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2 Kings Chapter Fifteen

 

2 Kings 15 Outline of Contents

Azariah Reigns in Judah (v.1~7)

Zechariah Reigns in Israel (v.8~12)

Shallum Reigns in Israel (v.13~16)

Menahem Reigns in Israel (v.17~22)

Pekahiah Reigns in Israel (v.23~26)

Pekah Reigns in Israel (v.27~31)

Jotham Reigns in Judah (v.32~38)

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 15

This chapter begins with the reign of Azariah king of Judah, 2 Kings 15:1, and then gives a short account of the several kings of Israel, to the last of them; of Zachariah, 2 Kings 15:8, of Shallum, 2 Kings 15:13 of Menahem, 2 Kings 15:16 of Pekahiah, 2 Kings 15:23, of Pekah, succeeded by Hoshea, the last of them, 2 Kings 15:27, and is included with the reign of Jotham king of Judah, 2 Kings 15:32.

 

2 Kings 15:1  In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah the son of Amaziah, king of Judah, became king.

   YLT  1In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned hath Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah,

In the twenty amd seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah the son on Amaziah king of Judah to reign. Now Amaziah lived only to the fifteenth year of Jeroboam, 2 Kings 14:2 in which year, and not in his twenty seventh, it might be thought Azariah his son began to reign. There are various ways taken to remove this difficulty, not to take notice of a corruption of numbers, "twenty seven for seventeen", which some insist on. Ben Gersom and Abarbinel are of opinion, that those twenty seven years of Jeroboam's reign are not to be understood of what were past, but of what were to come before the family of Jehu was extinct; and that he reigned twenty six years, and his son six months, which made twenty seven imperfect years. Others suppose that Jeroboam reigned with his father eleven or twelve years before his death; and, reckoning from the different periods of his reign, this was either the twenty seventh year, or the fifteenth or sixteenth: and others, that the reign of Azariah may be differently reckoned, either from the time his father fled to Lachish, where he might remain eleven or twelve years, or from his death, and so may be said to begin to reign either in the fifteenth or twenty seventh of Jeroboam; or there was an interregnum of eleven or twelve years after the death of his father, he being a minor of about four years of age, which was the fifteenth of Jeroboam, during which time the government was in the hands of the princes and great men of the nation; and it was not till Azariah was sixteen years of age, and when it was the twenty seventh of Jeroboam's reign, that the people agreed to make him king, see 2 Kings 14:21 and which seems to be the best way of accounting for it.

 

2 Kings 15:2  2 He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.

   YLT  2a son of sixteen years was he in his reigning, and fifty and two years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother [is] Jecholiah of Jerusalem,

Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign,.... By the consent of the people and princes of Judah, 2 Kings 14:21.

and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem: exclusive of the eleven or twelve years of his minority, from his father's death:

and his mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem; of whom there is no further account any where.

 

2 Kings 15:3  3 And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done,

   YLT  3and he doth that which [is] right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that Amaziah his father did,

And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord,.... At the beginning of his reign, and in an external way:

according to all that his father Amaziah had done; who did not do what he did as David, sincerely and cordially, 2 Kings 14:3.

 

2 Kings 15:4  4 except that the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

   YLT  4only, the high places have not turned aside -- yet are the people sacrificing and making perfume in high places.

Save that the high places were not removed,.... That is, he did right, excepting in that instance, and which was the case of his father and other kings before him, and others afterwards, till Hezekiah came:

the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places; see 2 Kings 12:3.

 

2 Kings 15:5  5 Then the Lord struck the king, so that he was a leper until the day of his death; so he dwelt in an isolated house. And Jotham the king’s son was over the royal house, judging the people of the land.

   YLT  5And Jehovah smiteth the king, and he is a leper unto the day of his death, and he dwelleth in a separate house, and Jotham son of the king [is] over the house, judging the people of the land.

