https://esv.literalword.com/?q=2+kings+15
Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Tuesday, 14 October 2025:
2 Kings 15:1-4 — In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah the son of Amaziah, king of Judah, began to reign. He was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places.
“His mother’s name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done.” Once again, Scripture draws attention to the parents when introducing a king. Azariah’s (Uzziah’s) moral formation is traced to both his father Amaziah and his mother Jecoliah of Jerusalem. The Bible does not treat parenthood as incidental; it treats it as foundational. Godly parents shape godly leaders, and when both mother and father walk in righteousness, they impart balance and stability to the soul of a child. The home is the first seminary, the first sanctuary, and the first government of a nation. Every righteous reform or revival begins not in the palace but in the family. When homes crumble, so does society. When fathers abdicate and mothers despair, the next generation rises without roots. But when both parents fear God, they raise children who know His ways (Deuteronomy 6:6–7; Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4). The character of a people reflects the character of its parents.
Azariah, also known as Uzziah, began his reign well. He did what was right in the sight of the LORD and ruled for an impressive fifty-two years, a period of relative prosperity and strength for Judah (2 Chronicles 26:5). Yet, as with his father, his obedience was partial and compromise lingered: Yet even in this good king’s life, compromise lingered: “Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away.” The high places remained, symbolizing areas of compromise where the people blended worship of God with the patterns of the world. Compromise always corrodes devotion. Uzziah’s reign shows that longevity of success is no substitute for wholehearted purity. It is possible to do much right and yet still leave room for idolatry. God desires complete devotion, not partial allegiance.
Here we see the quiet tragedy of tolerated sin. Azariah allowed idolatry to continue, perhaps thinking it was harmless or politically expedient. But what one generation excuses, the next embraces. The “high places” of compromise, whether cultural idols, moral tolerances, or spiritual apathy, eventually become fortresses of rebellion. Sin does not die of neglect; it only grows in the shadows left unchallenged.
This pattern echoes in the story of Lot, the nephew of Abraham. In the New Testament, Peter describes Lot as “righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked…for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard” (2 Peter 2:7–8). Lot was grieved by the sin of Sodom, but he did not resist it. The Old Testament shows him sitting at the city gate (Genesis 19:1), a position of leadership and influence, but Scripture records no words of rebuke, no calls to repentance. He lived near the fire and assumed he would not be burned.
When judgment came, the angels urged him to flee, but “he lingered” (Genesis 19:16). His sons-in-law thought he was joking (v. 14), a sign that his spiritual credibility had eroded. His wife looked back and became a pillar of salt (v. 26), her heart still tethered to the city she should have forsaken. His daughters, corrupted by the culture he chose to raise them in, committed unthinkable acts of incest that birthed the nations of Moab and Ammon, Israel’s enduring enemies. Lot may have been vexed, but he was not valiant. He felt conviction but lacked courage. He hated the darkness but refused to shine light.
The parallel with Azariah is striking. Both men knew the truth, both were surrounded by sin, and both failed to confront it. Azariah ruled over a kingdom with residual idolatry; Lot dwelled in a city filled with corruption. Each tolerated what they should have transformed. The lesson is piercing: grief over sin is not enough — God calls us to action. Silence and tolerance in the face of evil are forms of consent. As Ephesians 5:11 warns, “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”
Lot’s story reminds us that failure to confront sin leads to generational loss. His leadership carried no moral weight when it mattered most. Likewise, Azariah’s toleration of the high places meant that idolatry continued to poison Judah long after his reign. The disease of compromise, left untreated, always spreads.
In contrast, Abraham, the man of faith, “built an altar to the LORD” wherever he went (Genesis 12:7–8; 13:18). Lot, by contrast, pitched his tents near Sodom (Genesis 13:12). One chose worship, the other comfort; one lived as a pilgrim, the other as a settler. That small difference in posture determined the fate of their families.
So too, in our generation, we face the temptation to coexist peacefully with cultural idols rather than confront them with truth and love. Like Azariah and Lot, we may “do what is right” in many ways, yet still allow the “high places” of materialism, sensuality, pride, or unbelief to remain standing in our homes and churches. God’s Word calls us to courage, to tear down, not merely to tolerate; to build altars, not sit at city gates.
