Judah also did not keep the the God of the land. Therefore he has sent
commandments of the LORD their God, lions among them, and, lo and behold, they
but walked in the customs of Israel which are killing them, because they do not know
they made. 20 And the LORD rejected all the the ways of the God of the land”.
offspring of Israel, and afflicted them, and 27 Then the king of Assyria commanded,

delivered them into the hands of plunderers, saying, “Take there one of the priests whom
until he had cast them out of his sight. you brought from there; and let him go and
21 For he tore Israel from the house of David; live there, and let him teach them the ways of
and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat the God of the land”. 28 Then one of the priests
king. And Jeroboam drove Israel away from whom they had taken away from Samaria
following the LORD, and caused them to came and lived in Bethel, and taught them
commit a great sin. 22 For the children of how they should fear the LORD.
Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam 29 However each nation made gods of their

which he did. They did not depart from them, own, and put them in the shrines of the high
23 until the LORD removed Israel out of his places which the Samaritans had made, each
sight, as he had said by all his servants the nation in the cities where they lived. 30 And
prophets. So Israel was taken away out of the men of Babylon made Succoth Benoth,
their own land to Assyria, as it is to this day. and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and
24 And the king of Assyria brought people the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31 and
from Babylon and from Cuthah and from the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and
Ava and from Hamath and from Sepharvaim, the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire
and placed them in the cities of Samaria to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the
in place of the children of Israel. And they gods of Sepharvaim. 32 So they feared the
“Baal”– note at Jud 2:11. 17:21 1 Kings 11:11,31; 12:20,28-33.
17:17 Lev 19:26; Deut 18:10-12; 1 Kings 21:22. 17:23 Verse 13; 1 Kings 14:14-16; Hos 10:1-7; 11:5;
“Through the fire”– note at 16:3. Amos 5:27. This is the origin of the Samaritans
17:18 “Angry”– notes on God’s anger at Num 25:3; who appear in the New Testament (Luke 9:52;
Ps 90:7-11. 10:33; John 4:9,39; Acts 8:5-9).
“His sight”– away from God’s land into exile. 17:25 The land belonged to Jehovah God and He
“Judah”– 1 Kings 11:31-32. had given it to His people Israel. These foreign
17:19 16:3; 1 Kings 14:22-23. The fall of the idolaters had no right to live there. When they
northern kingdom of Israel should have been a did not even so much as acknowledge Jehovah,
warning to Judah. But they did not learn from they paid the penalty for it.
that and became even worse than Israel (Jer 3:6-11; 17:28 “Bethel”– 1 Kings 12:29,32. Bethel had
Ezek 16:51-52). Eventually they went the same been a center of the apostate religion founded
way of punishment and captivity. Do we learn by Jeroboam.
from Bible history? See Rom 15:4; 1 Cor 10:1-12. 17:29 “High places”– 1 Kings 12:31; 13:33.
We would make a big mistake if we thought we 17:32-33 Verse 41. It seems they believed that all
were, by nature, better than those sinful, stubborn gods and all religions were good. They did not
and rebellious people of Israel and Judah. See want to ignore Jehovah – they had found that to be
Rom 3:9. Verses 7-17 reveal what the heart of dangerous (v 25). But they did not want to worship
man is like. In words of the New Testament the Him exclusively, and in their blindness did not see
people whose actions are described here walked the necessity of doing so. Compare 1 Kings 18:21;
“after the flesh”, followed their sinful natures Matt 6:24. The true God does not accept the
(Gal 5:16-21). Now, as then, the only way to a worship of those who try to worship other gods
life of victory over the sinful nature is knowing with Him (v 35-39). See Ex 20:1-6; Jer 7:1-11;
God, loving God, and walking in the power of 2 Cor 6:14-18. But men are very slow to understand
God’s Spirit (Rom 8:3-4; Gal 5:16). this truth. The very dangerous lie of syncretism is
17:20 10:32-33; 13:3,20; 15:29; 24:2; Jud 2:14. widely accepted by men in every era, including ours.
2 Kings 17:33 530

LORD, but made priests of the high places and their children’s children. As their fathers
for themselves from the lowest of them, did, so they have done to this day.
who sacrificed for them in the shrines of
the high places. 33 They feared the Lord, yet
served their own gods, in accordance with
the custom of the nations whom they took
18 Now it came about in the third year of
Hoshea son of Elah, king of Israel, that
Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, king of Judah,
away from there. began to reign. 2 He was twenty-five years
34 To this day they practice the former old when he began to reign, and he reigned
customs. They do not fear the LORD, nor do twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his
they follow their statutes or their ordinances, mother’s name was Abi. She was the daughter
or the law and commandments which the of Zachariah. 3 And he did what was right
LORD commanded the children of Jacob, in the sight of the LORD, in everything just
whom he named Israel, 35 with whom the as his father David had done. 4 He removed
LORD made a covenant, and charged them, the high places and smashed the images and
saying, “You shall not fear other gods, nor cut down the groves, and broke in pieces
bow down to them nor serve them nor the bronze serpent that Moses had made;
sacrifice to them. 36 But you shall fear the for until those days the children of Israel
LORD who brought you up out of the land had burned incense to it, and he called it
of Egypt with great power and a stretched Nehushtan.
out arm, and him you shall worship, and to 5 He trusted in the LORD God of Israel,

him you shall sacrifice. 37 And you shall be so that after him there was no one like him
careful to do the statutes and the ordinances among all the kings of Judah, nor were
and the law and the commandment which there any before him. 6 For he clung to the
he wrote for you, forever. And you shall not LORD, and did not turn away from following
fear other gods. 38 And you shall not forget him, but kept his commandments, which
the covenant that I have made with you, nor the LORD commanded Moses. 7 And the
shall you fear other gods. 39 But you shall fear LORD was with him, and he was successful
the LORD your God. Then he will deliver wherever he went. And he rebelled against
you out of the hand of all your enemies”. the king of Assyria, and did not serve him.
40 However they did not listen, but did 8 He defeated the Philistines, as far as Gaza

according to their former custom. 41 So these and its territories, from the watchman’s
nations feared the LORD, and served their tower to the fortified city.
carved images, together with their children 9 And it came about in the fourth year

17:35-38 Ex 20:2-6,23; Deut 4:23; 5:32-33; 6:12-13; “The groves”– or “Asherah poles” – 1 Kings 16:23.
10:20; 22:20. “Bronze serpent”– see Num 21:8-9. That which
17:39 Ex 23:22; Deut 20:1-4; 23:14. once had been a means of blessing had become
18:1-3 2 Chron 29:1-2. an idol. This is a tendency in human nature
18:1 Ahaz, Hezekiah’s father, was one of the worst and we must learn to resist it. No means which
of Judah’s kings (16:1-4), yet Hezekiah was one God uses for our blessing is to be worshiped, but
of the very best. Not one of us needs to remain only God who gives the blessing. We must never
captive to ancestry and background. God’s grace idolize any form, pattern, thing, or man.
can triumph over everything. “Nehushtan”– this sounds like the Hebrew for
18:2 “Twenty-nine years”– part of this time he bronze and snake and unclean thing.
shared the throne with Ahaz. Some events in his 18:5 A similar thing is said about Hezekiah’s
reign are recorded in 2 Chronicles chapters 29– great-grandson Josiah. See 23:25. Faith is the
32 and Isaiah chapters 36–39. quality in which Hezekiah excelled. Compare
“Abi”– or “Abijah”. Abijah means “Jehovah 19:14-19.
is father” or “Jehovah is my father”. Perhaps 18:6 “Clung”– Deut 6:18; 10:20; 11:22; 13:4.
Hezekiah’s godliness and good character resulted 18:7 “Successful”– Gen 39:2-3; Josh 1:7;
from his mother’s example and training. Many 1 Sam 18:14.
men of God owe a great deal to their godly “Rebelled”– Judah had fallen under the power
mothers. of Assyria during the reign of Hezekiah’s father
18:3 No king in Israel and only a few in Judah (16:7-10).
are compared favorably in the Bible with David 18:8 Compare 2 Chron 28:18. When God works
– only Asa, Hezekiah, Josiah, and, to some with His people, sad and evil conditions can be
extent, Jehoshaphat. reversed.
18:4 “High places”– 1 Kings 3:2. 18:9-11 17:3-6.
531 2 Kings 18:26

