12. BIBLICAL EPIC: 2 Kings Notes

rown

2 Kings 1: Ahaziah consulted Baal-zebub. said that he would die. Ahaziah sent men to Elijah but they were consumed by fire. Ahaziah died. • 1:1-18. Elijah Denounces Ahaziah. Like his father Ahab, Ahaziah is destined to meet Elijah. The occasion for their confrontation is an injury sustained by the king when falling out of a window of his upper chamber in Samaria. Ahaziah seeks not the God of Israel but a deity of one of the Philistine cities 40 miles southwest of Samaria. The author probably changes Baal-Zebul (“Baal the prince”) to Baal-Zebub (“lord of the flies”) to express scorn for this false deity. By NT times, the name of this god is associated with Satan (Mark 3:22). As is common throughout 1-2 Kings, the LORD sends His prophet to confront the king for idolatry and Elijah announces that Ahaziah will die. Ahaziah showed the same unbelieving pragmatism his father Ahab had when Ahab looked for a prophet who would give him the answer he wanted. The prophetic word, however, cannot be brought under human control, and the God of Mount Carmel sends fire from heaven to underline this fact. Two “lords” vie for worship throughout the Elijah story (Baal and Yahweh), both of them identified with fire—and Ahaziah has chosen the wrong one. Here 100 soldiers die as a result of Ahaziah’s choice to turn from God, again showing that the sins of leaders often lead to tragic consequences for those whom they lead. The third captain, however, shows Elijah the respect he is due as a prophet of the LORD and escapes with his life. On the other hand, Ahaziah has his desired meeting with Elijah, and it changes nothing; the king dies. His brother Jehoram succeeds him (v. 17; cf. 3:1). 2 Kings 2: Elisha followed Elijah. A chariot of fire appeared and Elijah went up to heaven. Elisha took Elijah's mantle and divided the waters. • 2:1-14. Elijah Taken to Heaven. The chapter begins with the surprising revelation that Elijah will be taken up to heaven. The idea of going “up to heaven” at the end of an earthly life was not common in ancient Israel. The OT more characteristically speaks of the deceased’s “going down” to Sheol, the world of the dead. Elijah represents a remarkable exception to this way of speaking. Three times in this passage (vv. 2, 4, 6) Elijah urges Elisha to remain behind, but each time Elisha refuses. Elijah may have wished to spare Elisha the pain of witnessing his departure, or it may be that he was testing his mettle as a professed disciple and designated successor to Elijah. Either way, Elisha seems to have anticipated some blessing if he persevered in following his master. Ultimately, God rewards Elisha’s persistence with a double portion of his predecessor’s spirit when he sees Elijah carried into heaven. According to inheritance laws, the eldest son inherited a double portion of his father’s estate (Deut 21:17). Elisha’s request was not to acquire twice Elijah’s miracle-working power but to be Elijah’s prophetic successor. Just as Elijah had called fire down from heaven in chapter 1, so he now is lifted in fire up to heaven. The scene of Elijah crossing of the Jordan is reminiscent of Moses at the Red Sea, where the people also go over on dry land. When Elisha later does the same, it demonstrates that he is Joshua to Elijah’s Moses by recrossing the river. Further, when Elisha picks up Elijah’s cloak, a symbol of his prophetic call, we see the prophetic mantle passing from Elijah to Elisha. • 2:15-25. Elisha Succeeds Elijah. The unsuccessful search for Elijah’s body confirmed that a miraculous work of God had occurred. Elisha further confirmed his role as a channel for God’s works by performing a miracle. Like Moses, Elisha gives life by healing polluted water (Exod 15:25). The disrespect and rejection of the young boys are symptomatic of the nation’s despising the LORD’s covenant and his prophets. But Elisha is the LORD’s agent not only of healing but also of judgment. Like Elijah, he could call down judgment upon the wicked (1:10-12). The authors of Kings regularly show that contempt toward divinely called prophets is disastrous for God’s people. 2 Kings 3: Israel, Judah and Edom went to fight Moab. Elisha said, "The LORD will send water and give you Moab." The Moabites were defeated. • 3:1-27. Moab Rebels Against Israel. Joram comes to the throne of Israel when and Jehoram are coregents in Judah. Though a bad king, he is not as evil as his father Ahab. Joram seeks an alliance with Judah in order to travel through its territory to attack Moab. Moab’s king, Mesha, is known for setting up the famed Moabite Stone (currently in the Louvre Museum in Paris) to commemorate his achievements. Joram expects Judah to cooperate because his sister Athaliah had married Jehoshaphat’s son. Jehoshaphat’s positive response mirrors his reply to Ahab (1 Kings 22:4) and bodes ill for the southern kingdom. The LORD’s prophet is only consulted after the fact. Like his predecessor, Elisha represents the LORD as the real military power of the nation of Israel. In this case, the prophet saves the coalition forces from death in the wilderness by announcing the LORD’s provision, which not only saves the coalition from dying of thirst, but also deceives the Moabites into thinking that victory is theirs. Elisha predicts a great victory without revealing that the allied forces will ultimately withdraw (v. 27). When Mesha desperately offers his son as a sacrifice, it seems his troops respond with an anger that causes Israel to withdraw. 2 Kings 4: Elisha told a Shunammite woman that she would have a son. The child died but Elisha revived him. Elisha cleansed the food at Gilgal. • 4:1-7. Elisha and the Widow’s Oil. The author records certain miracles to show the similarities between Elijah and Elisha, thus further confirming the succession. In this case, Elisha saves a widow’s family by multiplying oil in a way that recalls how Elijah provided for the widow in Zarephath (1 Kings 17:7-16). The “sons of the prophets” were likely a group of prophets that served under Elisha’s leadership. In the ancient world, financial indebtedness often led to slavery. While the Mosaic covenant allowed for service to pay a debt, a time limit was set when the servant would be set free (Exod 21:2). A kinsman-redeemer could pay the debt in order to free the relative, but this widow had no hope of such deliverance. By providing for the woman, Elisha showed compassion to the dependents of the deceased prophet. His care for the widow and fatherless was a model for the Israelites to follow (Deut 10:18; 24:19). • 4:8-17. Elisha and the Shunammite Woman. Elisha made such an impression that one prominent family wished to show special hospitality to him, in a society that had become largely pagan. Elisha’s miracles for faithful individuals prove that the wicked leaders of the nation did not restrain the LORD’s gracious hand. The woman was barren in a society in which barrenness was seen as a curse. The way Elisha foretells that the LORD will provide a son for the barren woman (“about this time next year”) is reminiscent of Gen 18:10 when God promised Abraham a son. • 4:18-37. Elisha Raises the Shanammite’s Son. The woman apparently did not inform her husband that their son had died, perhaps desiring to spare him grief or fearing that he might deter her from going. Perhaps she reasoned that if Elisha’s God could bring life from a barren womb, He could bring her son back from the dead. In this, she demonstrates a faith like that of Abraham (cf. Heb 11:19). Unlike Baal, God alone is the One with power over life and death. The woman is willing to entrust the cause of her distress only to the prophet himself. When she informs Elisha, he admits that he had not foreseen it. Prophets are not omniscient, but depend always on God’s revelation. In answer to the prophet’s earnest prayers, the LORD gives life to the boy through Elisha’s body. Elisha’s actions vividly picture God restoring breath to the child (“putting his mouth on his mouth”), as well as sight (“his eyes”) and strength (“his hands”). As Elisha stretched himself upon him, it portrayed the Spirit of God who, through Elisha, was being imparted to the child to give him life. Elisha’s ministry again parallels