ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for 2 Kings 15

2 Kings 15:3–4 he did what was right [but] the high places were not taken away. See 14:3–4 for a similar description of Azariah’s father, Amaziah. Azariah is also called Uzziah in various places (see 15:13, 30, 32, 34). It was during Azariah’s (Uzziah’s) reign that Isaiah began his prophetic ministry (Isa. 1:1; 6:1).

2 Kings 15:5 a leper to the day of his death. Sometime during his reign, Azariah became a leper and was unable to govern. He occupied a separate house, which is a symbolic way of saying that he was relieved of his responsibilities. He was regarded as essentially dead. See note on 2 Chron. 26:21–23. Azariah’s son Jotham governed Judah in his place.

2 Kings 15:6 On the Chronicles of the Kings, see note on 1 Kings 14:19.

2 Kings 15:8–31 Israel’s Last Days. The Lord had promised Jehu that his descendants would reign after him to the “fourth generation” (10:30). With the death of Jeroboam II and the coming of Zechariah to the throne, that fourth generation has arrived. Israel will now return to the unstable government of the days before the dynasties of Omri and Jehu (see 1 Kings 14–16). King will now follow king in quick succession.

2 Kings 15:16–22 Menahem sacked Tiphsah. This attack on an important city on the Euphrates River is the last, brutal action of an Israelite king claiming control of a Solomon-like empire (compare 1 Kings 4:24). Such a campaign would probably have taken place early in Menahem’s reign. It probably happened either before the campaigns of Pul the king of Assyria in 743–740 b.c. began, or during these years as part of the anti-Assyrian struggle in the region. “Pul” is a short name for Tiglath-pileser III. Pul’s goal was apparently to establish an Assyrian trading center on the border with Egypt, and he needed to control the area north of Egypt in order to achieve that goal. Menahem’s tributary payment of a thousand talents of silver makes him Assyria’s friend for the time being.

2 Kings 15:27–31 Pekah is the last of the Israelite kings to rule during the long reign of Azariah in Judah. Toward the end of Pekah’s reign, in 733–732 b.c., Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria takes much of Israel’s northern and eastern territory. He deports much of Israel’s population in order to increase the Assyrian labor force and reduce opposition among conquered peoples. See note on 16:7–9.

2 Kings 15:32–16:20 Jotham and Ahaz. The house of David has seen three of its last four kings assassinated, and the fourth relinquish his power because of his leprosy. Things are not about to improve, as Jotham and his unbelieving son Ahaz are introduced.

2 Kings 15:34–35 the high places were not removed. See note on 1 Kings 3:2. Jotham was a relatively good king. Nevertheless, he is described as being like his father Uzziah rather than like David (see note on 2 Kings 14:1–6). He failed to encourage the people to worship in Jerusalem. Rather, he allowed them to continue worshiping at the high places. Micah’s prophetic ministry began during Jotham’s reign (Mic. 1:1).

2 Kings 15:37 the Lord began to send Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah . . . against Judah. This is the beginning of the “Syro-Ephraimite War” described in Isaiah 7–9. As Syria and Israel (Ephraim) threaten Judah, Judah will look to Assyria for help.