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Azariah’s Rule Over Judah

15 King Azariah son of Amaziah of Judah became king in the 27th year that Jeroboam was king of Israel. Azariah was 16 years old when he began to rule. He ruled 52 years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Jecoliah of Jerusalem. Azariah did what the Lord said was right, just as his father Amaziah had done. But he did not destroy the high places. People still made sacrifices and burned incense in these places of worship.

The Lord caused King Azariah to become sick with leprosy. He was a leper until the day he died. Azariah lived in a separate house. His son Jotham was in charge of the king’s palace, and he judged the people.

All the great things that Azariah did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Judah. Azariah died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Azariah’s son Jotham became the new king after him.

Zechariah’s Short Rule Over Israel

Zechariah son of Jeroboam ruled over Samaria in Israel for six months. This was during the 38th year that Azariah was king of Judah. Zechariah did what the Lord said was wrong. He did the same things his ancestors did. He did not stop committing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat who caused Israel to sin.

10 Shallum son of Jabesh made plans against Zechariah. Shallum killed Zechariah in Ibleam.[a] Shallum became the new king. 11 All the other things that Zechariah did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel. 12 In this way the Lord’s word came true. He had told Jehu that four generations of his descendants would be kings of Israel.

Shallum’s Short Rule Over Israel

13 Shallum son of Jabesh became king of Israel during the 39th year that Uzziah was king of Judah. Shallum ruled for one month in Samaria.

14 Menahem son of Gadi came up from Tirzah to Samaria and killed Shallum son of Jabesh. Then Menahem became the new king after him.

15 All the things Shallum did, including his plans against Zechariah, are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel.

Menahem’s Rule Over Israel

16 Menahem defeated Tiphsah and the area around it. The people refused to open the city gate for him. So Menahem defeated them and ripped open all the pregnant women in that city.

17 Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel during the 39th year that Azariah was king of Judah. Menahem ruled ten years in Samaria. 18 Menahem did what the Lord said was wrong. He did not stop committing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat who caused Israel to sin.

19 King Pul of Assyria came to fight against Israel. Menahem gave Pul 75,000 pounds[b] of silver so that Pul would support him and help him gain complete control of the kingdom. 20 Menahem raised the money by making all the rich and powerful men pay taxes. He taxed each man 20 ounces[c] of silver and gave the money to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria left and did not stay there in Israel.

21 All the great things that Menahem did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel. 22 Menahem died and was buried with his ancestors. His son Pekahiah became the new king after him.

Pekahiah’s Rule Over Israel

23 Pekahiah son of Menahem became king over Israel in Samaria during the 50th year that Azariah was king of Judah. Pekahiah ruled two years. 24 He did what the Lord said was wrong. He did not stop committing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that caused Israel to sin.

25 The commander of Pekahiah’s army was Pekah son of Remaliah. Pekah killed Pekahiah in Samaria at the king’s palace. Pekah had 50 men from Gilead with him when he killed Pekahiah. Then Pekah became the new king after him.

26 All the great things Pekahiah did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel.

Pekah’s Rule Over Israel

27 Pekah son of Remaliah began to rule over Israel in Samaria during the 52nd year that Azariah was king of Judah. Pekah ruled 20 years. 28 Pekah did what the Lord said was wrong. He did not stop committing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat who caused Israel to sin.

29 King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria came to fight against Israel while Pekah was king of Israel. Tiglath Pileser captured Ijon, Abel Bethmaacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, Galilee, and all the area of Naphtali. He took the people from these places as prisoners to Assyria.

30 Hoshea son of Elah made plans against Pekah son of Remaliah and killed him. Then Hoshea became the new king. This was during the 20th year that Jotham son of Uzziah was king of Judah.

31 All the great things that Pekah did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel.

Jotham’s Rule Over Judah

32 Jotham son of Uzziah became king of Judah. This was during the second year that Pekah son of Remaliah was king of Israel. 33 Jotham was 25 years old when he became king. He ruled 16 years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok. 34 Jotham did what the Lord said was right, just as his father Uzziah had done. 35 But he did not destroy the high places. The people still made sacrifices and burned incense at those places of worship. Jotham built the upper gate of the Lord’s Temple. 36 All the great things that Jotham did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Judah.

37 At that time the Lord sent King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah to fight against Judah.

38 Jotham died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David, his ancestor. Jotham’s son Ahaz became the new king after him.

Ahaz Becomes King Over Judah

16 Ahaz son of Jotham became king of Judah during the 17th year that Pekah son of Remaliah was king of Israel. Ahaz was 20 years old when he became king. He ruled 16 years in Jerusalem. Unlike his ancestor David, Ahaz did not do what the Lord said was right. He did the same bad things the kings of Israel had done. He even burned his son as a sacrifice.[d] He copied the terrible sins of the nations that the Lord had forced to leave the country when the Israelites came. Ahaz made sacrifices and burned incense at the high places and on the hills and under every green tree.

King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel came to fight against Jerusalem. Rezin and Pekah surrounded Ahaz, but could not defeat him. At that time King Rezin of Aram took back Elath for Aram. Rezin took all the people of Judah who were living in Elath. The Arameans settled in Elath, and they still live there today.

Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria with this message: “I am your servant. I am like a son to you. Come and save me from the king of Aram and the king of Israel. They have come to fight me.” Ahaz also took the silver and gold that was in the Temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the king’s palace. Then Ahaz sent a gift to the king of Assyria. The king of Assyria listened to Ahaz and went to fight against Damascus. The king captured that city and took the people from Damascus as prisoners to Kir. He also killed Rezin.

10 King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria. Ahaz saw the altar at Damascus. He sent a model and pattern of this altar to Uriah the priest. 11 Then Uriah the priest built an altar just like the model King Ahaz had sent him from Damascus. Uriah the priest built the altar this way before King Ahaz came back from Damascus.

12 When the king arrived from Damascus, he saw the altar. He offered sacrifices on the altar. 13 Ahaz burned his burnt offerings and grain offerings on it. He poured his drink offering and sprinkled the blood of his fellowship offerings on this altar.

14 Ahaz took the bronze altar that was before the Lord from the front of the Temple. This bronze altar was between Ahaz’s altar and the Temple of the Lord. Ahaz put the bronze altar on the north side of his own altar. 15 He commanded Uriah the priest, “Use the large altar to burn the morning burnt offerings, the evening grain offerings, and the drink offerings from all the people of this country. Sprinkle all the blood from the burnt offering and other sacrifices on the large altar. But I will use the bronze altar to get answers from God.” 16 Uriah the priest did everything that King Ahaz commanded him to do.

17 There were carts with bronze panels and basins for the priests to wash their hands. King Ahaz removed the panels and basins and cut up the carts. He also took the large tank[e] off the bronze bulls that stood under it. He put the large tank on a stone pavement. 18 Workers had built a covered place inside the Temple area for the Sabbath meetings. But Ahaz removed the covered place and the outside entrance for the king. He removed all these from the Lord’s Temple. Ahaz did this because of the king of Assyria.

19 All the great things that Ahaz did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Judah. 20 Ahaz died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Ahaz’s son Hezekiah became the new king after him.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 15:10 in Ibleam This is found in some copies of the ancient Greek version. The standard Hebrew text has “in public.”
  2. 2 Kings 15:19 75,000 pounds Literally, “1000 talents” (34,500 kg).
  3. 2 Kings 15:20 20 ounces Literally, “50 shekels” (575 g).
  4. 2 Kings 16:3 burned his son as a sacrifice Literally, “made his son pass through the fire.”
  5. 2 Kings 16:17 tank A very large container for water.

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