2 Kings 15:5-7 — And the Lord touched the king, so that he was a leper to the day of his death, and he lived in a separate house. And Jotham the king’s son was over the household, governing the people of the land. Now the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? And Azariah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David, and Jotham his son reigned in his place.
Uzziah’s pride led to his downfall. Second Chronicles 26 explains that after he became strong, “his heart was lifted up to his destruction” (v.16). He entered the temple to burn incense, a priestly duty he had no right to perform, and God struck him with leprosy. This is a sobering warning: success can breed presumption. The same hand that blesses can also discipline. God’s holiness demands reverence, but Uzziah wanted to worship God casually, loosely, on his own terms and in his own way. Uzziah’s leprosy became a visible sign of his invisible pride and God’s holy sovereignty, a life once near to God now forced to dwell in separation. Yet, even in judgment, God’s mercy endured; He allowed Uzziah’s son to reign, preserving the Davidic line. The story reminds us that no position, power, or talent exempts us from humility before God.
2 Kings 15:8-12 — In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six months. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his fathers had done. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin. Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him and struck him down at Ibleam and put him to death and reigned in his place. Now the rest of the deeds of Zechariah, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. (This was the promise of the Lord that he gave to Jehu, “Your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” And so it came to pass.)
The reign of Zechariah, the last of Jehu’s dynasty, marks the end of a promise and the beginning of chaos. God had told Jehu that his sons would sit on the throne for four generations (2 Kings 10:30), and God kept His word exactly, no more, no less. The fulfillment of this prophecy, even amid sin and instability, shows God’s faithfulness to His own word, both in blessing and in judgment. Human kingdoms crumble, but the integrity of God’s promises stands firm.
2 Kings 15:10, 13, 14 — Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him and struck him down…. he reigned one month in Samaria…. Menahem… struck down Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria and put him to death and reigned in his place.
A theme throughout the Bible is that God treats people the way they treat others.
2 Kings 15:13-15 — Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah, and he reigned one month in Samaria. Then Menahem the son of Gadi came up from Tirzah and came to Samaria, and he struck down Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria and put him to death and reigned in his place. Now the rest of the deeds of Shallum, and the conspiracy that he made, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.
A reign lasting only one month captures the instability of Israel’s declining years. Without fear of the LORD, there is no stability of leadership or society. Every man became his own authority, and violence became the path to power. When a nation loses reverence for God, it loses moral cohesion. Proverbs 28:2 says, “When a land transgresses, it has many rulers.” Israel’s political chaos reflected its spiritual corruption. When a people reject God, there is no limit to the evil they might do.
- Romans 1:18-32 — For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools…. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
2 Kings 15:15 — Now the rest of the deeds of Shallum, and the conspiracy that he made, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.
The Bible cannot be fully understood without a diligent study of the whole Bible. 2 Kings 15:15 says, “behold” the rest of the story revealed in the rest of the Bible. Many Bible truths are obvious and easily understood. Many other truths are reserved for those who would diligently study all of God’s word. Of course, diligent Bible study is only part of the equation – proper application is also required. Consider the birth of Jesus – very few people understood the significance of His birth at the time, but the wise men of the east and Herod’s chief priests and scribes were able to accurately discern from God’s word that the Christ was born in Bethlehem. However, the wisemen sought Him to worship him, while the chief priests and scribes sought to kill him – opposite responses to the same truth. Diligently study God’s word to know Jesus more and more each day, to love Him more dearly, and to worship Him more genuinely. Study God’s word to demonstrate your love for God by loving others more sincerely and effectively.
2 Kings 15:16-22 – At that time Menahem sacked Tiphsah and all who were in it and its territory from Tirzah on, because they did not open it to him. Therefore he sacked it, and he ripped open all the women in it who were pregnant. In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem the son of Gadi began to reign over Israel, and he reigned ten years in Samaria. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He did not depart all his days from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin. Pul the king of Assyria came against the land, and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that he might help him to confirm his hold on the royal power. Menahem exacted the money from Israel, that is, from all the wealthy men, fifty shekels of silver from every man, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back and did not stay there in the land. Now the rest of the deeds of Menahem and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? And Menahem slept with his fathers, and Pekahiah his son reigned in his place.