of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh stood by the aqueduct of the upper pool,
year of Hoshea son of Elah, king of Israel, which is on the road to the Fuller’s Field.
that Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, came up 18 And when they had called out for the king,

against Samaria and besieged it. 10 And at Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over
the end of three years they took it. Samaria the household, and Shebna the scribe and
was taken in the sixth year of Hezekiah, Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, came
that is, the ninth year of Hoshea king of out to them.
Israel. 11 And the king of Assyria took Israel 19 And Rabshakeh said to them, “Say

away to Assyria, and put them in Halah now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king,
and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and the king of Assyria: what is this hope in
in the cities of the Medes. 12 This occurred which you are trusting? 20 You say (but they
because they did not obey the voice of the are only vain words), ‘I have counsel and
LORD their God, but transgressed his strength for the war.’ Now in whom do you
covenant and all that Moses the servant trust, that you rebel against me? 21 Now,
of the LORD commanded, and would not see, you are trusting in the staff of that
hear or do them. bruised reed, in Egypt, on which if a man
13 Now in the fourteenth year of King leans, it will go into his hand and pierce
Hezekiah, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who
came up against all the fortified cities of trust in him. 22 But if you say to me, ‘We
Judah and took them. 14 And Hezekiah, king trust in the LORD our God’, is not he the
of Judah, sent word to the king of Assyria one whose high places and whose altars
to Lachish, saying, “I have done wrong. Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to
Withdraw from me. I will pay whatever you Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship
impose on me”. And the king of Assyria before this altar in Jerusalem?’
demanded from Hezekiah king of Judah 23 “Now therefore, please give pledges to

three hundred talents of silver and thirty my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver
talents of gold. 15 And Hezekiah gave him two thousand horses to you, if you on your
all the silver that was found in the house part are able to set riders on them. 24 How
of the LORD, and in the treasuries of the then will you turn away the face of one of the
king’s house. least of the captains of my master’s servants,
16 At that time Hezekiah cut off the gold and put your trust in Egypt for chariots and
from the doors of the temple of the LORD, for horsemen? 25 Have I now come up against
and from the pillars which Hezekiah king this place to destroy it, without the LORD?
of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the The LORD said to me, ‘Go up against this
king of Assyria. land and destroy it.’ ”
17 And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and 26 Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah and

Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish with Shebna and Joah said to Rabshakeh, “Please
a great army to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. speak to your servants in the Syrian language,
And they went up and came to Jerusalem. for we understand it; and do not talk with
And when they had come up, they came and us in the Jews’ language in the hearing of
18:12 17:7-20. – 2 Chronicles chapter 32 and Isaiah chapters 36–
18:13 2 Chron 32:1; Isa 36:1. 39.
18:14 “Wrong”– Hezekiah refers to his rebellion “Fuller’s Field”– Isa 7:3.
against Assyria (v 7). But he may have been wrong 18:19 Little did he know that Hezekiah’s trust
in calling it wrong, since it was a result of God’s was in the Creator of the universe – one who
working with him. Hezekiah had a temporary could send one angel and crush the whole army
failure of faith. Do not we all have to confess of Assyria (v 5; 19:35).
sometimes as the man in Mark 9:24 did? 18:20-25 The object of this speech, begun with
“Talent”– one talent is about 34 kilograms. much sarcasm, was to destroy the people’s
18:15-16 12:18; 16:8; 1 Kings 15:18-19. Giving confidence so they would surrender Jerusalem
God’s possessions to a foreign, idolatrous king without a fight. He says they should have no
could not have been right, and it did not stop the confidence in their army (vs 20,23,24), in any
king of Assyria. agreement they may have made with Egypt
18:17 “Jerusalem”– there are two other (vs 21,24), or in God (v 22). And he tried to
accounts of what follows in the rest of this convince them it was God’s will for them to
chapter and the following two chapters surrender (v 25).
2 Kings 18:27 532

the people who are on the wall”. answer him a word, for the king’s command
27 But Rabshakeh said to them, “Has my was as follows: “Do not answer him”.
master sent me only to your master and to 37 Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who

you, to speak these words? Has he not sent was over the household, and Shebna the
me to the men who are sitting on the wall, scribe and Joah, the son of Asaph, the
that they may eat their own dung, and drink recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes
their own urine with you?” torn and told him the words of Rabshakeh.
28 Then Rabshakeh stood and shouted

with a loud voice in the Jews’ language

and spoke, saying, “Hear the word of the
great king, the king of Assyria. 29 Thus
19 And it came about, when King
Hezekiah heard it, that he tore his
clothes and covered himself with sackcloth
says the king: Do not let Hezekiah deceive and went into the house of the LORD. 2 And
you, for he will not be able to deliver you he sent Eliakim, who was over the household,
out of his hand. 30 And do not let Hezekiah and Shebna the scribe and the elders of the
make you trust in the LORD, saying, ‘The priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah
LORD will surely deliver us, and this city the prophet, the son of Amoz. 3 And they
will not be delivered into the hands of the said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah: ‘This
king of Assyria.’ day is a day of trouble and of rebuke and
31 “Do not listen to Hezekiah. For thus blasphemy; for the children have come to
says the king of Assyria: ‘Make peace with the point of birth and there is no strength
me through a gift and come out to me, and to deliver them. 4 It may be the LORD your
then each man of you eat from his own vine God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh,
and each one from his fig tree, and each one whom his master, the king of Assyria, has
drink the water from his cistern, 32 until I sent to reproach the living God, and will
come and take you away to a land like your rebuke the words which the LORD your
own land, a land of grain and wine, a land God has heard. Therefore lift up your prayer
of bread and vineyards, a land of olive oil for the remnant that is left.’ ”
and of honey, so that you may live and not 5 So the servants of King Hezekiah came

die. And do not listen to Hezekiah, when he to Isaiah. 6 And Isaiah said to them, “Thus
persuades you, saying, “The Lord will deliver shall you say to your master: Thus says the
us”. 33 Has any of the gods of the nations LORD, ‘Do not be afraid of the words which
ever delivered his land out of the hand of you have heard, with which the servants of
the king of Assyria? 34 Where are the gods the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.
of Hamath and of Arpad? Where are the 7 Look, I will put a spirit in him, and he will

gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? Have hear a report and return to his own land;
they delivered Samaria out of my hands? and I will cause him to fall by the sword in
35 Among all the gods of the countries, who his own land.’ ”
are those who have delivered their country 8 So Rabshakeh returned and found the

