Azariah’s Good Reign in Judah

II Kings 15:1–22
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Azariah was a good king like his father but he too failed to remove the high places. He expanded Judah’s territories southward to Elath (2 Kings 14:22), eastward so that the Ammonites paid him tribute (2 Chron. 26:8) and westward by defeating the Philistines (2 Chron. 26:6, 7).  He fortified Jerusalem and other parts of Judah (2 Chron. 26:9-15) and reorganized the army (2 Chron. 26:1-14). After Jeroboam’s death, Azariah became even more powerful and was looked to for leadership by the surrounding nations.

However, because of his pride and taking over of priestly responsibilities he became a leper (2 Chron. 26:16-21). After that he lived a life of limited seclusion as required of lepers in Israel. He was more or less a figurehead, while his son, Jotham, undertook his royal duties. We now find record of the lost years of the Northern Kingdom. Zechariah succeeded Jeroboam II to the throne but he only reigned six months. He was assassinated publicly by Shallu (v. 13).  Shallu’s reign was the second shortest in Israel’s history (after Zimri’s seven-day reign, l Kings 16:15-20) as it only lasted one month. Menahem who was commander of the army regarded Shallu as a usurper to the throne and believed that he should succeed Zechariah to the throne so he killed him and took over. He reigned 10 years and when he died he was succeeded by his son Pekohiak.

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