2 Kings

In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.

1Jeroboam had been king of Israel for 27 years. Then Azariah, son of Amaziah, became king of Judah.

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.

2Azariah was 16 when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 52 years. His mother was Jecholiah, from Jerusalem.

3And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done;

3He did what was right in the LORD's eyes. He did what his father Amaziah had done.

4Save that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places.

4But he did not take down the high places. These were hilltop places for worship. People still made offerings and burned sweet-smelling incense there.

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.

5The LORD made the king sick with a skin disease. He had it until the day he died. So he lived in a separate house. His son Jotham ran the palace and led the people.

NoteAzariah is also called Uzziah in this chapter. They are two names for the same king.

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?

6The other things Azariah did are written down. They are in the book called 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.

7Then Azariah died like his fathers before him. They buried him near them in the City of David. His son Jotham became king after him.

8In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.

8Azariah had been king of Judah for 38 years. Then Zachariah, son of Jeroboam, became king of Israel. He ruled in the city of Samaria for six months.

9And 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.

9He did what was evil in the LORD's eyes, like his fathers had. He kept doing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat. Jeroboam had led Israel into those sins.

10And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.

10Shallum son of Jabesh made a secret plan against him. He struck Zachariah down in front of the people and killed him. Then Shallum became king instead.

11And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

11The other things Zachariah did are written down. They are in the book called 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.

12This was what the LORD had told Jehu long before. He said, "Your sons will sit on Israel's throne for four generations." And that is what happened.

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.

13Uzziah had been king of Judah for 39 years. Then Shallum son of Jabesh became king. He ruled in Samaria for one whole month.

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.

14Menahem son of Gadi came up from the town of Tirzah to Samaria. He struck down Shallum son of Jabesh and killed him. Then Menahem became king instead.

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.

15The other things Shallum did are written down. So is the secret plan he made. They are in the book called 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.

16Menahem set out from Tirzah and attacked the town of Tiphsah. He attacked everyone there and the land around it. He did this because they would not open their gates to him. He cut open all the women there who were going to have babies.

17In 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.

17Azariah had been king of Judah for 39 years. Then Menahem son of Gadi became king of Israel. He ruled in Samaria for ten years.

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.

18He did what was evil in the LORD's eyes. All his life he kept doing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat. Jeroboam had led Israel into those sins.

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.

19Pul, the king of Assyria, came to attack the land. Menahem gave Pul a huge amount of silver. He wanted Pul's help to keep a strong hold on the kingdom.

NoteA thousand talents of silver was about 37 tons. It was far more money than most people would ever see.

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.

20Menahem made the rich men of Israel pay this money. Each man had to give fifty pieces of silver. Menahem gave it all to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria went back home and did not stay.

NoteFifty shekels of silver was about a pound and a quarter of silver. That was a lot for one man to pay.

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?

21The other things Menahem did are written down. They are in the book called the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

22And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead.

22Then Menahem died like his fathers before him. His son Pekahiah became king after him.

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.

23Azariah had been king of Judah for 50 years. Then Pekahiah son of Menahem became king of Israel. He ruled in Samaria for 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.

24He did what was evil in the LORD's eyes. He kept doing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat. Jeroboam had led Israel into those sins.

25But 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.

25Pekah son of Remaliah was one of his officers. He made a secret plan against the king. Argob and Arieh helped him, and fifty men from Gilead. In the strong part of the palace in Samaria, Pekah struck Pekahiah down and killed him. Then Pekah became king instead.

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.

26The other things Pekahiah did are written down. They are in the book called 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.

27Azariah had been king of Judah for 52 years. Then Pekah son of Remaliah became king of Israel. He ruled in Samaria for 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.

28He did what was evil in the LORD's eyes. He kept doing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat. Jeroboam had led Israel into those sins.

29In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.

29While Pekah was king of Israel, Tiglathpileser, king of Assyria, came. He took the towns of Ijon, Abelbethmaachah, Janoah, Kedesh, and Hazor. He also took Gilead, Galilee, and all the land of Naphtali. He carried the people away to Assyria as prisoners.

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.

30Hoshea son of Elah made a secret plan against Pekah son of Remaliah. Hoshea attacked him and killed him. Then Hoshea became king instead. This was in the twentieth year of Jotham 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.

31The other things Pekah did are written down. They are in the book called 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.

32Pekah son of Remaliah had been king of Israel for two years. Then Jotham son of Uzziah became king of Judah.

33Five 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.

33Jotham was 25 when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for sixteen years. His mother 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.

34He did what was right in the LORD's eyes. He did what 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.

35But he did not take down the high places. People still made offerings and burned incense there. Jotham built the Upper Gate of the LORD's house.

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?

36The other things Jotham did are written down. They are in the book called 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.

37In those days the LORD began to send trouble to Judah. He sent Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah against them.

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.

38Then Jotham died like his fathers before him. They buried him with them in the City of David. His son Ahaz became king after him.