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Jeroboam II and Israel's Last Kings
These short reign notices trace Israel’s final northern kings from Jeroboam II to Hoshea. The pattern is striking: repeated evil, rapid turnovers, and increasing control by Assyria.
Understanding the passage
Understanding this record
The verses begin with Jeroboam II’s long reign in Samaria and then move through Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, Pekah, and Hoshea. Each notice is brief, but together they show recurring sin, political violence, and the growing weight of Assyria over Israel.
2 Kings 14:23–29; 2 Kings 15:8–31; 2 Kings 17:1–4Main takeaway
Israel’s last kings changed often, but the passage keeps showing the same pattern of evil, conspiracy, and weakening under Assyria.
Explore the record
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Jeroboam II: long reign, but not faithfulJeroboam II reigned forty-one years in Samaria. The passage says he did evil in Yahweh’s sight and continued the sins linked with Jeroboam son of Nebat.
Explanation
Jeroboam II reigned forty-one years in Samaria. The passage says he did evil in Yahweh’s sight and continued the sins linked with Jeroboam son of Nebat. Yet Yahweh saw Israel’s bitter affliction and used Jeroboam to restore Israel’s border, according to the word spoken through Jonah.
02Zechariah and Shallum: very short ruleZechariah followed Jeroboam II, but reigned only six months. He also did evil and continued the same sins.
Explanation
Zechariah followed Jeroboam II, but reigned only six months. He also did evil and continued the same sins. Shallum conspired against him, killed him, and took the throne. The text notes that this completed Yahweh’s word to Jehu about four generations on Israel’s throne.
03Menahem and Pekahiah: brutality and payment to AssyriaShallum lasted only a month before Menahem killed him. The passage records Menahem’s attack on Tiphsah in severe terms, showing harsh violence.
Explanation
Shallum lasted only a month before Menahem killed him. The passage records Menahem’s attack on Tiphsah in severe terms, showing harsh violence. He also did evil. When Assyria came, he paid a large amount of silver, raised from wealthy men in Israel. Pekahiah then reigned two years before Pekah killed him.
04Pekah and Hoshea: Assyria tightens its holdPekah also did evil. During his reign, Assyria captured northern towns and carried people away captive.
Explanation
Pekah also did evil. During his reign, Assyria captured northern towns and carried people away captive. Hoshea then killed Pekah and became king. Hoshea is still called evil, though not like earlier kings. He served Assyria, then conspired and stopped tribute, so the Assyrian king seized and imprisoned him.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What two different things does the passage say about Jeroboam II?
It says he did evil, yet Yahweh used him to restore territory because Yahweh saw Israel’s affliction.
02What repeated pattern appears after Jeroboam II?
Several kings continue the same sins, and some lose the throne through conspiracy and murder.
03How does Assyria’s power increase in these notices?
First Menahem pays silver, then Pekah loses land and people, and finally Hoshea is seized and imprisoned.
Read the Bible passages
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
2 Kings 14:23–29
23In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria for forty-one years.
24He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight. He didn’t depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin.
25He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to the sea of the Arabah, according to Yahweh, the God of Israel’s word, which he spoke by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath Hepher.
26For Yahweh saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter for all, slave and free; and there was no helper for Israel.
27Yahweh didn’t say that he would blot out the name of Israel from under the sky; but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.
28Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he fought, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, for Israel, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
29Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zechariah his son reigned in his place.
2 Kings 15:8–31
8In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six months.
9He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, as his fathers had done. He didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin.
10Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and struck him before the people and killed him, and reigned in his place.
11Now the rest of the acts of Zechariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
12This was Yahweh’s word which he spoke to Jehu, saying, “Your sons to the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.” So it came to pass.
13Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah, and he reigned for a month in Samaria.
14Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, came to Samaria, struck Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, killed him, and reigned in his place.
15Now 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.
16Then Menahem attacked Tiphsah and all who were in it and its border areas, from Tirzah. He attacked it because they didn’t open their gates to him, and he ripped up all their women who were with child.
17In the thirty ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem the son of Gadi began to reign over Israel for ten years in Samaria.
18He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight. He didn’t depart all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin.
19Pul the king of Assyria came against the land, and Menahem gave Pul one thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand.
20Menahem exacted the money from Israel, even from all the mighty men of wealth, from each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and didn’t stay there in the land.
21Now the rest of the acts of Menahem, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
22Menahem slept with his fathers, and Pekahiah his son reigned in his place.
23In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria for two years.
24He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight. He didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin.
25Pekah the son of Remaliah, his captain, conspired against him and attacked him in Samaria, in the fortress of the king’s house, with Argob and Arieh; and with him were fifty men of the Gileadites. He killed him, and reigned in his place.
26Now 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.
27In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria for twenty years.
28He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight. He didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin.
29In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria.
30Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, attacked him, killed him, and reigned in his place, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.
31Now 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.
2 Kings 17:1–4
1In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea the son of Elah began to reign in Samaria over Israel for nine years.
2He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, yet not as the kings of Israel who were before him.
3Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against him; and Hoshea became his servant, and brought him tribute.
4The king of Assyria discovered a conspiracy in Hoshea; for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. Therefore the king of Assyria seized him, and bound him in prison.