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Book 12 of 39 · History

2 Kings

The Complete Story44:10

Overview

2 Kings continues the story of 1 Kings without a break; in the Hebrew Bible the two form a single book. It follows the divided kingdoms of Israel (north, capital Samaria) and Judah (south, capital Jerusalem) from about 850 BC to the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC, closing with a note from about 561 BC in Babylon. Each king is judged by one standard: did he do what was right in the eyes of the LORD, or did he walk in the sins of Jeroboam and the ways of Ahab?

The book is usually counted among the Former Prophets, and many scholars see it as part of a "Deuteronomistic History" stretching from Joshua to Kings, compiled during or after the exile. The writer points readers to fuller sources such as "the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel" and "of Judah".

Structure: Part 1 the ministry of Elisha (chapters 1–8); Part 2 Jehu's revolt and the kings who followed (9–17), ending with the fall of Samaria; Part 3 Judah alone, from Hezekiah to the exile (18–25).

Part 1 — Elijah's Departure and Elisha's Ministry (chapters 1–8)

Ahaziah and the fire from heaven (1). Ahab's son Ahaziah falls through a lattice in Samaria and sends to ask Baal-zebub, god of Ekron, if he will recover. Elijah intercepts the messengers: "Is it not because there is not a God in Israel?" Fire from heaven consumes two companies of soldiers sent to arrest him; the third captain begs for mercy. Ahaziah dies as Elijah foretold.

Elijah taken up (2). Elisha refuses to leave his master at Gilgal, Bethel and Jericho. Elijah parts the Jordan with his cloak, and Elisha asks for "a double portion of thy spirit". A chariot and horses of fire separate them, and "Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven." Elisha takes up the fallen cloak, parts the Jordan himself, heals Jericho's spring with salt, and is mocked by youths at Bethel.

War with Moab (3). Joram of Israel, Jehoshaphat of Judah and the king of Edom march on Moab. Elisha promises water without rain; ditches fill overnight, and the Moabites mistake the red-tinged water for blood. Moab's king sacrifices his son on the wall, and the allies withdraw.

Miracles of provision and life (4). A prophet's widow pours a single flask of oil into borrowed jars until all are full, and pays her debts. A wealthy woman of Shunem builds Elisha a rooftop room; God gives her a son, who later dies. Elisha stretches himself over the boy, who sneezes seven times and wakes. Elisha also neutralises poisoned stew and feeds a hundred men with twenty loaves.

Naaman (5). Naaman, commander of Aram's army, has leprosy. A captive Israelite girl points him to the prophet in Samaria. Elisha does not even come out; he tells Naaman to wash seven times in the Jordan. Angry, then persuaded by his servants, Naaman obeys and is healed: "Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel." Elisha's servant Gehazi greedily takes Naaman's gifts and receives his leprosy.

Dothan and the siege of Samaria (6–7). An axe head floats. When Aram surrounds Dothan, Elisha's servant sees the hills "full of horses and chariots of fire". The raiders are struck blind, led into Samaria, fed and released. Later Ben-hadad besieges Samaria, causing horrific famine. Elisha promises plenty within a day; four lepers find the Aramean camp deserted, because the LORD made them hear the sound of a great army.

Hazael and Judah's slide (8). The Shunammite's land is restored. In Damascus Elisha weeps before Hazael, foreseeing his cruelty to Israel; Hazael smothers Ben-hadad and takes the throne. In Judah, Jehoram marries Ahab's daughter Athaliah and walks in Ahab's ways.

Part 2 — Jehu, Joash and the Fall of Samaria (chapters 9–17)

Jehu's revolt (9–10). A young prophet anoints the commander Jehu king to destroy Ahab's house. Jehu "drives furiously" to Jezreel, kills Joram of Israel and Ahaziah of Judah, and has Jezebel thrown from a window, fulfilling Elijah's word. He kills Ahab's seventy sons and lures Baal's worshippers into their temple to be destroyed. Yet he keeps Jeroboam's golden calves at Bethel and Dan, and the LORD begins to cut Israel's territory short.

Athaliah and Joash (11–12). Athaliah murders the royal family of Judah and rules six years. Her infant grandson Joash is hidden in the temple by his aunt Jehosheba. In the seventh year the priest Jehoiada arms the guards, crowns the boy and has Athaliah executed; the covenant is renewed and Baal's temple torn down. Joash repairs the temple with a collection chest beside the altar, but later strips its treasures to buy off Hazael and is assassinated.

Elisha's death (13). Israel is oppressed by Aram under Jehoahaz. The dying Elisha has King Jehoash shoot "the arrow of the LORD's deliverance" and strike the ground, but he strikes only three times, so he will win only three victories. A corpse thrown into Elisha's grave revives on touching his bones.

