2 Kings 15:8 kjv
In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.
2 Kings 15:8 nkjv
In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six months.
2 Kings 15:8 niv
In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned six months.
2 Kings 15:8 esv
In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six months.
2 Kings 15:8 nlt
Zechariah son of Jeroboam II began to rule over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of King Uzziah's reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria six months.
2 Kings 15 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Ki 15:10 | "Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against him and struck him down in public and put him to death..." | Immediate fulfillment: Zechariah's violent end |
| 2 Ki 15:12 | "This was the word of the Lord spoken to Jehu: ‘Your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.’" | Fulfillment of Jehu's dynasty prophecy |
| Amos 7:9 | "I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword." | Prophecy against Jeroboam's (II) house fulfilled |
| Hos 1:4 | "I will soon punish the house of Jehu for the bloodshed of Jezreel; I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel." | Imminent end of Israel's kingdom |
| 1 Ki 14:14-15 | "The Lord will raise up for himself a king over Israel...He will strike Israel..." | Early prophecy of instability for Israel |
| 1 Ki 15:29 | "As soon as he began to reign, he struck down all the house of Jeroboam. He did not leave Jeroboam anyone alive..." | Previous destruction of Jeroboam I's house |
| 2 Ki 17:7-18 | Comprehensive overview of Israel's persistent idolatry and reasons for its fall. | Broader context of Israel's wickedness leading to collapse |
| Deut 28:15-68 | Curses for disobedience, including kingships not enduring and nation facing enemies. | Covenant consequences on disobedient Israel |
| Ps 75:6-7 | "For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one and exalts another." | God's sovereignty over earthly rulers |
| Dan 2:21 | "He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others." | God's absolute control over kingship cycles |
| Prov 28:2 | "When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers, but a ruler with understanding maintains order." | Connection between rebellion and unstable leadership |
| Isa 9:18-21 | "For wickedness burns like a fire...they devour their own flesh." | Describes internal strife in Israel leading to self-destruction |
| 1 Ki 12:28-30 | Jeroboam I's sin of establishing golden calves and illegitimate priesthood. | The foundational sin leading to Israel's decay |
| 1 Ki 13:33-34 | "Even after this, Jeroboam did not change his evil ways..." | Perpetuation of Jeroboam's initial sin |
| 1 Ki 16:26 | "He walked in all the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat and in his sin, which he had caused Israel to commit..." | Ongoing reference to Jeroboam I's sin |
| 2 Ki 14:29 | "Jeroboam slept with his fathers..." | Death of Zechariah's father, Jeroboam II |
| 2 Sam 7:16 | "Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever." | Contrasts Judah's stability (Davidic Covenant) |
| 1 Ki 11:12-13 | "I will not tear away the whole kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of David..." | Explanation for Judah's continuity despite sin |
| 2 Chr 13:4-5 | Abijah's declaration: "The LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingship to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt." | Affirmation of the everlasting Davidic covenant |
| 2 Ki 18:1-3 | Hezekiah's righteous reign in Judah after this period of instability in Israel. | Highlights Judah's relatively more righteous leadership at times |
2 Kings 15 verses
2 Kings 15 8 Meaning
This verse marks the beginning of Zechariah's short reign as king over the Northern Kingdom of Israel. It specifically synchronizes his ascent to the throne with the thirty-eighth regnal year of Azariah (also known as Uzziah), king of Judah, highlighting a crucial point in the divided monarchy. Zechariah is identified as the son of Jeroboam (II), and his rule in Samaria, the capital, lasted for only six months, foreshadowing the extreme instability and imminent collapse of the Israelite kingdom.
2 Kings 15 8 Context
The Book of 2 Kings documents the history of the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah, focusing on their kings, prophetic activities, and the ultimate fall of both nations. Chapter 15 specifically details a rapid succession of kings in the Northern Kingdom of Israel, contrasting their tumultuous reigns, marked by idolatry and assassination, with the relatively more stable (though still often flawed) Davidic dynasty in the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Verse 8 marks the start of this highly unstable period for Israel, as Zechariah represents the end of the Jehu dynasty, which God had initially blessed but which eventually succumbed to the same patterns of idolatry as previous Israelite rulers, thus bringing about God's promised judgment. This period of rapid succession directly precedes Israel's total collapse and exile by Assyria, demonstrating divine judgment for their continued covenant infidelity.
