II Kings 15, Assassinations

Jeroboam II is the king of Israel and Amaziah has been king of Judah. The date is around 760 BC.

2 Kings 15:1-7, Azariah and Jotham

In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah began to reign. He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother's name was Jecoliah; she was from Jerusalem. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done.
 

The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.  The LORD afflicted the king with leprosy until the day he died, and he lived in a separate house. Jotham the king's son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.

 As for the other events of Azariah's reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? Azariah rested with his fathers and was buried near them in the City of David. And Jotham his son succeeded him as king.

Azariah's reign in Judah is marked by a skin condition called "leprosy" and he has to reign in seclusion. His son, Jotham, is effectively king. (This is probably an example of a co-regency.) Jotham then takes over officially upon the death of his father.

2 Kings 15:8-12, Zechariah, then Shallum in Israel

In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned six months. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as his fathers had done. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.

Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against Zechariah. He attacked him in front of the people, assassinated him and succeeded him as king.

The other events of Zechariah's reign are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel.

So the word of the LORD spoken to Jehu was fulfilled: "Your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation."
 

Zechariah only last six months before he is assassinated and Shallum becomes king. This ends the dynasty of Jehu, a dynasty of about 80 years, with kings Jehu, Jehoahaz, Jehoash, Jeroboam II and Zechariah, four generations. The prophecy about Jehu's descendants is from 2 Kings 10:30.

2 Kings 15:13-16, Shallum

Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah, and he reigned in Samaria one month. Then Menahem son of Gadi went from Tirzah up to Samaria. He attacked Shallum son of Jabesh in Samaria, assassinated him and succeeded him as king.

The other events of Shallum's reign, and the conspiracy he led, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel.  At that time Menahem, starting out from Tirzah, attacked Tiphsah and everyone in the city and its vicinity, because they refused to open their gates. He sacked Tiphsah and ripped open all the pregnant women.

If six months is a short reign for Zechariah, Shallum only lasts one month, killed by Menahem. 

Menahem's reign seems to be especially brutal. He comes out of Tirzah, in Manasseh, the site of the northern capital for about 35 years (about 910 BC to about 875 BC) during the reigns of Baasha to Omri. He destroys Tiphsah and is especially noted for his massacre of pregnant women.

2 Kings 15:17-22, Menahem

In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria ten years.

He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. During his entire reign he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.

Then Pul king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem gave him a thousand talents of silver to gain his support and strengthen his own hold on the kingdom. Menahem exacted this money from Israel. Every wealthy man had to contribute fifty shekels of silver to be given to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria withdrew and stayed in the land no longer.

As for the other events of Menahem's reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? Menahem rested with his fathers. And Pekahiah his son succeeded him as king.

Like the kings of Israel before him, Menahem continues "the sins of Jeroboam", that is, promoting the worship of idols (see 1 Kings 14:7-9.) Menahem keeps the throne (despite apparent internal turmoil) by heavily taxing the wealthy and using that money to bribe the king of Assyria. The king of Assyria, identified as Pul here, is Tiglath-Pileser III.

2 Kings 15:23-26, Pekahiah

In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah son of Menahem became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned two years. Pekahiah did evil in the eyes of the LORD. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.

One of his chief officers, Pekah son of Remaliah, conspired against him. Taking fifty men of Gilead with him, he assassinated Pekahiah, along with Argob and Arieh, in the citadel of the royal palace at Samaria. So Pekah killed Pekahiah and succeeded him as king.

The other events of Pekahiah's reign, and all he did, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel.

 

Pekahiah only last two years before he too is assassinated. This chaos, the quick rotation of dynasties, represents the approaching end of Israel.

2 Kings 15:27-31, Pekah

In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned twenty years. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.

In the time of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh and Hazor. He took Gilead and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali, and deported the people to Assyria.

Then Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah. He attacked and assassinated him, and then succeeded him as king in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah.

As for the other events of Pekah's reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?

After twenty years, Pekah is assassinated by Hoshea. Meanwhile, Assyria has taken considerable land from Israel and deported many of the inhabitants. We will read more about this in the next chapter.