Elijah’s (1 Kings 17:17-24). Years later when Elisha dies, his corpse gives life to a dead man hastily thrown into Elisha’s tomb (2 Kings 13:21). • 4:38-44. Elisha Purifies the Deadly Stew. In Elijah’s day, the LORD demonstrated His superiority over Baal by withholding rain from the nation but providing for His own people. Elisha continues this ministry of provision during a time of famine by healing a poisoned pot of stew (vv. 38-41) and multiplying loaves of bread (vv. 42-44). Elisha’s third miracle is reminiscent of the healing of the water of Jericho (2:19-22). As with the salt thrown into the water at Jericho (2:21), the flour used by Elisha is a visible sign of the LORD’s power working through Elisha. The final miracle of the chapter also concerns provision for the people as a limited amount of food is once again multiplied (in the face of the incomprehension of the servant), even producing a surplus. ’ feeding of the 5,000 remarkably parallels Elisha’s miracle in several ways, including the insufficient quantity of barley loaves, the question of the servant, and the presence of leftovers (:1-13). Jesus’ miracle signified that He was a prophet like Elisha. This miracle is the final demonstration in the chapter that the God of Elisha heals, provides, and brings life from death. 2 Kings 5: Naaman of Aram was a leper. Elisha told him to wash in the Jordan and he was healed. Gehazi asked for a gift and became leprous. • 5:1-14. Elisha Heals Naaman of Leprosy. The account of Elisha’s miracles continues with the story that again picks up themes from the Elijah story: the LORD is seen to be God, not only of Israelites, but also of foreigners (1 Kings 17:17-24), and is in fact acknowledged as the only real God there is (1 Kings 18:20-40). By making Israel His people, the LORD intended that they testify of His goodness to the world (1 Kings 8:41-43; Gen 12:3; Psa 67:1-2). In a time when Israel’s kings are worshiping the gods of other nations, a young girl in exile points her foreign master to the LORD. Naaman clearly expects personal and immediate attention from Elisha, but Elisha addresses him only through a messenger and sends him to wash in the Jordan; moreover, Naaman was looking for a cure, and Elisha apparently offers only ritual cleansing. Naaman initially rejected Elisha’s directions because they did not meet his expectations. In order to be healed, Naaman must humble himself and submit in faith to the prophetic word. Obeying the prophet results in life and healing. The same blessing awaited those in Israel who would submit to the LORD and His spokesmen. After Naaman’s faith leads to his healing, he proclaims Israel’s God to be the only true God. • 5:15-27. Gehazi’s Greed and Punishment. With his profession in v. 15, Naaman joins others such as Rahab, Ruth, and the sailors of Jonah’s ship as Gentiles who recognized the LORD as the only true God (Josh 2:11; Ruth 1:16; Jonah 1: 14-16). Elisha’s last words to Naaman implied two concessions to Naaman’s new faith. (1) As a man of new faith and incomplete understanding, Naaman believed there would be benefit in having soil from Israel at hand when he worshiped Israel’s God. Elisha cooperated with Naaman’s superstitious belief, much as the apostle Paul encourages mature believers to do with immature believers (Rom 14). (2) A more significant concession was to allow Naaman to participate (seemingly in body only, not mind and heart) in his king’s worship of the pagan storm god Rimmon. While Elisha refuses to accept payment for what God has done, his servant Gehazi decided to exploit his religious position for money, especially since it involved taking money from a foreigner. As a judgment upon his greed and his lies, Gehazi receives the Aramean commander’s disease. The LORD who heals disease can also inflict disease. 2 Kings 6: The king of Aram sent an army to capture Elisha but the LORD blinded them. Ben-hadad besieged Samaria and there was a great famine. • 6:1-7. The Axe Head Recovered. With the healing of Naaman, Elisha has involved himself with Syria for the first time. That involvement now occupies most of the attention of the authors for the next two chapters. While one of the prophetic communities is building a new place to meet, a member of the group loses a borrowed axe head, an expensive loss that could perhaps lead to servitude. Elisha has past experience of manipulating the waters of the Jordan by the LORD’s power (2:14), and here he is miraculously able to make the iron float like the piece of wood he has thrown in beside it. As in the miracles of the oil, stew, and bread (ch. 4), Elisha provides for the people under his care. By contrast, the faithless king of Israel does not provide for his citizens (6:24-31). • 6:8-23. Horses and Chariots of Fire. This story again reveals that Israel’s true military strength came from its relationship with the LORD through His prophets. Elisha could do what Israel’s faithless king could not do in defending the nation and providing peace. He helped Israel in two ways: by sharing supernatural knowledge of the enemy, and by serving as a rallying point and source of prophetic encouragement for Samaria. Elisha knows that the LORD has sent an army of angels to protect him, and apparently he can see them but the servant cannot. They are more than a match for the Syrian army (cf. Psa 91:11; Heb 1:14). Just as the LORD restores sight to the blind, so He sometimes removes the sight of His enemies (Acts 9:8; 13: 11; cf. Exod 4:11). The temporary blindness in this case allows Elisha to lead them to Samaria in a dazed state. Elisha’s prohibition against killing the Arameans carried the implicit message that God had given this victory. • 6:24-33. Ben-Hadad’s Siege of Samaria. Since neither the Israelites nor the Arameans were changed by the displays of God’s power, war eventually returned. The king’s interview with one of the two women involved in cannibalism illustrated a depth of sin that had been prophesied much earlier (Lev 26:29; Deut 28:53-57). The king was right to feel moral revulsion at this situation, but lack of moral wisdom led him to blame God and to pronounce an oath against God’s prophet, Elisha. But this disaster was actually caused by the sin of the king and the people. This story sharply contrasts the faithless and powerless king of Israel with the LORD and His prophet Elisha. The unnamed ruler could only rend his garments (in desperation, not repentance), but the prophet predicted deliverance (7:1-2). 2 Kings 7: Elisha prophesied an end to the famine. Four lepers went and found that the Arameans had fled. The people plundered the Aramean camp. • 7:1-2. Elisha Promises Food. Elisha announces that the next day at that same time, food would be available at bargain prices at the city gate. Despite the failure of the king, his lack of repentance, and no visible faith, God was still going to deliver— an act of undeserved grace. The king’s officer refuses to believe the prediction, so he would not enjoy the deliverance. His lack of faith in the LORD’s ability to provide is a grievous sin that results in his death. • 7:3-20. The Syrians Flee. Salvation comes from the LORD. Israel is delivered not by the faithless king but by the LORD’s army (that Elisha had recently seen), which puts the Aramean forces to flight. Since the nation’s leaders were such failures, the LORD brought knowledge of deliverance through four outcasts who were quarantined because of their skin disease. Despite their despair, they chose the least hopeless course of action and went to the Aramean camp. But God had already thrown the Aramean army into a supernatural panic that caused them to abandon their camp and foodstuffs to the besieged Hebrews. As with the Egyptians and the Canaanites, Israel enjoys the wealth of their enemies when the LORD fights their battles for them. The unspoken lessons of God’s reliable character were (1) that people, particularly the king and his officers, should obey and trust God; and (2) that God will care for His people when kings fail. The skeptical officer of v. 2, ironically stationed at the very gate at which he had anticipated seeing no trade, is trampled in the scramble to acquire goods, fulfilling Elisha’s prophecy. The LORD healed the commander of the enemy’s army of leprosy (5:14), but four Israelites stricken with leprosy are not healed. Later, Jesus appealed to this situation to explain why he would not do miracles for the unbelieving people of Nazareth (Luke 4:27). 