Azariah’s Rule Over Judah

15 Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah became king in the 27th year of Jeroboam king of Israel. ²Azariah was 16 years old when he began to rule. He ruled 52 years in Jerusalem. Azariah’s mother was named Jecoliah of Jerusalem. ³Azariah did the things that the Lord said were right, just like his father Amaziah. Azariah followed all the things his father Amaziah did. ⁴But he did not destroy the high places.* People still made sacrifices and burned incense* in these places of worship. ⁵The Lord caused King Azariah to become sick with leprosy.* He was a leper until the day he died. Azariah lived in a separate house. Jotham, the king’s son, took care of the king’s house and judged the people. ⁶All the great things that Azariah did are written in the book The History of the Kings of Judah. ⁷Azariah {died and} was buried with his ancestors* in the City of David.* Azariah’s son Jotham became the new king after him.

Zechariah’s Short Rule Over Israel

⁸Zechariah son of Jeroboam ruled over Samaria in Israel for six months. This was during the 38th year that Azariah was king of Judah. ⁹Zechariah did the things the Lord said were wrong. He did the same things his ancestors* did. He did not stop doing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that caused Israel to sin. ¹⁰Shallum son of Jabesh made plans against Zechariah. Shallum killed Zechariah in Ibleam. Shallum became the new king after him. ¹¹All the other things that Zechariah did are written in the book The History of the Kings of Israel. ¹²In this way the Lord’s word came true. The Lord had told Jehu that four generations of his descendants* would be kings of Israel.

Shallum’s Short Rule Over Israel

¹³Shallum son of Jabesh became king {of Israel} during the 39th year that Uzziah was king of Judah. Shallum ruled for one month in Samaria. ¹⁴Menahem son of Gadi came up from Tirzah to Samaria. Menahem killed Shallum son of Jabesh. Then Menahem became the new king after him. ¹⁵All the things Shallum did, including his plans against Zechariah, are written in the book The History of the Kings of Israel.

Menahem’s Rule Over Israel

¹⁶{After Shallum died,} Menahem defeated Tiphsah and the area around it. The people refused to open {the city gate} for him. So Menahem defeated them and ripped open all the pregnant women in that city. ¹⁷Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel during the 39th year that Azariah was king of Judah. Menahem ruled ten years in Samaria. ¹⁸Menahem did the things the Lord said were wrong. Menahem did not stop doing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that caused Israel to sin. ¹⁹Pul king of Assyria came to fight against Israel. Menahem gave Pul 75,000 pounds* of silver. He did this so Pul would support Menahem and make Menahem’s kingdom stronger. ²⁰Menahem raised the money by making all the rich and powerful men pay taxes. Menahem taxed each man 20 ounces* of silver. Then Menahem gave the money to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria left, and did not stay there in Israel. ²¹All the great things that Menahem did are written in the book The History of the Kings of Israel. ²²Menahem {died and} was buried with his ancestors.* Menahem’s son Pekahiah became the new king after him.

Pekahiah’s Rule Over Israel

²³Pekahiah son of Menahem became king over Israel in Samaria during the 50th year that Azariah was king of Judah. Pekahiah ruled two years. ²⁴Pekahiah did the things that the Lord said were wrong. Pekahiah did not stop doing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that caused Israel to sin. ²⁵The commander of Pekahiah’s army was Pekah son of Remaliah. Pekah killed Pekahiah. He killed him in Samaria at the king’s palace.* Pekah had 50 men from Gilead with him when he killed Pekahiah. Then Pekah became the new king after him. ²⁶All the great things Pekahiah did are written in the book The History of the Kings of Israel.

Pekah’s Rule Over Israel

²⁷Pekah son of Remaliah began to rule over Israel in Samaria during the 52nd year that Azariah was king of Judah. Pekah ruled 20 years. ²⁸Pekah did the things that the Lord said were wrong. Pekah did not stop doing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that caused Israel to sin. ²⁹Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria came to fight against Israel. This was during the time that Pekah was king of Israel. Tiglath Pileser captured Ijon, Abel Bethmaacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, Galilee, and all the area of Naphtali. Tiglath Pileser took the people from these places as prisoners to Assyria. ³⁰Hoshea son of Elah made plans against Pekah son of Remaliah. Hoshea killed Pekah. Then Hoshea became the new king after Pekah. This was during the 20th year that Jotham son of Uzziah {was king of Judah}. ³¹All the great things that Pekah did are written in the book The History of the Kings of Israel.

