The reign of Azarias, and Joatham in Juda: and of Zacharias, Sellum, Manahem, Phaceia, and Phacee in Israel.
[1] In the seven and twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Azarias son of Amasias, king of Juda. [2] He was sixteen years old, when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem: the name of his mother was Jechelia of Jerusalem. [3] And he did that which was pleasing before the Lord, according to all that his father Amasias had done. [4] But the high places he did not destroy: for the people sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places. [5] And the Lord struck the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and he dwelt in a free house apart: but Joatham the king’s soil governed the palace, and judged the people of the land. [6] And the rest of the acts of Azarias, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda? [7] And Azarias slept with his fathers: and they buried him with his ancestors in the city of David, and Joatham his son reigned in his stead. [8] In the eight and thirtieth year of Azarias king of Juda, reigned Zacharias son of Jeroboam over Israel in Samaria six months: [9] And he did that which is evil before the Lord, as his fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat who made Israel to sin. [10] And Sellum the son of Jabes conspired against him: and struck him publicly and killed him, and reigned in his place. [11] Now the rest of the acts of Zacharias, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel? [12] This was the word of the Lord, which he spoke to Jehu, saying: Thy children to the fourth generation shall sit upon the throne of Israel. And so it came to pass. [13] Sellum the son of Jabes began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of Azarias king of Juda: and reigned one month in Samaria. [14] And Manahem the son of Gadi went up from Thersa: and he came into Samaria, and struck Sellum the son of Jabes in Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead. [15] And the rest of the acts of Sellum, and his conspiracy, which he made, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel? [16] Then Manahem destroyed Thapsa and all that were in it and the borders thereof from Thersa, because they would not open to him: and he slew all the women thereof that were with child, and ripped them up. [17] In the nine and thirtieth year of Azarias king of Juda, reigned Manahem son of Gadi over Israel ten years in Samaria. [18] And he did that which was evil before the Lord: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who made Israel to sin all his days. [19] And Phul king of the Assyrians came into the land, and Manahem gave Phul a thousand talents of silver, to aid him and to establish him in the kingdom. [20] And Manahem laid a tax upon Israel, on all that were mighty and rich, to give the king of the Assyrians, each man fifty sicles of silver: so the king of the Assyrians turned back, and did not stay in the land. [21] And the rest of the acts of Manahem, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel? [22] And Manahem slept with his fathers: and Phaceia his son reigned in his stead. [23] In the fiftieth year of Azarias king of Juda reigned Phaceia the son of Manahem over Israel in Samaria two years. [24] And he did that which was evil before the Lord: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who made Israel to sin. [25] And Phacee the son of Romelia, his captain conspired against him, and smote him in Samaria, in the tower of the king’s house, near Argob, and near Arie, and with him fifty men of the sons of the Galaadites, and he slew him and reigned in his stead. [26] And the rest of the acts of Phaceia, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel? [27] In the two and fiftieth year of Azarias king of Juda reigned Phacee the son of Romelia over Israel in Samaria twenty years. [28] And he did that which was evil before the Lord: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who made Israel to sin. [29] In the days of Phacee king of Israel came Theglathphalasar king of Assyria, and took Aion, and Abel Domum Maacha and Janoe, and Cedes, and Asor, and Galaad, and Galilee, and all the land of Nephtali: and carried them captives into Assyria. [30] Now Osee son of Ela conspired, and formed a plot against Phacee, the son of Romelia, and struck him, and slew him: and reigned in his stead in the twentieth year of Joatham the son of Ozias. [31] But the rest of the acts of Phaces, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel? [32] In the second year of Phacee the son of Romelia king of Israel reigned Joatham son of Ozias king of Juda. [33] He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: the name of his mother was Jerusa, the daughter of Sadoc. [34] And he did that which was right before the Lord: according to all that his father Ozias had done, so did he. [35] But the high places he took not away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places: he built the highest gate of the house of the Lord. [36] But the rest of the acts of Joatham, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda? [37] In those days the Lord began to send into Juda Basin king of Syria, and Phacee the son of Romelia. [38] And Joatham slept with his fathers, and was buried with them in the city of David his father, and Achaz his son reigned in his stead.Commentary
[1] “Azarias”: Otherwise called Ozias. [5] “A leper”: In punishment of his usurping the priestly function. 2 Par. 26. [30] “In the twentieth year of Joatham”: That is, in the twentieth year, from the beginning of Joatham’s reign. The sacred writer chooses rather to follow here this date than to speak of the years of Achaz, who had not yet been mentioned.Note: Books III and IV of Kings, in some versions of the Bible are called Books I and II of Kings, since the two books that precede them are sometimes called Books of Samuel. These four books of kings continuously recount the historical events they relate, so it is useful to consider them as a group of 4 consecutive books.
See our catalogue of Catholic books and audiobooks:
https://vivacristorey.org/en/catalogue/