And the Lord smote the king,.... With leprosy; the reason of it was, because he intruded into the priest's office, and went into the temple to burn incense on the altar of incense, 2 Chronicles 26:19,

so that he was a leper unto the day of his death; but how long it was to it from his being smitten cannot be said with certainty; Dr. LightfootF12Works, vol. 1. p. 99. thinks he died the same year he was smitten:

and dwelt in a several house: without Jerusalem, as the Targum; for lepers, according to the law, were to dwell separate without the camp or city, Leviticus 13:46 the word for "several" signifies "free"F13בבית החפשית "in domo libero", V. L. Tigurine version, &c. ; here he lived alone, free from the company and conversation of men, free from the business of government, his son doing that for him, and in the country, where he might freely walk about, as lepers did, and take the air; the Jews sayF14T. Hieros. apud Jarchium in loc. , his house was among the graves, where he was free among the dead, as the phrase is, Psalm 88:5, but not likely; much better is what Abendana observes from R. Jonah, that the word, in the ArabicF15"in exiqua domo resedit assidue", Castel. Lexic. col. 1345. language, signifies a little house, and so this might be in which he dwelt out of the city, in comparison of his palace:

and Jotham the king's son was over the house; had the direction of the palace, and the management of all affairs in it:

judging the people of the land; administering justice in all cases, for which they came to him, and so filled up his father's place; he did not depose his father, nor take upon him to be king, only did the business of one.

 

2 Kings 15:6  6 Now 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?

   YLT  6And the rest of the matters of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?

And 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? In the history of the reigns of those kings; some of them are recorded in the canonical book of the Chronicles, 2 Chronicles 26:1 and some were written by the prophet Isaiah, 2 Chronicles 26:22.

 

2 Kings 15:7  7 So Azariah rested with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the City of David. Then Jotham his son reigned in his place.

   YLT  7And Azariah lieth with his fathers, and they bury him with his fathers, in the city of David, and reign doth Jotham his son in his stead.

So Azariah slept with his fathers,.... Or died, when he had reigned fifty two years:

and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David; but not in the sepulchres of the kings, but in the field of the burial, or the burying ground which belonged to them, because he was a leper, 2 Chronicles 26:23. Benjamin of TudelaF16Itinerar. p. 43. places his grave near the pillar of Absalom, and the fountain of Siloah, near the brook Kidron:

and Jotham his son reigned in his stead; who reigned sixteen years; a further account of him, and his reign, we have in the latter part of this chapter, after the reigns of several of the kings of Israel.

 

2 Kings 15:8  8 In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six months.

   YLT  8In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah reigned hath Zechariah son of Jeroboam over Israel, in Samaria, six months,

In the thirty eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months. Since Azariah began to reign in the twenty seventh of Jeroboam, 2 Kings 15:1, and Jeroboam reigned forty one years, 2 Kings 14:23, his last year must be the fifteenth or sixteenth of Azariah, in which year Zachariah must have begun to reign, had he immediately succeeded his father in the throne; there must be therefore an interregnum of twenty two years at least, which might be owing to the dissensions among the princes and people about the succession, and a dislike to Zachariah on some account; however, after all, he must reign, though but six months, to fulfil the word of the Lord, see 2 Kings 15:12.

 

2 Kings 15:9  9 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, as his fathers had done; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin.

   YLT  9and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, as did his fathers, he hath not turned aside from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin.

Even all his predecessors, from the time of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, from whose sin, in worshipping the calves, they departed not.

 

2 Kings 15:10  10 Then Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and struck and killed him in front of the people; and he reigned in his place.

   YLT  10And Shallum son of Jabesh conspireth against him, and smiteth him before the people, and putteth him to death, and reigneth in his stead.

And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him,.... A friend of his, as JosephusF17Antiqu. l. 9. c. 11. sect. 1. calls him, encouraged by the dissatisfaction of the people to him:

and smote him before the people, and slew him; in a public manner, the people consenting to it, and approving of it, not liking Zachariah to be their king:

and reigned in his stead; though but a very short time.

 

2 Kings 15:11  11 Now the rest of the acts of Zechariah, indeed they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

   YLT  11And the rest of the matters of Zechariah, lo, they are written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel.

And the rest of the acts of Zachariah,.... During his six months' reign, and what he might do before in the interregnum:

behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel: for be they more or fewer, good or bad, they were all recorded there which were of any moment.

 

2 Kings 15:12  12 This was the word of the Lord which He spoke to Jehu, saying, “Your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.[a] And so it was.

   YLT  12It [is] the word of Jehovah that He spake unto Jehu, saying, `Sons of the fourth [generation] do sit for thee on the throne of Israel;' and it is so.

