The Book of 2 Kings
2 Kings is the 12th book of the Bible, with 25 chapters and 719 verses. It is traditionally attributed to Jeremiah.
Chapters
2 Kings chapter summaries
| Chapter | What happens |
|---|---|
| 2 Kings 1 | |
| 2 Kings 2 | |
| 2 Kings 3 | Jehoram, king of Israel. (1-5) · War with Moab, The intercession of Elisha. (6-19) · Water supplied, Moab overcome. (20-27) |
| 2 Kings 4 | Elisha multiplies the widow's oil. (1-7) · The Shunammite obtains a son. (8-17) · The Shunammite's son restored to life. (18-37) · The miracle of healing the pottage, and of feeding the sons of the prophets. (38-44) |
| 2 Kings 5 | Naaman's leprosy. (1-8) · The cure of it. (9-14) · Elisha refuses Naaman's gifts. (15-19) · Gehazi's covetousness and falsehood. (20-27) |
| 2 Kings 6 | The sons of the prophets enlarge their habitations, Iron made to swim. (1-7) · Elisha discloses the counsels of the Syrians. (8-12) · Syrians sent to seize Elisha. (13-23) · Samaria besieged, A famine, The king sends to slay Elisha. (24-33) |
| 2 Kings 7 | Elisha prophesies plenty. (1-2) · The flight of the Syrian army. (3-11) · Samaria plentifully supplied. (12-20) |
| 2 Kings 8 | A famine in Israel, The Shunammite obtains her land. (1-6) · Elisha consulted by Hazael, Death of Benhadad. (7-15) · Jehoram's wicked reign in Judah. (16-24) · Ahaziah's wicked reign in Judah. (25-29) |
| 2 Kings 9 | Elisha sends to anoint Jehu. (1-10) · Jehu and the captains. (11-15) · Joram and Ahaziah slain by Jehu. (16-29) · Jezebel eaten by dogs. (30-37) |
| 2 Kings 10 | Ahab's sons and Ahaziah's brethren put to death. (1-14) · Jehu destroys the worshippers of Baal. (15-28) · Jehu follows Jeroboam's sins. (29-36) |
| 2 Kings 11 | Athaliah usurps the government of Judah, Jehoash made king. (1-12) · Athaliah put to death. (13-16) · The worship of the Lord restored. (17-21) |
| 2 Kings 12 | Jehoash orders the repair of the temple. (1-16) · He is slain by his servants. (17-21) |
| 2 Kings 13 | Reign of Jehoahaz. (1-9) · Jehoash, king of Israel, Elisha dying. (10-19) · Elisha's death, The victories of Jehoash. (20-25) |
| 2 Kings 14 | Amaziah's good reign. (1-7) · Amaziah provokes Jehoash king of Israel, and is overcome. (8-14) · He is slain by conspirators. (15-22) · Wicked reign of Jeroboam II. (23-29) |
| 2 Kings 15 | Reign of Azariah, or Uzziah, king of Judah. (1-7) · The latter kings of Israel. (8-31) · Jotham, king of Judah. (32-38) |
| 2 Kings 16 | Ahaz, king of Judah, His wicked reign. (1-9) · Ahaz takes a pattern from an idol's altar. (10-16) · Ahaz spoils the temple. (17-20) |
| 2 Kings 17 | Reign of Hoshea in Israel, The israelites carried captives by the Assyrians. (1-6) · Captivity of the Israelites. (7-23) · The nations placed in the land of Israel. (24-41) |
| 2 Kings 18 | Good reign of Hezekiah in Judah, Idolatry. (1-8) · Sennacherib invades Judah. (9-16) · Rabshakeh's blasphemies. (17-37) |
| 2 Kings 19 | Hezekiah receives an answer of peace. (1-7) · Sennacherib's letter. (8-19) · His fall is prophesied. (20-34) · The Assyrian army destroyed, Sennacherib slain. (35-37) |
| 2 Kings 20 | Hezekiah's sickness, His recovery in answer to prayer. (1-11) · Hezekiah shows his treasures to the ambassadors from Babylon, His death. (12-21) |
| 2 Kings 21 | Wicked reign of Manasseh. (1-9) · The prophetic denunciations against Judah. (10-18) · Wicked reign and death of Amon. (19-26) |
| 2 Kings 22 | |
| 2 Kings 23 | Josiah reads the law, and renews the covenant. (1-3) · He destroys idolatry. (4-14) · The reformation extended to Israel, A passover kept. (15-24) · Wicked reigns of Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim. (31-37) |
| 2 Kings 24 | Jehoiakim subdued by Nebuchadnezzar. (1-7) · Jehoiachim captive in Babylon. (8-20) |
| 2 Kings 25 | Jerusalem besieged, Zedekiah taken. (1-7) · The temple burnt, The people carried into captivity. (8-21) |
Chapter outlines from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary.
