1Azariah's good reign. 5He is smitten with leprosy: during his life his son Jotham governeth in his name, and at his death succeedeth him. 8Zachariah, the fourth and last king of Jehu's race, reigneth ill, and is slain by Shallum; 13who after a month's reign is himself slain and succeeded by Menahem. 16Menahem cruelly smiteth Tiphsah, which held out against him. 17His wicked reign. 19To secure himself on the throne he buyeth the alliance of Pul king of Assyria. 21His death: Pekahiah succeedeth him; 23who after a wicked reign of two years is slain and succeeded by Pekah. 27Pekah's evil reign. 29Tiglath-pileser carrieth part of Israel into captivity. 30Hoshea slayeth and succeedeth Pekah. 32Jotham reigneth well in Judah. 36His acts and death: Ahaz succeedeth him.
1IN the twenty and seventh year of 1Jeroboam king of Israel 2began 3Azariah son of Amaziah kinga of Judah to reign.
1 Namely, the second of that name, the son of Joash, 2 Kings 14:23.
2 Namely, to reign alone in full power as king. Otherwise he had been also formerly in some government for some certain years, or at least was esteemed as king: see 2 Kings 14 on verse 21.
3 Otherwise called Uzziah, verses 13, 30; 2 Chron. 26:1.
a 2 Kings 14:21; 2 Chron. 26:3.
2Sixteenb years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jecholiahc of Jerusalem.
b 2 Chron. 26:1, 3.
c 2 Chron. 26:3.
3And 4he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done;
4 Namely, as long as the prophet Zechariah lived, 2 Chron. 26:5.
4Save that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places.
5¶And the LORD 5smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a 6several house. And Jotham the king's son was over 7the house, 8judging the people of the land.
5 The cause hereof was that in high presumption he usurped upon the office of the priests, entering into the temple, to burn incense, 2 Chron. 26:16.
6 Hebr. an house of liberty, that is, in an house that was free and separated from other houses, and stood alone by itself, according to the prescript of the law, which God had given concerning the lepers, Lev. 13:46.
7 Namely, the king’s house, that is, he was as the steward, and had the supreme command over all the king’s house and court.
8 That is, governing the whole land, and having the oversight over the administration of justice, and the maintenance of all good laws. Compare 2 Chron. 26:21.
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?
7So Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him 9with his fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.
9 That is, indeed in the field or parcel of ground, appointed for the burial of the kings, but at some distance from their sepulchers, because of his leprosy, 2 Chron. 26:23.
8¶In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria 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.
10And 10Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him 11before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.
10 One of the princes, or rulers.
11 That is, publicly; from which it appears, that Shallum’s act displeased not the people, and that Zachariah was hated by the community.
11And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
12This was the word of the LORD whichd he spake unto Jehu, saying, 12Thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation. And so it came to pass.
d 2 Kings 10:30.
12 See 2 Kings 10:30 and the annotation thereon.
13¶Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of 13Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned 14a full month in Samaria.
13 At Mat. 1:9 called Ozias. Other, 2 Kings 14:21 and in this chapter verses 1, 6, 7, 8 Azariah.
14 Hebr. a month of days, that is, a month of time, a full and whole month, having all its days. So Gen. 29:14. See the annotation.
14For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from 15Tirzah, and came to Samaria, and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.
15 See 1 Kings 14 on verse 17.
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.
16¶Then Menahem smote 16Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they 17opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.
16 See of this city, 1 Kings 4 on verse 24.
17 Namely, the gates of the city, when he was on his march to fall upon Shallum.
17In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, 18and reigned ten years in Samaria.
18 Of this insertion, see 2 Kings 13 on verse 1. Also verses 23, 27.
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.
19Ande19Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave Pul a 20thousand talents of silver, 21that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand.
e 1 Chron. 5:26.
19 Called in histories (according to the opinion of some) Phul Belochus.
20 See of the weight of a talent, Exod. 25 on verse 39.
21 That is, to buy peace of the Assyrian with this sum of money, and to secure himself in his kingdom.
20And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth, 22of 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.
22 That is, to pay (as some perceive) so much to every Assyrian soldier. See of the weight of the shekels of silver, Gen. 23 on verse 15. Others translate it: of each man, understanding this not of the Assyrians who received the money, but of the mighty men of the Israelites that were to pay it.
21¶And 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?
22And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead.
23¶In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned 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.
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 23Argob and 24Arieh, and with him fifty men of the Gileadites: and he killed him, and reigned in his room.
23 Who accompanied him to help to execute his treachery; whereunto also the Gileadites, here mentioned, served.
24 The Hebrew word rendered here Arieh, signifies that lion; as it is likewise translated so by some, conceiving that a certain man was so surnamed.
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.
27¶In 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.
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.
29In the days of Pekah king of Israel came 25Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and tookf26Ijon, and Abel-beth-maachah, and 27Janoah, and 28Kedesh, and 29Hazor, and 30Gilead, and 31Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and 32carried them captive to Assyria.
25 Called also Tilgath-pilneser, 2 Chron. 28:20, in secular histories, Phulasar, the son of Phul Belochus: of whom see verse 19.
f Isa. 9:1.
26 See of this city and the close following city, 1 Kings 15 on verse 20.
27 A city situated in the east-border of the tribe of Ephraim by the Jordan River. See of this city, Joshua 16:6.
28 See of this city, Judges 4 on verse 6.
29 Formerly a famous royal city, Joshua 11:10, afterward allotted to the tribe of Naphtali, Joshua 19:36.
30 See Gen. 31 on verse 21.
31 See 1 Kings 9 on verse 11.
32 Namely, the inhabitants of the forenamed lands and cities.
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, 33in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.
33 That is, twenty years after the beginning of Jotham’s reign; which was the fourth year of Ahaz his reign, for, Jotham reigned but sixteen years, verse 33. Others perceive that Jotham reigned certain years jointly with his father, because of his leprosy, which are here added to be sixteen years of his reign.
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.
32¶In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel begang Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign.
g 2 Chron. 27:1, etc.
3334Five and twentyh 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.
34 Hebr. a son of five and twenty years.
h 2 Chron. 27:1, etc.
34And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD: he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done.
35 ¶ 35Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burned incense still in the high places. He built the 36higher gate of the house of the LORD.
35 Compare 2 Chron. 27:2, and the annotation.
36 Otherwise called the gate of Sur, and the Foundation gate: see 2 Kings 11:6; 2 Chron. 23:5, and the annotation thereon.
36¶Now 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?
3737In those days the LORD began to sendi against Judah 38Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.
37 About the end of Jotham’s reign.
i 2 Kings 16:5; Isa. 7:1.
38 Hebr. Retsin.
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.