Discovery Box2 Kings 1:2 
Context1:2 Ahaziah fell through a window lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria 1 and was injured. He sent messengers with these orders, 2 “Go, ask 3 Baal Zebub, 4 the god of Ekron, if I will survive this injury.”
2 Kings 1:9-12
Context1:9 The king 5 sent a captain and his fifty soldiers 6 to retrieve Elijah. 7 The captain 8 went up to him, while he was sitting on the top of a hill. 9 He told him, “Prophet, 10 the king says, ‘Come down!’” 1:10 Elijah replied to the captain, 11 “If I am indeed a prophet, may fire come down from the sky and consume you and your fifty soldiers!” Fire then came down 12 from the sky and consumed him and his fifty soldiers.
1:11 The king 13 sent another captain and his fifty soldiers to retrieve Elijah. He went up and told him, 14 “Prophet, this is what the king says, ‘Come down at once!’” 15 1:12 Elijah replied to them, 16 “If I am indeed a prophet, may fire come down from the sky and consume you and your fifty soldiers!” Fire from God 17 came down from the sky and consumed him and his fifty soldiers.
2 Kings 2:12
Context2:12 While Elisha was watching, he was crying out, “My father, my father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!” 18 Then he could no longer see him. He grabbed his clothes and tore them in two.
2 Kings 4:25
Context4:25 So she went to visit 19 the prophet at Mount Carmel. When he 20 saw her at a distance, he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, it’s the Shunammite woman.
2 Kings 4:35
Context4:35 Elisha 21 went back and walked around in the house. 22 Then he got up on the bed again 23 and bent down over him. The child sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.
2 Kings 4:38
Context4:38 Now Elisha went back to Gilgal, while there was famine in the land. Some of the prophets were visiting him 24 and he told his servant, “Put the big pot on the fire 25 and boil some stew for the prophets.” 26
2 Kings 4:43
Context4:43 But his attendant said, “How can I feed a hundred men with this?” 27 He replied, “Set it before the people so they may eat, for this is what the Lord says, ‘They will eat and have some left over.’” 28
2 Kings 5:1
Context5:1 Now Naaman, the commander of the king of Syria’s army, was esteemed and respected by his master, 29 for through him the Lord had given Syria military victories. But this great warrior had a skin disease. 30
2 Kings 5:6
Context5:6 He brought the letter to king of Israel. It read: “This is a letter of introduction for my servant Naaman, 31 whom I have sent to be cured of his skin disease.”
2 Kings 5:8
Context5:8 When Elisha the prophet 32 heard that the king had torn his clothes, he sent this message to the king, “Why did you tear your clothes? Send him 33 to me so he may know there is a prophet in Israel.”
2 Kings 5:14
Context5:14 So he went down and dipped in the Jordan seven times, as the prophet had instructed. 34 His skin became as smooth as a young child’s 35 and he was healed.
2 Kings 5:23
Context5:23 Naaman said, “Please accept two talents of silver. 36 He insisted, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, along with two suits of clothes. He gave them to two of his servants and they carried them for Gehazi. 37
2 Kings 6:12
Context6:12 One of his advisers said, “No, my master, O king. The prophet Elisha who lives in Israel keeps telling the king of Israel the things you say in your bedroom.”
2 Kings 6:17
Context6:17 Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he can see.” The Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he saw that 38 the hill was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
2 Kings 8:23
Context8:23 The rest of the events of Joram’s reign, including a record of his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 39
2 Kings 8:26
Context8:26 Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king and he reigned for one year in Jerusalem. 40 His mother was Athaliah, the granddaughter 41 of King Omri of Israel.
2 Kings 9:3
Context9:3 Take the container of olive oil, pour it over his head, and say, ‘This is what the Lord says, “I have designated 42 you as king over Israel.”’ Then open the door and run away quickly!” 43
2 Kings 9:13
Context9:13 Each of them quickly took off his cloak and they spread them out at Jehu’s 44 feet on the steps. 45 The trumpet was blown 46 and they shouted, “Jehu is 47 king!”
2 Kings 9:33
Context9:33 He said, “Throw her down!” So they threw her down, and when she hit the ground, 48 her blood splattered against the wall and the horses, and Jehu drove his chariot over her. 49
2 Kings 9:36
Context9:36 When they went back and told him, he said, “The Lord’s word through his servant, Elijah the Tishbite, has come to pass. He warned, 50 ‘In the plot of land at Jezreel, dogs will devour Jezebel’s flesh.
2 Kings 10:10
Context10:10 Therefore take note that not one of the judgments the Lord announced against Ahab’s dynasty has failed to materialize. The Lord had done what he announced through his servant Elijah.” 51
2 Kings 10:34
Context10:34 The rest of the events of Jehu’s reign, including all his accomplishments and successes, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 52
2 Kings 11:12
Context11:12 Jehoiada 53 led out the king’s son and placed on him the crown and the royal insignia. 54 They proclaimed him king and poured olive oil on his head. 55 They clapped their hands and cried out, “Long live the king!”