out of my hands, that the LORD should king of Assyria warring against Libnah,
deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?’ ” for he had heard that he had departed from
36 But the people kept silent and did not Lachish.
18:27-35 The commander continued his attempt to 19:1-35 2 Chron 21:1-20; Isa 37:1-38.
destroy the people’s confidence in both God and 19:1 6:30; Gen 37:34; 1 Kings 21:27; Esther 4:1.
Hezekiah. He knew that if they surrendered their 19:2 “Isaiah”– the first mention in the Bible of one
confidence they would surrender the city. This of the greatest of all the prophets and the author
was what is known in our day as psychological of the book which bears his name.
warfare. He put the choice before them – complete 19:3 “No strength to deliver them”– words which
famine (v 27) or plenty (v 31), death or life (v 32). indicate pain, weakness, and crisis.
He tried to convince them that Jehovah was as 19:4 “Reproach”– 1 Sam 17:26,36,45.
weak and useless as the gods of other nations “Living God”– Deut 5:26; Josh 3:10; 1 Sam 17:26;
Assyria had trampled on. And he emphasized Ps 42:2; Jer 10:10.
the might of the Assyrians (the most powerful “Remnant”– Isa 1:9; 10:20; 11:11.
nation in the world at that time). 19:6 “Afraid”– Gen 15:1; Ex 14:13-14; Josh 1:9.
18:36 The people did not forsake their confidence. If men fear God they need not fear men
18:37 “Clothes torn”– a symbol of great agitation (Matt 10:26-31).
(Gen 37:34; 2 Sam 13:3; Job 2:12). 19:7 Prov 21:1; 19:21.
533 2 Kings 19:28
9 And when the king heard a report about earth may know that you are the LORD
Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, “Look, he has God, you only”.
come out to fight against you”, he again sent 20 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent word

messengers to Hezekiah, saying, 10 “Thus to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the LORD
shall you speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, God of Israel, ‘I have heard what you have
saying, Do not let your God, in whom you prayed to me against Sennacherib king of
trust, deceive you, saying, ‘Jerusalem will Assyria.’ 21 This is the word that the LORD
not be delivered into the hands of the king has spoken concerning him: ‘The virgin
of Assyria.’ 11 Look, you have heard what the daughter of Zion despises you, and laughs
kings of Assyria have done to all lands, utterly you to scorn. The daughter of Jerusalem
destroying them. And will you be delivered? shakes her head at you. 22 Whom have you
12 Have the gods of the nations delivered reproached and blasphemed? And against
those which my fathers destroyed, Gozan, whom have you raised your voice, and lifted
and Haran and Rezeph, and the children up your eyes on high? Against the Holy
of Eden who were in Thelasar? 13 Where is One of Israel.
the king of Hamath and the king of Arpad 23 Through your messengers you have

and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of reproached the Lord, and have said, “With
Hena and Ivah?” my many chariots I have come up to the
14 And Hezekiah received the letter from height of the mountains, to the sides of
the hands of the messengers and read it, Lebanon, and I cut down its tall cedar trees
and Hezekiah went up into the house of and its choice fir trees, and I entered its most
the LORD and spread it before the LORD. distant lodgings, and its finest forest. 24 I have
15 And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD dug and drunk foreign water, and with the
and said, “O LORD God of Israel, who soles of my feet I have dried up all the rivers
dwells between the cherubim, you are God of besieged places”. 25 ‘The LORD says, Did
of all the kingdoms of the earth, you alone. you not hear long ago how I have done it,
You have made heaven and earth. 16 LORD, and in ancient times that I have formed this
incline your ear, and hear. LORD, open your plan? Now I have carried it out, so that you
eyes and see, and hear the words Sennacherib would be for turning fortified cities into
has sent him to reproach the living God. heaps of ruins. 26 Therefore their inhabitants
17 “It is true, LORD, the kings of Assyria had little power. They were dismayed and
have destroyed the nations and their lands, disgraced. They were like the grass of the
18 and have thrown their gods into the fire. field, and like the green plant, like the grass
For they were not gods, but the work of on the housetops, and like grain blasted
men’s hands, wood and stone. Therefore before it has grown up.
they have destroyed them. 19 Now therefore, 27 But I know your dwelling place, and

O LORD our God, I beg you, save us out your going out and your coming in, and
of his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the your rage against me. 28 Because your rage

19:9 Verse 7. “Holy One of Israel”– a phrase very common

19:10-13 18:30-35. in Isaiah. See Isa 1:4.
19:15 “Cherubim”– Ex 25:22; Ps 80:1; 99:1. 19:23-24 Here is the pride and arrogance so
“You alone”– Isa 43:10; 44:6; 45:5,21. Jehovah common in worldly rulers and so hateful to God
God was sovereign over Assyria also, though the – Prov 3:34; 6:16-17; Isa 2:10-18. Concerning the
Assyrians did not know it. pride of Assyria see Isa 10:12.
19:16 “Reproach”– v 4. 19:25 “I have carried it out” – the Assyrians
19:18 Ps 115:4; Isa 44:9-20; Jer 10:3-5; Acts 17:29. thought they had accomplished their victories
19:19 Ex 9:16; Josh 4:24; 1 Sam 17:46; by their own military power and skill.
1 Kings 8:42-43; Ps 83:18. Act ually they were like a mere rod in
19:20 “I have heard”– 20:5. Hezekiah was the kind God’s hand to accomplish His purposes
of man God listened to, and his prayers were of ( I s a 10:5 - 6,13 -15 ). Compa r e I s a 4 5:1;
the kind God could answer. If we want God to Jer 51:20-23.
hear our prayers we must live in a way that is 19:26 Ps 37:2; 129:6.
pleasing to God. 19:27 Ps 139:2-3; Heb 4:13.
19:21 “Virgin daughter”– Isa 47:1; Jer 14:17; 18:13; 19:28 19:33,36; Ezek 19:9; 29:4; 38:4. God can
46:11; Lam 2:13. do just as He pleases with any nation or army
19:22 “Reproached”– vs 4-6. on earth (Dan 4:34-35).
2 Kings 19:29 534

against me and your arrogance have come 37 And it happened that as he was
up into my ears, I will put my hook in your worshipping in the house of Nisroch his
nose, and my bridle in your mouth, and I god, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer
will turn you back on the road by which struck him down with the sword, and
you came.’ 29 “And this will be a sign to escaped into the land of Armenia. And his
you, Hezekiah: This year you will eat what son Esarhaddon reigned in his place.
grows by itself, and in the second year what
springs from it, and in the third year sow and
reap and plant vineyards and eat its fruits.
30 And the remnant of the house of Judah
20 In those days Hezekiah became sick
and was near death. And the prophet
Isaiah, the son of Amoz, came to him and
that has escaped will once again take root said to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Set
downward, and bear fruit upward. 31 For your house in order, for you are going to
out of Jerusalem a remnant will go out, die and not live.’ ”
and those who escape will go out of Mount 2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and

Zion. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will prayed to the LORD, saying, 3 “I beg you, O
do this. 32 “Therefore thus says the LORD LORD, remember now how I have walked
concerning the king of Assyria: ‘He will not before you in truth and with a perfect heart,
come into this city, or shoot an arrow there, and have done what is good in your sight”.
or come before it with shield, or throw up And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
an embankment against it. 33 He will return 4 And it so happened that before Isaiah

by the way that he came, and will not come had gone out into the middle court, the
into this city, says the LORD. 34 For I will word of the LORD came to him, saying,
defend this city to save it, for my own sake, 5 “Turn back and tell Hezekiah the leader

