2 Kings 15 | |
---|---|
Book | Second Book of Kings |
Hebrew Bible part | Nevi'im |
Order in the Hebrew part | 4 |
Category | Former Prophets |
Christian Bible part | Old Testament |
Order in the Christian part | 12 |
2 Kings 15 is the fifteenth chapter of the second part of the Books of Kings in the Hebrew Bible or the Second Book of Kings in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. [1] [2] The book is a compilation of various annals recording the acts of the kings of Israel and Judah by a Deuteronomic compiler in the seventh century BCE, with a supplement added in the sixth century BCE. [3] This chapter records the events during the reigns of Azariah (Uzziah) and his son, Jotham, the kings of Judah, as well as of Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah and Pekah, the kings of Israel. [4] Twelve first verses of the narrative belong to a major section 2 Kings 9:1–15:12 covering the period of Jehu's dynasty. [5]
This chapter was originally written in the Hebrew language. It is divided into 38 verses.
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), and Codex Leningradensis (1008). [6] [a]
There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; B; 4th century) and Codex Alexandrinus (A; A; 5th century). [8] [b]
This chapter can be divided into the following sections: [10]
This chapter displays a contrast between the stability of the southern kingdom and the downward sliding of the northern kingdom, with two royal records of Judah bracketing the narrative of five Israel kings in quick succession. [11] Each reign is judged using a standard formula, one for the kings of Judah (verses 3, 34) and another for the kings of Israel (verses 9, 18, 24, 28). [12]
The regnal records of Azariah the son of Amaziah, the king of Judah, can be demarcated by the introductory form (verses 1–4) and the concluding form (verses 5–7). [13] The main account is in verse 5 regarding the king's leprosy and the active role of his son, Jotham, in ruling the kingdom on his behalf, [11] but the length of the co-regency is not explicitly recorded. [14] The period of his reign coincides largely with the reign of Jeroboam, who ruled over a kingdom territory comparable to that of Solomon, so Azariah's kingdom was a vassal to the kingdom of Israel. [13] 2 Chronicles 26 provides a more detailed account of Azariah's reign, especially the reason God striking him with leprosy, [11] his 'military actions against Philistia, the Arabs of Geur-Baal, and the Meunites', as well as 'his efforts to fortify Jerusalem and to secure the hold on the Shephelah.' [15]
The time of Azariah's death coincides with the time Isaiah received his call to be a prophet ("in the year that King Uzziah died"; Isaiah 6:1). [11] E.L. Sukenik found an Aramaic inscription that reads, "Here were brought the bones of Uzziah, king of Judah. Do not open!" and once marked the tomb of Uzziah outside Jerusalem. [25] [26]
Zechariah, the last ruler of the Jehu dynasty, only reigned for six months and his assassination ends a long period of stability in the kingdom of Israel. [27] It is set in the frame of the divine guidance that God himself announced to the founder of the dynasty (2 Kings 10:30) and confirms the fulfillment of it in verse 12. [14]
After bringing an end to the Jehu dynasty ( verse 10), Shallum could only reign for a month before he was slain by Menahem. [14] The literary structure consists of an 'introductory regnal form' (verse 13), the body of the account (verse 14) and the 'concluding regnal form' (verse 15–16). [34] Menahem's submission to Assyria (verses 19–20) suggests that his action was to stop an attempt to revolt against the Assyrian by Shallum. [34]
The 10-year reign of Menahem provides a 'rare period of stability' in the final years of the northern kingdom, which was the result of Menahem's tributary payment to the Assyrian king, Tiglath-Pileser III (also known as Pul, cf. ANET 272). [35] The tribute, along with those from other monarch, is listed with Menahem's name explicitly in the annals of the Assyria (ANET 283–284 [36]). [35] To pay that tribute, Menahem instituted an oppressive tax, [37] fifty shekels (about 11⁄4 pounds, or 575 grams [38]) of silver per person from all the wealthy men in Israel (verse 20), which may contribute to the coup against his son after he died. [14]
Tiglath-Pileser records the tribute from Menahem in one of his inscriptions (ANET3 283). [45]
The main regnal account of Pekahiah, the 17th king of Israel, only mentions his assassination by a group of 50 men from Gilead led by Pekah ben Remaliah, his own captain (verse 25). [46]
The main record of Pekah's reign in this section focuses on the invasion of Tiglath-Pileser III into Israel in 734–732 BCE and his murder in a coup led by Hosea ben Elah, backed by the Assyrians, as noted in the annals of Assyria (ANET 284 [49]). [50] Pekah's alliance with Rezin of Damascus in the Syro-Ephraimite War to resist the Assyrians and attack Judah, a vassal to the Assyrians, is recorded in multiple passages (verse 37, 2 Kings 16:5, 7–9; Isaiah 7:1–17; Isaiah 9:1) and also in the annals of the Assyrians (ANET 283–284). [37]
Like his father (Azariah or Uzziah), Jotham was given a good assessment 'in the sight of the LORD' (verse 34; cf. verse 3), although both kings did not remove the 'high places', which was later done by Hezekiah ( 2 Kings 18:4) and Josiah ( 2 Kings 23:8), nor perform notable political actions. [4] Jotham's memorable achievement was the building of 'the upper gate of the house of the LORD' (verse 35). [53]
2 Kings 15 | |
---|---|
Book | Second Book of Kings |
Hebrew Bible part | Nevi'im |
Order in the Hebrew part | 4 |
Category | Former Prophets |
Christian Bible part | Old Testament |
Order in the Christian part | 12 |
2 Kings 15 is the fifteenth chapter of the second part of the Books of Kings in the Hebrew Bible or the Second Book of Kings in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. [1] [2] The book is a compilation of various annals recording the acts of the kings of Israel and Judah by a Deuteronomic compiler in the seventh century BCE, with a supplement added in the sixth century BCE. [3] This chapter records the events during the reigns of Azariah (Uzziah) and his son, Jotham, the kings of Judah, as well as of Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah and Pekah, the kings of Israel. [4] Twelve first verses of the narrative belong to a major section 2 Kings 9:1–15:12 covering the period of Jehu's dynasty. [5]
This chapter was originally written in the Hebrew language. It is divided into 38 verses.