2 Kings 13:7-8
Context13:7 Jehoahaz had no army left 56 except for fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and 10,000 foot soldiers. The king of Syria had destroyed his troops 57 and trampled on them like dust. 58
13:8 The rest of the events of Jehoahaz’s reign, including all his accomplishments and successes, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 59
2 Kings 13:25
Context13:25 Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash took back from 60 Ben Hadad son of Hazael the cities that he had taken from his father Jehoahaz in war. Joash defeated him three times and recovered the Israelite cities.
2 Kings 14:2
Context14:2 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. 61 His mother 62 was Jehoaddan, who was from Jerusalem.
2 Kings 15:2
Context15:2 He was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem. 63 His mother’s name was Jecholiah, who was from Jerusalem.
2 Kings 15:9
Context15:9 He did evil in the sight of 64 the Lord, as his ancestors had done. He did not repudiate 65 the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin.
2 Kings 15:18
Context15:18 He did evil in the sight of 66 the Lord; he did not repudiate 67 the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 68
During his reign,
2 Kings 15:30
Context15:30 Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah. He assassinated him 69 and took his place as king, in the twentieth year of the reign of Jotham son of Uzziah.
2 Kings 16:3
Context16:3 He followed in the footsteps of 70 the kings of Israel. He passed his son through the fire, 71 a horrible sin practiced by the nations 72 whom the Lord drove out from before the Israelites.
2 Kings 17:23
Context17:23 Finally 73 the Lord rejected Israel 74 just as he had warned he would do 75 through all his servants the prophets. Israel was deported from its land to Assyria and remains there to this very day.
2 Kings 17:36
Context17:36 Instead you must worship the Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt by his great power and military ability; 76 bow down to him and offer sacrifices to him.
2 Kings 18:2
Context18:2 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. 77 His mother 78 was Abi, 79 the daughter of Zechariah.
2 Kings 18:12
Context18:12 This happened because they did not obey 80 the Lord their God and broke his agreement with them. 81 They did not pay attention to and obey all that Moses, the Lord’s servant, had commanded. 82
2 Kings 21:17
Context21:17 The rest of the events of Manasseh’s reign and all his accomplishments, as well as the sinful acts he committed, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 83
2 Kings 21:19
Context21:19 Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned for two years in Jerusalem. 84 His mother 85 was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz, from Jotbah.
2 Kings 23:36
Context23:36 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. 86 His mother was Zebidah the daughter of Pedaiah, from Rumah.
2 Kings 24:2
Context24:2 The Lord sent against him Babylonian, Syrian, Moabite, and Ammonite raiding bands; he sent them to destroy Judah, as he had warned he would do through his servants the prophets. 87
2 Kings 24:7
Context24:7 The king of Egypt did not march out from his land again, for the king of Babylon conquered all the territory that the king of Egypt had formerly controlled between the Brook of Egypt and the Euphrates River.
2 Kings 24:18
Context24:18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem. 88 His mother 89 was Hamutal, 90 the daughter of Jeremiah, from Libnah.
2 Kings 24:20
Context24:20 What follows is a record of what happened to Jerusalem and Judah because of the Lord’s anger; he finally threw them out of his presence. 91 Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
1 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
2 tn Heb “and he sent messengers and said to them.”
3 tn That is, “seek an oracle from.”
4 sn Apparently Baal Zebub refers to a local manifestation of the god Baal at the Philistine city of Ekron. The name appears to mean “Lord of the Flies,” but it may be a deliberate scribal corruption of Baal Zebul, “Baal, the Prince,” a title known from the Ugaritic texts. For further discussion and bibliography, see HALOT 261 s.v. זְבוּב בַּעַל and M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 25.
5 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
6 tn Heb “officer of fifty and his fifty.”
7 tn Heb “to him.”
8 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the captain) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
9 sn The prophet Elijah’s position on the top of the hill symbolizes his superiority to the king and his messengers.
10 tn Heb “man of God” (also in vv. 10, 11, 12, 13).
11 tn Heb “answered and said to the officer of fifty.”
12 tn Wordplay contributes to the irony here. The king tells Elijah to “come down” (Hebrew יָרַד, yarad), but Elijah calls fire down (יָרַד) on the arrogant king’s officer.
13 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
14 tc The MT reads, “he answered and said to him.” The verb “he answered” (וַיַּעַן, vayya’an) is probably a corruption of “he went up” (וַיַּעַל, vayya’al). See v. 9.
15 sn In this second panel of the three-paneled narrative, the king and his captain are more arrogant than before. The captain uses a more official sounding introduction (“this is what the king says”) and the king adds “at once” to the command.
16 tc Two medieval Hebrew
17 tn Or “intense fire.” The divine name may be used idiomatically to emphasize the intensity of the fire. Whether one translates אֱלֹהִים (’elohim) here as a proper name or idiomatically, this addition to the narrative (the name is omitted in the first panel, v. 10b) emphasizes the severity of the judgment and is appropriate given the more intense command delivered by the king to the prophet in this panel.
