15:1 In the twenty-seventh year of King Jeroboams reign over Israel, Amaziahs son Azariah became king over Judah. 15:2 He was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem.1 His mothers name was Jecholiah, who was from Jerusalem. 15:3 He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Amaziah had done.2 15:4 But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. 15:5 The Lord afflicted the king with an illness; he suffered from a skin disease3 until the day he died. He lived in separate quarters,4 while his son Jotham was in charge of the palace and ruled over the people of the land.
15:6 The rest of the events of Azariahs reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah.5 15:7 Azariah passed away6 and was buried7 with his ancestors in the city of David. His son Jotham replaced him as king.
Zechariahs Reign over Israel
15:8 In the thirty-eighth year of King Azariahs reign over Judah, Jeroboams son Zechariah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria8 for six months. 15:9 He did evil before9 the Lord, as his ancestors had done. He did not repudiate10 the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 15:10 Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against him; he assassinated him in Ibleam11 and took his place as king. 15:11 The rest of the events of Zechariahs reign are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.12 15:12 His assassination brought to fulfillment the Lords word to Jehu,13 Four generations of your descendants will rule over Israel.14 Thats exactly what happened.15
15:13 Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of King Uzziahs16 reign over Judah. He reigned for one month17 in Samaria. 15:14 Menahem son of Gadi went up from Tirzah to18 Samaria and attacked Shallum son of Jabesh.19 He killed him and took his place as king. 15:15 The rest of the events of Shallums reign, including the conspiracy he organized, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.20 15:16 At that time Menahem came from Tirzah and attacked Tiphsah. He struck down all who lived in the city and the surrounding territory, because they would not surrender.21 He even ripped open the pregnant women.
Menahems Reign over Israel
15:17 In the thirty-ninth year of King Azariahs reign over Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel. He reigned for twelve years in Samaria.22 15:18 He did evil before23 the Lord; he did not repudiate24 the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin.25
During his reign, 15:19 Pul26 the king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem paid27 him28 a thousand units29 of silver to gain his support30 and to solidify his control of the kingdom.31 15:20 Menahem got this silver by taxing all the wealthy men in Israel; he took fifty shekels of silver from each one of them and paid it to the king of Assyria.32 Then the king of Assyria left; he did not stay there in the land.
15:21 The rest of the events of Menahems reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.33 15:22 Menahem passed away34 and his son Pekahiah replaced him as king.
Pekahiahs Reign over Israel
15:23 In the fiftieth year of King Azariahs reign over Judah, Menahems son Pekahiah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria35 for two years. 15:24 He did evil before36 the Lord; he did not repudiate37 the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 15:25 His officer Pekah son of Remaliah conspired against him. He and fifty Gileadites assassinated Pekahiah, as well as Argob and Arieh, in Samaria in the fortress of the royal palace.38 Pekah then took his place as king.
15:26 The rest of the events of Pekahiahs reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.39
Pekahs Reign over Israel
15:27 In the fifty-second year of King Azariahs reign over Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria40 for twenty years. 15:28 He did evil before41 the Lord; he did not repudiate42 the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 15:29 During Pekahs reign over Israel, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor,43 Gilead, and Galilee, including all the territory of Naphtali. He deported the people44 to Assyria. 15:30 Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah. He assassinated him45 and took his place as king, in the twentieth year of the reign of Jotham son of Uzziah.
15:31 The rest of the events of Pekahs reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.46
Jothams Reign over Judah
15:32 In the second year of the reign of Israels King Pekah son of Remaliah, Uzziahs son Jotham became king over Judah. 15:33 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem.47 His mother was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. 15:34 He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Uzziah had done.48 15:35 But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. He built the Upper Gate to the Lords temple.
15:36 The rest of the events of Jothams reign, including his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah.49 15:37 In those days the Lord prompted King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah to attack Judah.50 15:38 Jotham passed away51 and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor David. His son Ahaz replaced him as king.
Ahazs Reign over Judah