Kings--Part V

I13--Zechariah

I14--Shallum

assassinated Zechariah in public, reigned 1 month, then assassinated by Menahem.

I15--Menahem, assassinated Shallum, killed the entire population of a town that refused to surrender.ripped open pregnant women.  Reigned 10 years in Samaria.

King Tiglath pileser of Assyria invaded land, Menahem, paid him off by extorting money from Israel. 

I16--Pekahiah

son of Menahem, ruled 2 years.  The commander of his army, Pekah, conspired against him. With 50 men from Gilead, he went to the Citadel in Samaria and assassinated him.

I17--Pekah

He began his reign in the 52nd year of Judah's king Uzziah's reign.  He reigned in Samaria 20 years.  During his reign, the king of Assyria came back, conquered towns and took Israel captive.

J10--Jotham

Son of Uzziah, was 25 when began reign, reigned 16 years.  He rebuilt the upper gate of the temple, was good--like his dad--except did not destroy pagan shrines.  He conquered the Ammonites, buit towns in the hill country and towers/fortresses in the woodlands.  During his reign, the Lord sent King Pekah of Israel and King Rezin of Syria to attack Israel.

J11-Ahaz

William Blake, The Flight of Moloch, 1809

Son of Jotham, co-regent with father for 12 years.  Full name is Jehoahaz (Ahaz is a contraction,-source BBC). He is described as a bad king.  The Believer's Bible Commentary goes so far as to suggest he was the worst king up to this point in Judah.  He increased worship of pagan idols, even "burned his son" as an offering:

"He followed the kings of Israel in his idolatry, even making his son pass through the fire. In the worship of Molech, it is believed that children were passed between the red-hot arms of the brass idol, signifying cleansing from evil and dedication to the god. Sometimes the children were actually killed and burned (Jer_7:31; Eze_16:21)." -Believer's Bible Commentary

Molech/Moloch, a name with various spellings, was an Ammonite god of fire. The consensus from other passages of scripture and commentaries is that the children were burned on the altar, not just "passed through fire." 

These sacrifices took place at Tapheth in the Valley of Hinnom which is outside of Jerusalem.

"...and he made offerings in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom and burned his sons as an offering."   2 Chronicles 28:3


The Valley of the Son of Hinnon was immediately outside of Jerusalem.  Later this valley was referred to as Gehenna and because of the evil that took place there, it became metaphorical of hell.

thought provoking Forum Board discussion of Gehenna

Sadly this location of pagan worship began with Solomon:


"Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem."  1 Kings 11:7

Here is a thoughtful attempt to understand Moloch, though I am not sure of the author's credentials, the entry seems well-researched. Moloch appears throughout classical and modern literature, including Paradise Lost and Allen Ginsburg's poem "Howl." His name is also tied to the modern day practice of abortion--which at first struck me as a stretch, but after contemplating this more, I think the suggestion may be appropriate as both actions are so desperately wrong and against God's high value on human life.

Pulling back to our text in 2 Kings 16:1-9, the Bible states that Ahaz allowed offerings on high places and under "every green tree," thus paganism spread under him.  

He refused to make an alliance with Syria/Aram (King Rezin) and Israel (King Pekah) to stave off Assyria.  As a consequence, these countries attacked Judah.  At one point, Israel brought prisoners of war back from a conquest.  The prophet Obed rebuked him and reminded Israel of their own sins.  Then, Israel relented and sent the prisoners back with provisions.

These countries had banded together to fight off Assyria and had attacked Judah to encourage Judah to join the alliance.  Instead, Ahaz sent tribute to Assyria so that they could be a vassal to Assyria and then asked Assyria to drive the others out.  He took money from the temple treasury to pay tribute to Assyria.

In 2 Kings 16:10-18 Ahaz visits the King of Assyria, Tiglath-Pilesar.  He admired the king's altar and sent a description of it back to the High Priest, Uriah, so he could recreate it.  When he came back, the new altar was ready.  He moved the old altar and replaced it with the new.  He also modified the basins and a covering.  Ahaz offered sacrifices at the new altar.

From Constable's Notes, regarding Ahaz's legacy:

"Ahaz reduced Judah to a new low politically and spiritually. The forces that influenced him were his culture and the people around him rather than God’s Word.

“When Ahaz dies about 715 B.C., he is succeeded by Hezekiah, his son. He leaves a legacy of appeasement and syncretism unmatched to this time. Assyria can count on him for money, loyalty, and zealous acceptance of their gods. Judah’s king seems genuinely pleased to serve a powerful master who can deliver him from regional foes. No doubt he feels safe, but the historian duly notes the ways in which he has exceeded Jeroboam’s wickedness. If Jeroboam’s practices are worth condemning, what will happen to a nation who rejects the Lord even more clearly?”[119]"  -CN

J12-Hezekiah--Ahaz's son, he was 25 when he became king and reigned for 29 years.  He co-reigned with his father Ahaz for 14 years. His mother was Abijah, daughter of Zechariah.  He tore down altars, broke Moses' bronze serpent because people had been sacrificing to it.  The text states that he was "faithful to the Lord" and that he "trusted Him."  He revolted against the king of Assyria and refused to pay tribute to him.  Hezekiah is also credited with conquering the Philistines. 

In 1 Chronicles 29, he begins his reign by restoring the temple doors, instituting a huge sacrifice and celebrating the Passover.  He sent runners throughout the kingdom to gather the people, even though many laughed.

 "All these things, the chronicler wrote, Hezekiah did wholeheartedly (a word used by the chronicler six times: 1Ch_29:9; 2Ch_6:14; 2Ch_15:15; 2Ch_19:9; 2Ch_25:2; 2Ch_31:21) and in strict compliance with the Lord’s commands (2Ch_31:20-21)." -bkc

Me: An interesting instance of a very good ruler coming from underneath a very bad ruler. Environment, heredity, and parenting is not destiny.

Diagram of Hezekiah's tunnel

I17--Hoshea-Hoshea assassinated Pekah. He ruled in Samaria for 9 years and began his reign in the 12 year of Ahaz of Judah.

"King Shalmaneser of Assyria attacked King Hoshea, so Hoshea was forced to pay heavy tribute to Assyria. But Hoshea stopped paying the annual tribute and conspired against the king of Assyria by asking King So of Egypt[a] to help him shake free of Assyria’s power. When the king of Assyria discovered this treachery, he seized Hoshea and put him in prison."-2 Kings 17:3-4