2 Kings 14


King Amaziah defeats the Edomites.

When Joash had been king of Israel for 2 years, Amaziah became king of Judah. Israel's King Joash was the son of Jehoahaz. Joash was also the name of King Amaziah's father, but they were not the same person.
[1] In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah.


Amaziah was 25 years old when he became the king of Judah. He was king for 29 years. He was king in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jehoaddan, and she was from Jerusalem.
[2] He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.


Amaziah obeyed God and did good things, but he was not as good as David. He did things like his father, Joash. He did not destroy all of the places where people worshiped false gods. People continued to make sacrifices and burn incense.
[3] And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did.
[4] Howbeit the high places were not taken away: as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places.


As soon as he became king, he killed the men who murdered his father. But he did not kill the murderers' children. He obeyed God's law. God's law said that people should die for their own sins. They should not die because their fathers sinned, and fathers should not die because their children sinned.
[5] And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand, that he slew his servants which had slain the king his father.
[6] But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
 

Amaziah killed 10,000 people called Edomites in the area named Edom. He killed them at the place called the Valley of Salt.  He captured the city named Selah. Then he changed the name to Joktheel. When this book of the Bible was written, the city was still named Joktheel.
[7] He slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this day.

 

Israel and Judah fight a war.


King Amaziah sent a message to King Joash of Israel.  He wanted to fight a war with him.
[8] Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.


King Joash of Israel replied. He told Amaziah a story.  The story was about a small thistle plant and a big cedar tree who lived in the area of Lebanon.  The small thistle plant sent a message to the big cedar tree. The thistle wanted the tree's daughter to marry his son. Then a wild animal in Lebanon stepped on the thistle and destroyed it.
[9] And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.


Joash said that Amaziah defeated Edom. He should celebrate his victory. But he should stay home. He shouldn't fight a war with Judah. If there is a war, both Israel and Judah will get hurt.
[10] Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath lifted thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?


Amaziah wouldn't listen to Joash. They had a war at the place named Beth-shemesh in Judah. Judah lost the war. All of the Judah soldiers ran away and went home.
[11] But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to Judah.
[12] And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to their tents.


King Joash of Israel captured King Amaziah of Judah. Then King Joash attacked Jerusalem. He destroyed the wall from the Ephraim gate to the corner gate. This part of the wall was about 400 cubits long.
[13] And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.


King Joash of Israel took all the silver and gold things in God's temple and in Amaziah's house. He also captured some people in Jerusalem. He took all of them back to Samaria.
[14] And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.


Joash did other things while he was king of Israel. The book about the kings of Israel tells about these things. The book tells more about the war between Joash and Amaziah.
[15] Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
 

Joash died. He was buried in Samaria with the other kings of Israel. His son, Jeroboam, became the new king.
[16] And Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead.

 

King Amaziah of Israel is murdured.


After Joash died, Amaziah lived for another 15 years.
[17] And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.


The book about the kings of Judah tells about the other things Amaziah did.
[18] And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?


Some people made a plan to kill Amaziah. They planned to kill him in Jerusalem. Amaziah escaped to the place named Lachish.  The people followed him to Lachish, and they killed him there. They brought his body back to Jerusalem on horses. He was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors.
[19] Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there.
[20] And they brought him on horses: and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.

 

Jeroboam of Israel takes back some of Israel's land.


The people in Judah made Amaziah's son, Azariah, the new king. Azariah was 16 years old when he became the king. 
[21] And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.


Before he died, Azariah built the place named Elath and made it part of Judah again.
[22] He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.


When Amaziah had been king of Judah for 15 years, Joash's son, Jeroboam, became the king of Israel. He was king for 41 years.
[23] In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years.


Jeroboam did bad things in God's eyes. He caused Israel to sin the same as the first king Jeroboam.
[24] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.


Jeroboam made Israel bigger from the area of Hamath to the Dead Sea (these areas   belonged to Israel in the past, but other people had captured them). God talked to the prophet named Jonah (his father's name was Amittai, and he was from Gath-hepher). God told Jonah that Israel would take these areas back.
[25] He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gath-hepher.


God helped Jeroboam take these areas back because God saw that the Israelites were suffering.  The situation was terrible. God had promised that He would not destroy Israel. So God saved Israel through Joash's son, Jeroboam.
[26] For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel.
[27] And the LORD said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.


Jeroboam did other things while he was king.  He took back the cities of Damascus and Hamath. The book about the kings of Israel tells about the other things that Jeroboam did.
[28] Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he warred, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which belonged to Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?


Jeroboam died and his son Zachariah became the new king.
[29] And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead.
 

2 King 15


King Azariah of Judah


When Jeroboam was king of Israel for 27 years, Azariah began to be the king of Judah.
[1] In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.


Azariah was 16 years old when he became king. He was king in Jerusalem for 52 years. His mother's name was Jecholiah. She was from Jerusalem.
[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.


Azariah did good things in God's eyes the same as his father, Amaziah. But he did not destroy all of the places where people worshiped false gods. People made sacrifices and burned incense in those places.
[3] And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done;
[4] Save that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places.