2 Kings 8: Elisha told Hazael that he would rule Aram. Hazael killed Ben-hadad. Jehoram ruled Judah and did evil. Ahaziah ruled and did evil. • 8:1-6. The Shunammite’s Land Restored. Elisha’s ability to provide for the needy extends beyond his personal presence. In this case, the woman whose son was brought back to life (4:8-37) receives her confiscated property on account of her relationship with the prophet. The LORD providentially brings the woman to the king at the precise moment when he will be most willing to extend grace. This likely occurred before Gehazi was struck with leprosy. • 8:7-15. Hazael Murders Ben-Hadad. Ben-hadad II consults Israel’s God about his future in much the same way that King Ahaziah of Israel earlier consulted Baal-zebub of Ekron. Murder, not illness, will end the king’s life. Elisha’s visit to Hazael fulfilled the LORD’s commission to Elijah in which he was to anoint Hazael king over Aram to punish Israel for its Baal worship (1 Kings 19:15). Hazael subsequently suffocates his master in his bed, which sets in motion the severe oppression that Israel will experience during the reigns of Jehu and Jehoahaz (2 Kings 10:32-33; 13:3-7). Elisha is distressed because the one the LORD raised up to discipline His people (Hazael) will treat Israel brutally. • 8:16-24. Jehoram Reigns in Judah. Judah was last mentioned in ch. 3, when Jehoshaphat was king of Judah. By marrying Ahab’s daughter Athaliah, Jehoshapat’s son Jehoram brings the idolatrous family of the northern kingdom into ’s palace. This immediately threatens Judah’s covenant obedience and ultimately brings the royal line of into grave danger (11:1). In vv. 21, 23-24, Jehoram’s name appears as “Joram,” which is also the name of the king of Israel in this period (v. 16). This Israelite king is himself called “Jehoram” in such verses as 1:17 and 3:1. At precisely the point when the southern monarchy has come to resemble the northern monarchy most closely in its worship, their kings are called by the same name, and one must work hard to distinguish their actions in the text. His sins are punished through a rebellion of Edom. However, even gross idolatry imported from Ahab’s house was not enough to keep the LORD from being faithful to His covenant to David (2 Sam 7:13). The book of Kings regularly reminds the reader that God’s preservation of David’s house is a guarantee of the future fulfillment of His promise. • 8:25-29. Ahaziah Reigns in Judah. After Jehoram’s death, his son Ahaziah becomes king. The only significant event of this wicked king’s brief rule is his death. His alliance with the northern kingdom results in his assassination (9:27). 2 Kings 9: Elisha sent a prophet to anoint Jehu. Jehu killed Joram and Ahaziah. Eunuchs threw Jezebel out of the window and dogs ate her body. • 9:1-13. Jehu Anointed King of Israel. Of the players in the last act of Ahab’s drama who were mentioned in 1 Kings 19:15-18, only Jehu has remained out of the picture. His story is now told. The LORD brings about a dynastic change in the northern kingdom in the anointing of Jehu. This task fulfills the second of three commissions the LORD gave to Elijah on Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:15-17). The author virtually ignores the 27 years of Jehu’s rule, focusing instead on how Jehu fulfills the LORD’s words to Elijah in removing Baal worship from the land and ending the house of Omri. • 9:14-29. Jehu Assassinates Joram and Ahaziah. Jehu fulfills the LORD’s commission in killing the Israelite king Joram, but Jehu also assassinates the visiting Judahite king Ahaziah, Joram’s nephew and ally. Judah was a junior ally of the dynasty of Ahab and was also tied to Ahab by marriage and by the cult of Baal. Though he had not been commanded to do so, Jehu may have believed there was no reason to distinguish between purging the land of the house of Ahab and purging it of the related house of David in Jerusalem— so far had the house of David sunk. • 9:30-37. Jehu Executes Jezebel. Defiant to the end, Jezebel adorns herself as the queen mother to face the leader of the coup. The scene of a woman looking out of a window with negative results follows a familiar pattern known from other biblical texts. As in the cases of Sisera’s mother (Judges 5:28) and Saul’s daughter (2 Sam 6:16, 23), the fate of Jezebel is not pleasant. Showing a profound lack of loyalty, her slaves toss her out the window at Jehu’s request. Elijah had earlier prophesied the “cutting off” of all the males of Ahab’s house (1 Kings 21:21-22; vv. 8-9) as well as the gruesome death of Jezebel (1 Kings 21:23; v. 10). The exposure of Jezebel’s corpse to devouring dogs meant disgrace since burial was now impossible. Now that Jezebel is dead, Jehu turns his attention to Ahab’s sons. 2 Kings 10: Jehu sent a letter and had Ahab's sons killed. He killed Ahaziah's brothers and all the worshippers of Baal. Hazael defeated Israel. • 10:1-17. Jehu Slaughters Ahab’s Descendants. Elijah had prophesied that the LORD would consume Ahab’s descendants and cut off from him every last male in Israel (1 Kings 21:21). Jehu now looks to fulfill this prophecy as they also present a challenge to his claim to the throne. He (ambiguously) orders them all to be killed, using the cooperation of the leaders of Samaria to justify his revolution and to associate his slaughters—to that point, correctly—with God’s will. Nothing in this passage condemns Jehu for purging Israel of its idolatrous dynasty and Baal worshipers (though his slaughter of those in Judah goes beyond God’s word). Some misunderstand Hos 1:4 as contradicting 2 Kings 9-10, but it predicts only that Jehu’s dynasty would end as it began—in a bloodbath. • 10:18-27. Jehu Strikes Down the Prophets of Baal. Jehu now uses deception (feigning enthusiasm while preparing for destruction) to lure the priests of Baal to their deaths because they had led Israel into idolatry. Such a slaughter may be offensive to modern sensibilities, but it was the previous failure to put to death false prophets that led to Israel’s great sin before the LORD (Deut 13: 5). In the contest on Mount Carmel, Elijah jested that the false prophets needed to call louder because Baal might be “busy,” possibly a euphemism for relieving oneself (1 Kings 18:27). Now Baal’s chief temple in Israel is transformed into a place for the city’s inhabitants to relieve themselves. • 10:28-36. Jehu Reigns in Israel. Jehu faithfully rid the land of Baal worship but did not eliminate the shrines at Dan and Bethel (1 Kings 12:25-32). His failure to eliminate worship sites where the LORD had not chosen to place His name violated the covenant. For this reason, the assessment of Jehu’s rule is mixed, and Jehu receives only a limited reward. Up to this point no dynasty in the northern kingdom had ruled more than two or three generations. Because of Jehu’s obedience, the LORD gave him the longest ruling dynasty in Israel (841–752 BC). Nevertheless, the LORD punished the disobedient king through military defeat at the hand of Hazael. After Hazael’s depredations, Israel no longer retained sovereignty over any territory on the east side of the Jordan River. Jehu’s revolution offered only a temporary reprieve from judgment, and the remainder of the history of the northern kingdom is a downward slide toward exile. During this period of just over 100 years, the writer moves back and forth between the two kingdoms: Judah is occasionally faithful, but Israel is consistently disobedient, resulting in the exile of the ten northern tribes. 