Assyria is north of Babylon and is an empire from the 14th to 7th century BC. The Neo-Assyrian empire has been expanding and, at this time, will shortly control the middle east. (See the map below, where Assyria in dark green in 824 BC grows into a much large kingdom, light green, by 671 BC.) Hoshea's reign begins around 732 BC and he will be the last king of Israel.

(This map is from the Wikipedia page on the Neo-Assyrian empire and is in the public domain.)

2 Kings 15:32-38, Jotham in Judah

In the second year of Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel, Jotham son of Uzziah king of Judah began to reign. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother's name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Uzziah had done. The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the temple of the LORD.

As for the other events of Jotham's reign, and what he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? (In those days the LORD began to send Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah against Judah.)

Jotham rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the City of David, the city of his father. And Ahaz his son succeeded him as king.

 
Jotham, son of Uzziah takes the throne in Judah and reigns sixteen years. He, like his father before him, is mostly good, but allows the people to worship on the hilltops. He is succeeded by Ahaz.

First published December 25, 2023, updated November 5, 2026

II Kings 14, Amaziah, A Mere Thistle

Amaziah has become king of Judah after the assassination of his father. The date is about 800 BC. 

2 Kings 14:1-5, Amaziah

In the second year of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah began to reign. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Jehoaddin; she was from Jerusalem.

He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father David had done. In everything he followed the example of his father Joash. The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

Amaziah, son of Joash, is "fairly good" but still lets people worship their idols on the high places.

2 Kings 14:5-6, Assassins executed

After the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, he executed the officials who had murdered his father the king.

 

Yet he did not put the sons of the assassins to death, in accordance with what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses where the LORD commanded: "Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sins."

 

Once Amaziah is in power, he retaliates against the officials who killed his father. Amaziah executes the assassins but not their children. He follows the commandment in Deuteronomy 24:16. 

2 Kings 14:7-10, Challenge to Israel

He was the one who defeated ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and captured Sela in battle, calling it Joktheel, the name it has to this day.

Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, with the challenge: "Come, meet me face to face."

But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: "A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, `Give your daughter to my son in marriage.' Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle underfoot. You have indeed defeated Edom and now you are arrogant. Glory in your victory, but stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?"
 

Amaziah wins a battle against the Edomites. He then arrogantly challenges the king of Israel/Samaria but Jehoash refuses to come out to battle with Amaziah. Jehoash correctly accuses Amaziah of being overconfident.

The biblicalarchaeology.org website has an online article on Sela and the defeat of Edom there.

2 Kings 14:11-14, Israel defeats Judah

Amaziah, however, would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel attacked. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth Shemesh in Judah. Judah was routed by Israel, and every man fled to his home.
 

Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate--a section about six hundred feet long. He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of the LORD and in the treasuries of the royal palace. He also took hostages and returned to Samaria.

When overconfident Amaziah attacks the northern kingdom, Jehoash of Israel routs Judah at Beth Shemesh (about 18 miles west of Jerusalem) and captures Amaziah. Jehoash then goes on to Jerusalem and breaks down much of the city wall. (Hubbards says that the identification of the two gates is unknown.) Jehoash then takes hostages and returns back north. Hubbard suggests one of the hostages was Amaziah; there is now some obscurity in the remaining details of Amaziah's life.

A parallel passage to this chapter is 2 Chronicles 25. That chapter provides additional details.

The phrase translated here "six hundred feet long" is literally "four hundred cubits".

2 Kings 14:15-16, Death of Jehoash

As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, what he did and his achievements, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? Jehoash rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. And Jeroboam his son succeeded him as king.

 

Jehoash "rested with his fathers", as did the kings before him. The next king of Israel is Jeroboam II, presumably named after the first Jeroboam.

2 Kings 14:17-20, Killed in Lachish

Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel. As for the other events of Amaziah's reign, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?

They conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish, but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there. He was brought back by horse and was buried in Jerusalem with his fathers, in the City of David.

We don't hear how Amaziah was freed from Israel. Hubbard points out that the usual formation "king X reigned for n years" is replaced by "king Amaziah lived for 15 years", as if he did not reign during that time. Was he still a hostage?

Eventually Amaziah king of Judah is killed by others, presumably in his court, just like his father was.