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), and Codex Leningradensis (1008). [6] [a]
There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; B; 4th century) and Codex Alexandrinus (A; A; 5th century). [8] [b]
This chapter can be divided into the following sections: [10]
This chapter displays a contrast between the stability of the southern kingdom and the downward sliding of the northern kingdom, with two royal records of Judah bracketing the narrative of five Israel kings in quick succession. [11] Each reign is judged using a standard formula, one for the kings of Judah (verses 3, 34) and another for the kings of Israel (verses 9, 18, 24, 28). [12]
The regnal records of Azariah the son of Amaziah, the king of Judah, can be demarcated by the introductory form (verses 1–4) and the concluding form (verses 5–7). [13] The main account is in verse 5 regarding the king's leprosy and the active role of his son, Jotham, in ruling the kingdom on his behalf, [11] but the length of the co-regency is not explicitly recorded. [14] The period of his reign coincides largely with the reign of Jeroboam, who ruled over a kingdom territory comparable to that of Solomon, so Azariah's kingdom was a vassal to the kingdom of Israel. [13] 2 Chronicles 26 provides a more detailed account of Azariah's reign, especially the reason God striking him with leprosy, [11] his 'military actions against Philistia, the Arabs of Geur-Baal, and the Meunites', as well as 'his efforts to fortify Jerusalem and to secure the hold on the Shephelah.' [15]
The time of Azariah's death coincides with the time Isaiah received his call to be a prophet ("in the year that King Uzziah died"; Isaiah 6:1). [11] E.L. Sukenik found an Aramaic inscription that reads, "Here were brought the bones of Uzziah, king of Judah. Do not open!" and once marked the tomb of Uzziah outside Jerusalem. [25] [26]
Zechariah, the last ruler of the Jehu dynasty, only reigned for six months and his assassination ends a long period of stability in the kingdom of Israel. [27] It is set in the frame of the divine guidance that God himself announced to the founder of the dynasty (2 Kings 10:30) and confirms the fulfillment of it in verse 12. [14]
After bringing an end to the Jehu dynasty ( verse 10), Shallum could only reign for a month before he was slain by Menahem. [14] The literary structure consists of an 'introductory regnal form' (verse 13), the body of the account (verse 14) and the 'concluding regnal form' (verse 15–16). [34] Menahem's submission to Assyria (verses 19–20) suggests that his action was to stop an attempt to revolt against the Assyrian by Shallum. [34]
The 10-year reign of Menahem provides a 'rare period of stability' in the final years of the northern kingdom, which was the result of Menahem's tributary payment to the Assyrian king, Tiglath-Pileser III (also known as Pul, cf. ANET 272). [35] The tribute, along with those from other monarch, is listed with Menahem's name explicitly in the annals of the Assyria (ANET 283–284 [36]). [35] To pay that tribute, Menahem instituted an oppressive tax, [37] fifty shekels (about 11⁄4 pounds, or 575 grams [38]) of silver per person from all the wealthy men in Israel (verse 20), which may contribute to the coup against his son after he died. [14]
Tiglath-Pileser records the tribute from Menahem in one of his inscriptions (ANET3 283). [45]
The main regnal account of Pekahiah, the 17th king of Israel, only mentions his assassination by a group of 50 men from Gilead led by Pekah ben Remaliah, his own captain (verse 25). [46]
The main record of Pekah's reign in this section focuses on the invasion of Tiglath-Pileser III into Israel in 734–732 BCE and his murder in a coup led by Hosea ben Elah, backed by the Assyrians, as noted in the annals of Assyria (ANET 284 [49]). [50] Pekah's alliance with Rezin of Damascus in the Syro-Ephraimite War to resist the Assyrians and attack Judah, a vassal to the Assyrians, is recorded in multiple passages (verse 37, 2 Kings 16:5, 7–9; Isaiah 7:1–17; Isaiah 9:1) and also in the annals of the Assyrians (ANET 283–284). [37]
Like his father (Azariah or Uzziah), Jotham was given a good assessment 'in the sight of the LORD' (verse 34; cf. verse 3), although both kings did not remove the 'high places', which was later done by Hezekiah ( 2 Kings 18:4) and Josiah ( 2 Kings 23:8), nor perform notable political actions. [4] Jotham's memorable achievement was the building of 'the upper gate of the house of the LORD' (verse 35). [53]