2 Kings 11: Athaliah destroyed the royal family but Jehosheba hid Joash. Jehoiada had the army proclaim Joash as king and put Athaliah to death. • 11:1-3. Athalia Reigns in Judah. Athaliah was first introduced in 8:26 as Omri’s granddaughter (Jezebel’s daughter) and mother of King Ahaziah. Following his assassination (9:27), the queen mother Athaliah attempts to eliminate the house of David and claim the throne for herself. This episode reveals the grave consequences of intermarriage with Ahab’s idolatrous family; it is through the quick action of a woman that one child is spared and the Messianic line preserved. By saving her nephew from Athaliah’s purge, Jehosheba prevents the extinction of the royal line of David. Like Haman and Herod will do later, Athaliah attacks God’s people in order to thwart the fulfillment of God’s promises. On a cosmic scale, this was yet another step in the conflict between good and evil, between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman (Gen 3:15), since it attacked God’s plan to bring forgiveness for sin through the line of David. Here, God’s promise to David’s house remains alive only through the infant Joash (2 Sam 7:16). Because Athaliah disregards the temple, it is an ideal refuge for the infant until he can assume the throne. • 11:4-21. Joash Anointed King in Judah. After six years Jehoiada the priest devised and implemented a plan for mobilizing the forces loyal to David. Jehoiada chooses the time of the changing of the guard in order to have maximum protection for the new king. The soldiers surely have their own weapons, but using King David’s weapons (v. 10) symbolizes that Joash is restoring David’s dynasty. The coronation of Joash takes place in line with law and custom, in full view of the people of the land, and began with the people renewing their covenant relationship with God. Every enthronement of a new king theoretically involved a covenant renewal since a treaty of loyalty was normally renewed every time a new king ascended the throne. Restoring peace in Jerusalem required executing the wicked queen and destroying her idolatrous shrine. So as to maintain the temple’s sanctity, Athaliah was removed from the sacred precincts and executed. Sadly, Joash himself later desecrates the temple by ordering the murder there of the prophet Zechariah, Jehoiada’s son (cf. 2 Chron 24:21). While he began well, Joash does not end well. 2 Kings 12: Joash ruled in Jerusalem and did what was right. The priests collected money to repair the temple. Joash was killed by his servants. • 12:1-3. Jehoash Reigns in Judah. This chapter summarizes the 40-year reign of Jehoash/Joash (835-796 BC) in Judah, focusing on his temple restoration project. Jehoash remained a good king as long as Jehoiada instructed him. • 12:4-16. Jehoash Repairs the Temple. This is the first recorded renovation of Solomon’s temple, now nearly 150 years old. The temple also suffered from neglect and desecration (in the worship of Baal) in the time of Athaliah and her predecessors (2 Chron 24:7). Since the priests had been negligent, not using the money to restore the temple (but for their own welfare), Jehoash initiates a plan that bypasses the priests and delivers the money directly to the construction workers. The obvious integrity of the workers is readily apparent, and no audits are required to locate missing funds. Meanwhile, the priests continue to have sufficient income from the sacrificial offerings. • 12:17--21. The Death of Jehoash/Joash. Meanwhile, Jehu of Israel has died and Hazael’s army is able to freely pass through Israelite territory to reach the Philistine city of Gath, about 25 miles west of Jerusalem. When Jerusalem is subsequently threatened, Jehoash (also called Joash) faithlessly surrenders the temple treasures to the pagan king, largely undoing his sole accomplishment of temple restoration. This all-too-common practice of buying off the enemy with treasure from the LORD’s house (Ahaz in 16:8; Asa in 1 Kings 15:18) dishonored the God who promised to protect His people when they trusted Him (Deut 7:17-24). One day in the future, when the LORD fulfills His promise to establish a righteous Davidic ruler over Israel, instead of treasures going out, the nations will bring their wealth into the (Isa 60:6-12; Hag 2:6-8). Things descend quickly for Joash as 2 Chronicles 24:17- 25 describes his apostasy after Jehoiada’s death (a story 2 Kings omits). Ultimately, Joash’s own officials assassinate him, once again pointing the reader forward to a future king as David’s long-awaited righteous successor. Joash is the first king of Judah to be killed in a conspiracy, but his assassination differs markedly from those in the northern kingdom because Joash’s son is placed on the throne, so his dynasty continues. Despite the similarities of Judah to Israel, the promises of a Davidic son marches forward in the south as the LORD again proves faithful to His promises. 2 Kings 13: Jehoahaz ruled Israel and they were oppressed by Hazael. Jehoash ruled and Elisha told him to strike the ground. Then Elisha died. • 13:1-9. Jehoahaz Reigns in Israel. Jehoahaz’s father (Jehu) had destroyed Baalism in Israel (10:18-27), but Jehoahaz restored the false worship that Jeroboam had instigated. God’s judgment was to hand them over to Hazael, king of Syria. Jehoahaz’s reign marks the low point of Hebrew fortunes between the greatness of Ahab and Jehoshaphat and the greatness of Jeroboam II and Azariah. The LORD previously punished the covenant unfaithfulness of the northern kingdom with famine and invasion (8:1; 10:32-33), but when Jehoahaz turns back to seek the LORD’s favor (in a way reminiscent of the time of the Judges), God displays mercy in sending a deliverer to free them from oppression. Many historians believe that the “savior” of v. 5 was a new king of Assyria, Adad-Nirari III, who attacked the west in 805 BC and diverted Aramean power from Israel. Sadly, the LORD’s mercy had no positive moral impact, revealing that whether afflicted or delivered, Israel refuses to return to its true King. As a result, their army is reduced to little more than a remnant. Upon Jehoahaz’s death, his son Jehoash/Joash (not to be confused with the Jeohoash/Joash of Judah), succeeds him as king, continuing Jehu’s dynasty for another generation (2 Kings 10:30). • 13:10-13. Jehoash Reigns in Israel. God’s mercy to Israel does seem to have had some impact on Jehoahaz’s son, Jehoash, who at least shows a positive attitude toward Elisha (see vv. 14-25). Although he also did “evil in the sight of the LORD” (v. 11), he was an improvement over his father. His reign lasted sixteen years (798-782/81 BC). • 13:14-25. The Death of Elisha. Elisha’s deathbed interview with Jehoash is here appended to Jehoash’s official record. This portion was written (note the “now” of v. 23) sometime before the northern tribes began to be deported by the Assyrians beginning in 733 BC (2 Kings 15:29). Elisha’s ministry began in about 855 BC, and he was at least 70 years old by this time. While the Israelite king was helpless before the Aramean army, Elisha predicts victory because of the LORD’s compassion. Of utmost importance is the reason for this compassion: Israel’s sin is not great enough to cause the LORD to forget His covenant promises to the patriarchs. In a symbolic oracle, Elisha designated arrows as symbols of defeat for Aram. Then Elisha ordered the king to implement the curse by symbolically striking the ground. He then rebuked Jehoash for not striking the ground enough times, perhaps indicative of Jehoash’s lack of zeal (and faith). In any event, the word of the LORD was fulfilled (v. 25). In one final, post-mortem miracle of Elisha, a dead man was brought to life because his corpse came into contact with the bones of Elisha. Rather than signaling that Elisha’s bones held magical power, this miracle bares testimony to the power of God that was borne through His chosen prophet, particularly in His word. Just as Elisha’s corpse was able to provide life after the prophet died, so his words still hold the power of life and death for Israel as it chooses to heed or reject the prophet’s message. 