Lachish was a major fortified city about twenty-five miles southwest of Jerusalem. In 2 Kings 18:13-16, there will be a battle there.

2 Kings 14:21-22, Azariah/Uzziah

Then all the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. He was the one who rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah after Amaziah rested with his fathers.

Azariah, the son of Amaziah, replaces his father on the throne. Hubbard suggests that the strange phrasing -- that the people put Azariah on the throne -- reflects Amaziah's political impotence. Hubbard suggests that Azariah was put on the throne while Amaziah was still alive, possibly a hostage of Israel.

Azariah is also recorded as Uzziah. Uzziah will have one of the longest reigns of Judean kings.

The town of Elath is at the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba, giving access to the Red Sea.

2 Kings 14:23-27, Jeroboam II

In the fifteenth year of Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel became king in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.

He was the one who restored the boundaries of Israel from Lebo Hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, in accordance with the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, spoken through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher.

The LORD had seen how bitterly everyone in Israel, whether slave or free, was suffering; there was no one to help them. And since the LORD had not said he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.

Jeroboam, described as evil like his father, Jehoash, reigns for forty-one years. One advantage of a long reign is that he is able to restore some of the lost boundaries of Israel. Even though Jeroboam was not a good king, YHWH had pity on the people of Israel and restored some of their land.

The prophet Jonah, who has his own story in the Old Testament, speaks out during the reign of Jeroboam II.

2 Kings 14:28-29, Summary of Jeroboam II

As for the other events of Jeroboam's reign, all he did, and his military achievements, including how he recovered for Israel both Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Yaudi, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?

Jeroboam rested with his fathers, the kings of Israel. And Zechariah his son succeeded him as king.

Jeroboam is again noted for recovering some land from surrounding countries, Damascus and Hamath, both important cities to the north and east of Israel.

Yaudi is a variant of Judah.

First published December 23, 2023, updated November 4, 2026

II Kings 13, Jehoahaz and Jehoash in Israel

Joash has been assassinated in Jerusalem and his son, Amaziah has become king.  Meanwhile, the son of Jehu is king in the northern kingdom (Samaria/Israel.)

2 Kings 13: 1-6, Jehoahaz king in Israel

In the twenty-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD by following the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit, and he did not turn away from them.

So the LORD's anger burned against Israel, and for a long time he kept them under the power of Hazael king of Aram and Ben-Hadad his son. Then Jehoahaz sought the LORD's favor, and the LORD listened to him, for he saw how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel. The LORD provided a deliverer for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram. 

So the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before. But they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit; they continued in them. Also, the Asherah pole remained standing in Samaria.

Jehoahaz starts out as an evil king, allowing idols, and YHWH allows Hazael and Hazael's son, another Ben-Hadad, to oppress Israel.  But when Jehoahaz repents, the people are freed from the oppression of Aram/Damascus.

History suggests Jehoahaz reigned from about 819 BC to about 804 BC. The people of Aram/Syria oppressed Israel until about 806 BC, when Assyria began to move into the region and threaten Aram. Assyria will eventually dominate the region.

2 Kings 13: 7-9, Fifty horsemen and ten thousand soldiers

Nothing had been left of the army of Jehoahaz except fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers, for the king of Aram had destroyed the rest and made them like the dust at threshing time.

As for the other events of the reign of Jehoahaz, all he did and his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? Jehoahaz rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoash his son succeeded him as king.

The power and dominion of Israel have been steadily shrinking.

2 Kings 13: 10-13, Jehoash king in Israel

In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned sixteen years. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he continued in them.

As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, all he did and his achievements, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel Jehoash rested with his fathers, and Jeroboam succeeded him on the throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
 

The next king in Israel is Jehoash, who at one point is at war with Amaziah of Judah. We have a brief summary of Jehoash's reign, including his death, but will then go on to read more about him in the next two chapters. 

Jehoash becomes king "in the thirty-seventh year" of Joash and reigns "sixteen years."  The dates of the kings of the southern and northern kingdoms are given in terms of the opposing kingdom, allowing some basic approximation of dates of ascension. Hubbard says that there are issues with these dates and the lengths of the reigns of kings of Israel and Judah. 