God gave King Azariah a disease. The king had the skin disease called leprosy.  He had leprosy until he died. He lived in a house outside of Jerusalem. His son named Jotham lived in the king's house in Jerusalem and ruled as king.
[5] And 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.


Azariah did other things while he was king. The book about the kings of Judah tells about these things.  Azariah died. He was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors. His son, Jotham, became the new king.
[6] 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?
[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.

 

King Zachariah is murdered.
 

When Azariah had been king of Judah for 38 years, Zachariah became king of Israel. Zachariah was king for 6 months.
[8] In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.


Zachariah did not obey God. He did bad things like some of his ancestors. He sinned the same as Jeroboam (his father's name was Nebat). He caused Israel to sin.
[9] And 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.
 

A man named Shallum (his father was named Jabesh) made plans against Zachariah. He killed him in front of the people. Then he became king in his place.
[10] And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.


The book about the kings of Israel tells about the other things that Zachariah did.
[11] And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.


Back in 2 Kings 10:30, God told Jehu that his descendants would be kings in Israel for 4 generations.  The Israelites saw that God kept his promise. Note: After Jehu came the kings Jehoahaz, Joash, Jeroboam, and Zachariah.
[12] This 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.

 

King Shallum of Israel is murdered.


Shallum (his father's name was Jebesh) became the king of Israel when Uzziah had been king of Judah for 39 years.  Shallum was king of Israel in Samaria for one month.
[13] Shallum 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.


A man named Menahem (his father's name was Gadi) traveled from the area of Tirzah to Samaria. He hit and killed Shallum in Samaria. Then he became the new king.
[14] For 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.


The book about the kings of Israel tells more about Shallum. The book tells about how he planned to kill Zachariah.
[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.
 

Menahem becomes king of Israel.


Menahem killed all of the people in the area named Tiphsah. He killed them in the area near Tirzah. He killed them because they would not open their gates to let him in. He destroyed the city. He cut open the women who were pregnant. 
[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 all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.

 

When Azariah had been king of Judah for 39 years,  Menahem (his father was Gadi) began to be king of Israel. He was king for 10 years in Samaria. Menahem did bad things in God's eyes. For all of his life, he behaved the same as Jeroboam who caused Israel to sin.
[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.
[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.
 

King Menahem pays money to the king of Assyria.
 

The king of Assyria was Tiglath Pileser III (before he became king, his name was Pul).  He came to fight a war with Israel. Menahem gave him a lot of money. He gave him 1, 000 talents of silver (about 75,000 pounds). Menahem gave the Assyrian king a lot of money so that he would support him as king of Israel.
[19] And 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.


Menahem took money from the rich men in Israel. Each man gave 50 shekels of silver (about 1 ½ pounds). Menahem gave the money to the king of Assyria. Then Assyria left and did not stay in Israel.
[20] And 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.


The book about the kings of Israel tells about the other things that Menahem did.
[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?

 

Menahem's son, Pekahiah, becomes the new king of Israel.


Menahem died, and his son, Pekahiah, became the new king.
[22] And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead.


When Azariah was king of Judah for 50 years, Pekahiah began to be king in Israel.  Pekahiah was king for 2 years.
[23] In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned two years.


Pekahiah did bad things in God's eyes. He sinned the same as Jeroboam who caused Israel to sin.
[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.


A leader in Pekahiah's army was named Pekah (his father's name was Remaliah). Pekah made plans and killed Pekahiah in Samaria. He killed him in the king's house. Some other men helped him kill Pekahiah. The other men were named Argob and Arieh. There were also 50 men from the area of Gilead.  They killed Pekahiah, then Pekah became the new king.
[25] But 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.
 

The book about the kings of Israel tells about the other things that Pekahiah did when he was king.
[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.

 

Pekah, king of Israel


When Azariah was king of Judah for 52 years, Pekah (his father was Remaliah) became king of Israel. He was king for 20 years.
[27] In 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.


Pekah did not obey God. He did bad things in God's eyes. He behaved the same as the first king named Jeroboam (his father was Nebat). Jeroboam made Israel sin.
[28] 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.

 

Assyria attacks Israel and takes many Israelites away.


While Pekah of king of Israel,  the king of Assyria attacked. The Assyrian king was named Tiglath-pileser. He attacked Israel and took many Israelites away. He took them back to Assyria. He took Israelites from the places named Ijon, Abel-beth-maachah, Jonoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, Galilee, and the tribe of Naphtali's land.
[29] In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maachah, and Jonoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.

 

Hoshea kills Pekah and becomes the new king of Israel.


A man named Hoshea (his father was Elah) made plans to kill Pekah. He killed him and became the new king. Hoshea became king of Israel when Jotham had been king of Judah for 20 years.
[30] And 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.

The book about the kings of Israel tells about the other things that Pekah did while he was king.
[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.
 

Jotham, king of Judah


When Pekah had been king of Israel for 2 years, Jotham (his father was Uzziah) became the king of Judah.
[32] In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign.


