CHAPTER 15
In the twenty-seventh
year
of Jeroboam's
reign
over Israel,
Azariah
son
of Amaziah
became king
of Judah.
He was
sixteen
years old
when he became king,
and he reigned
in Jerusalem
fifty-two
years.
His mother’s
name
was Jecoliah;
she was from Jerusalem.
Nevertheless,
the high places
were not
taken away;
the people
continued
sacrificing
and burning incense
there.
And the LORD
afflicted
the king
with leprosy
until
the day
he died,
so that he lived
in a separate
house
while his
son
Jotham
had charge of
the palace
and governed
the people
of the land.
As for the rest
of the acts
of Azariah,
along with all
his accomplishments,
are they not written
in the Book
of the Chronicles
of the Kings
of Judah?
And Azariah
rested
with
his fathers
and was buried
with
his fathers
in the City
of David.
And his son
Jotham
became king
in his place.
In the thirty-eighth
year
of Azariah's
reign
over Judah,
Zechariah
son
of Jeroboam
became king
of
Israel,
and he reigned in Samaria
six
months.
And he did
evil
in the sight
of the LORD,
as
his fathers
had done.
He did not
turn away
from the sins that
Jeroboam
son
of Nebat
had caused Israel
to commit.
Then Shallum
son
of Jabesh
conspired
against Zechariah
and struck him down
and killed him
in front of
the people
and became king
in his place.
As for the rest
of the acts
of Zechariah,
they are indeed
written
in
the Book
of the Chronicles
of the Kings
of Israel.
So the word
of the LORD
spoken
to
Jehu
was fulfilled:
“Four generations
of your sons
will sit
on
the throne
of Israel.”
In the thirty-ninth
year
of Uzziah's
reign
over Judah,
Shallum
son
of Jabesh
became king,
and he reigned
in Samaria
one full month.
Then Menahem
son
of Gadi
went up
from Tirzah
to Samaria,
struck down
and killed
Shallum
son
of Jabesh,
and became king
in his place.
As for the rest
of the acts
of Shallum,
along with the conspiracy
he led,
they are indeed
written
in the Book
of the Chronicles
of the Kings
of Israel.
At that time
Menahem,
starting from Tirzah,
attacked
Tiphsah
and
everyone
in its
vicinity,
because
they would not
open their gates.
So he attacked Tiphsah
and ripped open
all
the pregnant women.
In the thirty-ninth
year
of the reign
of Azariah
over Judah,
Menahem
son
of Gadi
became king
of
Israel,
and he reigned in Samaria
ten
years.
And he did
evil
in the sight
of the LORD,
and throughout
his reign
he did not
turn away
from
the sins that
Jeroboam
son
of Nebat
had caused Israel
to commit.
Then Pul
king
of Assyria
invaded
the land,
and Menahem
gave
Pul
a thousand
talents
of silver
in order to gain his support
and strengthen
his own grip
on the kingdom.
Menahem
exacted
this money
from
each
of the wealthy
men
of Israel—
fifty
shekels
of silver
from each
man—
to give
to the king
of Assyria.
So the king
of Assyria
withdrew
and did not
remain
in the land.
As for the rest
of the acts
of Menahem,
along with all
his accomplishments,
are they not written
in the Book
of the Chronicles
of the Kings
of Israel?
In the fiftieth
year
of Azariah's
reign
over Judah,
Pekahiah
son
of Menahem
became king
of
Israel
and reigned in Samaria
two years.
And he did
evil
in the sight
of the LORD
and did not
turn away
from the sins that
Jeroboam
son
of Nebat
had caused Israel
to commit.
Then his officer,
Pekah
son
of Remaliah,
conspired
against him
along with
Argob,
Arieh,
and
fifty
men
of
Gilead.
And at the citadel
of the king’s
palace
in Samaria,
Pekah struck down
and killed Pekahiah
and became king
in his place.
As for the rest
of the acts
of Pekahiah,
along with all
his accomplishments,
they are indeed
written
in the Book
of the Chronicles
of the Kings
of Israel.
In the fifty-second
year
of Azariah's
reign
over Judah,
Pekah
son
of Remaliah
became king
of
Israel
and reigned in Samaria
twenty
years.
And he did
evil
in the sight
of the LORD
and did not
turn away
from
the sins that
Jeroboam
son
of Nebat
had caused Israel
to commit.
In the days
of Pekah
king
of Israel,
Tiglath-pileser
king
of Assyria
came
and captured
Ijon,
Abel-beth-maacah,
Janoah,
Kedesh,
Hazor,
Gilead,
and Galilee,
including all
the land
of Naphtali,
and he took the people
to Assyria as captives.
Then Hoshea
son
of Elah
led
a conspiracy
against
Pekah
son
of Remaliah.
In the twentieth
year
of the reign of Jotham
son
of Uzziah,
Hoshea attacked Pekah,
killed him,
and became king
in his place.
As for the rest
of the acts
of Pekah,
along with all
his accomplishments,
they are indeed
written
in the Book
of the Chronicles
of the Kings
of Israel.
In the second
year
of the reign
of Pekah
son
of Remaliah
over Israel,
Jotham
son
of Uzziah
became king
of Judah.
He was
twenty-five
years old
when he became king,
and he reigned
in Jerusalem
sixteen
years.
His mother’s
name
was Jerusha
daughter
of Zadok.
Nevertheless,
the high places
were not
taken away;
the people
continued
sacrificing
and burning incense
there.
Jotham
rebuilt
the Upper
Gate
of the house
of the LORD.
As for the rest
of the acts
of Jotham,
along with his accomplishments,
are they not written
in the Book
of the Chronicles
of the Kings
of Judah?
(In those
days
the LORD
began
to send
Rezin
king
of Aram
and Pekah
son
of Remaliah
against Judah.)
And Jotham
rested
with
his fathers
and was buried
with
them
in the City
of David,
his forefather.
And his son
Ahaz
became king
in his place.