The book of 2 Kings records the ascension of one king in terms of the year of rule of the king of the other kingdom. This allows one to count years across both kingdoms and compare dates. Hubbard says discrepancies occur due to several phenomena: in some reigns, the fractional year at the beginning of the reign was counted as Year 1 when at other times it was Year 0. Also there were coregencies, so that the son's reign began while the father was still on the throne. Eventually, under the influence of Assyria, there was also a change in the date of the New Year. Although this is all mathematics, I've not been inclined to trace these figures down.

2 Kings 13: 14-19, Elisha's last prophecy

Now Elisha was suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. "My father! My father!" he cried. "The chariots and horsemen of Israel!"

Elisha said, "Get a bow and some arrows," and he did so.

"Take the bow in your hands," he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.

"Open the east window," he said, and he opened it. "Shoot!" Elisha said, and he shot. 

"The LORD's arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!" Elisha declared. "You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek."

Then he said, "Take the arrows," and the king took them. 

Elisha told him, "Strike the ground." He struck it three times and stopped. The man of God was angry with him and said, "You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times."
 

It has been a while since we have heard of Elisha. He has lived through a number of Israeli kings. As he is dying Jehoash visits him.  Elisha makes a final prophecy, telling the king that he will destroy the Arameans in a battle at Aphek but will only partially defeat Aram, defeating them only three times.

Hubbard says that Aphek is probably modern al-Fiq, in the Golan Heights.

2 Kings 13: 20-22a, One last miracle

Elisha died and was buried. 

Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring. Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man's body into Elisha's tomb. When the body touched Elisha's bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.

Even in death, Elisha provides a miracle.

2 Kings 13: 22b-25, Recovering land from Aram

Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz. But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence.

Hazael king of Aram died, and Ben-Hadad his son succeeded him as king. Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz recaptured from Ben-Hadad son of Hazael the towns he had taken in battle from his father Jehoahaz. Three times Jehoash defeated him, and so he recovered the Israelite towns.

YHWH continues to love and protect Israel.  Jehoash, in battle with Ben-Hadad, son of Hazael, wins back the Israelite towns in three victories, as predicted by Elisha.

First published December 22, 2023, updated November 3, 2026

II Kings 12, Reign of Joash

At age seven, Joash is installed as king of Jerusalem. The date is about 835 BC.

2 Kings 12:1-5, Plans to repair the temple

In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother's name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba. 

Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him. The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

 

Joash said to the priests, "Collect all the money that is brought as sacred offerings to the temple of the LORD--the money collected in the census, the money received from personal vows and the money brought voluntarily to the temple. Let every priest receive the money from one of the treasurers, and let it be used to repair whatever damage is found in the temple."

Joash gives instructions on repairing the temple. (The temple of Solomon is about 160 years old when Joash's reign begins and has endured a number of apostate rulers.) There are three funds for the temple and priesthood, as explained by August Konkel's online commentary: money collected in a regular census tax (Exodus 30:11-16) donations from personal vows (Leviticus 27:1-8)  and other miscellaneous donations.

2 Kings 12:6-8, Twenty three years later

But by the twenty-third year of King Joash the priests still had not repaired the temple. Therefore King Joash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and asked them, "Why aren't you repairing the damage done to the temple? Take no more money from your treasurers, but hand it over for repairing the temple." The priests agreed that they would not collect any more money from the people and that they would not repair the temple themselves.
 

The temple is still in need of repair. A decision is made on the funding, that the income is no longer to go to the priests but for repairs and a separate group will focus on repairing the temple.

2 Kings 12:9-12, Donation box

Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid. He placed it beside the altar, on the right side as one enters the temple of the LORD. The priests who guarded the entrance put into the chest all the money that was brought to the temple of the LORD. Whenever they saw that there was a large amount of money in the chest, the royal secretary and the high priest came, counted the money that had been brought into the temple of the LORD and put it into bags. When the amount had been determined, they gave the money to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. With it they paid those who worked on the temple of the LORD--the carpenters and builders, the masons and stonecutters. They purchased timber and dressed stone for the repair of the temple of the LORD, and met all the other expenses of restoring the temple.