and for my servant David’s sake.’ ” of my people: ‘Thus says the LORD, the
35 And it came about that night, that the God of your father David: I have heard
angel of the LORD went out and struck your prayer, I have seen your tears. Now I
down a hundred and eighty-five thousand will heal you. On the third day you will go
in the camp of the Assyrians. And when up to the house of the LORD. 6 And I will
the people arose early in the morning, there add fifteen years to your days. And I will
were all the dead bodies! 36 So Sennacherib deliver you and this city from the hands of
king of Assyria departed. He set out and the king of Assyria, and I will defend this
returned, and lived at Nineveh. city for my own sake, and for my servant
19:29 Evidently the Assyrians had taken the use that means. See Isa 31:8. Compare Ex 12:29;
harvest from the fields of Judah or destroyed 2 Sam 24:16; Rev 19:15,19-21.
it. The promise to Hezekiah is that in the third 19:36 “Departed”– vs 7,28. Once again God’s
year both the Assyrians and the effects of their Word was completely fulfilled.
invasion would be gone. “Nineveh”– the capital of Assyria.
19:30 “Remnant”– v 4. Even in the most perilous 19:37 “His sons”– this was the end of the mighty
of times, even in the most apostate of conditions, monarch who dared to insult and blaspheme the
God always keeps some people for Himself. true God (vs 22,23).
19:31 “Zeal of the LORD”– Isa 9:7; 26:11; 42:13; 20:1-21 2 Chron 32:24-33; Isa 38:1—39:8.
59:17; 63:15. 20:3 18:3-6. Compare Neh 5:19; 13:14,22;
19:32-34 God Himself, in His zeal for His people, Ps 18:23-26.
would defend Jerusalem. This is what preserved 20:4 “Word of the LORD came”– Jer 1:2; Ezek 1:3;
the city, not Hezekiah’s acts of 18:13-15. Jonah 1:1; Hag 1:1; Zech 1:1.
19:34 “Defend”– if God is our defense what is 20:5 “I have heard”– 19:20; Ps 39:12; 56:8; 65:2.
there to fear (Rom 8:31; Heb 13:6)? “Heal”– Ex 15:26; 1 Sam 2:6; Ps 103:3.
“David’s sake”– 1 Kings 11:13,36; 15:4. David 20:6 “I will deliver”– these words seem to indicate
was the kind of man for whom God wanted to that Hezekiah’s illness and recovery preceded the
do things, even after his death. Hezekiah was events of the previous chapter. It appears that
the kind of man whose prayers God answered if Hezekiah’s life had not been lengthened, he
(v 20; 20:5). Let us strive to be like them in faith would not have been alive when Sennacherib’s
and in faithfulness. army came against Jerusalem. Also Manasseh,
19:35 “Angel of the LORD”– note at Gen 16:7. To Judah’s worst king, would never have been born
punish one nation for its sins God may use the (20:1). When God acts in answer to man’s prayers
armies of another nation, but He does not need to it can have a profound effect on later events.
535 2 Kings 21:2

David’s sake.’ ” men say? And from where did they come
7 And Isaiah said, “Take a lump of figs”. to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They came
And they took it and laid it on the boil, and from a far country, from Babylon”.
he recovered. 15 And he said, “What did they see in your
8 And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What is house?” And Hezekiah answered, “They
the sign that the LORD will heal me, and saw everything that is in my house. There
that I will go up to the house of the LORD is nothing among my treasures that I did
on the third day?” not show them”.
9 And Isaiah said, “This is the sign you 16 And Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear

have from the LORD, that the LORD will the word of the LORD. 17 ‘See, the days are
do what he has spoken: Shall the shadow coming that all that is in your house, and
go forward ten degrees, or go backward what your fathers have stored up to this
ten degrees?” day, will be carried into Babylon. Nothing
10 And Hezekiah answered, “It is an easy will be left, says the LORD. 18 And some of
thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees. your sons, your own offspring who will be
No, but let the shadow go backward ten born to you, will be taken away by them,
degrees”. and they will become eunuchs in the palace
11 And Isaiah the prophet cried out to the of the king of Babylon.’ ”
LORD, and he brought the shadow ten 19 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The

degrees backward, from which it had gone word of the LORD which you have spoken
down in the sundial of Ahaz. is good”. And he said, “Is it not good, if there
12 At that time Berodach Baladan, the son is peace and truth in my days?”
of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters 20 And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and

and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that all his might, and how he made a pool and a
Hezekiah had been sick. 13 And Hezekiah channel and brought water into the city, are
listened to them, and showed them all they not written in the book of The Annals
his treasure house, the silver and the gold of the Kings of Judah? 21 And Hezekiah slept
and the spices and the valuable oil, and with his ancestors, and his son Manasseh
his armoury, and all that was found in his reigned in his stead.
treasuries. There was nothing in his house,
or in all his dominion, that Hezekiah did
not show them.
14 Then Isaiah the prophet came to King
21 Manasseh was twelve years old
when he began to reign, and he
reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. And
Hezekiah and said to him, “What did these his mother’s name was Hephzibah. 2 And
20:7 “Lump of figs”– God said He would heal Judah in 18:13. When the Babylonians came
Hezekiah. But God’s prophet did not think that there was still great wealth in Jerusalem,
this excluded the use of human means of healing. and pride had entered the heart of Hezekiah
God may use human remedies and medicines (2 Chron 32:25-27).
in His work of healing, though He is in no way 20:17-18 24:12-15; 25:7,13-15; 2 Chron 33:11.
dependent on them, and He may heal directly 20:18 “Eunuchs”– this word was sometimes used
and altogether miraculously when He wishes. to mean those who served in a king’s palace
20:8 “Sign”– note on signs at Isa 7:10-11. God did whether they were literal eunuchs or not.
not rebuke Hezekiah for asking for a sign, but 20:19 1 Sam 3:18.
gave him one. See also Jud 6:17,36-40. 20:20 “Annals”– note at 1 Kings 14:19.
20:10 Isa 38:8. This “sundial” was probably the 20:21 “Slept”– note at 1 Kings 2:10.
stairway of Ahaz, constructed in such a way that 21:1-9 2 Chron 33:1-9. Manasseh reigned longer
it revealed the time of day. As the sun’s position than any other king of Judah, and during the first
in the sky moves to the west, shadows cast by part of his reign he was the worst of all Judah’s
things on earth naturally lengthen toward the kings. At that time evil came to its dreadful
east. For the shadows to shorten would have climax in that kingdom. He finally repented
been contrary to nature, and, so, miraculous. (2 Chron 33:10-16), but his repentance could not
God, who made the heavens and the earth, has undo all the evil he had done.
no difficulty influencing any part He wishes at 21:1 “Twelve”– if God had not added 15 years
any time. See Josh 10:12-14. to Hezekiah’s life (20:6), Manasseh would not
20:13 “Treasure”– see 18:15. This indicates have been born.
that the visit of the messengers from Babylon 21:2 Instead of following his father, he followed
took place before the army of Assyria invaded his grandfather (16:3).
2 Kings 21:3 536

he did what was evil in the sight of the Amorites who were before him, and has also
LORD, following the abominations of the caused Judah to sin with his idols, 12 thus
nations whom the LORD cast out before says the LORD God of Israel: See, I am
the children of Israel. 3 For he rebuilt the going to bring such a disaster on Jerusalem
high places which his father Hezekiah and Judah that both ears of whoever hears
had destroyed, and he raised up altars of it will tingle. 13 And I will stretch over
for Baal, and made a grove, like Ahab Jerusalem the measuring line of Samaria,
king of Israel did, and he worshipped and the plumb line of the house of Ahab,
all the starry host of heaven and served and I will wipe Jerusalem like a man wipes
them. 4 And he built altars in the house a dish, wiping it and turning it upside
of the LORD, of which the LORD said, down. 14 And I will forsake the remnant
“In Jerusalem I will put my name”. 5 And of my inheritance, and deliver them into
he built altars for all the starry host of the hands of their enemies; and they will
heaven in the two courts of the house of become a prey and plunder to all their
the LORD. 6 And he made his son pass enemies, 15 because they have done what
through the fire, and practiced witchcraft, is evil in my sight and have provoked me
and used divination, and had dealings to anger, since the day their fathers came
with spiritists and mediums. He did much out of Egypt to this day”.
wickedness in the sight of the LORD, 16 Moreover, Manasseh shed very much