Kings of the eighth century (14–16). Amaziah of Judah defeats Edom but is beaten by Israel. Jeroboam II restores Israel's borders "according to the word of the LORD… by Jonah the son of Amittai". Azariah (Uzziah) of Judah reigns 52 years but becomes leprous. Israel collapses into coups: Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah and Pekah. Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria takes Galilee and deports its people. Ahaz of Judah sacrifices his son, buys Assyrian help against Aram and Israel, and installs a copy of a Damascus altar in the temple.

The fall of Samaria (17). Hoshea withholds tribute and seeks Egypt's help. Shalmaneser V besieges Samaria for three years; in 722 BC it falls and Israel is deported to Assyria and Media. The writer explains why: Israel feared other gods, worshipped "upon every high hill, and under every green tree", made the calves and Baal images, and rejected the prophets. Foreign settlers in Samaria "feared the LORD, and served their own gods", the origin of a mixed population later known as the Samaritans.

Part 3 — Judah Alone: Hezekiah to the Exile (chapters 18–25)

Hezekiah's reform (18). Hezekiah removes the high places and breaks Moses' bronze serpent, now called Nehushtan. "He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah."

Sennacherib's threat (18–19). In 701 BC Sennacherib takes Judah's fortified cities. His field commander (the Rabshakeh) taunts Jerusalem's defenders in Hebrew: no god has saved any nation from Assyria. Hezekiah spreads Sennacherib's letter before the LORD and prays. Isaiah answers that the king will not enter the city or shoot an arrow there. That night the angel of the LORD strikes 185,000 Assyrians; Sennacherib returns to Nineveh and is later killed by his sons.

Illness and envoys (20). Hezekiah is told he will die. He prays and weeps: "I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears." Fifteen years are added, confirmed by the shadow going back ten steps. But he shows envoys from Babylon all his treasures, and Isaiah foretells that everything, and some of his descendants, will be carried to Babylon.

Manasseh and Amon (21). Manasseh reigns 55 years, the longest and worst reign. He rebuilds the high places, sets altars for the stars in the temple courts, places an Asherah pole in the temple, practises sorcery, burns his son, and fills Jerusalem with innocent blood. The LORD declares he will "wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish". His son Amon follows him and is assassinated.

Josiah's reform (22–23). Josiah becomes king at eight. During temple repairs the high priest Hilkiah finds "the book of the law". Josiah tears his clothes; the prophetess Huldah confirms coming judgment but spares Josiah because his heart was tender. He reads the covenant to the people, purges idols from the temple and land, defiles Topheth, destroys the Bethel altar as a prophet had foretold three centuries earlier, and keeps an unmatched Passover. "Like unto him was there no king before him." Yet the LORD's anger over Manasseh does not turn. Josiah dies at Megiddo confronting Pharaoh Neco (609 BC).

The last kings (23–24). Egypt deposes Jehoahaz and installs Jehoiakim, who later submits to Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and then rebels. In 597 BC his son Jehoiachin surrenders; Babylon carries off the king, the temple treasures and ten thousand leaders and craftsmen. Nebuchadnezzar makes Zedekiah king.

The fall of Jerusalem (25). Zedekiah rebels. After a siege from 588 to 586 BC, famine grips the city and the wall is breached. Zedekiah flees by night, is caught near Jericho, sees his sons executed, and is blinded and taken to Babylon. Nebuzaradan burns the temple, the palace and the great houses, breaks down the walls and carries off the bronze pillars and sea. Gedaliah, the appointed governor at Mizpah, is murdered by Ishmael, and the remaining people flee to Egypt.

Jehoiachin released (25:27–30). In the 37th year of exile, Evil-merodach of Babylon frees Jehoiachin from prison, speaks kindly to him and gives him a seat at the king's table for the rest of his life.

Key themes, and the bridge to 1 Chronicles

  • The prophetic word comes true. Elijah's, Elisha's, Isaiah's and Huldah's words are fulfilled exactly; history unfolds "according to the word of the LORD".
  • Covenant faithfulness decides the nation's fate. Exile is presented as the outcome the law of Moses warned of, after long patience and many prophets.
  • Reform is real but not enough. Hezekiah and Josiah are the best kings, yet Manasseh's legacy and the people's hearts bring the end.
  • God's power beyond Israel. Naaman the Aramean is healed; Assyria and Babylon are instruments in God's hand.
  • A lamp for David. Despite everything, David's line survives in exile.

2 Kings ends in ruin, with Jerusalem burned and its people scattered, but with David's heir alive and eating at a king's table, a quiet hint that the promise is not dead. 1 Chronicles goes back to the beginning, to Adam, and retells Israel's story for the returning exiles, centred on David, the temple and true worship.