Jehoiada sets up a chest into which people can put money. From time to time that account is used to repair the temple. (This is the first example of a designated building fund! All of this money is to be used for temple repair!) 

2 Kings 12:13-16, Money spent for workers

The money brought into the temple was not spent for making silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets or any other articles of gold or silver for the temple of the LORD; it was paid to the workmen, who used it to repair the temple.

 

They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty. The money from the guilt offerings and sin offerings was not brought into the temple of the LORD; it belonged to the priests.

 

The temple repair project now has top priority and that money is not to be diverted to other needs. The text clarifies that the money brought into the temple was used exclusively for repairs. This was done without any accounting of the money since everyone was honest. (!)

2 Kings 12:17-18, Hazael on attack

About this time Hazael king of Aram went up and attacked Gath and captured it. Then he turned to attack Jerusalem. But Joash king of Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his fathers--Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah, the kings of Judah--and the gifts he himself had dedicated and all the gold found in the treasuries of the temple of the LORD and of the royal palace, and he sent them to Hazael king of Aram, who then withdrew from Jerusalem.

Hazael conquers Gath and then attacks Jerusalem. Joash bribes Hazael with the temple treasury and so Hazael goes away.

In 2 Chronicle 24 we read more about the reign of Joash. There we read that after the death of the priest Jehoiada, Joash abandoned the temple and allowed others to worship Asherah poles and other idols. When Zechariah, son of Jehoiada, spoke out against this, Joash had him killed. It was after that that Hazael invaded Jerusalem, taking the treasure from the temple. In that attack, Joash is seriously injured.

2 Kings 12:19-21, Coup

As for the other events of the reign of Joash, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?

His officials conspired against him and assassinated him at Beth Millo, on the road down to Silla. The officials who murdered him were Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer. He died and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. And Amaziah his son succeeded him as king.

Officials in Joash's court assassinate him. Yet they install his son as king. (The account in 2 Chronicles 24 will give the murder of Zechariah as reason for the assassination of Joash and identifies Joash's assassins as children of Moabite and Ammonite women. Hubbard suggests the assassins were mercenary soldiers.)

We will learn more of Amaziah in 2 Kings 14. In the next chapter we return to the history of Israel, the northern kingdom.

First published December 21, 2023, updated November 2, 2026

Review of Hubbard's Commentary of I & II Kings

One of my favorite Old Testament commentaries is Robert L. Hubbard, Jr.'s work, The Book of Ruth. It is a delightful exploration into the depth of that short book, pulling out all sorts of beautiful internal principles, such as the concept of hesed and the Israelite view of immigrants. (See my review of that book here.) Because of that book I have bought other commentaries in The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (NICOT) sequence. I have also tended to grab anything written by Hubbard, as I do anything written by Derek Kidner or Robert Alter.

The book of 1 & 2 Kings, unlike the book of Ruth, is quite lengthy, totaling 47 chapters to Ruth's four. And the goals of the author(s) of 1 & 2 Kings differed from the author of Ruth. So I should not be too surprised that the commentary, First and Second Kings, by Robert L. Hubbard, is also quite different from Hubbard's commentary on Ruth. In his commentary on Ruth, Hubbard takes 285 pages to cover the four chapters, 85 verses of Ruth. In his commentary on 1 & 2 Kings, Hubbard 239 pages to cover 47 chapters, 1536 verses. Obviously the material cannot be covered with the depth Hubbard devotes to Ruth. Ultimately the book of Ruth is a romance, a romance between Ruth and Boaz (aided adroitly by Naomi), and also a romance between YHWH, the people of Bethlehem, and the young foreigner. The scroll of Kings is a sad description of divorce, of a divorce between YHWH and His people, and a divorce between the tribes of Israel.

For all of these reasons, I was disappointed in Hubbard's book. It is really quite good, I see now, but my expectations were too high.

Hubbard sets up a nice introduction to the scroll of Kings, describing the viewpoint, possible authors (is Jeremiah the author?), the viewpoint (goal) of the author and the chronology. Hubbard's approach is an orthodox one, viewing the work as inspired by God, with a specific purpose for its inclusion in Scripture. (The commentary is published by Moody Press.) He stresses the Davidic/Messianic themes of 1 & 2 Kings, as the book records the good and bad (mostly bad!) descendants of David on the throne of Judah. Hubbard points out the continuing theme of God's judgment of the two kingdoms as they fail to follow the Mosaic Covenant. Hubbard also notes the book's emphasis on the role of prophets (we see Elijah, Elisha and even, at several points, a school of prophets.)