2 Kings 14: Amaziah ruled Judah and did right. He challenged Jehoash but Judah was defeated. Jeroboam ruled Israel and restored the borders. • 14:1-22. Amaziah Reigns in Judah. Amaziah was a relatively good king of Judah (v. 3), basically keeping the Law of Moses while failing like others before him to remove the high places. Yet in ways not further defined here, the kings throughout the period from Joash to Jotham are regarded by the authors of Kings as not like David, at least in terms of what is and is not said. There seems to be some doubt in the authors’ minds about the wholeheartedness of these kings’ commitment to the LORD. Here, the author remembers King Amaziah for his prideful attitude that leads to a great defeat when Israel routes Judah’s army, attacks Jerusalem, and carries off treasures from the temple. The Chronicles account attributes Amaziah’s presumption to the rejection of God’s will and to idolatry (2 Chron 25:14, 20). In the ensuing war, Amaziah was taken prisoner, the only recorded case of an Israelite king taking a Judahite king as prisoner. Because of the comment about “hostages” in v. 14 and because Amaziah’s successor Uzziah likely began a coregency at this time, some speculate that Amaziah remained a prisoner in the capital city of Samaria until Jehoash’s death. Amaziah’s rule ended like his father’s did: a conspiracy that led to his assassination (12:20). • 14:23-29. Jeroboam II Reigns in Israel. Like his namesake, Jeroboam II leads the nation away from the LORD, but his rule marks a great reversal of decades of oppression and territorial loss. His 41-year rule (786-746 BC; which includes a coregency with his father), makes him the longest ruling king of the northern kingdom. Jeroboam’s success comes not from his own strength but from the LORD as announced through his prophet Jonah (Elisha had prophesied this as well). As in the previous chapter, the prophet instead of the king receives credit for Israel’s victory (13:14-19). The book of Jonah, while it does not record the event mentioned here, does record this prophet’s mission to Nineveh and provides a date for his ministry. The books of Amos and Hosea recount some of the social and religious sins of Jeroboam II. A secular historian could be astounded that the gives so little attention to one of the three or four greatest kings of the Hebrews. Some have concluded that the power and wealth of the two combined Hebrew kingdoms at the time of Jeroboam II approached the wealth and power of Solomon. The purpose of the text, however, was not to recognize secular greatness but greatness in terms of the royal covenants. Therefore, any secular achievements, which could not be related to God’s glory, were irrelevant and thus were not given substantial coverage. The hero of the book of Kings is the LORD, whose compassion regularly extends to His covenant-breaking people. God’s covenant with Abraham explains why He saves a disobedient Israel from extinction. 2 Kings 15: Azariah and Jotham ruled Judah and did what was right. Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah and Pekah ruled Israel and did evil. • 15:1-7. Azariah/Uzziah Reigns in Judah. Once again, the record of a king, this time Azariah of Judah (a long-ruling contemporary of Jeroboam II), also called Uzziah, does not do full justice to his stature, godliness, and significance. He was co-regent for twenty-five years with his father Amaziah (792-767 BC) and also for ten years with his son Jotham (750-740 BC). To see his importance, one must consult the fuller records in Isaiah and Chronicles. Including the co-regency with Amaziah, his reign saw the passing of the dynasty of Jehu and the final end of Israel’s imperial power. Perhaps out of deference to Azariah’s generally positive character, the writer omitted the reason for his skin disease (v. 5). Azariah/Uzziah became arrogant and performed a task that only priests were allowed to do (2 Chron 26:16-19). The situation was so severe that Azariah finished his life in quarantine, likely leading to the co-regency with Jotham. It is particularly significant that one of the best known and most significant prophetic visions in the OT is dated “in the year that King Uzziah died” (Isaiah 6:1). His death truly did mark the end of an era. • 15:8-31. Zechariah Reigns in Israel. This period of history consists of a quick succession of five kings, four of whom were assassinated. The total duration of their combined rule is 22 years (753–732/31 BC), about half the length of Jeroboam II. Zechariah, whose name means “the LORD remembers,” marks the end of Jehu’s dynasty, showing that God remembered His promise that four generations of Jehu’s sons would rule Israel (and so enduring 40 years longer than Omri’s house as the longest northern dynasty). Jehu’s dynasty ends in the same way (assassination) and in the same area (the Valley of Jezreel) as it began, fulfilling Hosea 1:4 (cf. 2 Kings 9:27). Zechariah’s assassin, Shallum, reigns only one month before he is assassinated by Menahem. In 743 BC, near the end of Menahem’s reign, Tiglath-pileser III (known in the Bible by his throne name Pulu or Pul) invaded the region. Menahem preserved his throne only by paying him tribute. His son Pekahiah ruled only two years, likely due to rising anti-Assyrian sentiment in Israel. Pekah, having led the rebellion against Pekahiah, ruled 20 years, a long and successful rule for this period, but his rule lasted only until he broke the treaty with Assyira and Tiglath-pileser returned. Hoshea had him assassinated and began to rule in his place (732-722 BC). Throughout this time, the nation of Israel is clearly plunging headlong into exile with a series of weak kings and the entrance of the mighty Assyrian Empire. • 15:32-38. Jotham Reigns in Judah. The clock turns back to Judah when Jotham became king during the reign of Pekah. Jotham was a good king, except he did not close down the worship of the LORD at the illegal shrines on the high places. He was the last of the four “good” kings from Joash to Jotham, and he was the only one who, as far as the Bible reveals, did not finish badly. An addition to the LORD’s temple was his outstanding achievement. 2 Kings 16: Ahaz ruled Judah and did evil. Aram and Israel attacked Judah so Ahaz sent a tribute to the king of Assyria. Ahaz set up an altar. • 16:1-20. Ahaz Reigns in Judah. In Judah, the house of David has been troubled as three of its last five kings have been assassinated, a fourth set aside his power because of illness (Uzziah), and while Jotham received a good commendation, it was limited. Sadly, things reach a new low as Jotham’s apostate son Ahaz (731-715 BC) begins to reign. In his 16-year reign, Ahaz follows in the ways of Israel’s evil kings, returning Judah to officially sanctioned idolatry as the high places again become centers of Canaanite religion. This idolatry tragically includes child sacrifice to the god Molech with the king even sacrificing his own son (v. 3). Meanwhile, when Ahaz refuses to join the anti- Assyrian coalition of Syria and Israel, its two kings seek to conquer Judah and replace Ahaz with a compliant ruler. Rather than turning to the LORD for help (as Isaiah challenged him to do is Isa 7:4-12), Ahaz accepts vassal status to Assyria and requests his new overlord’s help. Tiglath-pileser III had already planned to recover the region, but takes advantage of the offer to receive Ahaz’s tribute as well. While Ahaz’s decision brought short-term deliverance from Aram and Israel, the invitation to Assyria ultimately results in Judah’s exile (Isa 7:17-8:10). Assyria’s intervention also resulted in the death of Rezin, the capture of Damascus and Aram’s exile (fulfilling the prophecy of judgment in Amos 1:5) as well as the annexation of large parts of northern Israel and the death of Pekah (15:29-30). Ahaz then travels to Damascus to meet his new overlord and is so impressed by a Syrian altar to the god Hadad that he has a copy of it installed in Jerusalem. He replaces Solomon’s altar and dismantles portions of the LORD’s temple furniture, actions motivated by a desire not to offend the king of Assyria. In this, the king of Judah usurps his authority by exercising control over tasks the LORD had explicitly assigned to the Levites. The priest chooses to obey the king instead of the LORD, unlike his predecessor (2 Chron 26:17-18). Ahaz has strayed far from true faith in the LORD, and his religion is full-fledged syncretism with the pagan religions of the other nations. Obedience to the LORD is gone, the LORD’s blessing and protection are gone, and now the beauty of the LORD’s temple is gradually being removed. 