📖 2 Kings — Chapter 15 (KJV)
Read the complete King James Version chapter below, then explore the passage sections, check what you remember, and keep your private study notes.
Scripture source: Project Gutenberg KJV, ebook 10.
2 Kings 15:1 RIn the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began TAzariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.
2 Kings 15:2 Sixteen 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.
2 Kings 15:3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done;
2 Kings 15:4 Save that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places.
2 Kings 15:5 And Rthe 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.
2 Kings 15:6 And the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are Rthey not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
2 Kings 15:7 So 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.
2 Kings 15:8 In Rthe thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.
2 Kings 15:9 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, Ras his fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.
2 Kings 15:10 And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and Rslew him, and reigned in his stead.
2 Kings 15:11 And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
2 Kings 15:12 This was Rthe 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.
2 Kings 15:13 Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of TUzziah king of Judah; and he reigned Ta full month in Samaria.
2 Kings 15:14 For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from RTirzah, and came to Samaria, and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.
2 Kings 15:15 And 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.
2 Kings 15:16 Then 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 Rall the women therein that were with child he ripped up.
2 Kings 15:17 In 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.
2 Kings 15:18 And 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.
2 Kings 15:19 And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and RMenahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand.
2 Kings 15:20 And RMenahem Texacted 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.
2 Kings 15:21 And 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?
2 Kings 15:22 And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead.
2 Kings 15:23 In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, Rand reigned two years.
2 Kings 15:24 And 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.
2 Kings 15:25 But RPekah 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.
2 Kings 15:26 And 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.
2 Kings 15:27 In Rthe 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.
2 Kings 15:28 And he did that which was Revil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.
2 Kings 15:29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and took RIjon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.
2 Kings 15:30 And Hoshea the son of Elah Rmade 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.
2 Kings 15:31 And 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.
2 Kings 15:32 In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began RJotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign.
2 Kings 15:33 Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was RJerusha, the daughter of Zadok.
2 Kings 15:34 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD: he did Raccording to all that his father Uzziah had done.
2 Kings 15:35 RHowbeit 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.
2 Kings 15:36 Now Rthe 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?
2 Kings 15:37 RIn those days the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.
2 Kings 15:38 And RJotham 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.
📚 Study This Chapter
📖 What We’re Reading
2 Kings 15:1–12 — Judah’s continuity and Jehu’s line ends
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
Azariah rules Judah, with high places remaining and Jotham governing during his illness. In Israel, Shallum kills Zachariah, bringing Jehu’s promised fourth-generation succession to its end. Distinguish political events from the personal conditions the narrator records.
Key Truth: Read the separate kingdoms and named families carefully.
Check What You Remember
1. Who governed while Azariah lived separately? (2 Kings 15:5)
Find it in 2 Kings 15:5 (KJV).
2. How long did Zachariah reign? (2 Kings 15:8)
Find it in 2 Kings 15:8 (KJV).
3. Who killed Zachariah? (2 Kings 15:10)
Find it in 2 Kings 15:10 (KJV).
📖 What We’re Reading
2 Kings 15:13–26 — Violence and payments cannot make faithful rule
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
Menahem kills Shallum and acts with brutal violence at Tiphsah. He pays Assyria to strengthen his position, collecting the payment from Israel. Pekahiah succeeds him, then is killed by Pekah. None departs from Jeroboam’s sins.
Key Truth: Securing a throne is not the same as governing justly.
Check What You Remember
1. Who killed Shallum? (2 Kings 15:14)
Find it in 2 Kings 15:14 (KJV).
2. Which Assyrian king received payment? (2 Kings 15:19)
Find it in 2 Kings 15:19 (KJV).
3. Who killed Pekahiah? (2 Kings 15:25)
Find it in 2 Kings 15:25 (KJV).
📖 What We’re Reading
2 Kings 15:27–38 — Captivity and Jotham’s reign
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
Under Pekah, Assyria takes northern territories and people captive. Hoshea then kills him. Jotham does right in Judah but high places remain; Ahaz succeeds him. Repeated royal changes have not corrected Israel’s worship.
Key Truth: A change of office alone cannot repair a persistent wrong.
Check What You Remember
1. Which Assyrian king took northern territories? (2 Kings 15:29)
Find it in 2 Kings 15:29 (KJV).
2. Who killed Pekah? (2 Kings 15:30)
Find it in 2 Kings 15:30 (KJV).
3. Who succeeded Jotham in Judah? (2 Kings 15:38)
Find it in 2 Kings 15:38 (KJV).
Related Scripture (KJV)
Proverbs 29:2 — This proverb contrasts the people’s experience under righteous and wicked rule.
This related passage is selected for its connection with this chapter. It is separate from the chapter text.
Reflect and Apply
How should concern for affected people shape your judgment of a leader’s apparent strength?
Advanced Questions and Answers
Study this chapter’s wording, patterns, contrasts, and meaning in greater depth.
1. How does Azariah’s condition change the administration?
2. What promise is recalled at Zachariah’s death?
3. How does Menahem finance the payment to Pul?
4. What makes Pekah’s overthrow of Pekahiah a betrayal within government?
5. What qualification remains in Jotham’s favourable assessment?
Notes
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