Hubbard attempts to keep up with all the computations required in accurately dating the kingdoms against the internal dates recorded, where one king's accession is dated in terms of the year of reign of the opposite kingdom. I made no attempt to keep up with the simple mathematics required. (I am a mathematician, but I am also retired!)

A pet peeve of mine with any commentary is that I want to read the scripture text within the commentary. I am too lazy to have a Bible app (or online page) handy while I read the commentary. This short book does not include the text of 1 & 2 Kings, obviously for reasons of space.  I understand the issues of space, but still I grumble. 

Overall the book is relatively thorough, professional and easily readible. On my goodreads.com home page I give it a rating of four stars out of five.

First published December 17, 2023; updated November 1, 2026

II Kings 11, Child King

The relatives of Ahaziah have been murdered by Jehu.

2 Kings 11:1-3, Joash hidden

When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family. But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed. He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the LORD for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.

Athaliah takes the throne and, like her brutal mother Jezebel before her, kills anyone who might threaten her reign.  These are family members she is killing, sons and nephews. But .Joash's mother (step-sister to Athaliah) hides her infant son with a nurse in the temple -- for six years.

2 Kings 11:4-8, Bodyguards for Joash

In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a hundred, the Carites and the guards and had them brought to him at the temple of the LORD. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the temple of the LORD. Then he showed them the king's son. He commanded them, saying, "This is what you are to do: You who are in the three companies that are going on duty on the Sabbath--a third of you guarding the royal palace, a third at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guard, who take turns guarding the temple-- and you who are in the other two companies that normally go off Sabbath duty are all to guard the temple for the king.

Station yourselves around the king, each man with his weapon in his hand. Anyone who approaches your ranks must be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes."
 

The priest, Jehoiada, sets up a protective guard for Joash. (According to 2 Chronicles 22:11-12, Jehoiada is the husband of Jehosheba and has been working with her for these six years to protect Joash.)  The protective guard is made up of commanders of the soldiers, yet presumably Jehoiada is aware that they can be trusted in this coup.

2 Kings 11:9-12, Coronation

The commanders of units of a hundred did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one took his men--those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty--and came to Jehoiada the priest. Then he gave the commanders the spears and shields that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of the LORD. The guards, each with his weapon in his hand, stationed themselves around the king--near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.

Jehoiada brought out the king's son and put the crown on him; he presented him with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and shouted, "Long live the king!"

After making sure that Joash is protected, Jehoiada then brings him out to be crowned. This coronation appears to be on the Sabbath, when some temple activity is expected, and so all this happens without Athaliah's knowledge.

2 Kings 11:13-16, "Treason!"

When Athaliah heard the noise made by the guards and the people, she went to the people at the temple of the LORD. She looked and there was the king, standing by the pillar, as the custom was. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her robes and called out, "Treason! Treason!"

Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops: "Bring her out between the ranks and put to the sword anyone who follows her." For the priest had said, "She must not be put to death in the temple of the LORD." So they seized her as she reached the place where the horses enter the palace grounds, and there she was put to death.

 

Athaliah hears the noise of the coronation of Joash and hurries to find out its reason. Angry at the site of a new king (a boy of seven) she shouts "Treason!" She apparently runs from the temple and is captured "where horses enter palace grounds" and there, outside the temple, she is killed. (The priest makes sure she is killed outside the temple; presumably her blood in the temple would be unholy.)

The overthrow of Athaliah and the rise of Joash is covered in more detail in 2 Chronicles 22-23.

2 Kings 11:17-21, Joash installed on the throne

Jehoiada then made a covenant between the LORD and the king and people that they would be the LORD's people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people. All the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars. Then Jehoiada the priest posted guards at the temple of the LORD. He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards and all the people of the land, and together they brought the king down from the temple of the LORD and went into the palace, entering by way of the gate of the guards. 

The king then took his place on the royal throne, and all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quiet, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the palace.

