Bible Commentaries
2 Kings 15

Verses 1-38

Sundry brief Annals

This chapter relates the reigns of Azariah and Jotham of Judah, and of Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, and Pekah of Israel.

1. In the twenty and seventh year] Since Jeroboam came to the throne in the fifteenth year of Amaziah (2 Kings 14:23), and Amaziah only reigned 29 years (2 Kings 14:2), his son must have succeeded him in Jeroboam’s fifteenth year. Azariah in 2 Kings 15:13, 2 Kings 15:30 is called Uzziah.

5. The Lord smote the king] For the reason see 2 Chronicles 26:16-20. A several house] RM ’a lazar house,’ in which he was secluded in accordance with the principle laid down in Leviticus 13:46. Was over the house] He held the same office as that alluded to in 1 Kings 4:6. Judging the people] i.e. acting as regent for his father.

6. The rest of the acts of Azariah] For details see 2 Chronicles 26:1-15. It was in the last year of Azariah (Uzziah) that the prophet Isaiah entered upon his ministry (Isaiah 6).

12. This was the word of the Lord] In spite of the ability and success of Jeroboam II the corruption of the people (which Amos and Hosea attest) bore its natural fruit, and the nation became the prey of faction, resulting in the downfall of Jehu’s dynasty.

13. Uzziah] For the two names Uzziah and Azariah applied to the same individual see 1 Chronicles 6:24, 1 Chronicles 6:36 and the interchange of Azareel and Uzziel in 1 Chronicles 25:18; 1 Chronicles 25:4 mg.; 14. Tirzah] see on 1 Kings 14:17. Though it had ceased to be the capital, it was doubtless still an important place.

16. Tiphsah] not the Tiphsah of 1 Kings 4:24, which represents Thapsacus, a far distant town on the Euphrates, but some unknown place in Israel itself. Some suggest that it is a mistake for Tappuah (Joshua 17:8).

19. Pul] usually identified with the Tiglathpileser named in 2 Kings 15:29, who was the successor, though not the son, of Asshur-nirari, his reign lasting from 745 to 728 b.c. The Assyrians had come in contact with Israel previous to this (see on 2 Kings 10:34); but it was only under Tiglath-pileser that they began seriously to endanger the independence of the northern kingdom, and the invasion here described is the first recorded of their many attacks upon the Hebrew states. Menahem gave Pul] cp. Hosea 5:13. Tiglath-pileser himself in his inscriptions records that he received tribute from ’Menahem of Samaria.’

20. Exacted the money] The sovereigns of Judah usually bribed their foreign allies, or bought off foreign invaders by drawing upon the treasures stored in the Temple (1 Kings 15:18; 2 Kings 12:18; 2 Kings 16:8; 2 Kings 18:15); though Jehoiakim followed the same course as Menahem, and taxed his subjects (2 Kings 23:35).

25. Pekah] Menahem and his son Pekahiah had depended for support upon the protection of Assyria; but Pekah belonged to a faction which was opposed to Assyrian influences.

Palace] RV ’castle’: cp. 1 Kings 16:18.

27. Twenty years] The Assyrian inscriptions show that no more than four years separated the close of Pekah’s reign from that of Menahem, so that the latter here must be over-estimated.

29. Tiglath-pileser] see on 2 Kings 15:19. The invasion here described was connected with the attack made by Pekah and his ally Rezin of Damascus, upon Ahaz of Judah (2 Kings 16:5.). Of the places taken by Tiglath-pileser Ijon and Abelbeth-Maachah were near the sources of the Jordan, N. of Lake Merom; Kedesh and Hazor lay to the W. of the same lake; the site of Janoah is uncertain. Carried them captive] This deportation took place in 734 b.c. It is recorded by Tiglath-pileser himself in his own inscriptions, though he says exaggeratedly that he deported ’the whole of the inhabitants.’ The purpose of such wholesale removals of the population of a conquered country was to destroy national sentiment and traditions, and so prevent all attempts to recover independence by killing the aspiration for it.

30. Hoshea.. conspiracy] Hoshea pursued a different policy to Pekah and sought Assyrian support by paying tribute (2 Kings 17:3). In the twentieth year] According to 2 Kings 15:33 Jotham reigned only 16 years, and Pekah’s reign was contemporary with part of that of Ahaz (2 Kings 17:1).

35. He built, etc.] Other allusions to his buildings occur in 2 Chronicles 27:3.

36. The rest.. Jotham] see 2 Chronicles 27:2-8. The prosperity which Judah enjoyed during Uzziah’s reign continued through that of his successor (if Isaiah 2 may be taken as descriptive of it); but the accumulation of wealth was accompanied by religious corruption: see Isaiah 2:6-8.

37. Rezin.. Pekah] The war which broke out in the reign of Ahaz was threatening during the reign of Jotham (see on 2 Kings 16:5).