2 Kings 15 10

2 Kings 15:10 kjv

And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.

2 Kings 15:10 nkjv

Then Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and struck and killed him in front of the people; and he reigned in his place.

2 Kings 15:10 niv

Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against Zechariah. He attacked him in front of the people, assassinated him and succeeded him as king.

2 Kings 15:10 esv

Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him and struck him down at Ibleam and put him to death and reigned in his place.

2 Kings 15:10 nlt

Then Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against Zechariah, assassinated him in public, and became the next king.

2 Kings 15 verses

2 Kings 15 10 Meaning

This verse describes the violent assassination of King Zechariah of Israel by Shallum, son of Jabesh, who then usurped the throne. It marks the abrupt end of the Jehu dynasty, fulfilling the divine promise made to Jehu in 2 Kings 10:30 concerning his lineage reigning for four generations. The act of conspiracy, public violence, and regicide highlights the intense political instability and moral decay plaguing the Northern Kingdom, particularly its leadership, paving the way for further chaos and eventual judgment.

2 Kings 15 10 Context

Chapter 15 of 2 Kings details the parallel and often tumultuous reigns of kings in Judah and Israel during the mid-8th century BC. For the Northern Kingdom of Israel, it records a rapid succession of kings, frequently by violent means. Zechariah's six-month reign immediately follows that of his father Jeroboam II, who had brought a period of prosperity to Israel despite its deep-seated idolatry. This verse marks a pivotal moment, as Zechariah is the fourth and final descendant of Jehu to rule, thus fulfilling a divine promise/prophecy found in 2 Kings 10:30. The ending of Jehu's dynasty ushered in a new era of extreme political instability and assassinations, preceding the final decline and conquest of Israel by Assyria. The brief, violent reign of Shallum (one month, noted in a later verse) serves as an immediate consequence and precursor to further chaos, reflecting the severe spiritual judgment upon Israel for its continued disobedience and idolatry.

2 Kings 15 10 Word analysis

• And Shallum son of Jabesh:

  • Shallum (Hebrew: שַׁלּוּם - Shallum): A common Israelite name, meaning "recompense," "peaceful," or "requital." In this context, his act is anything but peaceful. This specific Shallum has no prior prominence.
  • son of Jabesh: Identifies his lineage, though Jabesh is not further elaborated. This helps distinguish him from other Shallums mentioned in scripture (e.g., King Shallum of Judah in 2 Kgs 23:30, who was a different person).
  • Significance: His sudden appearance on the stage of Israelite history, emerging from obscurity to assassinate a king, underscores the fragmented and unpredictable nature of the northern kingdom's politics.

• conspired against him:

  • conspired (Hebrew: קָשַׁר - qashar): Means "to tie," "to bind together," hence "to plot" or "to conspire." It signifies a secret, calculated plot, usually involving a group, for illicit ends, especially against established authority.
  • against him: Refers to King Zechariah. The direct, treacherous nature of the act is emphasized.
  • Significance: This highlights the treasonous and violent nature of Shallum's bid for power. It was not an open war, but a secretive, underhanded plot, characteristic of many such usurpations in the northern kingdom. It reveals the erosion of any stable system of succession.

• and struck him down in Ibleam:

  • struck him down (Hebrew: וַיַּךְ - vayyak, from נָכָה - nakah): Meaning "to strike," "to smite," often carrying the connotation of a fatal blow or defeat. It indicates a direct and forceful act of violence.
  • in Ibleam: (Hebrew: בְּלֶךְ יִבְלְעָם - belekh Yibla'am / or possibly ba-qabhal am - "before the people").
    • Ibleam: A city in the territory of Manasseh, near Megiddo (Judg 1:27, Josh 17:11). Its mention points to a specific geographical location for the assassination, perhaps implying Zechariah was outside Samaria or Shallum had support in that region.
    • (Alternative reading from some traditions): "before the people" (as in KJV: בְּקֶבֶל עָם - be-qebel am). If this reading is preferred, it underscores the brazen and public nature of the act, serving as an open defiance of the existing order and a clear statement of Shallum's intentions to claim power by force and spectacle. This choice indicates audacity and a desire to seize power openly.
  • Significance: Regardless of whether it refers to a place or the public nature, the act was not clandestine; it was a visible, violent overthrow, setting a tone of brazen power-grabs.