This was the word of the Lord which he spake unto Jehu,.... Which was now fulfilled in the short reign of Zachariah:

saying, thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation; see 2 Kings 10:30, and so it came to pass; as every word of the Lord does, not one fails; for after Jehu reigned Jehoahaz, Jehoash, Jeroboam the second, and Zachariah, all descendants of Jehu.

 

2 Kings 15:13  13 Shallum the son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah[b] king of Judah; and he reigned a full month in Samaria.

   YLT  13Shallum son of Jabesh hath reigned in the thirty and ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah, and he reigneth a month of days in Samaria;

Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of Uzziah king of Judah,.... The same with Azariah: he is sometimes called by one name, and sometimes by the other, see 2 Kings 14:21,

and he reigned a full month in Samaria: and no longer; so soon were the conspiracy against his sovereign, and the murder of him, punished.

 

2 Kings 15:14  14 For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, came to Samaria, and struck Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria and killed him; and he reigned in his place.

   YLT  14and go up doth Menahem son of Gadi from Tirzah and cometh in to Samaria, and smiteth Shallum son of Jabesh in Samaria, and putteth him to death, and reigneth in his stead.

For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah,.... A city in the tribe of Manasseh, the royal city of the kings of Israel before Omri, of which See Gill on Joshua 12:24, whether Menahem was of this city, or was now besieging it with an army he had the command of, as JosephusF18Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 9. c. 11. sect. 1.) suggests, is not certain; however, hearing what had befallen Zachariah, he came from hence: and came to Samaria; which, according to BuntingF19Travels, &c. p. 169. , was six miles from Tirzah:

and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead; judging he had as good a right to the throne as Shallum had.

 

2 Kings 15:15  15 Now the rest of the acts of Shallum, and the conspiracy which he led, indeed they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

   YLT  15And the rest of the matters of Shallum, and his conspiracy that he made, lo, they are written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel.

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. In which, no doubt, an account of the cause of the conspiracy, and of the persons assisting to him in it, was given, with other things done in his short reign.

 

2 Kings 15:16  16 Then from Tirzah, Menahem attacked Tiphsah, all who were there, and its territory. Because they did not surrender, therefore he attacked it. All the women there who were with child he ripped open.

   YLT  16Then doth Menahem smite Tiphsah, and all who [are] in it, and its borders from Tirzah, for it opened not [to him], and he smiteth [it], all its pregnant women he hath ripped up.

Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah,.... The Jewish writers commonly take this Tiphsah to be without the land of Israel, the same with that in 1 Kings 4:24 on the borders of Syria, and near the Euphrates; but it seems to be some place nearer Samaria, and Tirzah; according to BuntingF20Travels, &c. p. 169. , it was but six miles from Samaria:

because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; they refused to open the gates of their city to him, and receive him, and acknowledge him as their king; therefore he exercised severity on the inhabitants of it, and the parts adjacent, as far as Tirzah, putting them to the sword:

and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up: which was a most shocking instance of barbarity, and which he did, to terrify others from following their example. Ben Gersom interprets it of strong towers built on mountains, which he demolished, deriving "haroth", which we render "women with child", from הר, "a mountain".

 

2 Kings 15:17  17 In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem the son of Gadi became king over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria.

   YLT  17In the thirty and ninth year of Azariah king of Judah reigned hath Menahem son of Gadi over Israel -- ten years in Samaria.

In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel,.... Shallum reigning but one month, both their reigns began the same year.

 

2 Kings 15:18  18 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not depart all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin.

   YLT  18And he doth the evil in the eyes of Jehovah, he hath turned not aside from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin, all his days.

And he did that which was evil,.... The same character is given of him as of those before him, 2 Kings 15:9.

 

2 Kings 15:19  19 Pul[c] king of Assyria came against the land; and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to strengthen the kingdom under his control.

   YLT  19Pul king of Asshur hath come against the land, and Menahem giveth to Pul a thousand talents of silver, for his hand being with him to strengthen the kingdom in his hand.