Menahem’s brutality and political maneuvering reveal how far Israel had fallen. The nation once led by prophets and priests now bowed to a foreign empire for survival. Violence without repentance breeds oppression without mercy. Menahem sought security through tribute rather than through trust in God. He bought peace from Assyria at the price of freedom and conscience — a transaction repeated throughout human history whenever fear replaces faith. Psalm 20:7 reminds us, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.”
2 Kings 15:20 — Menahem exacted the money from Israel, that is, from all the wealthy men, fifty shekels of silver from every man, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back and did not stay there in the land.
Taxation is often used to subjugate certain groups of people in order to keep others in power. God holds people accountable for robbing others, whether done legally or illegally.
- Amos 5:11 — Therefore because you trample on the poor and you exact taxes of grain from him, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.
2 Kings 15:23-26 (ESV) — In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned two years. And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD…. And Pekah the son of Remaliah, his captain, conspired against him with fifty men… and struck him down in Samaria, in the citadel of the king’s house…. And he reigned in his place.
Pekahiah followed the sins of Jeroboam and was assassinated by his own officer. A leader without righteousness cannot produce loyal followers. When authority loses moral legitimacy, it loses divine protection. The violence that began in the hearts of men spread through the land unchecked. Each generation repeated the same sins, ignoring the lessons of history.
2 Kings 15:27-31 — In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned twenty years. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin. In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and he carried the people captive to Assyria. Then Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah and struck him down and put him to death and reigned in his place, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah. Now 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.
Pekah’s reign witnessed the partial captivity of Israel, the beginning of the end for the northern kingdom. The judgment of God had been long delayed but not withdrawn. For decades, prophets had warned Israel to repent. Now the warnings became reality. Assyria’s invasion was not merely political; it was providential. God’s protective hedge was lifted, and the fruit of rebellion was captivity. Romans 2:4-5 reminds us that God’s patience is meant to lead to repentance, but when it is despised, wrath follows.
2 Kings 15:32-38 — In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, Jotham the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, began to reign. He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign…. And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah had done. Nevertheless, the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. He built the upper gate of the house of the LORD. Now the rest of the acts of Jotham… are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? In those days the LORD began to send Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah against Judah.
Jotham’s reign, like his father’s, was marked by outward righteousness but inward compromise. He strengthened the temple yet left the high places untouched. His reign teaches that partial obedience delays judgment but does not remove it. The seeds of rebellion, if not uprooted, will grow in the next generation. Still, God honored Jotham’s reverence by giving Judah a measure of peace before the storm. The contrast between Judah’s relative stability and Israel’s chaos underscores the enduring truth that righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people (Proverbs 14:34).
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 14 October 2025: Today’s reading shows a tale of two kingdoms, one declining through arrogance and idolatry, the other preserved through partial faithfulness. The central lesson is clear: compromise is as deadly as open rebellion. Israel’s kings fell through violence, pride, and unbelief, while Judah’s kings stumbled through half-hearted obedience. Both paths lead away from God. The spiritual workout today is the discipline of complete obedience. Identify one “high place” in your heart, something tolerated but not surrendered, and tear it down before it tears you down. God calls us not to manage sin, but to destroy it. Holiness begins with humility and ends with wholehearted trust in the Lord.
Pray: “Lord God, You are holy, righteous, and patient beyond measure. I see in these kings the dangers that lurk within my own heart — pride, compromise, and complacency. Search me and reveal any high place I have left standing. Tear down whatever keeps me from wholehearted devotion to You. Teach me to trust Your strength, not my own, and to seek purity over success, obedience over ease. Let me walk humbly before You, remembering that every blessing comes from Your hand and every victory belongs to You. Keep me faithful, Lord, when others fall away. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 