• and killed him:

  • killed him (Hebrew: וַיְמִיתֵהוּ - vayamitehu, from מוּת - mut): This confirms the fatality of the blow. It removes any ambiguity from "struck him down" by explicitly stating the outcome.
  • Significance: This plain statement underlines the severity and finality of Shallum's act, confirming regicide. It shows the brutal end to the Jehu dynasty.

• and reigned in his place:

  • reigned (Hebrew: וַיִּמְלֹךְ - vayyimlokh): To assume kingship, to rule.
  • in his place (Hebrew: תַּחְתָּיו - taḥtāw): Indicating immediate succession, not through legitimate means (heredity or divine appointment) but by usurpation.
  • Significance: This concludes the sequence of treasonous acts with the seizure of royal power. It marks the establishment of a new, short-lived, and illegitimate monarchy, directly born of violence, which reflects the deepening spiral of lawlessness and instability in Israel.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against him and struck him down...and killed him and reigned in his place.": This full phrase succinctly presents a complete cycle of violent power transfer. It shows the three critical stages of a successful coup: planning (conspired), execution (struck down and killed), and outcome (reigned in his place). The immediate cause (conspiracy), the means (violence), and the end (usurpation) are clearly delineated. This mirrors a pattern seen repeatedly in the later history of the Northern Kingdom, contrasting sharply with the generally more stable (though not perfect) dynastic succession in Judah. It highlights the divine judgment operating through human evil and chaos in Israel.

2 Kings 15 10 Bonus section

The cycle of conspiracy and regicide evident in this verse, and indeed throughout much of Israel's later history (e.g., Baasha against Nadab, Zimri against Elah, Menahem against Shallum), contrasts sharply with the generally more stable Davidic dynasty in the Southern Kingdom of Judah. While Judah certainly experienced its share of wicked kings and even occasional usurpations (like Athaliah's brief reign or Amaziah's assassination by conspirators), the direct lineage of David persisted for centuries, a testament to God's unconditional covenant with David (2 Sam 7). The instability in Israel served as a constant reminder of their rebellion against the true King, Yahweh, and their rejection of His chosen dynasty. The lack of a stable, divinely sanctioned royal line in Israel left a power vacuum that ambitious, violent individuals repeatedly filled, leading to internecine conflict that ultimately weakened the nation, making it susceptible to external powers like Assyria. This period in Israel's history underscores how a nation's spiritual condition deeply impacts its political and social health, as righteousness truly exalts a nation (Prov 14:34).

2 Kings 15 10 Commentary

2 Kings 15:10 encapsulates the profound instability and spiritual decay that afflicted the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Zechariah, the last king of Jehu's lineage, only ruled for six months before being violently overthrown by Shallum. This assassination fulfilled the prophecy given to Jehu in 2 Kings 10:30, where God promised that his descendants would sit on the throne for four generations. The brutal, possibly public, manner of Zechariah's death by conspiracy signifies the complete breakdown of civil order and legitimate succession in Israel. This rapid turnover of kings through regicide, often resulting in incredibly brief reigns (Shallum himself reigned for only one month), vividly illustrates the judgment of God upon a nation that had repeatedly turned away from Him. Such chaos and violence were direct consequences of their sustained idolatry, disregard for prophetic warnings, and abandonment of the Mosaic covenant. The scene reflects the sovereign hand of God permitting human rebellion and sin to run its course as a form of divine discipline, preparing the nation for eventual dispersion. It stands as a stark warning of what happens when a nation consistently forsakes the divine king for its own desires, resulting in self-inflicted destruction from within.