Jotham was 25 years old when he became king. He was king for 16 years in Jerusalem. Jotham's mother's name was Jerusha. She was the daughter of Zadok.
[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 Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok.


Jotham obeyed God like his father, Uzziah, did.  Jotham built the upper gate at God's temple, but he did not destroy all of the places where people worshiped false gods.  People still made sacrifices and burned incense to false gods.
[34] And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD: he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done.
[35] Howbeit 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.
 

The book about the kings of Judah tells about the other things Jotham did when he was king.
[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?


At this time, God sent Syria's king, Rezin, and Israel's king, Pekah, to attack Judah.
[37] In those days the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.


Jotham died and was buried with his ancestors in Jerusalem. Then his son, Ahaz, became the new king.
[38] And 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.

 

2 Kings 16


King Ahaz of Judah makes human sacrifices.

When Pekah had been king of Israel for 17 years, Ahaz became king of Judah.
[1] In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.


Ahaz was 20 years old when he began to be king. He was king for 16 years in Jerusalem. He did not obey God like his ancestor, David.
[2] Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD his God, like David his father.

Ahaz behaved the same as the earlier kings of Israel. He sacrificed his own son with fire. This was the same bad behavior as the people who lived in Canaan before the Israelites. These people sacrificed their own children. When Israel entered Canaan,  God threw these people out.
[3] But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel.


Ahaz made sacrifices and burned incense in places where people worshiped false gods. He made sacrifices on hills and under all of the green trees.
[4] And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

 

The Assyrian king comes to help King Ahaz.



The king of Syria, Rezin, and the king of Israel, Pekah, came to fight a war at Jerusalem. They fought against Ahaz, but they did not defeat him.
[5] Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him.


At this time, Rezin and Syria took control of the town named Elath (Elath was in the southern part of Israel).  The Syrians made the Jewish people leave. When this book of the Bible was written, the Syrians continued to control Elath.
[6] At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day.


King Ahaz sent a message to the king of Assyria, Tiglath-pileser.  Ahaz asked Tiglath-pileser to come and help. He wanted help because the Israelites and the Syrians were attacking Judah. Ahaz said he supported Tiglath-pileser.
[7] So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me.


Ahaz took the silver and gold from God's temple. He also took the silver and gold from the king's house. He sent all of it to the king of Assyria.
[8] And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria.
 

The king of Assyria listened to Ahaz. Then Assyria attacked the Syrian city named Damascus. They captured the city. They took the people in the city away and took them to the Assyrian city named Kir.  They killed the Syrian king, Rezin.
[9] And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin.

 

King Ahaz makes changes to the temple and the temple items.


King Ahaz traveled to Damascus, Syria. He met Tiglath-pileser there. He saw an altar in Damascus. He wanted an altar like it in Jerusalem. He sent the information to the priest named Urijah. Urijah made a copy of the altar.  
[10] And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof.
[11] And Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus: so Urijah the priest made it against king Ahaz came from Damascus.


When Ahaz returned to Jerusalem from Damascus, he saw the new altar.  He went to the altar and made offerings. He made a burnt offering, meat offering, and drink offering. He sprinkled blood from his peace offering on the altar.
[12] And when the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar: and the king approached to the altar, and offered thereon.
[13] and he burnt his burnt offering and his meat offering, and poured his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings, upon the altar.


He also moved the brass altar from God's Temple. He wanted the people to see the new altar first. 
[14] And he brought also the brasen altar, which was before the LORD, from the forefront of the house, from between the altar and the house of the LORD, and put it on the north side of the altar.
 

King Ahaz told Urijah the priest what to do. He told him to make the morning burnt offerings and the evening meat offerings on the new altar. He told him to also make the king's burnt and meat offerings on the new altar. He told him to make the people's burnt, meat, and drink offerings on the new altar.  He should sprinkle the blood on the new altar. Ahaz will use the old brass altar when he wants to ask God questions.
[15] And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meat offering, and the king's burnt sacrifice, and his meat offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and the brasen altar shall be for me to inquire by.


Urijah did everything that Ahaz asked him to do.
[16] Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all that king Ahaz commanded.


The 10 lavers (bowls) at the temple sat on bases that had artwork. Ahaz cut off the bases and the artwork. He took the lavers (bowls) off. The brass sea (large bowl) sat on statues of oxen. Ahaz took the large bowl off the oxen. He set the brass sea on rocks. 
[17] And king Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from off them; and took down the sea from off the brasen oxen that were under it, and put it upon a pavement of stones.

There was a large covering or tent that was used on Sunday. There was also a special door or gate that the king used when he went to God's Temple.  Ahaz took both of these down. He took them down because Tiglath-pilesar told him to.
[18] And the covert for the sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king's entry without, turned he from the house of the LORD for the king of Assyria.


Ahaz did other things while he was king of Judah. The book about the kings of Judah tells about the other things he did. Ahaz died and was buried with his ancestors in Jerusalem. Then his son Hezekiah became the new king.
[19] Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
[20] And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.