2 Kings 15 24

2 Kings 15:24 kjv

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

2 Kings 15:24 nkjv

And he did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin.

2 Kings 15:24 niv

Pekahiah did evil in the eyes of the LORD. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.

2 Kings 15:24 esv

And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin.

2 Kings 15:24 nlt

But Pekahiah did what was evil in the LORD's sight. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.

2 Kings 15 24 Cross References

VerseTextReference
1 Kgs 12:28-30So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold... and said, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt."Jeroboam's initial establishment of idolatry
1 Kgs 14:16And he will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he sinned and made Israel to sin.God's judgment against Jeroboam's lasting sin
1 Kgs 15:26He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his father and in his sin which he made Israel to sin.Nadab, Jeroboam's son, continued the sin
1 Kgs 15:34He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel to sin.Baasha, Nadab's usurper, also continued
1 Kgs 16:19...for his sins which he committed, doing evil in the sight of the Lord, walking in the way of Jeroboam, and for his sin which he made Israel to sin.Zimri, king for seven days, still tied to this sin
1 Kgs 16:26For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in the sins which he made Israel to sin...Omri's evil also linked to Jeroboam's sin
2 Kgs 3:3Nevertheless, he clung to the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin; he did not depart from it.Jehoram of Israel clung to the sin
2 Kgs 10:29Only, however, he did not turn from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin.Jehu, though zealous for Yahweh, did not eradicate Jeroboam's sin
2 Kgs 13:2And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin...Jehoahaz, another king, perpetuated Jeroboam's sin
2 Kgs 14:24And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat...Jeroboam II, also did not depart from these sins
2 Kgs 15:9He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his fathers had done. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam...Zechariah, continued the sinful legacy
2 Kgs 15:18He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He did not depart all his days from the sins of Jeroboam...Menahem, persisted in Jeroboam's idolatry
2 Kgs 15:28He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat...Pekah, Pekahiah's successor, also continued this evil
2 Kgs 17:2And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, yet not as the kings of Israel who were before him.Hoshea, last king of Israel, still evil, ultimately leading to exile
Deut 28:15-68"But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God... then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you."Consequences for disobedience to God's covenant
Judg 2:19But whenever the judge died, they would turn back and behave more corruptly than their fathers...Israel's cyclical sin and failure to learn
Prov 14:34Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.The impact of national sin
Isa 59:2But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you...Sin causes separation from God
Heb 10:26-27For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment...The danger of persistent, unrepentant sin
2 Chr 7:19-22"But if you turn aside and forsake my statutes... I will uproot them from my land... and this house I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight..."Warning about covenant disobedience and idolatry leading to destruction
Rom 1:18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.God's revealed wrath against human wickedness
Eph 5:6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.Warning against false teachings and disobedience

2 Kings 15 verses

2 Kings 15 24 Meaning

King Pekahiah of Israel persistently engaged in actions that were morally displeasing and abominable to the Lord. His reign was characterized by a continuation of the idolatrous practices and deviations from true worship originally introduced by Jeroboam, the first king of the Northern Kingdom, which caused the entire nation of Israel to sin.

2 Kings 15 24 Context

Second Kings chapter 15 records a tumultuous period in the history of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah, marked by frequent changes in kingship, assassinations, and pervasive political and spiritual instability. Verse 24 specifically addresses Pekahiah, who succeeded his father Menahem as king of Israel. His two-year reign (c. 738-737 BC) was brief, cut short by the conspiracy of Pekah. The chronicler's assessment of Pekahiah, consistent with nearly all Northern Kingdom kings, highlights the ongoing spiritual declension that characterized Israel's existence from its separation from Judah. The repetitive phrase "he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam" serves as a thematic pronouncement of divine judgment on these monarchs and, by extension, the nation that followed their apostate ways. This recurring pattern underscores the Deuteronomistic historical narrative's emphasis on obedience or disobedience to the Mosaic covenant as the determinant factor for national blessing or curse, leading ultimately to Israel's destruction.

2 Kings 15 24 Word analysis

  • And he did: The narrative shifts directly to Pekahiah's actions. The repeated וַיַּעַשׂ (vayyac̄as, "and he did/made") emphasizes the continuous action and agency of the king in perpetuating the pattern.
  • what was evil: Hebrew הָרַע (hara'), "the evil" or "that which is evil." This is a theological term indicating actions or a way of life contrary to God's revealed will and moral standards, demonstrating active rebellion against the covenant. It refers specifically to idolatry and all its accompanying corrupt practices.
  • in the sight of the Lord: Hebrew בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה (b'einei Yahweh). This phrase establishes God as the ultimate judge and moral authority. It means actions are evaluated not by human standards or political expediency but by the holy and righteous character of Yahweh. Nothing is hidden from Him.
  • he did not depart: Hebrew לֹא סָר (lo sar). This phrase signifies an obstinate and unyielding persistence in sin. It conveys a refusal to turn away, repent, or make a moral or spiritual change, indicating deep-seated spiritual rebellion.
  • from the sins: Hebrew מֵחַטֹּאות (meichattot). This denotes actions that miss the mark of God's perfect standard or violate His commands. In this context, it refers primarily to the idolatry established by Jeroboam I.
  • of Jeroboam the son of Nebat: This is a direct, consistent, and condemnatory indictment. Jeroboam I (son of Nebat) was the first king of the northern kingdom after the split. He established alternative worship centers at Bethel and Dan with golden calves (1 Kgs 12:28-30), which were intended to prevent his people from returning to Jerusalem for worship, thereby securing his reign. This innovation constituted a profound break with Yahweh's prescribed worship and was deemed the foundational sin of Israel's kings.
  • which he made Israel to sin: Hebrew אֲשֶׁר הֶחֱטִיא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל (asher hecheti' et-yisra'el). This highlights Jeroboam's culpability not just for his own sin but for leading the entire nation astray. Kings, as leaders, bore responsibility for the spiritual direction of their people. Pekahiah, by perpetuating this, participated in leading Israel to further sin.

2 Kings 15 24 Bonus section

The recurring "sins of Jeroboam" phrase throughout the Books of Kings serves as a vital theological marker in Deuteronomistic History. It demonstrates God's consistent standard for His covenant people and provides a cumulative justification for the eventual Assyrian conquest and exile of the Northern Kingdom. It emphasizes that while individual kings were held accountable for their choices, the corporate impact of continued leadership leading the nation astray led to generational spiritual decline and solidified a pattern of apostasy from which Israel largely never recovered before its ultimate destruction. This continuity of sin reflects a profound lack of repentance, indicating the Northern Kingdom's deep-seated rejection of their covenant relationship with Yahweh.

2 Kings 15 24 Commentary

Second Kings 15:24 provides a concise, damning verdict on Pekahiah, representative of the consistent judgment against the kings of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The repetitive formula, "he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin," is a stark pronouncement by the biblical author, signaling Israel's persistent rebellion against Yahweh. It emphasizes Pekahiah's personal moral failure ("he did what was evil") as perceived directly by a holy God ("in the sight of the Lord"). Crucially, it links his sin directly to the apostasy of Jeroboam I, signifying not only a continuation of historical idolatry but also a willful refusal to repent and reform ("he did not depart"). This highlights the grave and lasting impact of initial foundational errors by leaders, leading an entire nation into persistent covenant disobedience. The divine standard was singular: worship Yahweh alone at His chosen place, Jerusalem. By perpetuating Jeroboam's calf worship at Bethel and Dan, Pekahiah, like his predecessors, actively participated in leading the nation into idolatry and ensured the continuation of God's disfavor upon Israel, contributing to their eventual exile.