II Kings 14:15–14:29 While Amaziah was being held prisoner in Israel, Jehoash, king of Israel, died. When this
happened, Amaziah was released and returned to Judah. Azariah (referred to as Uzziah
later), his son, had been acting as king while he was in prison. Now Amaziah resumes his
reign over Judah … Read more
II Kings 14:1–14:14 Amaziah began to reign in Judah about a year after Jehoash had become king of Israel and
his rule extended for 29 years. He followed his father’s example by upholding the worship of
the Lord but he did not remove the high places. When he avenged the murder of his father,
Joash, … Read more
II Kings 13:1–13:25 In this chapter we shift our thoughts back to Israel (v. 1). Jehoahaz, in the family of Jehu,
comes to the throne and reigns for 17 years. It says that he followed the sins of his father by
continuing the religious system established by Jeroboam (v. 2). Because of this sin, the … Read more
II Kings 12:1–12:21 Joash was the youngest king ever to mount the throne of Judah. He did the Lord’s will as
long as his mentor, Jehoiada the priest, lived. However, after Jehoiada died Joash turned
away from following the Lord. He had a lengthy reign of forty years but never did remove … Read more
II Kings 11:1–11:21 Shifting to the events in Judah we find Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel in
control. She came to Judah in a marriage alliance, and established a power base during her
husband Jehoram’s role and continued to hold this power during the brief reign of her son,
Ahazi … Read more
II Kings 10:18–10:36 In his twenty-eight-year reign, Jehu was unexcelled in his zeal to rid his people of Baal
worship. Baal worship had thrived for many years under Ahab and his successors. The
victory won through Elijah’s contest on Mount Carmel had been only temporary. As part of
Jehu’s s … Read more
II Kings 10:1–10:17 Seventy sons who were descendants of Ahab lived in Samaria, the capital of Israel. Jehu
planned to execute every relative who could possibly succeed Ahab. He wrote letters to the
officials of Jezreel inviting them to select a king from Ahab’s sons to fight against him in a
conte … Read more
II Kings 9:14–9:37 Elisha faded into obscurity following the anointing of Jehu as Israel’s new monarch. During the
eighty-eight year reign of Jehu’s family, the affairs of Israel were directed by five kings. Joram
was wounded in battle at Ramoth-Gilead and left Jehu and the captains in … Read more
II Kings 9:1–9:13 The last official act of Elisha was to be of great significance for both Israel and Judah. Jehu’s
accession to the throne of Israel was predicted by Elijah (I Kings 19:16). Elijah had been
commissioned by God to anoint Jehu king over Israel. This assignment fell to his success … Read more
II Kings 8:16–8:29 The scene switches to the events occurring in Judah. When Jehoshaphat died, his son Jehoram
became king (v. 16). He was 32 years old when he became king, and he ruled eight years from
Jerusalem (v. 17). At this point in the history of Judah, the foolish alliance Jehoshaphat had … Read more
II Kings 8:1–8:15 The Lord had revealed to Elisha that he would bring a seven-year famine on the land. This was a
punishment for apostasy. Elisha had warned the Shunammite woman and suggested that she
move temporarily to the land of the Philistines which would not be affected by the famine … Read more
II Kings 7:12–7:20 The king suspected a trap (v. 12). He calculated that since the Arameans had not been able to break
into Samaria they had planned this apparent retreat to draw the Samaritans out, leaving the city
open to invasion. One of Joram’s officers suggested sending only five horse … Read more
II Kings 7:1–7:11 When the king’s messenger arrived, Elisha announced a prophecy. He said that within 24 hours the
siege would be over and there would be plenty to eat (vv. 1-2). This officer sent by Joram found this
prophecy to be incredible and expressed his utter disbelief that God could or … Read more
II Kings 6:24–6:33 Some time after the events just related, Ben-Hadad tried again to defeat Israel. This time he
mobilized his entire army and besieged Samaria (v. 24). This kept up until there was nothing to eat
in the city (v. 25) It was so severe that one donkey’s head, unclean to the Is … Read more
Recent commentaries
Jeroboam’s Evil Reign in Israel
II Kings 14:15–14:29
While Amaziah was being held prisoner in Israel, Jehoash, king of Israel, died. When this happened, Amaziah was released and returned to Judah. Azariah (referred to as Uzziah later), his son, had been acting as king while he was in prison. Now Amaziah resumes his reign over Judah … Read more
