Bible Commentaries
2 Kings 15

Verses 1-38

2 Kings 15:1-7 The Reign of Azariah Over Judah (792-740 B.C.) (see 2 Chronicles 26:1-23 ) 2 Kings 15:1-7 records the story of the reign of Azariah over Judah.

2 Kings 15:1 Comments - Azariah “`Azaryah” ( עֲזַרְיָה , עֲזַרְיָהוּ ) (H5838) is called by the name Uzziah ( עֻזִּיָּה , עֻזִּיָּהוּ ) in 2 Chronicles.

2 Kings 15:8-12 The Reign of Zechariah Over Israel (753 B.C.) 2 Kings 15:8-12 records the story of the reign of Zechariah over Israel.

2 Kings 15:12 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.

2 Kings 15:12 Comments - Note when this word from God was spoken in 2 Kings 10:30.

2 Kings 10:30, “And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.”

2 Kings 15:13-16 The Reign of Shallum Over Israel (752 B.C.) 2 Kings 15:13-16 records the story of Shallum’s short reign over Israel.

2 Kings 15:17-22 The Reign of Menahem Over Israel (752-742 B.C.) 2 Kings 15:17-22 records the account of the reign of Menahem over Israel.

2 Kings 15:19 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.

2 Kings 15:19 “Pul the king of Assyria” - Comments - Many scholars today believe that Pul, king of Assyria, is the same person as Tiglath-Pileser.

“ It is now practically certain that Pul, who is mentioned as taking tribute from Menahem, is identical with Tiglath-pileser (Schrader, COT, I, 230, 231). In all probability Pul, or Pulu, was a usurper, who as king of Assyria assumed the name of one of his predecessors, Tiglath-pileser I, and reigned as Tiglath-pileser III. This king of Assyria, who reigned, as we learn from his annals, from 745 BC to 727 BC, was one of the greatest of Assyrian monarchs.” ( ISBE) [65]

[65] T. Nicol, “Tiglath-Pileser,” in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, ed. James Orr (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., c1915, 1939), in The Sword Project, v. 1.5.11 [CD-ROM] (Temple, AZ: CrossWire Bible Society, 1990-2008).

The NKJV supports this view in 1 Chronicles 5:26, which reads, “So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, that is, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria . He carried the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh into captivity. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan to this day.”