provoking him to anger. innocent blood until he filled Jerusalem

7 And a carved image of Asherah that he from one end to the other, besides his sin
had made, he set up in the temple of which the with which he caused Judah to sin, doing
LORD said to David and to his son Solomon, what was evil in the sight of the LORD.
“I will put my name forever in this house 17 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh

and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out and all that he did, and his sin that he
of all tribes of Israel. 8 Nor will I make the committed, are they not written in the book
feet of Israel move any more out of the land of The Annals of the Kings of Judah? 18 And
which I gave their fathers, if only they will Manasseh slept with his ancestors, and was
be careful to do all that I have commanded buried in the garden of his own house, in the
them, and in accordance with all the law garden of Uzza; and his son Amon reigned
that my servant Moses commanded them”. in his stead.
9 But they did not listen, and Manasseh 19 Amon was twenty-two years old when

led them astray to do more evil than the he began to reign, and he reigned two years
nations whom the LORD destroyed before in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was
the children of Israel. Meshullemeth; she was the daughter of
10 And the LORD spoke by his servants Haruz of Jotbah. 20 And he did what was
the prophets, saying, 11 “Because Manasseh evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father
king of Judah has done these abominations, Manasseh had done. 21 And he walked in
and has acted more wickedly than all the all the way in which his father walked,

21:3 “High places”– 18:4; note at 1 Kings 3:2. 21:12 Jer 15:4; 19:3; Hab 1:5.
“Baal”– note at Jud 2:11. 21:13 22:16-19; Isa 34:11; Amos 7:7-9,17.
“A grove”– or “Asherah pole” – Jud 3:7. “Measuring line”– here this means preparing
“Ahab”– 1 Kings 16:30-33. them for destruction.
“Host”– Deut 17:2-5; 1 Kings 17:16. 21:14 “I will forsake” – that is, He would
21:4 “Name”– 2 Sam 7:13; 1 Kings 8:29; 9:3. not defend them from punishment (Jer 6:9).
21:5 23:4-5,12. Compare Ezek 8:5-18. He did not, and will never, forsake the
21:6 He seemed determined to do everything r e m n a nt of H i s p e o ple p e r m a ne nt ly
that God hated and commanded not to be done (Isa 54:6 -8).
– Lev 18:21; 19:26,31; 20:2; Deut 18:10-14. 21:15 “Egypt”– see Deut 9:24; Jud 2:10-23;
“Through the fire”– note at 16:3. 2 Kings 17:7-17.
“Anger”– notes at Num 25:3; Ps 90:7-11. 21:16 24:3-4. After all that, was it possible for
21:7 Deut 16:21. Manasseh to repent, turn to the Lord and be
21:8 2 Sam 7:10. saved? See 2 Chron 33:11-16.
21:9 “Nations...destroyed”– Deut 12:29-31; 31:3; 21:17 “Annals”– 1 Kings 14:19.
Josh 21:43-45; 24:15. 21:18 “Slept”– 1 Kings 2:10.
21:11 “Amorites”– Gen 15:16; 1 Kings 21:26. 21:19-24 2 Chron 32:21-25.
537 2 Kings 22:13

and served the idols that his father served on in the house of the LORD, repairing
and worshipped them, 22 and he forsook the the damaged places in the house, 6 to the
LORD God of his fathers, and did not walk carpenters and builders and masons, and
in the way of the LORD. to buy timber and cut stone to repair the
23 And the servants of Amon conspired house. 7 However, no accounting needs to
against him, and killed the king in his own be made with them about the money that
house. 24 And the people of the land killed was delivered into their hands, because
all those who had conspired against King they have dealt faithfully”.
Amon, and the people of the land made his 8 And Hilkiah the high priest said to

son Josiah king in his place. Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the book
25 Now the rest of the acts of Amon which of the law in the house of the LORD”. And
he did, are they not written in the book of Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he
The Annals of the Kings of Judah? 26 And read it. 9 And Shaphan the scribe came to
he was buried in his tomb in the garden of the king, bringing word back to the king,
Uzza, and his son Josiah reigned in his stead. and said, “Your servants have collected
the money that was found in the house,

22 Josiah was eight years old when he

began to reign, and he reigned thirty-
one years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s
and have delivered it into the hands of the
workers who have the oversight of the house
of the LORD”. 10 And Shaphan the scribe
name was Jedidah. She was the daughter of told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest
Adaiah of Boscath. 2 And he did what was has delivered a book to me”. And Shaphan
right in the sight of the LORD, and walked read it in the king’s presence.
in all the way of his father David, and did 11 And it came about that when the king

not turn aside to the right or to the left. heard the words of the book of the law, he
3 And it came about in the eighteenth tore his clothes. 12 And the king gave an
year of King Josiah, that the king sent order to Hilkiah the priest and Ahikam,
Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of the son of Shaphan, and Achbor, the son
Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and
LORD, saying, 4 “Go up to Hilkiah the Asaiah, a servant of the king, saying, 13 “Go,
high priest, that he may count the money inquire of the LORD for me and for the
which has been brought into the house of people and for all Judah, concerning the
the LORD, which the doorkeepers have words of this book that has been found;
collected from the people; 5 and let them for great is the wrath of the LORD that
deliver it into the hands of the workers burns against us, because our fathers did
who have the oversight of the house of not listen to the words of this book, to
the LORD, and let them give it to those do according to all that which is written
who are doing the work which is going concerning us”.

21:22 He followed his father’s evil ways, but not (Deut 31:24-26; 2 Chron 34:14).
his good ways which Manasseh displayed after 22:11-13 The contents of the book of the law
his repentance. seem to have been new to Josiah. This is an
22:1-20 2 Chron 34:1-28. indication of the degraded state into which
“Josiah”– 1 Kings 13:2. Josiah was one of the the nation had sunk and how God’s law was
best of all Judah’s kings, his father, Amon, one disregarded during the long reign of Manasseh.
of the worst. Compare 18:1-2. Perhaps Josiah’s Josiah, reading the book, is appalled at the
mother made all the difference. Her name means extent of their disobedience. One reason many
“beloved”. in Christian circles are not disturbed at their
22:2 “David”– 18:3. own condition and the condition of the people is
“Or to the left”– Deut 5:32; Josh 1:7. ignorance of the Word of God, a lack of spiritual
22:4 12:4,9,10. The repairs in the reign of Joash understanding of it. Compare Rom 7:7. When
had been undertaken about 190 years before. we are enlightened to understand God’s Word,
22:7 12:15. Having honest and faithful men is a and when we take it seriously, we will see at once
great blessing in any work of God, but often it how far short of its standards we come.
seems that such men are very hard to find. 22:11 “Tore”– 19:1; Gen 37:34; 2 Sam 13:31.
22:8 “Book of the law”– this phrase usually meant 22:12 “Ahikam”– 25:22.
either the entire Pentateuch (the first five books 22:13 Lev 26:27-28; Deut 28:20,45-57. Notes on
of the Bible), or the book of Deuteronomy God’s anger at Num 25:3; Ps 90:7-11.
2 Kings 22:14 538
14 So Hilkiah the priest and Ahikam and him went all the men of Judah and all the
Achbor and Shaphan and Asaiah went to inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests and
Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, the prophets and all the people, both small
the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, and great. And in their hearing he read all
keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in the words of the book of the covenant which
Jerusalem in the second district), and they had been found in the house of the LORD.
spoke with her. 3 And the king stood by a pillar and made
15 And she said to them, “Thus says the a covenant before the LORD, to follow the
LORD God of Israel: ‘Tell the man who LORD, and to keep his commandments
sent you to me, 16 thus says the LORD: See, and his testimonies and his statutes with
I will bring disaster on this place and on its all their heart and all their soul, to perform
inhabitants, according to all the words of the words of this covenant that were written
the book which the king of Judah has read, in this book. And all the people took their
17 because they have forsaken me, and have stand for the covenant.
burned incense to other gods, provoking me 4 And the king commanded Hilkiah the

