2 KingsChapter 15
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1Azariah son of Amaziah became king of Judah. This was in the twenty-seventh year that Jeroboam ruled over Israel. 2Azariah was sixteen years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for fifty-two years. His mother's name was Jecoliah. She was from Jerusalem. 3He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done. 4But the high places were not taken away. The people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there. 5The LORD struck the king with leprosy until the day he died. So he lived in a separate house. His son Jotham was in charge of the palace. Jotham ruled the people of the land. 6The rest of what Azariah did, and all he achieved, is written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. 7Azariah died and joined his ancestors. He was buried near them in the City of David. His son Jotham became king in his place. 8Zechariah son of Jeroboam became king of Israel. This was in the thirty-eighth year that Azariah ruled over Judah. Zechariah ruled in Samaria for six months. 9He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as his fathers had done. He did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit. 10Shallum son of Jabesh plotted against Zechariah. He attacked him in front of the people and killed him. Then Shallum became king in his place. 11The rest of what Zechariah did is written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. 12So what the LORD had told Jehu came true. He had said, "Four generations of your sons will sit on the throne of Israel." 13Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year that Uzziah ruled over Judah. Shallum ruled in Samaria for one month. 14Then Menahem son of Gadi went up from Tirzah to Samaria. He attacked Shallum son of Jabesh and killed him. Then Menahem became king in his place. 15The rest of what Shallum did, and his plot, is written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. 16At that time Menahem set out from Tirzah. He attacked Tiphsah and everyone near it. That was because they would not open their gates to him. So he attacked Tiphsah. He ripped open all the pregnant women. 17Menahem son of Gadi became king of Israel. This was in the thirty-ninth year that Azariah ruled over Judah. Menahem ruled in Samaria for ten years. 18He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. All the time he was king, he did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit. 19Then Pul king of Assyria invaded the land. Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver. He wanted Pul to help him. He wanted to make his own hold on the kingdom stronger.a 20Menahem took this money from the rich men of Israel. Each one had to pay fifty shekels of silver. It was to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria pulled back. He did not stay in the land.b 21The rest of what Menahem did, and all he achieved, is written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. 22Menahem died and joined his ancestors. His son Pekahiah became king in his place. 23Pekahiah son of Menahem became king of Israel. This was in the fiftieth year that Azariah ruled over Judah. Pekahiah ruled in Samaria for two years. 24He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. He did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit. 25Then Pekah son of Remaliah, one of his officers, plotted against him. Argob, Arieh, and fifty men from Gilead joined him. Pekah attacked Pekahiah at the king's palace in Samaria. It was in the strong tower. He killed him and became king in his place. 26The rest of what Pekahiah did, and all he achieved, is written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. 27Pekah son of Remaliah became king of Israel. This was in the fifty-second year that Azariah ruled over Judah. Pekah ruled in Samaria for twenty years. 28He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. He did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit. 29While Pekah was king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came. He captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee. He took all the land of Naphtali. He carried the people away as prisoners to Assyria. 30Then Hoshea son of Elah plotted against Pekah son of Remaliah. Hoshea attacked Pekah and killed him. Then Hoshea became king in his place. This was in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah. 31The rest of what Pekah did, and all he achieved, is written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. 32Jotham son of Uzziah became king of Judah. This was in the second year that Pekah son of Remaliah ruled over Israel. 33Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for sixteen years. His mother's name was Jerusha. She was the daughter of Zadok. 34He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Uzziah had done. 35But the high places were not taken away. The people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there. Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the house of the LORD. 36The rest of what Jotham did, and all he achieved, is written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. 37(In those days the LORD began to send Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah against Judah.) 38Jotham died and joined his ancestors. He was buried with them in the City of David, his ancestor. His son Ahaz became king in his place.