2 Kings 15 8 Word analysis
- In the thirty-eighth year: This phrase uses a system of dating that synchronizes the regnal years of kings in Judah with those in Israel. It underscores the historical precision of the biblical narrative and highlights that the instability in Israel occurred while Judah had a relatively long-reigning king (Azariah/Uzziah).
- Azariah king of Judah: ʿAzaryah (עזריה) means "Yahweh has helped." Also known as Uzziah, he had one of the longest reigns in Judah (52 years). His reign brought considerable prosperity and military strength to Judah (2 Chr 26), making the contrast with Israel's political chaos even more stark.
- Zechariah: Zekharyah (זכריה) means "Yahweh has remembered" or "Yahweh remembers." This is profoundly ironic, given that Yahweh's 'remembering' of Jeroboam's (II) house results in its violent eradication and Zechariah's own brief reign and assassination.
- the son of Jeroboam: Refers to Jeroboam II, who was a powerful king but "did evil in the eyes of the Lord" (2 Ki 14:24), continuing the foundational sin of Jeroboam I by leading Israel in calf worship. Zechariah's identity through his father highlights the fulfillment of prophecies against this dynasty.
- reigned over Israel: Signifies that Zechariah held the kingship and legitimate rule at this point, despite the brief duration. It reflects the continuation of the kingdom even amidst its internal decay.
- in Samaria: The capital city of the Northern Kingdom, a symbol of its idolatry and a hub of the wicked practices that consistently defined the kings of Israel after the split.
- six months: This remarkably short reign indicates extreme political volatility and chaos in the Northern Kingdom. It's a stark sign of God's hand in dismantling the kingdom and judging its repeated unfaithfulness and rapid descent into anarchy. It highlights the accelerating decline of Israel prior to its fall.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reigned": This grouping provides the precise historical context, immediately contrasting Judah's more stable (longer-reigning) monarch with the start of a short, doomed reign in Israel. The linkage of "son of Jeroboam" instantly recalls the pervasive idolatry and prophesied downfall associated with that lineage. It connects the events of 2 Kings 15:8 to the larger biblical narrative of the two kingdoms.
- "over Israel in Samaria six months": This part emphasizes the territorial scope (Israel, represented by its capital Samaria) and, crucially, the extraordinarily short duration of Zechariah's reign. This brevity is a dramatic signal of divine judgment and the advanced state of political and spiritual decay within the Northern Kingdom. It serves as a stark example of a nation on the brink of collapse due to its rejection of God's covenant.
2 Kings 15 8 Bonus section
The historical backdrop of Zechariah's reign, as part of the Jehu dynasty's end, carries significant prophetic weight. The Lord had promised Jehu that his descendants would reign for four generations (2 Ki 10:30) because he executed judgment on the house of Ahab. Zechariah was the fourth generation, thus his death marked the precise fulfillment of this limited promise, bringing an end to Jehu's line on the throne of Israel (2 Ki 15:12). This shows God's precision in judgment and the fulfillment of His word, even decades after it was spoken. The quick succession of kings following Zechariah (Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, Pekah, Hoshea) each often seizing power through assassination, underscores the complete spiritual and political breakdown that ultimately led to Assyrian captivity.
2 Kings 15 8 Commentary
2 Kings 15:8 succinctly introduces the penultimate king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, Zechariah. His ascension is precisely dated to a time when Judah, under King Azariah/Uzziah, enjoyed a period of relative stability. However, the mention of Zechariah as "son of Jeroboam" (referring to Jeroboam II) immediately links him to a legacy of apostasy initiated by Jeroboam I, a persistent idolatry that permeated Israel's entire history. The most striking detail, "six months," powerfully signifies the complete erosion of central authority and the profound spiritual decline in Israel. This extreme brevity foreshadows Zechariah's violent end and directly fulfills the prophecy concerning the end of the Jehu dynasty, demonstrating God's sovereign hand in orchestrating the fall of rebellious kingdoms. The short, turbulent reigns are a divine judgment, a visible manifestation of the curses outlined in the covenant for national disobedience, highlighting the impending total collapse of Israel and its ultimate exile.