2 Kings 17: Hoshea ruled Israel. The king of Assyria invaded and settled the land. This happened because the Israelites rejected the covenant. • 17:1-6. Hoshea Reigns in Israel. Hoshea was the last ruler of the northern kingdom of Israel (732-722 BC), appointed king over a greatly reduced Israel by Tiglath-pileser III (15:29). The only credit to Hoshea is the biblical writer’s assessment that he is not quite as wicked as his predecessors. At some point when Assyria was distracted elsewhere Hoshea declared his freedom, vacillating between Assyria and Egypt. When Hoshea withheld tribute from Assyria, the end came. Tiglath-pileser died before he could return to Samaria, but his son, Shalmaneser V, invaded Israel in 725 BC. After a three-year siege, he captured Samaria, imprisoned Hoshea, and deported the Hebrew population to Assyria (722 BC), a deportation completed by Sargon II (who succeeded Shalmaneser after his brief reign). • 17:7-23. Exile Because of Idolatry. To this point the narrator has provided little explicit commentary on the events of Israel’s history. But with the exile of the northern tribes, the author gives an extended explanation of God’s righteousness in judging His people. All of the details show that Israel failed to honor the covenant. The nation that had pledged to keep the LORD’s commands (Exod 24:7; Josh 24: 24) had repeatedly disregarded their King and sought out its own way. The Israelites committed every kind of ancient iniquity to the point that they became worse than the Canaanites whom they had displaced. And the same LORD who gave them the Land could remove them from it. The LORD shows His patience by repeatedly delivering His people and sending numerous prophets to draw them back to the covenant. The book of Kings identifies eight different prophets that the LORD sent to the northern kingdom. In addition, the writing prophets Hosea and Amos warned Israel before its exile. After patiently and actively pursuing Israel for 200 years, the LORD decided to end their affections for idols by sending them into exile. This section decisively counters any objection that the LORD was not righteous in removing them from the Land. • 17:24-41. Assyria Resettles Samaria. Before resuming with the history of Judah, the author describes the Assyrian policy over the former territory of the northern kingdom in order to explain the background of the inhabitants whose descendants are later known as Samaritans. Assyria’s deportation policy transferred rebellious populations throughout the empire. The Assyrians also believed in territorial deities and sent back a deported priest to help bring peace between the people and the “gods” of the land. In due course, the new residents became characterized by syncretistic worship practices. This priest’s work may have been the origin of the Samaritan Pentateuch, a rival to the Hebrew Torah. The mixed population feared the LORD, while at the same time they still worshiped their own gods, and as a result eventually they did not fear the LORD. Since they were not faithful to the LORD, they were not to be embraced as part of the covenant nation (cf. Ezra 4:1-3). Though the following chapters turn to Judah and describe the covenant unfaithfulness that leads to the southern kingdom’s exile, the writer clarifies in v. 41 that the people living in the area allotted to the northern tribes are not (genetic) heirs of God’s covenant promises. 2 Kings 18: ruled Judah and did right. The Assyrians surrounded Jerusalem. Rabshakeh said, "Don't listen to Hezekiah. Come out to me." • 18:1-8. Hezekiah Reigns in Judah. A king is now presented who is not merely similar to David, like Asa and Jehoshaphat (1 Kings 15:11; 22:43), but resembles him more closely than any other Davidic king so far. It is Hezekiah (715-686 BC) who reforms Judean worship, making it what it should be, and whose trust in God remained steadfast. While Solomon had “held fast” to foreign wives, Hezekiah “held fast” (v. 6) to the LORD. That he “removed the high places” (v. 4) is a significant accomplishment because even the most righteous of Judean kings prior to Hezekiah in 1-2 Kings failed to do this (e.g., 1 Kings 3:2; 15:14; 22:43). He also took action against the bronze serpent named Nehushtan, which Moses had made in the wilderness and which had recently itself become an object of worship (no doubt because of the close association of serpents with the goddess Asherah). The consequence of Hezekiah’s religious faithfulness was that his military exploits were in many ways parallel with that of David. Hezekiah’s father made Judah a vassal of Assyria, defying the LORD’s word through Isaiah (2 Chron 28:16-21; Isa 7:10-13). Hezekiah, together with many other states on the eastern Mediterranean seaboard, rebel when Sargon II dies in 705 BC. • 18:9-12. Review of Israel’s Fall. The siege of Samaria began in the fourth year of Hezekiah’s coregency with Ahaz. The author provides this flashback here to recall the grave danger that the Assyrians presented, set the context in which Hezekiah pursued his bold policy of rebellion, and to contrast Israel’s destruction with Judah’s deliverance. • 18:13-37. Sennacherib Attacks Judah. In 701 BC. (the 14th year of Hezekiah’s sole reign), Sennacherib, king of Assyria, launched a major assault against Judah. This invasion was not the LORD’s punishment upon faithful Hezekiah but the result of the actions of faithless Ahaz (Isa 7:10-8:10). Hezekiah’s first response to the crisis is to bargain—a disappointing prologue to what will eventually turn out to be his finest hour. It seems that the Assyrians then reneged on that agreement and tried to destroy Hezekiah and Jerusalem anyway. Hezekiah must now decide whether he will follow his father in rejecting God’s word in favor of human schemes or believe that the LORD is greater than Judah’s enemies. As the negotiations begin, Sennacherib’s spokesman sets the matter of Hezekiah’s trust at the heart of his speech. He declares in Hebrew (so that the people can understand him and be frightened) that trust in Egypt would be futile, but so also would trust in the LORD, for it is His high places and altars that Hezekiah has removed (revealing his ignorance), and indeed it is the LORD who has sent Assyria to destroy Judah because of this sacrilege! In the end, the Assyrian king presents himself as the supreme king who is greater than Judah and its God. The officials of Judah rip their garments in sorrow. The city is in a desperate situation. 2 Kings 19: Hezekiah prayed, "O LORD, save us." Isaiah said, "The LORD says: I will defend the city." That night the Assyrians were struck dead. • 19:1-7. Isaiah Reassures Hezekiah. In response, Hezekiah humbly sends a message to the prophet Isaiah to request prayer to God (v. 4). This is the first reference to Isaiah in 2 Kings, though he was active during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, and Ahaz. Much of 2 Kings 18:13-20:19 parallels Isa 36:1-39:8, perhaps suggesting that Isaiah wrote this section. It also supports the idea that the book of Kings provides a prophetic perspective on the history of Israel and Judah. Isaiah comforts Hezekiah by confirming that the LORD indeed heard the Assyrian blasphemy and by predicting that God would give the Assyrian king a “spirit” that would send him back to his own land where he would die. • 19:8-13. Sennacherib Defies the LORD. In his first speech, the Rabshakeh (or “chief cupbearer”) warned Hezekiah not to deceive the people about what would happen if they trust the LORD. Now he warns Hezekiah against deceiving himself in trusting a weak God. He also adds a list of conquered peoples whose gods had not helped them. • 19:14-19. Hezekiah’s Prayer. This time Hezekiah took his problem straight to the LORD in prayer, the God who is the sole Creator God. Although the LORD had not yet acted, this prayer demonstrates faith that He would act when the time was right. Hezekiah recognized that the gods conquered by the Assyrians were not gods, but were idols made by men. Hezekiah, being so close to Isaiah, must have been influenced by Isaiah’s teaching about idols (Isa 40:18-20; 46:1-7). God’s deliverance would be to provide a testimony to “all the kingdoms of the earth” that the LORD alone is God. In his actions and prayer, Hezekiah models the type of kingship that the LORD intended for His people. • 19:20-34. Isaiah Prophecies Sennacherib’s Fall. In a second prophecy recorded in this chapter, Isaiah predicts that the LORD will defeat the Assyrian army and restore the land of Judah. The nature of a prophet as God’s spokesman is particularly clear here as the LORD directly responds to Hezekiah’s prayer through His prophet Isaiah. • 19:35-37. Defeat and Death of Sennacherib. This stunning display of God’s power humbles the world’s superpower and forces Sennacherib to withdraw to Assyria. Sennacherib had claimed that Hezekiah’s God could not save him. Hezekiah’s God did indeed save him, but ironically, Sennacherib’s god could not protect him even in his own temple. 