to anger with all the works of their hands. high priest, and the priests of the second
Therefore my wrath will burn against this order and the doorkeepers, to bring out of
place, and will not be quenched.’ 18 But you the temple of the LORD all the articles that
shall say this to the king of Judah who sent were made for Baal and for Asherah and
you to inquire of the LORD: ‘Thus says for all the starry host of heaven. And he
the LORD God of Israel concerning the burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields
words which you have heard, 19 because your of Kidron and took their ashes to Bethel.
heart was tender, and you have humbled 5 And he put down the idolatrous priests,

yourself before the LORD when you heard whom the kings of Judah had ordained to
what I spoke against this place and against burn incense on the high places in the cities
its inhabitants, that they would become a of Judah and in the places around Jerusalem,
desolation and a curse, and you have torn also those who burned incense to Baal, to
your clothes and wept before me, I have also the sun and to the moon and to the planets,
heard you, says the LORD. 20 Therefore, I and to all the starry host of heaven. 6 And he
will gather you to your ancestors, and you brought the Asherah pole from the house of
will be gathered to your grave in peace, and the LORD outside Jerusalem to the brook
your eyes will not see all the disaster which I Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron,
will bring on this place.’ ” And they brought and ground it to powder and threw its ashes
back word to the king. on the graves of the children of the people.
7 And he tore down the houses of the male

23 And the king sent word, and they

gathered to him all the elders of
Judah and of Jerusalem. 2 And the king went
shrine prostitutes that were by the house of
the LORD, where the women wove hangings
for Asherah.
up into the house of the LORD, and with 8 And he brought all the priests out of the

22:14 Other women in the Bible who had the 23:3 “Stood by a pillar”– 11:14.
gift of prophecy were Miriam the sister of Moses “Took their stand”– they had done so at other
(Ex 15:20), Deborah (Jud 4:4), Anna (Luke 2:36), times in their history (Ex 19:8; 24:3,7; Deut 5:27;
and Philip’s daughters (Acts 21:9). Both the Josh 24:16-18,21,24; 2 Chron 15:12; 23:16-17.
prophets Jeremiah and Zephaniah lived during Compare Jer 42:5-6).
the reign of Josiah. But for some undisclosed “Covenant”– the covenant God made with Israel
reason Hilkiah and the others did not go to through Moses – Ex 19:5; 24:3-8; Deut 4:1-6;
either of them. 5:1-22.
22:16 See the references given in v 13. 23:4 These must have been put there by Josiah’s
22:17 Deut 29:24-28. father Amon (21:21-22). Notes on Baal and
22:19 A very important spiritual concept is here Ashtoreth at Jud 2:11; 1 Kings 11:5; 16:31.
– 1 Kings 21:29; 2 Chron 7:14; 33:12-13; Ps 51:17; 23:5 “Idolatrous priests”– compare 1 Kings 12:31;
Isa 57:15; 66:2; Matt 18:2-3; Jam 4:6. If we want 13:33-34; Hos 10:5; Zeph 1:4.
God to hear us we must humble ourselves and be “High places”– 1 Kings 3:22.
responsive to His Word – John 15:7. “Hosts”– 17:16; 21:3,5; Deut 17:2-5; Ezek 8:15-16.
22:20 20:19; 23:30. 23:6 “Asherah”– note at Jud 3:7.
23:2 22:8. 23:7 Note at 1 Kings 14:24.
539 2 Kings 23:24

cities of Judah, and defiled the high places son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin, had
where the priests had burned incense, from made, both that altar and the high place he
Geba to Beersheba, and broke down the high broke down, and burned the high place and
places at the gates that were at the entrance crushed it to powder, and burned the grove.
of the Gate of Joshua, the governor of the 16 And as Josiah turned around, he saw the

city, which were on a person’s left at the tombs that were there in the mountain, and
city gate. 9 Nevertheless the priests of the sent men and removed the bones from the
high places did not come up to the altar of tombs, and burned them on the altar and
the LORD in Jerusalem, but they ate of the polluted it, according to the word of the
unleavened bread among their brethren. LORD which the man of God proclaimed,
10 And he defiled Topheth, which is in the who proclaimed these words.
valley of the children of Hinnom, so that no 17 Then he said, “What is that tombstone

man might make his son or his daughter that I see?” And the men of the city told him,
pass through the fire to Molech. 11 And he “It is the tomb of the man of God who came
took away the horses that the kings of Judah from Judah and proclaimed these things that
had dedicated to the sun, at the entrance you have done against the altar of Bethel”.
of the house of the LORD, by the room of 18 And he said, “Let him alone. Do not

Nathan-Melech, an official, which was in let anyone move his bones”. So they let his
the court, and he burned the chariots of the bones alone, with the bones of the prophet
sun with fire. who came out of Samaria.
12 And the king broke down the altars 19 And also all the shrines of the high places

that were on the roof of the upper room that were in the cities of Samaria, which
of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had the kings of Israel had made, provoking the
made, and the altars which Manasseh had LORD to anger, Josiah took away and did
made in the two courts of the house of the to them just as he had done everything in
LORD. And he smashed them there and Bethel. 20 And he killed all the priests of the
threw their dust into the brook Kidron. high places who were there on the altars, and
13 And the king defiled the high places that burned men’s bones on them, and returned
were before Jerusalem, which were on the to Jerusalem.
right of the Mount of Corruption, which 21 And the king commanded all the people,

Solomon the king of Israel had built for saying, “Keep the Passover to the LORD
Ashtoreth, the abomination of the Sidonians, your God, as it is written in the book of
and for Chemosh, the abomination of the this covenant”. 22 Surely no such Passover
Moabites, and for Milcom, the abomination was kept from the days of the judges who
of the children of Ammon. 14 And he judged Israel, nor in all the days of the
broke the images in pieces and cut down kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah.
the groves and filled their places with the 23 But in the eighteenth year of king Josiah,

bones of men. this Passover was held before the LORD

15 Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, in Jerusalem.
and the high place which Jeroboam the 24 Moreover Josiah put away the spiritists

23:8 “High places”– 18:4; 21:3. of even the best of Judah’s kings.
23:10 Lev 18:21; Deut 18:10; 1 Kings 11:5,7; “Milcom”– Molech.
Isa 30:33; Jer 7:31-32; 19:5-6; Ezek 23:37-39. 23:14 “Bones” – these would defile those
“Fire”– note at 16:3. sites.
23:11 Sun worship was absolutely forbidden – 23:15-16 1 Kings 12:28-33. Josiah thus fulfilled
Deut 4:19. It is called detestable (Deut 17:2-5), a prophecy uttered nearly three hundred years
which means that the true God hates and despises before – 1 Kings 13:2.
it. See Rom 1:25. We must worship the Creator, 23:17-18 1 Kings 13:1,30-32.
not the things the Creator has made. 23:20 17:27-28,33,34. These were priests of the
23:12 21:5. Though Manasseh repented toward apostate religious system that came into existence
the end of his reign and destroyed some of the after the northern kingdom Israel had gone into
places where idolatry had been, it would seem captivity.
from this that he did not destroy them all. Or 23:21 “Passover”– Ex 12:3; Lev 23:5; Deut 16:2-8;
else his son Amon restored them. 2 Chron 35:1-19.
23:13 See 1 Kings 11:5,7. These had remained 23:24 “Spiritists”– Ex 22:18; Lev 19:31; 20:6;
there for three hundred years, through the reigns Deut 18:10-12; 2 Kings 21:6; Isa 8:19.
2 Kings 23:25 540