18 sn Elisha may be referring to the fiery chariot(s) and horses as the Lord’s spiritual army that fights on behalf of Israel (see 2 Kgs 6:15-17; 7:6). However, the juxtaposition with “my father” (clearly a reference to Elijah as Elisha’s mentor), and the parallel in 2 Kgs 13:14 (where the king addresses Elisha with these words), suggest that Elisha is referring to Elijah. In this case Elijah is viewed as a one man army, as it were. When the Lord spoke through him, his prophetic word was as powerful as an army of chariots and horses. See M. A. Beek, “The Meaning of the Expression ‘The Chariots and Horsemen of Israel’ (II Kings ii 12),” The Witness of Tradition (OTS 17), 1-10.
19 tn Heb “went and came.”
20 tn Heb “the man of God.” The phrase has been replaced by the relative pronoun “he” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
21 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
22 tn Heb “and he returned and went into the house, once here and once there.”
23 tn Heb “and he went up.”
24 tn Heb “the sons of the prophets were sitting before him.”
25 tn The words “the fire” are added for clarification.
26 tn Heb “sons of the prophets.”
27 tn Heb “How can I set this before a hundred men?”
28 tn The verb forms are infinitives absolute (Heb “eating and leaving over”) and have to be translated in light of the context.
29 tn Heb “was a great man before his master and lifted up with respect to the face.”
30 tn For a discussion of מְצֹרָע (mÿtsora’), traditionally translated “leprous,” see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 63. Naaman probably had a skin disorder of some type, not leprosy/Hansen’s disease.
31 tn Heb “and now when this letter comes to you, look, I have sent to you Naaman my servant.”
32 tn Heb “man of God” (also in vv. 15, 20).
33 tn Heb “Let him come.”
34 tn Heb “according to the word of the man of God.”
35 tn Heb “and his skin was restored, like the skin of a small child.”
36 tn Heb “Be resolved and accept two talents.”
37 tn Heb “before him.”
38 tn Heb “and he saw, and look.”
39 tn Heb “As for the rest of the acts of Joram and all which he did, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah?”
40 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
41 tn Hebrew בַּת (bat), “daughter,” can refer, as here to a granddaughter. See HALOT 166 s.v. בַּת.
42 tn Heb “anointed.”
43 tn Heb “and open the door and run away and do not delay.”
44 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Jehu) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
45 tn Heb “and they hurried and took, each one his garment, and they placed [them] beneath him on the bone [?] of the steps.” The precise nuance of גֶרֶם (gerem), “bone,” is unclear. Some suggest the nuance “bare” here; it may be a technical architectural term in this context.
46 tn Heb “they blew the trumpet.” This has been translated as a passive to avoid the implication that the same ones who shouted had all blown trumpets.
47 tn Or “has become.”
48 tn The words “when she hit the ground” are added for stylistic reasons.
49 tn Heb “and he trampled her.”
50 tn Heb “It is the word of the
51 tn Heb “Know then that there has not fallen from the word of the
52 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Jehu, and all which he did and all his strength, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel?”
53 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jehoiada) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
54 tn The Hebrew term עֵדוּת (’edut) normally means “witness” or “testimony.” Here it probably refers to some tangible symbol of kingship, perhaps a piece of jewelry such as an amulet or neck chain. See the discussion in M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 128. Some suggest that a document is in view, perhaps a copy of the royal protocol or of the stipulations of the Davidic covenant. See HALOT 790-91 s.v. עֵדוּת.
55 tn Or “they made him king and anointed him.”
56 tn Heb “Indeed he did not leave to Jehoahaz people.” The identity of the subject is uncertain, but the king of Syria, mentioned later in the verse, is a likely candidate.
57 tn Heb “them,” i.e., the remainder of this troops.
58 tn Heb “and made them like dust for trampling.”
59 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Jehoahaz, and all which he did and his strength, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel?”
60 tn Heb “from the hand of.”
61 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
62 tn Heb “the name of his mother.”
63 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
64 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
65 tn Heb “turn away from.”
66 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
67 tn Heb “turn away from.”
68 tc The MT of v. 18 ends with the words, “all his days.” If this phrase is taken with what precedes, then one should translate, “[who encouraged Israel to sin] throughout his reign.” However, it may be preferable to emend the text to בְיֹמָיו (bÿyomav), “in his days,” and join the phrase to what follows. The translation assumes this change.
69 tn Heb “and struck him down and killed him.”
70 tn Heb “he walked in the way of.”
71 sn This may refer to child sacrifice, though some interpret it as a less drastic cultic practice. For discussion see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 266-67.
72 tn Heb “like the abominable practices of the nations.”
73 tn Heb “until.”
74 tn Heb “the
75 tn Heb “just as he said.”
76 tn Heb “and outstretched arm.”
77 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
78 tn Heb “the name of his mother.”
79 tn The parallel passage in 2 Chr 29:1 has “Abijah.”
80 tn Heb “listen to the voice of.”
81 tn Heb “his covenant.”
82 tn Heb “all that Moses, the
83 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Manasseh, and all which he did, and his sin which he committed, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah?”
84 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
85 tn Heb “the name of his mother.”
86 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
87 tn Heb “he sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the
88 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
89 tn Heb “the name of his mother.”
90 tc Some textual witnesses support the consonantal text (Kethib) in reading “Hamital.”
91 tn Heb “Surely [or, ‘for’] because of the anger of the