Amaziah’s Good Reign in Judah
II Kings 14:1–14:14
Amaziah began to reign in Judah about a year after Jehoash had become king of Israel and his rule extended for 29 years. He followed his father’s example by upholding the worship of the Lord but he did not remove the high places. When he avenged the murder of his father, Joash, … Read more
Jehoahaz And Jehoash’s Evil Reign
II Kings 13:1–13:25
In this chapter we shift our thoughts back to Israel (v. 1). Jehoahaz, in the family of Jehu, comes to the throne and reigns for 17 years. It says that he followed the sins of his father by continuing the religious system established by Jeroboam (v. 2). Because of this sin, the … Read more
Joash Repairs Solomon’s Temple
II Kings 12:1–12:21
Joash was the youngest king ever to mount the throne of Judah. He did the Lord’s will as long as his mentor, Jehoiada the priest, lived. However, after Jehoiada died Joash turned away from following the Lord. He had a lengthy reign of forty years but never did remove … Read more
Athaliah’s Evil Reign in Judah
II Kings 11:1–11:21
Shifting to the events in Judah we find Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel in control. She came to Judah in a marriage alliance, and established a power base during her husband Jehoram’s role and continued to hold this power during the brief reign of her son, Ahazi … Read more
Jehu Kills Those Who Serve Baal
II Kings 10:18–10:36
In his twenty-eight-year reign, Jehu was unexcelled in his zeal to rid his people of Baal worship. Baal worship had thrived for many years under Ahab and his successors. The victory won through Elijah’s contest on Mount Carmel had been only temporary. As part of Jehu’s s … Read more
Jehu Slaughters Ahab’s Decendants
II Kings 10:1–10:17
Seventy sons who were descendants of Ahab lived in Samaria, the capital of Israel. Jehu planned to execute every relative who could possibly succeed Ahab. He wrote letters to the officials of Jezreel inviting them to select a king from Ahab’s sons to fight against him in a conte … Read more
Jehu Kills Joram And Ahaziah
II Kings 9:14–9:37
Elisha faded into obscurity following the anointing of Jehu as Israel’s new monarch. During the eighty-eight year reign of Jehu’s family, the affairs of Israel were directed by five kings. Joram was wounded in battle at Ramoth-Gilead and left Jehu and the captains in … Read more
Jehu Anointed King of Israel
II Kings 9:1–9:13
The last official act of Elisha was to be of great significance for both Israel and Judah. Jehu’s accession to the throne of Israel was predicted by Elijah (I Kings 19:16). Elijah had been commissioned by God to anoint Jehu king over Israel. This assignment fell to his success … Read more
Jehoram And Ahaziah Reigns in Judah
II Kings 8:16–8:29
The scene switches to the events occurring in Judah. When Jehoshaphat died, his son Jehoram became king (v. 16). He was 32 years old when he became king, and he ruled eight years from Jerusalem (v. 17). At this point in the history of Judah, the foolish alliance Jehoshaphat had … Read more
Joram Restores The Shunammite’s Land
II Kings 8:1–8:15
The Lord had revealed to Elisha that he would bring a seven-year famine on the land. This was a punishment for apostasy. Elisha had warned the Shunammite woman and suggested that she move temporarily to the land of the Philistines which would not be affected by the famine … Read more
Prophecy is Fulfilled
II Kings 7:12–7:20
The king suspected a trap (v. 12). He calculated that since the Arameans had not been able to break into Samaria they had planned this apparent retreat to draw the Samaritans out, leaving the city open to invasion. One of Joram’s officers suggested sending only five horse … Read more
The Syrians Flee
II Kings 7:1–7:11
When the king’s messenger arrived, Elisha announced a prophecy. He said that within 24 hours the siege would be over and there would be plenty to eat (vv. 1-2). This officer sent by Joram found this prophecy to be incredible and expressed his utter disbelief that God could or … Read more
Ben-Hadad’s Siege of Samaria
II Kings 6:24–6:33
Some time after the events just related, Ben-Hadad tried again to defeat Israel. This time he mobilized his entire army and besieged Samaria (v. 24). This kept up until there was nothing to eat in the city (v. 25) It was so severe that one donkey’s head, unclean to the Is … Read more