Jotham Rules Over Judah

³²Jotham son of Uzziah became king of Judah. This was during the second year that Pekah son of Remaliah was king of Israel. ³³Jotham was 25 years old when he became king. Jotham ruled 16 years in Jerusalem. Jotham’s mother was named Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok. ³⁴Jotham did the things the Lord said were right, just like his father Uzziah. ³⁵But he did not destroy the high places.* The people still made sacrifices and burned incense* at those places of worship. Jotham built the upper gate of the Lord’s temple.* ³⁶All the great things that Jotham did are written in the book The History of the Kings of Judah. ³⁷At that time, the Lord sent Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah to fight against Judah. ³⁸Jotham {died and} was buried with his ancestors.* Jotham was buried in the City of David* his ancestor.* Jotham’s son Ahaz became the new king after him.

ancestors Literally, “fathers.” This means a person’s parents, grandparents, and all the people they are descended from. high places Places for worshiping God or false gods. These places were often on the hills and mountains. incense A kind of spice that smells good when it is burned. It was burned as a gift to God. leprosy A very bad skin disease. City of David A part of the city of Jerusalem. descendants A person’s children and all of their future families. 75,000 pounds Or, 34,000kg. Literally, “1,000 talents.” 20 ounces Or, 575g. Literally, “50 shekels.” palace A large house for the king and his family.

temple

A special building for worshiping God. God commanded the Jews to worship him at the temple in Jerusalem.

Ahaz Becomes King Over Judah

16 Ahaz son of Jotham became king of Judah during the 17th year that Pekah son of Remaliah was king of Israel. ²Ahaz was 20 years old when he became king. Ahaz ruled 16 years in Jerusalem. Ahaz was not like his ancestor* David—Ahaz did not do the things the Lord said were right. ³Ahaz lived like the kings of Israel. He even sacrificed his son in fire.* He copied the terrible sins of the nations that the Lord forced to leave the country at the time the Israelites came. ⁴Ahaz made sacrifices and burned incense* at the high places* and on the hills and under every green tree. ⁵Rezin, king of Aram, and Pekah son of Remaliah, king of Israel, came to fight against Jerusalem. Rezin and Pekah surrounded Ahaz, but could not defeat him. ⁶At that time, Rezin king of Aram took back Elath for Aram. Rezin took all the people of Judah that were living in Elath. The Arameans settled in Elath, and they still live there today. ⁷Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath Pileser, the king of Assyria. The message was: “I am your servant. I am like a son to you. Come and save me from the king of Aram and the king of Israel. They have come to fight me!” ⁸Ahaz also took the silver and gold that was in the temple* of the Lord and in the treasuries of the king’s house. Then Ahaz sent a gift to the king of Assyria. ⁹The king of Assyria listened to Ahaz. The king of Assyria went to fight against Damascus. The king captured that city and took the people from Damascus as prisoners to Kir. He also killed Rezin. ¹⁰King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria. Ahaz saw the altar* at Damascus. King Ahaz sent a model and pattern of this altar to Uriah the priest. ¹¹Then Uriah the priest built an altar just like the model King Ahaz had sent him from Damascus. Uriah the priest built the altar this way before King Ahaz came back from Damascus. ¹²When the king arrived from Damascus, he saw the altar.* He offered sacrifices on the altar. ¹³On the altar, Ahaz burned his burnt offerings and grain offerings. He poured his drink offering and sprinkled the blood of his fellowship offerings on this altar. ¹⁴Ahaz took the bronze altar that was before the Lord from the front of the temple.* This bronze altar was between Ahaz’s altar* and the temple of the Lord. Ahaz put the bronze altar on the north side of his own altar. ¹⁵Ahaz gave a command to Uriah the priest. He said, “Use the large altar to burn the morning burnt offerings, the evening grain offerings, and the drink offerings from all the people of this country. Sprinkle all the blood from the burnt offering and other sacrifices on the large altar. But I will use the bronze altar to ask questions from God.” ¹⁶Uriah the priest did everything that King Ahaz commanded him to do. ¹⁷There were carts with bronze panels and basins for the priests to wash their hands. King Ahaz removed the panels and basins and cut up the carts. He also took the large tank off the bronze bulls that stood under it. He put the large tank on a stone pavement. ¹⁸Workers had built a covered place inside the temple area for the Sabbath* {meetings}. But Ahaz took away that covered place. Ahaz also took away the outside entrance for the king. Ahaz took all of these from the Lord’s temple. Ahaz did this because of the king of Assyria. ¹⁹All the great things that Ahaz did are written in the book The History of the Kings of Judah. ²⁰Ahaz {died and} was buried with his ancestors* in the City of David.* Ahaz’s son Hezekiah became the new king after him.

ancestor(s) Literally, “father(s).” This means a person’s parents, grandparents, and all the people they are descended from. sacrificed his son in fire Literally, “made his son to pass through the fire.” incense A kind of spice that smells good when it is burned. It was burned as a gift to God. high places Places for worshiping God or false gods. These places were often on the hills and mountains. temple A special building for worshiping God. God commanded the Jews to worship him at the temple in Jerusalem. altar(s) A stone table used for burning sacrifices offered as gifts to God. Sabbath Saturday, a special day of worship for Jews. ancestors Literally, “fathers.” This means a person’s parents, grandparents, and all the people they are descended from. City of David A part of the city of Jerusalem.