2 Kings 20: Hezekiah was sick but the LORD extended his life. Envoys came from Babylon. Isaiah told Hezekiah, "Everything will be taken away." • 20:1-11. Hezekiah’s Illness and Recovery. Verses 1-19 represent a “flashback” to the period around 713-712 BC, some 12 years before Sennacherib’s invasion and some 15 years before Hezekiah’s death (v. 6). Hezekiah began his sole rule in 716/15 BC at age 25 (18:2), so he was not quite 40 years old when he learned from Isaiah that he was going to die. Here, Hezekiah faced a difficult theological choice – accept God’s will or ask for special treatment. Hezekiah asks with sorrow that the LORD would spare his life, appealing to his righteous behavior. Whether this prayer can be regarded as self-centered or not, the king correctly believes that God will act in response to earnest prayer. Of course, God was neither surprised by nor unprepared for Hezekiah’s prayer. He not only granted what was asked, but He also gave a promise of deliverance from the coming Assyrian invasion. No doubt this event would strengthen Hezekiah’s faith for that ordeal. But at the same time, some bitter seeds will be planted for Judah’s future during these extra 15 years. When Isaiah promises Hezekiah that he will be able to worship again after three days, we are reminded of Jesus’ resurrection after three days, when He is restored and glorified to full fellowship with His Father. When Hezekiah asks for a confirming sign, the LORD miraculously reverses the direction of the shadow to prove to Hezekiah that His words will be fulfilled. With the receding shadow, the shadow of God’s judgment is pulled back from Hezekiah, and at least for the time being, from God’s people as well. • 20:12-21. Hezekiah and the Babylonian Envoys. In the years prior to Sennacherib’s campaign against Judah, Marduk-Baladan, king of Babylon, was seeking partners in an anti-Assyrian coalition. Babylon had long been under the rule of Assyria, but with the rise of the young king Sennacherib, Marduk-Baladan seeks independence for Babylon with the cooperation of other vassals of Assyria, including Judah. Hezekiah’s diplomatic action reveals that he did not completely trust in the LORD. By displaying his treasures, he is boasting in his own resources and not in the LORD, and he is allying himself with an idolatrous nation (cf. 2 Chr 32: 31). Isaiah’s subsequent prediction of Babylonian exile comes true 100 years later (24:13; 25:13-17). Though God spares Hezekiah from Assyrian exile because of his great faith (19:14-36), Hezekiah’s lack of faith in this instance results in the prophecy of Babylonian exile. Hezekiah’s acceptance of God’s punishment could have been either humble acceptance of God’s will, or selfish rejoicing because he would experience peace and security in his own day. The final summary of Hezekiah’s reign includes a note about one of his most important provisions for the Assyrian war – the construction of a 1,750 foot tunnel that diverted water from the Gihon Spring directly underground to the Pool of Siloam, which lay within the city walls. Modern visitors to Jerusalem are still impressed by it today. An ancient inscription inside the tunnel (discovered in 1880) describes how the builders began at both ends and met in the middle. 2 Kings 21: Manasseh ruled in Jerusalem and did evil. The LORD said, "I will bring disaster on Jerusalem and Judah." Amon ruled and did evil. • 21:1-18. Manasseh Reigns in Judah. Manasseh ruled for 55 years, the longest of any king of either the northern or southern kingdoms. There is some question whether the 55 years includes a possible 10-year co-regency with Hezekiah, which would make Manasseh closer to 22-23 years old at the beginning of his sole reign (and 12 at the co- regency). This is no small question, for if Manasseh was 12 at the beginning of any of his reigning, he would have been born in Hezekiah’s “extra” 15 years. This would have two profound implications: First, if Hezekiah had died (and he had no other heir), the line of David would have ended. Thus, Hezekiah’s prayer would have kept our salvation alive. On the other hand, if Hezekiah had died, the worst king of Judean history would not have ever reigned. Thus, Hezekiah’s prayer would have brought great trouble in the next generation. As it is, Manasseh is included in the line of promise leading to Jesus (Matt 1:10). Sadly, Manasseh sets a new standard for wickedness, exceeding even the depravity of the Canaanites. He not only reestablishes ancient shrines to pagan gods but also builds new ones within the courts of the LORD’s temple. Since Judah’s sinfulness compares unfavorably to that of the Canaanites, the nation can expect that they too will be uprooted from the land (cf. Jer 3:11; Ezek 16:46-48). Grave social injustice naturally accompanied Manasseh’s religious failings. According to extrabiblical tradition, Manasseh executed the prophet Isaiah. Though Manasseh ruled for more than half a century, the biblical author does not credit him with a single building project or military victory. Such successes are unimportant given the king’s unrighteousness and the impending exile. The Chronicler records other events, including Manasseh’s repentance after his exile to Babylon (2 Chron 33:10-17). The differences between the two accounts can be explained by each work’s purpose: Kings stresses the guilt of the nation, while Chronicles highlights the hope of restoration. • 21:19-26. Amon Reigns in Judah. Amon’s brief rule is marked by his wicked acts, like those of his father. He is the fourth king of Judah to be assassinated but the first killed in the palace in Jerusalem. Unlike in the northern kingdom of Israel, in Judah the heir replaces every assassinated king in accordance with God’s covenant with David. 2 Kings 22: Josiah ruled and did right. He had the law read out and tore his robes. Huldah said, "The LORD says: You will be buried in peace." • 22:1-7. Josiah Reigns in Judah. Josiah is the last good king of Judah, and his reign is characterized by temple repair, covenant renewal, and the destruction of idolatrous centers. Josiah is the ideal king of Deut 17:20, who does not turn from the Mosaic law “to the right or to the left” (v. 2). At 26 years old, he led in the repair of the temple. • 22:8-20. Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law. The decades of idolatry under Manasseh and Amon led to the loss of the covenant document that was to guide the king and the nation to obey the LORD. The book’s exact identity is difficult to determine, but because many of the reforms that Josiah enacted are based on commands in Deuteronomy, it is reasonable to conclude that the “Book of the Law” included at least part of Deuteronomy if not the entire Pentateuch. Josiah is rightly distressed that he and the people have failed to keep the covenant. The curses of Deut 28 may have provoked this response. By contrast, Josiah’s son Jehoiakim later responds to the reading of God’s Word by burning it in the fire (Jer 36:23). Nothing is known of Huldah outside of this passage and its parallel in 2 Chron 34:22. She is the only female prophet in the book of Kings but one of several in the OT (Exod 15:20; Judges 4:4; Neh 6:14). Her words confirm what is already known from the unnamed prophets of 2 Kings 21, namely that the LORD is going to bring disaster on Jerusalem and its people. However, because of Josiah’s grief over the sins of the nation, he was assured that destruction would not come until after his death. Indeed, Josiah will die in battle against Egypt (23:29), prior to the impending Babylonian exile. As righteous as he is, Josiah is unable to lead the people to lasting covenant faithfulness. For this, a greater king (son of David) is necessary (Isa 11:1-5; 42:1-7; Jer 23:5-6). 