2 Kings 15

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Dave Burnette's Commentary

2 Kings Chapter 15

Written By: God through Inspiration

Penned By: Jeremiah

Date Penned: (586 BC)

Overview: A History of the Kings of Israel and Judah (c 1-25)

Theme: A Divided Kingdom (c 1-17)

Message: Azariah Rules Judah (v 1-38)

2 Kings 15 Commentary

(15:1) Judah Prospers - Azariah was also known as Uzziah. His story is given in greater detail in 2 Chronicles 26. He is also mentioned in Isaiah 1 and 6:1. Before the beginning of Azariah's reign, Israel broke down 600 feet of Jerusalem's walls after defeating Judah and carrying off their king, Amaziah (2 Kings 14:13; 2 Chronicles 25:23-24). But during Azariah's 52-year reign, Judah rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem, refortified the city with anti-siege weapons, and gained independence from Israel. Azariah's devotion to God helped Judah enjoy peace and prosperity such as it had not experienced since the days of Solomon. During this same time, however, Israel declined drastically and would soon be overthrown.

(15:4) Azariah Fails to Destroy the High Places - Although Azariah accomplished a great deal, he failed to destroy the high places, the locations of pagan shrines in Judah, just as his father, Amaziah, and grandfather Josh had failed to do. Azariah imitated the kings he had heard stories about and had watched while growing up. Although Azariah's father and grandfather were basically good kings, they were poor models for wholehearted submission to God and devoted worship to him. To rise above the influence of poor models, we must seek better ones. Christ provides a perfect model for living in complete submission and service to God and others (Matthew 20:28). No matter how you were raised or who has influenced your life, you can move beyond those limitations by taking Christ as your example and consciously trying to live as he did.

(15:5) Jotham Co-Rules with Azariah - For ten years Jotham was the co-ruler with his father, Azariah. A father and son would rule together for any of the following reasons: (1) The father was very old and needed help; (2) the father wanted to train his son in leading the nation; or (3) the father was sick or exiled. Many co-rulers ruled during the period of the kings: Asa/Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat/Jehoram, Azariah/Jotham, Jehoash/Jeroboam II, and Hezekiah/Manasseh.

(15:8-9) An Evil King - Zachariah was an evil king because he encouraged Israel to sin by worshiping idols. Sin in our lives is serious. But it is even more serious to encourage others to disobey God. We are responsible for the way we influence others. Beware of sins with double impact: ones that not only hurt you but also hurt others by encouraging them to sin.

(15:10) Zachariah is Warned - Zachariah was warned by the prophet Amos of his impending death and the subsequent end of Jeroboam's dynasty (Amos 7:9).

(15:14) Menahem Sees Himself as Rightful Successor - Ancient historical documents say that Menahem was the commander in chief of Jeroboam's army (see 14:23-29 for an account of Jeroboam Il's reign). After Jeroboam's son was assassinated (15:8-10), Menahem probably saw himself, and not Shallum, as the rightful successor to Israel's throne.

(15:18) Menahem Leads the People Into Sin - Menahem, like the kings before him, led his people into sin: "He did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD." What a horrible epitaph for a leader! Leaders profoundly affect the people they serve. They can either encourage or discourage devotion to God both by their example and by the structure they give their organizations. Good leaders tear down obstacles to faith in God and encourage people toward right living.

(15:19-20) Assyria Becomes a Power - When King Pul of Assyria (also called Tiglath-pileser in 15:29) took the throne, the Assyrian Empire was becoming a world power, and the nations of Syria, Israel, and Judah were in decline. This is the first mention of Assyria in 2 Kings. Pul's invasion occurred in 743 BC. Assyria made Israel a vassal state, and Menahem was forced to pay tribute to Assyria. This was the first of three Assyrian invasions (15:29 and 17:5-6 tell of the others).

(15:30) Hoshea Becomes King - Hoshea was the last king of the northern kingdom of Israel.

(15:32) Isaiah Has a Vision - A year after Pekah became king, Uzziah (also called Azariah) of Judah died, and Isaiah the prophet had a vision of God's holiness and Israel's future destruction. (See Isaiah 6 for more details on what Isaiah saw and to compare Isaiah's vision with the wretched condition of Israel.)

(15:34-35) Jotham Fails to Destroy the High Places - Much good can be said of Jotham and his reign as king of Judah, but he failed in a most important area: He didn't destroy the pagan hilltop shrines (or "high places"), although leaving them clearly violated the first commandment (Exodus 20:3). Like Jotham, we may live basically good lives and yet miss doing what is most important. A lifetime of doing good is not enough if we make the crucial mistake of not following God with all our hearts. A true follower of God puts him first in all areas of life.

Dave Burnette's Life Application
Rebuils the Walls

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter, making application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Today we continue the book of 2 Kings with Chapter 15. In our text, we see Azariah rules Judah, Zachariah rules Israel, followed by Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, and Pekah. What catches my eye is how Azariah rebuilt the torn-down walls in Judah before his reign. His dedication and devotion allowed Judah to experience peace and prosperity, rivaling Solomon's days. In making an application, we see a truth that applies today. If we rebuild the walls that sin has torn down, we, too, will experience the peace and prosperity of Azariah. This process takes the same dedication and devotion to God's Word and Prayer that Azariah displayed in building this wall. How about you? Do you see the need to rebuild the walls that have been torn down in your life by sin? Let us learn from our text today and the life of Azariah to reconstruct the torn-down walls caused by sin through repentance, devotion, and dedication to God's Word and Prayer.

2 Kings 15

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2 Kings 15

¹In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.

²Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.

³And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done;

⁴Save that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places.

⁵And the LORD smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house. And Jotham the king's son was over the house, judging the people of the land.

⁶And the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

⁷So Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.

⁸In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.

⁹And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

¹⁰And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.

¹¹And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

¹²This was the word of the LORD which he spake unto Jehu, saying, Thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation. And so it came to pass.

¹³Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned a full month in Samaria.

¹⁴For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, and came to Samaria, and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.

¹⁵And the rest of the acts of Shallum, and his conspiracy which he made, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

¹⁶Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.

¹⁷In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria.

¹⁸And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

¹⁹And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand.

²⁰And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in the land.

²¹And the rest of the acts of Menahem, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

²²And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead.

²³In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned two years.

²⁴And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

²⁵But Pekah the son of Remaliah, a captain of his, conspired against him, and smote him in Samaria, in the palace of the king's house, with Argob and Arieh, and with him fifty men of the Gileadites: and he killed him, and reigned in his room.

²⁶And the rest of the acts of Pekahiah, and all that he did, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

²⁷In the two and fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned twenty years.

²⁸And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

²⁹In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.

³⁰And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in his stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.

³¹And the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he did, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

³²In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign.

³³Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok.

³⁴And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD: he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done.

³⁵Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burned incense still in the high places. He built the higher gate of the house of the LORD.

³⁶Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

³⁷In those days the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.

³⁸And Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.