II Kings 15:8-31
“In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months. And 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.
And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead. And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. ” (II Kings 15:8-11)
Late in the thirty eighth year after Uzziah(Azariah) became king of Judah, Jeroboam II died and his son Zachariah became king. Like all Jehu’s family he adhered to the religion Jeroboam I started, in opposition to Israel’s covenant with God. Six months after he assumed the throne, he was publicly murdered by Shallum, who seized the throne for himself.
“This was the word of the LORD which he spake unto Jehu, saying, Thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation. And so it came to pass.” (II Kings 15:12)
For God’s purposes, the main significance of Zachariah’s reign is that he was the fourth generation of Jehu’s family to hold the throne of Israel, fulfilling Elisha’s prophecy in II Kings 10:30, verifying again that God keeps his promise. While the official history of Israel recorded his actions, scripture does not as they are of little significance.
“Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned a full month in Samaria. For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, and came to Samaria, and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead. And 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.” (II Kings 15:13-15)
Shallum murdered Zachariah early in Uzziah’s thirty ninth year as king. A month after he killed Zachariah, he was killed by Menahem, who then seized the throne. Like Zachariah, the record of his conspiracy and things he did provide little useful information and are not included in scripture.
“Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.” (II Kings 15:16)
Jeroboam II had been king over Israel for forty one years. His son was murdered by Shallum, who proclaimed himself king after only six months. Shallum was murdered a month later by Menahem, who declared himself king. The region of Tipzah, just east of Samaria wasn’t sure who was rightful king and was reluctant to accept Menahem.
Rather than take time to win their trust, Menahem ordered the people of the region killed starting at Tirzah. Pregnant women were to have their bellies slashed open and the baby killed. He wasn’t going to tolerate any opposition.
“In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria. And 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.” (II Kings 15:17-18)
Though he was not one of their descendants, Menahem followed the example of the other kings before him, devotedly following the religion and practices of Jeroboam I, even more exactly than some of those before him. He never turned aside after other religions during his ten years in office.
“And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand. And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth, of 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.
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? ” (II Kings 15:19-21)
The Assyrian army invaded Israel from the east under Pul. Menahem imposed a tax on the people and raised a thousand talents of silver as a bribe for Pul to allow him to remain in power. Accepting the bribe, Pul withdrew the Assyrian forces.
“And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead. 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. And 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.” (II Kings 15:22-24)
Menahem died during Uzziah’s fiftieth year as king of Judah and his son Pekahiah became king over Israel, reigning about two years. He was just like his father, devoted to the religion Jeroboam started.
“But 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 Argob and Arieh, and with him fifty men of the Gileadites: and he killed him, and reigned in his room. And 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.
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. And 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.” (II Kings 15:25-28)
Pekah, one of Pekahiah’s generals conspired with a group of fifty men from Gilead to kill him at home in the palace during the last year of Uzziah’s reign. Like Israel’s other kings, Pekah clung to Jeroboam I’s religion for his entire twenty year reign.
“In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.” (II Kings 15:29)
During Pekah’s reign all of the Jews north of the Sea of Galilee and east of the Jordan were carried away as slaves to Assyria.
“And 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, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah. And 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.” (II Kings 15:30-31)
Right at the end of Jotham, Uzziah’s son’s reign, just as Ahaz took the throne of Judah, Syria and Israel joined forces to attack Judah, according to Isaiah 7:1. “And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it.” While they were unable to conquer Judah, they wrought havoc on Judah’s army according to II Chronicles 28:6. “For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.”
Upset by Assyria’s defeat and taking their people captive, Hoshea the son of Elah led a revolt against Pekah and killed him, taking the throne twenty years after Uzziah’s death.
“In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months. And 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.
And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead. And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. ” (II Kings 15:8-11)
Late in the thirty eighth year after Uzziah(Azariah) became king of Judah, Jeroboam II died and his son Zachariah became king. Like all Jehu’s family he adhered to the religion Jeroboam I started, in opposition to Israel’s covenant with God. Six months after he assumed the throne, he was publicly murdered by Shallum, who seized the throne for himself.
“This was the word of the LORD which he spake unto Jehu, saying, Thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation. And so it came to pass.” (II Kings 15:12)
For God’s purposes, the main significance of Zachariah’s reign is that he was the fourth generation of Jehu’s family to hold the throne of Israel, fulfilling Elisha’s prophecy in II Kings 10:30, verifying again that God keeps his promise. While the official history of Israel recorded his actions, scripture does not as they are of little significance.
“Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned a full month in Samaria. For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, and came to Samaria, and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead. And 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.” (II Kings 15:13-15)
Shallum murdered Zachariah early in Uzziah’s thirty ninth year as king. A month after he killed Zachariah, he was killed by Menahem, who then seized the throne. Like Zachariah, the record of his conspiracy and things he did provide little useful information and are not included in scripture.
“Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.” (II Kings 15:16)
Jeroboam II had been king over Israel for forty one years. His son was murdered by Shallum, who proclaimed himself king after only six months. Shallum was murdered a month later by Menahem, who declared himself king. The region of Tipzah, just east of Samaria wasn’t sure who was rightful king and was reluctant to accept Menahem.
Rather than take time to win their trust, Menahem ordered the people of the region killed starting at Tirzah. Pregnant women were to have their bellies slashed open and the baby killed. He wasn’t going to tolerate any opposition.
“In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria. And 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.” (II Kings 15:17-18)
Though he was not one of their descendants, Menahem followed the example of the other kings before him, devotedly following the religion and practices of Jeroboam I, even more exactly than some of those before him. He never turned aside after other religions during his ten years in office.
“And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand. And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth, of 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.
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? ” (II Kings 15:19-21)
The Assyrian army invaded Israel from the east under Pul. Menahem imposed a tax on the people and raised a thousand talents of silver as a bribe for Pul to allow him to remain in power. Accepting the bribe, Pul withdrew the Assyrian forces.
“And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead. 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. And 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.” (II Kings 15:22-24)
Menahem died during Uzziah’s fiftieth year as king of Judah and his son Pekahiah became king over Israel, reigning about two years. He was just like his father, devoted to the religion Jeroboam started.
“But 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 Argob and Arieh, and with him fifty men of the Gileadites: and he killed him, and reigned in his room. And 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.
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. And 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.” (II Kings 15:25-28)
Pekah, one of Pekahiah’s generals conspired with a group of fifty men from Gilead to kill him at home in the palace during the last year of Uzziah’s reign. Like Israel’s other kings, Pekah clung to Jeroboam I’s religion for his entire twenty year reign.
“In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.” (II Kings 15:29)
During Pekah’s reign all of the Jews north of the Sea of Galilee and east of the Jordan were carried away as slaves to Assyria.
“And 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, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah. And 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.” (II Kings 15:30-31)
Right at the end of Jotham, Uzziah’s son’s reign, just as Ahaz took the throne of Judah, Syria and Israel joined forces to attack Judah, according to Isaiah 7:1. “And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it.” While they were unable to conquer Judah, they wrought havoc on Judah’s army according to II Chronicles 28:6. “For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.”
Upset by Assyria’s defeat and taking their people captive, Hoshea the son of Elah led a revolt against Pekah and killed him, taking the throne twenty years after Uzziah’s death.
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