14 In the second year of the reign of Israel’s King Joash son of Joahaz, 1 Joash’s 2 son Amaziah became king over Judah. 2 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. 3 His mother 4 was Jehoaddan, who was from Jerusalem. 3 He did what the Lord approved, 5 but not like David his father. He followed the example of his father Joash. 6 4 But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places.
5 When he had secured control of the kingdom, 7 he executed the servants who had assassinated his father. 8 6 But he did not execute the sons of the assassins. He obeyed the Lord’s commandment as recorded in the law scroll of Moses, 9 “Fathers must not be put to death for what their sons do, 10 and sons must not be put to death for what their fathers do. 11 A man must be put to death only for his own sin.” 12
7 He defeated 13 10,000 Edomites in the Salt Valley; he captured Sela in battle and renamed it Joktheel, a name it has retained to this very day. 8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel. He said, “Come, let’s meet face to face.” 14 9 King Jehoash of Israel sent this message back to King Amaziah of Judah, “A thornbush in Lebanon sent this message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal 15 of Lebanon came by and trampled down the thorn. 16 10 You thoroughly defeated Edom 17 and it has gone to your head! 18 Gloat over your success, 19 but stay in your palace. Why bring calamity on yourself? Why bring down yourself and Judah along with you?” 20 11 But Amaziah would not heed the warning, 21 so King Jehoash of Israel attacked. 22 He and King Amaziah of Judah met face to face 23 in Beth Shemesh of Judah. 12 Judah was defeated by Israel, and each man ran back home. 24 13 King Jehoash of Israel captured King Amaziah of Judah, son of Jehoash son of Ahaziah, in Beth Shemesh. He 25 attacked 26 Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate – a distance of about six hundred feet. 27 14 He took away all the gold and silver, all the items found in the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the royal palace, and some hostages. 28 Then he went back to Samaria. 29
( 15 The rest of the events of Jehoash’s 30 reign, including all his accomplishments and his successful war with King Amaziah of Judah, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 31 16 Jehoash passed away 32 and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. His son Jeroboam replaced him as king.)
17 King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz of Israel. 18 The rest of the events of Amaziah’s reign are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 33 19 Conspirators plotted against him in Jerusalem, 34 so he fled to Lachish. But they sent assassins after him 35 and they killed him there. 20 His body was carried back by horses 36 and he was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors in the city of David. 21 All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in his father Amaziah’s place. 22 Azariah 37 built up Elat and restored it to Judah after the king 38 had passed away. 39
23 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Judah’s King Amaziah, son of Joash, Jeroboam son of Joash became king over Israel. He reigned for forty-one years in Samaria. 40 24 He did evil in the sight of 41 the Lord; he did not repudiate 42 the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 25 He restored the border of Israel from Lebo Hamath in the north to the sea of the Arabah in the south, 43 in accordance with the word of the Lord God of Israel announced through 44 his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher. 26 The Lord saw Israel’s intense suffering; 45 everyone was weak and incapacitated and Israel had no deliverer. 46 27 The Lord had not decreed that he would blot out Israel’s memory 47 from under heaven, 48 so he delivered them through Jeroboam son of Joash.
28 The rest of the events of Jeroboam’s reign, including all his accomplishments, his military success in restoring Israelite control over Damascus and Hamath, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 49 29 Jeroboam passed away 50 and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. 51 His son Zechariah replaced him as king.
15 In the twenty-seventh year of King Jeroboam’s reign over Israel, Amaziah’s son Azariah became king over Judah. 2 He was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem. 1 His mother’s name was Jecholiah, who was from Jerusalem. 3 He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Amaziah had done. 2 4 But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. 5 The Lord afflicted the king with an illness; he suffered from a skin disease 3 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.
6 The rest of the events of Azariah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 5 7 Azariah passed away 6 and was buried 7 with his ancestors in the city of David. His son Jotham replaced him as king.
8 In the thirty-eighth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Jeroboam’s son Zechariah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria 8 for six months. 9 He did evil in the sight of 9 the Lord, as his ancestors had done. He did not repudiate 10 the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 10 Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against him; he assassinated him in Ibleam 11 and took his place as king. 11 The rest of the events of Zechariah’s reign are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 12 12 His assassination brought to fulfillment the Lord’s word to Jehu, 13 “Four generations of your descendants will rule over Israel.” 14 That is exactly what happened. 15
13 Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of King Uzziah’s 16 reign over Judah. He reigned for one month 17 in Samaria. 14 Menahem son of Gadi went up from Tirzah to 18 Samaria and attacked Shallum son of Jabesh. 19 He killed him and took his place as king. 15 The rest of the events of Shallum’s reign, including the conspiracy he organized, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 20 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.