2 Kings 23: Josiah destroyed the altars and high places and held Passover. He was killed in battle. Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim ruled and did evil. • 23:1-30. Josiah’s Reforms and Death After being made aware of the severity of the nation’s unfaithfulness by the Book of the Law, Josiah leads the nation in a covenant renewal ceremony to commit to wholehearted obedience to their King (vv. 1-4). Josiah then orders that everything to do with Baal and Asherah and the worship of the host of heaven should be destroyed (vv. 5-20). This included the desecration of every illegal altar or place of worship he could find, even those founded by Solomon (v. 13). The practice of sacrificing children in the fires of the “Hinnom Valley” (v. 10) is the backdrop for the NT’s use of as a fiery place of torment (cf. Matt 5:22, translated into English as “hell”). After Jeroboam established the centers for golden calf worship at Dan and Bethel, a man of God prophesied that a king of Judah named Josiah would desecrate the altar of Bethel by burning the bones of the sanctuary’s priests on it (1 Kings 13:2). This prophecy is fulfilled 300 years after it was given (v. 15; the gold calf had already been carried off by the Assyrians). The high point of Josiah’s reforms comes when he leads the people in keeping the Passover (vv. 21-27), a celebration that outstrips not only Hezekiah in faithfulness to God, but even David. But Josiah’s obedience is not enough to remove the threat of exile. This is not an arbitrary judgment on the LORD’s part; it reflects the deep-seated idolatry in the hearts of the people, which is revealed after Josiah dies (he dies in battle trying to prevent Egypt’s reinforcing of Assyria). The nation not only needs a righteous king but requires a new covenant that will provide a circumcision of every person’s heart (cf. Deut 30:6; Jer 31:31-34). • 23:31-35. Jehoahaz’s Reign and Captivity. The people made Josiah’s son Jehoahaz (aka Shallum; Jer 22:11-12) king, but he reigns only three months. He quickly became a political prisoner in Egypt to Pharaoh Neco, who put Judah under tribute. Jehoahaz’s brother Eliakim, renamed Jehoiakim by Neco, was then made king. Renaming a vassal symbolized the ruler’s power over the subject king, as evidenced in his sending tribute to Pharaoh. • 23:36-37. Jehoiakim Reigns in Judah. Jehoiakim’s reign is characterized by rebellion against the LORD and Babylon. He oppresses the people, murders the prophet Uriah, and burns Jeremiah’s scroll (Jer 22:13-19; 26:20-23; 36:20-26). 2 Kings 24: The LORD sent raiders against Judah. Jehoiachin ruled and Nebuchadnezzer took all Jerusalem captive. Zedekiah ruled and did evil." • 24:1-7. Jehoiakim’s Rebellion and Death. Meanwhile, Babylon has dismantled the Assyrian Empire and invades Palestine in pursuit of victory over Egypt, which was obtained at Carchemish (605 BC; cf. Jer 46:2). The object of the Babylonian attack was the Egyptian armies, and Jehoiakim yielded peaceably to Nebuchadnezzar. Then, after three years, Jehoiakim rebelled because Egypt temporarily drove the Babylonians back north (601 BC). Nebuchadnezzar ruled Babylon 605-562 BC and carried off exiles from Judah on three occasions. In his first campaign in 605 BC, he deported some members of the royal family, including Daniel (Dan 1:1-6). The prophet Jeremiah was taken to Egypt by Judahite refugees fleeing from Babylonian-controlled territory. In these verses, the prophetic voice is again unmistakable in interpreting Judah’s history from a divine standpoint. Prophets not mentioned in the book of Kings who predicted exile for Judah include Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Micah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. • 24:8-16. Jehoiachin Reigns in Judah. The description of the brief reign of Jehoiachin (Josiah’s grandson) focuses on the Babylonian deportation of the king, the royal family, and the temple treasures. Most commentators agree that Jehoiachin was the throne name of Jeconiah (1 Chron 3:16; Jer 24:1), which was shortened to Coniah in Jer 22:24. The king’s brief rule ended when Jerusalem surrendered on March 15-16, 597 BC. This led to the second deportation, which included the prophet Ezekiel, who would begin his ministry in Babylon (Ezek 1:2-3). Everyone but the poorest classes of the city were taken into captivity. By deporting the leaders, skilled craftsmen, and military personnel, Nebuchadnezzar strengthens his own economy and army while reducing the possibility of a future rebellion. Jehoiachin’s captivity in Babylon fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy to Hezekiah that his own descendants will be carried off to Babylon (20:18), as well as Jeremiah’s prophecy that Jehoiachin will be hurled out of the land of Israel (Jer 22:24-30). • 24:17-20. Zedekiah Reigns in Judah. Jehoiachin’s uncle Mattaniah ruled next, under the name of Zedekiah, as a Babylonian vassal. Like his immediate predecessors, his reign is characterized by idolatry and judgment. Jeremiah 27-29 suggests that from early in his reign (Jer 27:1; 28:1) he was plotting revolt, and eventually he rebelled. The writer again emphasizes in v. 20 that Judah’s exile to Babylon is not another conquest in the history of nations but is the disciplinary action of a God faithful to fulfill His covenant promises to bless and judge. 2 Kings 25: Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan burned the temple and took the people into exile. Evil- merodach released Jehoiachin. • 25:1-21. Fall and Captivity of Judah In 588 BC the pharaoh of Egypt led a coordinated rebellion against Babylon, which resulted in Babylonian reprisal through destruction of the entire region. The siege upon Jerusalem began on January 15, 588 BC, and after 18 months (including a famine predicted in Jer 38:2-9), the city fell on July 18, 586 BC. When Jerusalem’s wall was breached, the warriors and King Zedekiah fled, probably down the Kidron Valley to the road to Jericho and then to the plains near Jericho. There, Judah’s last king is captured near the place where the Israelites won their first great victory in Canaan (Josh 6). The last scene the king sees before his eyes are put out is the elimination of his family line. This fulfills the prophecies that Zedekiah would see the king of Babylon (Jer 32:4) and be carried off to Babylon but not see it (Ezek 12:13). The Babylonians deport 832 people from Jerusalem at this time (Jer 52:29), with only a remnant remaining in the city. Jeremiah warned the people of Jerusalem that the presence of the temple would not prevent the LORD from bringing about the promised judgment (Jer 7:4-15; cf. Isa 64:11; Mic 3:12). The temple built by Solomon was 380 years old when the Babylonians reduced it to ashes. The loss of the temple means the departure of God’s presence, the end of atoning sacrifices, and the cessation of corporate worship. This event fulfills the LORD’s promises to remove His people from the land if they were not loyal to their King and His covenant (Deut 4:26; 8:19-20; 30:18). The book of Lamentations recounts the nation’s spiritual distress because of the destruction of Jerusalem. The Babylonians appoint Gedaliah governor (grandson of Josiah’s scribe), but even this attempt at maintaining order fails when surviving rebels assassinate him. Those left alive flee back to Egypt, a sad conclusion for a people whom God had once delivered from there. • 25:27-30. Jeohoiachin Released From Prison Though the Babylonians have destroyed Jerusalem and its temple, the house of David continues to live on. In 561 BC, at the age of 55, Jehoiachin is release from prison and is given a place of honor among the captive kings. This hopeful note indicates that though the book has come to a close, the LORD’s plans continue for the covenant nation and the Messianic line. The nation that recalls Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the temple will know that turning back to the LORD will lead to forgiveness, restoration from exile, and the fulfillment of all of God’s promises (1 Kings 8:46-51; cf. Deut 30:1-10; Jer 31:23-40).