And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land,.... The land of Israel, he invaded it; a Jewish chronologerF21David Ganz. Tzemach David, par. 2. fol. 5. 2. calls him Pulbelicho; and he is generally thought to be the same with Belochus or Belesis, governor of Babylon, who, with Arbaces the Mede, slew Sardanapalus, said to be the last of the Assyrian kings, and translated the empire to the Chaldeans; he ruling over Babylon and Nineveh, and Arbaces over the Medes and Persians; but Pul was not a Babylonian, but an AssyrianF23See the Universal History, vol. 4. B. 1. ch. 8. sect. 5. , and the first king of the Assyrians, at least, the Scriptures speak of: we read no more of him; but one Metasthenes, a Persian historian, feigned and published by Annius, and so named by him instead of Megasthenes, calls him Phulbelochus, and saysF24De Judicio Temp. & Annal. Pers. fol. 221. 2. he reigned forty eight years:

and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver; and a talent of silver, according to BrerewoodF25De Ponder & Pret. Vet. Num. c. 4. was three hundred and seventy five pounds; but Bishop CumberlandF26Scripture Weights and Measures, c. 4. p. 120. calculates it at three hundred and fifty three pounds eleven shillings and ten pence half penny; 1,000 of them made a large sum of money, according to the former 375,000 pounds; and this he gave to him, not only to desist from the invasion of his land, but

that his hand might be with him; and not against him:

and to confirm the kingdom in his hand; which being got by usurpation, and supported by cruelty, was but tottering.

 

2 Kings 15:20  20 And Menahem exacted the money from Israel, from all the very wealthy, from each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and did not stay there in the land.

   YLT  20And Menahem bringeth out the silver [from] Israel, [from] all the mighty men of wealth, to give to the king of Asshur, fifty shekels of silver for each one, and the king of Asshur turneth back and hath not stayed there in the land.

And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth,.... Who were most able to pay it, by which means he eased the poor, and might thereby attach them to him:

of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria: that is, he required them to pay fifty shekels apiece to make up the above sum as a present to Pul; though the words in the original text lie more naturally thus, "to give to the king of Assyria fifty shekels of silver for one man"; that is, for every man in his army; which amounted to about six pounds a man:

so the king of Assyria turned back; to his own country:

and stayed not there in the land; in the land of Israel, neither to distress nor to help Menahem, for which he gave him the money.

 

2 Kings 15:21  21 Now 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?

   YLT  21And the rest of the matters of Menahem, and all that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?

And the rest of the acts of Menahem,.... We are referred to the same book of chronicles for them as for those of the rest of the kings, which seems to be a form the historian uses of them all.

 

2 Kings 15:22  22 So Menahem rested with his fathers. Then Pekahiah his son reigned in his place.

   YLT  22And Menahem lieth with his fathers, and reign doth Pekahiah his son in his stead.

And Menahem slept with his fathers,.... Died a natural death, and in peace, though an usurper and a tyrant:

and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead; the kingdom he had usurped continued in his family.

 

2 Kings 15:23  23 In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah the son of Menahem became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned two years.

   YLT  23In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah hath Pekahiah son of Menahem reigned over Israel, in Samaria -- two years,

In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria,.... As it was in the thirty ninth of Azariah that his father began his reign, and he reigned ten years, they must end in the forty ninth of Azariah, and therefore there must be an interregnum of a year; perhaps the title of Pekahiah might be disputed, and it was a year before he could get settled on the throne:

and reigned two years; being slain by one of his captains, as after related.

 

2 Kings 15:24  24 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin.

   YLT  24and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, he hath not turned aside from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin.

And he did that which was evil,.... Besides other sins, he cleaved to that of worshipping the calves, a piece of state policy all the kings of Israel gave into.

 

2 Kings 15:25  25 Then Pekah the son of Remaliah, an officer of his, conspired against him and killed him in Samaria, in the citadel of the king’s house, along with Argob and Arieh; and with him were fifty men of Gilead. He killed him and reigned in his place.

  YLT  25And Pekah son of Remaliah, his captain, doth conspire against him, and smiteth him in Samaria, in the high place of the house of the king with Argob and Arieh, and with him fifty men of the sons of the Gileadites, and he putteth him to death, and reigneth in his stead.