17 In the thirty-ninth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel. He reigned for twelve years in Samaria. 22 18 He did evil in the sight of 23 the Lord; he did not repudiate 24 the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 25
During his reign, 19 Pul 26 king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem paid 27 him 28 a thousand talents 29 of silver to gain his support 30 and to solidify his control of the kingdom. 31 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.
21 The rest of the events of Menahem’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 33 22 Menahem passed away 34 and his son Pekahiah replaced him as king.
23 In the fiftieth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Menahem’s son Pekahiah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria 35 for two years. 24 He did evil in the sight of 36 the Lord; he did not repudiate 37 the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 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.
26 The rest of the events of Pekahiah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 39
27 In the fifty-second year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria 40 for twenty years. 28 He did evil in the sight of 41 the Lord; he did not repudiate 42 the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 29 During Pekah’s 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 people 44 to Assyria. 30 Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah. He assassinated him 45 and took his place as king, in the twentieth year of the reign of Jotham son of Uzziah.
31 The rest of the events of Pekah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 46
32 In the second year of the reign of Israel’s King Pekah son of Remaliah, Uzziah’s son Jotham became king over Judah. 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. 34 He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Uzziah had done. 48 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 Lord’s temple.
36 The rest of the events of Jotham’s reign, including his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 49 37 In those days the Lord prompted King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah to attack Judah. 50 38 Jotham passed away 51 and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor David. His son Ahaz replaced him as king.
16 In the seventeenth year of the reign of Pekah son of Remaliah, Jotham’s son Ahaz became king over Judah. 2 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. 1 He did not do what pleased the Lord his God, in contrast to his ancestor David. 2 3 He followed in the footsteps of 3 the kings of Israel. He passed his son through the fire, 4 a horrible sin practiced by the nations 5 whom the Lord drove out from before the Israelites. 4 He offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
5 At that time King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel attacked Jerusalem. 6 They besieged Ahaz, 7 but were unable to conquer him. 8 6 (At that time King Rezin of Syria 9 recovered Elat for Syria; he drove the Judahites from there. 10 Syrians 11 arrived in Elat and live there to this very day.) 7 Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your dependent. 12 March up and rescue me from the power 13 of the king of Syria and the king of Israel, who have attacked 14 me.” 8 Then Ahaz took the silver and gold that were 15 in the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent it as tribute 16 to the king of Assyria. 9 The king of Assyria responded favorably to his request; 17 he 18 attacked Damascus and captured it. He deported the people 19 to Kir and executed Rezin.
10 When King Ahaz went to meet with King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria in Damascus, he saw the altar there. 20 King Ahaz sent to Uriah the priest a drawing of the altar and a blueprint for its design. 21 11 Uriah the priest built an altar in conformity to the plans King Ahaz had sent from Damascus. 22 Uriah the priest finished it before King Ahaz arrived back from Damascus. 23 12 When the king arrived back from Damascus and 24 saw the altar, he approached it 25 and offered a sacrifice on it. 26 13 He offered his burnt sacrifice and his grain offering. He poured out his libation and sprinkled the blood from his peace offerings on the altar. 14 He moved the bronze altar that stood in the Lord’s presence from the front of the temple (between the altar and the Lord’s temple) and put it on the north side of the new 27 altar. 15 King Ahaz ordered Uriah the priest, “On the large altar 28 offer the morning burnt sacrifice, the evening grain offering, the royal burnt sacrifices and grain offering, the burnt sacrifice for all the people of Israel, their grain offering, and their libations. Sprinkle all the blood of the burnt sacrifice and other sacrifices on it. The bronze altar will be for my personal use.” 29 16 So Uriah the priest did exactly as 30 King Ahaz ordered.
17 King Ahaz took off the frames of the movable stands, and removed the basins from them. He took “The Sea” 31 down from the bronze bulls that supported it 32 and put it on the pavement. 18 He also removed the Sabbath awning 33 that had been built 34 in the temple and the king’s outer entranceway, on account of the king of Assyria. 35
19 The rest of the events of Ahaz’s reign, including his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 36 20 Ahaz passed away 37 and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. His son Hezekiah replaced him as king.
