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Basics
BOOK: 2 Kings
Description: historical book recounting the handover of the prophetic ministry from Elijah to Elisha, the kings of Israel through to the destruction of Samaria, and the kings of Judah through to the Exile.
Author: unknown
Date written: some suggest about 560 or 550BC
Chapters: 25
Brief Synopsis
- Handover of the prophetic mantle from Elijah to Elisha
- Kings of Israel until the destruction of Samaria in 722BC and their exile.
- Kings of Judah until destruction of Jerusalem in 587BC and the Exile.
CONTENTS
- Part 1: Ch.1-17 The Divided Kingdom (Cont.) until the end of Israel
- 1: The LORD’s Judgment on Ahaziah of Israel
- 2: Elijah Taken Up to Heaven
- 3: Moab Revolts
- 4: Activities of Elisha
- 5: Naaman Healed of Leprosy
- 6: More activities of Elisha
- 7: End of the Siege of Samaria
- 8: Changes in Israel, Aram & Judah
- 9: Jehu Anointed King of Israel
- 10: The Activities of Jehu
- 11: Joash saved from Athaliah
- 12: The Rise & Fall of Joash
- 13: Jehoahaz & Jehoash kings of Israel
- 14: Amaziah King of Judah & Jeroboam of Israel
- 15: The Following kings of Judah & Israel
- 16: Ahaz of Judah under pressure
- 17: The End of the Northern Kingdom, Israel
- Part 2: The remaining years of the southern kingdom
- 18: Hezekiah King of Judah threatened by Assyria
- 19: Prophecy, Prayers, & Prophesies
- 20: Hezekiah’s Illness & Pride
- 21: Manasseh & Amon
- 22: Josiah Responds to the Finding of the Law
- 23: Josiah Renews the Covenant
- 24: Last three kings of Judah
- 25: The Fall of Jerusalem
| Northern | Refs. | Southern | Refs. |
| 1. Jeroboam (22) | 1 Kings 11-15 2 Chron 10-13 | 1. Rehoboam (17) | 1Kings 11,12,14 2 Chron 9-12 |
| 2. Nadab (2) | 1 Kings 15 | 2. Abijah (3) | 1 Kings 15 2 Chron 13 |
| 3. Baasha (24) | 1 Kings 15 2 Chron 16 | 3. Asa (41) | 1 Kings 15 2 Chron 14-16 |
| 4. Elah (2) | 1 Kings 16 | 4. Jehoshaphat (25) | 1 Kings 15,22 2 Chron 17-20 |
| 5. Zimri (1 week) | 1 Kings 16 | 5. Jehoram (8) | 2 Kings 8 2 Chron 21 |
| 6a. Tibni (unknown) | 1 Kings 16 | 6. Ahaziah (1) | 2 Kings 8,9 2 Chron 22 |
| 6b. Omri (12) | 1 Kings 16 | 7. Athaliah (6) | 2 Kings 11 2 Chron 22 |
| 7. Ahab (22) | 1 Kings 16-22 2 Chron 18 | 8. Joash (40) | 2 Kings 11,12 2 Chron 22,24 |
| 8. Ahaziah (2) | 1 Kings 22 2 Kings 1 | 9. Amaziah (29) | 2 Kings 14 2 Chron 25 |
| 9. Joram (12) | 2 Kings 3,8,9 2 Chron 22 | 10. Uzziah (52) (Azariah) | 2 Kings 15 2 Chron 26 |
| 10. Jehu (28) | 11. Jotham (16) | ||
| 11. Jehoahaz (17) | 12. Ahaz (16) | ||
| 12. Jehoash (16) | 13. Hezekiah (29) | ||
| 13. Jeroboam II (41) | 14. Manasseh (55) | ||
| 14. Zechariah (6m) | 15. Amon (2) | ||
| 15. Shallum (1m) | 16. Josiah (31) | ||
| 16. Menahem (10) | 17. Jehoahaz (3m) | ||
| 17. Pekahiah (2) | 18. Jehoiakim (11) | ||
| 18. Pekah (20) | 19. Jehoiachin (3m) | ||
| 19. Hoshea (9) | 20. Zedekiah (11) |
An Alternative Contents perspective
- Ch.1-8 The Ministries of Elijah and Elisha during the Reigns of Ahaziah and Joram
- Ch.1 Elijah in the Reign of Ahaziah
- Ch.2 Elijah’s Translation; Elisha’s Inauguration
- Ch.2-8 Elisha in the Reign of Joram
- 2:19-25 Elisha’s initial miraculous signs
- Ch.3 Elisha during the campaign against Moab
- Ch.4 Elisha’s ministry to needy ones in Israel
- Ch.5 Elisha heals Naaman
- Ch.6 Elisha delivers one of the prophets & Joram from Aramean raiders
- Ch.6&7 Aramean siege of Samaria lifted, as Elisha prophesied
- 8:1-6 The Shunammite’s land restored
- 8:7-15 Elisha prophesies Hazael’s oppression of Israel
- Ch.8-17Israel and Judah from Joram/Jehoram to the Exile of Israel
- Ch.8 Jehoram & Ahaziah of Judah
- Ch.9 & 10 Jehu’s Revolt and Reign in Israel
- Ch.11 & 12 Athaliah and Joash of Judah ; Repair of the Temple
- Ch.13 Jehoahaz of Israel , Jehoash of Israel ; Elisha’s Last Prophecy
| Of Israel | Of Judah | |
| 14:1-22 | Amaziah | |
| 14:23-29 | Jeroboam II | |
| 15:1-7 | Azariah | |
| 15:8-12 | Zechariah | |
| 15:13-16 | Shallum | |
| 15:17-22 | Menahem | |
| 15:23-26 | Pekahiah | |
| 15:27-31 | Pekah | |
| 15:32-38 | Jotham | |
| Ch.16 | Ahaz | |
| 17:1-6 | Hoshea | |
| 17:7-41 Exile of Israel; Resettlement of the Land |
- Ch.18-25Judah from Hezekiah to the Babylonian Exile
- Ch.18-20 Hezekiah
- Ch.21 Manasseh & Amon
- Ch.22,23 Josiah
- Ch.23 Jehoahaz Exiled to Egypt
- 23:36 – 24:7 Jehoiakim: First Babylonian Deportation
- 24:8-17 Jehoiachin: Second Babylonian Deportation
- 24:18 – 25:21 Zedekiah: Third Babylonian Deportation
- 25:22-26 Removal of the Remnant to Egypt
- 25:27-30 Elevation of Jehoiachin in Babylon
Concluding Comments
- The kings of Israel were so bad that eventually the Lord had all of the northern kingdom deported.
- The kings of Judah vary from very good to very bad, but even the good (e.g. Hezekiah and Josiah) got it wrong at times.
- 2 Kings continues to reveal the folly and sinfulness of mankind.
- What is incredible about these years is that the Lord was clearly there and spoke literally dozens of times through His prophets calling the people back to Himself. They could never say they didn’t know or hadn’t been told!
- By the end of the book we have two exiles and to all intents and purposes it is the end of Israel (north and south) and they clearly deserved it. Yet, when we read on in the Bible we find that the Lord had spoken again and again about the impending exile and had declared that He would bring a faithful remnant back to restore Jerusalem and the Temple – which is exactly what happened.
- However, for the moment, the reading of Kings leaves us shamefaced that we are part of the human race that is exactly the same as the people we read of here, a race that turns its back on God and goes its own foolish and destructive way. How tragic!