Study Desk

The rest of the events in Shallum's reign, including his conspiracy, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.

But Menahem did what was evil in the Lord 's sight. During his entire reign, he refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.

Then King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria invaded the land. But Menahem paid him thirty-seven tons of silver to gain his support in tightening his grip on royal power.

When Menahem died, his son Pekahiah became the next king.

Then Pekah son of Remaliah, the commander of Pekahiah's army, conspired against him. With fifty men from Gilead, Pekah assassinated the king, along with Argob and Arieh, in the citadel of the palace at Samaria. And Pekah reigned in his place.

He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok.

Jotham did what was pleasing in the Lord 's sight. He did everything his father, Uzziah, had done.

When Jotham died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. And his son Ahaz became the next king.

Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. He did not do what was pleasing in the sight of the Lord his God, as his ancestor David had done.

Instead, he followed the example of the kings of Israel, even sacrificing his own son in the fire. In this way, he followed the detestable practices of the pagan nations the Lord had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites.

When Ahaz died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Then his son Hezekiah became the next king.

Again and again the Lord had sent his prophets and seers to warn both Israel and Judah: "Turn from all your evil ways. Obey my commands and decrees—the entire law that I commanded your ancestors to obey, and that I gave you through my servants the prophets."

They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors, and they despised all his warnings. They worshiped worthless idols, so they became worthless themselves. They followed the example of the nations around them, disobeying the Lord 's command not to imitate them.

Because the Lord was very angry with Israel, he swept them away from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained in the land.

The Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel. He punished them by handing them over to their attackers until he had banished Israel from his presence.

until the Lord finally swept them away from his presence, just as all his prophets had warned. So Israel was exiled from their land to Assyria, where they remain to this day.

He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.

He did what was pleasing in the Lord 's sight, just as his ancestor David had done.

Hezekiah trusted in the Lord , the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before or after his time.

For they refused to listen to the Lord their God and obey him. Instead, they violated his covenant—all the laws that Moses the Lord 's servant had commanded them to obey.