But Pekah the son of Remaliah, a captain of his,.... The word signifies a "third" man, the third to the king, as some think; JosephusF1Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 9. c. 11. sect. 1.) calls him a "chiliarch", one that had the command of a thousand men:

conspired against him, and smote him in Samaria, in the palace of the king's house; JosephusF2Ibid. says it was at a banquet:

with Argob, and Arieh; whom, according to Abarbinel, Pekah slew with the king, being mighty men, who were always about him; but they seem rather to be conspirators with Pekah, and assisting to him in smiting the king; the former of these, Ben Gersom thinks, was governor of Argob, a country on the other side Jordan, and the latter had his name from his fortitude, which signifies a lion:

and with him fifty men of the Gileadites; which may seem to strengthen the above notion concerning Argob, since the Gileadites were of the same side of Jordan, and were near Argob, see Deuteronomy 3:13.

and he killed him, and reigned in his room, as his father killed Shallum, and reigned in his stead.

 

2 Kings 15:26  26 Now the rest of the acts of Pekahiah, and all that he did, indeed they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

   YLT  26And the rest of the matters of Pekahiah, and all that he did, lo, they are written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel.

And the rest of the acts of Pekahiah,.... The same form of expression is used as before, 2 Kings 15:21, of all the kings.

 

2 Kings 15:27  27 In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah the son of Remaliah became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned twenty years.

   YLT  27In the fifty and second year of Azariah king of Judah, reigned hath Pekah son of Remaliah over Israel, in Samaria -- twenty years,

In the fifty second year of Azariah king of Judah Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria,.... Which was the last year of the reign of Azariah:

and reigned twenty years; which was a long reign for an usurper and murderer.

 

2 Kings 15:28  28 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin.

   YLT  28and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, he hath not turned aside from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, that he caused Israel to sin.

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord,.... Not only in committing the above crimes of usurpation and murder, but idolatry, and particularly the worshipping of the calves, hinted at in the text.

 

2 Kings 15:29  29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maachah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria.

   YLT  29In the days of Pekah king of Israel hath Tiglath-Pileser king of Asshur come, and taketh Ijon, and Abel-Beth-Maachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and removeth them to Asshur.

In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria,.... Into the land of Israel; he is called by a Jewish chronologerF3David Ganz. Ut supra. (Tzemach David, par. 2. fol. 3. 2.) , Pul-Asir; so Phul-Assar by MetasthenesF4Ut supra. (De Judicio Temp. & Annal. Pers. fol. 221. 2.) , who says he reigned twenty five years; he very probably was the son of Pul the Assyrian king, mentioned 2 Kings 15:19, and is thought to be the same that AelianusF5De Animal. l. 12. c. 21. calls Tilgamos; some think he had the first part of his name from Diglath, or Diglito, by which the river Tigris is called in PlinyF6Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 27. , with which Assyria was washed; and that Pil, or Pul, is Baal, Bel, Jupiter, and Azar is MarsF7Hyde Hist. Relig. Pers. p. 65, 66. ; of all which his name is composed:

and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah; of which see 1 Kings 15:20,

and Janoah; a city in the tribe of Ephraim, Joshua 16:6.

and Kedesh, and Hazor; cities in Naphtali: Joshua 19:36.

and Gilead; a country beyond Jordan, which belonged to the Reubenites, Gadites, and half tribe of Manasseh:

and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; that is, upper Galilee, which lay in Naphtali:

and carried them captive to Assyria; which was the first captivity of Israel in which half their tribes were carried away.

 

2 Kings 15:30  30 Then Hoshea the son of Elah led a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and struck and killed him; so he reigned in his place in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.

   YLT  30And make a conspiracy doth Hoshea son of Elah against Pekah son of Remaliah, and smiteth him, and putteth him to death, and reigneth in his stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah.

And Hoshea the son or Elab made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in his stead,.... Did by him as he had done by Pekahiah, 2 Kings 15:28, this was measure for measure, as the Jews say: and this he did

in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah; and yet Jotham is said to reign but sixteen years, 2 Kings 15:33, this must be reckoned therefore either from the time of his being viceroy, and judging Israel in his father's lifetime, 2 Kings 15:5 or this was the fourth year of Ahaz, and the twentieth year, reckoning from the time Jotham began to reign, who is the rather mentioned, because as yet the historian had taken no notice of Ahaz.