Joash was seven years old when he began to reign.

Joash is installed on the throne and, says the text, then the people rejoice. The writer notes that the city is quiet after the death of Athaliah -- Athaliah's reign was a corrupt one, stressful and chaotic for the people of Jerusalem.

The installation of Joash involves two covenants, one between YHWH, the king and the people -- presumably a covenant following Mosaic Law -- and then a covenant between the people and the king. All of this is organized by the priest Jehoiada and is presumably an attempt to return the reign to the theocracy implied in the covenants of Moses and David.

First published December 20, 2023, updated October 31, 2026

II Kings 10, Destruction Continues

Jehu has killed kings of both Israel and Judah. His taste for blood has not been satisfied; there will be more murders.

The date is about 840 BC. 2 Chronicles 22 also covers this period, focusing on the kings of Judah.

2 Kings 10:1-4, Jehu threatens the descendants of Ahab

Now there were in Samaria seventy sons of the house of Ahab. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria: to the officials of Jezreel, to the elders and to the guardians of Ahab's children. He said, "As soon as this letter reaches you, since your master's sons are with you and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city and weapons, choose the best and most worthy of your master's sons and set him on his father's throne. Then fight for your master's house."

But they were terrified and said, "If two kings could not resist him, how can we?"

Jehu's challenge is, "Put up your best king. I've just killed two -- and I will kill yours!" The challenge frightens the guardians of Ahab's children, as intended. (Hubbard argues that the term "children" may include grandchildren and the word "seventy" was often used to mean "a lot".)

2 Kings 10:5-7, Slaughter of seventy sons of Ahab

So the palace administrator, the city governor, the elders and the guardians sent this message to Jehu: "We are your servants and we will do anything you say. We will not appoint anyone as king; you do whatever you think best."

Then Jehu wrote them a second letter, saying, "If you are on my side and will obey me, take the heads of your master's sons and come to me in Jezreel by this time tomorrow." 

Now the royal princes, seventy of them, were with the leading men of the city, who were rearing them. When the letter arrived, these men took the princes and slaughtered all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel.

The palace administrators quickly surrender to Jehu, promising to anoint him king. Jehu's destruction of Ahab's family continues. The proof of the murders is a collection of heads. Many of the murdered princes were children who were being reared by "leading men" of the city.

2 Kings 10:8, Pile of heads

When the messenger arrived, he told Jehu, "They have brought the heads of the princes." 

Then Jehu ordered, "Put them in two piles at the entrance of the city gate until morning."

A very gory collection of bloody heads is piled outside the entrance to the city. Collecting heads and displaying them was a common ancient Near East display of power.

2 Kings 10:9-11, The end of the line of Ahab

The next morning Jehu went out. He stood before all the people and said, "You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him, but who killed all these? Know then, that not a word the LORD has spoken against the house of Ahab will fail. The LORD has done what he promised through his servant Elijah."

So Jehu killed everyone in Jezreel who remained of the house of Ahab, as well as all his chief men, his close friends and his priests, leaving him no survivor.

Jehu has brutally killed everyone associated with Ahab. He formally declares the city innocent of the murder of the princes. (See the concept of a city's blood guilt in Deuteronomy 21:1-9.) Jehu then connects the massacre with the prophecy of Elijah that Ahab's line would be murdered (I Kings 21:20-24.)

2 Kings 10:12-14, Relatives of Ahaziah

Jehu then set out and went toward Samaria. At Beth Eked of the Shepherds, he met some relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and asked, "Who are you?" 

They said, "We are relatives of Ahaziah, and we have come down to greet the families of the king and of the queen mother."

"Take them alive!" he ordered. So they took them alive and slaughtered them by the well of Beth Eked--forty-two men. He left no survivor.

Beth Eked, says Hubbard, is probably at modern Beit Qad, in northern Israel. Hubbard argues that this is a strange place for a people who are merely going to visit Ahaziah of Judah and as Jehu has already killed Ahaziah, he views them as a threat and so slaughters them also. (After all, his hands are already pretty bloody!)

2 Kings 10:15-17, The rest of Ahab's family

After he left there, he came upon Jehonadab son of Recab, who was on his way to meet him. Jehu greeted him and said, "Are you in accord with me, as I am with you?" 