Key verses in 2 Kings
- 2 Kings 21:6
And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.
- 2 Kings 9:30
And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.
- 2 Kings 2:23
And he went up from thence unto Beth–el: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
- 2 Kings 1:1
Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
- 2 Kings 4:1
Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.
- 2 Kings 2:11
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
- 2 Kings 23:24
Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the Lord.
- 2 Kings 6:17
And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
Introduction to 2 Kings — Adam Clarke's Commentary
Preface to the Second Book of the Kings Otherwise Called the Fourth Book of the Kings
In the preface to the First Book of Kings, I have spoken at large concerning both these books, the author, time of writing, etc., etc., to which I must refer my readers, as that preface is common to both. The Second Book of Kings contains the history of three hundred and eight years, from the rebellion of Moab, A.M. 3108, to the ruin of the kingdom of Judah, A.M. 3416. The history, on the whole, exhibits little less than a series of crimes, disasters, Divine benefits, and Divine judgments. In the kingdom of Judah we meet with a few kings who feared God, and promoted the interests of pure religion in the land; but the major part were idolaters and profligates of the highest order. The kingdom of Israel was still more corrupt: all its kings were determined idolaters; profligate, vicious, and cruel tyrants. Elijah and Elisha stood up in the behalf of God and truth in this fallen, idolatrous kingdom, and bore a strong testimony against the corruptions of the princes, and the profligacy of the people: their powerful ministry was confined to the ten tribes; Judah had its own prophets, and those in considerable number. At length the avenging hand of God fell first upon Israel, and afterwards upon Judah. Israel after many convulsions, torn by domestic and foreign wars, was at length wholly subjugated by the king of Assyria, the people led away into captivity, and the land re-peopled by strangers, A.M. 3287. The kingdom of Judah continued some time longer, but was at last overthrown by Nebuchadnezzar; Zedekiah, its last king, was taken prisoner; his eyes put out; and the principal part of the people were carried into captivity, which lasted about seventy years. The captivity began under Jehoiakim, A.M. 3402, and ended under Belshazzar, A.M. 2470 or 3472. There was after this a partial restoration of the Jews, but they never more rose to any consequence among the nations; and at last their civil polity was finally dissolved by the Romans, and their temple burnt, a.d. 70; and from that time until now they became fugitives and vagabonds over the face of the earth, universally detested by mankind. But should they not be loved for their fathers' sake? Are they not men and brothers? Will persecution and contempt convert them to Christianity, or to any thing that is good?Introduction
Ahaziah, being hurt by a fall, sends messengers to Baal-zebub to inquire whether he shall recover, 2Kgs 1:1, 2Kgs 1:2. They are met by Elijah, who sends them back with the information that he shall surely die, 2Kgs 1:3-8. The king sends a captain and fifty men, to bring Elijah to Samaria, on which fire comes down from heaven, and destroys both him and his men, 2Kgs 1:9, 2Kgs 1:10. Another captain and fifty men are sent, who are likewise destroyed, 2Kgs 1:11, 2Kgs 1:12. A third is sent, who behaves himself humbly, and Elijah is commanded to accompany him; he obeys, comes to the king, reproves his idolatry, and announces his death, 2Kgs 1:13-16. Ahaziah dies and Jehoram reigns in his stead, 2Kgs 1:17, 2Kgs 1:18.Adam Clarke (1831) · public domain