and the mediums and the images and the 31 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old
idols, and all the abominations that were when he began to reign, and he reigned
seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, three months in Jerusalem. And his mother’s
that he might carry out the words of the name was Hamutal; she was the daughter of
law which were written in the book that Jeremiah of Libnah. 32 And he did what was
Hilkiah the priest had found in the house evil in the sight of the LORD, in everything
of the LORD. 25 And there was no king like just as his ancestors had done. 33 And Pharaoh
him before him, who turned to the LORD Neco put him in chains at Riblah in the
with all his heart and with all his soul and land of Hamath so that he might not reign
with all his might, according to all the law of in Jerusalem, and he imposed on the land a
Moses; nor did any like him arise after him. fine of a hundred talents of silver and a talent
26 Nevertheless the LORD did not turn of gold. 34 And Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim
from the fierceness of his great wrath, his the son of Josiah king in place of his father
anger which burned against Judah because Josiah, and changed his name to Jehoiakim,
of all the provocations with which Manasseh and took Jehoahaz away and went to Egypt,
had provoked him. 27 And the LORD said, “I where he died. 35 And Jehoiakim gave the
will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I silver and the gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed
have removed Israel, and will cast off this city the land to give the money in accordance with
Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house the command of Pharaoh. He exacted the
of which I said, ‘My name will be there.’ ” silver and the gold from the people of the land,
28 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and from each one according to his assessment,
all that he did, are they not written in the to give it to Pharaoh Neco.
book of The Annals of the Kings of Judah? 36 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old
29 In his days Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt when he began to reign, and he reigned
went up to the river Euphrates against the eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s
king of Assyria, and King Josiah went against name was Zebidah; she was the daughter of
him. And when Neco saw him he killed him Pedaiah of Rumah. 37 And he did what was
at Megiddo. 30 And his servants took his dead evil in the sight of the LORD, in everything
body in a chariot from Megiddo, and brought just as his ancestors had done.
him to Jerusalem and buried him in his
own tomb. And the people of the land took
Jehoahaz, the son of Josiah, and anointed
him and made him king in his father’s place.
24 In his days Nebuchadnezzar, king
of Babylon, came up, and Jehoiakim
became his servant for three years. Then
“Images and idols”– notice that these also are (Jer 30:18; 31:38-40).
called “abominations”. “My Name”– 1 Kings 8:29; 2 Kings 21:4,7.
23:25 Hezekiah and Josiah are the only two kings 23:28 “Annals”– 1 Kings 14:19.
of Judah who receive unqualified commendation 23:29 2 Chron 35:20-27. Assyria was being
in the Bible. Hezekiah was highly praised attacked by Babylon. Egypt went to help Assyria
particularly for his faith (18:5), Josiah for his because it feared the rising power of Babylon.
turning to God and for his zeal for the law of Josiah wanted Babylon to prevail. Babylon did,
Moses. Of course, this does not mean that either but this eventually resulted in disaster to Judah.
of these men was sinless and perfect. 23:30-34 2 Chron 36:1-4.
23:26 “Anger”– notes at Num 25:3; Ps 90:7-11. 23:32 “Ancestors”– not Josiah, but Amon and
“Manasseh”– 21:11-13,15; Jer 15:4. Manasseh Manasseh (21:2-7,20-22).
repented and was forgiven, but there were 23:33 “Riblah”, “Hamath”– north of Israel in
consequences of his sins and the sins of the people present-day Syria.
which they had to bear. Compare 2 Sam 12:10-14. “A hundred talents”– one talent was about 34
For all the thoroughness of Josiah’s reformation, kilograms.
Judah did not escape the judgment of God. The 23:34 Jehoahaz was also called Shallum –
people outwardly submitted to Josiah’s work of Jer 22:11-12; Ezek 19:3-4.
reformation, but they did not take to heart his 23:36 24:6; 2 Chron 36:5-8.
principles. This is clear from the book of Jeremiah 24:1-20 2 Chron 36:6-16.
which was written in the days of Josiah and his sons “Nebuchadnezzar”– he was one of the most
(see Jer 3:6-10). Jehoahaz and Eliakim, Josiah’s sons, powerful and famous kings in ancient times.
both “did evil in the eyes of the Lord” (vs 32,37). He made Babylon the strongest kingdom in the
23:27 “Israel”– 17:18-23; 18:11. world of his day, and ruled it for 43 years (605 -
“Cast off”– but only for a time, not forever 562 B.C.).
541 2 Kings 25:1

he turned and rebelled against him. 2 And Babylon took him in the eighth year of his
the LORD sent against him raiding bands reign. 13 And he carried out from there all
of the Chaldeans and bands of the Syrians the treasures of the house of the LORD and
and bands of the Moabites and bands of the the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in
children of Ammon; and he sent them against pieces all the articles of gold which Solomon
Judah to destroy it, in accordance with the king of Israel had made in the temple of
word of the LORD which he spoke through the LORD, as the LORD had said. 14 And
his servants the prophets. 3 Surely this came he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the
on Judah at the command of the LORD, to officials and all the valiant warriors, ten
remove them out of his sight, because of the thousand captives, and all the craftsmen
sins of Manasseh, for all that he did, 4 and and smiths. No one remained except the
also for the innocent blood that he shed. For poorest people of the land.
he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, 15 And he carried Jehoiachin away to

which the LORD would not pardon. Babylon, and he took into captivity the
5 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and king’s mother and the king’s wives and his
all that he did, are they not written in the officers and the mighty men of the land,
book of The Annals of the Kings of Judah? from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16 And the king
6 So Jehoiakim slept with his ancestors, and of Babylon took captive to Babylon all the
his son Jehoiachin reigned in his place. mighty men, seven thousand in number,
7 And the king of Egypt no longer came and a thousand craftsmen and smiths, all
again out of his land, for the king of Babylon who were strong and fit for war. 17 And the
had taken all that had been in the possession king of Babylon made Jehoiachin’s uncle
of the king of Egypt from the river of Egypt Mattaniah king in his place, and changed
to the river Euphrates. his name to Zedekiah.
8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he 18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old

