2 Kings 15

1 Azariah, son of Amaziah, became king of Judah in the twenty-seventh year of the reign of Jeroboam, king of Israel.

2 He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for fifty-two years. His mother's name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.

3 He did what was right in the Lord's sight, just as his father Amaziah had done.

4 But the high places were not removed. The people still were sacrificing and presenting burnt offerings in those places.

5 The Lord touched the king and he had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in isolation in a separate house. His son Jotham was in charge of the palace and was the country's actual ruler.

6 The rest of what happened in Azariah's reign and all he did are recorded in the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.

7 Azariah died and was buried with his fore fathers in the City of David. His son Jotham succeeded him as king.

8 Zechariah, son of Jeroboam, became king of Israel in the thirty-eighth year of the reign of Azariah, king of Judah. He reigned in Samaria for six months.

9 He did what was evil in the Lord's sight, as his forefathers had done. He did not end the sins that Jeroboam, son of Nebat, had made Israel commit.

10 Then Shallum, son of Jabesh, plotted against Zechariah. He attacked him, murdering him in front of the people, and took over as king.

11 The rest of the events of Zechariah's reign are recorded in the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

12 In this way what the Lord told Jehu came true: “Your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.”

13 Shallum, son of Jabesh, became king in the thirty-ninth year of the reign of King Uzziah of Judah. He reigned in Samaria for one month.

14 Then Menahem, son of Gadi, went from Tirzah to Samaria, attacked and murdered Shallum, son of Jabesh, and took over as king.

15 The rest of the events of Shallum's reign and the rebellion he plotted are recorded in the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

16 At that time Menahem, starting from Tirzah, attacked Tiphsah and the region nearby, because they would not surrender the town to him. So he destroyed Tiphsah and ripped open all the pregnant women.

17 Menahem, son of Gadi, became king of Israel in the thirty-ninth year of the reign of King Azariah of Judah. He reigned in Samaria for ten years.

18 Throughout his reign he did what was evil in the Lord's sight. He did not end the sins that Jeroboam, son of Nebat, had made Israel commit.

19 Pul, king of Assyria, invaded the country. Menahem paid Pul a thousand talents of silver to support Menahem in consolidating his power over the kingdom.

20 Menahem demanded payment from all the wealthy men of Israel, fifty shekels of silver each, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria retreated and did not stay in the country.

21 The rest of what happened in Menahem's reign and all he did are recorded in the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

22 Menahem died, and his son Pekahiah succeeded him as king.

23 Pekahiah, son of Menahem, became king of Israel in Samaria in the fiftieth year of the reign of King Azariah of Judah, and he reigned for two years.

24 He did what was evil in the Lord's sight. He did not end the sins that Jeroboam, son of Nebat, had made Israel commit.

25 Pekah, son of Remaliah, one of his officers plotted against him together with Argob, Arieh, and fifty men from Gilead. Pekah attacked and killed Pekahiah in the fortress of the king's palace in Samaria, and took over as king.

26 The rest of what happened in Pekahiah's reign and all he did are recorded in the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

27 Pekah, son of Remaliah, became king of Israel in the fifty-second year of the reign of King Azariah of Judah. He reigned in Samaria for twenty years.

28 He did what was evil in the Lord's sight. He did not end the sins that Jeroboam, son of Nebat, had made Israel commit.

29 During the reign of Pekah, king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, invaded and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, Galilee, and all the land of Naphtali, and he took the people to Assyria as prisoners.

30 Then Hoshea, son of Elah, plotted against Pekah, son of Remaliah. In the twentieth year of the reign of Jotham, son of Uzziah, Hoshea attacked Pekah, killed him, and took over as king.

31 The rest of what happened in Pekah's reign and all he did are recorded in the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

32 Jotham, son of Uzziah, became king of Judah in the second year of the reign of Pekah son of Remaliah, king of Israel.

33 He was twenty-five when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for sixteen years. His mother's name was Jerusha, daughter of Zadok.

34 He did what was right in the Lord's sight, just as his father Uzziah had done.

35 But the high places were not removed. The people still were sacrificing and presenting burnt offerings in those places. He rebuilt the upper gate of the Lord's Temple.

36 The rest of the events of Jotham's reign are recorded in the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.

37 During that time the Lord started sending Rezin, king of Aram, and Pekah, son of Remaliah, to attack Judah.

38 Jotham died and was buried with his forefathers in the City of David, his ancestor. His son Ahaz succeeded him as king.