 

2 Kings 15:31  31 Now the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he did, indeed they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

   YLT  31And the rest of the matters of Pekah, and all that he did, lo, they are written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel.

And the rest of the acts of Pekah,.... Not recorded here, were to be read in the book of chronicles of the kings so often referred to.

 

2 Kings 15:32  32 In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, Jotham the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, began to reign.

   YLT  32In the second year of Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel reigned hath Jotham son of Uzziah king of Judah.

In the second year of Pekah, the son of Remaliah king of Israel, began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign. Pekah began to reign in the fifty second year of Azariah, or Uzziah, which was his last year, 2 Kings 15:27, and which was the first of Pekah; Uzziah reigned full fifty two, and then Jotham succeeded, which was the beginning of the second of Pekah.

 

2 Kings 15:33  33 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerusha[d] the daughter of Zadok.

   YLT  33A son of twenty and five years was he in his reigning, and sixteen years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother [is] Jerusha daughter of Zadok,

Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign,.... Alone, after the death of his father:

and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and his reign, upon the whole, was a good reign:

and his mother's name was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok; a person well known in those times; Dr. LightfootF8Works, vol. 1. p. 100. thinks he was high priest.

 

2 Kings 15:34  34 And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord; he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done.

   YLT  34and he doth that which [is] right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that Uzziah his father did he hath done.

And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord,.... Jarchi, in 2 Chronicles 27:2, observes, from a writer of theirs, that in all the kings of Judah before him, even in the best, some sins were found; but in Jotham there was nothing scandalous and reproachful; and it is a high character JosephusF9Antiqu. l. 9. c. 11. sect. 2. gives of him, that there was no virtue wanting in him; he was pious towards God, just towards men, and careful of the public good; but the inspired historian chiefly respects matters of religious worship; he did not give into idolatry:

he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done; that is, according to what was well done by him; he did not imitate him in going into the temple to burn incense, which is particularly excepted. 2 Chronicles 27:2.

 

2 Kings 15:35  35 However the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. He built the Upper Gate of the house of the Lord.

   YLT  35Only, the high places have not turned aside -- yet are the people sacrificing and making perfume in high places; he hath built the high gate of the house of Jehovah.

Howbeit the high places were not removed,.... As they were not by his father, and the same is observed of the best of kings before:

the people sacrificed and burnt incense still in the high places; from which they could not be brought off by prophets or kings:

he built the higher gate of the house of the Lord; which was between the temple and the king's palace, which led to it; this he repaired and beautified, or added something to it; or otherwise it was built by Solomon, and therefore called the new gate, Jeremiah 26:10 it is the same that was afterwards called the gate of Nicanor; the east gate, as say the Jewish writersF11T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 7. 1. Gloss. in ib. Maimon. Cele Hamikdash, c. 7. sect. 6. .

 

2 Kings 15:36  36 Now 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?

   YLT  36And the rest of the matters of Jotham, and all that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?

Now 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? Of which mention is often made by the inspired historians; some of Jotham's other acts are recorded in the canonical book of Chronicles, 2 Chronicles 27:1.

 

2 Kings 15:37  37 In those days the Lord began to send Rezin king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah against Judah.

   YLT  37In those days hath Jehovah begun to send against Judah Rezin king of Amram and Pekah son of Remaliah.

In those days,.... At the end of the days of Jotham, or after his death, things might be in design, and preparations made before, but nothing of what follows came to pass in his life, but in the times of his son:

the Lord began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah: to make war with them as a scourge to Ahaz for his sins; of which is in the following chapter.

 

2 Kings 15:38  38 So Jotham rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. Then Ahaz his son reigned in his place.

   YLT  38And Jotham lieth with his fathers, and is buried with his fathers, in the city of David his father, and reign doth Ahaz his son in his stead.

And Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father,.... Died, and was buried with the kings of Judah in their sepulchres:

and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead; an account of whose reign we have in the next chapter.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Footnotes:

  1. 2 Kings 15:12 2 Kings 10:30
  2. 2 Kings 15:13 Called Azariah in 14:21 and 15:1
  3. 2 Kings 15:19 That is, Tiglath-Pileser III (compare verse 29)
  4. 2 Kings 15:33 Spelled Jerushah in 2 Chronicles 27:1