began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem when he began to reign, and he reigned
three months. And his mother’s name was eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s
Nehushta. She was the daughter of Elnathan name was Hamutal. She was the daughter of
of Jerusalem. 9 And he did what was evil in Jeremiah of Libnah. 19 And he did what was
the sight of the LORD, in everything just evil in the sight of the LORD, in everything
as his father had done. just as Jehoiakim had done. 20 For through
10 At that time the servants of the anger of the LORD it came about that
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up until he had cast them out of his presence,
against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. in Jerusalem and Judah, Zedekiah rebelled
11 And Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, against the king of Babylon.
came against the city, and his servants
besieged it. 12 And Jehoiachin, the king of
Judah, went out to the king of Babylon, he
and his mother and his servants and his
25 And it came about in the ninth year
of his reign, in the tenth month, on
the tenth of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar
officials and his officers; and the king of king of Babylon and all his army came
24:2 “The LORD sent”– Jer 25:9; 51:20. Compare “Jehoiachin”– Jer 22:18-19.
2:14; 6:1; 13:1; 1 Kings 11:9,14; 2 Chron 12:1-2; 24:7 The territory mentioned here was not in
Isa 10:5-6; Hab 1:5-6. Throughout Israel’s history Egypt itself but was controlled by Egypt.
God often raised up enemies to punish Israel 24:12 “Eighth year”– 597 B.C.; Jer 24:1; 29:1-2.
for its sin. 24:13 20:17.
“Chaldeans”– they were Babylonians (see 25:4). 24:14 25:12; Jer 24:1; 40:7; 52:28.
“Prophets”– Isa 39:5-7; Jer 12:7-9; Ezek 23:23-27. 24:15 Jer 22:24-28.
24:3 “Manasseh”– 21:1-16; 23:26-27; Jer 15:3-4. 24:17 Jer 37:1.
24:4 21:16. The blood of those godly people 24:18 597-586 B.C.
cried from the ground for vengeance (compare 24:19 23:37.
Gen 4:10), and God could not ignore it. God is 24:20 “Anger”– 22:13,17; 23:26; 2 Chron 36:16;
merciful and ready, yes, eager, to forgive when Jer 21:5. Notes on God’s anger at Num 25:3;
men repent and seek Him (Ex 34:6-7; Isa 55:7-8). Ps 90:7-11.
But the people of Judah did not repent. 25:1-21 2 Chron 36:14-20; Jer 39:1-12. January
24:5 “Annals”– 1 Kings 14:19. 588 B.C.
24:6 “Slept”– note at 1 Kings 2:10. 25:1 Jer 34:1-2; Ezek 24:2.
2 Kings 25:2 542

against Jerusalem and encamped against the guard left some of the poor of the land
it. And they built a siege wall against it all to be vineyard workers and farmers.
around. 2 And the city was besieged until the 13 And the Chaldeans broke in pieces the

eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 3 And on the bronze pillars that were in the house of the
ninth day of the fourth month the famine LORD, and the stands and the bronze sea
prevailed in the city, and there was no bread that was at the house of the LORD, and
for the people of the land. 4 And the city was carried their bronze away to Babylon. 14 And
broken through, and all the men of war fled they took away the pots and the shovels and
at night by the way of the gate between two the snuffers and the spoons and all the bronze
walls, which is by the king’s garden, though articles with which the priests ministered.
the Chaldeans were all around the city. And 15 And the commander of the guard took

the king went on the way toward the plain. away the fire-pans and the bowls, and the
5 And the army of the Chaldeans pursued the gold and silver of those things which had
king and caught up with him in the plains gold or silver.
of Jericho; and all his army scattered from 16 As for the two pillars, one sea, and the

him. 6 So they took the king and brought stands which Solomon had made for the
him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and house of the LORD, the weight of the bronze
they pronounced judgment on him. 7 And of all these articles was beyond measure.
they killed the sons of Zedekiah before his 17 The height of one pillar was eighteen

eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and cubits, and the capital on it was of bronze;
bound him with bronze fetters and carried and the height of the capital was three cubits;
him away to Babylon. and the woven work and pomegranates all
8 And in the fifth month, on the seventh of around on the capital were all of bronze.
the month, which was in the nineteenth year And the second pillar was the same, with
of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, woven work.
Nebuzaradan, commander of the guard, 18 And the commander of the guard took

a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the
Jerusalem. 9 And he burned the house of second priest, and the three doorkeepers.
the LORD and the king’s house and all the 19 And he took from the city an officer who

houses of Jerusalem. He burned with fire had been appointed over the men of war, and
every great man’s house. 10 And the whole five men of those who had been in the king’s
army of the Chaldeans, that was with the presence, who were found in the city, and the
commander of the guard, broke down principal scribe of the army, who conscripted
the walls of Jerusalem all around. 11 Now the people of the land, and sixty men of the
Nebuzaradan, the commander of the guard, people of the land who were found in the city;
took away the rest of the people who were 20 and Nebuzaradan, the commander of the

left in the city, and the fugitives who had guard, took these and brought them to the king
defected to the king of Babylon, with the rest of Babylon at Riblah. 21And the king of Babylon
of the population. 12 But the commander of struck them down and killed them at Riblah in
25:2 586 B.C. to destroy it.
25:3 “Famine”– Jer 38:2-9; Lam 1:11; 2:20; 4:9-10; 25:10 Neh 1:3.
5:10. This is one of the curses God said would come 25:12 24:14; Jer 40:7.
on them if they broke His covenant – Lev 26:26; 25:13 “Pillars”– 1 Kings 7:15-22. These pillars
Deut 28:53-57. had stood for 350 years.
25:4 “Chaldeans”– they were Babylonians. “Sea”– 1 Kings 7:23-26.
Chaldea was one of the main areas of the kingdom 25:18-21 Jer 52:24-27.
of Babylon and sometimes the whole kingdom 25:18 “Seraiah”– Ezra 7:1.
was called by that name. “Zephaniah”– Jer 21:1; 29:25; 37:3. He was not
“The plain”– here means the Jordan valley, the prophet of the same name.
called the Arabah in Hebrew. 25:21 23:27; Lev 26:33; Deut 28:36; Jer 25:8-11.
25:6 23:33; Jer 39:5; 52:9. God’s people had been in the land for about 800
25:7 Jer 32:4-5; 34:2-3; 38:18; Ezek 12:13; 17:16. years, from the time of Joshua. God removed them
25:8-9 Jer 17:27; 52:12-13. This was God’s from the land because they repeatedly broke His
temple, the place He had chosen for His name covenant and would not listen to His messengers
and presence. But because the people misused it (2 Chron 36:15-17; Jer 11:1-13). Their history
and defiled it He Himself sent the Babylonians showed that they were a sinful and rebellious
543 2 Kings 25:30

the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away of Elishama, of the royal line, and ten men
out of their land. with him, came and struck down Gedaliah,
22 And as for the people that remained in killing him and the Jews and the Chaldeans
the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar who were with him at Mizpah. 26 And all
king of Babylon had left, he made Gedaliah the people, both small and great, and the
the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, ruler captains of the armies, arose and went to
over them. 23 And when all the captains of Egypt, for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.
the armies, they and their men, heard that 27 And it came about in the thirty-seventh

the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king
governor, Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah and of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the
Johanan, the son of Careah, and Seraiah, twenty-seventh day of the month, that Evil
the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, Merodach, king of Babylon, in the year that
and Jaazaniah, the son of a Maachathite, he began to reign, released Jehoiachin king
they and their men, came to Gedaliah at of Judah from prison 28 and spoke kindly to
Mizpah. 24 And Gedaliah took an oath him and gave him a seat more prominent
before them and before their men, and than the seats of the kings who were with
said to them, “Do not be afraid to be the him in Babylon, 29 and changed his prison
servants of the Chaldeans. Live in the land garments. And Jehoiachin ate food regularly
and serve the king of Babylon, and it will in his presence all the days of his life. 30 And
be well with you”. as for his allowance, a regular allowance
25 But it came about in the seventh month, was given him by the king, a portion for
that Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, the son each day, all the days of his life.
people (as, indeed, all men are by nature. See 25:26 “Egypt”– this happened in spite of
notes at 17:13,19). But this was not the end of Jeremiah’s severe warnings and attempts to
their story. Ezekiel, Daniel, and Esther record prevent it (Jer 41:16—43:7).
some of the events which took place during their 25:27 “Thirty-seventh year”– about 561 B.C.
exile from the land. Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, 25:30 Though God’s people went into exile, they
Zechariah, and Malachi (and, of course, the four were not completely destroyed, and David’s royal
Gospels and part of Acts) record some of their house survived, as God had promised it would
history when the exile was over. (2 Sam 7:14-16). For a reason why Jehoiachin
25:22 Jer 39:14; 40:7. (and other exiles from Judah) found some
25:25 Jer 40:13—41:15. kindness in Babylon see 1 Kings 8:50; Ps 106:46.