The big picture
2 Kings 15 opens in verse 1 with “In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 19 with “And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave Pul a thousand…”, and closes in verse 38 with “And Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David…” Repeated or prominent terms include Israel, king, reigned, Judah, LORD. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
2 Kings · King James Version · 382 Kings 15:1-8
1–8: In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah…
2 Kings 15:1–8 opens with “In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of…” and reaches “In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Kings 15 develops its own movement around Israel, king, reigned, Judah, LORD, with particular weight carried by Azariah, king, Judah.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.” The number twenty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD , according to all that his father Amaziah had done;” Naming Amaziah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
2 Kings 15:1-8
King James Version1In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.
2Sixteen 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.
3And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD , according to all that his father Amaziah had done;
4Save that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places.
5And 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.
6And 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?
7So 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.
8In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.
2 Kings 15:9-16
9–16: He did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD , as his fathers had…
2 Kings 15:9–16 opens with “And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD , as his fathers had done: he departed…” and reaches “Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Kings 15 develops its own movement around Israel, king, reigned, Judah, LORD, with particular weight carried by Israel, Shallum, smote.
Context that brings the passage to life
“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…” Naming Israel and Jeroboam keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.” Naming Israel and Zachariah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned a full…” The number nine makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
2 Kings 15:9-16
King James Version9And 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.
10And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.
11And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
12This 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.
13Shallum 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.
14For 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.
15And 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.
16Then 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.
2 Kings 15:17-24
17–24: In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem…
2 Kings 15:17–24 opens with “In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign…” and reaches “And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD : he departed not from the sins of…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Kings 15 develops its own movement around Israel, king, reigned, Judah, LORD, with particular weight carried by Israel, Menahem, king.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, and…” The number nine makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand…” The number thousand makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
2 Kings 15:17-24
King James Version17In 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.
18And 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.
19And 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.
20And 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.
21And 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?
22And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead.
23In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned two years.
24And 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 15:25-32
25–32: Pekah the son of Remaliah, a captain of his, conspired against him, and…
2 Kings 15:25–32 opens with “But Pekah the son of Remaliah, a captain of his, conspired against him, and smote him in…” and reaches “In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Kings 15 develops its own movement around Israel, king, reigned, Judah, LORD, with particular weight carried by Israel, Pekah, king.
Context that brings the passage to life
“But Pekah the son of Remaliah, a captain of his, conspired against him, and smote him in Samaria, in the palace of the…” The number fifty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“In the two and fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria…” The number two makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maachah, and…” Naming Assyria and Abel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“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…” Naming Israel and Pekah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
2 Kings 15:25-32
King James Version25But 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.
26And 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.
27In 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.
28And 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.
29In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.
30And 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.
31And 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.
32In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign.
2 Kings 15:33-38
33–38: Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned…
2 Kings 15:33–38 opens with “Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in…” and reaches “And Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Kings 15 develops its own movement around Israel, king, reigned, Judah, LORD, with particular weight carried by LORD, began, father.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s…” The number five makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
2 Kings 15:33-38
King James Version33Five 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.
34And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD : he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done.
35Howbeit 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 .
36Now 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?
37In those days the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.
38And 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.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
2 Kings 15:1 begins with “In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.”
Where the chapter turns
2 Kings 15:21 forms a natural hinge: “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?”
The final note
2 Kings 15:38 leaves the reader with “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.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Israel, king, reigned, Judah, LORD, began help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What is Abram invited to trust?
God's promise of an heir and innumerable descendants despite his present childlessness.
Why does the delay matter?
The covenant is larger than one lifetime and includes suffering before deliverance.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thy
- your
- spake
- spoke
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.