"I am," Jehonadab answered. 

"If so," said Jehu, "give me your hand." So he did, and Jehu helped him up into the chariot. Jehu said, "Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD." Then he had him ride along in his chariot. When Jehu came to Samaria, he killed all who were left there of Ahab's family; he destroyed them, according to the word of the LORD spoken to Elijah.

We are briefly introduced to a man named Jehonadab, son of Recab. After siding with Jehu, Jehonadab disappears from the scroll of Kings. However, in Jeremiah 35, his descendants appear as a commune of Rechabites. If Jeremiah is the author of the scroll of Kings, this might explain Jehonadab's appearance here.

Jehu's purge continues. The rest of Ahab's family are murdered.

2 Kings 10:18-24a, Assembly in honor of Baal

Then Jehu brought all the people together and said to them, "Ahab served Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much. Now summon all the prophets of Baal, all his ministers and all his priests. See that no one is missing, because I am going to hold a great sacrifice for Baal. Anyone who fails to come will no longer live." But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the ministers of Baal.
 

Jehu said, "Call an assembly in honor of Baal." So they proclaimed it. Then he sent word throughout Israel, and all the ministers of Baal came; not one stayed away. They crowded into the temple of Baal until it was full from one end to the other. And Jehu said to the keeper of the wardrobe, "Bring robes for all the ministers of Baal." So he brought out robes for them.

Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Recab went into the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the ministers of Baal, "Look around and see that no servants of the LORD are here with you--only ministers of Baal." So they went in to make sacrifices and burnt offerings. 

Jehu invites all the priests of Baal to the temple of Baal. We are alerted that this is a deception. Jehu wants to make sure that only priests of Baal are there, not priests of YHWH. Of particular importance (says Hubbard) are the robes the priests were to wear, clearly identifying them as priests of Baal, not YHWH.

There may be wordplay in verse 18. Hubbard says that Jehu claimed "to serve" ('abad, עָבַד) Baal when he really intended "to destroy" (ha'abid) Baal. Furthermore, the word zebach (זֶבַח) translated "sacrifice" can also mean "slaughter."

2 Kings 10:24b-27, Massacre of priests

Now Jehu had posted eighty men outside with this warning: "If one of you lets any of the men I am placing in your hands escape, it will be your life for his life."  As soon as Jehu had finished making the burnt offering, he ordered the guards and officers: "Go in and kill them; let no one escape." 

So they cut them down with the sword. The guards and officers threw the bodies out and then entered the inner shrine of the temple of Baal. They brought the sacred stone out of the temple of Baal and burned it. They demolished the sacred stone of Baal and tore down the temple of Baal, and people have used it for a latrine to this day.

 

Jehu's men massacre the priests of Baal, destroy the temple and use the sacred stone as a latrine.

2 Kings 10:28-31, Jehu, good and bad

So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel. However, he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit--the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.
 

The LORD said to Jehu, "Because you have done well in accomplishing what is right in my eyes and have done to the house of Ahab all I had in mind to do, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation."
 

Yet Jehu was not careful to keep the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit.

Despite the destruction of the worship of Baal, Jehu still supports the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan, set up several centuries before by Jeroboam.

2 Kings 10:32-36, 

In those days the LORD began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael overpowered the Israelites throughout their territory east of the Jordan in all the land of Gilead (the region of Gad, Reuben and Manasseh), from Aroer by the Arnon Gorge through Gilead to Bashan.

As for the other events of Jehu's reign, all he did, and all his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? Jehu rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son succeeded him as king. The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

The large kingdom created by Solomon is in decline. To the northeast, Hazael of Damascus enlarges his domain at the expense of Israel/Samaria.

So ends the bloody reign of Jehu. According to the author of the scroll of Kings, Jehu was zealous for YHWH but occasionally vacillating in his commitment. His bloodshed achieved the promised elimination of Ahab's descendants.  

The dynasty of Jehu will last almost a century, from about 842 BC to about 750 BC, when his great-great-grandson Zechariah will be assassinated (2 Kings 15:8-12.) 

First published December 19, 2023, updated October 30, 2026